By Brigette Danielle: 2020

Hey y'all! I recently shared a post talking about how Pinterest tripled my page views with a few key tips. If you found this post on making clickable pins through that post- WELCOME! If you didn't, after you read this one be sure to check out my post on how to increase your page views through Pinterest, which is linked below :). Now, on to why you clicked this post. You want to make clickable pins to drive traffic to your blog or website. Let me start off by saying there are many, MANY ways to make beautiful pins that drive traffic. These strategies are ones that I have used to grown my blog from 100 page views a month to tens of thousands. Some of my posts have upwards of 37,000 a lone within less than a year. Being that I am a small blogger, that is pretty awesome since all that traffic ( 95%+ ) came from Pinterest alone.

So, how do you create clickable pins for Pinterest? 1. Use great photos- As much as we all like to believe that pictures don't matter on Pinterest... they do. Using stock photos or truly beautiful photos that you captured are the first key to creating something that people want to read more about. 2. Fonts- Use a variety of fonts when creating your pins. This was something that I would get caught up on from time to time. I personally am a very cookie cutter kind of person when it comes to certain things. I personally prefer words to look uniform, clean and straight forward when it comes to the font. However, using a variety of fonts (usually 2 is enough) will add depth to your pin and cause it to be more eye catching. 3. Key Words- Again with the key words lol. Including key words in your pin are sure to make them more clickable. For example, if you write a post about ideas for mother daughter time using key words like Mother/Daughter, Bonding, Date, Girl Time etc you will gain more reach and clicks because they are great key words. Mother/Daughter being the best. 4. Mood- Pins have moods. If your post is something serious, using darker hues fit the mood better and people are more likely to click it. If your post is light and fun, having a pin with brighter colors or white backgrounds are more eye catching. The overall mood color may very from topic to topic. Try not to get to hung up on if the topic is serious or not. Try to find the mood between the words and images. If you incorporate these simple elements to your pins, then you are sure to see an increase with your Pinterest engagement. A lot of my older pins are currently in the process of a makeover themselves lol. When creating your pin, take your time. Don't try and rush for the sake of sharing something.. make sure it is beautiful, eye catching and fits with what you are sharing. Don't forget to check out this post on how Pinterest helped me increase my blog's traffic HERE!. Did you find these tips helpful? What do you do to create beautiful pins? Let me know in the comments below.

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Hey y'all! Who is ready to talk Pinterest?! Pinterest has kept my little blog a float and my page views steadily growing over the years. Pinterest literally tripled my page views in a matter of 24 hours. When it comes to increasing blog traffic, Pinterest is a absolute must. I have been so busy working and trying to adjust to life during the pandemic that I sort of let my blog sit on the back burner. Every time I would have an idea, I would text myself a note about the title or I would hop on blogger and start a draft. I have so many drafts right now y'all, it is wild lol. One post I definitely wanted to make sure I got up ASAP was this one. I wanted to share with y'all how Pinterest tripled my blog traffic over night and how it has kept my page views steadily increasing with out hours and hours of working on my blog. ** I do want to make note that your content still plays a vital role in page views/bounce/and reoccurring readers** So let's begin. Let's talk about how Pinterest tripled my blog's traffic, that way you can start growing yours!

1. Have a Pinterest account- You are probably seeing this post via Pinterest so this really doesn't apply to you. But, if by chance you happen to see this post outside of Pinterest-- this is where you need to begin. Create a free account and get ready to journey down the wonderful rabbit hole that is Pinterest. 2.Set up a Pinterest Business Account- If you already have an account ( or are making one), set it to a business account. Pinterest Business accounts offer a lot of useful tools to help you maximize your reach including analytics, ads, audience insight and trends. All of these allow you to keep up with what your followers are looking for and what they engage with the most. 3. Create Clickable Pins- This was something that I did struggle with in the beginning. I tried to incorporate all the things I wanted in my pin when I should have been focusing on what people want to see when they are scrolling through Pinterest. Want to know how to make clickable pins? Check out this post HERE! 4.Use Key Words- Pinterest works like a search engine, not Instagram. You may notice when you search for something, majority of the pins you see will now relate to that search. Using the right key words in your title, on the pin and in the description helps A LOT. When creating your pin make sure the key words are relevant to what you are sharing and are words that people use. 5.Group Boards- Joining group boards is another great way to increase you blog's traffic. Group boards are boards that have multiple contributors. Usually on a group board, if you pin something you created you are encouraged to pin something else from that board that you are truly interested in. I have found some of my favorite posts/recipes from group boards. 6. Create Multiple Pins- Also related to making clickable pins, you have to create multiple ones. A general suggestions by many bloggers is that you create 2-3 different pins. I found a post would have more traffic if I created 3-4 pins. Each one different but just as clickable. Pinterest is truly amazing, especially if you have a smaller blog like I do or a business you are trying to drive traffic to. I have applied all of these best practices over the past few years and I have seen my blog grow from less than 100 page views a month to tens of thousands a month ( which is more than triple). I truly believe if you use these tools and put in the work in the beginning, your blog views will increase before you know it! Do you plan to use these tips to increase your blog's page views? Are you currently on Pinterest? Let me know in the comments below. Check out what I am pinning and LET"S BE PINpals.

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Hey y'all! I wish I had some little joke or something like I normally do to kinda break the ice for this post. Unfortunately, this is a serious post so the jokes may be in short supply. Today I am going to share with you my biracial hair journey and the affects it had on my identity including my hair trauma story. I just want to say this post has taken me years to write... face... and accept. So I apologize now if it is extremely long, boring or not your cup of tea. So let's dive in! If you don't know by now ( which you hopefully do), I am biracial. My mother is white and my father is black. Growing up I only knew my white side. My father was not in my life and I only really have faint memories of his mother whom I called my "black grandma". I was never really around black culture or people (maybe a few) until I went to elementary school. And that's where my journey with my identity and hair trauma began. When I was younger, my hair was long, thick and curly. If we had hair type identifiers back then like we do today.. I honestly would't even know what mine was. I just know I had a lot. I remember thinking I looked like Curly Sue and how it would bounce when I would run.

All of my early memories of my hair have really disappeared because I experienced hair trauma. For those of you reading, you may not know what hair trauma is so let me explain it the best way I can. Trauma means a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Hair trauma is when you have an experience dealing with your hair that has caused distress or a disturbing experience. I truly believe those early memories of my childhood were suppressed because of my hair trauma. THE TRAUMA: My hair trauma happened when I was very young. Roughly between the ages of 4 and 6. As I mentioned earlier, my hair was very long and thick. One day after my white grandmother washed and curled my hair into ringlets (which she did do often) she proceeded to cut all of it off. My hair went from my lower back to about 2-3". I remember looking in the mirror and feeling confused.. hurt.. sad and many other things. Mostly, I felt lost. I didn't know why she cut it. I didn't know why it didn't look like hers or my moms after she cut it. After my traumatic cut, I remember the name calling. My brother would call me names, people thought I was a boy and little kids would make fun of me as well. The day to day shame I felt really was buried under smiles and attempts at acting like everything was okay. Being so young and traumatized was something that would take decades to fully face.

As I went into Kindergarten with my mini fro, I remember seeing a girl my age (who later became my best friend) who had the most beautiful hair! She would have braids, twists, pony tails, clips... you name it. I was immediately infatuated with her hair. I wanted my hair to look like hers. I would bother her almost every day. Asking her about her hair, touching her hair (I now know that was a big no no lol). She may never know just how much I wanted her hair. As my elementary years progressed my mini fro slowly began to turn into a mini frollet (fro + mullet). I remember wetting my hair trying to brush my it down into a swoop... I would always end up extremely disappointed as soon as it dried lol. It would never stay the way I wanted it to. My hair was too short for a ponytail so I went through a pretty intense headband phase. I remember I wore one so much that it started to cause sores in the back of my ears. It was the only way I knew how to make my hair look somewhat presentable. My mom would even take me to Fantastic Sams and have my hair thinned out which did absolutely nothing.

that's me in the purple hat

Around 4th grade, my hair finally became long enough to put into a ponytail. My mom attempted my first relaxer but she was so afraid my hair would fall out she pretty much washed it out immediately. So, it did nothing! She then attempted to straighten it with a curling iron. Once again it did nothing. So from there, I upgraded from headbands to ponytails and hats. Since I couldn't wear hats at school, my hair was pulled back with a scrunchy. But any time I left the house.. on the cap went! I felt like a hat could hide my insecurities and frizzy hair. In the 90's, there wasn't YouTube or Facebook. If you wanted to try a new hairstyle, you copied the magazines. So naturally my mom didn't think to look there because you couldn't just pick them up in the stores we went to. Unless it was the grocery store... I would pick up hair magazines and thumb through them as she would shop. Seeing those hairstyles and new products I knew I HAD to get them. The first product my mom bought after my attempted relaxer was Pink Lotion. My hair was soft, more manageable and it seemed to be on the right track. All of that confidence came to a screeching halt during spirit week that year. I wore my favorite hat to school on hat day... my hair was in a pony tail and I felt good. However, that day we had a substitute that we all knew. She was an older black lady who was never shy to tell us how she felt. For the most part, we all enjoyed having her in our class. I remember it was after lunch and we were listening to her read the class book aloud when all of a sudden she stopped, looked up at me and said " your mom needs to do something with your hair" in front of the whole class. Of course being immature 4th graders they all burst out laughing uncontrollably. I couldn't hold the tears any more so they just began to fall. I never felt like the kids were in the wrong.. they were kids. However it did take me a very long time to forgive and get over the treatment of that teacher. After all she did humiliate me in front of my peers. I figured she would have seen my struggle and offered to help as opposed to scrutinize.

After that, all the trauma from my haircut began to trickle back into my day to day. When I reached middle school my hair was much longer. Frizzy. But longer. I began to experiment with my hair. I tried to mimic my Hispanic friends hairstyles since I couldn't braid. That didn't work. I tried wearing my hair like my cousins.. that didn't work. I was back to square one with trying to figure out what to do with my hair. After 6th grade pictures came out, my mom had no choice but to reach out for help. I finally was going to a salon where they knew how to do my hair. After what seemed like all day, I left looking and feeling like a new person! My hair was straight! I mean as straight as a board. It was bumped and swooped and pressed to no end. I felt like Aaliyah when I got up from that chair! The next day, was photo retake day. Still not sure what to do with my new hair, I once again mimicked my Hispanic friends hair.. my hair went from snatched to... ummm what in the world?! Throughout middle school I still struggled to do my hair. I didn't have the right tools to straighten it and I didn't really have enough knowledge on products to keep it styled. Thankfully I made more best friends that would help me a long. One would braid my hair and give me little tips on wrapping my hair.

after my first perm

trying to find hairstyles I could do

Even though my progress with my hair was improving, my confidence was still shaken. Could I pull these off? Do I look good with braids? Even as I moved into high school I struggled with my hair. I would wash it too often, dye it to harshly and apply too much heat. I didn't know how to properly nourish my hair and I was stripping it of all it's nutrients when I would use products that were meant for white/thin hair. My hair had become so damaged that it began to break off. Around 11th grade my hair had broken so much, it went from the middle of my back to right above my shoulders. After that whole journey with my hair, I slowly began to find my identity in this world. I knew I was mixed but because I didn't KNOW my whole makeup, I struggled. All I knew was my white side. Yes, most of my friends were black.. but not having that connection at a young age on top of my hair trauma made it a challenge.

me and one of my closest guy friends from HS

HS struggling to wear it natural. All my hair broke off from dying it.

Around 10th grade I decided I wanted to go to an HBCU. I wanted to fully immerse my self in black culture 24/7. I made the effort to go to the local Juneteenth celebration each year, the Black Expos and watch as many black films (age appropriate of course) as I could. I needed to explore the other side of me that made me me. Experiencing a hair trauma at such a young age really gave me the push I needed to connect with my blackness. Not knowing why or how my hair was so different only made me want to learn more. As an adult, I now have full confidence in my hair. I can rock a bob, long styles, dyed, up do's, braids, my natural curls or a blow out. My hair journey was a long and tough process that has caused many insecurities throughout my life. I can honestly say that this trauma helped shape me into the woman I am today. So... now that we have made it to the end, thank you for reading my story. Thank you for taking the time to understand what I went through. I hope you can understand that there is such a thing as a hair trauma, especially for young black girls. Have you ever experienced anything traumatic as a child? Have you been able to overcome it? What did you do? Let me know in the comments below. Check out my YouTube video where I open up even more.

before my hair started to grow.

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Hey y'all! Budget dates can be some of the best! Especially when they are long over due lol. This post contains some of the best budget date night ideas... at least IMO :).
It's safe to say that we have all had a time or two when we weren't balling out of control and we needed to keep a tight budget. Unless you are part of the 1% (they ain't reading my little ol' blog.. but if so HEEYYY lol). As a family that has been on both sides of the financial spectrum (have and have not), one thing always seems to take your mind off of the hang ups in every day life... going out and having fun! Especially date night with the hubs. Whether it's financial struggles, kids, work, health or anything really that can cause you to feel down, a moment out of reality can definitely cause a shift in your mood.
I remember when my husband and I were really young, broke and the kiddos were young, our date nights were far and few in between. Mostly due to lack of child care, coins and time.
Thankfully our kids are older and we have been blessed with more time together thanks to his new work schedule. We can enjoy more date nights without having to break the bank. So, now onto the reason you clicked this link/pin, you are looking for budget date night ideas. So, let's get to it! Indoor Budget Date Ideas:

Dinner and a Movie- Do something you would probably do any other night. Only this time, put the kids to bed early or send them to your trusted sitter. Have a date night indoors with a new movie or a classic and enjoy a quiet romantic dinner alone. Don't forget to grab that special bottle of cab.
Complete a Puzzle- Another budget date night idea you can do at home is to complete a puzzle. Find a quirky one, hard one or beautiful landscape. Spend time connecting, talking and enjoying a quiet night in.
Spa Date- Bring out the fresh towels, cucumbers and scented lotions. Create a spa like atmosphere and enjoy a relaxing date night at home without spending spa money. Places like Target, Walmart and the Dollar Tree have super cheap face masks you can buy for you and your spouse. Want to save a little bit more? Use ingredients you already have around the house! Egg whites, avocados, bananas, honey, yogurt and oatmeal are all great starting points.
Date Night Game Night- Cards, boxed games, board games or electronic ones.. games are games! Spend the night playing games and laughing the night away. Want to make it a little more interesting? Invite over some of your favorite couples and play teams.
Cook a Special Meal- There are so many online tutorials and cooking clubs, especially since covid-19. My go to for cooking videos... YouTube lol. My husband and I can get lost watching cooking videos and tutorials on YouTube, especially when we are up late and struggling to go to sleep!
Cooking Competition at Home- I actually got this idea from D'Andra Simmons (RHOD). Plan on picking a main meat (fish, chicken, beef etc), set the timer and get cooking. You each have 60 minutes to cook your item in your own way. Say you choose to make chicken. You can create a delicious cajun chicken meal and your spouse can whip up some curry chicken. Same main meat just cooked differently. This idea looked like so much fun and I am planning on doing this with my husband very soon! Should I make a video for it? Would that be entertaining to watch hahaha?

Outdoor Budget Date Ideas:

Camping- It doesn't cost much to go camping. Load up those sleeping bags, tents and camping essentials and head off to a nearby camp site
Star Gazing- This one can be done while camping or in the comfort of your own home or car. If at home, lay out some blankets and pillows on the patio or lawn before sunset. Have light snacks and get ready to gaze at God's beautiful night sky. If you plan this ahead of time, add a little twist to star gazing by printing off constellations and see how many you can find.
Hiking- Hiking is a great budget date idea. It only costs a little bit of gas and some sweat lol. Find a local hiking spot and hit the trails. You may even find your new favorite spot.
Yard Games- Like indoor game night, outdoor game night can be just as fun. Drag out the old corn hole, Frisbee or make up a new game. Either way you will be outside enjoying each others company.
Picnic- A good ol' fashioned picnic is another favorite budget date idea. Make it romantic with some candles, wines, cheese platters and soft music.
Farmer's Market- The Farmer's Market is another great place to have a budget friendly date. Check out local vendors, sample delicious food and enjoy your community.
Visit a U-Pick Farm- There are plenty of U-Pick farms open during the warmer months and Fall. Find one near you and head out to pick up some fresh produce.
DIY- Whether you are starting a new one or finishing up that one you paused 2 months ago, spend the day doing fun projects for the home.
Site Seeing- Every city has something interesting to see. In Dallas, it's the big ol' mansions and landmarks that everyone loves to gawk at. My husband and I have taken several drives around Highland Park so check out the old mansions and interesting architecture of the new ones. Don't forget to map out those land marks and murals.
Visit a Museum- Most museums are free so that makes a super budget friendly date idea. Stroll around the museum checking out the different pieces and learn about the artists.

There are so many things you can do to have fun while staying on a budget. While the fancy restaurants and symphony are great places to go on date, they may not always be within your means. I would gladly take a well planned and thought out date from any of the ones listed above.

Have you tried any of these budget date night ideas? What is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

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Hey y'all!

Summer skin care products are essential as the summer sun starts to boil us all into a sweaty mess lol. Our skin, sensitive or not, must constantly be taken care of. Cleansing, moisturizing, detoxing... you name it.

Growing up, I didn't really struggle with acne. However, my skin was very uneven, overly sensitive and oily. As I have gotten older, I did begin to have more breakouts (acne & irritation) because I piled more makeup on daily lol. Thankfully, I have found great products that help me combat it and leave my skin cleansed and hydrated.

So, I decided to compile this list to share my favorite summer skin care products that will leave your skin refreshed as it starts to get hotter and we get sweatier.

There are tons of skin care products out there that are great for our skin but not necessarily for our skin in summer time. Summer skin care products should be light yet nourishing. Who wants to be sweaty and oily during the hot summer months? I know I don't.

I personally have combination skin as well as sensitive skin, so finding products that work and benefit my skin can be a challenge. Especially in the harsher months like winter and summer.

So, before you head out and stock up on your summer skin care essentials, take a look at some of my favorites and give them a try for yourself.

Also, if you are looking for more resources on clean and natural products for your skin, check out the Clean Beauty Gals blog for listicles full of awesome products and tips!

1. Garnier Micellar Water- This one is always on my list. This micellar water is cleanses, hydrates and is great for all skin types. I personally use this daily as well as my 12 year old daughter. It helps with her acne caused by her monthly cycle and the changes she is currently going through. I love the Garnier Micellar Water because it is inexpensive and perfect for summer.

2. Garnier Rose Water Mist- Like I said previously, rose water is one of my faves and this particular one is my go to. When ever my skin gets irritated from makeup, I grab my rose water spray and apply it all over my face. The redness and irritation subsides almost instantly. This rose water is great for summer because it is a mist so application is very quick and easy plus it dries quickly as well.

3. Thayers Witch Hazel Rose Petal- This witch hazel is the perfect toner for all skin types, especially if you struggle with acne or scarring. With hazel is gentle on skin alone, but with the added rose petal extract... it soothes even more. Rose water is one of my FAVORITE things when it comes to skin care.

4. Evian Mineral Spray- I keep a small bottle in my purse all summer long lol. This mineral spray is great for moisturizing, cleansing and more. Whenever it is hot outside and I get overly sticky or sweaty, I grab my Evian Mineral Spray. I always feel instantly refreshed.

5. Eucerin Daily Hydration Cream- Eucerin is one of my favorite brands when it comes to creams and lotions. A lot of their products are great for the areas on my skin that get really dry, Their daily hydration cream has SPF 30 so it protects against harmful uv rays and sunburns. Plus, it is light weight and not over oily which makes it great for most (if not all) skin types.

Palmer's Swivel Stick Lip Moisturizer - Cocoa Butter Formula - 0.5oz - image 1 of 6

Palmer's Swivel Stick Lip Moisturizer - Cocoa Butter Formula - 0.5oz - image 1 of 6

6. Palmer's Cocoa Butter (stick)- Cocoa butter is the OG skin care product. It heals scars, nourishes skin, helps with sun burns, evens skin tones and more. I use this in the evening to help with my minimal scarring and discoloration. Cocoa butter is pretty heavy so I would not suggest using it during the hot summer days. But at night, when you are cool and getting ready for bed... cake your face with Palmer's cocoa butter for beautiful skin!

Like I said before there are so many products that are great for your skin during the hot summer months. These are my essentials that help me keep my sensitive/ combination skin in check!

What summer skin care products do you use when it gets hotter? Have you used any of these? Let me know in the comments below!

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Hey y’all!

Earth Day is approaching and I have the perfect Earth Day craft for you and your kiddos. But before we start, what exactly is Earth Day and why is it something we participate in?

Earth Day originated in the 70’s and has become celebrated each year around the world to draw attention to our environment and how we can take care of it and keep it thriving while we inhabit it.

What can you do to celebrate Earth Day?

For starters, you can focus on minimizing waste, excessive water usage and put the 3R’s into action. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

For this craft we took the second R (reuse) and create this super easy Earth Day craft. We reused some paper that had a few printing mistakes on them from school assignments. This craft doesn’t require much and can really be done by kiddos of any age.

This Earth Day craft resembles the Earth in the palm of our hands. It serves as a reminder that while we are here, we should treat it the way we would treat our homes. Keep them clean by not littering, producing air pollution and making sure we are not using up our natural resources unnecessarily.

Now, onto the craft!

You will need:

White paper

Colored paper

Pencil

Scissors

Glue stick

Green and blue paint +paint brush (or anything you prefer)

STARTING with the white paper, trace out a medium to large sized heart. I just found one on google and traced it. The size of the heart will determine the size of your child’s hand. If they are younger, you will more than likely use a medium sized heart.

Once you trace the heart, use the green and blue paint to mimic the Earth! This doesn’t have to be accurate as it is a craft, but if you want it to be more accurate GO FOR IT! It’s easier to paint your heart before you cut it out so you can make sure it is completely covered. Once it’s painted, set aside to dry and move on to the next portion of the craft.

HANDS! It’s time to create the hands. On a different color sheet of paper, simply trace bit of your child’s hands. Once they are traced, cut them out as smoothly as possible. After you cut them out, be sure to erase any pencil lines that may still remain.

NEXT, your Earth heart, once it’s dry cut it out and and get ready for the cutest Earth Day craft!

Using the hands with both thumbs centered, fold a small flap towards the palms.

FINALLY , place the Earth heart into the crease of the flap with the painted side facing the fingers and adjust the hand cutouts to cradle the heart. Once in place, glue the tabs to the back and the bottoms of the palms/fingers onto the front of the heart.