Okay sorry I missed last week – I hurt my finger this week and typing is a bit of a chore, so blogging has been hard. But I still wanted to share these great links with you!

Every week make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads fom the week! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Blogging & Social Media

• 5 Steps to Improve Your Pinterest Profile in Five Minutes – Great tips on how to make your Pinterest profile amazing!
• What, Why, and How-To’s of Trackbacks and Pingbacks in WordPress – Learn all about trackbacks and pingbacks on your blog.
• The Blogger’s Guide To YouTube: How To Absolutely Dominate Your Niche With Video Content – Are you starting to vlog? Check out this great post.

Health & Food

• What’s Your Cup Of Tea? – 5 Miracle Teas for Fat Loss – I love learning about tea because that is my one go to drink that I can have since I cannot have carbonation. And look its a healthy choice!
• Water Hydration Plan! -I have to do this! I always struggle with getting my water in, this looks like a good way to make sure you are on the right track throughout the day.
• How to get your kids to healthy foods – Getting healthy is not just about you it’s about getting your family healthy too!

Randomness

Awesome Video of the Week

Pin of the Week

Okay sorry I missed last week – I hurt my finger this week and typing is a bit of a chore, so blogging has been hard. But I still wanted to share these great links with you!

Every week make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads fom the week! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Blogging & Social Media

• The New Google Plus Interface - Have you seen the new look of Google+? Learn more about how you can customize it in this article.
• 14 Ways to Build Strategic Relationships With the Who’s Who of Social Media - Learn how to grow a relationship with a big name online.
• 15 Ways to Write Tight – 15 quick and easy tips to make sure you keep your posts short and sweet!
• Crazy Talk: The Do-What-You-Love Guide – Interested in blogging? Start small and keep building.
• How Doctor Who Can Help You Craft a Timelessly Engaging Marketing Message- Love this analogy!!

Health & Food

• When Idealism Gets in the Way - Does negativity seem to weigh you down? Do you always see what you are doing wrong? Kat shares how she is looking at the good things she is doing to keep her family healthy.
• 10 Minute Bread Bowls - These are cute! And a great way to get a few carbs and make it fun at the same time!
• 26 Workout Songs to Keep You Going - Rock your workout!

Fun

• DIY: May Day Baskets - May first is coming up do you have baskets ready yet? If not check out these cuties!
• Photo 101 – Composition - I love this article – Natalie shares the basics of how to line up your photos to make them more interesting. If you camera has the option to have a grid on your screen try this out!

Awesome Video of the Week

Pin of the Week

This week I’m switching up SSS to share some of the great blogs I have found while surfing the #UBP12 Party!

Normally on SSS I share my favorite articles I’ve read from around the web with an emphasis on Blogging, Social Media, Health, Food, and just great random reads. So make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Mom Blogs with Very Little Product Emphasis

• Mrs. Jennifer Lynn – A new vlogger! Woohoo!
• Life as I know it – A fellow Oregonian!
• Crosbie Crew – Love the 52 Weeks of Us!
• Veep Veep – A blogger and a TV personality and lovely on top of that!
• Michelle’s Family life – A fellow bunny owner!

Review Mom Blogs

• Dear Life…from a mom of boys – A mom to 5 boys wow!
• Our Life…’Better Together’ – She could def use some UBP love so visit her!
• The Larson Lingo – Love that baby announcement!

Christian & Religious Blogs

• Stretching into Blue – Yay another vlogging mom – and her message is awesome!
• Rellas Bellas – You have to go wish her a happy b-day today!
• Crown of Laurel Leaves — Love, Lauren – Meet a talented artist!
• Amy in Wanderland – misadventures of an accidental missionary – So beautiful – a must read blog!!
• Our Family for His Glory – An inspiring mom.

Special Needs Blogs

• Snaps of Our Life – If you love photography you must go here!
• Who Says 8 is Enough? — Living with autism, surviving infidelity and remaining faithful. – Yes 9 children, wow!

Specialty Blogs

• Keep the Tail Wagging – One of my Blogging buddies!
• Our Pinteresting Family – Time to get crafty!
• A Winding Road – Beautiful Photos & Crafts!

Daily Life & Opinion

• So Very Me – Jersey Mom Blogger – Another Bloggy Buddy of mine!
• Mama Dweeb — Manhattan Kansas mom blog – Another Bloggy Mommy I know
• Chasing Joy: Party Like a Blog Star – Wow this is like a list of people I know!

Awesome Video of the Week

Pin of the Week

Okay sorry I missed last week – I hurt my finger this week and typing is a bit of a chore, so blogging has been hard. But I still wanted to share these great links with you!

Every week make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads fom the week! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Blogging & Social Media

• 10 Plugins to Help Spring Clean Your WordPress Blog – Don’t forget to include your blog on your spring cleaning list!
• How to Work at Home When Your Life Is a Complete Madhouse – Are you a professional blogger, do you juggle kids and blogging? Then you have to read this article!
• 20 Days to a High-Quality, Highly-Engaged Twitter Following (in just 20 minutes a day) – Wait your not on twitter yet!? Okay this is the perfect article for you it will get you going on twitter in 20 days!
• Anatomy of an Effective Blog Post | Michael Hyatt – A great basics to blog posts. Just starting out or just want to review the best structure for a post check this out.
• The greatest danger bloggers face. – What is the biggest danger a blogger faces?
• What 23 Bloggers WISH They Could Blog About – Great interview with some great women bloggers asking them what they wish they could really talk about on their blogs.

Health & Food

• Got milk? You’ve got options! – A great breakdown all about milk. Learn more about Organic, Raw, Almond, Rice, Soy and more.
• Popcorn has more antioxidants than fruit – I’m a huge popcorn lover. And now I can definitely count it as a healthy snack. One of my favorite tools is my Microwave Popcorn Popper (aff link). Love it!

Randomness

• Instead of Saying “I Don’t Have Time,” Say “It’s Not a Priority” - Do you catch yourself always saying you wished you had more time or if I had the time I would do that. Read this article and really think about it the next time your about to say: I don’t have time.
• Best Procrastination Tip Ever- Stop and read this now! Don’t put it off for later!

Awesome Video of the Week

Pin of the Week

If you a long time reader you may remember Super Surfing Sundays. Well they are back! Every week make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads fom the week! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Blogging & Social Media

• Get More Comments: How Q&A Video Can Help – I would love to do this with my readers more, so if you read this please place a random question in the comments below!
• The Best Places to Put Ads on Your Site - Have you ever wondered where the best place to post your ads on your site. Check out this great graphic Amy shares.
• FREE Content Marketing Course from Brian Clark – Only available till tomorrow so make sure you sign up!
• 14 Ways to Get More Comments on Your Blog Posts – Every blogger is looking for new ways to get more comments here is some great ideas to grow your audience!

Health & Food

• Quinoa for Breakfast Recipes – Toast quinoa to make a healthy crunchy cereal with protein!
• Parents Of Obese Children Encouraged To Begin With Their Own Weight Loss Journey – Health News – redOrbit – I have already found that after a year working on my own weight loss my boys are already showing healthy trends towards enjoying exercise.
• A revealing journey as a woman reduces weight by half – Such an inspiring story about a young woman who has lost weight and is on a journey to excepting her body! Warning: there are some partial nude photos in her gallery.
• How to Make Kid Friendly Healthy Too – a few simple tricks for your little picky eaters.

Randomness

• Mirror Mirror Snow White Crown - I can’t wait to see this movie and I love that your little one (or you) can make a crown to wear to the movie.
• » The Way of the Peaceful Parent – This is a must read list of ideas on parenting and really being a loving parent.

Awesome Video of the Week

Check out the full post here: Eat Late At Night? Watch This! | Nichole Kellerman

Popular Pin of the Week

If you a long time reader you may remember Super Surfing Sundays. Well they are back! Every week make sure to come back and find some of my favorite reads fom the week! Or make it easy and subscribe to Pepper Scraps and either get them in your reader or in your email.

Let’s start link hopping!

Blogging & Social Media

• 12 Things That Will Kill Your Blog Post Every Time – Some great basic tips on blogging and how to make sure you are keeping them SEO friendly.
• How to Use Video to Massively Increase Sign Ups & Conversions – Check out some great videos from the leading bloggers out there. Have you tried an intro video on your blog?
• How to Add a “Click to Tweet” Link to Quotes Within Your Posts – Have you seen these great tweet my quote links within peoples posts? Here is how you can add them to your blog.
• 103 Resources For Becoming a Pinterest Expert – An ultimate Pinterest guide!

Health & Food

• 10 Diet Foods That Make You Fat – Taralynn shares an article from a fitness magazine and share her perspective on each piece of advice.
• Green Dream Ice cream – Green Ice Cream, yummy and healthy!
• High Protein Lemon Cheesecake Mousse Recipe – What a great high protein recipe – I need to go buy gelatin now!
• The 100 Best Workout Songs from the ’90s – Good workout music is a must and Spark People has an awesome list to help you create a great workout mix.

Inspiration

• 25 Photo-Illustrated Reminders to Help You Find Happiness – Photos filled with inspiring quotes.

Awesome Video of the Week

Infographic of the Week

Created by: MedicalCodingCareerGuide.com

Pepper Scraps is looking for bloggers who want to share scraps of their lives.

Pepper Scraps is about health, family, parenting, blogging and sharing scraps of life. Blog posts for Pepper Scraps should have a personal voice to them. Share something in your life that you have learned and want to help others learn.

Why should you write for Pepper Scraps?

• Become part of a community
• Share your voice, your experiences and your story to help others
• Connect with a new audience and gain exposure
• Promote your own site and social media in your profile
• Connect with Pepper a veteran blogger who has blogged for more than 13 years

Qualifications & Skills

• WordPress knowledge
• Proper grammar
• Social Media experience
• Experience in your topic

What can you write about?

• Health
• Weight Loss
• Family
• Parenting
• Crafting
• Blogging
• Social Media

How write for Pepper Scraps?

• Read the Guest Blogging Agreement
• Write your article and find your photo(s)
• Submit your post for review

Want to write more than one article? Feel free and email me Unicornbeauty (@) gmail.com

Oh and the article by Leo from ZenHabits is Shattering the Myth of Niche Blogs: How to Grow a Huge Readership if you would like to read it.

What does being a successful blogger mean to you?

One skill in blogging that is forgotten or ignored is the skill of commenting. Making a comment that is eye catching, insightful, and engaging will help you build your community. Yes even going onto a blog that is not your own you can work on your community. Comments are a place that you can get interaction with others and create a following on your social media profiles, blog and more.

To create the perfect comment you need 5 tools. These 5 tools can help you become an expert commenter!

Picture

Not the most important part of your comment but still can make or break a connection with the author or other readers. If you don’t have a good photo or an eye catching photo you may be looked over as a nameless, faceless visitor.

If you use the same photo as with your other media, you may find that others start recognizing you. If they recognize you they will be more inclined to interact with you. You may get even more interaction from an author if you make a point to always comment on their most current post. If you are using the same photo for comments that will make sure they recognize your comments right away.

To make sure your photo will show up on your comments and make it easily updated make sure and have a gravatar account. When you update your social media photos make sure you update gravatar also.

URL

You always, always want to enter your URL correctly on your comments. But remember your URL is there for more than just getting people to hope over to your site. This is a place people can check  out your expertise on the subject you are talking about and to give you credibility!

If you make a really good comment but don’t leave a link why they should listen to you on the subject? You could just be another online troll or just spam. If you are commenting on a post in your niche and if you are really looking for interaction then you need to prove your expertise.

Input (Answer Their Question)

If the blogger you are reading is a good blogger then they have finished their article with a question or a major conversation starter. Make a point and answer their question or to get into their conversation. They are looking for a way to interact with you. With this question or point they have given you the quickest and easiest way to start a conversation.

Now if the blogger didn’t leave off with a question you still want to give your input. If you are leaving a comment this is the most important step in leaving a good comment. What was it about their article that caught your eye and made you want to comment?

Insight

The next step is one that digs deeper than just giving input, give the writer your insight into their post. Share an experience or suggestion with them that shows your experiences with the subject. You want to share something that adds to their post. This could be a quick story, a tip, or maybe a point that they missed

If they missed a point in their post that you think is important don’t wave it in their face as a mistake. Come at it as you want to help or expand what they were already talking about.

Question

One of the largest missed opportunities in making a comment is to ask a question. If you are wanting to truly interact with the writer or other readers then finish your comment with a question. One reason people love comments or commenting is they really are looking to get involved in a conversation. Asking a question will encourage others to comment right back at you.

When you ask a question you need to either make sure you subscribe to the comments or check back so that you can see the answer to your question and hopefully you can continue the conversation.

Time to Try it!

So what are you waiting for, go out and start commenting! Try using these 5 tools and see how they work for you. I promise you will be surprised at the difference good comments can make in your interactions on other blogs, your follows, and on your own blog!

Do you have a system for your comments? Have you ever gotten into a great conversation via comments before?