Linda Sellers

Susan traded the bright lights, big city life of Nashville for the rustic charm of chiggers and snakes in the Tennessee backcountry; and thus Wild Life in the Woods was born. Food blogger, mom blogger, whatever is on her mind blogger, Susan tells the stories of woodland living with a husband, two kids and two dogs.

With summer just around the corner, we wanted to know, what does summertime mean for Susan? (Is it a break, no change in schedule, more hectic, less hectic, etc?) She says, “Not to be Debbie Downer, but to me summertime means poison ivy, ticks, chiggers, snakes, and unbearable heat and humidity. I love that we’re off school, but all the rest make me want to jump off a cliff. And don’t push me: this property comes equipped with a cliff with a 200 ft. drop.”

And what summer things do you look forward to? (pool time, vacations, certain foods, etc?) “I love the produce: tomatoes, corn, lady peas, basil, fried okra, all these things float my culinary boat. And I’m hoping that maybe I’ll get a vacation out of this summer, too.”

Susan did make it back to Nashville to attend BlissDom. She glammed it up for The Lorax Party and had a blast hanging out with friends. Here she is with her pal, Chloe!

I’m known for…quick one liners on Facebook. It’s like a volleyball game. People set me up, and I spike. Booyah!

I’m also known for being a great cook, and hopefully for making great food approachable to the everyday cook. For the most part, home cooks could do so much better with just a touch more effort. One of my missions is to help the home cook create meals that are outrageously delicious.

I’m working on…becoming a better writer, and moving my Blogspot blog to WordPress. And finding the intestinal fortitude it takes to make that move myself. Where IS that intestinal fortitude of mine? I know I left it lying around here somewhere…

10 years from now I…would like to be traveling the country with my husband, visiting and reviewing fine restaurants, and occasionally dropping by my kids new homes. They’ll be graduated and out on their own by then.

I’m currently addicted to…Mad Men. I just can’t see this ending well for Don Draper. There’s a reason he’s been falling off that skyscraper at the opening of the show for five seasons. (Did you notice him peering down that elevator shaft in one of the last shows? Not good, I’m telling you…)

I find joy…in the little things. Each day is a gift: I learned that one year ago when my husband had his heart attack and bypass surgery. I look for the thousand gifts we are given each day.

My secret ambition…is to accurately predict what’s coming down the road from stuff I read on Facebook. I am one part Nancy Drew/one part Carnac the Magnificent. Since I’m known as Susan in the Boonies, I prefer to call myself Booniac the Magnificent.

I can’t do without…my faith, my husband, my kids, and my friends.

I’m most creative…after a good night’s sleep, when I step into the shower and that hot water hits my head. Since I haven’t slept well since the arrival of my kids 18 years ago, and I shower less than ever, that makes me pretty much hosed, creatively.

I admire…people who serve cheerfully, and competently, not seeking glory for themselves. And people who express themselves with their words in powerful ways.

When I grow up…I want to be able to earn a decent living from writing. I have the ability. I just need the platform.

PC or Mac? Mac, baby. Have used both. Mac, all the way.

iPhone or Droid? Track phone from Walmart. (weeping, weeping) But I have ambitions for an iPhone.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee, with beans that have been home roasted by my husband, if you please.

Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth? Crunchy. And honey roasted peanuts whirred up in a VitaMix, spread on warm homemade whole wheat bread, made from flour I’ve ground myself? This is bliss.

Three words my friends would use to describe me are: warm, wise, funny, an encourager, a fabulous cook. Dang it! You said three? I was on a roll!

Where to find Susan on the Internet:
Blog – Wild Life in the Woods
Twitter
Pinterest

Lisa is the diva behind Drugstore Divas, a deals and savings blog that covers everything from grocery store and drugstore specials to freebies. She also hosts a Sunday Speaks meme where she poses an interesting question to her readers and Tasty Thursday where all sorts of delectable tidbits are shared! Lisa is a New Yorker who recently relocated to North Carolina. She used to work in the newspaper business but now fully devotes her time to being a blogger.

We’re always interested in what people are listening to so we asked Lisa about her favorite kind of music and what is her current favorite song? She says, “I love pop punk. There’s a 13-year-old girl who forever lives in my soul and will not stop listening to pop punk from 1999. All my fave bands had their peak around the time of Y2K — The Starting Line, Yellowcard, New Found Glory, Fall Out Boy. I like the bands their younger “siblings” formed — fun., Hot Chelle Rae, etc. That’s the stuff that makes me dance around my apartment when no one’s looking.

My favorite song right now, that’s tough. The last song I bought was Taylor Swift’s Eyes Open, but mostly because I’m kinda obsessed with The Hunger Games. There’s that 13-year-old girl again …”

I’m known for…always finding a deal on something. I know, it’s kind of silly, but I’m known to never pay retail. It gives me the shakes to go to a cashier and pay regular price for anything, so I just don’t do it. I haven’t paid full price in about a decade. Even with Christmas gifts. I’m known to plan really far ahead so that I don’t pay full price. I’ll use some combination of Swagbucks, coupons, whatever it takes. I used to drive my family crazy, talking about all the great deals I got. Eventually, they got tired of hearing about it, so I started Drugstore Divas, a deals and savings blog (I don’t like to call it a “coupon blog” because it’s really more than that; coupons aren’t just a piece of paper, they’re a way to change your life.) The blog afforded me a way to talk about my deals and shopping trips without driving my friends and family nuts.

I’m working on…having more patience. I always say, “Patience is a virtue that I don’t have.” I’m turning my blog Drugstore Divas into a full time business. It’s been four weeks so far, and I expected to be as big as The Pioneer Woman by now. I’m not by any stretch of the imagination, so I really have to learn to breathe, take my time, and understand that there aren’t many overnight success stories (so I’m not going to be one of them).

10 years from now I…want to have achieved a lot of things. I want to own a house, be married, have a kid or two, a pet and a garden. Just the simple American Dream that so many people are giving up on. That’s really what I want. Fingers crossed.

I’m currently addicted to…Words With Friends. It’s a great way to interact with friends and family who I don’t live close to anymore. Plus, it’s a great vocab teacher. Who knew xa and qi were words?

I find joy…everywhere. I’ve been called eternally optimistic. But it’s true. I always try to find the good in everything and everyone, and I honestly do believe every cloud has a silver lining, although that is very Pollyanna-esque.

My secret ambition…is, well, it wouldn’t be a secret if I told you ;] But, my not so secret ambition is to have a book published. I worked at newspapers for the majority of my professional life, so I was published a lot. But my dream is to have a book published. Not self published, but published by an actual publishing company.

I wrote a book once upon a time when I was working at a newspaper. I was working in the sports section, but I was obsessed with music. I needed a creative outlet to write about my passion, and there weren’t any music opportunities at the newspaper at the time. So writing a book was it. I shopped it around, and that didn’t go so well. I could have wallpapered a room with the rejection letters. So, once I work on that whole patience thing I was talking about before, I’ll understand shopping a book is a lot harder than it looks and I’ll start trying again. And maybe my dream will come true this time.

I can’t do without…my iPhone. I know, addiction to being plugged in alert. But, I just moved from New York to North Carolina and everything is so different down here. I don’t know where anything is and I have no clue how to get there. So I just talk to Siri, ask her where the closest [insert anything here] is, and she tells me. Saves me a lot of aggravation when I’m looking for the closest gas station.

I’m most creative…when I’m angry. See, when I’m mad, I have to purge myself of those emotions, and I throw them into writing. I can write for work no matter what my mood (which is good because I post 24 to 30 posts daily on my blog), but I can only write for myself when I’m really hurting. I’ve been in an incredibly amazing and healthy relationship with my boyfriend for the last 20 months and I haven’t written a single thing that wasn’t work related. Just shows how I haven’t been mad enough to need that sort of outlet. So now I’m most creative when I’m baking. I can’t cook anything edible, but I can bake.

I admire…Santiago, the shepherd boy from The Alchemist, basically anyone strong enough to take a leap of faith and chase their dreams.

When I grow up…I wanna be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies. No, sorry; that’s that Pussycat Dolls song. Honestly, I already think I’m grown up. And I really like who I am.

PC or Mac? I love Apple-based products. Love my iPhone. Love my iTouch. Love my iPod. Don’t quite mind typing a lowercase i followed by a capital letter. But I own a PC. I don’t like working on a Mac.

iPhone or Droid? No contest: iPhone. Siri is my buddy. When I’m bored, I talk to her. I know, kinda lame, but ask her to talk dirty to you; or ask her if she thinks that boys is cute; or tell her you love her. She’s very chatty and opinionated. Droid doesn’t do that.

Coffee or Tea? Green tea, please. I’m 25% Japanese, so green tea reminds me of where I’ve come from. I do like coffee in frappuccino form, though.

Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth? Crunchy. I prefer orange juice with the pulp too. There’s definitely some sort of correlation there.

Three words my friends would use to describe me are: The coupon queen.

Where to find Lisa on the Internet:
Blog – The Drugstore Divas
Twitter
Facebook

If you never were a Girl Scout (or Girl Guide in Canada) your only experiences with the organization probably begin and end with cookies. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, they are really good cookies! But for those of us who were Girl Scouts in our youth and/or have daughters that are in scouts, we know there’s so much more to it than those tasty cookies. A recent survey from the Girls Scouts of America states that “approximately one in every two adult women in the U.S. has at some point been a member of Girl Scouts”. Since we are a network of women, I was curious about our member’s involvement in Girl Scouts/Girl Guides.
We polled One2One Network members and found that roughly half of those who responded had been a Girl Scout (or Girl Guide), a bit more than the national average. Of those who responded “yes” to being in scouts, about 48% were involved for 3-4 years (the national average showed 4 years from the Girl Scout survey). Also more than half of those who were in scouts are still involved in some kind of community service and around 75% finished college (which was higher than the national average of 38%).

We also had several members who completed a more in depth interview about their scouting experiences. We asked them:

• Do you have any particularly outstanding memories from your time in scouts?
• What was your favorite thing about being in scouts?
• Do you feel your quality of life is better because of being involved in scouting?
• Do you still keep in touch with anyone from your troop?
• If you have children, are they involved in scouts (girl or boy)? If they’re too young to be involved yet, is it something you would like to see them be involved in?

The outstanding memories centered mainly around camping experiences and troop activities. Lisa C. said, “One event that sticks with me was a Lip Sync Contest at the local mall. We all got dressed up and sang “My Boyfriend’s Back” in front of the local community. We had dance steps and everything. It was fun to preform at the age, when you didn’t really care what others thought yet.” And Amanda M. said, “I remember feeling proud in my uniform and that I remembered the promise!”

According to the Girl Scouts survey, alumnae “fondly recall their experiences in Girl Scouting. Fun, friendships, and crafts are the most frequently cited positive aspects of Girl Scouting.” Our respondents answers to “favorite thing about being in scouts” echoed that answer as well as adding “camping experiences” to the list. Lisa H. said, “My favorite part about being in Scouts was the camping trips! My family never went camping, so it was a great experience for me.” Sara M. recalls, “I liked it when we sang together — we all loved “Who Stole the Cookies…” song & game.”

On the “Do you feel your quality of life is better because of being involved in scouting?” question, the overwhelming majority of respondents answered, “Yes.” Again, referencing the national survey, Girl Scout alumnae say,

They’ve received concrete benefits from Girl Scouts, such as being exposed to nature and having a safe place to try new things

Actively recognize the influence of Girl Scouting on their lives. Three quarters of alumnae report that the Girl Scout experience has had a positive impact on their lives in general.

Some notable answers to that question on our interviews:

Anne P. “Absolutely. Through the badges that were skill- or career-oriented, it showed me I could be something else besides nurse or teacher. I have a business degree, and I think cookie sales helped me learn learning goal setting and marketing.”

Cori F. “…I use things I learned as a scout. My students think it’s strange when I start talk about using nature instead of a GPS but it’s a skill that I learned on a weekend trip that I’ll never forget.”

Lisa C. “Girl Scouts helped me build empathy and be more accepting of people. Learning that no matter how different people are, we all have our greatness and quality that is needed, that alone is a priceless lesson in life and learned young so it carried with me in life and passed on to my children.”

Jessica J. “Absolutely. When I was younger I resented my mom for putting me through scouts because it didn’t feel like the “cool” thing to do. But now I cannot express how much I appreciate the experience. It has given me knowledge, understanding and appreciation. It has also helped me to get great jobs throughout the years.”

Over 60% of our interviewees still keep in touch with at least one person from their Girl Scout days. A little under half of them have children currently participating in scouts (Girl and/or Boy Scouts) and the same number either don’t have children yet or their children are still too young but they would like to see them involved in the future.

Where you involved in Girl Scouts/Girl Guides as a child? We’d love to hear your answers to any or all of our interview questions in the comments!

Keep up with the Girl Scouts on Social Media:
Twitter (And Girl Scouts of America CEO, Anna Chavez is on Twitter, too!)
Facebook
YouTube
Flickr
Blog

photo credits: ‘cookie booth’ (Malia Carden), ‘scouts in uniform’ from RDECOM on Flickr, ‘scouts on parade’ from Robert Couse-Baker on Flickr

Jacqueline, also known as NerdMom, is a busy lady. In addition to keeping three blogs up and running (The NerdFamily Blog, NerdFamily Food, & NerdFamily Things), she homeschools four kids and is active on social media. Last fall, Jacqueline won the grand prize in our O2O member BlissDom giveaway – a conference pass and 3 nights in the Opryland Hotel! It was first BlissDom and her time visiting Nashville. (Watch her vlog about her experience.)

O2O: “What is your best memory from or the one thing you felt you really took away from BlissDom ’12?”

Jacqueline: “I need to follow my passion and my fun! I need to be the spunky person I am in person on my blogs too!”

I’m known for…(according to Fb & twitter) being a source of knowledge, homeschooling, being a good friend, being a geek, supposedly great hair (though I think that is a little crazy;)

I’m working on…a new geek girl website (Geek for the Real Girl), writing on my 3 blogs and doing some social media consulting

10 years from now I…will have a 20 year old!!! 2 of my kids will be adults and who knows where this crazy blogging life will lead me. I hope to be a force .

I’m currently addicted to…Once Upon a Time, Smash, Geek & Sundry, Revision 3, My new Dell XPS laptop

I find joy…in the reckless abandon my kids show when they dance, laugh and ask questions.

My secret ambition…to learn how to sing and dance but shhh, don’t tell anyone;)

I can’t do without…the internet and my family (especially my husband)!

I’m most creative…at coming up with ways for other people to make a business and live their dreams!

I admire…so many people!!! My husband Jeremy, Felicia Day, Susanna Wesley, Leo Laporte

When I grow up…I want to finally be comfortable in my own skin!

PC or Mac? PC and Linux (Open Source will take over the world!)

iPhone or Droid? Droid

Coffee or Tea? Yes please!

Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth? Smooth

Three words my friends would use to describe me are: resourceful, clever, and pragmatic

Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you? Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.

Where to find Jacqueline on the Internet:
Blogs: The NerdFamily Blog, NerdFamily Food, NerdFamily Things
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Pinterest
Google+

One of the significant perks of word-of-mouth marketing is the ability to spread good will. As fun as it is to share with others about products and services that you enjoy and that improve your life, sharing the causes that really fire you up have an impact as well. It’s one thing to be passionate about your favorite music artist or author or brand of cereal but when you show others your passion for helping, whether it’s helping children, animals, or the planet, you spread more than just information, you change lives.

Knowing that she had a viable platform and driven by a need to create change in the world, Fadra Nally joined with Heidi Oran, another like-minded blogger, to launch a place where influence could take root and spread. The result is Charitable Influence, a network for people (bloggers and non-bloggers) who want to use their social media reach to spread the word about causes that are important to them. Their mission statement:

Charitable Influence aims to provide an effective connection between bloggers and their unique voices, to charities and nonprofit organizations and the important causes they represent. In this connection lies a link that is so often overlooked – that of human compassion at a personal level and its interdependence to world issues on a major scale.

Our clients include charities, non-profit organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to whom we provide services such as social media strategy, blogger insight, and campaign development, management, and facilitation. Our goal is to help find the most effective, in terms of cost and impact, channels by which to spread their message.

Our foundation is bloggers and social media influencers who have the hearts and the means to catalyze change in the world. Part of our mission is to help bloggers connect with causes that speak to their passions while creating and sustaining value to the skills they bring to those causes.

To become part of this exciting new venture, sign-up here.

Last year, one of our favorite projects was spreading the word about GiveBack (now called DoTopia), a site that allows you to form your own charitable giving foundation. Through that project and GiveBack, one of our members was able to begin the process of raising money for her son to get an Autism Assistance Service Dog. When we last checked in with Erin, the money for the dog had been raised but she still needed funds to be able to make the trip with her son for training. And that’s where they are today, still about $5,500 away from their goal. If you’d like to help, click here for more information.

What are some the causes that you are most passionate about?

Toni-Lynn is…delightful! Really, her twitter handle even confirms it, @DelightfulToni. But even without that helpful hint, we know she is because it’s always a delight to work with her on campaigns. Toni-Lynn keeps a delightful perspective on life at her blog, Delightful Chaos, where she shares tips on saving money, economic advice, product reviews, parenting info, and more. She also keeps a recipe blog at A Few Fries Short and a grocery price comparison site called Grocery Price Book. Toni-Lynn lives in Ohio and is a single, work-at-home mom of two active, young boys.

Here at O2O, we really love music so we asked Toni-Lynn, “What is your favorite kind of music?” She replied that she “can listen to just about anything”. And, “What’s your current favorite song?” It’s Katy Perry’s Part Of Me. Good one!

I’m known for… I seriously don’t even know how to answer this one. I am told that I am way to modest. I’m just me

I’m working on… Buying a house!

10 years from now I… want to be able to say I have been out of the country! I’m told Canada doesn’t count since it is 45 minutes away lol

I’m currently addicted to… Subway Tuna on wheat! It’s all my boyfriends fault.

I find joy… in every moment I spend with my boys. Even the hair pulling ones

My secret ambition… To build my company into something I can retire on/from!

I can’t do without… My boys, naturally but definitely my phone.

I’m most creative… When my boys are sleeping and not asking for something every 5 minutes

I admire… My Mother, She has been through a lot and still is my best friend.

When I grow up… Grow up? What fun is that.

PC or Mac? PC

iPhone or Droid? Droid all the way

Coffee or Tea? Neither… I am a Hot Cocoa kinda girl

Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth? Smooth

Three words my friends would use to describe me are: I actually took a Facebook poll for this one, just for fun. Top answers were ‘Strong, Funny, Smart”

Where to find Toni-Lynn on the Internet:
Websites: Delightful Choas, A Few Fries Short, Grocery Price Book
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube

It’s that time of year again; the time to party like a blogger! Welcome to our party room! We’re the gals of One2One Network and we’re delighted that you could stop by!

That’s us at BlissDom ’12 a few months ago, hanging out at The Lorax party. What a fun night! If you were at BlissDom, you’ll remember our booth as the place to get head shots! Some or all of us will also be at Type-A Parent, Evo, and BlogHer this year. If you’ll be at any of those, we hope we get the chance to meet you in person!

If you’re a current O2O member, welcome back! It’s good to see you again. If you’re new, we’re thrilled that you are here!

Who We Are

One2One is a network of women who have a penchant for connecting with like-minded people and brands through social media and technology. Leveraging our reach to spread the word and amplify awareness for the brands and products that fit our may lifestyles.

Why Join

Be social – spark the conversation and lead the charge for the brands and products that you love and advocate for consumers who are just like you!

Connect your communities with the leading brands you integrate into your life.

Diversify your content and be a leader in your category.

How We Are Different

Variety & Value – One2One Network has a wide range of project types from beauty and fashion to food and entertainment and more. We bring multi-dimensional opportunities to multi-dimensional women.

One2One Network also provides products and incentives for word of mouth and social media campaigns plus incentives and compensation for blogging projects. We understand that your time, creative energy, and network has value and we work with our clients to make sure they recognize that in you.

Some of our current projects include promoting the new Rascal Flatts album, CHANGED and the Hellmann’s Chicken Change-Up promotion. We also have ten bloggers working on a year long brand ambassadorship with Q-tips. And our very good friend, Chris Mann, is keeping us on our toes as a contestant on The Voice this season! There is always something going on around here!

Now tell us something about YOU! What do you love about blogging? What opportunities have come your way because you blog? We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

This is Nan. Hi, Nan! She’s a blogger, a mom to two terrific kids, and a wife. She lives in Texas but if you look at her Pinterest Shoes! board, there’s not one single pair of boots, Nan likes heels! Nan was one of three O2O members to win a BlissDom conference pass from our December giveaway!

O2O: “What is your best memory from or the one thing you felt you really took away from BlissDom ’12?”

Nan: “I came away from Blissdom with that same desire I used to have to photograph the world around me. To live my dream with my camera not as tool but as an extension of me, of who I am.”

I’m known for…advocacy for special needs.

I’m working on…getting back to photography which I loved but let go of.

10 years from now I…hope to still be blogging and sharing and selling my photographs.

I’m currently addicted to…twitter and have been since I first started with it.

I find joy…in my children’s loving eyes.

My secret ambition…is to be a travel photographer/blogger.

I can’t do without…the love and support of my husband and children.

I’m most creative…when behind my camera or with pencil/charcoal and art paper as that is what I love to draw with.

I admire…my son who even with all his struggles never gives up, dreams big, laughs, lives without fear, and loves the most genuine love possible.

When I grow up…I want to be like my friend Jennifer Houck. She’s been an inspiration and guide into the world of blogging to me from as far back as I can remember.

PC or Mac? PC mostly but have both.

iPhone or Droid? Droid

Coffee or Tea? Sweet Tea

Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth? Crunchy, love the crunch.

Three words my friends would use to describe me are: Strong, Supportive, Dedicated

Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you? Not sure if you’d consider it a quote or not but here is a line I like to remember: “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” – Cinderella

Where to find Nan on the Internet:
Blog – A Mom Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest

For many people, this is a weekend full of long held traditions: Seders, egg hunts, worship services, and lots and lots of food. How do you celebrate this holiday weekend?

I can’t get through the title of this one from Mara at Be Nice or Leave without Tevye singing in my head! But it’s worth it for the funny and heart-warming memories that Mara shares about Passover traditions with her family.

Beth’s family has kept many Passover traditions but has also created some of their own as they raise their children.

Dying eggs is probably the most quintessential of the Easter traditions. Erin at My Thirty Spot shares the secret to perfectly boiling and peeling eggs. (We’re dying eggs with the grandparents tonight, so I’m about to follow her instructions!) And Sue from A Finger Click Saver has ideas for ways to dye eggs naturally instead of using artificial dye pellets.

If you’ve not decorated for the holiday and want some quick ideas, Cool Mom Picks has a round-up of fun, free printables. And Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam has easy, frugal ideas for creating an Easter or Spring tablescape.

There will be many, many photo opps, be sure to print off or jot down this Photographers Easter Check-List of shots you don’t want to miss this weekend.

Finally, Romeo and Pugsley join the festivities proving they are more adorable than a bunny any time of year!