In order to spread the word about the Girlyfight mission, we’re giving away a free Flip video camera!  And to encourage you to share the site with your friends, we’ll be conducting a drawing for a second winner. Here’s how it’s going to work:

1. Link to the Flipcam giveaway on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.
2. Comment on this post with a link to the mention in #1. Make sure we have a way to contact you!
3. All entries prior to September 17th at midnight will be eligible for our drawing.
4. September 20th, we’ll use Random.org to select a winner from the entries.

You may enter as many times as you like, just be sure to enter a separate comment for each entry with the related link. The more you spread the word, the greater your chances for winning. If we are unable to contact the winner by Friday, September 24th, we will choose another winner.

Flip UltraHD Camcorder

At a recent conference, my husband received a Flip UltraHD Camcorder. Awesome, right? Except we already have one. Instead of selling it, he’s generously offered it up to Girlyfight for our first ever giveaway!

That’s right, a free Flip camera for one lucky winner, just in time for the holidays. And all you have to do to enter is answer one simple question…

In keeping with the Girlyfight mission, what’s your idea for bringing women together to kick ass for the greater good?

Okay, maybe that’s not such an easy question. But we’d love to hear your ideas. Whether it’s an event, a cause we can all get behind, a rallying cry, or an inspiration piece, we want to hear about it. Bonus points if that idea involves video.

Contest rules (because every good contest has to have rules):

• You may offer as many ideas as you like
• By submitting your idea, you are giving Girlyfight permission to use it in the future (we will credit you if you leave your info)
• Open to residents of anywhere that won’t cost an unreasonable amount (determined by us) for shipping
• We must be able to contact you in case you win!

Ideas must be submitted by Friday, September 17th at midnight EST. We (Brigitte and Stacia) will choose a winning entry and post the results on Monday, September 20th. If we are unable to contact the winner by Friday, September 24th, we will choose another winner.

There will also be a drawing on the side for a small, undisclosed prize. For more information, clicky clicky!!!

Since we already own one of these cameras, I can tell you they’re super easy to use and so small that you can really take it almost anywhere. Good luck!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored in any way. Nor were we compensated or bribed.

This Guy Is No Stranger to Relaxation

Happy Labor Day Everyone! We here at Girlyfight hope that you have been able to maximize your down time to its fullest extent on this here long weekend.  Relaxing properly is no easy feat; especially if you have kids, an overly demanding job or a mind that never shuts off. I’d be the latter, and lemme tell ya – trying to shut my mind off is a chore.

Over the last several months, it’s been brought to my attention that I can be a little, oh what’s the woooord…uptight. If I had a cookie for every time someone asked me why I can’t relax and just (fill in the ____), I’d have an ass the size of Canada.

I don’t know why it’s so difficult for me to chill, but being still and just embracing the quiet is something I have never been able to learn. I’m constantly searching for the meaning of life – the meaning of everything. Obsessively clicking through the interwebz in search of that magical answer that will help make the unknown less overwhelming is the only way I seem to know how to function. I try to drum up philosophical conversations in environments where the people present would opt to watch paint dry before engaging in fruitless discussion.

I used to think it was necessary to always be thinking. I’m worried that if I’m not constantly searching for this or that, I’ll miss my chance at learning the good stuff.  Oddly enough, I’m beginning to recognize that the harder I search for all these answers, the further away I am from ever finding them. So, now I’m trying to be still; and it’s really friggin’ hard to sit in the quiet and not try to question every little thing that is and has ever been.

I’d eventually like to write a follow-up to this piece with helpful suggestions for how to embrace the calm, but I need your help! What techniques do you use, girlyfighters, to relax and just be? Let us know in the comments and you may be featured in a future post!

Remember when crafting meant killing time while it rained at summer camp? It meant gluing together popsicle sticks to make something in the shape of a diamond that served no real purpose. It didn’t really matter so much what your project looked like in the end because you did your best – or the best you could with the short attention span you may or may not have been on medication for. Long gone are the simple days of lanyards and friendship bracelets and in its place is a multi-billion dollar industry.

I’ll admit it, as a kid I couldn’t draw. (As an adult, I can’t draw either.) So, I did other arts activities. I glued my fair share of popsicle sticks, cut out construction paper and even taught myself to cross stitch when my first dog died. But today, with the rise of Martha Stewart and perfection, have things gotten out of hand? Crafting from I want to make that to can I really make that.

Now, I don’t live in the suburbs and therefore don’t have a dedicated area (or room is you are a real suburbanite) for crafting. I’m almost jealous about it until I realize that living in the city gives me options like my local sewing lounge or neighborhood pottery studio to get crafty. It’s almost like camp. You go in, have all the supplies you could need, and make something. And I don’t have to give up any living space to enjoy it! (And not being at church camp means you can drink while crafting. A HUGE bonus to being an adult.)

With the rising interest in crafting, there are new magazines coming out, websites that offer instructional videos and all sorts of retail establishments aimed at the part-time crafter. I even know some people that have started crafting nights with friends! Some people do it for creative release, some people do it because it’s a cheaper alternative to buying stuff, and some people just like to make things.

For those of us who are intimidated by the perfectionism that is Martha Stewart, take comfort in the fact that she has 52 interns in her crafting department alone. Geez! If I had 52 people helping me (or even 2 people), my projects would look perfect, too! So, remember that the next time you make something and find a flaw in it (and you inevitably will because you are human after all) that you alone did it without any help! And while it might not be perfect, at least you can take pride in knowing that you made something.

Jennifer Nunnally has aspired to be a writer and have a book in the Library of Congress her whole life. Jennifer lives in Houston with her cat, enjoys getting day drunk, and has a fear of being taken seriously.

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

The couple interviewed in this video is amazing. Danny and Annie had the kind of love most people only dream about. Still, it’s nice to see our dreams are founded on something that truly exists. It means we should all keep dreaming.

You walk in with me, you walk out with me.

I’ve always been somewhat fascinated by odd holidays and random observances and like to begin each month by checking out the upcoming events to see if there’s anything good. According to multiple sources, September appears to be Women’s Friendship Month.

Interested, I decided to do a little research. Women’s Friendship Month was started by Kappa Delta, a womens’ sorority based on “beliefs of friendship, fellowship and sisterly love.” It was originally celebrated as just one day but last year they decided to crank it up to an entire month of celebrating friendships among women. In 2010, they went global.

Personally, I love this idea and I think we should all take the time to celebrate our friendships this month. Whether you take a few minutes to let a good friend know how much they mean to you, reach out to reconnect with an old friend, or even go out of your way to be a friend to someone new, let’s all try to make an extra effort to focus on friendship for the next few weeks.

Our friendships with other women are important. These are the people who support us at both our best and our worst, offering their unwavering support and a nice dose of reality when we’ve lost touch. The whole concept of Girlyfight centers around the idea of women supporting and encouraging each other.

So pick up the phone, schedule a Saturday morning brunch, or drop a note in the mail to that long-distance friend. But whatever you do, make sure to let them know how glad you are to have them in your life.

Part of my quest to find happiness has led me to an almost obsessive compulsive need to surround myself with inspirational trinkets like those pictured above. I waste spend so much money buying random keepsakes that I’m convinced will be the thing that inspires me to greatness.

Every nook of my living space is home to an inspirational phrase, a pretty picture, or a breakable figurine. Sure, these things are nice to look at and they bring me momentary satisfaction (though perhaps not as much as they evoke guilt from buyer’s remorse), but I’m not so sure their presence is helping me achieve a greater purpose or a more confident spirit.

Granted, beautiful things are inspirational but there has to be a more affordable way to surround oneself with motivational cues. I just don’t know how to do that since I’ve succumbed to the lure of simple things marketed in overly-elaborate packaging.

I’d like  to compile a helpful list of ideas for sprucing up your “happy place” without having to take a hammer to your childhood piggy bank.  That’s where you come in Girlyfighters!  Want to contribute your ideas and help create the mother of all inspirational lists?  Then leave your ideas  in the comments below!

When Brigitte and I first started conceiving the idea that would eventually become Girlyfight, the central idea we kept coming back to was the idea of a community of women gathered to encourage each other. Women like us, with all of the personal, professional, and other fights we face. Over the last six months, we’ve worked hard to set the groundwork by writing articles, creating a message board, and launching collaborative projects such as Nice Things Project and the Punch Line. All of which has served to create quite the

See what I did there? Except, we don’t really want a “commnity”.

Ahh, yes, that’s better.

We know you’re out there. The site comes up in conversation when we see you at book club or meet you for lunch. And being the web geek chicky that I am, I’ve installed analytics tools on the site so we have a decent idea of the traffic (Facebookers, I’m especially looking at you here) coming through on any given day. And those numbers are super encouraging!

At the same time, it’s super DIScouraging. Because even though you’re out there, you aren’t commenting and joining in. In our vision, the real value of this site is provided by its members. This means we really need YOU to get involved for this site to reach its potential. Whether you want to write, do nice things, or ask for input on something on the message boards, go for it!. Call the Punch Line – and leave us a message! Comment on a post and let’s start a conversation.

We’re working on some exciting new things, including a Flipcam giveaway. Yep, a whole Flipcam, for you, for free. Just for commenting. Details will be posted next Tuesday.

And just today, we’ve launched a new blog feature called “POW!“. Frequently (dare I commit to daily?!?!), you’ll see posts with POW! in the title. These posts won’t be long but will contain a quick idea, link, quote or other random little bit of inspiration or warm fuzzies. Just a short little jab of goodness to encourage you on your way.

We can’t do it without you. We wouldn’t want to even if it was possible. So don’t make us resort to cheese-a-riffic pleas involving misspelled graphics – get involved. We think we’ll all be better if you do.

www.nataliedee.com

For some people, giving their opinion is like breathing. Even when you didn’t ask for it, they are there ready and waiting to share their thoughts on a given topic.

For others, like, for example, me, offering forth an opinion or a critique of pretty much anything is terrifying and anxiety-provoking. I have opinions; I just keep them to myself. I want to be bold and brave and alright with people not liking me if I share my thoughts; I’m just scared to take that leap of faith.

A recent blog post by Erika Napoletano over at Redhead Writing might be just the kick-in-the-arse I needed to reconsider my muted meekness. I link thee to: The Bitch Slap: Be Offensive

Image courtesy of http://cook.melandkarl.com/

Looking for another “Nice Thing” to add to your growing list? This idea is a great one to do for just about anyone – especially those with a sweet tooth. That’s right! I’m talking about homemade cookies.

Our hectic schedules don’t leave us a lot of time to make homemade anything these days, but one of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to make something from scratch is to bake up a batch of cookies. They are easy to make (and also fun to make with kids or friends), and even easier to share.

The cookie I remember most fondly is one you find much more often now than you did back in the 80s – The M&M Cookie. I guess the novelty of this treat was what made it so special. Cookies were already awesome, but throw candy into the batter and you’ve just sent my sugar obsession into overdrive. It was a special treat when my mom made them for us, so I’m going to share her recipe with you all.

All we ask is that when you make these cookies, you share them others. : )

M & M’s Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups M&M’s candies

Blend shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl.  Beat in vanilla and eggs. Sift remaining dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking soda) and slowly add to the already mixed wet ingredients. Stir in 1 cup of the M&M’s and blend well.

Use a teaspoon to drop cookie dough on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate the tops with leftover candy and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!