Welcome to It Starts With Coffee!
HI Friends! I bet you weren’t expecting to see a different site today were you? The term it takes a village could not mean more right now. So many people contributed to helping build this site for the past several months. Today I am launching my brand new blog. As you can tell the blog is called, It Starts With Coffee. Just like a lot of our days start with coffee, now your day can start with this new blog! All of my content is here and the blog posts will stay similar. Same girl, new blog! Take a look around the blog and get familiar with everything! Lot’s of new things!
This has been a work in progress for over a year. Before Andrew and I got married I knew I wanted a change. A Complete Waste of Makeup started in my mid-twenties. I was single and my life was very different. However, the timing never felt right. I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking and I wasn’t ready. Finally, a few months ago I pulled the plug. I found a fantastic blog designer, the amazing Lindsay with White Oak Creative. I had new headshots taken and ordered new business cards. There have been many late nights spent working on content, approving layout, sending Lindsay 1,000 emails, creating freebies for you guys(YAY!), and most of all setting up the new blog courses.
As many of you know, for the past year I have had monthly blog courses one Saturday a month covering a wide variety of topics in a 5 hour period. While that was great, and I still offer that main course, I now offer TWO ADDITIONAL COURSES! Those can be found here (the main course), here (new twice monthly course about monetizing) and here (new twice monthly course about growing your social media). I really hope you check them out! I think you will really love them. So much has gone into these courses. From now until Sunday night I am offering a discount of 15% on any of the courses. You will see a few date/time options for each so you should find something that works with your schedule. Use code: LAUNCH for 15% off any course! BONUS: Also through Sunday, if you sign up for a class you get a one-on-one session with me beforehand or after(your schedule depending). A one hour session that I usually charge $150 for! FREE! YEAHHH!
A lot of my posts coming up will also focus on blogging advice, which is something I love giving. I receive at least 20 emails a week asking questions and I have taken those questions and put them into my courses and blog posts. Want more? Sign up here for my email list and you will immediately get a daily blogging checklist with details of what you should be doing everyday, as well as tons of freebies to help grow your blog.
Now for the fun part! I have teamed up with my dear friend Lindzi who owns the shop, The Trendy Sparrow. I guarantee you have seen her bloggers gonna blog shirts and mugs as well as her you had me at pumpkin spice lattes sweatshirt. I own about 5 of her mugs plus a shirt. She is not only one of the sweetest people ever, but her talent is insane. How cute are her what would Blair Waldorf do mugs?
The Trendy Sparrow girl sips champagne any day of the week. She enjoys eating macarons for breakfast. She feels just as beautiful in sweats as she does in a party dress. She dreams of Paris and wears lots of polka dots. She loves fresh flowers and every Audrey Hepburn movie. She works hard for what she has and looks fabulous doing it. She is beautiful inside and out.
The Trendy Sparrow wasn’t born overnight. Creator & owner, Lindzi Shanks, started out as a psychology major with the intent to get a PhD & become a professor. She started TTS as a side job while in college; making a little extra money in addition to her other multiple jobs. She grew TTS so much that she was able to quit all of her other side jobs and only focus on school and her Etsy store. Keeping on her original path, Lindzi gained an MA in Psychology from The University of Chicago. However, while in graduate school she felt like something was off. She noticed that she answered Etsy emails and designed new products while in class; barely listening to her professors. She could tell that her heart was in TTS, not in her planned career path. In June 2014, Lindzi made a huge leap of faith. She postponed gaining a PhD to run TTS full time. Within a year, she grew TTS to include art prints, coffee mugs, apparel, and more! Now she has no intention of ever turning back to the life she thought she was supposed to have! Lindzi now runs The Trendy Sparrow and the conjoining blog full time, building it into a fabulous empire and constantly remembering that it is more important to do what you LOVE rather than what you think you are “supposed” to do.
This is what the winner will get:
- $75 Starbucks gift card to make your pumpkin spice dreams come true
- $75 Sephora gift card to get fall makeup ready
- This amazing prize package from The Trendy Sparrow including: 1) Gold Bow Sweater, 2) Pink Blogger Tee, 3) Bloggers Gonna Blog Travel Mug
Thank you for visiting my blog and supporting this new venture! I am so excited for what’s to come!
This giveaway will end on October 8th at midnight. The winner will be chosen on October 9th and emailed. It will also be announced who the winner is at the bottom of this post.
Yay! Thank you so much, Neely! I really enjoyed working on the project with you, and I’m so glad you are pleased with the results! It will be fun to see where this new direction takes you!
First off – congrats Neely!! Love the new page! It sounds perfect. Second – I love it all!! Pumpkin spice sweater for sure but that “Eat Cake for Breakfast” print is adorable and I need it as a mug!
LOVE it!!! You are a rockstar and my blogger idol! Awesome and cant wait to (continue!) following along! So, obviously, the bloggers gonna blog stuff has my heart – but also the “eat cake for breakfast” sign is totally me! Hope I win! xoxo
Congratulations on your new blog, love the name and the design! I am in the midst of moving my blog to be self-hosted 🙂
And I forgot to mention that She drinks more Coffee than a Gilmore has to be on top of my list!
WHO doesn’t love the Gilmore Girls
Congrats on the new blog girl! And I love all of her stuff… I just remembered I have that tumbler and no idea where it is and now I’m freaking out trying to find it!! Haha
I like the Let’s Cuddle / loose fit sweater
Oh my goodness the new site is beautiful! I cannot wait to read/see/interact even more!
As far as The Trendy Sparrow goes, I’m totally in love with the mug that says, “This girl is a total boss.” So true! I need it.
I love the Blogging is my cardio mug https://www.etsy.com/listing/220250457/blogging-is-my-cardio-black-and-white?ref=shop_home_active_3
I love the new blog name! I would love to win this giveaway – Starbucks is my addiction 🙂
My favorite item is the Let’s Do Brunch / black and white vneck shirt.
So excited for you Neely! I love the new site. It looks great!
I LOVE the Let’s Cuddle sweatshirt!
xo, Caitlin
And Possibly Dinosaurs
I absolutely loveeee this new look and name and everything about it!
P.s. I loveee all her products but the the coffee mugs are to die for! Def going to make a purchase for some Christmas gifts 🙂
I seriously love the “She drinks more coffee than a Gilmore” mug.
Because TRUTH.
I’m absolutely in LOVE with your blog design and I hope to find you at Type A because I would love to have a quick chat about your rebranding experience. I’ve been toying with the idea for a few months and your blog is so pretty and clean!!!
Love the look of your new blog – super pretty! My days do definitely start with coffee, if I don’t have it than I will accomplish nothing that day! Also I really like all the gorgeous wall prints in Lindzi’s shop, so every single one of those is my favorite 😉 Thanks to the both of you for this awesome giveaway!
Not as cool as “Neely Nonetheless,” but whatevs. 😉 Congrats, sweet girl! Those photos are bomb, too–I didn’t recognize you in the coffee one on my phone! Love the new hair color–and the “About Me” photo is absolutely adorable.
Oh my gosh, so many cute things I can’t choose! I love the Blogging is my Cardio Mug – and the ‘Bloggers Gonna Blog’ shirts!
Everything in my life starts with coffee. I love love love this!! I love that image of you, I love this layout, I love the name. You are a frickin genius. Congratulations! 🙂
*Amanda*
http://www.thisISmyrealhair.com
Nice looking blog! I think we all need the “Everyday I’m Hustlin'” mug.
Super excited for your new blog! The name is wonderful, because for me this blog is my daily read, along with The Skimm and my morning Coffee! The Trendy Sparrow is so amazing! I actually own her What Would Blair Waldorf Do? mug and it is my favorite coffee cup! However i think my favorite item in her shop would have to be the Building my Empire shirt! I adore that!
– Tesla H.
This is THE most perfect giveaway that I have ever seen! Definitely the Bloggers Gonna Blog tee. It’s been on my wishlist for a long time!! 🙂
Love the redesign!! It looks very clean and professional. Thanks for the chance to win this giveaway! I love the gold bow sweater 🙂
I adore the Gilmore girls mug for so many reasons! 😀
this blog is perfection!! I love it so much!
AND that “she waits all year for sweater weather & pumpkin spice lattes” print is the bee’s knees.
Um……..first of all YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!!!
Secondly, O-M-G Congratulations! I bet this was so much work, but trust me friend, it is all worth it. This looks amazing. I’ve taken a tour around your new place, and I am so impressed and proud of you!
Congrats, friend!!! The site looks INCREDIBLE! Your headshots, the colors, layout, etc! Love!!! I caught a glimpse of it last night right as I was going to bed but finally getting to comment!
Neely, a huge congratulations. It looks great. I am also going through a blog rebrand so I can imagine all of the work this took.
By the way, I’ve loved Lindzi’s Instagram for ages – and just about everything on it! 🙂
I love the you had me at PSLs sweater!
I love the new redesign! It’s very pretty and simple.
I LOVE the let’s cuddle sweater. It is perfect!
First of all congrats on the redesign! My favorite item would have to be the Surround Yourself With Love and Discard The Rest / black and gold metallic striped poster art print – dorm decor – home office – preppy.
lets cuddle sweatshirt 🙂
Your blog looks great! It is so fresh and clean looking! It’s inspiring me to make some updates to mine!
Your site looks amazing, and your head shot are beautiful! Congratulations! It’s a toss up between What would Blair Waldorf Do and I drink more coffee than a Gilmore….2 of my all time favorite shows, even though I’m way too old.
Hi there! I’m loving the clean look of the blog! I wanted to ask, since you mentioned that we’re able to repost on our own blogs, are we able to use the image for the giveaway as well to help get the word out?
Thanks!
Kristin
http://www.dressedfortime.com
I love the sweatshirt that says “wanna cuddle” it looks very comfy 🙂
I LOVE THE NEW BLOG AND BLOG LOOK! YOU LOOK GORGEOUS BTW!
As for things I love on her site….I can’t decide between the off shoulder sweatshirts (kate would agree) and the coffee tumblers! Those are both a must in my house!
My fave is: https://www.etsy.com/listing/228987463/fueled-by-coffee-and-fashion-black-and?ref=shop_home_active_21
I am obsessed with the What Would Blair Waldorf Do mugs! And I love your new blog!
I love the site re-design. I’ve been following for a while and am excited to see how you grow with this new space! I also am in love with The Trendy Sparrow! Fav item is def the brunch so hard tee. I love it in both fonts! I need both haha!
I love the new format, its very nice. good head shots Neely love the hair!!!! Thanks for the contest to.
I love the Cocktail and Confetti // pink and gold poster art print – bar cart decor / bar cart art print / bar cart quote
Congrats Neely! This new blog looks GREAT!! Stacie xo
Love the new site! It’s beautiful!!!!
I love the “Let’s Cuddle” sweatshirt!
I love the lets’ cuddle sweatshirt too! 🙂
Congrats on the new look! I love the ‘She Drinks More Coffee Than A Gilmore’ travel coffee mug. So cute!
The ‘Get Your Chic On’ black and gold foil vneck shirt is too cute – love it!
Loving the Take me away sweater!
My favorite item from The Trendy Sparrow is the t-shirt that says: All I do is wine wine wine no matter what
I love the You had me at Pumpkin Spice Lattes / loose fit sweater
I like the You Can Call Me Queen B / black and gold coffee mug.
Their You had me at Pumpkin Spice Lattes / loose fit sweater is really cute!
Love the “You Can Call Me Queen B ” mug & the “Take Me Away” shirt.
Nice blog! & I’m so loving the name of the blog!! It sounds amazing!! 🙂
I love the “Fueled by Coffee & Fashion” Mug!! But I love pretty much everything 🙂
Love the Brunch so Hard shirt! 🙂
My favorite item is the Let’s Do Brunch / black and white vneck shirt.
I like the all i do is wine shirt.
I like the All I do is wine wine wine no matter what / unisex vneck tshirt