Ask Nelly Bellie Video & Christmas Giveaway Contest Winner Announced!

Hello Nelly Belliers,

I hope that you are all having a relaxing week-end (or a spicy one)! My week-end started off with a bang last night. Chris and I went to see our bank fella (for future exciting plans) and he actually thought that I was Anna Paquin! I have been told that twice now, so Anna, it looks like you have a twin out there. If you need a movie double just let me know. :)

I have two exciting announcements / updates to tell you today!

ASK NELLY BELLIE - EPISODE 1

The first one is that I have started a new series on my YouTube channel. I thought it would be really fun, funny, and different to do an "Ask Nelly Bellie" series. Here is the link to 'Episode 1' (click here). Don't forget to leave your questions for Nelly below this blog, below the video in the comments area, or you can even ask her questions on Twitter. She will answer your questions in upcoming video episodes (if she wants to... she can be a bit picky at times).

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED!

My Christmas Giveaway Contest is officially now closed (click here to see the video). I had so much fun buying prizes for this contest, especially because I went shopping with a very small budget. I wanted to prove that I could get some great stuff with only twenty dollars in my hand, and I think I accomplished my goal. There are always great sales going on, so don't forget to look in all the nooks and crannies of a store! You would be surprised what you can find!

I had lots of entries for this contest, and I want to thank EVERYONE that took the time to enter. It was so much fun reading all of the responses, and it honestly meant the world to me! I am a very new blogger / YouTuber and I really do appreciate every comment, every follow, every subscription, every thumbs up, etc. So thank you all! I will be having a lot more contests this year, so don't worry if you didn't win, there will be LOTS more chances to win free stuff. 

I also want to take a small moment here to talk about why interaction and feedback is so important. First of all, blogging and vlogging should truly be an interactive process. It's like a virtual conversation (or conversations) where I get to share things with you, but where you also get to share things with me. It definitely wouldn't be the same if it was a static process, and it's truly the interaction that makes me want to do this. I love hearing your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions, and I honestly read everything, and put each comment in a special spot so that I don't forget anyone. I have also been asked "why do people need to thumbs up a YouTube video or subscribe to your channel"? Not only does a thumbs up tell me that you like a video (and hence I will make more of them) but it also helps with your viewership. You will only be viewed more on YouTube if you have more subscriptions, more thumbs up, and more video views, and the more viewers that I have the more interactive the process becomes. I hope this all makes sense? If you have any more questions about this, ask away. Like I said, I love having conversations with you guys, and it's the main reason I am doing this. (For those of you don't know, you can post a question / comment below any blog page. There will always be an area at the very bottom of the page.)

Drum roll please. I am extremely please to announce the winner of my 2013 Christmas Giveaway Contest. Congratulations to Avril! I hope that you enjoy the products, and thank you so much for entering!


SATURDAYS SIGHTS

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“Some days you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant.” ~ Unknown

Sunday Schmooze Savouries Sweets and Scrabble

Hello Nelly Belliers!

I hope you are all having a relaxing Sunday before returning to real life tomorrow. Sometimes Sunday's can be a bit gloomy, as Monday is not far behind, so I thought it would be fun to do a 'Sunday Schmooze Savouries Sweets and Scrabble' post.

Schmooze

I have noticed a few comments floating around the world of YouTube that are quite negative and nasty (not on my channel, but on YouTubers that I follow). Some are directed at the person making the videos, but some comments are directed at their partners, etc. 

I would just like to say that words said online can be just as hurtful and harmful as those said in person. So let's try to spread more love and kindness this year. 

I think we should all take a minute to think about our initial reaction to something, and really ask why something might be the way it is (this also pertains to the non-online world as well). For instance, just because someone chooses to blog and vlog it doesn't necessarily mean that their boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, etc wants to be on camera or included. My boyfriend hates being on camera but at times he has no choice depending on what I'm shooting, or at times he will be on camera here or there for me (he's the best).

I remember when my dad got a video camera (wayyyyyyyy wayyyyyy back, the really big clunker kind that took those huge tapes) and my mum would always say "don't point that thing at me". Now imagine that scenario but shared with the world.

So if you see someone who doesn't look too happy on a vlog, remember that they are an innocent bystander. They are being more than kind just being on the videos! Imagine if your partner was a dentist, and you had to go to work with them every day (ok that is my own personal nightmare).

Savouries

As some of you may know, I have a slight addiction to sausage rolls. My addiction started pretty much from the moment I entered the world, and when I was in school my mum would make me homemade sausage rolls to take for my lunch (yes I was spoilt, go mum!). My friends would try to 'trade' their food with me, but they had nothing that could come close to my little piggies in their blankets, so I always gobbled them up. 

Over the holidays I made sausage rolls twice. The first time I made them with store bought puff pastry, but I just can't eat that stuff any more. Not only is it not fair on the sausage, but it actually makes me sick (and my mum would be appalled). 

So for the second round I thought I would try Gordon Ramsey's Rough-puff Pastry recipe (click here to try it out). Let's face it, we all need a little Gordo in our life, and using his recipe gives you a good reason to swear in the kitchen. These little guys turned out great, but I have to say "holy butter batman". Now, I do have a sensitive stomach, but even Chris went in to a butter coma. If you make these I would definitely try to cut back on the butter (if possible, you might have to play around), or maybe you could substitute here or there for something else. Or if you make as is, then only eat two in one sitting. Is that even possible?

Once I find the perfect puff pastry recipe, I will share it with you (probably in vlog format). 
Until then, the search continues...

Sweets

Since today is the last day of the holidays, I thought it would be nice to make something different for breakfast (we have been eating Weetabix pretty much every morning up until today). 

Chris and I weren't very hungry this morning, so I ended up making us a brunch treat. I used to make Jamie Oliver's pancakes back in New Zealand all the time, and for some reason I forgot about them. Today I had a new twitter follower from kiwiland which triggered this delicious memory.

I highly recommend these pancakes. They are light, fluffy and ‘lovely jubbly’! I incorporated grated apple and small slices of apple into ours, but I have to say the flavour didn't stand out. I would recommend using blueberries, bananas, or my personal favourite raspberries! Jamie uses pears in his recipe, but they would definitely need to be the really tasty kind in order to stand out. Click here, you will never be the same again. :)

If you only have all purpose flour, do not fret. Here is an easy way to make your own self-raising flour (click here).

"All I ever wanted to do was to make food accessible to everyone; to show that you can make mistakes - I do all the time - but it doesn't matter." ~ Jamie Oliver

Scrabble

Today's word is Saponify.

v. - Become converted into soap by being hydrolized into an acid and alcohol as a result of being treated with an alkali

v. - Convert into soap by hydrolizing an ester into an acid and alcohol as a result of treating it with an alkali

Sunday Pics

 

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." ~ Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

Nelly Bellie :: Christmas Haul & Puppy Treats Video & a Nelly Bellie update

Hello Nelly Belliers,

Video #2 is up - Nelly Bellie :: Christmas Haul & Puppy Treats (click here or the image below)

My initial thoughts about starting this blog….

Starting this blog / vlog has been one of the best decisions I have made. Not only do I love working on my blogs and videos, but I am also learning a heck of a lot! 

Unless you've done a blog before, I think you are probably sitting there going "this looks so easy", and "this won't take much time at all". Not true. 

I too didn't understand the amount of work that goes in to posting all over social media (including trying to remember the passwords you have created for each site), writing posts, taking photographs, and of course shooting and editing video. Did I get everything? 

I have also discovered how important your camera choice is and that lighting can be a pain in the you know what. I keep apologizing for the quality of my videos (only 2 so far), but when you look at other blogger YouTube channels, you discover how high the video calibre is out in the online universe. Anyway, I am getting a new camera yahooooo, and I should hopefully have it by next week (fingers and toes crossed). What camera do you guys use in the blogging world?

Update about Nelly Bellie….

Poor Nelly Bellie got spayed yesterday. She came home rather groggy and sore, and we didn't get much sleep last night, but she seems to be doing a bit better today. She hates her cone that she has to wear around her neck (when we aren't around), but hey if you had to wear a cone around your neck and walk on all-fours all day, I think you would hate it too (you think by now that vets would have found an alternative option). Other than the cone all is going well. She is sleeping a lot and she is still food obsessed (that's our Nelly).


Here are some quick tips about spaying your puppy:

• before your puppy can be spayed your vet will need to do a complete blood work check to make sure they are nice and healthy
• when should your puppy be spayed? There are lots of different opinions out there, so I would recommend finding a really good vet (we found ours because of a family referral, it's always great to use a vet that someone close to you can recommend). Once you find the right vet, they will be able to make the right recommendation. I would also recommend asking family and friends what they did.
• are the myths true? Some vets will tell you that your puppy will put on weight after being spayed, and other bits and bobs. Good old Cesar Millan says that a lot of these myths are not true. Here is the link, but again, I would recommend doing your research:: http://www.cesarsway.com/tips/basics/spay-and-neuter-myths

What tips do you have? Or what was your experience?

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“I'm half-Irish, half-Dutch, and I was born in Belgium. If I was a dog, I'd be in a hell of a mess!” ~ Audrey Hepburn

My First YouTube Video on Nelly Bellie

Happy Wednesday Nelly Bellier's!

I'm excited to share that I have put up my first YouTube video. This is just a little intro blog showing some of Nelly Bellie's cutest or funniest moments. It's short and sweet, and the quality isn't fib fab (I'm working on getting a new camera so please keep this in mind). 

I will be posting a lot of different videos in the future (reviews, treats and truths, bits and bobs about my life, etc), and coming soon I will be putting up some excellent holiday treats. If you have anything you would like to see (let's keep this appropriate please), then post a comment below or send me an email.

HERE IS THE VIDEO. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND 'LIKE' IF YOU ENJOYED IT. CHEERS! 

Ok - I have a had a few questions on how to comment, like, etc… so here's some quick tips: in case you are new to the online world, when you watch the video on my YouTube Channel you can click the thumbs up right below the video to "LIKE" it. Also, if you want to leave a comment on one of my blogs you have to go to the actual blog page for that post, not the home page (i.e. http://nellybellie.blogspot.ca/2013/11/happy-wednesday-nelly-belliers-im.html)

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“Happiness is a warm puppy.” 
~ Charles M. Schulz