Merry Merry. Merry Merry.
Who is panic wrapping??? Who is panic wrapping???
If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m a If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m asking Santa for a spray tan gift card in my stocking.
As my boys have gotten older there is almost alway As my boys have gotten older there is almost always a friend eating dinner at my house or spending the night. The weekends are reserved for a driveway full of bikes and basketball. This year, in my haste to make my @shutterfly card I accidentally added a picture with one of my bonus kids in it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #themorethemerrier
You are not shadow banned. Your content is not bei You are not shadow banned. Your content is not being hidden. Most of the time, it simply is not resonating with your audience anymore, especially if you are using the app correctly, which I will explain at the end.

People blame “shadow banning” when they see a drop in engagement, but when I look at their metrics, I can usually see small declines long before they noticed them. Social media platforms have millions of users. They are not punishing you because you took a week off.

What actually happens is this. Your audience stopped engaging with your content, and when you took a break, they filled that space with other creators. When you returned, the algorithm showed them the accounts they interacted with most, which was not you. They were not looking for your content because it was not relevant to them anymore. I see this over and over.

There is one real caveat. How you are using the app. If you upload unlicensed music, follow and unfollow in large numbers, run giveaways that break platform rules or respond to comments in negative ways, you can hurt your reach. That is not a shadow ban. That is violating the service agreement.

A case study. Someone told me they was shadow banned. When I looked at their account, a few things stood out.

1. There was no aspirational layer to the content. It was a business that relied on people physically coming in, yet nothing showcased a luxury experience, or a story people could connect with. Photos were blurry, captions were minimal and there was no searchable language to help people discover her business.

2. There was no engagement back to the audience. Not responding to comments is one of the fastest ways to lose your community. People want acknowledgment. If they do not get it from you, they will give their attention to someone else.

3. They were not using the app like a real user.  Instagram and TikTok know you are a business, but they still reward accounts that behave like humans.  Comment, watch stories and sending DMs. That signals genuine activity and community building.

Most of the time the issue is not a shadow ban. It is content, connection and consistency. And the good news is all of that can be improved.
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Coffee with my favorite collaborator… Coffee with my favorite collaborator…
Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!! Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!!
Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Par Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Party in a whole new direction and it ended up being one of my favorite versions yet. I invited some of my closest friends to Kismet Cosmetics, decorated gingerbread houses, and made our own lip gloss and face glitter. It was such a fun way to reconnect with my friends during the busiest time of year. The full recap is on the blog now. Link in bio.
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At Home, Decorating, Entertaining, Fall, Halloween, Life · October 15, 2020

Pumpkin Decorating Party

A few years ago for Peyton’s gotcha day he said he wanted to have a pumpkin decorating party with some of our friends. It has become a little tradition with our friends the Blaums. Well this and decorating cookies each year at Christmas.

I updated this post for a few reasons. First, I added a candy grazing board this year and it was so much fun. Second, I know people are still trying to figure out what they want to do for Halloween this year and this could be a great option if you are not going to trick or treat.

So let me tell you about the candy grazing board…

Halloween Candy Grazing Board
Halloween Candy Grazing board
Halloween Candy Grazing Board
Halloween Candy Grazing Board

I originally planned to make a board just like I would with meat and cheese but then I remembered I had the brown butcher paper and I decided to roll that out. It turned out perfect and the kids loved having full access to their favorite candies.

I used this recipe for the pumpkin cheesecake which was also a fan favorite.

10/18/18

Halloween is such a fun holiday and it always bums me out just a little when it falls on a week day.  Now that the boys are older I really look forward to being able to have a Halloween party and trick or treating at our house.  But that is just hard to do on a weeknight.

October is usually a pretty wonderful month in the south.  Not only is there a lot to do but the humidity is usually low which means you can really enjoy outdoor events.  Halloween related events are usually our favorite.  Last year the boys got introduced to the glory of face paint and wanted me to paint their faces each day after school.  Luckily this year they haven’t brought that up again but they do want to wear costumes everywhere we go.

Last year for Peyton’s gotcha day he asked to have a pumpkin decorating party with a few people.  It really turned into a fun event!  My parents came over along with his friend Zach and we decorated pumpkins, ate cupcakes and made caramel apples….

Pumpkin Decorating Station
Pumpkin decorating station
Peyton decorating pumpkins
Our friends the Blaums decorating pumpkins
Pumpkin Decorating: Porter and my mom decorating pumpkins
Caramel apples
Pumpkin decorating: skeleton pumpkins
Pumpkin Decorating: Eyeball pumpkin

Just so you know this party was a last minute request and I was able to pull it together easily.  Many of the items that I used are at Michaels and Target currently and on sale.  I picked up several of the pumpkin decorating kits for an event I am working on at the end of the month.   They were about $1.50 each.

We bought something called a pumpkin tattoo that was not easy to use so I would suggest staying away from those.  We also really loved the kits with the eyeballs and bats that had adhesive backs.  Glue worked but the adhesive items were better.

Pumpkin Decorating Items:

  • Pumpkins
  • Stickers
  • Pumpkin Decorating Kits – Target and Michaels
  • Eyes
  • Glue
  • Pom Poms
  • Plastic Spiders

Caramel Apples:

These were easy!  I found little crab apples at Whole Foods the week before.  I melted caramel candy down and added a 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan.  Dipped the apples and topped with coconut, peanuts, chocolate chips and more.  Set about 5 to 10 minutes to cool on the counter.

Ghost cupcakes and caramel apples

In a few simple steps you can really make something basic really fun.  It didn’t involve invitations or anything big and fancy for everyone to enjoy themselves!

XO,

Tiffany

{Editors Note: This post was originally published on 10/18/18. It was updated 10/11/2020}

In: At Home, Decorating, Entertaining, Fall, Halloween, Life · Tagged: fall, family, family fun, fun, halloween, halloween party, kids, pumpkin, pumpkin party

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I'm Tiffany. Although some of my favorite people call me Tippy. My favorite color is pattern. Seriously, I've never met a pattern I didn't like. My style is as bold as my personality and you should never trust my hair color. I am all about size inclusive style on a Nordstrom Sale budget.
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Merry Merry. Merry Merry.
Who is panic wrapping??? Who is panic wrapping???
If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m a If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m asking Santa for a spray tan gift card in my stocking.
As my boys have gotten older there is almost alway As my boys have gotten older there is almost always a friend eating dinner at my house or spending the night. The weekends are reserved for a driveway full of bikes and basketball. This year, in my haste to make my @shutterfly card I accidentally added a picture with one of my bonus kids in it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #themorethemerrier
You are not shadow banned. Your content is not bei You are not shadow banned. Your content is not being hidden. Most of the time, it simply is not resonating with your audience anymore, especially if you are using the app correctly, which I will explain at the end.

People blame “shadow banning” when they see a drop in engagement, but when I look at their metrics, I can usually see small declines long before they noticed them. Social media platforms have millions of users. They are not punishing you because you took a week off.

What actually happens is this. Your audience stopped engaging with your content, and when you took a break, they filled that space with other creators. When you returned, the algorithm showed them the accounts they interacted with most, which was not you. They were not looking for your content because it was not relevant to them anymore. I see this over and over.

There is one real caveat. How you are using the app. If you upload unlicensed music, follow and unfollow in large numbers, run giveaways that break platform rules or respond to comments in negative ways, you can hurt your reach. That is not a shadow ban. That is violating the service agreement.

A case study. Someone told me they was shadow banned. When I looked at their account, a few things stood out.

1. There was no aspirational layer to the content. It was a business that relied on people physically coming in, yet nothing showcased a luxury experience, or a story people could connect with. Photos were blurry, captions were minimal and there was no searchable language to help people discover her business.

2. There was no engagement back to the audience. Not responding to comments is one of the fastest ways to lose your community. People want acknowledgment. If they do not get it from you, they will give their attention to someone else.

3. They were not using the app like a real user.  Instagram and TikTok know you are a business, but they still reward accounts that behave like humans.  Comment, watch stories and sending DMs. That signals genuine activity and community building.

Most of the time the issue is not a shadow ban. It is content, connection and consistency. And the good news is all of that can be improved.
Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaki Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaking #christmascake #christmastreat #holiday #holidaytreats #coquettechristmas #twee #coquetteholiday
Coffee with my favorite collaborator… Coffee with my favorite collaborator…
Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!! Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!!
Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Par Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Party in a whole new direction and it ended up being one of my favorite versions yet. I invited some of my closest friends to Kismet Cosmetics, decorated gingerbread houses, and made our own lip gloss and face glitter. It was such a fun way to reconnect with my friends during the busiest time of year. The full recap is on the blog now. Link in bio.
I have been creating online for almost a decade, a I have been creating online for almost a decade, and the landscape has shifted in major ways. These are the changes that matter right now.

1. People don’t want to be influenced. They want to be educated. Audiences want content that improves their life, solves a problem or teaches them something useful. Value builds trust and trust builds connection.
2. Organic engagement is no longer the only metric. Paid reach is a smart tool when you know your audience and use the right placements. Sometimes your best content needs a push to reach the right people.
3. Community requires evolution. As you grow, your audience grows. Their needs change. Listening to what they save, ask for and respond to is how you stay connected.
4. Personality is the new niche. People follow people. Your voice, humor and perspective are what separate you from everyone else in your category.
5. Consistency matters, but sustainability matters more. Batching, content silos and systems help you show up without burning out.
6. Social SEO is essential. People use Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest like search engines. Keyword dense captions, clear hooks and intentional hashtags help your content get discovered long after posting.
7. Community is more important than virality. Viral moments fade. A loyal audience stays, engages and converts.
8. Creators are becoming brands and brands are becoming creators. Storytelling, personality and real time content now matter more than being perfectly polished.
9. AI isn’t replacing creators. It supports them. It frees up time so you can focus on creativity, connection and strategy.
10. Transparency matters more than perfection. And transparency isn’t the same as authenticity. Transparency means not gatekeeping and letting people into the process so they feel empowered.
11. Growth isn’t just about new followers. It’s about nurturing the audience you already have. Engagement and trust will take you farther than any number at the top of your profile.

The creator space is evolving and so are we. Staying curious, adaptable and connected to your community is how you grow long term.

#personalbranding #contentcreatortips

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