“It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday!” And by get down, we mean catch up on another NC Blogger Network member (feel free to sing and dance as you read). {Meet} Beth Ann of It’s Just Life!

{Meet} Beth Ann of It’s Just Life

1. How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging in March 2008 so I just celebrated 8 years of blogging. 

2. What do you blog about?

It’s Just Life! I love to travel, read, eat and be with friends and family, and my blog reflects some of those things as well as shares the occasional devotional and inspirational thought.  I strive to be positive in my life and always try to live life with a glass full attitude.  My blog is an outlet for sharing positive and upbeat thoughts.  I also have a massive teapot collection, so Teapot Tuesday is a regular weekly feature.

3. Where are you blogging from in NC, and why do you love the area you blog about? 

I live south of Brevard in the beautiful mountains and absolutely love the area. There are over 250 waterfalls in our county alone, and we have been exploring as many as we can. There are farmers’ markets, music festivals, art shows, hiking, trails, and so much more right out our back door, and those are all places and things that may find their way onto my blog, as well as travels outside the state. There is such a natural beauty here in North Carolina, and I am so happy that we recently moved back.

4. Why did you start blogging? 

My husband took a job in Australia in 2008 and was in charge of seven sugar mills. Blogging began as a way to keep our families and friends up to date on all that we were doing while we were down under, and then I loved it so much that I just kept it up after we moved back to the US. My blog has changed over the years as far as format, and hopefully the quality of my posts has gotten better.

5. Out of all the posts you’ve written, which one (or two) would you pick as your favorite? 

Wow – this is a hard one! If I had to pick one or two…one would be this one –  These Things Are Truths. And perhaps a recent one that shows a bit of my love of my family (specifically my grandma) – Steno Pads and Grandma Bonnie Recipes

6. What blog(s) do you love?

I have so many that I love, but here are five that I always read:

• Jeni Eats
• A Natural Soul
• The Kitchens Gardens 
• Minnesota Prairie Roots 
• Odd Loves Company

7. What’s one piece of advice you’d share with your fellow bloggers?  

Be as authentic as possible in your writing. No one wants to read a blog that does not represent who the writer truly is. Find your voice and write from that place. If you want to make your blog a business, make sure that the companies that you associate with are a good representation of who you are as a person and what you want to project to the world.

8. What three things do you know to be true? 

Well this ties in with one of my favorite posts that I listed! I didn’t even realize that when I picked that post.

1. Everyone has a story.
2. One person can make a difference in a small way that turns into something amazing.
3. You can never say “I love you” too many times.

9. Where can we find you on the web? 

• Website:  It’s Just Life
• Facebook:  It’s Just Life-Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
• Twitter: @bachiles
• Instagram: @bachiles
• Pinterest: Beth Ann Chiles
• Google Plus: Beth Ann Chiles
• StumbleUpon: Beth Ann Chiles
• Youtube: Beth Ann Chiles

10. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

One of the best things I have done on my blog is Comments for a Cause. I began in April 2011 and every month on the first I highlight a new “cause”. For every comment made on the blog during that month on ANY post, my husband and I donate fifty cents to that particular charity or cause. The causes have ranged from national organizations like Alzheimer’s Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Society to the smaller, more localized charities like the Highland Youth Garden in Columbus, Ohio, to Burrito Bikers in Charlotte, North Carolina. It has been, by far, the best thing I have done on my blog, and I have quite a few readers who many of which only come by on the first of the month to read about Comments for a Cause. But that is great because at least they take time to leave a comment on that day. Check out April’s Comments for a Cause!

Beth’s blog is an extension of her life so you can expect to read about her travels, family, see pictures of her teapot collection, a devotional, or just simply get a glimpse into her life. She loves to meet new people, so don’t be shy! Get out there and check her out on It’s Just Life.