How To Start Blogging

Friday, January 12, 2018

One of my most frequently asked questions is how to start a blog, or getting asked blogging advice in general! I don't mind getting these questions at all, because it feels like it wasn't that long ago I was feeling lost and not knowing how to start myself. I would ask bigger bloggers for advice and sometimes I still do! I will always recommend starting a blog to others - it can be a lot of work, but it has been the greatest creative outlet and my life has definitely changed for the better for it. It can definitely be intimidating to start, but here are some of my top tips for starting a blog if you are not knowing where to begin:

Try to Post as Frequently as You Can
Updating consistently can work wonders for your blog - not only does new posts keep readers coming back, but it helps get the attention of new people as well! Of course, don't work yourself too hard by trying to conform to a rigid posting schedule, because your content will suffer - but don't leave your blog unattended for months.

Connect With Other Bloggers
Commenting on blog posts and tweeting other bloggers I admire will help get your name out there. If you leave genuine comments, it will stand out to the writer and make them want to return the favor and check out your blog.

Pay Attention to the Aesthetic of Your Blog
While a lot of design elements depend entirely on your own preferences, there are some universal dos and don'ts:

  • Have a clear, easy to read font - preferably with a light background and black text to make reading your blog as easy and accessible to read as possible.
  • Resize all your photos to be the same width.
  • Make the most of whatever camera you have - whether it's a DSLR or an iPhone, read up on your camera so you can provide the best possible quality images with what you have.

    Don't Give Up!
    In the beginning, I felt like I was just talking to myself - and after spending hours taking photos and writing a post, getting 0 views and 0 comments felt slightly heartbreaking. I even started to feel kind of pathetic for even assuming people would be interested in a blog by me. But it was imperative that I kept going, because slowly, I started getting views and comments and people started sharing their opinions and stories - and that's all I ever wanted, was to connect with like minded individuals and maybe put a smile on their face!

    Good luck! ♡ If you have any more questions feel free to ask them below and I might answer them in the blogging Q & A I'm working on!

  • Last Minute Luxury Gift Guide

    Tuesday, December 19, 2017

    One of my very favorite kinds of gifts to give and receive are those ones that make you feel like a million bucks but you can't quite justify using except for special occasions. My loved ones are especially guilty of doing this - so naturally those things are my very favorite thing to get them! Here is a guide to some of my very favorite "pamper yourself" gifts that you can pick up last minute for your friends, family - or yourself ;)

    Sugarpill Nail Polish
    I truly can't stop singing the praises for Sugarpill Cosmetics - created by one of the sweetest, most infectious ladies I've ever had the pleasure of chatting with, Amy Doan - Sugarpill more then lives up to their adorable packaging and charismatic founder. I adore their 5-free, cruelty free and vegan formula for nail polishes - and when I bought some for my friend Lauren, they loved them too!

    Sheet/Face Mask
    One of my most favorite wind down activities, by yourself or with friends, will always be throwing on a face mask! Whether it be a moisturizing cream mask or sheet mask, I feel like you can't go wrong giving or receiving a calming, nourishing mask!

    The Sheet Mask: TONYMOLY I'm Real Rose Hydrating Mask Sheet
    The Deep Cleaning Mask: Pixi Glow Mud Mask
    The Moisturizing Mask: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

    Bath Bombs/Bar
    After admiring Lush products from afar for years, I finally was able to try them for myself! There is nothing like relaxing in a pink or blue hued warm bath to soothe your muscles and mind!

    Perfume
    Ever since I was little, I've felt like putting on perfume was such a luxurious final touch to getting ready. I love wearing perfumes and being flooded with memories of the past adventures I've had while wearing that perfume - and I feel like it would be such a meaningful and thoughtful gift to give! I am currently working on a in-depth post about my favorite perfumes and why, but here's some of my favorites!

    My Top Picks:
    Prada Candy
    Marc Jacobs Daisy
    YSL Parisienne

    Image of me taken behind the scenes for a Darling Distraction photoshoot.

    Rewind: Lazy Daisy

    Tuesday, November 21, 2017


    We are well into November with very few peaks of the sun here in Oregon - but let's rewind a bit to the beautiful sunny, summery day I took these photos! Having just shot a few lookbook images for the lovely Bri at Little Arrow, I took my time amidst the flowers and stunning greenery at the rose garden to get some snaps of my outfit!


    This summer my childhood love for denim pieces was reawoken! Slowly I have been finding myself drawn to pieces like high waisted flare jeans and this denim top - it reminds me of balmy summer days as a kid, daisy chains, and spending my afternoons climbing trees. Now, I'm on the hunt for a good pair of high waisted black jeans - I have been eyeing up a pair from R13 👀


    I accessorized the look with my go-to bangles from Little Arrow and this super fun Skinnydip London purse that has quickly become my absolute favorite!

    TOP: c/o Unique Vintage JEANS: H&M BRACELETS: c/o Little Arrow
    DAISY CUP: Urban Outfitters BAG: Skinnydip London

    Ode to Autumn

    Thursday, November 16, 2017


    Dress, Beret: c/o Miss Patina

    These photos were taken while I was on a walk with my sister - we were drinking up one of the last warm Fall days, collecting leaves, taking photos, and enjoying each other's company while the sun slowly sank and bathed everything in golden light.

    I wore this adorable navy knit dress from Miss Patina, the cat and bow details have my heart!













    Colder Weather Wishlist

    Thursday, November 9, 2017

    Autumn

    1. Mustard Skirt ♡ 2. Striped Blouse ♡ 3. Burgundy Cross Body Bag
    4. Romeo and Juliet ♡ 5. Velvet Bow

    Now that we are well into November, it's getting harder and harder to get away with wearing my go to uniform (short dress, thin tights) and the grey skies are definitely getting me down! So I've assembled a little wishlist centered around my favorite part of Fall and Winter: the clothing!

    For Fall, I have been incorporating more rich tones into my wardrobe - think emerald, burgundy, navy, and my favorite lately, mustard. I envisioned visiting a cute bookstore for the above look, and would definitely pair this look with chunky tights and a cute coat for added warmth!

    Winter

    1. Faux Fur Pink Coat ♡ 2. Midnight Star Purse ♡ 3. Ear Muffs
    4. Queen of Hearts Sunglasses ♡ 5. Pom Pom Flats

    For winter, I always default back to my favorite - pastels! For the snow bunny effect ;) I couldn't find a photo that encapsulated what I was going for, so I just used an old outfit of my own as an example! If you know me, you know my penchant for pastel faux fur and pointed flats (preferably with pom poms) - and I wanted to add an extra element of magic with this sparkly purse and super cute earmuffs!

    What pieces will you be wearing this Fall and Winter? I'm all ears! ♡

    When Your Work Isn't "Good Enough"

    Wednesday, October 25, 2017

    Last month, my best friend Lux asked me "How do you find motivation to keep at something when you're starting out and bad at it?" and I've been ruminating on it. As a perfectionist, self-taught Capricorn, I felt a little silly answering this because I feel like this all the time. In fact, I can probably count on my singular hand how many times I've been really happy with how one of my projects have turned out. But over the past few years, I have been able to come away with some tips and tricks that I regularly need to tell myself before embarking on a project, and wanted to share them with you! Because I know, feeling like your work isn't "good enough" can be gut-wrenching. Let's do it!

    Lower Your Standards
    While you are seeing all the little mistakes, comparing the work to what it could have been, everybody is seeing simply what is - and without that comparison they can see what is great about it! Let's take a photoshoot I recently did for example. In my mind, I had mocked up a beautiful shoot in front of a location. I was so excited - but once I was there, the location was not looking how I wanted in photos, and I couldn't figure out how to pose with it in the way I had envisioned. Defeated, I took some more photos and went home. I studied the photos on my computer and wanted to cry. I woke up the next day, looked at them some more, and realized something: they were actually still pretty good. Once I let go of this impossible standard of what was in my mind, I was able to appreciate what was actually tangibly in front of me.

    Rome Was Not Built in a Day
    You absolutely cannot expect yourself to be wonderful at something when you are first starting out. Any experience, even what you might perceive to be failure, is still a success because you are going forward with that experience under your belt, and the knowledge of what not to do. You need to let yourself fail, just learn from what you did wrong (or right!), and take those lessons with you onto your next project. Start small, and allow yourself to grow.

    And let me tell you a little secret - if you hate how it turned out, you can always try again! You can reshoot, rewrite, revamp, or reboot later, when you are "better", and rerelease it!

    You Are Wasting Time
    I know, I know. This is the last thing you want to hear! And it's the last thing I want to tell myself. But this is a reality. All this time you are wasting trying to get motivated to create something you fear is going to suck, you are wasting the experience you will gain from it. You are wasting the opportunity of learning from your mistakes or successes, and you are wasting the possibility of making something even greater then you imagined. I could probably make myself cry thinking about what I could have done or where I could be if I had gained the experience from all the projects I was too afraid to pursue. We cannot let the fear of failure consume and cloud our thoughts so heavily it holds us back and enables these opportunities pass us by.

    One project I really wanted to do was a lookbook set at my grandparents' house. I had drawn storyboards, picked out outfits, even wrote a little narrative down. But I kept putting it off because I wanted to do it "properly". This summer, they sold their house. This Spring, I wanted to do some portraits up against my seamless paper background of my darling dog, Maggie, but wanted to do it "perfectly" so I put it off. She passed away from cancer in May. I had and have missed my opportunity. And I really don't want you to miss yours. Stop taking for granted you will be able to do these things "later" when you are "better", and do it now. Before it's too late.

    Because if you keep waiting for when you feel "good enough", you could be waiting forever.

    Perfection Doesn't Exist
    There have been many times I've asked friends, family, and peers for feedback on something and they said they liked the piece. I would then tell them about the "problems" I had with it, and they said they never would have noticed had I not pointed it out. I have seen pieces that were so incredible to me, and when I complimented the artist, they would say "Thank you but (points out something they perceive to be a mistake)".

    I know telling yourself a version of perfection doesn't exist is hard, but you have to. If you really looked for a flaw, you could probably find a flaw in anything. You cannot allow yourself to get so caught up in the small details you can't see the big picture.

    ~
    I sincerely hope some of this will help, even if it's a little bit! Please be gentle with yourself and remember: any progress, good or bad, is still progress. Please don't hold yourself back, I believe in you and I believe in myself, and we can do it!

    Unrelated photos of me by Jimmy Marble.

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