An Apology

 Dearest Readers,

I apologize for the lack of posts/presence on the blog recently. This past week/week and half I've been taking finals, consuming large amounts of microwave mac-n-cheese and binge watching Greys Anatomy {to destress from finals obviously...}

Anyways, I'm home now but I'm still trying to get situated and get used to my new routine. I hope to have some new posts up starting this Monday {fingers crossed...}. Between now and then, keep check up on me on Twitter and Instagram. I'll be sharing pictures of my extremely messy, clothes everywhere, extreme chaos filled room and tweeting about my had-to-be-there moments that I think the world should know.

I love you all and can't wait to get back to blogging!!

What I've Learned From Blogging So Far

I always love reading these posts from other bloggers. Learning from others is the best way to get good at your craft and I can definitely attest to that.

I've been blogging now {consistently} for about 4 months. I started a blog {this blog actually} in the summer of 2014 and I really enjoyed it but with starting my freshman year at college I just wasn't sure I could commit such a big part of my time to this blog. So I shut down the blog and left for college.

One of my classes that first semester, though, was a Writing for the Media class and one of our assignments was to start, and keep up with, a blog. I decided that instead of using my current blog, I wanted to create a new and "fresh" blog. I had always wanted to try out Wordpress {I've always heard how it's so different from blogger and the features are amazing} so I created a Wordpress blog. I kept up with it throughout the semester but I mostly focused on fashion.

As I kept blogging throughout the semester I wasn't really trying to grow my audience I just wanted to get better at writing for a blog. I really enjoyed that time. It was a really great learning process for me and my professor was really able to help me get better at writing for my blog.

Once the semester ended and my brain returned back to normal after finals {which let me tell you, took longer than I had anticipated...} I started to miss blogging.

I had a super long Christmas break with nothing much to do so I decided to bring back my old blogger blog {I wasn't a huge fan of Wordpress, you can read why here} and get back at it again.

This time, though, I really wanted to focus on growing my blog. So I started creating content, things that I was interested it, and seeing what posts my audience liked best.

I love writing for this blog. It's my passion, my biggest time eater, and so much fun. It's definitely a labor of love, though, and whenever I get in slump about my pageviews being down or not getting a favorite on a tweet, I just have to remind myself that I'm not doing this to be successful {not that I don't want to be successful...} I'm doing this because I love writing and I want to share my passion with the "world."

I have so much more to learn, that I know for sure. But in these past four months I have learned so much and I have made so many great connections and "blogger friends." I can't wait to see what these next few months have to hold and where these experience takes me.

I do want to thank you, though, my readers for embarking on this journey with me. I wouldn't be where I am without the constant encouragement I get from your comments, pageviews, emails, and more. You are all truly amazing people.

Happy blogging and have a wonderful day!!

Blogging 101: Blog Header Fun

{Important Note: This tutorial is designed for blogger users but other hosting site users are more than welcome to read}

So you've been blogging for a while and you're tired of the traditional, blogger, header. You're ready for something fun, hip, and inspirational. Studies have shown that since your header is the first thing people see when they land on your site, it can make or break whether or not someone stays to look around or "bounces" off {see what I did there?} Do I have you attention now?

I went through the same process as you. I created a blog, knowing little {and by little I mean NOTHING} about blogging. But I was eager to learn and so I started hunting around for tutorials on how to change my blog header. The biggest problem I ran into was that blogger locks your header format. Now, I tried a lot of formatting things to try to get rid of it {all at the recommendation of other bloggers} but somewhere along the way, things got really confusing. At one point I thought I might have to create an all new blog. Thankfully, I had listened to the advice that you should back up your html content. Don't ignore that. It will literally save your life.

Anyways, I finally found a sight that has easy to use instructions on how to unlock your blogger header. My friends at XOMISSE are the bomb.com and the link to their tutorial is here.

So now you can add as many gadgets as you want. What to do next. Now you get to the fun part where you can actually design your header. Now I'll be the first to admit, I'm not the most creative light bulb on the lamp. While I love my current header, I know I could do more. If you're looking for inspiration I have a lot of ideas on my Pinterest blogging board here and my design/inspiration board here. My ultimate favorite for inspiration, though, is from my lovely friend Marianne @ Design Your Own Lovely Blog {love her header by the way} and you can find that link here.

When I was designing my own header, I knew I wanted to incorporate a tutorial for gold overlay I had watched a while ago from The Modern Collective {view their tutorial here} I relied heavily on Photoshop when I was creating my header but there are a lot of free resources out there that work just as well {if you're in the blogging world for the long run though, Photoshop is a wonderful investment}

Now for my social media icons I used basic black social media icons {there are tons of free options on Pinterest} and then I used Image Mapping to create the links {I will be posting a how-to for using Image Mapping very soon}

I hope this tutorial gets your started on creating your own unique header for your awesomely amazing blog. If you have any questions feel free to email me, tweet me, Facebook me, etc. {see my contact page to get my info} If you have any tips and tricks you've learned along the way with blogging design, share in the comment section bellow.



{This post is linked up @ Tater Tots and Jello for the Link Party Palooza!}

Blogging 101: Facebook

Facebook is probably my least favorite form of social media yet it was the first account that I created and I still keep posting to my page. Why? I'm so glad you asked!

Facebook was one of the "forerunners" of mainstream social media. Since then, there have been countless others. When Facebook was launched, its primary purpose was to connect people with other people. Therefore, it is assumed that if you want to "connect" other people with your blog, you should use Facebook. This is, however, incorrect.

If I've learned anything since starting my blog it is that blogging is all about giving. While some have found "cyberspace fame" through a post-gone-viral most have had to work their way to success. And that work is done mostly in the form of connecting with other bloggers. For some reason people are less likely to follow your blog's Facebook page than they are to follow you on Twitter, Pinterest, etc.

Now that might seem like too simple of an answer but I have found it to be true. Now, why should you create/keep using Facebook if it's hard to drive followers your way? Great question. Because Facebook was one of the first forms of social media, it has become the most widely used. As far as demographics represented, Facebook has a LARGE potential followers just waiting for you to reach.

So, it's hard to get Facebook followers BUT there is a huge potential. So what should you be doing with Facebook? Here are a few things to get you started.

1. Join Groups: One of the greatest resources for a blogger on Facebook is the unlimited amount of blogging groups on Facebook. These groups are a great way to gain some support, get blogging tips, and network.

2. Advertising: I haven't used Facebook advertising, I'm not sure if I ever will, but it's great to know that it's there and should I ever have the budget to advertise on Facebook, I think it would be a great opportunity.

3. Get Your Name Out There: Even if you don't have a large number of followers, it's always good to give your readers the option to follow you, whether they do or not is up to them, but at least it's available.

Now these tips might seem surface level, but they're a great place to start! I hope that this helps you understand and get pumped about the potential that Facebook has! Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your blogging dynasty. Be patient, remember why you love blogging, and embrace this "quiet" time you have with blogging. Before you know it you'll have a thousand follower!

Happy Blogging!!

Blog Post { L O V E}

{Top to bottom; Left to right}

1. Valentine's Day DIY Projects: Here are a few more Valentine's Day DIY projects, just in time for the big day!

2. Heart Healthy Snacks: It seems that everyone is focusing on love {or heart related} aspects. Logan's tips for staying healthy and practical yummies to do just that are pretty great.

3. Heart Art and DIY Frame: I love DIY projects. Even though this particular art piece is centered around Valentine's Day, it is definitely something you can keep up all year long!

4. Minion Cookies: Honestly, the minions were my favorite part of the Despicable Me movie and if I decide to have minion themed birthday party {purely hypothetical} these would definitely be one the menu.

Do you have any posts you are loving? Share in the comment section bellow!

What I'm Pinning |2|

I love these posts, getting to share some of my favorite things. Just as a disclaimer, I haven't necessarily tried all of these DIY's, recipes, or styles, but I do love the way they look, and I'm looking forward to trying them. So here is what I'm pinning.

(From Left to Right, Top to Bottom)

California Rolls: Now I haven't tried this recipe yet, but if the gorgeous graphics are any indication, they're bound to be delicious, and I can't wait to try them!

Outfit: I love this style and it will be perfect for spring, with the pop of pink, I'm definitely going to keep my eye out for a pretty pink sweater to add to my wardrobe this season.

Bikini-Body Workout: While I'm not a fan of bikinis, I am a fan of staying fit and this is a great workout to do.

Jar DIY: I don't have a home (that's mine at least), but if (or when) I do, these jars are going to be a definite must. Aren't they just the cutest?

Efficient Blogging: This article on how to stay efficient as a blogger is really helpful and I'm definitely going to be implementing a few of these tips.

Pantone's Colors: I always try to keep up on Pantone's colors and this helps me do just that.

What are you pinning? Share in the comment section bellow.