It's crazy how quickly 2015 passed, and now it's time once again to pick my resolutions for the upcoming year. In my previous post, I reviewed last year's goals and said which once I had achieved and which ones I hadn't, so if you haven't seen that then you can find it here. Now, I will be deciding on my newest resolutions, so I thought it might be interesting to share them with you.
Goal 1: Make more of an effort with my makeup
Quite often, I'll go for a minimalistic makeup look or only apply a bit of concealer and mascara before I'm good to go. However, I've realised that I have a lot of makeup and might as well use it whenever I get the chance, particularly when going out and on the weekends. I really enjoy applying makeup and trying different products, so I definitely want to make the most of this and take the time to apply both more makeup and also vary my makeup looks.
Goal 2: Stick to an effective skincare routine
This is a repeat resolution from last year, which I completely failed at, so I thought it was only right to give it another go. I’m quite bad at sticking to a skincare routine, especially when I’m not wearing any makeup, and I understand that this is terrible for your skin. Now that I’ve got the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, I definitely feel as though I will be able to maintain an effective skincare routine and I'm going to try my hardest to keep it up.
Goal 3: Read as many books as possible
I go through phases of reading lots of books and then not picking up one for a while, but I definitely want to steer away from this bad habit and start reading books regularly. Reading is probably one of my favourite hobbies and I’ll happily spend all night with my nose in a good book, but I want to try my hardest to get through more books this year, as well as trying novels by new authors and choosing more challenging reads.
Goal 4: Work harder to improve my blog content
I’m always looking to improve my blog, and right now I feel as though my problem lies with my content. I’m happy with the appearance of my blog and I’ve definitely upped my photography more recently, but I really want to try my hardest to create engaging, captivating content that attracts my readers. I'll be working on all aspects of blogging in 2016, with a particular focus on creating the best posts possible.
Goal 5: Have a healthier lifestyle
I’m quite unhealthy, with a chocolate obsession and spending a lot of my free time on my laptop, rather than exercising. However, I really want to improve this and I'd like to try and exercise more often, as I actually enjoy it when I make the effort. I also want to eat better foods and drink more water, as I definitely find this beneficial but often don't do it. I say this every year and it never happens, but this time, I’m determined to change.
I hope you liked hearing what my New Years Resolutions are and I'll make sure to update you on how well I'm doing in the future. I'd love to know what your resolutions are for the new year, so make sure you let me know down in the comments. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful New Year since I'll next see you in 2016!
Love from Daisy x
It's crazy how quickly 2015 passed, and now it's time once again to pick my resolutions for the upcoming year. In my previous post, I reviewed last year's goals and said which once I had achieved and which ones I hadn't, so if you haven't seen that then you can find it here. Now, I will be deciding on my newest resolutions, so I thought it might be interesting to share them with you.
Goal 1: Make more of an effort with my makeup
Quite often, I'll go for a minimalistic makeup look or only apply a bit of concealer and mascara before I'm good to go. However, I've realised that I have a lot of makeup and might as well use it whenever I get the chance, particularly when going out and on the weekends. I really enjoy applying makeup and trying different products, so I definitely want to make the most of this and take the time to apply both more makeup and also vary my makeup looks.
Goal 2: Stick to an effective skincare routine
This is a repeat resolution from last year, which I completely failed at, so I thought it was only right to give it another go. I’m quite bad at sticking to a skincare routine, especially when I’m not wearing any makeup, and I understand that this is terrible for your skin. Now that I’ve got the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, I definitely feel as though I will be able to maintain an effective skincare routine and I'm going to try my hardest to keep it up.
Goal 3: Read as many books as possible
I go through phases of reading lots of books and then not picking up one for a while, but I definitely want to steer away from this bad habit and start reading books regularly. Reading is probably one of my favourite hobbies and I’ll happily spend all night with my nose in a good book, but I want to try my hardest to get through more books this year, as well as trying novels by new authors and choosing more challenging reads.
Goal 4: Work harder to improve my blog content
I’m always looking to improve my blog, and right now I feel as though my problem lies with my content. I’m happy with the appearance of my blog and I’ve definitely upped my photography more recently, but I really want to try my hardest to create engaging, captivating content that attracts my readers. I'll be working on all aspects of blogging in 2016, with a particular focus on creating the best posts possible.
Goal 5: Have a healthier lifestyle
I’m quite unhealthy, with a chocolate obsession and spending a lot of my free time on my laptop, rather than exercising. However, I really want to improve this and I'd like to try and exercise more often, as I actually enjoy it when I make the effort. I also want to eat better foods and drink more water, as I definitely find this beneficial but often don't do it. I say this every year and it never happens, but this time, I’m determined to change.
I hope you liked hearing what my New Years Resolutions are and I'll make sure to update you on how well I'm doing in the future. I'd love to know what your resolutions are for the new year, so make sure you let me know down in the comments. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful New Year since I'll next see you in 2016!
Love from Daisy x
At the end of 2014, I decided to set myself quite a few New Years Resolutions, hoping that if they were on my blog and visible for all of my readers, then I'd be more likely to accomplish them. This definitely happened with some of them, but others I failed miserably at and only managed to upkeep for a few weeks. In this post, I'll be sharing all of these and saying how I did with them for a final time, before I set my new resolutions in my next blog post.
1. Stick to a skincare routine
I love having clean skin that is well looked after, but I'm often incredibly lazy and don't stick to this as much as I should. Sometimes, I'll just use face wipes or micellar water when I really should make the effort to use a proper cleanser on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I didn't do very well with this resolution, but hopefully, I'll be able to try again this year and I'm determined to stick to an effective skincare routine.
2. Try out bold lipsticks
At the start of the year, I was very much scared of bold lipsticks and never wore them, but I've become more comfortable with them over the course of the year. Although I don't wear more daring lipsticks as often as I'd like, I've definitely improved with this and quite often find myself reaching for a berry lip colour, in particular the Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel. I actually wrote a post about my favourite bold lipsticks, which you can find here.
3. Experiment with eyeliner
I'm ashamed to say that at the start of the year I could barely do eyeliner and really struggled with it. Throughout the year, I've definitely improved this skill and I'm much more confident with applying it now. I don't wear eyeliner incredibly often, but I've definitely tried harder to make the effort. For me, pencil eyeliners are definitely the way forward, and surprisingly a £1 brown eyeliner from MUA is my favourite to use.
4. Vary my eye makeup
My problem with eye makeup, particularly eyeshadow, was that I never strayed from my comfort zone and instead only worn neutral looks. I'll admit that I haven't improved a fair deal with this, as I will still quite often wear a bronze or champagne eyeshadow. However, I have experimented with some more pink-toned eyeshadows, particularly those from the Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay, so some progress has been made.
5. Make my blog more user-friendly
I feel as though I've definitely taken a step towards achieving this resolution, as I've been working hard to improve the experience that my readers have when visiting my blog. The most noticeable change has been my template, which went from being a boring, unoriginal template that I was unhappy with to something that looks more professional and easier to navigate. I'm always looking for ways to improve the experience that users have on my blog, but I feel as though entirely changing the appearance and layout was a step in the right direction.
6. Use social media more often
2015 was the year where I fully introduced my blog to social media, broadening its horizons on the Internet. I created a Twitter account, which has really helped with promoting my blog, and I've also become an avid Pinterest user. I made a Facebook page, which I'm still working on improving, and more recently I've started an Instagram. Although a few of these are in the early days, I feel as though I've accomplished this goal.
7. Film a video to accompany my blog
This goal wasn't attempted, simply because I still don't feel ready to start a YouTube or film videos. This is definitely something I want to do in the future, but for now, I'm comfortable with just blogging and find that I'm not yet ready to explore this new form of media. However, there's definitely a possibility for the future, which I may think about soon.
8. Work on my photography
With my addiction to Pinterest has come a newfound inspiration to improve my photography. Although I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be with my photos, I feel as though I've really progressed over the year. I've definitely paid more attention to details, ensured that the lighting was good and used editing in an effective way to make my images much better, so I'd class this as a success.
9. Have a blogging schedule
I'm proud to say that I managed to stick to my blogging schedule throughout the year, producing two posts ever week that I was proud of. One of the problems that I had in 2014 was that I often took breaks and missed posts when I didn't feel like blogging, but in 2015, I managed to overcome this and prepare in advance so that I'd always have a post to upload.
10. Interact with other bloggers
This year, I've made many new blogging friends and started talking to a lot of other creators, which I'm really pleased with. I've gained loyal readers and also found many new blogs that I've fallen in love with. However, I think there's always room for improvement, and I'd love to be able to talk to even more bloggers in the future.
I'd love to know what your resolutions from last year were and whether you achieved them or not, so make you let me know down in the comments! Thanks for reading and I'll see you on Wednesday, where I'll be setting my new resolutions for 2016.
Love from Daisy x
At the end of 2014, I decided to set myself quite a few New Years Resolutions, hoping that if they were on my blog and visible for all of my readers, then I'd be more likely to accomplish them. This definitely happened with some of them, but others I failed miserably at and only managed to upkeep for a few weeks. In this post, I'll be sharing all of these and saying how I did with them for a final time, before I set my new resolutions in my next blog post.
1. Stick to a skincare routine
I love having clean skin that is well looked after, but I'm often incredibly lazy and don't stick to this as much as I should. Sometimes, I'll just use face wipes or micellar water when I really should make the effort to use a proper cleanser on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I didn't do very well with this resolution, but hopefully, I'll be able to try again this year and I'm determined to stick to an effective skincare routine.
2. Try out bold lipsticks
At the start of the year, I was very much scared of bold lipsticks and never wore them, but I've become more comfortable with them over the course of the year. Although I don't wear more daring lipsticks as often as I'd like, I've definitely improved with this and quite often find myself reaching for a berry lip colour, in particular the Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel. I actually wrote a post about my favourite bold lipsticks, which you can find here.
3. Experiment with eyeliner
I'm ashamed to say that at the start of the year I could barely do eyeliner and really struggled with it. Throughout the year, I've definitely improved this skill and I'm much more confident with applying it now. I don't wear eyeliner incredibly often, but I've definitely tried harder to make the effort. For me, pencil eyeliners are definitely the way forward, and surprisingly a £1 brown eyeliner from MUA is my favourite to use.
4. Vary my eye makeup
My problem with eye makeup, particularly eyeshadow, was that I never strayed from my comfort zone and instead only worn neutral looks. I'll admit that I haven't improved a fair deal with this, as I will still quite often wear a bronze or champagne eyeshadow. However, I have experimented with some more pink-toned eyeshadows, particularly those from the Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay, so some progress has been made.
5. Make my blog more user-friendly
I feel as though I've definitely taken a step towards achieving this resolution, as I've been working hard to improve the experience that my readers have when visiting my blog. The most noticeable change has been my template, which went from being a boring, unoriginal template that I was unhappy with to something that looks more professional and easier to navigate. I'm always looking for ways to improve the experience that users have on my blog, but I feel as though entirely changing the appearance and layout was a step in the right direction.
6. Use social media more often
2015 was the year where I fully introduced my blog to social media, broadening its horizons on the Internet. I created a Twitter account, which has really helped with promoting my blog, and I've also become an avid Pinterest user. I made a Facebook page, which I'm still working on improving, and more recently I've started an Instagram. Although a few of these are in the early days, I feel as though I've accomplished this goal.
7. Film a video to accompany my blog
This goal wasn't attempted, simply because I still don't feel ready to start a YouTube or film videos. This is definitely something I want to do in the future, but for now, I'm comfortable with just blogging and find that I'm not yet ready to explore this new form of media. However, there's definitely a possibility for the future, which I may think about soon.
8. Work on my photography
With my addiction to Pinterest has come a newfound inspiration to improve my photography. Although I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be with my photos, I feel as though I've really progressed over the year. I've definitely paid more attention to details, ensured that the lighting was good and used editing in an effective way to make my images much better, so I'd class this as a success.
9. Have a blogging schedule
I'm proud to say that I managed to stick to my blogging schedule throughout the year, producing two posts ever week that I was proud of. One of the problems that I had in 2014 was that I often took breaks and missed posts when I didn't feel like blogging, but in 2015, I managed to overcome this and prepare in advance so that I'd always have a post to upload.
10. Interact with other bloggers
This year, I've made many new blogging friends and started talking to a lot of other creators, which I'm really pleased with. I've gained loyal readers and also found many new blogs that I've fallen in love with. However, I think there's always room for improvement, and I'd love to be able to talk to even more bloggers in the future.
I'd love to know what your resolutions from last year were and whether you achieved them or not, so make you let me know down in the comments! Thanks for reading and I'll see you on Wednesday, where I'll be setting my new resolutions for 2016.
Love from Daisy x
Christmas is literally right around the corner, but surprisingly, a lot of people may not be fully ready or feeling the Christmas spirit. I know that my festivities started weeks ago, but it's never too late to start preparing for the special day and going out of your way to feel a bit festive. I've compiled this list of some of my favourite ways of embracing the Christmas spirit, which will hopefully be helpful for you.
Decorating the house - I'll be incredibly surprised if your Christmas tree still isn't up by now, but if you haven't got one then why wait? It's never too late to decorate your house or add some final touches if your decorating is done, as this will set the mood for the upcoming days and make you feel a lot more festive.
Wrapping presents - Some people prefer to do this as soon as the gifts have been purchased and others like to wait until the last minute, but if you haven't done this yet then I'd take care of it now. Rather than allowing this to become a boring and laborious task, lighten the mood by watching a film or listening to some music, as this will make the hard task seem much more bearable.
Watch some Christmas films - I'm a huge lover of Christmas films and they instantly put me in a better mood, so now is the perfect opportunity to watch some. My favourite has to be Home Alone, but there are definitely plenty to choose from that will keep you entertained and feeling festive.
Listen to Christmas music - There's nothing better than listening to Christmas music when you're not feeling festive, so why not put on some songs and brighten the mood? Whether you make a playlist, turn on one of the Christmas music channels or listen to the radio, I can guarantee that even a small amount of Christmas music will bring you festive cheer.
Open your advent calendars - It's around this time of the year when advent calendars tend to be neglected and forgotten about, as the novelty soon wears off. However, don't let yours be discarded and make the effort to stick to the tradition, as such a simple thing like opening a cardboard door can really prepare you for the festive season.
Do some festive activities - There are plenty of things for you to do at this time of year, which will help you to embrace the Christmas spirit. Why not go ice skating or play in the snow if you're lucky enough to have any? Shopping can also be fun at this time of year and is the perfect opportunity to finish buying presents. If you'd like to remember the real story of Christmas, I'd take the time to visit Church as well.
Get cosy and read a good book - This might not appeal to everyone, but I love feeling cosy and reading a good book in the winter. There's something about being lovely and warm inside whilst the weather is horrible that makes me feel festive.
Visit friends and family - All it may take for you to prepare you for Christmas is to visit some of your friends and family, especially those who you may not see often. Now is the perfect time to catch up and enjoy one another's company during this festive season.
Thank you for reading this post and I hope that I've helped you feel more festive. Since my next post will be uploaded on Sunday, I hope that all of my readers have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!
Love from Daisy x
Do some festive activities - There are plenty of things for you to do at this time of year, which will help you to embrace the Christmas spirit. Why not go ice skating or play in the snow if you're lucky enough to have any? Shopping can also be fun at this time of year and is the perfect opportunity to finish buying presents. If you'd like to remember the real story of Christmas, I'd take the time to visit Church as well.
Get cosy and read a good book - This might not appeal to everyone, but I love feeling cosy and reading a good book in the winter. There's something about being lovely and warm inside whilst the weather is horrible that makes me feel festive.
Visit friends and family - All it may take for you to prepare you for Christmas is to visit some of your friends and family, especially those who you may not see often. Now is the perfect time to catch up and enjoy one another's company during this festive season.
Thank you for reading this post and I hope that I've helped you feel more festive. Since my next post will be uploaded on Sunday, I hope that all of my readers have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!
Love from Daisy x
Christmas is literally right around the corner, but surprisingly, a lot of people may not be fully ready or feeling the Christmas spirit. I know that my festivities started weeks ago, but it's never too late to start preparing for the special day and going out of your way to feel a bit festive. I've compiled this list of some of my favourite ways of embracing the Christmas spirit, which will hopefully be helpful for you.
Decorating the house - I'll be incredibly surprised if your Christmas tree still isn't up by now, but if you haven't got one then why wait? It's never too late to decorate your house or add some final touches if your decorating is done, as this will set the mood for the upcoming days and make you feel a lot more festive.
Wrapping presents - Some people prefer to do this as soon as the gifts have been purchased and others like to wait until the last minute, but if you haven't done this yet then I'd take care of it now. Rather than allowing this to become a boring and laborious task, lighten the mood by watching a film or listening to some music, as this will make the hard task seem much more bearable.
Watch some Christmas films - I'm a huge lover of Christmas films and they instantly put me in a better mood, so now is the perfect opportunity to watch some. My favourite has to be Home Alone, but there are definitely plenty to choose from that will keep you entertained and feeling festive.
Listen to Christmas music - There's nothing better than listening to Christmas music when you're not feeling festive, so why not put on some songs and brighten the mood? Whether you make a playlist, turn on one of the Christmas music channels or listen to the radio, I can guarantee that even a small amount of Christmas music will bring you festive cheer.
Open your advent calendars - It's around this time of the year when advent calendars tend to be neglected and forgotten about, as the novelty soon wears off. However, don't let yours be discarded and make the effort to stick to the tradition, as such a simple thing like opening a cardboard door can really prepare you for the festive season.
Do some festive activities - There are plenty of things for you to do at this time of year, which will help you to embrace the Christmas spirit. Why not go ice skating or play in the snow if you're lucky enough to have any? Shopping can also be fun at this time of year and is the perfect opportunity to finish buying presents. If you'd like to remember the real story of Christmas, I'd take the time to visit Church as well.
Get cosy and read a good book - This might not appeal to everyone, but I love feeling cosy and reading a good book in the winter. There's something about being lovely and warm inside whilst the weather is horrible that makes me feel festive.
Visit friends and family - All it may take for you to prepare you for Christmas is to visit some of your friends and family, especially those who you may not see often. Now is the perfect time to catch up and enjoy one another's company during this festive season.
Thank you for reading this post and I hope that I've helped you feel more festive. Since my next post will be uploaded on Sunday, I hope that all of my readers have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!
Love from Daisy x
Do some festive activities - There are plenty of things for you to do at this time of year, which will help you to embrace the Christmas spirit. Why not go ice skating or play in the snow if you're lucky enough to have any? Shopping can also be fun at this time of year and is the perfect opportunity to finish buying presents. If you'd like to remember the real story of Christmas, I'd take the time to visit Church as well.
Get cosy and read a good book - This might not appeal to everyone, but I love feeling cosy and reading a good book in the winter. There's something about being lovely and warm inside whilst the weather is horrible that makes me feel festive.
Visit friends and family - All it may take for you to prepare you for Christmas is to visit some of your friends and family, especially those who you may not see often. Now is the perfect time to catch up and enjoy one another's company during this festive season.
Thank you for reading this post and I hope that I've helped you feel more festive. Since my next post will be uploaded on Sunday, I hope that all of my readers have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!
Love from Daisy x
This time of year is perfect for incorporating a bold lip colour into your makeup routine, especially with Christmas being right around the corner. There are many different lipstick options to choose from and products to try, ranging from bold berry tones and rich reds. If you're unsure as to what product may be perfect for you, my advice and suggestions might be useful. I've decided to share with my four favourite festive lip products with you, which hopefully you'll find helpful when deciding.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm in Keep Mauving
This is my newest bold lip discovery but so far I've been incredibly impressed with it. When it is applied, it produces a pinkish berry shade that has a slight glossiness to it. Unlike a lot of lip crayons, it is incredibly pigmented and even just a light coat of this will provide an intense amount of colour. However, it isn't matte and still feels silky and comfortable on the lips. Also, it lasts throughout the day, making it a lovely alternative to a lipstick that I'd definitely recommend trying.
Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel
I talk about this lip crayon regularly on my blog, which is simply because I love it and think that it's one of the best of its kind. The colour is a gorgeous berry colour that I find really flattering, but it can also be worn lightly for a vague sheen of pigment, which makes it versatile for any look. This lip crayon smells delicious, is incredibly glossy without being sticky on the lips and is long lasting, so you don't have to constantly reapply it. I honestly couldn't critique this lip crayon, which is why it is one of my go-to products for the festive season.
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Sepia
I was incredibly thankful to be sent this product around spring, but unfortunately, this colour wasn't appropriate for the season. Now that we've entered the colder months, I feel as though I've found a purpose for this lipstick and I'll definitely be wearing it more often. This hydrating, semi-matte lipstick makes it more bearable to wear an intensely pigmented product. Despite being a lipstick, this product isn't clingy on dry patches, which are often present on my lips in the winter, and it lasts for a long time, wearing down evenly. If you're looking for a more luxurious lipstick to wear during the festive season, this is definitely one to consider.
MUA Lipstick in Shade 13
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum is this lipstick, which is incredibly affordable at only £1. This vivid red is a gorgeous colour and instantly reminds me of Christmas, making it perfect for this season. It has an extremely matte formula, but it still looks really nice if a bit of lip balm has been applied beforehand. Another bonus of this product is that it lasts throughout the day and really doesn't budge, meaning you won't have to reapply it even after eating your Christmas dinner. I'd definitely choose this lipstick if you're looking for a festive yet budget option.
I hope you liked hearing about my favourite festive lipsticks and I'd love to know what yours are since there are many other alternatives that I might not have tried. Make sure you leave me a comment down below saying what your go-to Christmas lipstick is. Thank you for reading and I'll see you on Wednesday with my new post.
Love from Daisy x
This time of year is perfect for incorporating a bold lip colour into your makeup routine, especially with Christmas being right around the corner. There are many different lipstick options to choose from and products to try, ranging from bold berry tones and rich reds. If you're unsure as to what product may be perfect for you, my advice and suggestions might be useful. I've decided to share with my four favourite festive lip products with you, which hopefully you'll find helpful when deciding.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm in Keep Mauving
This is my newest bold lip discovery but so far I've been incredibly impressed with it. When it is applied, it produces a pinkish berry shade that has a slight glossiness to it. Unlike a lot of lip crayons, it is incredibly pigmented and even just a light coat of this will provide an intense amount of colour. However, it isn't matte and still feels silky and comfortable on the lips. Also, it lasts throughout the day, making it a lovely alternative to a lipstick that I'd definitely recommend trying.
Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel
I talk about this lip crayon regularly on my blog, which is simply because I love it and think that it's one of the best of its kind. The colour is a gorgeous berry colour that I find really flattering, but it can also be worn lightly for a vague sheen of pigment, which makes it versatile for any look. This lip crayon smells delicious, is incredibly glossy without being sticky on the lips and is long lasting, so you don't have to constantly reapply it. I honestly couldn't critique this lip crayon, which is why it is one of my go-to products for the festive season.
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Sepia
I was incredibly thankful to be sent this product around spring, but unfortunately, this colour wasn't appropriate for the season. Now that we've entered the colder months, I feel as though I've found a purpose for this lipstick and I'll definitely be wearing it more often. This hydrating, semi-matte lipstick makes it more bearable to wear an intensely pigmented product. Despite being a lipstick, this product isn't clingy on dry patches, which are often present on my lips in the winter, and it lasts for a long time, wearing down evenly. If you're looking for a more luxurious lipstick to wear during the festive season, this is definitely one to consider.
MUA Lipstick in Shade 13
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum is this lipstick, which is incredibly affordable at only £1. This vivid red is a gorgeous colour and instantly reminds me of Christmas, making it perfect for this season. It has an extremely matte formula, but it still looks really nice if a bit of lip balm has been applied beforehand. Another bonus of this product is that it lasts throughout the day and really doesn't budge, meaning you won't have to reapply it even after eating your Christmas dinner. I'd definitely choose this lipstick if you're looking for a festive yet budget option.
I hope you liked hearing about my favourite festive lipsticks and I'd love to know what yours are since there are many other alternatives that I might not have tried. Make sure you leave me a comment down below saying what your go-to Christmas lipstick is. Thank you for reading and I'll see you on Wednesday with my new post.
Love from Daisy x
Since Christmas is quickly approaching us, I thought that it was only right to do a more festive, wintry post. I love Pinterest and spend a lot of time scrolling through the countless images to find my favourites. When it gets to this time of the year, my feed is exploding with berry lips, Christmas trees and everything in between. I thought that it might be fun to share with you some of my favourite Pinterest images that are perfect for this season, so I hope you like this post!
Winter is the time when regular makeup routines become bolder, with the usual pale colours being swapped out for richer, warmer tones. Quite often, peachy lips are exchanged in favour of a festive red or berry alternative, which is both striking and stands out alongside a polished makeup look. I also really like experimenting with different eye looks at this time of year, incorporating more plums and golds, but maybe even being daring enough to try some blues and greens. Finally, shimmer will become your best friend, as it’s the one time of year when there can never be too much glitter.
When the colder months arrive, so does the time to indulge yourself in a variety of delicious foods. Christmas means that you always have an excuse to eat some sweet treats and be less strict with healthy eating regimes. I especially like the winter themed desserts above, as they embrace the festivity and look amazing. Also, hot chocolate is necessary after being out in the cold, and even though it isn’t technically a dessert it is still indulgent and delicious.
One of my favourite hairstyles are braids, as I feel as though they can be worn in many different ways, either as a classy up-do for a Christmas party or as a more relaxed, messy look for day-to-day wear. All of the ones shown above are great ways of enhancing a boring hairstyle and adding some interest to your hair. Loose waves also look lovely and the wind will often contribute to any messy hairstyles. Obviously I couldn’t forget about the sleek, polished hairstyles, as I feel as though these are much more presentable and neat for when you want your hair to look perfected.
Last but certainly not least is winter inspiration in general. This time of year is definitely my favourite and I’ll use any excuse possible to embrace the Christmas spirit. One of my favourite things to do when it’s cold outside is to get cosy with a good book and a hot chocolate. Also, wrapping presents can be enjoyable and allows you to show your more creative side (if you’re any good at it!). Snow would be the icing on top of the cake, but unfortunately this is more of a rarity than a regular occurrence.
I hoped you like seeing all of my favourite Pinterest images from this season, and if you'd like to see more then you can follow me, as the link is in the sidebar. I hope you have a nice day and I'll see you again on Sunday with another festive blog post.
Love from Daisy x
Since Christmas is quickly approaching us, I thought that it was only right to do a more festive, wintry post. I love Pinterest and spend a lot of time scrolling through the countless images to find my favourites. When it gets to this time of the year, my feed is exploding with berry lips, Christmas trees and everything in between. I thought that it might be fun to share with you some of my favourite Pinterest images that are perfect for this season, so I hope you like this post!
Winter is the time when regular makeup routines become bolder, with the usual pale colours being swapped out for richer, warmer tones. Quite often, peachy lips are exchanged in favour of a festive red or berry alternative, which is both striking and stands out alongside a polished makeup look. I also really like experimenting with different eye looks at this time of year, incorporating more plums and golds, but maybe even being daring enough to try some blues and greens. Finally, shimmer will become your best friend, as it’s the one time of year when there can never be too much glitter.
When the colder months arrive, so does the time to indulge yourself in a variety of delicious foods. Christmas means that you always have an excuse to eat some sweet treats and be less strict with healthy eating regimes. I especially like the winter themed desserts above, as they embrace the festivity and look amazing. Also, hot chocolate is necessary after being out in the cold, and even though it isn’t technically a dessert it is still indulgent and delicious.
One of my favourite hairstyles are braids, as I feel as though they can be worn in many different ways, either as a classy up-do for a Christmas party or as a more relaxed, messy look for day-to-day wear. All of the ones shown above are great ways of enhancing a boring hairstyle and adding some interest to your hair. Loose waves also look lovely and the wind will often contribute to any messy hairstyles. Obviously I couldn’t forget about the sleek, polished hairstyles, as I feel as though these are much more presentable and neat for when you want your hair to look perfected.
Last but certainly not least is winter inspiration in general. This time of year is definitely my favourite and I’ll use any excuse possible to embrace the Christmas spirit. One of my favourite things to do when it’s cold outside is to get cosy with a good book and a hot chocolate. Also, wrapping presents can be enjoyable and allows you to show your more creative side (if you’re any good at it!). Snow would be the icing on top of the cake, but unfortunately this is more of a rarity than a regular occurrence.
I hoped you like seeing all of my favourite Pinterest images from this season, and if you'd like to see more then you can follow me, as the link is in the sidebar. I hope you have a nice day and I'll see you again on Sunday with another festive blog post.
Love from Daisy x
I've just finished my mock exams in school, meaning a lot of my free time over the past few weeks has been spent revising. Although I've written some blog posts on revision in the past, I've discovered many more techniques since then and modified my methods so that they're most effective. When it comes to revising, there are many ways to go about it and techniques that you can use. I thought that it might be helpful to share my ways of revising, as the methods that I mention could be useful for you.
Write out All of Your Notes
This is probably the most important step for me, as I like to have a complete set of notes on each topic so that I can consult them at a later date or read them to see what I understand and what I don’t. Personally, I find that typing my notes is a lot quicker and is therefore a more efficient use of my time, but if you prefer to write out your notes then this also works well, especially since this gives you more freedom to add illustrations and diagrams. To compile the notes, I collect my school books, revision guides, online resources and anything else that might be helpful, so I have a broad selection of information to choose from.
Create Posters, Mind Maps and Visual Aids
If you want to make your revision fun or at least look appealing, more visual methods are great to use and can be really beneficial. Creating posters, mind maps and other visual aids can really assist with your learning and make the endless amount of notes seem more manageable. It works best if these are bright and colourful, with keywords or important phrases being highlighted. It’s worth playing around with these to see what works best for you, but I can guarantee that this will be more effective than bland, boring resources.
Make Flashcards
It has been proved that one of the most effective ways of revising is to test yourself or get others to test you. The best way to achieve this is by making flashcards, either with concise notes to condense down your revision or by having a question on one side followed by the answer. Although this could be adapted for any subject, it’s important to find out which ones it will be the most effective for. Flashcards can easily be created on paper, but another option is to use the app ‘Flashcards+ by Chegg’ to create them, which means you can look through your notes whilst browsing your phone.
Voice Recordings
If you are studying a language, making recordings can be really helpful and assist in memory when it comes to speaking tests. When I have to learn my French speaking test, I often record it on my phone and listen to it when I have a few spare minutes. This really helps it to sink into your brain and can assist with pronunciation as well. Another tip for languages is to listen to people speaking the language, for example on the radio, as this will help you adapt to the accent, pace and pick out words that you already know.
Past Papers
I’d probably class past papers as one of the most important elements of revision as they can really help you understand what type of questions you may be asked and how to answer them, as well as improving your time management. By having a past paper and a copy of the mark scheme, which your teacher can get for you, you will be able to see where you are commonly losing marks and how to fix this. Also, exam questions are often worded in a way that is difficult to understand, so the use of a mark scheme will help you to understand what you need to include.
Revision Guides
When studying for exams, revision guides can be really useful and help you to see what content needs to be covered. They will tell you exactly what topics you need to revise and often will have practice questions included in them, so they are an invaluable resource that you definitely need to get. My favourite revision guides are the CGP ones, as they’re really easy to understand and display everything in a much more appealing way. They are often be sold in shops or by your school, but you can also buy second-hand copies on Amazon for a relatively cheap price.
Rhymes and Acronyms
If you’re struggling to remember something, turning it into a song, rhyme or acronym can really help. I’ve used this multiple times and found that it always works really well and I can remember what I need to know. For example, I learnt all of a French speaking test a few years ago by fitting the words to the tune of one of my favourite songs. For maths, I constantly sing ‘The Circle Song’ to remind me which formula is for the area and which is for the circumference. As for history, I have multiple acronyms that help me remember things such as the terms of the Treaty of Versailles or the aims of the League of Nations. Whatever topic it is, I can guarantee that the use of these will be helpful.
Watching Online Videos
Like most people, I’m addicted to YouTube and spend hours watching videos online. What you might not realise is that there are many videos created to help you with revision or understand topics that may be difficult, especially for maths and science. If you don’t understand how to solve a certain problem or want to watch a video to back up your knowledge, I’d definitely recommend using YouTube. Also, my school has signed up to ‘Maths Watch’, which is a website filled with video tutorials for all areas of maths. Although not everyone will have access to this, I’d definitely take advantage of it if you do.
Making a Timeline
If you’re struggling with remembering the order of events, then making a timeline can be useful. If you study history, then you could use this method to remember the order of the events leading up to WW2 or anything else that you need to remember the order of. This technique could also be applied to English, as a timeline could be used for the events in a novel.
Re-Read Any Important Texts
For English, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of the texts, including key quotes and underlying themes. The best way to identify these it to re-read the texts, as they will be fresh in your mind and you’re more likely to pick up on further details when reading novels for the second time. I decided to re-read both of my English texts, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Crucible, over the summer and again later in the year. It’s also helpful to highlight and annotate them as you go if it’s your own copy.
Revision Classes
My final tip is to attend as many revision classes as possible before your exams. Teachers will more than likely hold these in the lead up to your tests and attending them can be crucial. Usually, you will cover topics that you might’ve struggled with initially or practice exam technique that will help you in the test. Some people don’t go to these, as they think that they already understand the topic, but they can be useful to refresh your mind and there might be a section of the topic that you realise you don’t understand as much as you thought. Teachers give up a lot of their time to hold these classes, so I’d definitely ensure that you attend them, as your teacher will know everything about the course and the content and will therefore be the best person to ask for help.
I've just finished my mock exams in school, meaning a lot of my free time over the past few weeks has been spent revising. Although I've written some blog posts on revision in the past, I've discovered many more techniques since then and modified my methods so that they're most effective. When it comes to revising, there are many ways to go about it and techniques that you can use. I thought that it might be helpful to share my ways of revising, as the methods that I mention could be useful for you.
Write out All of Your Notes
This is probably the most important step for me, as I like to have a complete set of notes on each topic so that I can consult them at a later date or read them to see what I understand and what I don’t. Personally, I find that typing my notes is a lot quicker and is therefore a more efficient use of my time, but if you prefer to write out your notes then this also works well, especially since this gives you more freedom to add illustrations and diagrams. To compile the notes, I collect my school books, revision guides, online resources and anything else that might be helpful, so I have a broad selection of information to choose from.
Create Posters, Mind Maps and Visual Aids
If you want to make your revision fun or at least look appealing, more visual methods are great to use and can be really beneficial. Creating posters, mind maps and other visual aids can really assist with your learning and make the endless amount of notes seem more manageable. It works best if these are bright and colourful, with keywords or important phrases being highlighted. It’s worth playing around with these to see what works best for you, but I can guarantee that this will be more effective than bland, boring resources.
Make Flashcards
It has been proved that one of the most effective ways of revising is to test yourself or get others to test you. The best way to achieve this is by making flashcards, either with concise notes to condense down your revision or by having a question on one side followed by the answer. Although this could be adapted for any subject, it’s important to find out which ones it will be the most effective for. Flashcards can easily be created on paper, but another option is to use the app ‘Flashcards+ by Chegg’ to create them, which means you can look through your notes whilst browsing your phone.
Voice Recordings
If you are studying a language, making recordings can be really helpful and assist in memory when it comes to speaking tests. When I have to learn my French speaking test, I often record it on my phone and listen to it when I have a few spare minutes. This really helps it to sink into your brain and can assist with pronunciation as well. Another tip for languages is to listen to people speaking the language, for example on the radio, as this will help you adapt to the accent, pace and pick out words that you already know.
Past Papers
I’d probably class past papers as one of the most important elements of revision as they can really help you understand what type of questions you may be asked and how to answer them, as well as improving your time management. By having a past paper and a copy of the mark scheme, which your teacher can get for you, you will be able to see where you are commonly losing marks and how to fix this. Also, exam questions are often worded in a way that is difficult to understand, so the use of a mark scheme will help you to understand what you need to include.
Revision Guides
When studying for exams, revision guides can be really useful and help you to see what content needs to be covered. They will tell you exactly what topics you need to revise and often will have practice questions included in them, so they are an invaluable resource that you definitely need to get. My favourite revision guides are the CGP ones, as they’re really easy to understand and display everything in a much more appealing way. They are often be sold in shops or by your school, but you can also buy second-hand copies on Amazon for a relatively cheap price.
Rhymes and Acronyms
If you’re struggling to remember something, turning it into a song, rhyme or acronym can really help. I’ve used this multiple times and found that it always works really well and I can remember what I need to know. For example, I learnt all of a French speaking test a few years ago by fitting the words to the tune of one of my favourite songs. For maths, I constantly sing ‘The Circle Song’ to remind me which formula is for the area and which is for the circumference. As for history, I have multiple acronyms that help me remember things such as the terms of the Treaty of Versailles or the aims of the League of Nations. Whatever topic it is, I can guarantee that the use of these will be helpful.
Watching Online Videos
Like most people, I’m addicted to YouTube and spend hours watching videos online. What you might not realise is that there are many videos created to help you with revision or understand topics that may be difficult, especially for maths and science. If you don’t understand how to solve a certain problem or want to watch a video to back up your knowledge, I’d definitely recommend using YouTube. Also, my school has signed up to ‘Maths Watch’, which is a website filled with video tutorials for all areas of maths. Although not everyone will have access to this, I’d definitely take advantage of it if you do.
Making a Timeline
If you’re struggling with remembering the order of events, then making a timeline can be useful. If you study history, then you could use this method to remember the order of the events leading up to WW2 or anything else that you need to remember the order of. This technique could also be applied to English, as a timeline could be used for the events in a novel.
Re-Read Any Important Texts
For English, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of the texts, including key quotes and underlying themes. The best way to identify these it to re-read the texts, as they will be fresh in your mind and you’re more likely to pick up on further details when reading novels for the second time. I decided to re-read both of my English texts, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Crucible, over the summer and again later in the year. It’s also helpful to highlight and annotate them as you go if it’s your own copy.
Revision Classes
My final tip is to attend as many revision classes as possible before your exams. Teachers will more than likely hold these in the lead up to your tests and attending them can be crucial. Usually, you will cover topics that you might’ve struggled with initially or practice exam technique that will help you in the test. Some people don’t go to these, as they think that they already understand the topic, but they can be useful to refresh your mind and there might be a section of the topic that you realise you don’t understand as much as you thought. Teachers give up a lot of their time to hold these classes, so I’d definitely ensure that you attend them, as your teacher will know everything about the course and the content and will therefore be the best person to ask for help.
A POPULAR BOOK THAT I DIDN'T LIKE
This is an incredibly unpopular opinion, but me and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green simply didn't get along well. I think it's due to the fact that I read Looking For Alaska a couple of months prior to trying this book and thoroughly enjoyed it that made me have extremely high hopes for it. Although it was well-written and I liked the characters, I felt like we didn't really connect with them and the story as a whole wasn't as captivating or emotional as I would've liked.
A POPULAR BOOK THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO HATE BUT I LOVE
I had a hard time deciding on this one, but I think Twilight is my answer. Love is the wrong word, as I have more of an appreciation for it, since it was my first foray into young adult literature. I don't know if I'd like it as much now, especially with having plenty of other books under my belt, but the eleven year old girl who picked up this book was amazed by the concept and enthralled by the writing of Stephanie Meyer.
A LOVE TRIANGLE OR OTP THAT I DON'T LIKE
As much as I like Tris and Tobias in the Divergent series, part of me really wanted Tris to end up with Uriah. I'm not sure if this is a common vision or I'm unique in thinking this, but I feel as though they are more suited to each other and they had a natural relationship that didn't seem forced. Uriah is such a lovely, honest character, and throughout the trilogy I hoped that he would end up with Tris.
A POPULAR BOOK GENRE THAT I HARDLY REACH FOR
I'm an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction books, so contemporary novels don't particularly interest me and I hardly opt for them. I like books that are interesting and unusual, being different from everyday lives, so this genre is obviously not meant for me. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, as I loved Looking For Alaska by John Green and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
A POPULAR CHARACTER THAT I DON'T LIKE
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Emmett from the Twilight series. I don't hate him as such, but I feel as though he was often irrelevant to the plot and lacked the importance of the other Cullens. Also, as most of the books are told through Bella's eyes and she isn't close to him, I feel as though we never get to fully realise who he is and therefore I didn't like him as much as the other characters in Twilight.
A POPULAR AUTHOR THAT I CAN'T SEEM TO GET INTO
I'm sad to say that I struggle to get into Maggie Stiefvater's books. I've heard nothing but great things about her books, especially The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and The Raven Cycle series, but every time I've attempted to read one I've really struggled to get into it. I'll probably try again in the future, as everyone else seems to love them.
A POPULAR BOOK TROPE THAT I'M TIRED OF SEEING
It pains me to say it, but I'm getting tired of seeing dystopian novels. This is a trope that I love and find to be really effective when done well, but a lot of the current young adult books feature halfhearted worlds that lack development. I'd honestly much prefer the author to go down a different route than to produce yet another dystopian novel that requires the detail required to make it stand out.
A POPULAR SERIES THAT I HAVE NO INTEREST IN READING
I currently have no interest in reading the Lord of the Rings series, despite it being incredibly popular. I have nothing against it but it's a huge commitment for a series that my heart isn't entirely in. The premise of it simply doesn't appeal to me at this moment in time and I have other plans for my future reading. This doesn't mean that I'll never read it, but it's likely that I won't get around to it in the near future.
A MOVIE OR TV ADAPTION THAT I PREFER MORE THAN THE BOOK
I absolutely loved both the film version of Breaking Dawn part 2 and its book counterpart, but the film was better in my eyes. The major difference between the two is the huge battle scene which we see in one of Alice's visions, which added tension (and tears in my case) to the most pivotal scene of the series. However, this wasn't included in the books, due to them being from Bella's perspective, meaning we never got to experience the exhilaration and emotions from this scene.
I've just realised that Twilight was mentioned three times in this post! I'm really sorry if you disagree with any of these opinions and I hope that you won't hold me against it. As I said earlier, I'd love to know your answers for these questions, which you can leave down in the comments for me to see. Thanks for reading and I'll see you on Sunday with a new post.
Love from Daisy x
A POPULAR BOOK THAT I DIDN'T LIKE
This is an incredibly unpopular opinion, but me and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green simply didn't get along well. I think it's due to the fact that I read Looking For Alaska a couple of months prior to trying this book and thoroughly enjoyed it that made me have extremely high hopes for it. Although it was well-written and I liked the characters, I felt like we didn't really connect with them and the story as a whole wasn't as captivating or emotional as I would've liked.
A POPULAR BOOK THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO HATE BUT I LOVE
I had a hard time deciding on this one, but I think Twilight is my answer. Love is the wrong word, as I have more of an appreciation for it, since it was my first foray into young adult literature. I don't know if I'd like it as much now, especially with having plenty of other books under my belt, but the eleven year old girl who picked up this book was amazed by the concept and enthralled by the writing of Stephanie Meyer.
A LOVE TRIANGLE OR OTP THAT I DON'T LIKE
As much as I like Tris and Tobias in the Divergent series, part of me really wanted Tris to end up with Uriah. I'm not sure if this is a common vision or I'm unique in thinking this, but I feel as though they are more suited to each other and they had a natural relationship that didn't seem forced. Uriah is such a lovely, honest character, and throughout the trilogy I hoped that he would end up with Tris.
A POPULAR BOOK GENRE THAT I HARDLY REACH FOR
I'm an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction books, so contemporary novels don't particularly interest me and I hardly opt for them. I like books that are interesting and unusual, being different from everyday lives, so this genre is obviously not meant for me. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, as I loved Looking For Alaska by John Green and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
A POPULAR CHARACTER THAT I DON'T LIKE
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Emmett from the Twilight series. I don't hate him as such, but I feel as though he was often irrelevant to the plot and lacked the importance of the other Cullens. Also, as most of the books are told through Bella's eyes and she isn't close to him, I feel as though we never get to fully realise who he is and therefore I didn't like him as much as the other characters in Twilight.
A POPULAR AUTHOR THAT I CAN'T SEEM TO GET INTO
I'm sad to say that I struggle to get into Maggie Stiefvater's books. I've heard nothing but great things about her books, especially The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and The Raven Cycle series, but every time I've attempted to read one I've really struggled to get into it. I'll probably try again in the future, as everyone else seems to love them.
A POPULAR BOOK TROPE THAT I'M TIRED OF SEEING
It pains me to say it, but I'm getting tired of seeing dystopian novels. This is a trope that I love and find to be really effective when done well, but a lot of the current young adult books feature halfhearted worlds that lack development. I'd honestly much prefer the author to go down a different route than to produce yet another dystopian novel that requires the detail required to make it stand out.
A POPULAR SERIES THAT I HAVE NO INTEREST IN READING
I currently have no interest in reading the Lord of the Rings series, despite it being incredibly popular. I have nothing against it but it's a huge commitment for a series that my heart isn't entirely in. The premise of it simply doesn't appeal to me at this moment in time and I have other plans for my future reading. This doesn't mean that I'll never read it, but it's likely that I won't get around to it in the near future.
A MOVIE OR TV ADAPTION THAT I PREFER MORE THAN THE BOOK
I absolutely loved both the film version of Breaking Dawn part 2 and its book counterpart, but the film was better in my eyes. The major difference between the two is the huge battle scene which we see in one of Alice's visions, which added tension (and tears in my case) to the most pivotal scene of the series. However, this wasn't included in the books, due to them being from Bella's perspective, meaning we never got to experience the exhilaration and emotions from this scene.
I've just realised that Twilight was mentioned three times in this post! I'm really sorry if you disagree with any of these opinions and I hope that you won't hold me against it. As I said earlier, I'd love to know your answers for these questions, which you can leave down in the comments for me to see. Thanks for reading and I'll see you on Sunday with a new post.
Love from Daisy x
If you aren't aware, November is National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo. Online, thousands of people attempt to write a novel in only 30 days, which is a lot harder than it sounds. The aim is to write 50,000 words, which averages at around 200 pages of a book. I've always wanted to write my own novel, so I decided to partake in this event and try my hardest to reach the goal. Although I didn't quite make it, I thought that it still may be beneficial to share my experiences and thoughts on the event, as it may help any of you who are considering taking part next year.
MY EXPERIENCE OF NANOWRIMO
When I was preparing for a creative writing assessment in school, I stumbled upon a website filled with ideas for NaNoWriMo stories. Intrigued by what it entailed, I decided to research into the event to find out what you had to do. As soon as I realised that it was a whole month dedicated to writing a novel, I was sold. I love both reading and writing and have always wanted to create my own novel, but I've found that I never have the time and I put off writing a book in favour of school work and blogging. I realised that having a scheduled time to write and plenty of people supporting me would be a huge benefit and so I decided to sign up for NaNoWriMo 2015.
At first, I found the event to be fairly easy and I quickly raced through my daily word count guideline, trying my hardest to put all of my thoughts onto paper before they escaped me. Since NaNoWriMo started towards the end of a school holiday, I had plenty of time to write and think about where I wanted my novel to go. This was definitely the stage where I didn't understand why so many people complained about NaNoWriMo being incredibly difficult, as I was doing extremely well in the early days and thought that this would continue onwards.
I was wrong. After the first few days, everything starts to get more difficult. Holes start to arise in your plot and it's easy for the direction of the story to take a complete turn. As I had exhausted my initial ideas, these days were simply filled with developing points and improving the existing content I had, since I couldn't think of anything new to add. In these days, I still managed to write quite a bit, but I only surpassed the target by a small amount every day.
About 9 or 10 days in, NaNoWriMo, for me, became impossible. I found out that I had lots of tests towards the end of November, some being mocks and others counting towards my GCSE's, meaning that these had to take priority. With an increase of school work and revision, writing started to creep towards the bottom of my to-do list and was usually slotted in right before I went to sleep. On top of this, I was now almost completely out of ways to develop my ideas and found that it was really hard to make the jump from a short story into a novel, especially in such a restricting time frame.
11 days into the challenge, I made the decision to stop writing. I needed to have a break, both to concentrate on my school work and to put more thought into my story. I had 20,000 words under my belt, which was above target at this point, but I couldn't see myself having enough time to get to 50,000, and if I did I was certain that it wouldn't be to the quality that I wanted it to be. However, I didn't view quitting the challenge as a negative, as I had left with some enjoyable memories and almost half of the first draft for a novel, which is an incredible step in the right direction. I plan on resuming my writing somewhere in the near future, but I definitely won't try and fit it all into one month.
Since I definitely learnt a lot from taking part in NaNoWriMo and realised that there's a systematic way to go about it, I thought I'd share all of my advice with you as it will hopefully be helpful and assist you in reaching 50,000 words.
MY ADVICE FOR NANOWRIMO
Before NaNoWriMo Begins:
Since I definitely learnt a lot from taking part in NaNoWriMo and realised that there's a systematic way to go about it, I thought I'd share all of my advice with you as it will hopefully be helpful and assist you in reaching 50,000 words.
MY ADVICE FOR NANOWRIMO
Before NaNoWriMo Begins:
- Come up with a basic plot idea or characters that you want to use. Although words that you write before the month can't be counted towards your 50,000, there is no rule against planning your novel and doing some world building or character creation before you start. It is, in fact, encouraged and helps you to have a smooth start to your journey.
- Allocate a specific time to writing. Make sure that you plan ahead for the month and prepare a time to write, as this will make you more likely to stick to it. This is especially useful if you are going on holiday or will be busy during the month, as you will be reassured that there will still be time for your novel. However, don't be too strict with this, as it's okay to write more in one day or miss a session in another.
- Plan out where your story is going. I think that my problem with NaNoWriMo was that I had a great idea for the start of the story and an equally compelling idea for the end, but I didn't have a clue how to get from A to B. Make sure you know where your story is going and maybe even the chain of events, as this will be particularly useful for your writing and also be useful if you want to include foreshadowing and misdirection.
During NaNoWriMo:
- Try your hardest to write something whenever you can. Even if it's only a few paragraphs or developing some of your previous work, the words will eventually add up and a little can go a long day. If you take a break for a day, you're less likely to resume writing, so make sure you're consistent and dedicate yourself to writing a bit every day.
- Let your story flow naturally. Although you might have planned out a detailed idea for your novel, if you find it taking another shape then allow it to. Sometimes the ideas which spontaneously arrive when you are writing are much better than those that you prepared earlier, so don't feel restricted into writing only what you previously planned.
- Make use of the message boards. There are thousands of other people in the same position as you, all of whom will be willing to help and support you. Whether you need a good idea, help with naming a character or simply some motivation, consult the message boards for this help. I can guarantee that they will be useful and may be crucial when finishing your story.
After NaNoWriMo:
- Don't beat yourself up if you don't reach your target. 50,000 words is a lot to achieve in 30 days, especially if you're busy with other commitments, so don't be upset if you can't quite get there. Instead, be proud of what you have achieved in the time and remember that this isn't final. You can always revisit your novel and add things in the future, so don't think that it's over and incomplete at the end of November.
- Remember to go back to your novel in the future. Whether you complete NaNoWriMo or not, remember that your novel will only be in its first or second draft. There is still plenty of developing that you can do and changes that you can make before it could be considered a finished novel. Don't forget about all of your hard work and make a promise to yourself to revisit it in the future.
- Take a well-earned break. After a month of hard work and stress, you deserve to have a relax and not worry about your story. Writing can be a draining process, especially in such a short space, so make sure you make up for your lack of free time in November and take a break. After a few weeks or even months, you may return to your novel with renewed passion and ideas, so it's good to have this time off for a short while.
Overall, I just want you to be able to enjoy the month as much as I did. Regardless of whether you reach the target or not, you are left with some fantastic memories and a large chunk of your first draft completed. If you're considering taking part then I'd definitely recommend it, and you can join me as I can guarantee that I'll try again next year!
Love from Daisy x
If you aren't aware, November is National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo. Online, thousands of people attempt to write a novel in only 30 days, which is a lot harder than it sounds. The aim is to write 50,000 words, which averages at around 200 pages of a book. I've always wanted to write my own novel, so I decided to partake in this event and try my hardest to reach the goal. Although I didn't quite make it, I thought that it still may be beneficial to share my experiences and thoughts on the event, as it may help any of you who are considering taking part next year.
MY EXPERIENCE OF NANOWRIMO
When I was preparing for a creative writing assessment in school, I stumbled upon a website filled with ideas for NaNoWriMo stories. Intrigued by what it entailed, I decided to research into the event to find out what you had to do. As soon as I realised that it was a whole month dedicated to writing a novel, I was sold. I love both reading and writing and have always wanted to create my own novel, but I've found that I never have the time and I put off writing a book in favour of school work and blogging. I realised that having a scheduled time to write and plenty of people supporting me would be a huge benefit and so I decided to sign up for NaNoWriMo 2015.
At first, I found the event to be fairly easy and I quickly raced through my daily word count guideline, trying my hardest to put all of my thoughts onto paper before they escaped me. Since NaNoWriMo started towards the end of a school holiday, I had plenty of time to write and think about where I wanted my novel to go. This was definitely the stage where I didn't understand why so many people complained about NaNoWriMo being incredibly difficult, as I was doing extremely well in the early days and thought that this would continue onwards.
I was wrong. After the first few days, everything starts to get more difficult. Holes start to arise in your plot and it's easy for the direction of the story to take a complete turn. As I had exhausted my initial ideas, these days were simply filled with developing points and improving the existing content I had, since I couldn't think of anything new to add. In these days, I still managed to write quite a bit, but I only surpassed the target by a small amount every day.
About 9 or 10 days in, NaNoWriMo, for me, became impossible. I found out that I had lots of tests towards the end of November, some being mocks and others counting towards my GCSE's, meaning that these had to take priority. With an increase of school work and revision, writing started to creep towards the bottom of my to-do list and was usually slotted in right before I went to sleep. On top of this, I was now almost completely out of ways to develop my ideas and found that it was really hard to make the jump from a short story into a novel, especially in such a restricting time frame.
11 days into the challenge, I made the decision to stop writing. I needed to have a break, both to concentrate on my school work and to put more thought into my story. I had 20,000 words under my belt, which was above target at this point, but I couldn't see myself having enough time to get to 50,000, and if I did I was certain that it wouldn't be to the quality that I wanted it to be. However, I didn't view quitting the challenge as a negative, as I had left with some enjoyable memories and almost half of the first draft for a novel, which is an incredible step in the right direction. I plan on resuming my writing somewhere in the near future, but I definitely won't try and fit it all into one month.
Since I definitely learnt a lot from taking part in NaNoWriMo and realised that there's a systematic way to go about it, I thought I'd share all of my advice with you as it will hopefully be helpful and assist you in reaching 50,000 words.
MY ADVICE FOR NANOWRIMO
Before NaNoWriMo Begins:
Since I definitely learnt a lot from taking part in NaNoWriMo and realised that there's a systematic way to go about it, I thought I'd share all of my advice with you as it will hopefully be helpful and assist you in reaching 50,000 words.
MY ADVICE FOR NANOWRIMO
Before NaNoWriMo Begins:
- Come up with a basic plot idea or characters that you want to use. Although words that you write before the month can't be counted towards your 50,000, there is no rule against planning your novel and doing some world building or character creation before you start. It is, in fact, encouraged and helps you to have a smooth start to your journey.
- Allocate a specific time to writing. Make sure that you plan ahead for the month and prepare a time to write, as this will make you more likely to stick to it. This is especially useful if you are going on holiday or will be busy during the month, as you will be reassured that there will still be time for your novel. However, don't be too strict with this, as it's okay to write more in one day or miss a session in another.
- Plan out where your story is going. I think that my problem with NaNoWriMo was that I had a great idea for the start of the story and an equally compelling idea for the end, but I didn't have a clue how to get from A to B. Make sure you know where your story is going and maybe even the chain of events, as this will be particularly useful for your writing and also be useful if you want to include foreshadowing and misdirection.
During NaNoWriMo:
- Try your hardest to write something whenever you can. Even if it's only a few paragraphs or developing some of your previous work, the words will eventually add up and a little can go a long day. If you take a break for a day, you're less likely to resume writing, so make sure you're consistent and dedicate yourself to writing a bit every day.
- Let your story flow naturally. Although you might have planned out a detailed idea for your novel, if you find it taking another shape then allow it to. Sometimes the ideas which spontaneously arrive when you are writing are much better than those that you prepared earlier, so don't feel restricted into writing only what you previously planned.
- Make use of the message boards. There are thousands of other people in the same position as you, all of whom will be willing to help and support you. Whether you need a good idea, help with naming a character or simply some motivation, consult the message boards for this help. I can guarantee that they will be useful and may be crucial when finishing your story.
After NaNoWriMo:
- Don't beat yourself up if you don't reach your target. 50,000 words is a lot to achieve in 30 days, especially if you're busy with other commitments, so don't be upset if you can't quite get there. Instead, be proud of what you have achieved in the time and remember that this isn't final. You can always revisit your novel and add things in the future, so don't think that it's over and incomplete at the end of November.
- Remember to go back to your novel in the future. Whether you complete NaNoWriMo or not, remember that your novel will only be in its first or second draft. There is still plenty of developing that you can do and changes that you can make before it could be considered a finished novel. Don't forget about all of your hard work and make a promise to yourself to revisit it in the future.
- Take a well-earned break. After a month of hard work and stress, you deserve to have a relax and not worry about your story. Writing can be a draining process, especially in such a short space, so make sure you make up for your lack of free time in November and take a break. After a few weeks or even months, you may return to your novel with renewed passion and ideas, so it's good to have this time off for a short while.
Overall, I just want you to be able to enjoy the month as much as I did. Regardless of whether you reach the target or not, you are left with some fantastic memories and a large chunk of your first draft completed. If you're considering taking part then I'd definitely recommend it, and you can join me as I can guarantee that I'll try again next year!
Love from Daisy x
Being a teenager, I don't always have huge amounts of extra money to spend on makeup and beauty products in general, so looking for a cheap alternative is usually the best way forward. Some people might argue that affordable drugstore brands don't offer the best quality of products, but I have discovered quite a few that never fail to amaze me. Today, I thought I would talk you through some of my favourite budget beauty brands.
Makeup Revolution
This brand has definitely made a noticeable appearance in the beauty community over the past year, and rightfully so. They produce amazing products that definitely feel more luxurious than the price may suggest, and are presented in gorgeous, sleek packaging that you wouldn't expect for such an affordable brand. Although I have only tried one of their products, being the Ultra Blush Palette in Hot Spice, I am definitely looking to expand my collection in the future based on what I've heard from other people. Their products start from as little as £1, making it an offer that you simply can't turn down.
MUA
Probably the first budget makeup brand that I discovered, MUA is commonly known for its extremely cheap yet worthy makeup items. I've tried a selection of products from their range and have been amazed every time, with my particular favourites being their Undressed Palette, which is an obvious dupe for the infamous Naked Palette by Urban Decay, and their matte lipsticks, which are intensely pigmented and long-lasting. This is a brand that I'd definitely recommend checking out, as the products are amazing despite what the price might make you think.
Miss Beauty London
Although I've only recently been introduced to this brand, I'm surprised by how often I find myself reaching for their products. Since they're sold in Pound World stores, all of their products are, you guessed it, only £1! This is incredibly cheap, especially when you realise that they are of a great quality. I tried their eyebrow pencil with fairly low expectations, only to find a smooth and creamy product that perfectly matches the colour of my eyebrows, and I've fell in love with their powder blushers. If you ever visit a Pound World store, there's no excuse not to pick up some of their products, as you simply can't let such an offer slide.
Collection
Although the prices are slightly higher than the previous, this brand is still incredibly affordable and offers some wonderful products for extremely low prices. I'm sure you've heard of their Lasting Perfection Concealer, which is my holy grail base product and is completely justifiable for buying at only £4.19. Also, I used to be addicted to their Supersize Fat Lash Mascara, which was really worth purchasing and provided me with lovely long eyelashes. If you haven't already, I'd recommend trying something from their brand as there's a lot of variety and great things on offer.
These are just a few of the budget brands that I've discovered, but I'm always on the hunt for more bargains and money saving deals. If you know of any other makeup brands that are relatively cheap (and preferably based in the UK) then let me know, as I'd love to try them out.
Being a teenager, I don't always have huge amounts of extra money to spend on makeup and beauty products in general, so looking for a cheap alternative is usually the best way forward. Some people might argue that affordable drugstore brands don't offer the best quality of products, but I have discovered quite a few that never fail to amaze me. Today, I thought I would talk you through some of my favourite budget beauty brands.
Makeup Revolution
This brand has definitely made a noticeable appearance in the beauty community over the past year, and rightfully so. They produce amazing products that definitely feel more luxurious than the price may suggest, and are presented in gorgeous, sleek packaging that you wouldn't expect for such an affordable brand. Although I have only tried one of their products, being the Ultra Blush Palette in Hot Spice, I am definitely looking to expand my collection in the future based on what I've heard from other people. Their products start from as little as £1, making it an offer that you simply can't turn down.
MUA
Probably the first budget makeup brand that I discovered, MUA is commonly known for its extremely cheap yet worthy makeup items. I've tried a selection of products from their range and have been amazed every time, with my particular favourites being their Undressed Palette, which is an obvious dupe for the infamous Naked Palette by Urban Decay, and their matte lipsticks, which are intensely pigmented and long-lasting. This is a brand that I'd definitely recommend checking out, as the products are amazing despite what the price might make you think.
Miss Beauty London
Although I've only recently been introduced to this brand, I'm surprised by how often I find myself reaching for their products. Since they're sold in Pound World stores, all of their products are, you guessed it, only £1! This is incredibly cheap, especially when you realise that they are of a great quality. I tried their eyebrow pencil with fairly low expectations, only to find a smooth and creamy product that perfectly matches the colour of my eyebrows, and I've fell in love with their powder blushers. If you ever visit a Pound World store, there's no excuse not to pick up some of their products, as you simply can't let such an offer slide.
Collection
Although the prices are slightly higher than the previous, this brand is still incredibly affordable and offers some wonderful products for extremely low prices. I'm sure you've heard of their Lasting Perfection Concealer, which is my holy grail base product and is completely justifiable for buying at only £4.19. Also, I used to be addicted to their Supersize Fat Lash Mascara, which was really worth purchasing and provided me with lovely long eyelashes. If you haven't already, I'd recommend trying something from their brand as there's a lot of variety and great things on offer.
These are just a few of the budget brands that I've discovered, but I'm always on the hunt for more bargains and money saving deals. If you know of any other makeup brands that are relatively cheap (and preferably based in the UK) then let me know, as I'd love to try them out.
If you've gathered one thing from my blog, it's probably that I'm a huge bookworm and love getting into a good novel. I've read countless books in my fifteen years, but I've managed to narrow it down to my favourite ten. Some of these are series since I found it impossible to choose just one book that I liked from a collection of stories, but regardless these are still my top ten novels, in no particular order. They are all from the young adult genre, with most of them having fantasy and science fiction elements, but there are a couple contemporary reads, so I hope you find my choices interesting.
Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick
I read this book series back in 2014 and fell in love with the entire storyline and concept; so much so that I managed to persuade my best friend to read it (she also loved it, if you're wondering). Although books about fallen angels and nephilim wouldn't usually appeal to me, I'm incredibly glad that I tried this one as I thoroughly enjoyed it. Out of the series, my favourites are Hush Hush and Silence, but honestly, all of the books are outstanding and Becca Fitzpatrick did an amazing job to create them.
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
This is one of those books that I read after the film was released, simply because I'd heard a huge amount of hype surrounding it and was eager to know whether it was as good as people were saying. Turns out they were right, as I fell in love with this trilogy and couldn't put it down whilst reading it. The characters are loveable and it's amazing to watch them develop throughout the course of the series, and there are definitely some huge plot twists that you won't see coming. As always I'd recommend reading the books before watching the films, as quite a few things are changed or left out.
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
This is hands-down my favourite book series of all time, no doubt about it. I've read all six books, even battling through the 733 pages of City of Heavenly Fire, and honestly loved every moment of it. I think this was the first book that I became emotionally invested in and really connected with the characters, as well as loving the entire storyline. Cassandra Clare is also a talented writer and I love her specific attention to details and foreshadowing, which really makes the plot twists shocking and memorable. It might seem like a big commitment to read six books, but I honestly couldn't recommend it enough.
The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare
I had to include another Cassandra Clare series in this post, since she's probably my favourite author (and I was lucky enough to meet her last year!) The Infernal Devices follows a completely different set of characters and events to The Mortal Instruments, but they still share links and complement each other nicely, as they have the same premise. I found the events to be extremely dramatic and definitely unpredictable, and I really grew to love the characters in the novel. If you've read the Mortal Instruments then I'd highly recommend reading these books as well, as they're wonderfully written and emotionally captivating.
Finding Sky by Joss Stirling
This book is one that I'd heard a great deal about before reading and I could instantly tell that it was the perfect novel for me. Everything from the storyline to the background was exactly what I was looking for in a book, so I was really hopeful that it lived up to my expectations. Needless to say, I fell in love with it and enjoyed it from cover to cover. There was definitely some new ideas presented in this book that made it unique, and I loved how there was more of a contemporary feel to this urban fantasy novel. It's a fairly short read but definitely worth trying, since I can guarantee you will fall in love with it like I did. There are actually other books in this series and I'm hoping to get my hands on them soon.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This is such a powerful and beautifully written book that manages to convey many important messages and themes. This coming of age novel is definitely one of my favourite reads and I was addicted throughout it. The book has some humorous and emotional moments, but is ultimately very touching and opened my eyes. The characters are easy to get along with and I fell in love with the concept of Charlie writing letters. My only wish is that Stephen Chbosky would've written more books, as I loved this novel and his style of writing was touching yet personal.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My friend Anna actually bought this book for me, and I was really pleased as I'd wanted to read it for what felt like forever. I don't usually enjoy historical fiction, but this book was an exception as I honestly enjoyed every moment of it. The book has such a wonderful concept and I loved hearing about Liesel's adventures during the lead-up to WW2. Markus Zusak is an incredible writer and the idea of having death as a narrator was both unique and excellently carried out. I'd definitely recommend this to all readers, but be aware that you might tear up at times.
Looking For Alaska by John Green
I've read a few John Green books, but it was this one that I really connected with and found to be the most suspenseful. The characters were both loveable and realistic, so much so that I found myself becoming quite attached to them. This is definitely a classic John Green book, with an unpredictable yet equally as beautiful ending and with the most suspenseful and emotional part not being at the end. I'd definitely recommend trying this book, as there are some wonderfully crafted moments and underlying yet important themes.
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
This is actually quite a recent read of mine, but I enjoyed it so much that I thought it deserved a place within this post. This is definitely the most chilling and powerful book I have read, and it addresses the major issue of child abuse. The characters are creatively crafted and the book is well-written, with a lurking threat of the antagonist following you throughout. If you don't like upsetting books then this one probably isn't for you, but it was definitely worth the read and I found it to be very thought provoking and important. Again, this is the first book in a trilogy which I'm really hoping to read soon.
Freaks by Lisa M Forester
The final book of this post is one that I immensely enjoyed and managed to get through in a few hours, since I was utterly addicted to it. I love science fiction novels and the whole premise of genetic engineering and artificially creating humans with different abilities both amazed and intrigued me. Lisa M Forester is a great writer and definitely puts a lot of thought and detail into her books to achieve realism and anticipation. The characters were outstanding and I really hope that there is a sequel coming up, as I'd love to know what the future holds for Abigail and her fellow Allelobrids.
It was very hard to narrow it down, but I'm pleased to call these my favourite books. Of course, you could ask me the same question in six months time and my answer could be completely different, so I may bring you an updated version of this in the future. I'd love to know what your favourite books of all time are and if there are any that you think I've missed out, so make sure you leave all of that in a comment down below.
Love from Daisy x
It was very hard to narrow it down, but I'm pleased to call these my favourite books. Of course, you could ask me the same question in six months time and my answer could be completely different, so I may bring you an updated version of this in the future. I'd love to know what your favourite books of all time are and if there are any that you think I've missed out, so make sure you leave all of that in a comment down below.
Love from Daisy x
If you've gathered one thing from my blog, it's probably that I'm a huge bookworm and love getting into a good novel. I've read countless books in my fifteen years, but I've managed to narrow it down to my favourite ten. Some of these are series since I found it impossible to choose just one book that I liked from a collection of stories, but regardless these are still my top ten novels, in no particular order. They are all from the young adult genre, with most of them having fantasy and science fiction elements, but there are a couple contemporary reads, so I hope you find my choices interesting.
Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick
I read this book series back in 2014 and fell in love with the entire storyline and concept; so much so that I managed to persuade my best friend to read it (she also loved it, if you're wondering). Although books about fallen angels and nephilim wouldn't usually appeal to me, I'm incredibly glad that I tried this one as I thoroughly enjoyed it. Out of the series, my favourites are Hush Hush and Silence, but honestly, all of the books are outstanding and Becca Fitzpatrick did an amazing job to create them.
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
This is one of those books that I read after the film was released, simply because I'd heard a huge amount of hype surrounding it and was eager to know whether it was as good as people were saying. Turns out they were right, as I fell in love with this trilogy and couldn't put it down whilst reading it. The characters are loveable and it's amazing to watch them develop throughout the course of the series, and there are definitely some huge plot twists that you won't see coming. As always I'd recommend reading the books before watching the films, as quite a few things are changed or left out.
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
This is hands-down my favourite book series of all time, no doubt about it. I've read all six books, even battling through the 733 pages of City of Heavenly Fire, and honestly loved every moment of it. I think this was the first book that I became emotionally invested in and really connected with the characters, as well as loving the entire storyline. Cassandra Clare is also a talented writer and I love her specific attention to details and foreshadowing, which really makes the plot twists shocking and memorable. It might seem like a big commitment to read six books, but I honestly couldn't recommend it enough.
The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare
I had to include another Cassandra Clare series in this post, since she's probably my favourite author (and I was lucky enough to meet her last year!) The Infernal Devices follows a completely different set of characters and events to The Mortal Instruments, but they still share links and complement each other nicely, as they have the same premise. I found the events to be extremely dramatic and definitely unpredictable, and I really grew to love the characters in the novel. If you've read the Mortal Instruments then I'd highly recommend reading these books as well, as they're wonderfully written and emotionally captivating.
Finding Sky by Joss Stirling
This book is one that I'd heard a great deal about before reading and I could instantly tell that it was the perfect novel for me. Everything from the storyline to the background was exactly what I was looking for in a book, so I was really hopeful that it lived up to my expectations. Needless to say, I fell in love with it and enjoyed it from cover to cover. There was definitely some new ideas presented in this book that made it unique, and I loved how there was more of a contemporary feel to this urban fantasy novel. It's a fairly short read but definitely worth trying, since I can guarantee you will fall in love with it like I did. There are actually other books in this series and I'm hoping to get my hands on them soon.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This is such a powerful and beautifully written book that manages to convey many important messages and themes. This coming of age novel is definitely one of my favourite reads and I was addicted throughout it. The book has some humorous and emotional moments, but is ultimately very touching and opened my eyes. The characters are easy to get along with and I fell in love with the concept of Charlie writing letters. My only wish is that Stephen Chbosky would've written more books, as I loved this novel and his style of writing was touching yet personal.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My friend Anna actually bought this book for me, and I was really pleased as I'd wanted to read it for what felt like forever. I don't usually enjoy historical fiction, but this book was an exception as I honestly enjoyed every moment of it. The book has such a wonderful concept and I loved hearing about Liesel's adventures during the lead-up to WW2. Markus Zusak is an incredible writer and the idea of having death as a narrator was both unique and excellently carried out. I'd definitely recommend this to all readers, but be aware that you might tear up at times.
Looking For Alaska by John Green
I've read a few John Green books, but it was this one that I really connected with and found to be the most suspenseful. The characters were both loveable and realistic, so much so that I found myself becoming quite attached to them. This is definitely a classic John Green book, with an unpredictable yet equally as beautiful ending and with the most suspenseful and emotional part not being at the end. I'd definitely recommend trying this book, as there are some wonderfully crafted moments and underlying yet important themes.
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
This is actually quite a recent read of mine, but I enjoyed it so much that I thought it deserved a place within this post. This is definitely the most chilling and powerful book I have read, and it addresses the major issue of child abuse. The characters are creatively crafted and the book is well-written, with a lurking threat of the antagonist following you throughout. If you don't like upsetting books then this one probably isn't for you, but it was definitely worth the read and I found it to be very thought provoking and important. Again, this is the first book in a trilogy which I'm really hoping to read soon.
Freaks by Lisa M Forester
The final book of this post is one that I immensely enjoyed and managed to get through in a few hours, since I was utterly addicted to it. I love science fiction novels and the whole premise of genetic engineering and artificially creating humans with different abilities both amazed and intrigued me. Lisa M Forester is a great writer and definitely puts a lot of thought and detail into her books to achieve realism and anticipation. The characters were outstanding and I really hope that there is a sequel coming up, as I'd love to know what the future holds for Abigail and her fellow Allelobrids.
It was very hard to narrow it down, but I'm pleased to call these my favourite books. Of course, you could ask me the same question in six months time and my answer could be completely different, so I may bring you an updated version of this in the future. I'd love to know what your favourite books of all time are and if there are any that you think I've missed out, so make sure you leave all of that in a comment down below.
Love from Daisy x
It was very hard to narrow it down, but I'm pleased to call these my favourite books. Of course, you could ask me the same question in six months time and my answer could be completely different, so I may bring you an updated version of this in the future. I'd love to know what your favourite books of all time are and if there are any that you think I've missed out, so make sure you leave all of that in a comment down below.
Love from Daisy x
The term 'bounce rate' is commonly mentioned by bloggers and it is believed to be an important measurement of how well your blog is doing. However, do you actually know what it means and how you can improve your blog's bounce rate? Today, I've decided to share with you everything I know about bounce rates, from what they are and ways to easily improve them, so I hope you like this post.
WHAT IS A BOUNCE RATE?
Your bounce rate is the percentage of single-page sessions on your blog, so this covers all of the people who have viewed your blog and not interacted with it. Ideally, your blog will have a low bounce rate, meaning users will click on links, view new posts and keep interacting with your blog after initially viewing it. Usually, blogs that aren't very user-friendly or have design issues will have higher bounce rates as users won't progress onto other pages, either due to them not knowing how to or not being compelled to continue reading.
WHY IS A BOUNCE RATE IMPORTANT?
Essentially, your bounce rate shows how many people liked your blog enough to progress onto another page or section of your blog. If a person reads one post and doesn't like what they see or hear, they'll probably leave your blog and, therefore, cause your bounce rate to go up. Therefore, a low bounce rate loosely shows that a lot of people want to read your posts and enjoy your content (I say loosely as there can be other factors affecting your bounce rate, regardless of whether users like your content or not).
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY BOUNCE RATE?
To improve your bounce rate, you want to ensure that as many users as possible stay on your blog after visiting and that they go on to click on other pages or view different elements of the website. There are various different ways you can go about this, such as:
Adding multiple pages - If your blog consists of a single page, there aren't many other places that they user can visit, meaning they won't make as many clicks. You can simply change this by adding pages such as 'About Me' or 'Contact' that the user can visit. Ensure that these are in a visible place and I can guarantee that a lot of your readers will take a look at them.
Redesign landing page - The landing page of your blog is what your readers will see when they first visit your website. They will form a first impression based on this and it could affect whether they continue to read your posts, so make sure that this page of your blog looks the best possible. If that means adding an eye-catching header, more visual elements or a unique template, do whatever it takes to create the right impression, and I can guarantee that your readers will remain on your blog.
Adding navigation - If you want your readers to stay on your blog then you need to present them with places to go to. By simply adding navigation, which can be implemented through a search bar, categories or an archive, you are giving the readers a wide variety of places to visit and therefore increasing the likelihood that they will stay on your blog. If you don't add these elements, however, your readers won't have anywhere to visit and are more likely to leave your blog after one click.
Gadgets such as related posts and popular posts - When I visit a new blog, I love seeing what content is popular with their audience or if I've read a post that I really enjoyed, I like to see what they have on offer that is similar. By adding these gadgets to your blog, it persuades the users to read them when they wouldn't have otherwise. It's also a way of showcasing your content and giving a brief overview of a post, allowing them to be enthralled before they even click on it.
Urging users to comment - Believe it or not, comments also class as another click on your blog and, therefore, help your bounce rate to decrease. At the end of each post, it's a good idea to ask your readers a question that they can answer in the comments as this is an easy way to interact with your audience while keeping readers on your blog for longer.
Read more in blog posts - I made a decision a while ago to have an excerpt of text from my blog posts on my landing page and if the user wants to read more of what I have on offer then they have to click a link to do so. Although this doesn't work for some people, I feel as though I can easily monitor how many views each post has and it also benefits my bounce rate.
I really hope that this post has helped you and I'd love to know your tips for improving your bounce rate, keeping readers on your blog in the process. Thanks for reading and I'll be back on Sunday with a new post.
Love from Daisy x
How To Improve Your Bounce Rate and Keep Readers on Your Blog
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 • Blogging
The term 'bounce rate' is commonly mentioned by bloggers and it is believed to be an important measurement of how well your blog is doing. However, do you actually know what it means and how you can improve your blog's bounce rate? Today, I've decided to share with you everything I know about bounce rates, from what they are and ways to easily improve them, so I hope you like this post.
WHAT IS A BOUNCE RATE?
Your bounce rate is the percentage of single-page sessions on your blog, so this covers all of the people who have viewed your blog and not interacted with it. Ideally, your blog will have a low bounce rate, meaning users will click on links, view new posts and keep interacting with your blog after initially viewing it. Usually, blogs that aren't very user-friendly or have design issues will have higher bounce rates as users won't progress onto other pages, either due to them not knowing how to or not being compelled to continue reading.
WHY IS A BOUNCE RATE IMPORTANT?
Essentially, your bounce rate shows how many people liked your blog enough to progress onto another page or section of your blog. If a person reads one post and doesn't like what they see or hear, they'll probably leave your blog and, therefore, cause your bounce rate to go up. Therefore, a low bounce rate loosely shows that a lot of people want to read your posts and enjoy your content (I say loosely as there can be other factors affecting your bounce rate, regardless of whether users like your content or not).
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY BOUNCE RATE?
To improve your bounce rate, you want to ensure that as many users as possible stay on your blog after visiting and that they go on to click on other pages or view different elements of the website. There are various different ways you can go about this, such as:
Adding multiple pages - If your blog consists of a single page, there aren't many other places that they user can visit, meaning they won't make as many clicks. You can simply change this by adding pages such as 'About Me' or 'Contact' that the user can visit. Ensure that these are in a visible place and I can guarantee that a lot of your readers will take a look at them.
Redesign landing page - The landing page of your blog is what your readers will see when they first visit your website. They will form a first impression based on this and it could affect whether they continue to read your posts, so make sure that this page of your blog looks the best possible. If that means adding an eye-catching header, more visual elements or a unique template, do whatever it takes to create the right impression, and I can guarantee that your readers will remain on your blog.
Adding navigation - If you want your readers to stay on your blog then you need to present them with places to go to. By simply adding navigation, which can be implemented through a search bar, categories or an archive, you are giving the readers a wide variety of places to visit and therefore increasing the likelihood that they will stay on your blog. If you don't add these elements, however, your readers won't have anywhere to visit and are more likely to leave your blog after one click.
Gadgets such as related posts and popular posts - When I visit a new blog, I love seeing what content is popular with their audience or if I've read a post that I really enjoyed, I like to see what they have on offer that is similar. By adding these gadgets to your blog, it persuades the users to read them when they wouldn't have otherwise. It's also a way of showcasing your content and giving a brief overview of a post, allowing them to be enthralled before they even click on it.
Urging users to comment - Believe it or not, comments also class as another click on your blog and, therefore, help your bounce rate to decrease. At the end of each post, it's a good idea to ask your readers a question that they can answer in the comments as this is an easy way to interact with your audience while keeping readers on your blog for longer.
Read more in blog posts - I made a decision a while ago to have an excerpt of text from my blog posts on my landing page and if the user wants to read more of what I have on offer then they have to click a link to do so. Although this doesn't work for some people, I feel as though I can easily monitor how many views each post has and it also benefits my bounce rate.
I really hope that this post has helped you and I'd love to know your tips for improving your bounce rate, keeping readers on your blog in the process. Thanks for reading and I'll be back on Sunday with a new post.
Love from Daisy x
I've made it no secret on my blog that I love finding bargains and often opt for cheaper makeup that is still of a high quality. MUA is a brand that I stumbled upon a couple of years ago and I was completely astonished by the affordability of their items, with some products costing as little as £1. Since then, I've tried quite a few of their makeup items, so I thought I'd share with you some of my favourites and which products I think you should try from their brand.
Eyeshadow Palettes
I own two of the MUA eyeshadow palettes, being the Undressed palette, which is an obvious dupe for the Naked Palette by Urban Decay, and the Heaven and Earth palette. The packaging isn't lavish and luxurious, but this doesn't tend to bother me as it keeps the price down. However, a mirror would be a useful addition to the packaging, as it would make the palettes more travel appropriate. There are twelve gorgeous eyeshadows inside, which are all extremely pigmented and blendable. They last fairly well both with and without a primer and there isn't much fall-out, making them great quality eyeshadows for only £4 and I'd definitely recommend them to anyone starting out with makeup.
Powder and Cream Blusher
The blushers from MUA are honestly gems and I've fallen in love with them. I own one of their matte powder blushers in the shade Lolly and one of the cream blushers in the shade Blossom, both of which are lovely products and I reach for on a regular basis. The pigmentation is amazing and a little definitely goes a long way with these, meaning they will last for a really long time. Both products look gorgeous on the skin, complimenting my complexion and adding a glowing appearance, which is what I look for in a blusher. They also last really well on the skin and are still visible even hours after application. At £1 each, it's impossible to turn these down and I'd highly recommend them.
Intense Colour Eyeliner
I stumbled upon this when I was looking for a medium-toned brown eyeliner that was budget friendly. At only £1, I thought it was worth giving MUA's version an attempt and I'm thoroughly glad I did. The pencils are quite creamy in texture and apply really well, not dragging the eyelid or feeling scratchy on the tender areas. The pigmentation, like with other MUA products, is outstanding and it is definitely bolder than anticipated. However, they are also incredibly blendable and can be sheered out for a subtler look. They last really well, look gorgeous on the eyes and are overall amazing eyeliners that I'd recommend trying.
Highlighters
The Undress Your Skin Highlighter has always appealed to me, as it is beautiful, photogenic and constantly raved about by bloggers. I recently caved and decided to purchase it, and I think that this was an amazing decision. It is a gorgeous pinky champagne colour that looks gorgeous dusted over the apples of your cheeks layered over blusher. This product could also be used as an eyeshadow, and I feel as though it would look very nice. It is quite shimmery, so definitely not the most subtle product, but it looks stunning on the skin and is the perfect way to complete a makeup look and add a hint of shimmer.
Matte Lipsticks
Out of all of their products, MUA are most renowned for their excellent matte lipsticks that never fail to impress me. They are the most pigmented lip products that I have ever tried and each one produces a layer of vivid colour that lingers throughout the day. There is a wide range of colour available, meaning you'll definitely find something that suits you, and each one looks lovely on the lips. Although they can be quite drying at first, due to them being extremely matte, this isn't a problem as a light layer of lip balm will resolve this issue, making these lipsticks appear to be absolutely gorgeous.
These are currently my favourite products from MUA, but I'm constantly trying new items and discovering products which I love even more, so there's a chance that I'll do an updated version in the future. Are there any MUA products that you think I'm missing out on? I'd love to know what they are down in the comments and possibly get around to trying them. Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon with a new post!
Love from Daisy x
I've made it no secret on my blog that I love finding bargains and often opt for cheaper makeup that is still of a high quality. MUA is a brand that I stumbled upon a couple of years ago and I was completely astonished by the affordability of their items, with some products costing as little as £1. Since then, I've tried quite a few of their makeup items, so I thought I'd share with you some of my favourites and which products I think you should try from their brand.
Eyeshadow Palettes
I own two of the MUA eyeshadow palettes, being the Undressed palette, which is an obvious dupe for the Naked Palette by Urban Decay, and the Heaven and Earth palette. The packaging isn't lavish and luxurious, but this doesn't tend to bother me as it keeps the price down. However, a mirror would be a useful addition to the packaging, as it would make the palettes more travel appropriate. There are twelve gorgeous eyeshadows inside, which are all extremely pigmented and blendable. They last fairly well both with and without a primer and there isn't much fall-out, making them great quality eyeshadows for only £4 and I'd definitely recommend them to anyone starting out with makeup.
Powder and Cream Blusher
The blushers from MUA are honestly gems and I've fallen in love with them. I own one of their matte powder blushers in the shade Lolly and one of the cream blushers in the shade Blossom, both of which are lovely products and I reach for on a regular basis. The pigmentation is amazing and a little definitely goes a long way with these, meaning they will last for a really long time. Both products look gorgeous on the skin, complimenting my complexion and adding a glowing appearance, which is what I look for in a blusher. They also last really well on the skin and are still visible even hours after application. At £1 each, it's impossible to turn these down and I'd highly recommend them.
Intense Colour Eyeliner
I stumbled upon this when I was looking for a medium-toned brown eyeliner that was budget friendly. At only £1, I thought it was worth giving MUA's version an attempt and I'm thoroughly glad I did. The pencils are quite creamy in texture and apply really well, not dragging the eyelid or feeling scratchy on the tender areas. The pigmentation, like with other MUA products, is outstanding and it is definitely bolder than anticipated. However, they are also incredibly blendable and can be sheered out for a subtler look. They last really well, look gorgeous on the eyes and are overall amazing eyeliners that I'd recommend trying.
Highlighters
The Undress Your Skin Highlighter has always appealed to me, as it is beautiful, photogenic and constantly raved about by bloggers. I recently caved and decided to purchase it, and I think that this was an amazing decision. It is a gorgeous pinky champagne colour that looks gorgeous dusted over the apples of your cheeks layered over blusher. This product could also be used as an eyeshadow, and I feel as though it would look very nice. It is quite shimmery, so definitely not the most subtle product, but it looks stunning on the skin and is the perfect way to complete a makeup look and add a hint of shimmer.
Matte Lipsticks
Out of all of their products, MUA are most renowned for their excellent matte lipsticks that never fail to impress me. They are the most pigmented lip products that I have ever tried and each one produces a layer of vivid colour that lingers throughout the day. There is a wide range of colour available, meaning you'll definitely find something that suits you, and each one looks lovely on the lips. Although they can be quite drying at first, due to them being extremely matte, this isn't a problem as a light layer of lip balm will resolve this issue, making these lipsticks appear to be absolutely gorgeous.
These are currently my favourite products from MUA, but I'm constantly trying new items and discovering products which I love even more, so there's a chance that I'll do an updated version in the future. Are there any MUA products that you think I'm missing out on? I'd love to know what they are down in the comments and possibly get around to trying them. Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon with a new post!
Love from Daisy x
I rarely do tag posts on my blog, but I came across this one a while back and thought that it had a really interesting concept. Usually, tag posts are quite boring and only ask you basic questions, but this one was much more creative and can be interpreted in many different ways. I thought I'd share my answers with you today, as it may be fun to hear my thoughts. Also, you can get involved by leaving your answers down in the comments.
DARK CHOCOLATE - A BOOK THAT COVERS A DARK TOPIC
Saving Daisy by Phil Earle definitely fulfils this criterion, as it is about a girl called Daisy recovering after her father was killed in a car crash that was partially her fault. Although it was quite a few years ago that I read it, it has always stood out in my head as being a moving and dark yet outstanding novel. Many important subject matters are addressed and the book is creatively written, making it emotional and powerful. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who hasn't read it and I'd actually love to re-read it in the future.
WHITE CHOCOLATE - MY FAVOURITE LIGHT-HEARTED / HUMOROUS READ
This one was difficult to choose, as I rarely read lighthearted, humorous reads. In fact, barely any of the books that I've read feature these elements, and if they do then they are relatively subtle. The only book that I could think of is The Selection by Kiera Cass, simply because America and Maxon share some funny interactions and there are a few witty lines. I'll definitely keep thinking about this, as I find it impossible to believe that I haven't read any light-hearted or humorous books!
MILK CHOCOLATE - A BOOK WITH A LOT OF HYPE THAT I'M DYING TO READ
There are so many books that I could put down for this question, so if you'd like to know a long list of possibilities then you can take a look at my Book Wishlist (change name and link). However, I think that The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a clear winner. I hear a huge amount of people talk about it and praise it, but I still haven't got around to reading it. It is well loved by bookworms and bloggers alike, leaving me out of the loop for not trying it.
CHOCOLATE WITH A CARAMEL CENTRE - A BOOK THAT MAKES ME FEEL ALL GOOEY IN THE MIDDLE
The only book that I could put down for this is Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, simply because I'm in love with the storyline, the characters and pretty much everything about it. Patch and Nora's relationship is much more compassionate and meaningful than others in young adult books and the novel as a whole has a really special feel to it. I've completed the tetralogy and I was left with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside throughout it.
WAFER FREE KIT KAT - A BOOK THAT SURPRISED ME
Although I read it about a year ago now, a book that completely surprised me was Freaks by Lisa M Forester. I picked this up from my local library with little to no expectations and I simply expected it to be a light read that would be average. I was definitely wrong about this, as I fell in love with the novel and now class it as one of my favourite books. There is a strong science-fiction element which really appealed to me and every part of the book felt like it was written for myself, as it was suited to my tastes and a gripping read.
SNICKERS - A BOOK THAT I'M GOING NUTS ABOUT
I've decided to change this to a book series, which is The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I've read Clockwork Angel, the first book, and I'm highly anticipating the remaining books in the series. Clockwork Angel was an amazing read that I loved throughout and I particularly loved the amount of foreshadowing and misdirection that are evident in all Cassandra Clare books. I'm dying to read the other two books in the series, and hopefully they will be equally as good as the first.
HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CREAM AND MARSHMALLOWS - A BOOK THAT I WOULD TURN TO FOR COMFORT
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is my obvious choice for this, as it's a book that I've loved since the day I picked it up a few years ago. I fell in love with the intricate storyline and the book itself was the start of my Mortal Instruments addiction, so it holds a special place in my heart. Another book that I would read for comfort would be Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman, as I'm in love with the fantasy elements of this story and it's definitely a favourite of mine, despite being hugely underrated.
Thanks for reading this post and I hope you liked it, despite it being different to my usual content. Remember to leave your answers in a comment below, as I'd love to know your thoughts and opinions for these questions. I'll be back on Sunday with a new post, so I'll see you then.
Love from Daisy x
I rarely do tag posts on my blog, but I came across this one a while back and thought that it had a really interesting concept. Usually, tag posts are quite boring and only ask you basic questions, but this one was much more creative and can be interpreted in many different ways. I thought I'd share my answers with you today, as it may be fun to hear my thoughts. Also, you can get involved by leaving your answers down in the comments.
DARK CHOCOLATE - A BOOK THAT COVERS A DARK TOPIC
Saving Daisy by Phil Earle definitely fulfils this criterion, as it is about a girl called Daisy recovering after her father was killed in a car crash that was partially her fault. Although it was quite a few years ago that I read it, it has always stood out in my head as being a moving and dark yet outstanding novel. Many important subject matters are addressed and the book is creatively written, making it emotional and powerful. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who hasn't read it and I'd actually love to re-read it in the future.
WHITE CHOCOLATE - MY FAVOURITE LIGHT-HEARTED / HUMOROUS READ
This one was difficult to choose, as I rarely read lighthearted, humorous reads. In fact, barely any of the books that I've read feature these elements, and if they do then they are relatively subtle. The only book that I could think of is The Selection by Kiera Cass, simply because America and Maxon share some funny interactions and there are a few witty lines. I'll definitely keep thinking about this, as I find it impossible to believe that I haven't read any light-hearted or humorous books!
MILK CHOCOLATE - A BOOK WITH A LOT OF HYPE THAT I'M DYING TO READ
There are so many books that I could put down for this question, so if you'd like to know a long list of possibilities then you can take a look at my Book Wishlist (change name and link). However, I think that The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a clear winner. I hear a huge amount of people talk about it and praise it, but I still haven't got around to reading it. It is well loved by bookworms and bloggers alike, leaving me out of the loop for not trying it.
CHOCOLATE WITH A CARAMEL CENTRE - A BOOK THAT MAKES ME FEEL ALL GOOEY IN THE MIDDLE
The only book that I could put down for this is Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, simply because I'm in love with the storyline, the characters and pretty much everything about it. Patch and Nora's relationship is much more compassionate and meaningful than others in young adult books and the novel as a whole has a really special feel to it. I've completed the tetralogy and I was left with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside throughout it.
WAFER FREE KIT KAT - A BOOK THAT SURPRISED ME
Although I read it about a year ago now, a book that completely surprised me was Freaks by Lisa M Forester. I picked this up from my local library with little to no expectations and I simply expected it to be a light read that would be average. I was definitely wrong about this, as I fell in love with the novel and now class it as one of my favourite books. There is a strong science-fiction element which really appealed to me and every part of the book felt like it was written for myself, as it was suited to my tastes and a gripping read.
SNICKERS - A BOOK THAT I'M GOING NUTS ABOUT
I've decided to change this to a book series, which is The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I've read Clockwork Angel, the first book, and I'm highly anticipating the remaining books in the series. Clockwork Angel was an amazing read that I loved throughout and I particularly loved the amount of foreshadowing and misdirection that are evident in all Cassandra Clare books. I'm dying to read the other two books in the series, and hopefully they will be equally as good as the first.
HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CREAM AND MARSHMALLOWS - A BOOK THAT I WOULD TURN TO FOR COMFORT
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is my obvious choice for this, as it's a book that I've loved since the day I picked it up a few years ago. I fell in love with the intricate storyline and the book itself was the start of my Mortal Instruments addiction, so it holds a special place in my heart. Another book that I would read for comfort would be Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman, as I'm in love with the fantasy elements of this story and it's definitely a favourite of mine, despite being hugely underrated.
Thanks for reading this post and I hope you liked it, despite it being different to my usual content. Remember to leave your answers in a comment below, as I'd love to know your thoughts and opinions for these questions. I'll be back on Sunday with a new post, so I'll see you then.
Love from Daisy x
When it comes to promoting your content and sharing your blog posts with the world, social media is the way forward. Since we are living in the 21st century and technology is an integral point of our society, sharing your content on these websites will definitely benefit your blog. There are many different platforms and ways of sharing your content, so I thought I'd talk you through some of the most common ways of promoting your blog posts, including the positives and negatives of each.
Twitter is one of the most popular ways for sharing blog posts, as it's easy to tweet and lots of people use the website. Hashtags are also a relevant feature and allow you to categorise each blog post so that a relevant audience will see it. This is particularly useful for people who blog about various different topics, as they allow you to reach a wider audience. You can also use Twitter to share your posts with people directly and there are quite a few accounts set up to retweet your content so that more people will see it. Finally, it is possible to schedule tweets, meaning you can prepare what you want to say beforehand and sit back and relax as your blog posts are promoted.
On the other hand, Twitter can be a difficult platform for sharing blog posts, simply because each tweet has to be under 140 characters. After including the link and some hashtags, you're barely left with any room to talk about the post, really limiting what you can say about it. Also, tweets are only relevant for a limited time and it's rare that people will find your posts from weeks ago unless you tweet about them frequently. It's also possible for your tweets to be missed by a lot of your followers, as a lot of people tweeting at once may drown out yours.
When someone likes your Facebook page, they will see all of your posts in their newsfeed. This is a great way to share your content, as people don't have to go out of their way to find it and are instead handed your posts, meaning they are more likely to read it. You can schedule posts of any length and include photos or videos, meaning you can plan everything in advance like with Twitter. Also, there are quite a few blogging groups set up within Facebook where you can share your content with an ideal audience.
One of the main negatives about using Facebook to promote your content is that you have to pay to reach a wider audience. All of your posts will be seen by whoever likes your page, but in order for others to see it there is a fee. Also, there is a limited audience that will see your posts, being those who like your page, opposed to some of the other platforms where everyone will see your updates.
YOUTUBE
Youtube is an incredibly popular way of sharing your blog posts and linking people to your website, but it is through a much more interactive and visual method. Since YouTube is a growing craze, it is guaranteed that there will be lots of people waiting to watch your videos. Making videos is also a great companion to your posts, meaning you can both link people to your posts and create extra content for them.
However, making Youtube videos as a companion for your blog can be very time-consuming and takes a lot of effort and work. Although it might appear to be easy, filming and editing a good quality video might not be worth it if it doesn't benefit your blog. Also, it isn't guaranteed that many people will click on your blog links after watching the videos, so your effort may be partially wasted.
Pinterest is the perfect website if you're looking to promote your content through visuals. Rather than relying on words to persuade people, you can let your photography do all of the talking. This may work in your advantage if you put a lot of effort into creating graphics or blog about a topic that is image-reliant. Also, you can create a business account for your blog, allowing you to gain access to analytics and an insight on how influential your pins are.
Some aspects of Pinterest may not be suited to your blog, especially if you aren't the best at creating images or if your blog doesn't rely on photographs. Although it's great for those people wanting to share their photography, others might not find it as useful. Also, the comment that you add to the photo when you upload it can be removed when it is repinned, meaning people might not know what the post is about unless the image clearly states it.
Instagram is another social media platform that is great for sharing photographs, blog graphics and visual aids that will convince people to read your posts. It takes pride in its appearance, so you are presented with various different filters and editing tools to assist in making your photos the most aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, hashtags can be used to target a particular audience and share your posts with people other than those who follow you.
On the other hand, Instagram may not be suitable for bloggers who don't rely on images as much or if their niche is more focused on the content. Also, the main issue with Instagram is that any links you post in the captions of photos aren't clickable, making it a huge inconvenience for people trying to get to your blog post. Finally, if your Instagram account is private, people who don't follow you won't be able to see your posts, regardless of whether you use hashtags or not, thus attracting fewer people.
GOOGLE PLUS
Everyone who has a Gmail account will automatically have a Google Plus account, meaning there is a huge amount of people readily waiting for your blog posts. If you use Blogger, this can be linked with your Google Plus account, meaning promotion for your posts will automatically be shared and the comments can even be linked up. There are also many different communities within the platform which allow you to share your content with a relevant audience.
However, not a lot of people actually use Google Plus and it is one of the quieter social media platforms, meaning your efforts to share posts may not actually be recognised. Furthermore, those people who do use Google Plus may not necessarily be your target audience and so you'd be sharing your content with people who aren't suited to it.
BLOGLOVIN
Bloglovin is a website that allows you to follow different blogs and is what most people rely on to track how many people follow you and read your posts. Blogs are added without the owner signing up, meaning a registration isn't necessary to have your blog on the platform. Also, posts are automatically published to Bloglovin once you upload them, meaning as a creator you don't have to do as much work to get people to see your posts.
One of the negatives of Bloglovin is that there is often a time delay between your post being published and being shown on Bloglovin. Sometimes this is only a few minutes but other times it can take almost a day, which means that your post may not be relevant or fresh at this post. This is also annoying if your blog post is something that needs immediate effect or has a time limit like in a giveaway. Also, your blog is identifiable in one main category on Bloglovin, which is awkward for people who blog about different topics.
STUMBLEUPON
By using Stumbleupon, you can ensure that your posts reach a much wider audience than you are able to get to. Simply by entering a link to your post, it will be shared to a variety of people who may be interested in it. This means it is a lot less work for you as a creator and you don't have to spend lots of time broadcasting your post.
However, Stumbleupon isn't accurate for reaching your ideal audience. The people who receive the link to your post may not necessarily be interested in your content, so it won't be worth sharing it. Also, if you submit a link to your blog often it can be classed as spam, meaning you won't be able to share any of your other posts on this website.
These are just a few of the most popular social media platforms, but there are many more out there for you to share your content on. I hope that this post has helped to open your eyes to all of the different possibilities when it comes to promoting your blog posts and hopefully aiding you in finding the most suitable methods. If you use any other social media platforms that aren't mentioned above, I'd love to hear them, so make sure you let me know down in the comments.
Love from Daisy x
When it comes to promoting your content and sharing your blog posts with the world, social media is the way forward. Since we are living in the 21st century and technology is an integral point of our society, sharing your content on these websites will definitely benefit your blog. There are many different platforms and ways of sharing your content, so I thought I'd talk you through some of the most common ways of promoting your blog posts, including the positives and negatives of each.
Twitter is one of the most popular ways for sharing blog posts, as it's easy to tweet and lots of people use the website. Hashtags are also a relevant feature and allow you to categorise each blog post so that a relevant audience will see it. This is particularly useful for people who blog about various different topics, as they allow you to reach a wider audience. You can also use Twitter to share your posts with people directly and there are quite a few accounts set up to retweet your content so that more people will see it. Finally, it is possible to schedule tweets, meaning you can prepare what you want to say beforehand and sit back and relax as your blog posts are promoted.
On the other hand, Twitter can be a difficult platform for sharing blog posts, simply because each tweet has to be under 140 characters. After including the link and some hashtags, you're barely left with any room to talk about the post, really limiting what you can say about it. Also, tweets are only relevant for a limited time and it's rare that people will find your posts from weeks ago unless you tweet about them frequently. It's also possible for your tweets to be missed by a lot of your followers, as a lot of people tweeting at once may drown out yours.
When someone likes your Facebook page, they will see all of your posts in their newsfeed. This is a great way to share your content, as people don't have to go out of their way to find it and are instead handed your posts, meaning they are more likely to read it. You can schedule posts of any length and include photos or videos, meaning you can plan everything in advance like with Twitter. Also, there are quite a few blogging groups set up within Facebook where you can share your content with an ideal audience.
One of the main negatives about using Facebook to promote your content is that you have to pay to reach a wider audience. All of your posts will be seen by whoever likes your page, but in order for others to see it there is a fee. Also, there is a limited audience that will see your posts, being those who like your page, opposed to some of the other platforms where everyone will see your updates.
YOUTUBE
Youtube is an incredibly popular way of sharing your blog posts and linking people to your website, but it is through a much more interactive and visual method. Since YouTube is a growing craze, it is guaranteed that there will be lots of people waiting to watch your videos. Making videos is also a great companion to your posts, meaning you can both link people to your posts and create extra content for them.
However, making Youtube videos as a companion for your blog can be very time-consuming and takes a lot of effort and work. Although it might appear to be easy, filming and editing a good quality video might not be worth it if it doesn't benefit your blog. Also, it isn't guaranteed that many people will click on your blog links after watching the videos, so your effort may be partially wasted.
Pinterest is the perfect website if you're looking to promote your content through visuals. Rather than relying on words to persuade people, you can let your photography do all of the talking. This may work in your advantage if you put a lot of effort into creating graphics or blog about a topic that is image-reliant. Also, you can create a business account for your blog, allowing you to gain access to analytics and an insight on how influential your pins are.
Some aspects of Pinterest may not be suited to your blog, especially if you aren't the best at creating images or if your blog doesn't rely on photographs. Although it's great for those people wanting to share their photography, others might not find it as useful. Also, the comment that you add to the photo when you upload it can be removed when it is repinned, meaning people might not know what the post is about unless the image clearly states it.
Instagram is another social media platform that is great for sharing photographs, blog graphics and visual aids that will convince people to read your posts. It takes pride in its appearance, so you are presented with various different filters and editing tools to assist in making your photos the most aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, hashtags can be used to target a particular audience and share your posts with people other than those who follow you.
On the other hand, Instagram may not be suitable for bloggers who don't rely on images as much or if their niche is more focused on the content. Also, the main issue with Instagram is that any links you post in the captions of photos aren't clickable, making it a huge inconvenience for people trying to get to your blog post. Finally, if your Instagram account is private, people who don't follow you won't be able to see your posts, regardless of whether you use hashtags or not, thus attracting fewer people.
GOOGLE PLUS
Everyone who has a Gmail account will automatically have a Google Plus account, meaning there is a huge amount of people readily waiting for your blog posts. If you use Blogger, this can be linked with your Google Plus account, meaning promotion for your posts will automatically be shared and the comments can even be linked up. There are also many different communities within the platform which allow you to share your content with a relevant audience.
However, not a lot of people actually use Google Plus and it is one of the quieter social media platforms, meaning your efforts to share posts may not actually be recognised. Furthermore, those people who do use Google Plus may not necessarily be your target audience and so you'd be sharing your content with people who aren't suited to it.
BLOGLOVIN
Bloglovin is a website that allows you to follow different blogs and is what most people rely on to track how many people follow you and read your posts. Blogs are added without the owner signing up, meaning a registration isn't necessary to have your blog on the platform. Also, posts are automatically published to Bloglovin once you upload them, meaning as a creator you don't have to do as much work to get people to see your posts.
One of the negatives of Bloglovin is that there is often a time delay between your post being published and being shown on Bloglovin. Sometimes this is only a few minutes but other times it can take almost a day, which means that your post may not be relevant or fresh at this post. This is also annoying if your blog post is something that needs immediate effect or has a time limit like in a giveaway. Also, your blog is identifiable in one main category on Bloglovin, which is awkward for people who blog about different topics.
STUMBLEUPON
By using Stumbleupon, you can ensure that your posts reach a much wider audience than you are able to get to. Simply by entering a link to your post, it will be shared to a variety of people who may be interested in it. This means it is a lot less work for you as a creator and you don't have to spend lots of time broadcasting your post.
However, Stumbleupon isn't accurate for reaching your ideal audience. The people who receive the link to your post may not necessarily be interested in your content, so it won't be worth sharing it. Also, if you submit a link to your blog often it can be classed as spam, meaning you won't be able to share any of your other posts on this website.
These are just a few of the most popular social media platforms, but there are many more out there for you to share your content on. I hope that this post has helped to open your eyes to all of the different possibilities when it comes to promoting your blog posts and hopefully aiding you in finding the most suitable methods. If you use any other social media platforms that aren't mentioned above, I'd love to hear them, so make sure you let me know down in the comments.
Love from Daisy x
It's no secret that I read a lot of books and that I'm a huge bookworm at heart. Reading is one of my hobbies, so I will always try to make time for it during the day. A lot of people ask me how I manage to find the time to get through so many books, especially with a large amount of school work and blogging. I thought I'd make this mini-guide, sharing my tips that will help you to read more often, try more books or whatever it takes to help you to become a bookworm.
FIND PARTICULAR GENRES THAT YOU LIKE
The first step to reading more is finding books that you actually find interesting and enjoyable. I highly doubt that you will be motivated to read something that you think is dull and boring, so stay away from these books. Choose books solely based on their genre and description, rather than choosing books that are popular or have good reviews, as you will find yourself picking things that are more suited to yourself. However, it's also good to broaden your horizons and try something completely different once in a while, but most of the books you read should be ones you like.
HAVE A SET TIME AND PLACE TO READ - AND STICK TO IT
One of the hardest parts of being a regular reader is finding the time to dive into a good book and dedicating yourself to it. It's definitely worth testing out different places and times to read and seeing what works best for you, based on your schedule and when you feel the most motivated to read. For me, I like to be comfy, so I do most of my reading in bed, and I usually wait until I'm going to bed as I find that it helps me fall asleep. However, there are many possibilities and it's simply a matter of finding the best one for you.
DOCUMENT ALL OF THE BOOKS YOU READ
I know it might sound silly, but documenting the books that you've read can make you feel a lot more accomplished and ready to read. It's an easy way of showing yourself that you have read a number of books in the past, so you are equally capable of reading some books now. If you don't have many books to go on this list then see it as a challenge and push yourself to change your empty list into a completed document. Writing down what books you've read is also a handy way to see common genres that you read and themes that the books share, which can help when choosing out future books.
GAIN INSPIRATION FROM THE INTERNET AND THE LIBRARY
There are tons of books waiting to be discovered, so if you are willing to dig around for the ideal ones then it will pay off. Spend lots of time in your local library, sifting through their current selection to find books that you like. This is a great way to find lesser-known authors and appreciate their work, and everything is free, meaning you can try out as many books as you like. The Internet is also a helpful tool for finding books and websites like this one will give you recommendations that fit your criteria, meaning you are likely to enjoy any book that they recommend.
THERE'S ALWAYS TIME TO READ - SO FIND IT
One of the main problems that people have with reading is that it can be quite time-consuming and there isn't always a lot of spare time to dedicate yourself to a book, especially if you are busy with school or work. My solution to this would be to find spare minutes in your day to read, as they will quickly add up. Whether you're waiting for a class to start and have some spare time or you're aimlessly browsing your phone, put your time to good use and pick up a book. If you really want to read, then finding time to do so will be a lot easier.
EXPLORE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FORMATS OF BOOKS
I've always loved reading proper books and I find that there's something really special about them, but they aren't the only possibility. If you don't like having to hold a heavy book or find that they're impractical to carry with you, there are other formats that might work for you. Electronic books are growing in popularity, and you can easily access them from your Kindle, tablet or phone, making them a lot more portable. Audio books are also very popular and make it possible to read whilst carrying out your daily tasks.
TRY OUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOOKS
Fictional novels aren't the only type of books out there, so if you find that they aren't for you then it's not a problem, as there are many other books for you to try. Why not start by taking a look at non-fiction books or even autobiographies? If these still aren't what you're looking for then put in some research to find the ideal books for you. Chances are they will be out there somewhere, and it's just a case of finding them.
REMEMBER THAT READING IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN
At the end of the day, reading is a hobby that you should find enjoyable. It's a personal journey that is unique to you, so don't feel like you have to pressure yourself into picking up a book, or reading a certain title because everyone else likes it. You should do whatever it takes to make sure that reading is fun for you, making sure that no-one comes in the way of this.
If you have any more tips then I'd love to hear them, and I feel as though your advice could benefit anyone who reads this guide. I hope you liked this post and that I've inspired you to read more, as that is my aim and I want people to be able to enjoy books as much as I do. Thank you for reading this post and I have a new one coming on Sunday, so make sure you look out for that!
Love from Daisy x
It's no secret that I read a lot of books and that I'm a huge bookworm at heart. Reading is one of my hobbies, so I will always try to make time for it during the day. A lot of people ask me how I manage to find the time to get through so many books, especially with a large amount of school work and blogging. I thought I'd make this mini-guide, sharing my tips that will help you to read more often, try more books or whatever it takes to help you to become a bookworm.
FIND PARTICULAR GENRES THAT YOU LIKE
The first step to reading more is finding books that you actually find interesting and enjoyable. I highly doubt that you will be motivated to read something that you think is dull and boring, so stay away from these books. Choose books solely based on their genre and description, rather than choosing books that are popular or have good reviews, as you will find yourself picking things that are more suited to yourself. However, it's also good to broaden your horizons and try something completely different once in a while, but most of the books you read should be ones you like.
HAVE A SET TIME AND PLACE TO READ - AND STICK TO IT
One of the hardest parts of being a regular reader is finding the time to dive into a good book and dedicating yourself to it. It's definitely worth testing out different places and times to read and seeing what works best for you, based on your schedule and when you feel the most motivated to read. For me, I like to be comfy, so I do most of my reading in bed, and I usually wait until I'm going to bed as I find that it helps me fall asleep. However, there are many possibilities and it's simply a matter of finding the best one for you.
DOCUMENT ALL OF THE BOOKS YOU READ
I know it might sound silly, but documenting the books that you've read can make you feel a lot more accomplished and ready to read. It's an easy way of showing yourself that you have read a number of books in the past, so you are equally capable of reading some books now. If you don't have many books to go on this list then see it as a challenge and push yourself to change your empty list into a completed document. Writing down what books you've read is also a handy way to see common genres that you read and themes that the books share, which can help when choosing out future books.
GAIN INSPIRATION FROM THE INTERNET AND THE LIBRARY
There are tons of books waiting to be discovered, so if you are willing to dig around for the ideal ones then it will pay off. Spend lots of time in your local library, sifting through their current selection to find books that you like. This is a great way to find lesser-known authors and appreciate their work, and everything is free, meaning you can try out as many books as you like. The Internet is also a helpful tool for finding books and websites like this one will give you recommendations that fit your criteria, meaning you are likely to enjoy any book that they recommend.
THERE'S ALWAYS TIME TO READ - SO FIND IT
One of the main problems that people have with reading is that it can be quite time-consuming and there isn't always a lot of spare time to dedicate yourself to a book, especially if you are busy with school or work. My solution to this would be to find spare minutes in your day to read, as they will quickly add up. Whether you're waiting for a class to start and have some spare time or you're aimlessly browsing your phone, put your time to good use and pick up a book. If you really want to read, then finding time to do so will be a lot easier.
EXPLORE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FORMATS OF BOOKS
I've always loved reading proper books and I find that there's something really special about them, but they aren't the only possibility. If you don't like having to hold a heavy book or find that they're impractical to carry with you, there are other formats that might work for you. Electronic books are growing in popularity, and you can easily access them from your Kindle, tablet or phone, making them a lot more portable. Audio books are also very popular and make it possible to read whilst carrying out your daily tasks.
TRY OUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOOKS
Fictional novels aren't the only type of books out there, so if you find that they aren't for you then it's not a problem, as there are many other books for you to try. Why not start by taking a look at non-fiction books or even autobiographies? If these still aren't what you're looking for then put in some research to find the ideal books for you. Chances are they will be out there somewhere, and it's just a case of finding them.
REMEMBER THAT READING IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN
At the end of the day, reading is a hobby that you should find enjoyable. It's a personal journey that is unique to you, so don't feel like you have to pressure yourself into picking up a book, or reading a certain title because everyone else likes it. You should do whatever it takes to make sure that reading is fun for you, making sure that no-one comes in the way of this.
If you have any more tips then I'd love to hear them, and I feel as though your advice could benefit anyone who reads this guide. I hope you liked this post and that I've inspired you to read more, as that is my aim and I want people to be able to enjoy books as much as I do. Thank you for reading this post and I have a new one coming on Sunday, so make sure you look out for that!
Love from Daisy x
Lip crayons are arguably some of my favourite lip products, and they have definitely increased in popularity over the past few years. The trend was started by the infamous Clinique Chubby Sticks and it has now spiralled out of control, with almost every brand having their take on the iconic product. They're essentially a hybrid of quite a few lip products, making them more wearable than a harsh lipstick, having more pigmentation than a lip balm and still providing a glossy feel, like a lipgloss. Like many other people, I fell in love with these products and, after trying a number of them, I've narrowed it down to my ultimate favourites, ready to share with you.
Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks
These are some of my favourite lip crayons and I feature them on my blog regularly. They come in a variety of different shades, three of which I own, and I find that all of these look flattering on my lips. They can be applied lightly for a vague sheen of colour or more intensely, becoming really bold and eye-catching lip crayons. They last really well on my lips and even smell delicious, meaning I probably couldn't fault these amazing products!
Models Own Lip-Stix
This lip crayon was the first that I tried, but I fell in love with it and have been using it ever since. Unlike the others, this is entirely matte, meaning the colour tends to last longer and it is more alike a lipstick rather than a gloss or a balm. Although it can feel a bit drying on the lips, this isn't too big of a problem as they last for an incredibly long time and look lovely on the lips. They're also relatively affordable at £5, which is a lot cheaper than some of the others mentioned.
Clinique Baby Tint Chubby Stick
This is the brand that started off the craze of lip crayons, so it's obvious that this one had to be included. I have one of the Baby Tint Lip Crayons in the shade Poppin Poppy, which is a gorgeous pink shade that is really natural and similar to the colour of my lips. It is really moisturising and creamy on application, feeling rich and soothing against my lips. A sheer wash of this leaves a faint trace of colour, but it is definitely more versatile and can be layered for a bolder but equally as beautiful look.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm
I've only recently purchased this lip crayon, so I haven't yet formed full opinions on it, but so far I love it! I own it in the shade Keep Mauving which is a pinkish berry shade that is perfect for the autumn and winter. It is really pigmented, more than I'd expect from a lip crayon, yet it still has a slight glossiness to it that makes it feel silky and comforting on the lips. The colour is really wearable and lasts well throughout the day, as well as being a gorgeous alternative to a lipstick.
These are my overall favourite lip crayons out of those that I've tried, so hopefully I've persuaded you to try some of them or shown you which ones are worth purchasing. There are obviously many more lip crayons out there, so if you know of any that you think I might like then I'd love to hear your recommendations. Thank you for reading this post and I'll see you on Wednesday with a new one.
Love from Daisy x
Lip crayons are arguably some of my favourite lip products, and they have definitely increased in popularity over the past few years. The trend was started by the infamous Clinique Chubby Sticks and it has now spiralled out of control, with almost every brand having their take on the iconic product. They're essentially a hybrid of quite a few lip products, making them more wearable than a harsh lipstick, having more pigmentation than a lip balm and still providing a glossy feel, like a lipgloss. Like many other people, I fell in love with these products and, after trying a number of them, I've narrowed it down to my ultimate favourites, ready to share with you.
Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks
These are some of my favourite lip crayons and I feature them on my blog regularly. They come in a variety of different shades, three of which I own, and I find that all of these look flattering on my lips. They can be applied lightly for a vague sheen of colour or more intensely, becoming really bold and eye-catching lip crayons. They last really well on my lips and even smell delicious, meaning I probably couldn't fault these amazing products!
Models Own Lip-Stix
This lip crayon was the first that I tried, but I fell in love with it and have been using it ever since. Unlike the others, this is entirely matte, meaning the colour tends to last longer and it is more alike a lipstick rather than a gloss or a balm. Although it can feel a bit drying on the lips, this isn't too big of a problem as they last for an incredibly long time and look lovely on the lips. They're also relatively affordable at £5, which is a lot cheaper than some of the others mentioned.
Clinique Baby Tint Chubby Stick
This is the brand that started off the craze of lip crayons, so it's obvious that this one had to be included. I have one of the Baby Tint Lip Crayons in the shade Poppin Poppy, which is a gorgeous pink shade that is really natural and similar to the colour of my lips. It is really moisturising and creamy on application, feeling rich and soothing against my lips. A sheer wash of this leaves a faint trace of colour, but it is definitely more versatile and can be layered for a bolder but equally as beautiful look.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm
I've only recently purchased this lip crayon, so I haven't yet formed full opinions on it, but so far I love it! I own it in the shade Keep Mauving which is a pinkish berry shade that is perfect for the autumn and winter. It is really pigmented, more than I'd expect from a lip crayon, yet it still has a slight glossiness to it that makes it feel silky and comforting on the lips. The colour is really wearable and lasts well throughout the day, as well as being a gorgeous alternative to a lipstick.
These are my overall favourite lip crayons out of those that I've tried, so hopefully I've persuaded you to try some of them or shown you which ones are worth purchasing. There are obviously many more lip crayons out there, so if you know of any that you think I might like then I'd love to hear your recommendations. Thank you for reading this post and I'll see you on Wednesday with a new one.
Love from Daisy x
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