7 Things I Read Online This Month - September 2016
-insert generic freak out of how it's the end of the month here-
September saw me clear my unread list on Bloglovin not once but THREE times so I think that tells you all you need to know about how I got into the swing of blog reading again. As ever there's 3982748356 posts I loved but these little corkers from these little beauties topped the list for me this September;
1. The (Not So Informative) Guide to Contacting Brands/PRs.
I'm allll about those helpful blog resource type posts at the moment and Kat's came just at the right time for me. Contacting brands instead of hoping you hit the big time enough for them to contact you sounds like one of THE most scary things but Kat makes it sound so easy. I think tips about being informal but not TOO informal is spot on - after all, PRs are just people doing a job too. Finding the all important PR email can be a minefield but Kat gives you alllll da options and a simple tweet might just do. I think when it comes to brands there might be a company that would be the perfect fit for you and your blog but they just might not know about you yet and getting in touch and making that first step might lead to fabulous things. Kat says it's not so informative but I beg to differ, go bookmark it, add it to your saved list on Bloglovin, you need this info in your life.
The (Not So Informative) Guide to Contacting Brands/PRs - Chapters of Kat.
2. Taxidermy For Beginners.
Bit of a change here but I found this post by Amyleigh soooo fascinating. Bit of a content warning precedes it because obviously there's photos of the process but as something super sqeamish I didn't find them gross at all, I found it all so interesting. Amyleigh and her other half booked the course in Winchester having loved it and collected it but never had a go and she talks all about the process and how it's done in minute detail. If you're interested in doing one yourself or interested in collecting or just a morbid curiosity to see if you'd like it honestly I think it's such a good read. It looks so time consuming and so neat and fiddly and I definitely have a massive appreciation for all those who can do it, I don't know if I'd have the patience if I cocked it up or I'd loose my rag! It seemed an insanely reasonable price for the amount of hours it took plus the taxidermy itself AND a G&T but I can't believe Amyleigh didn't keep her little fella, he was SO cute I would've had him if I knew he was going spare!
Taxidermy For Beginners - Northern Blood Blogspot.
3. Blogger Hunting: How To Catch A Blogger.
Could I love Teri-May anymore? She's lives in Cardiff, her blog is BEAUTIFUL, her bio makes me laugh every time I see it and she's written some killer posts recently (apart from this one you need to check out her one about things she wishes her teenage self knew about boys and her one about shaving her legs/feminisim). This blog post though, this one made me LOL. All tongue in cheek but still all true, the blogger community can be so basic bitch at times and bloody hell how we love it. I consider myself basic and proud and this blog on how to track down bloggers made me giggle. Rose gold and copper, Notting Hill, pastel coloured houses, leaning over tables for flatlays of food.....I die. We all do it, don't deny you haven't thought about it, this post is a goldie and you should definitely check it out. As for me, you'll find me outside a cute house taking photos before the owner runs out #thatglambloglife.
Blogger Hunting: How To Catch A Blogger - A Cup Of T.
4. Organising Your Life In The Digital Life.
Rachel from No Space For Milk is one of my favourite people on Twitter and her blog name is one of my favourites ever. So I was already all over this post because I love organising (no hate) and then I spotted my name in a cheeky Bullet Journal shout out - BAE. I have made no secret I am all about that Bullet Journal/physcial notebook life but Rachel's suggestions actually sparked my interest. She gives pros and cons to each segment which I love and I am a bit in awe of how successfully she uses Google Calendars. I have always vowed on each smartphone to use Google Calendars and inevitably after about a fortnight I forget and it all goes to pot - after seeing Rachel's post I am seriously considering giving it another go. She has 3. I repeat. 3. Including a shared one with her boyfriend. I am in awe of how organised. Bow down people, bow down and read the post.
Organising Your Life In The Digital Age - No Space For Milk.
5. 10 Things That Happen When You Finish Uni Forever.
Let me just take a moment to weep that my graduation was a year ago this month and I actually left my undergrad 18 months ago. There are a lot of things that happen when you pack up your student house and leave for the last time and Kelli nailed it. Life without a student discount is something I have never been ready to face, (thank the lord for NUS cards that last longer than regular student cards) and the feeling of a never ending summer and wtf are we doing in September is a feeling that hasn't really left me yet..... I loved this post, it's SO true and if you've just graduated or if you're going into your third year of uni now this is going to resonate with you at some point in the near future. I'm going back to my university town next week and I can 100% confirm walking around a town you don't live in any more, seeing your old house, walking past campus and not going in feels like walking round a town of ghosts and old memories. It's such a bitter sweet feeling but hey, at least we don't have dissertation worries anymore right?
10 Things That Happen When You Leave Uni Forever - Hello Treacle.
6. How To Be The Perfect Blogger.
Firstly can we all just sit and appreciate how aesthetically pleasing this photo is. The nails omg. The jumper omg. All the white background. Omg Alice is SLAYING. Another tongue in cheek little beauty this post made me howl. All about how to be the perfect blogger (with heaps of sarcasm involved) such as 'Thou Shalt Drink Starbucks' and 'Live An Instagrammable Life', my absolute favourite line is "Suck it up honey and Snapchat yourself lounging in your white IKEA bedroom with the caption Love My Life there's a good girl." I literally snorted a cup of tea over my (non IKEA) bed reading that one. I love a post with humour, with sarcasm, with sass and Dainty Alice filled this one with bucket loads. Read read read and then share it on Twitter so we can all have another lol. Ta.
How To Be The Perfect Blogger - Dainty Alice.
7. 11 Myths About Digital Marketing That I've Found To Be Complete Rubbish.
Holly from A Branch Of Holly makes me feel in equal parts tiny because holy flippin moly she is the most organised person ever and then equally SUPER motivated because her whole blog is designed to help you be the bestest brand you can be. If you aren't following her blog already you need to be because if you've got a dilemma or a question about blogging, social media or branding, chances are she's done a post on it. But anyway, enough fan girling, this post was my fav from Holly this month. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed and a bit down on digital marketing you NEED this post in your life because Holly dispels a whole bunch of myths by proving them wrong with examples of how she got it right on her blog. She also mentions some of her stats in this post which I LOVE when bloggers do, we need to be sharing what we achieve because its so hard to work out what you deem to be a level of 'success'. FYI, I consider Holly's blog a HUGGGGGE success and I love it. Srsly, follow her.
11 Myths About Digital Marketing That I've Found To Be Complete Rubbish - A Branch Of Holly.
There's always 21839234783754 other blogs I could've included in this list so if you want a few more new lovies to get involved with check out my loved list on Bloglovin!