Meet Jodie! | Monthly Interview

Posted on April 8, 2015April 7, 2015 Posted in Monthly InterviewsTagged advice, Beauty, bloggers, Fashion, interview, interview questions, Lifestyle, monthly, Monthly Interview, Q and A, questions, QWERTY blog2 Comments

Hello My Beauties!

Intro By Jodie: A La Jode is a London-based fashion and lifestyle blog. Born in October 2014, it aims to bridge the gap between aspirational and accessible.

1. So your blog seems to be a mixture of elements all focused around what makes women happy. Can you tell me what drove you to create it?

I’d been reading blogs for a while and after seeing a friend grow hers I thought, “I could do this!”. It was time I finally joined in with the community I’d been observing for a while. It was only once I started my own blog that I realised what an amazing community there is – and I’ve never looked back.

2. While maintaining your blog, you are also a Digital Marketer. How do you balance both your work and your blog?

I’m really lucky that my work and blog complement each other so well. My blog was one of the main reasons I got the job as it was how I heard about the company, the reason I knew the industry existed, and had given me a good foundational knowledge of blogging and SEO. I spend my days reading blogs at work and then come home and put what I learn at work into practice on my blog!

3. What has been one exciting thing that you’ve gotten to do because of your blog?

I’ve had so many amazing opportunities from my blog, none of which I ever expected when I started. I was just a girl, sat in her room, wanting to know what this blogging thing was all about and now I have some incredible experiences to look back on. If I had to pick one thing, however, it would be the huge South West Blog Social event I organised last June. It started with an idea to go for drinks with some local bloggers and quickly turned into a one-day conference covered by several magazines and with over £13,000 of sponsorship from leading and upcoming brands!

4. What is your favorite post and why? (Include link!)

Now that’s a tricky one! I would probably have to say my 2014 highlights post as I had a lot of fun putting it together. One of the best things about blogging is that you have a kind of virtual record of everything but it was only when I began pulling it all out that I realised just how much my little blog and I had been through in one year. Looking back on it all made me feel a little emotional – and super glad I have it all saved to look back on.

5. What is something that keeps you motivated to continue blogging?

Without a doubt, the number one thing that keeps me here is the number of amazing people I’ve met through blogging. From Twitter chats and blog comments, to events and meet-ups, I’ve met some of my closest friends through blogging. It’s so much easier to connect with another blogger as we seem to have that instant bond and it’s a really powerful thing.

6. Finally, what is one piece of advice you have for beginner bloggers who want to be successful at it?

Only blog about what you love, but don’t worry if that changes over time. It takes us all a little while to find our feet and some of us have changed our blog’s main theme multiple times over the years. Also never post something you’re not proud of as your most recent post will be the first one people see when they first land on your site. Finally, don’t compare yourself, never underestimate how many skills blogging will give you and make sure you get out there and meet other bloggers. They could become some of your best friends 🙂

I hope you all enjoyed this post and liked reading about Jodie! She is so sweet and very experienced in her craft! Make sure to stay updated, I post Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO

March Interview With Sydnee!

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015 Posted in Monthly InterviewsTagged advice, Blog, bloggers, Fashion, Inspiration, interview, interview questions, Lifestyle, makeup, monthly, Monthly Interview, Opportunities, quotes, QWERTY blogLeave a comment

Hello My Beauties!

This interview is very late, I missed both January and February! But no worries, I will definitely be getting back into the swing of things once my schedule calms down. Anyways, please enjoy this monthly interview and I will have another post this Wednesday!

Sydnee: Hi my name is Sydnee, I’m 23 and I’m a OCT qualified teacher here in Ontario, Canada. I am a very loud and bubbly person who loves to meet people and make new friends both online and in real life. My passion for helping others is one thing that also encouraged me to start my blog, YouTube channel and go into teaching. My blog and channel began back in 2011 while I was a full-time undergrad student. It’s been a challenge keeping up with it while a student & now I’m gearing up to start my teaching career so I have a chance to focus a bit more on developing my blog as I grow as a person. 2015 is the year for me to grow my channel and my blog & see where it takes me.

1. Why did you start your blog? I started my blog as a creative outlet while in university. I needed something different to do & I had played with the idea of starting a YouTube channel as well (which I did). It gave me a place to talk about things I enjoyed and share my thoughts.

2. Who is your biggest blogging inspiration? To be honest I don’t really have someone as inspiration. There are aspects of lots of bloggers that I enjoy (Chriselle Lim/Shirley B Eniang) reading and take inspiration from but you have to be your own person and have your own fire & drive without completely emulating another blogger.

3. Other than maintaining your blog, what do you do in your spare time? I have a YouTube channel that I upload 2x a week to and I’ve started to explore fashion illustrations as another activity. Outfits based on my looks as well as fashion I see on IG/online.

4. What is one amazing thing that you’ve been able to do because of your blog? To be quite honest, not a whole lot because I was always a full time student while doing it. Now I’m out of school and transitioning into the working world (I’m a teacher) so I have a bit more time to dedicate to it. I have met some great local bloggers & there have been some events that I’ve decided to scope out in the future. I think I will always blog and I’m hoping that it will take some adventurous turns down the road.

5. Finally, what is one piece of advice you’d like to give to new bloggers? Do it because you enjoy it. Don’t do it because you think it’s going to make you money or to become “online famous”. If you aren’t feeling inspired it’s better to not force a post because you said you “have to write something”. You can’t force it, people can tell but always be yourself, no matter how quirky! Also, something I didn’t realize for a long time is if you want people to read your blog, you have to read theirs too! Leave (meaningful) comments on fellow bloggers posts & build up relationships with them. Participate in Twitter chats & follow hashtags, great way to network and learn things from others. There is no true recipe for success, it really can just come overnight for some and take longer for others. Just keep it mind while you started and always enjoy doing it. If it becomes work & you’re convincing yourself to do it, it may be time to take a break or perhaps change your focus. You always want to enjoy what you do!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO

January Interview Featuring Maeve

Posted on January 12, 2015January 12, 2015 Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Monthly InterviewsTagged Beauty, blogger, Clothing, Fashion, interview, January, Month, Monthly Interview, quote, thriftingLeave a comment

Hello My Beauties!

It’s been a while since I have written to you, and I have noticed that other bloggers are going through a small lull as well. I think this is like a little universal break that’s really needed. Back to the topic at hand, I want to introduce all of you to Maeve at Thrift O’Clock! She’s a super cute blogger, Youtuber, and this month’s interview star! Please enjoy and check her out!

Maeve: Hello, I’m Maeve! I’m an 18 year old girl from Northern Ireland and my blog is called Thrift O’Clock. I absolutely love thrifting and sharing my thrifty finds on my blog, whether that be fashion, beauty or otherwise. My little cat Mia is my favourite thing in the world alongside blogging.

Questions

Q: What/who inspired you to start blogging?

A: I started watching a few Youtubers & reading a few blogs and thinking, I’d like to do that! In the beginning I loved Becca Rose and Amarixe, and I’ve always looked up to the likes of The Sunday Girl for inspiration. I remember I’d just come back from a thrifting trip, the name Thrift O’Clock just sprung into my mind and I created my blog that night!

Q: What have you liked most that has come from your blog?

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A: I think it has to be the confidence I’ve found through blogging and the fact I have a creative outlet of my very own. I’ve also made some lovely blogger friends which is a big positive!

Q: When you aren’t on your blog, what is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

A: Of course I love to shop, but I also love baking and creating art which are two things I’d really like to start incorporating on my blog!

Q: What is your favorite product that you’ve written about?

A: Difficult question! I loved talking about starting a MAC 15 Eyeshadow palette because it started a conversation in the comments where we discussed our eyeshadow recommendations. It was also brilliant to talk about my Personal Planner because it’s so handy and I was able to give one away to one of my readers!

Q: And finally, what do you hope to accomplish in 2015, blog related or not?

A: I actually wrote about my blogging resolutions for the new year in a blog post! My own personal goals are to get a bit healthier, pass my A Levels and be happy!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO