5 Free Downloadable Fonts for Spring

One of the main reasons I love Picmonkey is because you can use your own fonts- it's just so special that you can find any font you could ever wish for, and then put it onto your own photo; it's kind of magical, in a way (these are the things bloggers think about all day). I found a couple of cute Spring-themed fonts to share with you, and they're completely freeeeee~

1. Rose AKA Luna

2. Daffodil AKA Lillybelle

3. Tulip AKA Snickles

4. Daisy AKA Waltograph

5. Petunia AKA Ostrich Sans Inline

Yay, I love these! Daffodil is my personal favorite and I can't wait to use it in future photos, and I've always been a fan of Daisy because it's Disney, for pete's sake. 

xo Savannah

DIY Desk Decor

Summer is quickly approaching, and it'll be here before you know it. Did you know that the summertime is when bloggers start lagging and get lazy in general when it comes to writing every day? One major factor that could contribute to productivity is a cute and organized desk... And DIYs are the best way to accomplish that!

-DIY Desk Calendar by Home Made by Carmona

-Desk Organizer (as shown in photo) by Sugar & Cloth

-Floral Mouse Pad for Spring by The Crafted Life

-Desk Organization Command Center by Tatertots and Jello

-DIY Iron Mesh Mood Board by My Paradissi

-Modern Hanging Desk Organizers by decor8

-Free Encouraging Quote Printables by AKA Design

-DIY Gold Pattern Desk Organizers by Homey Oh My!

You will literally have so much fun decorating your desk area and finally organizing it- right now mine is littered with notebooks, colored pencils, papers, etc. It'll be nice to finally get to put that mess into an organized pile~

xo Savannah

Pros + Cons of Using Blogger as a Blogging Platform

When I first started blogging, I immediately went to Blogger to use as my platform- it's the best for starting out on, it's run by Google (Google is bae, in case you didn't know), and it's completely free. Lately, though, I've been considering converting to Wordpress because it looks so much easier to use, although it's sad to say goodbye to Blogger whom I've been using for so long, and they work so well. But if you'd like to switch to Blogger, then here are the pros & cons I've noticed over the years. 

(also- sorry for not posting on Thursday! I was really busy all week.)

PROS

-It's completely free, no catch (unless you pay for Google AdSense)

-It's really easy to use and get used to, you don't really get confused at all.

-It shows you how many page views you have, the countries that view your site the most and what posts are the most popular.

-There are TONS of awesome widgets to add to your site, also all free to use and ridiculously easy to add. 

-So far, my blog has never crashed or not worked, though the blogger dashboard has been down a few times, but not recently. 

CONS

-There are a couple of limits when it comes to customization. This doesn't mean you can't make a professional-looking beautiful blog, it's just that it won't look exactly like what you were going for- which is why downloadable templates are your best friend. But if you're not up to downloading a pretty template (they're usually free, here's where I got mine)

-They have an app, but it's not free! No siree, it used to cost nothing to blog on the go, but now they've come out with a new and improved app with much better features than the old one- but they charge you for it?!

-You don't own your site with Blogger, Google does. This means they have the right to shut it down or restrict your access to the site at any time, so that kind of sucks.

-Blogger has not been updated in a very long time, and Google may or may not shut it down in the future (hopefully not, oh my god!). 

I've decided I really don't want to move my blog to WordPress, Blogger is where it belongs and I don't plan on just abandoning Blogger anytime soon. It's like Blogger is this cute little Starbucks, and everyone loves the coffee and the atmosphere, but just down the street is another coffee shop, but this one is independent (AKA WordPress) and everyone goes there all the time, and they like it because there's more of a variety of coffee selections. It's way bigger and there's way more people, so they get a lot of business! It's okay, Starbees, I'll never leave you.

xo Savannah

The Ultimate List of SEO Tips

Whenever you search for something on Google, the magic Google wizard has to dig through a bunch of websites to find the best one for you, and that's what pops up on the first page. This is called SEO! SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it's really important for your blog because only 8.5% of people click over to the second page of Google (I feel like it's actually less than that), so that's why bloggers are so obsessed with perfecting the art of SEO. Today, I bring you the ultimate list of SEO tips. (you know it's special because it's italicized!)


-First of all, everyone thinks that a couple of small fixes is a quick solution for your website's lack of traffic. This is not the case- it's a constant long-term strategy that you need to work on for a long time, hence the word 'long-term'. So, yeah, hop off the lazy scale! (fun fact: all bloggers are kind of lazy, we're just normal people sitting on the couch in our PJs writing about whatever we please)

-Title your posts properly. They need to contain proper keywords in the right order to attract traffic- here's an example:

good title: 15 Makeup Bag Essentials for the Summer
bad title: Don't spend summer without this in your bag

Oh yeah, and capitalize things correctly- it makes it stand out a little more!

-This might just be one of the most important ones- add alt text to your blog photos. Here's how~

   -If you're on Blogger, click on the image so that the little blue toolbar pops up.
   -Now click on 'Properties'.
   -Two little places to type should pop up, one labeled 'title text' and the other 'alt text'.
   -Now edit the alt text so that it contains keywords that correspond to your blog post. In my         case, these are: blogging, seo tips, seo, blog, rainonametalroofblog

-Make sure your posts are super reader-friendly, and link back to other articles in your blog for maximum traffic. Every time I see links to other places on someone's blog, I click them into a new tab and end up reading for hours because they were smart enough to link me to other places on their site! Remember, you're writing for your readers, NOT Google. Content is more important than SEO, always.


-DO NOT overstuff your post with keywords. If there's one thing that annoys the little Googlebots, it's keywords. They will mark it as spam and you'll get a completely negative rating, which means your pageviews will drop and bye-bye loyal readers (obviously not so loyal I guess seeing as they're leaving??)

That's really all I have to say, and I hope you found this interesting and fulfilling. SEO is easy as long as someone (me) simplifies the process for you. Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter, @britishbby01 and Instagram, @savannahbby_14. Leave a comment including what you think is the most important part of SEO!

xo Savannah

How to Stay Motivated

The number one cause of failed blogs is lack of motivation- they make a blog, they might even spend money on it, but then they just leave it there to slowly die because they think they have nothing to write. The second cause of failed blogs is lack of time, but I'm not gonna talk about that today. Here is how to get motivated and stay motivated~

-If you've started a blog but haven't really written on it at all yet since you started it, and you started it a month ago so you're slowly getting guiltier and guiltier about it, then that's a problem. First, get all of your materials together- blogging materials. Start a blog board, where you Pin cool stuff for your blog, like free fonts and templates and stock photos. If you have everything you need, you'll be more inspired to blog. 

-Read posts about blogging tips. I have an entire board of blogging tips that you can check out here, and there are tons more all over Pinterest and Bloglovin. Elle & Co and Wonderlass have tons, too. 

-Make your blog look really fun and pretty- it should look the way you want it to, it's your blog! If it's super good looking and you love the way it turned out, then you'll really want to write on it. 

-Design a custom logo. Doing this will make you think of your blog more as a business than a hobby, so you're gonna really want to write more because it's your business you're talking about, not some measly website left to die! 

-If you've been blogging for a couple of years now, and aren't just an amateur, but just aren't motivated enough, then take a break. One week, one month, even just one day can make a difference depending on how often you post. This worked for me, I took a week off and now I have a fresh start and am excited to blog again. Take however long you need, but be sure to tell your readers why you're leaving + when you'll be back so that they're not just left in the dust!

I hope this helped you out a little bit, whether you're new to blogging or have been a full-time blogger for years, this should help you out some. I can't wait for tomorrow's DIY roundup!

xo Savannah

7 Of My Favorite Posts from Fellow Bloggers

I feel like every blogger reads other blogs, and there isn't ONE blogger EVER that doesn't read other blogs at least once in a while because that is essential to actually having a successful blog and being a good writer. Reading other bloggers work and being exposed to different things helps you to develop your own voice & style, so I thought I would just share a couple of my favorite blog posts lately that I have on my Saved Posts on Bloglovin. 

1. A Few Ways to Be More Creative with Your Blog by From Roses


2. How to Keep Your Life Organized in 2016 by Thirteen Thoughts

3. 100 Things to Be Thankful For by Thirteen Thoughts (or should we say "100 thoughts"?)

4. Toronto for the Weekend by The Dainty Squid

5. 10 Ways to Destress Your Day Hour by Hour by Into Mind

6. 25 Last Minute Blog Post Ideas by A Girl Obsessed

7. Infused Water Inspirations by A Beautiful Mess

These are all great posts that I love reading over and over again, especially number four- it's so cool to see Kaylah's travel posts, but this has got to be one of my favorites because she takes a lot of beautiful photos.

xo Savannah

12 Essential Resources for Bloggers

Happy Monday, everyone! It's a brand new start to the week and I'm excited to be back into full time blogging, so I thought I'd provide a list of all of the resources that are essentials for professional and amateur bloggers alike. Twelve resources isn't a lot, per se, but I think this list is going to be really helpful. 

1. Picmonkey- I've always used Picmonkey. I even wrote a post about Picmonkey here, all about why it's the best and why you should use it instead of Canva. (it wasn't even a sponsored post!)

2. Instagram- Instagram is a crucial blogging tool, because social media is very important to bloggers (by the way you should follow me on Instagram @savannahbby_14). All bloggers should be using Instagram to increase their following!

3. I use whitagram (free on the App store) to edit all of my Instagram photos, but it can be used for blog photos, too, if you're willing to go through the hassle of importing them back and forth. 

4. Wordmark.it is probably one of the most amazing sites in all of internet history- one of them. All you do is type in a couple of letters or words or phrases (or really anything), and it loads that phrase in all of the fonts on your computer! I like to use this when I'm stuck and forgot how many awesome fonts I've downloaded over the years. 


5. Pexels (and I know I've said this many times before but I'm gonna say it again nevertheless) is by far THE BEST stock photo site in the entire history of the world ever and don't even argue with me because I'm right. The stock photos used in this post? Pexels. 

6. PINTEREST!!!!! If it weren't for Pinterest, I might not even have a blog anymore (well, I might) because it's just the best thing ever. It's great for sharing everything you post and finding fun content for everything you post, like photos and inspiration and just everything. 

7. Evernote is a lifesaver. I'm such a forgetful person, and I'm also a person that loves to make so many lists, so Evernote is honestly the best resource on this list because it allows me to track blog posts and other things to do all in one convenient app. 

8. Dafonts is so awesome, I bet I could write an entire post just about how much I love and use Dafonts on a monthly basis. They have (probably) millions of free fonts to download, and I love them. I love them. I love it. This is the best font site ever...

9. Elle & Co. is an amazing entrepreneurship blog that provides a ton of information about starting and hosting your own blog/business, and they have a ton of information to offer for FREE. 


10. Spotify is technically a music service, but I can really get lost in my writing if I'm listening to a good song, which is why I wanted to include this on my list. 

11. Google Calendar is a lifesaver. Otherwise known as iCal, or just the default Apple Calendar found on all iPhones, I've been using this for almost a year now to track all of my blog posts and can happily say that it works wonders. 

12. I feel like I should include Wonderlass blog because it has helped me so much with just a couple of useful blog posts- it's an awesome blog and they will help you out so much if you're a beginner, or maybe even if you're a full-on professional. 

Well, it looks like that was the last post for February- how are we already almost three months (one quarter) into 2016? That's crazy! HAPPY LEAP DAY!!!

xo Savannah

15 blog Post Ideas for Lazy Days

Last week I posted about how to be productive on lazy days, and also how to get the most out of your morning, so by now you should really know how to turn a seemingly calm and lazy day into a beautifully productive day. One problem with lazy days is that you can't even think of anything to write because your brain is turned off and you don't want to be bothered with turning it back on, so I'm providing a couple of ideas because I'm just that nice :)

-Write a post on how you got started blogging. What platform did you use, what topics did you focus on, and why did you start blogging? Readers love a good backstory.


-Roundup a couple of helpful links, with a common theme. For example- morning routines, or blogging tips, or SEO tips, or just recipes. 

-Share a behind-the-scenes look at where you work, whether it's a studio or an office, or just your couch. Show rough drafts and things in the process, and how the posts come to be. I LOVED it when Rhett and Link's crew started doing this, but it works for bloggers, too. 

-Make a list of all the little things in life that make you happy. This sounds kind of silly, but it'll be meaningful to your readers, and it's just gonna put everyone in a good mood. 

-Share a favorite recipe. Everyone loves a good apple pie, or maybe some homemade ice cream, or just the secret to a good coleslaw. 

-Share a day-in-the-life post! These are super fun to read, and all you have to do is write down what you did all day and post it (include photos please). 

-Write about the pros and cons of your blogging platform. I can't wait to do one of these for blogger, I love it a lot, so this should be fun. LET THE GAMES BEGIN! 

-Share what you have on your phone. I always want to know what apps people have, because downloading new apps is one of my favorite hobbies... 

-A day in the life of you is great, but a day in the life of your pet is even better- especially if you're writing from the pet's point of view. I'm sorry but I can't remember who, but a blogger did this and it was wonderful, I loved it so much. I must find it again!

-Roundup and highlight the stuff you can't blog without (e.g. apps, coffee, Google Calendar, specific websites, random tools). 


-Write some tips about something you're an expert at, like knitting, cooking, exercise, writing, painting, etc. 

-WORKOUT ROUTINE!!! I loved Alisha Marie's and Eva's workout routines on YouTube, they were fun to watch and they motivated me to get out more. 

-Your favorite YouTubers, of course. You know that joy that floods your body whenever you discover a new channel that is amazing and you can't wait to binge watch them? Well, share the happiness :)

-Explain the meaning behind your blog/business name. Some of them are straightforward, but others have a deep and hidden meaning waiting to be shared. Even if you've written about it before, write a new one for your new readers. 

-Just have someone else guest post for Pete's sake. You deserve a day off, and that's what guest posts are for- people who need to stop writing for one day. 

So there you go, a couple of posts for the days that your brain is turned off <3 b="" nbsp="">

xo Savannah

How to Be Productive on Lazy Days

Lazy days- usually on Sundays- are the highlight of most people's weeks. I bet you've read the title, and are saying "But they are supposed to be lazy.", and I agree with that 100%. You're right. Everyone needs a break. But if you are a person who would like to be getting work done on an otherwise lazy day, like, it's becoming lazy without your control, then this list is for you. Think of it as a checklist~

-Limit the distractions around you. I like to listen to music, because it makes me less likely to daydream and look around and realize I need to clean something instead of finishing an overdue blog post- I have Spotify on my computer & phone & tablet for easy access, in case one of them isn't working properly. Also, sometimes I move my phone out of sight, because if I get bored with something then I'm likely to stop working and pick it up. 

-Don't work overtime + take a couple of breaks here and there. It's been proven that lowering your work hours from 10 to 5 and working 5 days a week instead of 6 can really increase productivity. You can't argue with science, kids. Also, take frequent breaks; it's good to refresh your brain every once in a while, so take a 20 minute walk, then come back to something. It's like hitting refresh on a malfunctioning page- it's gonna work better if you refresh it, trust me.

-Don't try to multitask! Writing 3 blog posts at once plus editing stock photos is going to make you work slowly, not even quicker- not to mention you're gonna make three times the mistakes than if you would just do one thing at a time. Make a list of what needs to get done, and then do things in order, without skipping over and multitasking.

-Change up your workplace. Try moving over to sit by a window and get some natural light, or even head on over to your local coffee shop for a complete change of scenery. It's good to change things up because it can really boost your creativity, plus I bet the cat has been driving you crazy, stepping all over your keyboard and all. Remember that time you had the rewrite the longest blog post ever because your cat stepped all over the keyboard? No? Just me? 

-Take a nap! You could probably use the rest anyway- getting lots of sleep will make you more prepared and at least your brain will be functioning properly. Napping has been proven to make you feel sharper when you wake up. 

-Get something to eat for Pete's sake, who can actually think straight and get anything done on an empty stomach. Have a good breakfast, and maybe snack on a granola bar while you work. Maybe even get up earlier so that you can make scrambled eggs and bacon? Everyone deserves bacon if they're gonna be working all day. Well, actually, everyone deserves bacon anyway. 

-Drink some water. It's gonna hydrate your brain, and you can actually think properly then, instead of sitting at a computer for 10 minutes trying to decide how to spell "restaurant" but being too lazy to Google it. Infused water would be amazing, just throw in some mint and strawberries and sip it all day long. 

I hope these help you out, because they help me whenever I have a full day of editing and blogging to do but how can anyone get any of that done when there are distractions everywhere? 

xo Savannah

10 Inspirational Blogs That I Love

As a blogger and an avid reader, you can probably imagine how much I read other people's blogs- basically, whenever I can. When I finish a blog post, I head straight for my favorite blogs to see what they've been posting lately. These are all inspirational to me personally in some way, whether they be inspiring me to get outside and take a walk or to stay inside and write that blog post once and for all. Also, completely unrelated- have you noticed that Friday is quickly approaching? I think the lack of school on Monday is making my week surprisingly better- like an extra Friday, almost. 

1. A Girl, Obsessed

This blog is amazing, I've been reading it for almost a year now and it's great. I'm not one for beauty blogs, really, but she posts more than beauty- she posts tips on blogging & lifestyle, too. Her latest post is How to Battle a Bad Skin Day.

2. The Dainty Squid

Okay, this has got to be one of my favorite blogs of all time- and by far my favorite on this list. I love her Friday Favorites posts, and I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE her 365 challenge results, but she's not doing it this year *cry cry cry*. Kayla writes a lot about her explorations of abandoned places, and her latest post is Exploring Akron. 

3. chibird

I discovered chibird one day because I'd been seeing her adorable little drawings all over the interwebs, so I checked her out on Tumblr, and every couple of days or so she posts little affirmations of life- I assure you she will make you more positive ever day. Her latest post is It takes some pain and struggles to really grow. 

4. Thirteen Thoughts

This is one of the blogs I started reading more recently, back in November or so (maybe December??? I can't remember honestly) but I think she's honestly a really great writer and I'll be reading her for a long time. Also, this blog kind of reminds me of AGO a little bit? Paula also writes about beauty and lifestyle, and her latest post is How to Stay Sane When Sh*t Hits the Fan. 


5. Wonderlass

This blog I just started reading last week, I discovered it on Pinterest and was instantly hooked. Her vast library of resources and blogging tips is addicting, and her internal links will leave you clicking on one post after another. Did I mention her personality leaks through the page and straight into your heart like a cold glass of lemonade? The humor and likability is refreshing, to tell the truth. 

6. It's Not Her, It's Me

I've been reading this blog for a while now- probably a year now, and I have to say that I love it and keep on coming back for more every now and then! Toshiko is a fashion blogger living in the bay area of San Francisco, and occasionally blogs about her travels, too. Her latest post is Farmhouse Inn Part 1: Home Away from Home. 

7. Fat Mum Slim

Aside from TDS, this is my favorite blog on here- maybe even more than TDS. I've been reading this blog for years, and Chantelle has never failed to make me fall in love with her blog over and over. She also hosts a Facebook group called FMS Photo a Day, where every day there's a prompt and you post a picture going along with it. Her latest post is Healthy Sweet Potato & Tuna Croquettes Recipe. 

8. A Beautiful Mess


ABM is one of the most popular and amazing crafts & DIY blogs out there, and you probably already know about them so I won't say much. Basically, they have more than one app (both photo editing), tons of eCourses, two mail subscription services and are in the process of writing a cookbook- did I mention they are the scrapbook queens? Their latest post is Try This: Potato Stamped Curtain Panel Tutorial. 

9. Wonder Forest

The Wonder Forest is a blog I've been reading for ages. After discovering them on Pinterest (like all of the other blogs I discover basically), the thing about the blog that really got me hooked was her title on the blog. It was painted with watercolors, and I loved that she'd done that herself. She also has various watercolor video tutorials on YouTube, and a bunch of blogging tips on her blog. Her latest post is How to Manage Your Expectations and Avoid Dissapointment. 

10. Elle & Company Design

Okay, this is one of those blogs that has literally everything when it comes to blogging tips. I've found tips on designing a logo, blog post ideas, online courses and every single thing you need to know about managing your own business. They're extremely professional, and pretty much the GODS of blogging- I love it. They're latest post is 40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your Creative Business.

All of these blogs are beautiful and inspiring, and are written by the best of people- you won't be disappointed when you click these links. Also, don't forget to follow them on Bloglovin'! Stock photos used in this post are courtesy of Pexels. 

xo Savannah

How to Never Run Out Of Blog Post Ideas

It's 11:00pm on a Tuesday night, and you have no idea what to write about, because you have a post due the following morning but didn't schedule one. You're brain dead and have no idea what to write about- I can't fix the situation for you right this second, but I can show you how to prevent future catastrophes like this (and yes this is a catastrophe, you'd agree if you were ever in this situation!). It's pretty easy, and I got a hang of it really quickly, and it gets fun. It's INSANE how easy it is, and I'm talking straight jackets in an asylum INSANE. 

-First, you're gonna want to choose how you want to schedule everything. I find Google Calendar works perfectly fine, it's accessible from my computer, tablet and phone which allows me to take it wherever I go. But if you're more of a paper-and-pen kind of gal, then go out and get yourself a Erin Condren planner- treat yo self! (Erin Condren planners are the best, so, yeah) Write it out in there. If you already have a planner, then I would recommend buying a separate one just for your blog, so you can keep track of posts, deadlines, projects, emails, orders, etc. 

-Now find some time, about half an hour to an hour of time, and sit yourself down to have a brainstorming session. Determine what kind of posts you want to write: blogging tips, fitness, recipes, DIYs, lifestyle, business, etc. and start thinking of titles. I found an AWESOME cheat sheet here on blog post titles, and I love it, it's super convenient for when you're not feeling creative enough to think of any. Plus, there are dozens of blog post title generators, but they're not nearly as good as what's on the cheat sheet. 

-Once you've thought of a couple, make a ton more, perhaps expanding on one (for example, make a part 1, part 2, etc.) to make even more posts if you have a lot to say on one subject. If you're a blogger that write about a lot of different things, then try to have variety. Don't do an entire week of blogging tips, then not write about it for a month. Be consistent! 

-Finally, fill in the calendar. Put a post for every day you write- so if you write once a week, then you could have a good 6 months of posts to write. But if you write daily, then it might only be one month. (Just remember- no matter how often you write, quality comes first) Personally I have posts scheduled all the way up to April. Try to brainstorm every week/month, whichever works for you. 

Always write for your readers, not SEO. Quality before quantity. Be consistent. Those are a few out of many tips that you'll learn when blogging. No body knows what they're doing, we're all learning as we go. So don't worry if something doesn't work out because that isn't gonna end your blogging career, just keep on moving forward. 

xo Savannah

My Blog Resolutions for 2016

It's a new year (well, five days into it at least) and with a new year comes new goals and resolutions. I already shared my New Years Resolutions (here) but in that list I didn't include my resolutions for my blog. There's a lot that I want to happen this year, because I feel like 2016 is going to finally be the big step for Rain on a Metal Roof. I can't wait for all of this to happen, and I wonder if I'll do all of these this year. I hope I complete all of them by June-Julyish so that I can come up with new ones and complete those by NYE. 

-Be more social. I always read my blogs on Bloglovin, where you can't leave comments or really share anything, so maybe after I write my daily blog post in the morning I could spend about 10 minutes just discovering new blogs and leaving comments and writing nice emails. 

-Try to start blogging daily! The only days I do not blog are Saturday and the WOTW on Sunday, which is ironic because those are the days when I have more time. I know daily blogging can be a big commitment, but after a year of blogging 5 days per week I feel like I can take it on. 

-Get into the habit of sharing my posts to Pinterest and Facebook every day. Some days I just forget, and as soon as I hit "Publish" I just want to close my laptop and fall right back asleep, not to mention all of the distractions on my phone. Sharing my posts every day is going to make a big impact. 

-Learn new, free ways to promote my blog. If no one knows it's there, it's not going to be found, so I need to figure out new ways to put it "out there" because otherwise I'm just talking to myself!

-Use better fonts in my blogging pictures! This is super irrelevant, but STORY TIME: So, NYE, you may have noticed I changed the blog title to a new font. Boring, right? Well, super exciting for me.... I used Picmonkey to do that, even though Picmonkey doesn't even have that font. I downloaded it and figured out how to use it under "My Fonts" on Picmonkey (more complicated process than I thought it would be), which is super exciting for me because do you have any idea how many free fonts I've downloaded in anticipation of using them? A lot. 

-Use Pexels for my blog photos A LOT MORE OFTEN! They have high quality stock photos that I fell in love with as soon as I saw them, but I usually just find stock photos on Pinterest and use them, which is way harder than actually just going to a stock photo site. I LOVE PEXELS <3 b="">

Those are my blog resolutions for 2015 2016 (I'm gonna be writing 2015 for the next 3 months probably....) so far, what do you have planned for your blog this year? Tell me in the comments below. 

xx Savannah

My Favorite Blogging Resources and Apps

Blogging can be pretty hard at times. Yeah, it's not just people sitting on their couch in their PJs with a laptop in front of them writing whatever comes to mind- we need the little things to help us out, and not everyone knows what those things are. Note: this isn't a complete post, this isn't every single blogging resource and app out there- it's simply my personal list that I've chosen to share with you today :)

APPS 

-Evernote is SUPER helpful- it's not your average note-taking app, because you can add photos and make sketches and checklists and texts and chat with other people- I'm in love with it, it's the ultimate To-Do list app. I would highly recommend it. 

-For scheduling posts, instead of physically writing things down like I used to, I just use the default Google Calendar that came with my phone because it's easy to use and I like the system of it, plus it's free. 

-Layout is a free photo collage app that I like a lot better than most photo collage apps (I don't know why so don't ask). It just has a really clean design, has different layouts, you can use lots of photos, and though I don't use it often it's quite useful.

-Pinterest has got to be one of my top favorite blogging resources in the form of an app- I've been using it to help me blog for years now, and it's honestly one of the most helpful blogging apps out there.

-Bloglovin' allows me to read all of my favorite blogs in one feed, which helps me out a lot because I get tons of inspiration from other blogs & bloggers. 


RESOURCES

-Picmonkey is what I use to edit all of the photos I use on this blog. If I need to add text to a photo, then I use Picmonkey to do that. It has a lot to offer with the free version, but the Royal one would help if you want a more professional look because there are so much more options. 

-Pexels is my all time favorite stock photo site for a lot of reasons, mainly because their photos are beautiful and have no watermark, and they update it with 10 photos every day. Plus, there's a huge library of photos with variety so you can use them for everything. Oh, and did I mention it's free?

-Pinterest obviously has to be on here because I don't think this blog would be where it is today without the help of Pinterest. If you've got a blog, Pinterest is gonna help you A LOT. 

-I feel like I should put Spotify on here even though it's for music- I just think listening to music while I write helps me focus a whole lot more and plus I can't go a day without listening to it~

That's all I have to share with you right now, I'm sure there's more but I just can't think of it right now. Have a great week!

xx Savannah

5 Blogging Don'ts

Hey guys, it's Tuesday!! One day away from Hump Day, and since it's Spirit Week at my school, today is Nerd Day. I love this day that they do EVERY YEAR because it's fun to express my inner nerd- considering one time I actually calculated how many seconds I've been alive (haha, I'm so nerdy). But anyway, ever since last week when I blogged about 10 Reasons Why You Should Blog, I've been wanting to write more about blogging and the subject of a blog so I thought this would be suiting and I scheduled it. These are just a few mere guidelines, although they're pretty important, but there are dozens more out there (don't blow up your competitor's laptop with dynamite!!). 

1. First of all, don't steal content or photos without permission. This can make the other blogger very angry and it could possibly result in your blogging career in the trash. Seriously, don't steal photos and content! Use either your own photos or stock photos to avoid this. 

2. Don't write for the sake of writing, write because you have something to share with the world- write if you have great content that is worth reading, and have a voice when you write.

3. Don't take your readers for granted. Even now, after I've been blogging for about a year, I get really excited when I see that I have over 50 pageviews in one day, or when I get a comment from a reader. But other bloggers feel entitled to a certain number of readers and comments- how bratty is that? Don't take them for granted, you need to appreciate that they are taking time out of their day (they don't have to do that!) to read YOUR blog. 

4.  Don't hate on other bloggers! No readers like rants, and no blogger likes to be hated on by another blogger on the world wide web. Just don't do it, no matter how much they hate on you. 

5. Don't forget to send giveaway prizes! Personally, I've never had a giveaway, but if you do, remember to send the prizes because next thing you know it's 6 months later and they still don't have their prize....

Everyone always talks about what to do to be a successful blogger, but I thought I'd go the other route and write about what NOT to do. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

10 Reasons Why You Should Blog

When I started my blog last May, I really had no idea that it would ever grow to be like how it is now with so many readers and posts every day on a variety of subjects. I just started it because I was bored, I had nothing to do, and I planned for it to be a news and science blog (haha! how nerdy was I? okay, that was embarrassing to talk about, let's move on) but I didn't think I would look forward to it every day of my week. Now, blogging is my favorite hobby, and I wouldn't want to live without it. Here are 10 reasons why you should start a blog, too~

1. To improve your writing skills. When I first started, I was a somewhat terrible writer, and I love how over time (no matter how little time) I've kind of started to find my voice and figure things out. I know what words to write, what I want to write about, and how I'll do it. 

2. To connect with others across the world! It's really amazing to connect with someone and meet someone that loves to blog as much as you do, especially creating a community filled with these kind of people. 

3. To gain confidence. Just like my writing skills, my confidence grew, too. It's really cool to see that what I'm writing matters and actual people are taking time out of there day to come here and read my blog. Thanks, readers :)

4. To find your voice. I don't know about you, but I want to write a book someday, and being a good writer is all about having the right voice so that other people can feel like they are actually speaking with you and so then your book gets popular. 

5. To share yours and others work. When I say others, that can have a lot of meanings such as having guest posts on your blog, writing about someone's artwork, reviewing other peoples products, etc. There are a lot of ways so share work that isn't yours, along with even more ways to share work that IS yours (don't steal content, seriously)

6. To turn yourself into a DIY expert! Position yourself as an expert by considering yourself an expert at what you do and write that way. You readers will consider you an expert, and it's a win-win. You never know, you just might be an expert. 

7. To help an inspire others. That is why I blog, personally, and that's why you should, too. You can do this is so many different ways, you just have to find your niche. 

8. To find clarity with your thoughts. I have thousands of thoughts, wonders, and intentions swarming through my head on a daily basis and I sometimes write them down here just for clarity and the sake of getting personal with my dear readers. 

9. To seek new clients, if you're a small business owner or entrepreneur. There are so many people on the internet now, that you could probably get over a third of the clients you have now off of the internet just by blogging, if you get the right following. 

10. And finally, to have documentation of your life. Won't it be nice to have your great-great-grandchildren see what 2015 was like by reading your blog? Don't you want to be remembered? (If you're reading this, great-great-grandchildren, Apple is the best and don't disrespect your ancestors by buying Samsung). 

It's been a really long time since I last wrote a post about blogging tips, and I'm gonna try really hard to write more on this subject of blogging tips this Fall. I hope this helped you out a little bit and inspired you to start your own blog- trust me, it's worth it. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

10 Blog Post Ideas You've Probably Never Thought Of

Blog content is one of the most important parts of a blog, but not the most important- that would be design, but I've talked about that in previous posts, and today's topic is blog posts. I love to plan and schedule blog posts, it's really a lot of fun, and I like to know that I have plans. Plans are important, because where would you be if you woke up one morning with nothing to write? You'd be in a very deep hole, with only one ladder, and the ladder is made of uncooked (and unstable) spaghetti noodles, but OH! It's also 10 feet too short. And that's why you should schedule blog posts, and here are a few to start you out~

1. Do a "day in my life" post! I love reading (and watching) these to get a good idea of what my favorite bloggers & vloggers do every day. Remember to take lots of photos ;) 

2. Write about (and maybe make a video about) what's in your purse/bag/backpack. It's surprisingly interesting to see what other people carry around with them e.g. beauty products, emergency items, etc. 

3. Reverse bucket lists are so cool- it's pretty much a big list of stuff you really DON'T want to do before you die. Fun, right?

4. Organizational tips. Everyone's a bit messy, so why not share your secrets? 

5. Share a couple of your favorite recipes, whether they be your own, or off of your foodie Pinterest board. 

6. Your skincare routine! We wanna know what you're doing in the morning, before bed, and throughout your day! Your skin is important, and so is keeping readers.

7. Awkward and awesome moments from your week. It was pretty awesome when I spun out on my bike, but awkward when I couldn't hear the store clerk so she repeated herself 5 times and I still couldn't heard her.... *crickets*

8. Your book list, aka what you plan on reading this year, and also a list of books you read in the past year. 

9. Pet guest post!!!! Everyone loves cute and furry animals, so why not let your pet take over one day? It'll be fun and we'll all love it, so do it. 

10. Finally, your jewelry box. I'd like to snap a few pics and post what I keep in my little jewelry box- I think it would be interesting. 

I haven't written one of these in ages, and it was so much fun! I love sharing cute and fun ideas with you guys and I can't wait to write for you again tomorrow, which is a DIY Roundup- I can't wait. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

5 Good Habits That Will Improve Your Blogging

A long time ago, blogging became an every-day thing; you could call it a habit. Personally, I call it a good habit, but I suppose it could be a bad habit in some ways, too. Anyway, there can be a lot of habits in a addition to blogging that will improve your blog! And since they're habits, you don't even really know you're really doing them once you get used to doing them. Trust me, some of these were hard to get used to at first for me, but they turn into really awesome benefits for your business. So, write them down on a sticky note of your favorite color, or perhaps your blogging calendar, and don't forget to look at it every time you blog! This could even be a checklist, if you'd like, but I think I've written plenty of checklists lately ^~^ What would you guys think of a 100 Things post? I'VE GOT ONE PLANNED!! 

1. Adding labels to all of your posts. It sounds silly and time-consuming, but when you really look at it, it takes about 10 seconds every time you write a post, and it TOTALLY improves your overall SEO, along with a lot of other things on this list. 

2. Pinning and sharing your posts on social media after you post them!! One blog I have noticed does a REALLY great job on this is A Beautiful Mess. Emma and Elsie and all the other writers for A Beautiful Mess share their posts the minute they hit the Publish button, and I am so jelly of that. 

3. Writing something every day. Again, this seems a bit time-consuming, and though it is, the benefits are phenomenal!! I know I don't write a full-on post every day (except for most weekdays, sorry about yesterday), but even trying has really helped me to improve like a BIG DOG. 

4. Adding a Pinnable image! I hate it when I go to read a blog post, and it's all article, no eye-candy. It's uber boring and there's nothing for anyone to Pin, which means you're really missing out on some SEO action there. It's not hard at all, just do it! I feel like I have failed to mention this tip in previous posts. 

5. Mention your blog on Facebook once in a while. There are dozens upon dozens of ways to promote your blog on social media without seeming braggy! For example: you just published a new cookbook. Last month, you wrote a full-on post announcing it! Unfortunately, it's been buried. You don't want to seem desperate, but people have GOT to check out that cookbook because it has the best chocolate cake ever, so you write a post containing a recipe from that book, and then advertise the book in case they want more! 

Do you agree with these, and/or do you have any other tips to share? Leave your tips in a comment below because I'D LOVE to hear from you. Geez, I'm all about the caps today, aren't I? Anyway, I hope you're prepared for tomorrow's red-white-and-blue DIY roundup. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah