Personal - Resolutions update

Every year I am guilty of writing a big list of resolutions and then never doing them, this year has been completely different, I've finally stepped up and worked hard to achieve some of  my short-term goals. I thought as it's mid-year it may be nice to do a little update on my progress, you can read my resolution post here. 1) Tone up - after christmas, me operation and then a serious amount of overtime I just completely put my health to the side. It's a lame excuse because you can always make time but for me things can be all or nothing and I just wasn't able to fully dedicate to this. I did do my best to do some fitness and started bouldering and doing the occasional HIIT working but I've recently researched nutrition ( see my post here about amelia freer's book) and I've invested in quite a few cookbooks, my bikes back so it's all systems go health wise from now! I also want to get back to hot yoga once a week and bouldering at least once a week -I've just ordered some snazzy new climbing shoes. To help I've started a new healthy instagram creatively called: @healthy_lauzb if you want to see what I'm up to fitness wise! 2) Start my clothing line - I made a decision in march to put this on the back burner because march until now has just been ridiculously busy, it was a tough decision but I felt like I was going to rush what I wanted to make for the sake of starting the brand. I've decided to spend more time designing products and making them to get a proper collection together and make sure everything is 100% something I want to put out there. I'm hoping to aim to get at least a small shop open at the end of the year with the brand fully starting the beginning of next year so it's only a slight push back. ( I hope) 3) go somewhere new, I've been really fortunate to cross off two places I've always wanted to go to - Malta and Croatia! I wish I could go to many more places but sadly I've already used up all my holidays! booo 4) sort out my money problems, I'm so happy and proud to say, I have pretty much done this and it's A LOT sooner than expected. All debt is gone (well the overdraft is nearly gone!) and it feels amazing to have money in my account that I can use to treat myself and not have to spend each month living to the last penny. I'm much smarter with my money as well so I want to keep building my savings now. I didn't think I would see the day I was more excited to save than to spend! 5) start painting properly, I'm really excited about this, after deciding to put my brand aside I decided to use the time to re-learn oil painting and to sketch and start creating work. I've opened a new art account to transfer funds to buy paints and I am going to start practising, sketching and hopefully this month or next month start two large paintings. If they turn out okay I want to get prints made and set up an art shop! I'm selling on my etsy to help fund my art  6) My second blog - Guarateed this blog did not start off the way I wanted. I did a few posts and really struggled for a few months to get posts out. I'll admit I really have left this blog but honestly I do want to get this going again, problem is I've sold a lot of my wardrobe so I don't have many clothes or money for new ones but I promise slowly but surely I will get some posts up!  6b) be more blog social, I'm happy to say this has been done and I really want to keep it up! I really try to participate in blogger chats and I have been to a few meet ups now and met so many lovely people! So here's to meeting more of you and seeing you all again! I always try to  take time to go through my bloglovin and read your posts and try to comment. I've tried to tweet a few times and I really want to do more of this!  7) get a new tattoo, due to all the events that have been happening I hadn't been able to do this but I have been able to book in with an amazing artist in november, I've been waiting patiently for her books to open and I'm so excited for the new ink!  8) be happy. This year although it has been tough and life continues to test me I do feel so much happier and positive in myself and with life. I know once I move house and get an art room set up for my and my mate to continously create and my own kitchen to get creative in I am going to be even happier!  Another two resolutions I didn't put was learning to drive a car, I love my bike - I do and I will keep using it but to go to like Ikea or to see my grandparents and friends more regular I really wanted a car because a 60 minute drive on my bike really hurts my butt sometimes! Aha, hopefully in august I will be getting my first car which I am beyond excited for! The other was to get back into my youtube channel, I made my self the resolution to make 15 videos at least this year and I have A LOT of idea's that have been waiting to happen.  These first 6 months have been mental, from working 60+ hours overtime at work, whilst learning to drive, sew, holidays and all sorts it's been crazy busy but I am in such a great place. I've had some amazing opportunities and I have got some massive big plans coming up! How have you all been getting on? Ciao x Keep up to date with my latest posts by following me! :)
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9 Tips and tricks to help with your blog design

New Year New Blog....look...

So you may notice a slightly different looking blog appearing over the last few weeks...

Part of my resolutions was to work harder at my blog and while I did like the way it looked I felt it could look a lot better and it didn't really reflect me personally, which I believe all blogs should and I have so many visions for how this blog will look. I thought I would take advantage of my time at home lazying about to start implementing some of these changes - perfect time for new year!

I've been looking all over the net for tutorials to help me sort the look out and thought I would share some I used here in case anyone was thinking the same and wanted to update their blog for the new year - or just in general!

Here are some super easy tutorials(believe me they are easy because I am USELESS at this stuff):

1, Adding Social Media buttons to your blog by hopeful honey

2. Centering the blog title and date by her & Nicole

3. Customise your 'newer' 'home' and ' older' links by pursuit of felicity

4. How to make your footer transparent by Ruby

5. top ten DIY blog tips by Joyful Life ( this was by far the most useful of them all!)

6. How to remove the grey from your header/sidebar pics by beautiful solutions

7. how to get rid of unwanted titles in the sidebar also by beautiful solutions

8. Get rid of the dotted lines between home and older tabs by Ruby ( Same Ruby newer blog! - it also gets rid of a dashed line I never even noticed before!)

9. How to add follow me links & picture to your signature by Jemma at Dorkface. There is going to be some html here, whenever I have HTML problems I ALWAYS go to Jem, she is an absolute queen at it and is so helpful and patient when I am always getting it wrong! ( go and tell her to start doing html tutorials!)

You need to go to: Settings -> posts and comments -> post template - ADD.

the past this ( don't forget to add your links!) ( if you don't want a picture don't add the first line(like me))

<center><img alt="post signature"src="YOUR LINK TO PIC HERE" /></center><p><br>

<center>Keep up to date with my latest posts by following me! :)<p><br>

<a href="YOUR LINK HERE"><u>Bloglovin</u></a> - <a href="YOUR LINK HERE"><u>Twitter</u></a> - <a href="YOUR LINK HERE"><u>Instagram</u></a> - <a href="YOUR LINK HERE"><u>Pinterest</u></a> - <a href="YOUR LINK HERE"><u>Facebook</u></a></center>

Let me know if these help!If you know any great tutorials let me know!

Ciao xo

Keep up to date with my latest posts by following me! :)
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Personal - Holiday & Blog update.

Hey everyone!

So, over the past few months I feel I have really managed to get into the swing of managing a blog, I will admit sometimes I have struggled to find something to post about, or I have had to rush a post ( i.e the ill week..) but I have really enjoyed it and seeing the views going up has just elated me to try even harder. Working a 9-5(ish) corporate job when you are a creative at heart can be very demoralising and running this blog has really helped me cope - secretly going through blogs and getting ideas ( I'm looking at you gh0stparties and nouvelle daily!!!) and getting excited about endless possibilities.

I have had a bit of a brainstorming sesh and I have just come up with so many idea's and plans that I want to put into this blog and really commit to it more then the twice a week I am posting and dedicate a lot more different types of posts - I am aware most of them are product reviews! I think I was a little scared to put myself out there but seeing that people; even if it is one or two a day or 25; reading my little thoughts has spurred me on and given me a confidence to go the whole hog and update more frequently. I think as well my posts/ pictures and writing style will start to synchronize over time to reflect my own style.

Now, from monday the next 3 weeks I shall be at home enjoying the rays and appreciating not having to answer a phone for 37.5 hours in the week. I won't implement my new plans but I am going to write up a couple of posts and set them to post on certain days( I haven't fully decided what posts and when - so you will need to check back for this) I know this is a bit of a cheat but it's that or nothing and I don't want my hard work to die down and like I said - I'm dedicated now! I just like to escape the internet as much as possible while I am home and truly get a break.

I am back on monday the 21st and from the Tuesday I will start planning and working on my new blog idea's so just to give you an insight:
M: VLOG - Monday is going to stay as a Vlog upload day!
T: Product review/ Trend posts (kinda thing.) I still want to review the products I am getting but I also want to focus every now and again on trends I am loving or even style I love - what happened to my style crushes?!
W: Outfit post. Fashion is a big thing for me and I really want to start featuring it more on my blog, I am not confident with my body and that's why I have been reluctant to do them but I want to break out my comfort zone and push myself, also now I do salsa I am getting back too late to dedicate to a full post so I wanted something easier to upload.
T:How to: how to do a nail look, how to do a hair style, how to style an accessory.... Thursdays are all about the mini how to's! Nothing over complicated because that would end up as a Vlog but the simpler ones I can explain in writing.
F: Make up look of the week. If there is a make up look I have done that week that I am proud of or a look I have attempted and it actually looks decent - I'll be blogging to let you know! ( Espcially the week I manage bigger and proper winged liner! )
S: VLOG - Originally I wanted to vlog twice a week but time didn't let me before but I have heaps of idea's I  think I will have the time to dedicate on a weekend to a second video.
S: Product review/feature - keeping it simple on a sunday, what I have already been doing!

What do you think of the new line up?? Anything you want me to feature or try let me know!
Ciao x

P.S look for some changes in the layout when I get back aswell! 

Blog Update

Heya guys!
TWO posts in a row! Basically yesterday I was looking at my blog and realised just how inconsistent it is. So I have decided that I am going to start trying to post twice a week- every Wednesday and Sunday.

I also decided that looking back on my older posts I don't know if my blog had a clear direction of what it was going to be so it's going to be a Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Blog. When I say lifestyle I mean things like advice, my views on certain things or even places i have been to I feel are worth mentioning to you all. So expect things like OOTD, Hauls, Make up Looks. Reviews and Lust haves - similar to before.

Once I start getting my Vlog going ( I am hoping next month) I will be vlogging every Monday and Thursday. So similar things OOTD, LookBooks, Style advice. Beauty looks, Hair looks, Hauls.... And I will do a link up blog post on here aswell so in a way I will be blogging 4 times a week!

Ciao bellas x