the importance of thanksgiving + what's coming up next for beauty & blazers

Happy Thanksgiving, amigos!! I love Thanksgiving because it’s totally acceptable to have a giant food baby and eat a million rolls (real talk though, I ate 6 rolls last year). On a less materialistic note, I also love Thanksgiving because I get to see all my family and it gives me an opportunity to remind myself to be thankful.

I’ve talked about gratitude a couple times before on the blog, but I really want to reiterate the importance of recognizing all the good things in your life and being thankful for them. I believe especially that people deserve recognition for the good they do, and that we should always, always be saying thank you.

I believe that we should tell people thank you for every little thing. I believe we should tell our friends “Hey, thanks for being my friend, you’re really cool,” on, like, a daily basis. I believe that we should say thank you to that one barista at Starbucks that always makes really good drinks. If you’re happy about something, if you’re thankful for something, just tell someone!

On the flip side, if you are on the receiving end of the thanks, acknowledge that! And, if you do something good, don’t expect that you’ll be thanked, but do it anyway.

As a believer, I also stand by that we need to be thankful to Christ, and to tell him that through prayer. Thank God for the really big things like your friends and family, but also remember to be thankful for the little things like the chicken nuggets you ate for dinner last night, or the hug your friend gave you when you were having a hard day.

Aside from all the Thanksgiving stuff, I would like to take this opportunity to tell y’all a little bit about the blog. FAM. It's been a hot minute since I've blogged, and to be honest, I had to force myself to sit down at this computer. I truly do love blogging, but I think the problem lies in that my blog as of right now is no longer a reflection of me. Beauty & Blazers was a beauty and fashion blog a little girl in 8th grade created so she would have something to fill her time with, but now I find as a junior in high school that I don't want to focus my blog on only beauty or fashion, and I have plenty of things to fill my time with, including a full scale photography business that I have to blog and do social media for in addition to this blog. That's why, in the new year, Beauty & Blazers will be undergoing a massive rebrand in which I'll be combining the blog with my photography stuff. I'll still blog about a lot of the normal topics I cover here, but the blog will have a new look, a new name, and a lot of photography based content. I'll also be combining all of my social media accounts so there won't be so many to handle at once. I'm really excited about this upcoming change, and excited for y'all to see it!!

100 things i love about blogging

Howdy y'all! I'm super excited about today because this is my 100th post!! I can't believe I've actually written that many posts and been blogging for this long. In honor of my 100th post, today I'm sharing 100 things I love about being a blogger.

1. How much it's helped me to grow my photography skills

2. Having sweet blog friends that encourage me and all my creative work

3. Twitter chats (shoutout to my #CreativeCoffeeHour and #GalPalChat fam)

4. Having access to analytics for all my social media accounts (business accounts are the best)

5. Learning to use Adobe programs like Photoshop and Lightroom

6. Being introduced to so many cool photographers' work

7. Getting to do more design stuff

8. Learning about coding and HTML (even if it does make my brain hurt)

9, Getting to work with really interesting companies

10. Webinars

11. Facebook groups (Gal Pal Girl Gang is the cutest thing I've ever been a part of)

12. Justifying my intense Pinterest surfing by saying that it's for the blog

13. Telling people about what I do

14. The feeling you get when you hit publish on a post you're really proud of

15. Feeling productive even if I'm just sitting in front of a computer all day

16. The fact that blogging can be mobile (Work outside anyone?)

17. Supporting other bloggers

18. Getting a notification that someone commented on one of my posts

19. Blogging communities like She Can

20. Being able to use excessive hashtags and not feel guilty about it

21. The fact that I can write about literally whatever I want

22. The business skills I've gained

23. The fact that blogging gave me the courage and skills to start my own photography business

24. The exciting feeling when you know you've taken a really good flatlay

25. People randomly coming up to me at school and talking to me about my blog

26. Following other bloggers on SnapChat (bloggers always have their Snap game on point)

27. Making post graphics

28. Finding my blogging voice

29. The sense of confidence I've gained

30. Finding lots of gorgeous free fonts

31. Creative Market weekly freebies

32. Figuring out how I want to portray myself as a blogger

33. When my Instagram feed looks bangin'

34. Feeling like I have something to do every day

35. Having the resources to learn something new every day

36. Getting to encourage other bloggers when they're slaying the game

37. Editing blog pictures

38. Having a whole folder on my phone dedicated to blogging

39. When I have a really successful brainstorm session

40. When a random idea pops into my head and I know it's going to be a good one

41. Editorial calendars

42. Justifying my excessive love for stationary by saying that I need it for the blog

43. My "Blogging Day" Francesca's mug

44. Feeling like I'm making an impact when I write about something important to me (especially the #ENDALZ movement)

45. When I can convince my sister to help me shoot for outfit posts

46. Getting neat free resources by email from other bloggers

47. Meeting my snail mail pal, Faith

48. Linkups

49. Doing cool stuff like Blogger Secret Santa

50. Writing seasonal/holiday posts

51. The sense of accomplishment I get when I finish a post I worked really hard on

52. Listening to Spotify while I write and finding new music (shoutout to Discover Weekly)

53. Learning about cool products and services because somebody else wrote about it

54. Always knowing when there's a good sale happening (thanks @ fashion bloggers)

55. Finding new people to follow on Instagram

56. Knowing that if I have a question I'll always be able to find someone to answer it

57. The community wide obsession with cool pool floaties, mugs, and gorgeous planners

58. Having friends spread all across the country

59. Always knowing where I can find a good gift guide

60. Getting lots of good Netflix suggestions with just one tweet

61. List posts

62. Knowing that in the future I'll get to be a part of the college blogging community

63. Brainstorming blog ideas when I'm bored in school

64. Being challenged to do better by the community around me

65. Always having something I can be working on

66. Keeping myself on track by writing monthly goal posts

67. Seeing the steady growth in my traffic

68. Figuring out something to write about after I've had blogger's block

69. Always having people to obsess with over fonts and photos

70. Seeing how much better my content has gotten over the years

71. Knowing that the skills I've gained while blogging are lifelong assets

72. When I can apply a blogging skill to real life

73. The feeling of accomplishment when my Hootsuite dashboard is full of scheduled tweets

74. Finding good walls to take pictures of when I travel

75. The insane number of Southern bloggers

76. Finding yummy recipes from other bloggers

77. Getting to share other bloggers' work

78. PRINTABLES

79. Pre-writing dance parties

80. Post-writing dance parties

81. Break time dance parties (I like to dance a lot)

82. The community wide obsession with the Target Dollar Spot

83. Having a whole section of my planner dedicated to blogging

84. How much time I have to blog during the summer or on breaks from school

85. The satisfaction of having posts pre-written and scheduled for weeks in advance

86. ALL THE DISCOUNT CODES

87. How encouraging our community is

88. Knowing that if I tried hard enough I could make a career out of blogging (I'm not planning on it but it's still nice to know)

89. Knowing that if I make content I'm not proud of I don't have to publish it

90. Checking off items on my to-do list

91. Knowing so many cool #GIRLBOSSES

92. The whole concept of having a blog bestie

93. No one will judge me for my entire wardrobe being gingham

94. Reading books by bloggers for bloggers

95. Spending hours working and feeling like it's only been a few minutes

96. Being able to make my own schedule

97. #f3a186 (the color code I use for pretty much everything)

98. FLATLAYS

99. Helping new bloggers

100. Being able to do so many things that I love every day

Bloggers, what do you love about what you do?

Have a great day!

Follow me on:
Twitter: @beautynblazers
Instagram: @beautynblazers
Pinterest: Alison H. (@beautynblazers)
Facebook: Beauty & Blazers
VSCO: alison_h

Contact me at:
beautyandblazers@gmail.com

*Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored or endorsed in any way and all opinions expressed are my own.*

2015 year in review

Howdy y'all! With this being the last post of 2015 (!!!!!!!), I thought we could take a little trip down memory lane. Here's my 2015 year in review.

In January, I was trying to get back in to blogging (and failing miserably, I might add). The only thing I posted all month was a recipe for these Cowboy Cookies.

In February I did a little better with two posts. In the first I made these cute little Valentines, and in the second I ranted about how much I didn't like this mascara. 

March had another two posts which I'm honestly not too proud of. I could have put more effort into these for sure. Read a standardized testing pep talk and how to redo your room on a budget at the links.

April was also kind of a gross month for B&B. While I put a lot of effort into these posts, I really wasn't all that happy with them. After Easter I posted 3 recipes to use all of your leftover eggs and some of the tunes I was listening to at the time.

In May I was so stressed about school that I decided to take the month off, which I regret immensely. My finals were not all that bad that semester, and I definitely could have used that time to be growing my blog.

Towards the end of June I started coming back strong with a recipe for Firecracker Flag Cakes. This was also the time I started applying myself to research and engage in the blogging community.

In July I didn't miss a single post! This was a huge step for me as a blogger because I was beginning to show real commitment to my blog. I first posted a summer lookbook along with my love letter to blogging, a post about my time at church camp, and an ootd.

In August I wrote 3 posts that I LOVED. The first was a post about gratitude, a message I think is one of the most important to spread. The second was a Breckenridge travel guide along with a few of the pictures I took there. Finally I posted some of the outfits I wore on my first week back at school.

September was another pretty good month for B&B. I saw a lot of progress in my traffic due to my engagement in the community, and I was pretty happy with my posts. I wrote about what I was watching on Netflix, my top 6 favorite blogs at the time, an outfit I wore to a wedding, and how I used my planner.

October was the month I switched from one post a week, to two. I started my Currently Coveting series, was nominated to do the Liebester Award, shared my struggle with being motivated, put together a fall ootd, participated in the Gal Pal Holiday linkup with a post on what to do on Halloween, even if you aren't a fan, and shared what I carry in my purse.

In November I began documenting my monthly goals so that I could stay accountable and created this easy DIY editorial calendar. I ranted to you all about how much I love water, continued the Currently Coveting series, and told a story about the time I took pictures on the field of AT&T Stadium. Finally, I started getting into the holiday spirit with my first gift guide of the season, and another Gal Pal Holiday post.

I kicked off December with my monthly goals and 25 random facts about me. I shared another gift guide, a new installment in Currently Coveting, and a Gal Pal Holiday post on my Christmas playlist. I participated in the Blogger Secret Santa linkup and wrote about how you can transform your blogging mindset. I finish December with this post.

My year started off as a pile of crap. I was not happy with my blog, and my posts reflected that. I know everyone says it, but it really is true that you NEED to be involved in the blogging community for a successful blog. I am so proud of the amount of progress I have made this year, and hope that I can continue to grow in 2016.

Thank you all so much for supporting Beauty & Blazers and encouraging me along the way. I am truly so grateful to have found all of these amazing people with such incredible work ethics and can't wait to continue to work with y'all.

You rock my socks,

Follow me on:

Twitter: @beautynblazers

Instagram: @beautynblazers

Pinterest: Alison H. (@beautynblazers)

Facebook: Beauty & Blazers

VSCO: alison_h

Contact me at:

beautyandblazers@gmail.com

*Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored or endorsed in any way and all opinions expressed are my own.*

4 steps to take your blogging mindset from 'ew' to 'woo!'

Howdy y'all! I can't believe that there are only two posts left of 2015, and that I am fast approaching my 3 YEAR blogging anniversary!!! It is absolutely insane to me that I've been doing it this long - it seems like just a few months ago little 13 year old Alison sat down to write her first post. But, I'll quit being cheesy now and get on with some content! This morning I wanted to talk to y'all about blogging, and how your mindset can shape your experience blogging, as well as that of your reader.

Some say the writing is what defines the blog, others photography, design, content, engagement. These are all important factors in blogging, but the way you execute all of them stems from your mindset. How you see yourself as a blogger, how you see your blog, and how you see your readers.

We all have those days where we just want to reschedule the post, skip the Twitter chat, and go watch and unholy amount of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix - and that's fine. But if you're sitting down every day and thinking 'I hate this,' then you've got a problem. Here are some steps to take your blogging mindset from 'ew', to 'WOO!'.

Write content that you are genuinely excited about. Yeah, you're probably staring at your screen saying "Duh, Alison," but there are times that I write a post just because I need a post, and those are always the times I wish I was doing anything else. When I write something I'm truly passionate about, I get SO excited to share it and promote it and tell other people how passionate I am about this thing!! Also, your readers can definitely see when you are, or when you aren't happy with a blog post. I personally, as a reader, am drawn to blog posts where the author is happy to be writing what they're writing - this is especially noticeable in bloggers who only write sponsored posts. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a few sponsored posts, but when that is literally all you write, and you only seem excited about one or two of the products you promote, it turns off your reader.

Look to blogs you admire to get you all fired up. You have to be a little careful with this one, because sometimes it leads to the comparison game, and we all know what that does to blogging morale. However, having someone to look up to encourages me to keep getting better, and to always try harder.

Be consistent and plan ahead. I find that when I've planned in advance, it's always easier to get a post done with a positive attitude. Also, keeping a consistent calendar helps you to create a good schedule for yourself, just like with a sleep or exercise schedule. Basically, if you know what's going to happen before it happens, you can make it happen.

Don't overdo it. When I was a new blogger, like when I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, I tried to schedule myself to write 4 posts A WEEK. And it couldn't be just any post either - each day had a theme, so I was confined to what I could write. While this isn't out of reach for a full time blogger, for a 13 year old who also had to balance school and extracurriculars, and who had no frame of reference, this was completely out of reach. I guarantee, you won't be motivated to get stuff done if there's too much stuff to do.

Hopefully these simple steps will help you to rethink how you write your blog, to make it something you're super duper excited about!! How do you keep a positive attitude about blogging? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great day!

Follow me on:
Twitter: @beautynblazers
Instagram: @beautynblazers
Pinterest: Alison H. (@beautynblazers)
Facebook: Beauty & Blazers
VSCO: alison_h

Contact me at:
beautyandblazers@gmail.com

*Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored or endorsed in any way and all opinions expressed are my own.*

diy editorial calendar for bloggers

Howdy y'all! I recently created an editorial calendar for my blog to keep everything on track, and I am in love with it!! It makes everything so much easier to keep straight in my head, and I think it looks pretty darn cute. Here's how I created an easy, effective, and visually pleasing editorial calendar for bloggers.

For the paper, I just used some kraft wrapping paper that I got at Target, but you can probably find it at most craft stores. My unit of measurement was Post It Notes, so I made it 5X6 with a little extra room at the top to write the month. Making it this way meant that I wouldn't be able to make the days fall right under each other like a normal calendar. I don't mind it, but if you aren't a fan you can always turn the paper horizontally and try it that way.

I did it all in pencil to start with, but when I was ready to make more defined lines, I used washi tape to separate the horizontal lines, and Sharpie to separate it by day. Then I wrote in the dates. I wrote the day of the week on each one as well so I could differentiate since they aren't in columns. To finish off the actual calendar, I hand lettered the month into that space at the top and decorated it a little. I'm not particularly fond of how my lettering came out looking this month, but I love the rest off it!

Finally, just hang it up and get to scheduling! I use post it notes because they're so easy to move around if I need to. If it's a post I just write the post title and what I need to do to get it ready, and if it's an event or social media engagement, like all those #CreativeCoffeeHour post-its I've got up there ;), I write the event or workshop and the time it starts.

That's it! A super easy, effective, and adorable editorial calendar has really been working well to keep me organized, especially when we're in the middle of the busiest time of year. What do you use to keep yourself organized? Also, if you decide to make a calendar like this, make sure to let me know on Twitter or Instagram! I would love to hear from ya'!

Have a great day!

liebester award

Howdy y'all! This week I'm writing an extra post because I was nominated to do the Liebester Award by Meg from Frizzy Teapot. I'm super excited that she included me because I've never done a post like this before! 

How to do it:
1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the 10 questions you were given by your nominator
3. Nominate 10 new blogs with 10 new questions.
4. Comment on your nominee's blog with a link back to your post.

1. Mascara or eyeliner?
This is a hard one for me!! I love wearing eyeliner, but I'd have to say mascara is more important, because I look weird with out it.

2. What is your favorite musical artist at the moment?
Another hard one! Lately my taste has been all over the place but I really love Twenty One Pilots. It took me a while to get into their music, but once I got over the initial shock, I fell in love.

3. Who is your inspiration?
I can't really pinpoint my inspiration down to one person. In a blogging sense, obviously it's other bloggers (find out who my top 6 favorite blogs are here) but as a general rule I would have to say my church family inspires me more than anything else. I am encouraged and lifted up daily by these loving and godly people and I don't know what I would do without them.

4. Where is your favorite place in the world?
Texas of course!! I will forever be filled to the brim with Texas pride. In particular I love central Texas and hill country because it's so beautiful there and because of the awesome cultural aspects.

5. What are you most excited about this week?
This week is my school's homecoming spirit week, which means PAJAMA DAY! I bought some super fun pj's at Target and they have dinosaurs on them. :) Also, FOOTBALL!

6. What is your favorite beauty brand?
Benefit all the way! Their products are so so great and don't even get me started on how cute their branding is!

7. What is an outfit you are most proud of?
A few weeks ago I styled this cute outfit for a wedding that I did a whole post on! Check it out here. 

8. Are there any products you're obsessing over right now?
When are there not! I actually wrote a whole post about products I've been wanting last week which you can find here, but in terms of products I actually own, my mom just got beautiful purple nail polish in one of her subscription boxes and I am #obsessed. 

9. What is your favorite food?
Cheeseburger dry with pickles only please! Or Chick-Fil-A. Really just feed me and I'm good to go.

10. When did you start blogging?
I started blogging about 2 years ago at the ripe age of 13 (ew). I didn't really get into it though until September of 2013, and even then I really stunk at it. I would say my blog is just now starting to bear some sort of resemblance to what I want it to be.

I nominate:
Sarah from sarahcamille.co
Courtney from theeverydayelegance.com
Paulina from navystripedpeonies.com
Amanda from amandajpaterson.com
Alyssa from alyssamopia.com
Ana from dearanaaa.com
Lindsee from thegingerlife1.wordpress.com
Jenny from breakfastatlillys.com
Courtney from aswestumblealong.com
Neely from itstartswithcoffee.com

Questions for those mentioned above:
1. What is your dream job (blogging or otherwise)?
2. What is your favorite candy?
3. Why and when did you start blogging?
4. What is your all time favorite movie?
5. What is something that makes you smile?
6. Cat or dog?
7. What is your best piece of advice for bloggers (old or new)?
8. Who is your favorite blogger/s at the moment?
9. What do you love about where you live (city, state, country, whatever!)?
10. What is your dream vacation destination?

my top 6 favorite blogs

Howdy y'all! Get ready, because today I'm talking about some of the most rockin' blogs that have ever happened... Otherwise known as my current top 6 favorite blogs.

Classy Cathleen was one of the first blogs I ever read and I LOVE it. It's so encouraging to see someone the same age as me writing a blog, and writing one so well (read her post on what it's like to be a 15 year old blogger here). Also, her Pinterest is actually my everything.

Wonderlass is another one of my faves because Allison has such a defined voice and brand. She has a post for pretty much any problem a blogger could ever have which is SOOOO helpful for someone like me who is new to the technical side of things. Not to mention her name is Allison too, which makes her 100 times cooler than the average person ;)

Helene in Between has been one that I've really been getting into lately. Helene's "Get Paid to Blog" webinar was super-duper encouraging and definitely lit a fire under me. She also has a ton of posts including several posts about post ideas!

The Nectar Collective is one that I actually just found. I saw her webinar "Social Media Superheros" and LOVED all of her advice! Since watching that, I've been doing really well in terms of keeping up with social media. Her branding is so, so good and she has a butt-ton of great posts for bloggers.

The Swirl Blog (who I just shouted out in my last post) is so cute! They have great content and their blog design is definitely on point. Also, Gabby and Hannah are so sweet!

Stylish Petite is another one of my all time faves. Annie has such a feminine and classy style that I absolutely love (no, but really, I'm obsessed). I adore her simple blog design and that she is always looking for sales to share.

I hope y'all have enjoyed getting to know about a few of my favorite blogs. Do you have any favorites that I didn't mention (Yes, your favorite can be your own blog ;))? If so, make sure to link it in the comments below!

Have a great day!

love letter to blogging

Howdy y'all! The other day I was looking at Cathleen Slagle's blog, and saw her Love Letter to Blogging post. I absolutely loved the idea, so here I am writing one!

I started my blog in 2013 after a distant cousin started hers. I loved reading that blog and wanted to start my own. When I did, I was young and naive {says dramatically} and thought that copying and pasting my pins from Pinterest and writing commentary on them was okay. The horror! Eventually I realized writing actual content was probably a good idea, so I started on that. Now I'm not saying that it was good content, but it was a start.

My content started getting better in around September of 2014 after I bought my camera, Penelope, {she's a Nikon D3200} and started learning more about blogging.

I've taken several breaks, but I always come back for more because I love it. My blog is something I'm proud of. I love when family and friends bring it up, telling me they've been reading it. I love the feeling of publishing a new post and being so proud of it. I love staying up late so I can get things done before they go live. I love learning about HTML and the magic that happens when you enter a code correctly. {No but really, the HTML thing is so cool} I love having every notebook I own full of blog ideas - including in the middle of my school notes.

This blog is something I want to always be a part of me. To always have a place I can go and write about what ever the heck I want. I'm not the best in social situations, but through my blog I have a voice. When I meet people, the first thing I want them to know about me is that I'm a blogger, because this is where I can really share what I love without being scared. I've learned a lot from the blogging community as well. Everyone is so willing to share what they know and to help others.

In May of this past year, I celebrated my 2 year blogging anniversary. I still can't believe it has been that long. I look forward to many more years with Beauty & Blazers and can't wait to see what's to come.

Thank y'all so much for reading! If you've written a love letter to your blog, or want to write one, let me know in the comments below so I can read it!