Livin' and Lovin' for 2 Years feat. Favorite Posts and What Blogging Has Done for Me

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME! Livin' and Lovin' has been my baby for the past two years, and although the past few months have been so rough for me, I couldn't be more blessed to have the opportunity to do what I do and to have had the opportunities I've had as a result of my blog. I have met so many great people and had so many doors opened for me because of my blog; I could not be more thankful for the support that I've had along the way. 
I did a huge giveaway last year, but with all the changes going on in my life over the past few weeks, I figured that I should just look back on some of my favorite posts and talk about what blogging has done for me, not only professionally but personally as well. 
My Top 3 Favorite Posts:  Pocahontas Look

This was my first makeup look that I did on this blog, and I was quite pleased with it for my first time! I love using makeup to transform my look in general, and being able to publish this felt great for me. 
Gamer Girlfriend Problems

One of the things about my blog that I think makes me stand out is my connection to the gaming world because of my boyfriend, Darell. I like playing video games, but I don't play his favorite game, League of Legends. This is the post that started all of my #gamergfprobs posts on the blog. 

Relationship Tips from Every Stage: Single, Dating, Engaged, Married

Hands down, this is my favorite post to date. I wrote this post just in time for Valentine's Day this year. I shared tips from people in different stages of relationships (including singles!) that they've all learned in their own experiences. This post definitely renewed my love and passion for telling stories, and I hope to continue doing so. 
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What Blogging Has Done for Me: When I first started blogging two years ago, I didn't realize just how many doors would be opened for me and what I would learn about myself as a result. I could not be more blessed. 
I have met great people, attended posh events, had great job opportunities, and just have had so much fun investing all the time and energy that I have into this blog. Blogging has also showed me that I can do more with communication and journalism than just blogging and writing. It has opened me up to the world of social media and that entire industry. 
I was into social media before blogging, but after I started this blog I realize how vital it is for a brand or business of any sort to utilize it to their advantage. In the past few months I have been working on my own social media and helping out brands and businesses with their own to help them grow and succeed as well. 
Blogging has even showed me things outside of blogging like the kinds of workouts I like! Through my blog I discovered my love for aerial silks and am taking classes for it weekly as a result. 
I've also met great people, including now one of my really good real life friends, Raewyn from Be a Warrior Queen.
So blogging has been quite the adventure over the past two years but it has been well worth it. I'm excited for what will come up of my blog in the years to come! Whether you have been with me since the beginning or just discovered my blog, thank you for your support over the past 2 years. I appreciate you. 

Let's Get Sentimental: A Look Back + New Blog Goals

So yesterday was my blog's official first anniversary date. I decided to keep yesterday's post pretty short because I know people wanted to enter my giveaway and not read about past posts from my blog! Haha shoot, I probably would be the same way too if I were on another blog.

Anyway, so today I wanted to get a little sentimental and talk a little bit about my blog from the past year. No, I won't go into some emotional rant, but I just want to share some of my favorite blog posts from the past year then look at what I've accomplished through my blog and what I want to accomplish in the next year.

My Favorite Blog Posts by Category: 

Fashion:

DIY: Denim Shorts from Dad Jeans: I had a lot of fun with this DIY and it is also one of my most popular posts of all time! If you want to turn your old jeans into denim shorts, check out this post!

Two Ways to Wear: Tribal Print Crop Top: I wrote this post back when I was part of Macy's Campus Tour a couple months back, and I just had so much fun with it! I loved putting the outfits together and writing the post. 

My Blog's First Anniversary + A GIVEAWAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG! Livin' and Lovin' Blog is finally a year old! I can't believe I've already made it to one year with this baby of mine, and it's amazing. It's been an amazing first year with this blog, and I'm so thankful to every single one of you for supporting me over the course of the past year despite the many changes this blog has seen.

I started getting back into blogging and taking it more seriously a little over a year ago on Tumblr. I quickly moved onto Blogger and recreated my blog as Through the Eyes of a Cali Girl a year ago today. At the end of October I changed my blog's name to Livin' and Lovin' Blog because I felt like it fit me better. Long story short, that's how I got to where I am today.

Livin' and Lovin' Blog banners throughout the past year

Unfortunately, I don't have screen shots of my blog in the past year, but here are the three banners I've had (including my current one) to show how my blog has changed throughout the past year.

It's always pretty awesome to get to a birthday or anniversary and reflect on how far you came in the past year. And with this blog, it's really been a rollercoaster and I've really fallen in love with this blog and all the hard work I've put into it.

But anyway, enough of the sentimental stuff for now. I'll save the rest of it for tomorrow. Now it's time for the reason you are all probably here: A GIVEAWAY!

So You Want to Start a Blog? Part 2

My last post on starting a blog, "So You Want to Start a Blog?" was so popular, here are 5 more tips for starting a blog! If you want to follow these tips more in-depth with some freebies, check out my FREE "I Want to Start a Blog" course!

*Note: this post was updated April 2017.

1. Decide where you want to go with the blog.

By this, I mean that you should have a clear vision with what you want to do with your blog, whether you want to turn it into a business someday or if it is simply just a hobby where you share your interests.

Knowing from the start what you want to do with your blog in the future will affect the types of things that you post and the way you are going to run your blog in the future. And if you decide you want to turn your blog into a business someday, you don't have to start that now. Building up a blog takes time, and for everyone, the time it takes to start using their blog as a business is different.

**Another note I want to add is that if you want to blog for business, do not forget to have some authenticity in your posts. People will see right away if you are just trying to make money or if you really care about what you are talking about.

Blog Anniversary + Giveaway + New Link-Up Announcement!

This is me being excited for you guys.

So I have a few very exciting things to share with you all regarding my blog.

ONE: My blog's anniversary is next week on Thursday, May 29th! In honor of this huge milestone, I'll be having a week of posts about my blog and all that jazz.

TWO: On top of that, I will be hosting a giveaway with tons of other bloggers to give away a total of 5 prizes! Keep an eye out for that because blogger or not, guy or girl, there is a chance for everyone to win!

THREE: I will be hosting my first-ever link-up! This announcement is a huge part of the reason for this post because I will be explaining the gist of it and previewing it here.