Blogging | Tips for beating a slump

We've all, as bloggers, been there. Some more than others, i.e. me once every few weeks. Sometimes it feels as though there is just no beating it - you want to throw the towel in, declare everything in the world that is worth writing has already been written and close down your little corner of the web for good. Believe me I've had this thought more than you may think and it gets especially difficult when other areas of your life begin to take over! Today, however, is not one of those days. Today I'm feeling motivated, but I wanted to take a moment and give a shout out to those of you out there damning the blinking of that cursor, screaming, crying and throwing fits at your device, and those of you who are on the precipice of throwing the digital towel in.

Here are some of my top tips on 'beating' a blogging slump;

Take a break and don't be ashamed;
It can be tempting to apologise to readers when you take a break, but remember your reasons for starting this blog, as a hobby, as an enjoyable way to express your love or dislike for something, or even just to pass the time! As long as you don't have a specific obligation to advertisers or promoters that particular day / week / month then you're quite entitled to a break.

Schedule as far as you can when you're feeling it;
On a good day I can get myself sorted for a solid month in advance, which of course allows me some leeway to have a 'break' if I so choose. So what if one week I'm just not feeling it? I know there's still a post going up every Wednesday and Friday for at least four weeks - and trust me kids there's no better feeling than being organised (yes I realise this makes me sound 'boring' but I'm sipping on my coffee chilling while you're losing your minds over lighting!)

Think about you - not digital you;What do you fancy doing today? Relaxing at home with some Netflix? Chilling with your cat? Or hell going on  an adventure. Think about yourself minus the blog, minus the social media and run with it - and if you've got the time to blog, great, and if not who cares?!

Needless to say this is all much easier said than done - but if you're anything like me then simply seeing things written down can give me a nudge in the right direction. Whether that's the direction of the sofa or the direction of my blog it doesn't matter.

Hopefully from this post you have found what you're looking for, words of encouragement, the realization that a break is just what the doctor ordered or maybe even a kick up the backside, be sure to leave all your tips and hints for beating a blogging slump in the comments below, else you can find me lurking on all of the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Words of Wisdom | Some of the Worst Life Advice I've ever followed

This post was prompted though looking back at some of my more questionable life decisions and looking through some throwback pictures from 2007 onwards (I still have and love big hair so #noregrets there!) Today I therefore thought I would share some of my more embarrassing moments and some of the worst advice I sadly chose to follow throughout my youth and teenage years.

'Wear a bra two sizes smaller so your boobs look bigger' - courtesy of a flat chested friend.
This is something I genuinely did for a period of time when I was about 16 / 17 I stocked up on bras that were simply way, way too small for me in an effort to make my (already pretty sizable) boobs look even bigger. I'm not sure whether I was going for the Dolly Parton look or what between my babydoll dresses, big boobs and giant hair but either way this was so uncomfortable and not to mention quite bad for my back so if any younger ladies are out there reading this - heed my warnings!

'Get a better pout by pulling and stretching the corners of your mouth for one minute each day' - courtesy of either Mizz or Bliss magazine.

I actually remember reading this article when I was younger, it revolved around how to get boys to like you (I was about 12 at the time) and this was genuinely one of their tips. I remember it as if it were yesterday, I used to sit after eating my coco pops before school and pull at the corners of my mouth to achieve the perfect pout - needless to say that while this is safer than the Kylie Jenner lip challenge I've since found more effective and less painful ways to improve my pout.

'Drinking black coffee will sober you up' - courtesy of the friend who led me astray.

The first time I ever had an alcoholic beverage with my friends I freaked so hard (internally of course I had to maintain my ever cool exterior and rep...ahem) and they all agreed they'd be going home to down black coffee. Despite being an avid coffee lover and regular coffee drinker this did nothing for me and if anything the terrible 30p a bottle cider mixed something awful with the black coffee and made me feel ill - not one to replicate.

Sadly this is not the end of the list as we've only begun to see the tip of the iceberg when it comes to life advice I have naively followed throughout the years so let's simply call this part 1 of what I imagine will be many, many more posts of a similar nature.

What has been some of the worst advice you have ever received or followed? I'd love it if you'd leap out with me on to this branch of shame, embarassment and general throwback fondness. Be sure to leave some of your advice in the comments section below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to wait on tender hooks for embarassing life advice part 2 then be sure to keep up with me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks,

H.Elizabeth x

Buying your first home | 6 Things to consider

Since publishing our new home post just last month I have been pretty inundated with emails and messages asking for advice on buying your first home - a topic, which despite having underwent the whole mortgage process quite recently, I am still a bit sketchy on myself (my other half is a financial jargon wizard - thank goodness lest I be out on the streets begging for lipstick money!) But there are a few things I have picked up and learned along the way which you yourself may want to consider before buying your first ever home.

Expect it to take double the length of time you at first think

We visited the banks (every single bank who offers a mortgage) at the end of May / beginning of June. We then started looking at houses back throughout June, with the thoughts of finding our dream home around July and going through the process of applying for a mortgage end of July / August and moving in by the time September rolls around.... that was wishful thinking. 

There are lots of people involved in your mortgage going through, where finding the house was relatively quick for us there were lots of other parties who unfortunately dragged their feet. From the housing agent communicating with the buyer regarding our numerous offers, to our poor solicitor trying to get a straight answer from our mortgage providers solicitors, you've got to wonder if it's a case of too many cooks? Either way we made it JUST in time for our rental lease ending at the beginning of September which made our move very quick, very stressful and now we're VERY thankful it's over.

Try to see beyond the existing decor

It can be quite disheartening when you see a house you thought online looked perfect and may just be 'the one' in person and it just doesn't have that quality you thought (i.e. perfectly instagrammable photography and a lighting crew fit for Beyonce) Sometimes you have to compromise and see past the present tenants decor. So orange walls aren't for you? Try to imagine it with plain white walls and look at it as a space to make your own rather than a ready made home.

Always read the home report thoroughly and learn to decipher potential issues I remember when we were looking at houses I fell in love with one in the same area we are in now. It was perfect, the decor didn't need changing, hard wood floors throughout the downstairs and the bedroom spaces were to die for. I thought I had found my one at least, perfect. On the surface. After a browse of the home report the house was found to be needing a new roof in the next year or so, have damp issues throughout and there was a chance the heating and electrics would have to be redone... perhaps not so perfect after all.

Don't jump in and spend more than you can afford

So you've been to the banks and it's fantastic news, they can lend you all the money you had budgeted for AND more, but that doesn't mean that's what you can necessarily afford. The banks are letting you know that if you stripped yourself of all luxury, that's right, no more Nandos or Netflix and you can pretty much kiss goodbye to the bus pass that'll be getting you to and from town, then that's what you can realistically afford.

Too often I've seen people jumping in with the biggest loan from the banks only to get into their lovely house only to find they can't afford to make it a home. Be sensible, not greedy.

It doesn't have to be Pinterest worthy right away

You know in the movies where the couple move into their new home and everything is perfect straight away and they can just start going about their days just like that? Yeah I'm still sorting our house out. From buying (me) and building (Nick) furniture, organising wardrobes, cupboards, keeping fridges and freezers ticking over and the cleaning (my god it's constant) in addition to getting the family pet (Marble) settled in

Budget, budget, budget
I never, ever, thought I would say this but I don't know where I would be without (Nicks) spreadsheets. Write down all of your monthly bills, mortgage, electricity, gas, council tax and of course all of your expenditures, food , phone bill, cinema passes, travel expenses and whatever you've got leftover each month is what you can save and put towards new furniture, decorating or even just a little treat for yourself.

I hope this, relatively long post has given you a bit of an insight into my mortgage experience anyway and perhaps even helped you understand what your next steps might be if you are looking to buy your first home. I'd love to do another one of these maybe on the process of looking at houses or even the process of buying (though that may not be for the faint hearted!) Let me know if you have any questions you'd like me to answer in a follow up post or if you'd just enjoy reading one of my famed 'people are rubbish' rants.

You can otherwise catch me lurking on the usual channels for example Twitter, having a rant, Instagram, having a pose (where there will also be a cat by the way...) and Bloglovin, doing what I do best.

Until next time folks, happy house hunting.

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | Starting your own blog

Sounds pretty basic right? Don't you just start writing and press post? Well yes and no,  you'd be surprised how many non starter blogs I have had throughout my life, simply because I was so overwhelmed with the amount of work it can actually take just to get started. From the earlier days of piczo to various wordpress and blogger platforms I've seen 'em all! I have tampered with writing a film review blog, dabbled in beauty tutorials and even tried my hand at keeping a virtual diary, but somehow it's only Granite City Girl that has stuck. So from my wealth of failures, experiences and general blogging knowlege, here are my top tips, pointers and unsolicited advice for starting your own blog and more importantly, keeping it going!

Take your time and work from the ground up

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when you're starting out is rushing into blogging, particularly when you are bursting with bright new ideas, you could be in danger of just emptying your head all at once on to a web page and suddenly you're left feeling a bit depleted. In fact you'll see when I first started Granite City Girl this happened around the second month of posting and it's just a big ole mess! Take an afternoon, make yourself a cup of tea and write down your first few blog post ideas in a notebook, decide on your own schedule (you can read more about post scheduling here) and build from there. 

Find a user friendly platform you are comfortable with 

Usually you'll find yourself falling into one of two blogging platforms, Wordpress or Blogger (the latter is what I use) Sometimes writing can be the easy part, especially if you're not quite so tech savvy and coding gives you the willies! Don't give yourself another barrier, keep it simple and find what works best for you and build from the ground up, and please, please, don't throw money at your blog right away, research, read and educate yourself.

Speak to your fellow bloggers

This is something I wish I had known and had the gumption to do when I first started out. As much as it may sometimes feel like it, blogging isn't one big race or competition and your fellow bloggers are your greatest allies and more importantly teachers when it comes to starting your own blog. It might be a friend, family member or even a co worker who runs their own blog, pick their brains, ask them their big dos and don'ts, hell ask how they got invited to that amazing event and what their writing process is (isn't that such a pretentious phrase?) They do say you never stop learning and don't be a fool by thinking blogging is any different.

This all feels like advice I wish I had had before starting my own blog so I do hope this helps someone out there at least. Are you thinking of starting your own blog, or maybe you're a seasoned blogger with even more tips to share for the newbies out there, either way be sure to leave all of your thoughts, comments, experiences and tricks below! Otherwise you can catch up with me and my latest posts and musings on Twitter or Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, 

H.Elizabeth

Blogging Pet Peeves | A Rant by Granite City Girl

As a blogger and human being of this particular generation I read a lot of blogs. Through the use of social media and tools such as Bloglovin, technology has enabled me to discover some amazing writing talent, experience the wider world and dare I say live vicariously through my favourite bloggers, but sometimes you'll come across a piece of writing, design or blog in general that makes you question all that you know about the world; and I'm not talking total worldly enlightenment I'm talking, aah the humanity!!! Okay so as you know I may be one to exaggerate but if it helps get my point across then that's really all that matters. In light of my recent burst blood vessel(s) paroosing the twittersphere and blogosphere I thought I would share some of my top blogging pet peeves and just say, stop it!

Image Credit: Pinterest

There have been so many blog posts detailing why this is wrong so I won't go into all of the gory details all I will say however is that this is theft and is a crime against copyright laws. Yes it may make your blog look very pretty, professional even, that is in fact because it came from a professional bloggers post! This makes my index fingers curl up inside my body that's how great a peeve it is for me, it is an automatic 'unfollow' and discredit to your blog. If you want to learn a bit more about image crediting, blogging and copyright you should have a read of Forever Amber's post here.

Scheduled Promo Overload

Last week I unfollowed somebody on Twitter for posting 15 (yes you read that right 15!) promotions for the same post in a row on Twitter. Don't get me wrong, scheduling is sometimes an amazing thing, a fantastic promotions tool for bloggers, but if you're posting the same Tweet at say hourly intervals someone is bound to notice (FYI that someone is me!) for me it's off putting as I like to feel as if I'm having a conversation with the blogger but it's obvious that particular person is switched off and just happy enough to post out automated messages.

Twitter Auto Responses
Bleh, the ultimate form of shameless social media poaching, you know the ones I mean, 'Hi thank you for following me on Twitter, why not follow my blog too,' with sickly, sugary x's and o's. Again it's so impersonal and isn't the entire point of blogging to share your views with the world, open up a dialogue and meet new people. After extensive research and attempting to open up a dialogue with the particulars who have these auto responses I can confirm they are not interested.

So this may have disgressed int more of a social media scheduling, response, twitter rant but it kind of links to blogging right? I'd love to know what your biggest blogging pet peeves are or even social media peeves, in fact just use the space below to have a good old rant, those are my favourites as you can probably tell. Be sure NOT to send me your auto responses on Twitter or spam me with your promos (grrrr internal screaming) but quick plug if you do enjoy my rants and ravings be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, screaming internally at all of the blogging blunders.

H.Elizabeth x

Nip + Fab | Bee Sting Fix Eye Cream Review

When I first heard the news that you are never considered to be too young to be wearing eye cream I panicked, 'oh my goodness my poor peepers they're doomed,' thoughts of intense eye bags by thirty, creases my make up would fall into and be lost forever filled my brain and images of dark circles plagued my dreams. Okay so perhaps I'm being a little dramatic and exaggerating a little, but I'm not exaggerating when I say I began to experiment with eye creams immediately! I have been through a few in the last year or so and even went as far as to repurchase Lush's Enchanting Eye Cream which, at first, worked a treat for me, it brightened up my under eye baggage and made me feel a little less self conscious (about something I hadn't really been self conscious about until last year!) but as of late those creases have really been getting to me, and my make up and sadly it was time to move on.

On my travels I came across a great deal of new, innovative and exciting skin care 'revelations' that would reverse the signs of aging, typically those all cost a bomb and involved either taking your own blood and smearing it on your face or letting a snail do the dirty under your eye balls, none of which tends to appeal to my price range or stomach for that matter, but thankfully the high street held the answer!

If I'm totally honest I bought this Nip & Fab Bee Sting Eye Cream on a whim along with their face mask of the same range (which I have yet to try and test, so stay tuned for the verdict) it was on offer in my local Boots, and as I'm sure we have discussed before, I'm a sucker for a bargain! The Bee Sting Eye cream at a glance promises to plump, firm and fight against the visible signs of fatigue. The cream required a test patch, much like hair dyes do, this was a little daunting to me so if you are going to give this cream a go make sure you don't try it on a whim right before a big event (I've been there before and it ain't pretty!) So after acing the patch test I was all good to go.

My main concern, as I know it is with many girls, are under eye creases catching all of your foundation / concealer / red lippy (if that takes your fancy) and further defining the shadows of your under eye baggage, and honestly short of botox and a facelift I felt skeptical that any product, particularly on the high street would be able to help me. Boy am I glad I was wrong! The cream is quite a thick consistency and takes a bit more dabbing than any other eye cream I have used in the past to sink in, but the creamy and thickness give it more of a luxe feel which is always nice.

It took me a couple of days use in the evenings after my shower and before moisturising to notice a difference but when I did... it was magical. My under eye bags seemed to be lighter in colour, now I'm not simply saying this is solely down to the eye cream as I have been sleeping a lot better recently and as you know I have been getting a bit of sun, but they seem less puffy and dare I say 'wrinkly' than before. When I was using the cream, because it is a 'bee sting forumla' I had half expected a tingling or stingy sensation when it was applied but thankfully it is so gentle there was none of that nonsense.

After using this cream and reaping the benefits so far I'm really excited to try out the face mask, apparently you can use this as a one off treat as you would a regular face mask or you can leave it on all night to give a proper soak in, though I would worry I'd wake with a Hannah face shape on my pillow so I may give that a miss. As you guys know from my previous Nip and Fab glycolic cleanser review way back when I'm quite a fan of their products and they just continue to surprise and amaze me and I would definitely recommend this to any of you out there who have suffered similar issues with under eye baggage like me, but I MUST stress the importance of a patch test, your eyes are one of the most sensitive areas of your body and you could cause permanent damage if you're not careful!

Okay so disclaimer and warnings aside, I hope you have enjoyed reading this review, drop me a comment below with any Nip and Fab products you have tried and loved or even tried and loathed, otherwise you can catch me on the flipside... otherwise known as Twitter and the latest Granite City Girl posts on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm buzzing about my eye baggage!

H.Elizabeth x

#Hayfever Problems | Things people with hayfever are sick of hearing

In case you hadn't guessed from the title of this post, I am a hayfever sufferer, and I stress the word suffer with great emphasis and general pain, because I honestly don't think this is stressed ENOUGH throughout summer! Every year, without fail, ever since I was seventeen years old I have been foiled by the countless television adverts and magazine articles on the build up of summer, how amazing it's going to be, how warm, how stylish and oh so disney-esque and wonderful, but when it does come, it feels like the firey, itchy inferno where dreams of carefree summers go to die as I'm struck down with the plight of my hayfever yet again!

So in light of how depressing and generally sniffly, itchy and painful my summers are I thought why not share this joy with you lovely people on the blogosphere and keep you safe out there, safe not from pollen, oh no, safe from those you are potentially, in fact, if you don't suffer with hayfever, really I mean safe from those you will undoubtedly anger from the following phrases they really don't want to hear right now:

#1 Have you tried Benadryl?
What you really should be asking seasonal sufferers is if there is anything they haven't tried, trust me this disease is so irritating we've tried everything, eye-drops, nasal sprays, plug ins for the house, showering twice (sometimes thrice daily) so by asking if we have tried the most common hayfever relief on the market, all you're really asking for is a swift kick in the nads.

#2 Try eating local honey
This does not work. Trust me I've tried all of the tricks, and I don't even like honey, so really I subjected myself to months of spoons of warm honey and lemon water, honey in cereal and even honey on toast for naught!

#3 It's because you don't eat the right kinds of foods
Diet has a great deal to answer for, somehow all of the 'health blogs' of the world have it in their heads diet is the cure for all of your ailments, well let me tell you this honey, my diet is A - OKAY - I eat healthily, barely ever drink and still I sneeze.

#4 It's because you don't exercise enough
See above and apply to exercise.

#5 Just stop itching

Really its the only very naive who think this is helpful, and all I can really do is tilt my head and say 'really?!'

#6 Why don't you go to the doctors?
Have you ever tried walking in to your doctors office with a case of hayfever? I have, thrice! The outcome is always the same, a new tablet that does little to nothing to help me but is somehow 'as strong as you get' every time, or sometimes you're practically laughed out and told to come back with a 'real illness'

#7 Why don't you get rid of your outdoor cat or just keep her inside?
Perhaps the most infuriating and narrow minded of all - yes, in fact why don't I just live inside a bubble and wait out the summer!? Better yet I'll seal myself off from all human contact because believe it or not pollen grains don't just cling to fur it's all over yo face!

#8 My hayfever is so much worse
Great, let me blow your nose and itch your eyes since you have it so much worse. I don't care!

#9 You look awful
What's next comments about my weight and shape? No matter the time of the year, how swollen, puffy and red my face gets it's never an invitation to comment on my appearance, least of all when I KNOW how I look, not only does it look terrible, it feels terrible.

#10 Hayfever isn't that bad
Ignorance truly is bliss and if this statement doesn't sum it up for all you seasonal sufferers, then I don't know what will. Pass judgement on things you know, like being a douche!

Alas the hunt continues, today I can merely dream of a day where outdoor BBQ's don't bed me for days, a day where I can open my windows freely in summer with only the fear of bees coming in to launch an all out war in my home, and a day where I can cuddle my hairy baby freely without sneezing, itching, oozing and wheezing. So now that you guys have that lovely mental picture I'll bid you farewell - off to my icy tower of concealment where pollen goes to die. Be sure to leave your (helpful hayfever) comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to keep up with the latests be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm off where summer dreams go to die!

H.Elizabeth

Blogging | Back to the Drawing Board

Bonjourno to all of you reading (procrastinating) as you can probably tell from the title of this post it is another little update for all of you who do tune in week on week and care about my ramblings, musings and general goings on of the Granite City Girl and today I'm afraid we're going to get a little bit real with ourselves (me) and add a little note on taking on more than you can handle.

As you'll have known if you've been reading these last couple of months have been a little bit difficult between all of the events, life moments and holidays we have been preparing for (yes I know, it's a hard life!) I just haven't been able to give my little corner of the internet the time and dedication I feel it deserves and so I'm bringing myself back down to Earth in the coming months and getting back to basics, in that I am going to be limiting my posts to twice a week once again because it's just a bit more practical between work and a few other exciting life developments. Remember that you can also keep up with me on Twitter and Bloglovin for your daily dose of Hannah!

Until next time folks, we're going back to basics.

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | How to deal with writers block

It's a feeling I'm sure most bloggers, writers and journalists can relate to. You're up and rearing to go, you sit down, whether it be at your laptop, with your pen and paper or iPad you open your documents and.... nothing. Inspiration fails to strike and you're left feeling like a failure... in fact it is the premature ejaculatory experience most writers will face at one point in their career and you're left genuinely feeling as if you have completely lost your writing ability in the night! The fear sets in, what if I never write again? What if my career is over? What if the inspiration never comes? Well today I am here to share my very own tips on how I get over writers block and some coping mechanisms for when I feel I may never write again. 

Step away from the pen/screen;

Although it can be difficult, particularly if you have a deadline to meet but it is honestly the greatest remedy for writers block. Inspiration can strike at any time, any where so get outside, get away from the screens or maybe even just make yourself a cup of tea (and cake) come back in a few hours and I guarantee you'll be rearing to go once again.

Spider diagrams;

These aren't just for school kids and exam revision you know. Write down all of your likes, dislikes, your hobbies thoughts and literally anything that comes in to your head. Take a step back and piece together some post ideas, you may find your most creative ideas come from just pouring out all of your thoughts, and yes I'm even talking about the negative ones.

Draw inspiration from your peers;

For a lot of writers this is a bit of a grey area, but as long as you are careful, do not steal bodies of texts and your ideas are outrightly and obviously your own then you should be home free. What I mean by drawing inspiration is to look at various blogger tags and take part or perhaps try out another bloggers recipe or idea and report back on your blog how you found it (always credit your fellow blogger)

Spend time with people in the great outdoors;

No I'm not talking about going for a hike or on a great adventure (but it would make a great post if you decided to!) Get outside and spend time with your family and friends, catch up with people you haven't seen for a while. People are the greatest sources of inspiration and you never know when it may strike when you loosen your grip!

Take a blogging break;

Forcing writing, as I have said before, can be obvious once re-read, not just for yourself but for your readers. If you feel your writing is being forced then you aren't truly enjoying what you're doing and you'll find you have pretty much lost sight of why you began blogging in the first place (unless of course you're in it for the money / free products of course)

I hope this has given all of you writers currently facing a mental block a sense of calm and ease, we all face it at some point or other - seriously my job just wouldn't be as interesting if I didn't face the occasional road block and the same comes with a good piece of writing. As always I would love to hear your thoughts, how do you deal with writers block or what do you do when you hit a wall and can't seem to get over it? Be sure to let me know in the comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with my latests you can find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, breaking mental barriers.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Girl is on a break

                           

We were on a break!!! Is probably what you're going to be hearing me say when I return in a couple of weeks, no guys it's not you this time it really is me! But don't worry this really is just a break not a break up, honest.

 

As you guys know I have quite a few things and stuff coming up in the next few weeks, between work, photoshoots, meetings, preparing for our holiday next month as well as being asked to be Maid of Honour at one of my best friends wedding I really feel as though I have been burning the candle at both ends and I'm sorry to say that I feel as though my little corner of the internet has been falling to the wayside. Blogging has become a bit more of a chore as of late than I would generally have liked it to ever become and I have always said that if ever there came a time where I just wasn't enjoying it quite so much or perhaps I felt it was too much of a strain on my life that I would take a break, and that's what I am announcing today.

 

Fortunately guys this isn't forever, blogging and writing continues to be a great love and passion of mine and I do hope you don't miss my posts too much, I hope you understand and remember I'll see you in a couple of weeks as I return to my usual schedule. Of course I'll still be updating you on Twitter so you can always catch me over there if you miss me terribly.

 

Until next time folks, we are on a break!

 

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | How often should I be posting?

Hello everyone, today I'm back with my (somewhat) fortnightly little snippets of information from the world of blogging, social media, writing and general unsolicited advice giving and given that you still have not shown any disdain towards receiving said advice I am going to continue on with this today and henceforth. So today I'm going to be chatting to you about something that is seen to be quite topical in the blogging world and that is the question of how often you should be posting. You'll know if you have read this segment before that I touched on this in my post which revolved around blog scheduling so I do apologise if I repeat myself here and there but I will try and avoid this just to make it a bit more interesting and informative for you. As I have said in the past with this post and all of my others this is purely of my own opinion and what I find works best for me and you should take this advice as my opinion as opposed to gospel.

When the question of how often a blogger should be posting comes up you will get a plethora of answers, opinions and people preaching to the blogosphere gods that their way is the correct and only way to run a successful blog that people will want to read, return to and perhaps follow. For many that involves being able to post on a daily basis in order to stay fresh and current on their social media and bloglovin feeds however for new bloggers this can be particularly overwhelming (heck I even find it overwhelming and I have been writing for a good year and a bit now) and it might not necessarily be the right route to go down. And for others that means posting one to two times a week or whenever they are able and guess what? That's fine too. Personally I think it's all about the individual, their time management skills and of course their goals.

For example if your goal is to be able to make money from your blog, receive PR samples out the whazoo and generally make a living from your blog (which I imagine is no easy feat and by no means do I do this!) then you should probably be posting on a daily basis to start out at least, but for others, us mere mortals that simply isn't practical. Granite City Girl began as a labour of love for me which in a dream world would be spun into  a full time career but I'm not naieve enough to think that's where we are at the moment and starting out I posted as often as I could with little to no schedule whatsoever, I felt overwhelmed and at times rushed and I really do think it came across in my writing and I like to think since establishing a more manageable routine that my writing quality has improved as well as the general content of the writing (guys?) So I suppose what I'm really trying to say is the tale as old as time, 'don't compromise quality over quantity' 2 to 3 times a week is just fine and very soon you'll establish a following and readership to be proud of because of your top notch content (which in reality is what matters most)

Posting on a regular basis (for me  3 / 4 days a week) has worked wonders not only for the blog but for my own peace of mind and routine. For more information on scheduling see my post on the benefits of a blogging schedule to help you scope your own post frequency. So as always I hope this has helped you out in some small way and has perhaps taken the pressure off of some of you newer bloggers or perhaps even made you rethink your own blogging strategy. Be sure to leave your thoughts on post frequency in the comments below or tweet them at me, perhaps you do post every day and have a great way to manage your time, if so I'd love to hear how you do it! Or of course if you'd like to see more from the Granite City Girl you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be monitoring your frequency (Trekkies will surely get that?)

H.Elizabeth x

Pure Gym | What to expect from your first Kettlebell Class

It has been 24 hours since my first ever kettlebell class as I type this, my muscles are sore... very sore and walking to work today was not a piece of cake as it usually is (perhaps that was an inappropriate comparison) my legs are stiff, my shoulders are stiff, in fact today I am sore in places I didn't think could possibly be sore, and I have my new Kettlebell class to thank, but you know I don't regret a minute of it! So today I thought I would share my experience of my first ever Kettlebell class at my local Pure Gym just for those of you who might be curious, fancy giving it a go or have been a bit scared at the prospect of attending class alone.

If you are a member of Pure Gym you will already be aware of the benefits. Use of quality work out equipment on a budget, convenient city centre locations and not to mention a plethora of classes you can take part in for free, which is something I have only just been brave enough to try out. One thing I will say is that if you are going to book in for a class you are going to need to download the app, these classes fill up like nothing on Earth and if you're not fast (you can book classes up to 8 days in advance) then they'll be gone before you know it and at my gym, kettlebell classes are the first to be snapped up so be fast!

Honestly I was quite nervous about starting this class and now that it's over I'm not altogether sure why, I think it was partly down to feeling like 'the new kid' in class and thinking everyone would be watching how weak I was - not the case whatsoever. The class accepts all ability levels so you don't need to worry about being able to lift something that is realistically far too heavy, for example I started off on an 8kg kettlebell (you can get a 4kg one though so no worries) and you will never feel like the new kid in the class because there will always be somebody who is just joining that week too.

There will be sweat, my gosh there will be sweat, the classes are run as a kind of circuit and you take part in one minute of really going for it and 30 seconds of active rest. My class began with standard weighted squats (you will be sick of squats by the end of this trust me) and progressed to jumping squats. From the outside looking in, as I often did before I started classes, it looked like a piece of cake (these inappropriate cake references are probably trying to tell me something) especially when you add in the swinging of your kettlebell up to head height and above your head, but after a few minutes of doing this you are going to want to throw your kettlebell away! After the class I seriously thought I would never go back again but alas and lo and behold I have already booked in for the same class again next week (the feeling and results are just that good!)

What I found really great about this class is, not only are you getting a fantastic all over body workout but the instructor helps you out with your breathing techniques (which is something I tend to overthink or get panicky about) and you really are getting the full package. Going to this class has given me the confidence when I go to the gym outwith classes to be able to pick up a kettlebell and know what I can do with it to get the greatest all over body benefits that I can.

If you are considering booking in for a weighted Pure Gym class I would really recommend this one for a beginner, you're able to pick the size of weights you feel comfortable with (get there quick for the good 'uns) and as opposed to simply working out your arms or your legs you're 'engaging your core' and getting an all over workout. Please share your own experiences of Pure Gym classes or kettlebell classes in the comments below, or come share them with me on Twitter, I would love to hear how you get on! As always if you'd like to see more from Granite City Girl be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm pumping iron (sort of)

H.Elizabeth x

Q & A | Taking part in blogger chats

Hello everyone, today I'm back with my now fortnightly blogging advice segment because you guys haven't told me you hate it or asked me to shut up yet and because you enjoyed my last post on effectively scheduling posts so much I thought I would share a little bit more about my experiences of blogging. Today I'm going to focus a little bit on expanding your community, making friends and forging relationships with fellow bloggers in the form of a mini Q & A, otherwise I could literally go on all day about the blogging community and engaging with your audience!

What are blogger chats?

Blogger chats are a way in which bloggers, writers, marketing professionals,  and anybody who wants to be part of the community come together for a weekly chat about anything and everything. Often they are centered around a topic of discussion which is open for comment and idea sharing or it is an open chat where you can pose questions, thoughts or comments to the group for comment and discussion.

Who are they for?

Anybody who is involved or has an interest in the blogging world can join in! If your thing is books you can be sure there will be a book bloggers chat or perhaps you're a big foodie and looking to swap recipes, then the food blogger chat is the ticket for you, whatever your niche there will be a chat for that, I for example take part in the lifestyle and beauty bloggers chats.

How do you take part?

Hashtag, hashtag, hashtag (as you'll have perhaps guessed these chats live on Twitter) whichever chat you choose to take part in will have a designated hashtag for example the lifestyle bloggers hashtag is '#lbloggers' and the beauty bloggers one is '#bbloggers' To search for these chats all you have to do is type the hashtag into your Twitter search bar at the designated time and that's that, you are officially taking part in a blogger chat.

What are the benefits of taking part?

Well first of all it is so much fun and in addition to the obvious benefits of being enabled to easily promote your blog and brand it's a great way to meet new people. It is a very rare thing in real life to find people with so much common ground and so much to talk about on a weekly basis and it is a fantastic boost. The blogging community and the weekly chats have helped keep me motivated, inspired and generally upbeat about my writing and life online.

Granite City Girl's blogger chat etiquette

Now as you can imagine, and like with anything there are a certain set of unspoken rules if you like and general etiquette that is expected from you while taking part in these chats and I will one day do a more in depth post on the pros and peeves of blogger chats and etiquette, but today I'm just going to outline the basics:

• Don't spam other bloggers with your link
• You can promote a product or service, but only do it once or twice
• Be mindful of other bloggers and respond to their queries if you can help
• Send your / ask for links towards the end of the chat to avoid spamming



As always I hope this has been able to help at least one of you in some small way (and if it hasn't well it has certainly made me a bit more organised when it comes to blogger chats and obviously given that this timetable will be living on my blog, I really have no excuse for missing one every again. Be sure to leave your questions, comments and feedback below and of course if you are a fellow blogger and have noticed I have missed out one of the key blogger chats or a special nugget of information be sure to share that with me on here, on Twitter or of course if you just enjoyed this post and would like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts you can always come find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be refining my chat etiquette.

H.Elizabeth x