Changes I Want To Make || Blogging

Blogging has been a part of my life for quite a while now; my first official post went live in 2014 making this blog nearly 4 years old. Even I didn't think I've been going for that long! This year I decided to up my game & try to turn my hobby into something more. 

I've only made small changes like purchasing a domain, a fresh layout & rebranding but I want to keep moving forward. I want to understand the blogging world more so here's a few aims I have for 2018 when it comes to ByBusby. 

Unashamed Wedding Obession || Lifestyle

Here currently sits a 24 year old female who is in a relationship, without a ring on her finger excitedly ripping open her Rock n roll bride issues. And you know what?? I am happy to say I have an obsession with all things bridal. I may not be engaged & I may not be planning a wedding anytime soon but why should I be ashamed to say I love all things bridal??

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly || Blogging

When you think of a blogger; what do you picture? Maybe someone in pajamas sitting in bed with a Mac book on their lap & a cuppa to one side. Maybe you picture a savvy dressed girl boss who's invited to a bunch of swanky events. 

Well you could be correct because there are days when I'm sat in bed at home just like now writing up blog posts with my Mac on my lap & yes there are some fabulous ladies who dress to kill at blogger events. That is one side of the reality of blogging but trust me there are many more that sit alongside that!

Finding My Perfect Skincare Routine || Beauty

I have to let you guys into a secret; until a short while ago I really didn't know what skincare was suited to me nor what skin type I really had. Shocker right? Well we all know that I can be pretty lazy & other than a daily moisturiser & make-up removal I never really bothered with a skincare routine. I can finally say that I've upped my skincare & I'm loving the results, so here's a few things I've collected. 

Bloggers Who Help Bloggers || Lifestyle

I don't know about you but I love clicking on a blog & seeing a "blog tips" page. I just love reading posts for bloggers created by bloggers. They are usually the best posts for learning new aspects of blogging & well we all need a bit of help now & again. I've been using bloggers's post for a good while now & I've found a good few that have really helped me up my game. That is what inspired me to write this post; so here's me sharing a few bloggers who are really great at sharing their knowledge.

A Very Vegan Birthday || Lifestyle

I haven't spoken about my vegan transition on ByBusby for a while but after visiting Vegfest for my birthday I thought why not. It's been about two months since I started cutting out animal products from my diet & I wanted to share how it's been. Don't worry I'm not here to preach to you but ByBusby is all about sharing my life story & this is a key point. Plus there's tonnes of non dairy treats to oogle at below so why stop here?

Feel Stress Free With Thrive || Review

I'm no stranger when it comes to talking about mental health on ByBusby; I've been very open with my experiences & progress so when I was saw a new app emerging to help battle these problems I thought why not give it a go. I've teamed up with the creators of Thrive to test out their new app & share my thoughts with you. I was super excited because I've never come across an app targeted at mental health (I haven't really looked to much!!) & since it was focused on helping with stressors it is well suited to me. For the past month I've been using it when I feel the need & here's my feedback.

Blogoween || 5 Favourite Things

Never guess who jumped on the pumpkin picking bandwagon?? Yes that is me but in my defence I love halloween & I think pumpkin picking is a must do activity for this time of year. On another note I didn't realise how close local farms were to my house & now I've got an excuse to go pick my veggies. 

Anyhow shall we get on with the post? Here's my five favourite things about halloween ... 

Blogoween || Tattoo Talk

The internet is a strange place when it comes to tattoos; there's way too many artists who are okay with tracing other people's designs that it puts you off sharing so publicly. Even though I tend to avoid close ups these days, as you can tell I have quite a few & it just so happens that many edge towards a halloween theme. It's not really on purpose but the designs I like tend to have a spookier & darker edge to them so why not share my "halloween" art. 

Blogoween OOTD || Ghosts & Ghouls

This outfit is for the teenage me who would have loved it but been too scared to wear it. Well teen Shelley; you're 24 now & couldn't give a damn what people think! Plus it's halloween & why shouldn't I be wearing something a little bit spooky?

Blogoween || Home Decor

Holder | Yellow | Red | Orange

October is the time to get all festive & spooky. From pumpkin carving to a good old dress up it can really give you the chance to let your hair down & let out your inner child. I love Halloween & all the festivities that come with it, plus it's a great excuse to go interior shopping. Even if you're on a small budget or living in a small space there are a few items that can easily transform your home ready for Halloween. 

Grab Your Melons || Birchbox Edition

It's time for a new Birchbox post which hasn't been a regular occurrence on By Busby but I was excited to see them team up with Coppafeel. It's really nice to see a subscription box be part of an important campaign so I wanted to share my boob story & help promote the message. 

Getting To Grips With Pinterest || Blogging

I have to break it to you guys; I wasn't one of the people who jumped on the Pinterest hype when it first rolled around. I just didn't need another social media account taking over my online life (which we all know Pinterest is capable of!!). I spent a good while avoiding the grasp of Pinterest but after one too many times clicking on an image to be met with the sign up page I decided to delve in. 

Twenty boards & a hell of a lot of pins later I think I've got to grips with the Pinterest basics (as if!!) I've now made the decision to utilise it for blogging. It seems to be such a good site to drive traffic to your blog so it's an easy decision to make the transition. So what am I doing to make that leap? 

Vegan Skincare || Babylon Tree Review

Time for a new review, which I feel I haven't done in forever. Since moving to cruelty free & vegan beauty I luckily haven't had to change many of my current items. I'm still working towards changing a few of my make-up items but as I have sensitive & highly allergic skin I already own a lot of all natural products. 

However I haven't tested out a new soap in a long time so when I saw Babylon tree looking for people to test their products I jumped at the chance. I'm always looking to support local businesses who strive to produce quality items & have a strong message to share. 

Thriller Spree || Book Reviews

It's a bit of a crazy story (my work place burnt down & I moved branches!!) but as of recent I've got back into reading; it's been a long time coming & well I kind of went on a thriller spree so I thought why not share some honest thoughts with you. Turns out working away from home means lunch breaks get pretty boring so I finally dug out a book which I had started months ago & finished it in a week which lead to many more thrillers!! I do miss wandering home in my lunch breaks, chucking on  pyjamas & snacking to my hearts content but I'm glad I've got my reading bug back. Anyhow enough rambling & time for some reviews. 

Exploring Krakow || Walking Tour

The final instalment to the exploring Krakow series is a combination of the final two days so prepare yourself for lots of photos!! Thursday was our free day to do as we pleased. After all our tours we were thinking of doing a relaxing day but we decided to book a walking tour through the jewish quarter of Krakow. It was really easy to book through SeeKrakow recommended by our hotel. We found a local booking office on the Wednesday & on the day we ventured to breakfast, then over to the main square to our meeting point.

Exploring Krakow || Salt Mine Visit

Our second day of tours began on Wednesday afternoon so we had the morning to wander around & explore the local markets (we ended up buying some spices of course) & grabbing a spot of lunch. Once again we had booked via escape to Poland; this time being picked up at a local hotel. This time we travelled a bit further in our tiny mini bus to the Wieliczka salt mine but we also knew some of the other tourist; clearly great minds think alike!! 

Exploring Krakow || Auschwitz Tour

Following on from our day of exploring freely; on Tuesday we had booked our first guided tour. When travelling to Krakow it's inevitable that you'll visit Auschwitz as it's the only a short drive away. It's not the most fun trip to plan but we all have to revisit history at times to learn from past human mistakes. In the words of George Santayana "The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again" 

Exploring Krakow || Typical Tourist

I'm officially back in England & the weather isn't so bad but the holiday blues have definitely set in. Last week we were venturing around Krakow working our little legs & racking up tonnes of steps. Now I'm sat in bed attempting to organise & edit the gazillion photos we both took, so I can write up these Poland diaries!! Time to end the rambling & kick off the first post; the airport annoyances & the day of being a typical tourist!

The Notion Of Independence || OOTD

It's time to talk about being independent which these days it seems to be a defining feature of someone's character. Is it really that important to be independent & are we ever fully independent anyway? Is it okay to judge someone because they aren't completely reliant on themselves? In my mind no!! Everyone is independent at times & sometimes we just need to rely on someone else.