BLOGGER LIFE BEHIND THE SCENES

Hello there, my name is Jenni and I’m a blogger. OMG! I still giggle whenever I say that. Who…how…shut up! I would NEVER have thought that I would end up working online. Born in the 70’s, completed high school in the 80’s, tech challenged and here I am living life as an online writer…a blogger. I know right, craaaazy!

I kinda ‘fell’ into blogging when I started journaling my cancer journey, and then I fell in love with it and decided to keep going.

And keep going I have! I love a chat (in case you haven’t noticed), I love being helpful, love styling and I love my body so I put it all together and ‘bing bang boom’…blogging is where it’s at for me.

I can blog absolutely anywhere, in a café, a car or on a plane. I can pull out my phone or iPad and let the words roll outa my head and connect…with you!

Blogging gives me choices. I can make my dreams come true, work when I want, meet amazing people, learn, grow, laugh, cry…feel.

No two days in blogging are ever exactly the same, I love that about blogging!

I love meeting new people, dreaming bigger, learning and growing.

I also love reading about the personal growth of the ladies in the Styling Curvy community, I feel like I open my phone and I’m connecting with friends. It feeds my soul.

I know some of you wonder ‘what the heck is blogging’? I’ve written about how my bloggy business works before (here), so I thought I’d take you behind the scenes. BTS…in bloggy speak.

Last week I headed to the Gold Coast, I decided to head north for an Instagram workshop. Sounds weird, but for me it’s education. Learning a little more about how to master Instagram, because remember…tech challenged!

My mate Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim and Rebel (yes that’s her name) from Rebel Without A Pause were running the workshop so my motivation was two fold, a little learning and an opportunity to catch up with these two rad chicks.

And that right there is what’s at the core of my blog life, everything I do is work and play. Life is about balance baby.

Now a trek up north costs serious dollars so I like to make a trip like that work harder, cram a few extra activities in. I emailed a few labels I collaborate with and made appointments to catch up, I love meeting them face to face.

I messaged a bloggy friend and asked if she would like to be my travel partner…she said yes!

I also created an event in Facebook and invited some of the ace Queensland bloggers that I love to follow to brunch.

My trip had purpose, passion, balance and fun. ✔️✔️✔️✔️

My travelling partner was Shannon from the blog ‘Forty Up’, I met Shannon at a blogging conference last year and really liked her. She’s a Perth girl who blogs about fashion, family and fun…a life and style blogger. I like reading her work and supporting her, cheering her on to keep going. I feel like she’s got lots to offer and is ready to bust out big time in the blogosphere.

Shannon flew into Adelaide and we travelled to the Gold Coast together, you can just imagine the constant chatter on the plane. On arrival we picked up a hire car and started a roadtrip to Brisbane…after a quick stop at Maccas. A roadtrip is never complete without a bacon and egg muffin, am I right?

In Brisbane I caught up with the team behind Adrift and Surafina. They graciously took time out to spend a few hours with us chatting about fashion, online stuff, upcoming collections and all the stuff in between when a room full of women get together. Phew we chatted so much we needed to reenergise with lunch followed by a visit to their store…of course?

Later in the afternoon I met with another label I collaborate with, one I haven’t been feeling quite right about. Yeah, sometimes I question whether the collaborations are right, for me and for you. Well, I left there knowing I would not collaborate with them in the future, the quality control I questioned in my head just wasn’t there and I cannot recommend a product to you that I’m not happy with.

Boy am I pleased I made those appointments!

After a very long day that started with a 5am start we made our way to the Gold Coast, and to our apartment at Coolangatta. Ocean views and fancy bathrooms greeted us, niiice!

The next day was workshop day, which was everything and more. Great hosts, terrific attendees, lots to learn and lots of amazingly beautiful cake!!

I did tell Chantelle that there needed to be cake for me to attend and boy did she deliver!

Oh look, Rachael from Ruby and Lilli was at the workshop too!

After the workshop we headed to Pacific Fair for some shopping and dinner. I also stopped by the Benefit brow bar where the lady who ‘did’ my brows actually recognised me as ‘Styling Curvy’, she had seen me on Instagram on Uberkate.

I get recognised daily in Adelaide but being recognised interstate was surreal (it actually happened a couple of times!)

Friday was ‘bloggers brunch’ day. An opportunity to connect with likeminded women who wouldn’t give a shit if I was on my phone and taking pictures during a conversation or a meal. YAY! Look at this rad bunch, Jasmine from Pretty Chuffed, Kirsten from Kirsten and Co, Kate from Loveface Lives, Bec from Styled by Bec, Karin from Calm To Conniption, Robynna from The Mummy and the Minx….and of course Shannon and myself.

Bloggers are intelligent, quick witted and funny people who generally have no filter, and when we got together the conversation went in all directions.

There was talk about blogging, fashion, family, beauty and vulvas!

Well, in our defence we were talking about the new documentary EMBRACE made by Taryn Brumfitt from Body Image Movement, it’s all about body image and I implore you to grab the women (and young girls) in your life and go see it.

The catchup was brilliant, could have lasted all day and was worth the $73 parking fine I received! Gold Coast, your parking fines are steep!

After dinner and a lazy night in we started our last day together with a quick breakfast before I said goodbye to Shannon (she had a 6.5 hour flight ahead of her) and I headed off to another meeting.

I say meeting, but it always feels like a catchup with friends. I was catching up with Sequins and Sand and Capriosca Swimwear, two of the very first businesses I collaborated with when I started ‘Styling Curvy’ in 2014. I love that we are still working together.

Would you look at how pretty this setting is, if you’re on the Gold Coast head to Bumbles Cafe because it’s all kinds of beautiful teamed with brilliant service and tasty food!

Phew!! A drive down the highway, fill up and return the rental car and I’m back on a plane headed home to my loves.

Blogging fulfils me, every day is different and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Have you met a blogger in real life? Do you work for yourself?

What does your work day look like?

Til next time

Jen X