First Blogiversary

Yesterday marked one year of LA Plans! A little over a year ago, I turned to my boyfriend, Sam, in our joint office & told him that I was going to start a blog. I bought a domain name & website template that night & I started to put together my own little blog. Then on Friday the 13th of April last year, LA Plans launched.

I would have never thought that this little blog would grow the way it did. This blog has allowed me to do SO many things and work with so many brands! I can’t even express how grateful I am for this blog & how much I LOVE doing this.

I could not have done any of this without you all, so thank you all for following along.

For today’s Sunday Blog Post I am answering Questions & Frequently Asked Questions below:

Q&A

About Me

How old are you?
I am currently 25 as of last November!

Where are you from?
I am from a small town about a hour away from Austin called Copperas Cove. I grew up in Killeen which is outside of Fort Hood. Don’t look it up & don’t go there. It’s a horrible town. LOL.

How old is Mera and what is she?
Mera is 1 years old as of January! She is a black.

Where did you meet your boyfriend?
I met my boy friend when I first moved to Austin. I was actually his boss, so we had to keep things a secret for a while!

How long have you been with your boy friend?
It will be 3 years next month!

Beauty

How often do you wash your hair?
Once a week. Sometimes twice a week because of Texas heat.

What’s your favorite make up brand(s)?
My favourite is Urban Decay, hands down. I love Clique & Too Faced as well.

What foundation do you use?/Why don’t you use foundation?
I have never liked foundation. I hate the feeling of something on my face & I wouldn’t even know how to blend, put it on & all of the things you are supposed to do with it (LOL). I also prefer to sleep in & my hair take so much time to do that adding foundation to my morning routine was not a option (LOL).

For More Beauty Posts

Blogging

What is the story behind your blog?
Growing up, I wanted to be a reporter & I was going to study journalism. I also always loved following different blogs and love photography, especially travel & style photos. Creating LA Plans allows me to do all of it & market my blog!

How do collaborations work?
Collaborations can occur many different ways depending on your relationship with the brand & how your blog is set up! A lot of businesses and brands will comment, message or email you to collaborate, especially the more your blog grows. You can also request collaborations. Or, you can be affiliated with brands/businesses and they may periodically send new items to promote.

Any advice on how to start and grow a blog?
If you want to start a blog then I JUST GO FOR IT! You learn so much as you go. To grow your blog, be different, be yourself, & be consistent. There are a lot of bloggers that post 3x a day & say that’s the trick. But in my opinion, engaging with your followers, providing the content they are looking for/always asking for their opinion, & sharing what YOU love is the best way to grow your blog.

Can you create hashtags to make it easier to sort through your posts?
I have! Check out: #LAplans #LAplansPages #LAplansTravel #LAplansSchool #LAplansBudget #LAplansHome #LAplansStyle

What did you use to set your blog up and what do you use to run your blog?
I use WordPress & run my blog through BlueHost. I bought Photoshop & LightRoom recently to use, but I also like to use the app VSCO for photos!

How long did it take you to get accepted to LIKEtoKNOW.it?
I was accepted to Reward Style/LIKEtoKNOW.it about 6 months into blogging. If you’re trying to get accepted, just show quality posts & consistency.

How do you come up with blog ideas?
My blog posts are about life events, content for different seasons & just sharing different favourites/new items/sales! There’s always something to share when you cover a variety!

Will you be doing more videos?
I did starts a YouTube channel & do have my Budget Video up. I will start doing more video, just probably not frequently. At least for now!

Home

What is your favourite place to buy home decor?
TARGET! Target is my favourite place for everything, but I can always find whatever I want or need in Target especially when it comes to decor. BUT I do also like to look at IKEA, Wayfair & Amazon for items as well! Every big item we have is from Target, IKEA, Wayfiar, or Amazon.

Do you plan to reset your office periodically?
I want to add a rug, but I love the set up & furniture. So it will just be minor decor changes.

How often do you redecorate?
I redecorate the house seasonally! You can ask my boy friend, no furniture is safe.

For More Home Posts

Planner

Does your LifePlanner really help?
It does! I have always loved having a planner. It helps me visually see what needs to be done & remind me of upcoming events! Find a planner that works before you & it makes a HUGE difference! Also try different layouts if the one you have isn’t working!

Does having multiple planners help you?
IT DOES. If I didn’t have multiple planners, my LifePlanner would have too much going on. I like having specific planners for Work, Budgeting & School. There’s so much information that I couldn’t fit my blog & personal stuff all in one & it be functional. Plus having the multiple planners allows me to have everything I need in each specific planner!

For More Planner Posts

School

What keeps you motivated in school?
I want my degree! I had to start saving for college when I was 16 & got my first job. There wasn’t money for me to go to college & I didn’t qualify for financial aid, so I started to save to go to the local college. I took “dual credit” courses in high school, they were free college courses (for the local college I attended) that also counted as my high school credits. Since then, my biggest goal has always been to get my degree & that keeps me motivated.

Does the EC Academic Planner really help you a lot in school?
It does especially since I put my syllabus in mine. Everything I need for my classes are all in one spot. In grad school, there’s A LOT of group assignments, so I like that I can track group meetings & specific tasks in my planner.

What is your major?
I am a Marketing Major & I am receiving my minor in Information Systems!

What degree’s do you have?
I have a Associate of Science in Business Administration & a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing & Management.

Any advice or motivation for going back to school?
Just enroll & go. No one WANTS to spend a Friday night doing a paper instead of going to dinner with friends or study during your only free time, but you just have to do it. Think of what you want to do & what you need to do to get there. What you need to do probably involves school so use that as your motivation. Degree’s open doors & can be what you need to get where you want to go.

For More School Posts

Style

Do you think you splurge or save more?
I save so I can splurge! It depends on the item. I will always (& almost only) splurge on handbags, shoes & jewelry. For clothes, it’s a mixture. I definitely splurge on jeans & jackets. I’ll get tops, skirts, shorts & dresses from anywhere.

Where do you shop the most?
Free People, Kendra Scott, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Target, & Tory Burch.

What are your favorite closet staples?
I like basics. V neck cami’s, dark wash jeans, wedges, & leather jacket.

For More Style Posts

Travel

Where do you want to travel to?
I have always wanted to do a full tour of Europe: England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, & see the Mediterranean Sea.

What is your favorite place you’ve been so far?
American Samoa. I went with my parents in Elementary School to visit family & it is BEAUTIFUL.

What can’t you leave the house without when you travel?
Erin Condren Travel Journal full of trip information & places to go, MacBook, portable charger, & a cross body/clutch that you can take everywhere.

For More Travel Posts

THANK YOU ALL FOR FOLLOWING!