Let's have a chat...Kirsten Jones

I can't believe it's Sunday again! I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend so far. I spent yesterday in Cardiff with Fabio and my parents to celebrate Mother's day, which was so nice to just chill for once. Feeling a bit tired today as I didn't manage to lie-in like I wanted to! Anyone else ever find that they just simply can't lie-in?? 

Anyways, today on 'let's have a chat' we've got another one of my lovely blogger friends, lifestyle and beauty blogger, Kirsten Jones  who lives in Maidstone, Kent.  Although I've not met Kirsten (who blogs at kiirstenjones.com) I can just imagine she's someone who you can talk to about anything because of her friendly nature. She's so supportive of others on Twitter, which we always need more of in the blogging community! 

So as always, grab a chair (or sofa!!), preferably of the comfy kind and also your beverage of choice, ready to get to know Kirsten a little bit more!

Isn't she Beautiful! (credit- Kirsten)

First things first, how would you describe your blog?

A lifestyle and beauty blog with a random bit of fashion, food and travel.

So, how long have you been blogging for?

Two years in April. 

Quite a while then! Full time or spare time blogger?

Spare time blogger.

What was the reason for starting a blog?

I loved reading other people's blogs, I loved taking pictures of eeeeeeverything and I'm a huge lover of make up. I always wanted to share what I had bought, whenever I bought make up, so thought it would be a good idea to start a blog. I had also moved to a new place and didn't have any friends so had a lot of time on my hands. 

Sounds pretty understandable! Do you have a blogging schedule or do you write what you fancy at the time?

I always try to stick to a schedule but sometimes that goes off track, so nowadays I tend to just write stuff and post it whenever I feel like. 

I'm the same. I have a schedule but it's not rigid. Do you blog in an office or on the sofa?

I usually write at my dining room table or the sofa. 

Describe your ideal place to blog.

I'd love to have my own pretty office... I think I'd be more focused and determined to write more blog posts then.

Kirsten likes to blog on the sofa or dining room table but I can imagine she also likes to blog in bed... (credit- Kirsten)

What's your blogging daily routine? How do you manage your time?

I usually blog on a Monday which is my day off, but sometimes during the week if I have any 'spur of the moment' blog post idea I'll write them. Monday's I always feel motivational so it always helps me with blog posts. 

And I thought I was the only one who was motivation on a Monday! We've been chatting for a while now...coffee, a brew or a herbal tea? 

Definitely a brew! I'm not really a fan of coffee and I drink herbal tea when I feel like my body needs a detox. 

Ahhh, another non-coffee drinker! Haha. Where do you see your blog in the next year?

I'd love for it to just keep growing as I grow. My life will obviously change with hopefully marriage and children etc so I'd love to start blogging more about that.

Exactly. I've been thinking a lot about how my blog would change through time and I totally agree. If you could develop your blog in anyway, what would you do? 

Ooooo I'd love to have my own shop, definitely. I'd probably sell make-up and lifestyle bits and bobs. I've wanted to own my own shop for years actually but haven't got a clue where I'd start. 

Same! It's mind-boggling! What do you use as inspiration to write a blog post?

Normally Pinterest, everyday life stuff and reading other blogs helps a lot. 

Pinterest is just amazing for ideas! Do you find it easy coming up with ideas then?

Normally I do, but other times I have major writers block and don't end up writing posts for weeks. Then I take a step back from blogging and go in with a fresh head a few days later.

Any advice for those who find it difficult?

To just relax and take your time. Not everyone gains inspiration straight away and that's okay. Write what is natural for you.

Lovely advice! So, how do you interact with other bloggers? 

Mostly through twitter. There are so many great people supporting each other on twitter. I'm in a whatsapp support group too which helps a lot. Definitely think its starting to grow my blog too. 

Support groups are the best and a great idea! Have you ever collaborated with another blogger? 

I've not no, I've only met one blogger in real life. I'd definitely be open to collaborate though if it fits in with my blog. 

So do you have a blogging idol??

I have a few. Zoella being an obvious one as I'm a fan of her, but I love how much of a business woman and how creative she is. I also love Jemma from Dorkface. Again, another business woman with her Etsy and blog; I absolutely love her content and how colourful her blog is. There are so many other great bloggers out there. 

Totally agree with you on those two! Do you think it's better to blog about many things, or to have a niche?

Yeah I do find I go back to blogs more which have different things going on but at the same time I do enjoy reading blogs with a niche. I think its all down to the writing at the end of the day. Good writing makes it more enjoyable to read.

Exactly! The writing has to be engaging. What do you think is the biggest cost in blogging?

For me it's been going self-hosted and all the plug-ins and extras like the theme. You can do it all for free but I definitely think the biggest cost is actually the site itself if you want to be self hosted and have a different theme. 

Being self-hosted is 100% worth it. Have you attended any blogging events? 

I haven't attended any yet but I'd definitely like to attend a beauty event, they always look very cool.

Do you feel it's difficult to be in the know about events? 

Yeah, I only ever see people tweeting about them on the day and they're mostly the ones you get invited too. I'm quite a nervous person so I wouldn't like to go to any on my own haha. 

Do you feel that there should be more acknowledgement and promotion of bloggers in the press?

Definitely! Blogging wasn't a job 10 years ago so quite a lot of people still don't understand or get what blogging is about. I think if there was more acknowledgement and promotion, people might be more understanding and accepting of what bloggers do. Lately more for the vloggers, it's all been negative, so more promotion of the good stuff bloggers/vloggers do, the more people will realise we're not all the same. 

Agreed! People need to open their minds a bit more! Also, blogs are used a lot these days to raise awareness on contemporary issues such as mental health. If you could use your blog as a platform to talk about something taboo, what would talk about and why?

I published a post a few weeks ago about my mental health and the amount of response I got from that was amazing. I think I'd like to talk more about that and how I've overcome things in my life in a way to hopefully help other people. I loved that I had an impact on a few people that they felt the need to message me about it. I'm always here for anyone who have mental health issues. Talking is definitely what's needed in these situations, so I'd talk all day if it meant someone felt better at the end of our conversation. 

That's so lovely of you Kirsten. And finally, any tips for a novice blogger starting out?

Always be yourself; follow loads of bloggers on twitter and Instagram; support and read other blogs and just enjoy yourself. 

Thank you so much Kirsten! I definitely feel like I know you a tiny bit better now. And thanks for the great advice that I'm sure other bloggers will appreciate. 

I also asked Kirsten to recommend the top 3 best things to do in Wiltshire (where her parents live). I haven't properly been to Wiltshire, apart from Bath, so i'm intrigued!

Kirsten's top 3 things to do in Wiltshire

1. Bath is a beautiful, historic town with cobbled streets and so many different shops. The scenery is beautiful. You can take a bus ride around the city to see it all and there is also the Roman Baths which you can visit. Lots of places to eat and drink and at Christmas they have loads of markets. 

Beautiful Bath (credit - Kirsten)

2. Lacock is a tiny little town in the middle of Wiltshire. The Abbey in the town was used for Harry Potter 1 and 2 (Snape's potion class, the hallways and the courtyard),so if you’re a big HP fan, you’ll love that. They also used a house here as Harry’s house when he was younger. The town is so small and pretty and has a few cute, independent shops here and there. 

Stunning architecture in Lacock (credit- Kirsten)

3. Stonehenge. Essentially all it is is a few rocks but it’s pretty cool seeing them up close and personal and learning about the history behind it all. Loads of people come from all over the world to visit it, so if you're ever in the area it’s somewhere you can say you’ve been to. 

Kirsten and her family at Stonehenge. (credit-Kirsten)

I'd highly recommend you go check out Kirsten's lovely blog kiirstenjones.com / you can also follow her on Twitter @kiirstenjones 

Check back next week for another blogger interview, where'll we'll be delving more into how bloggers use social media and work with brands. I finally decided to change the questions! 

If you want to take part, tweet me @fessjarmer with your email.