YouTube Partner Program Changes? What Do I Think?

I'm sure we're all well aware by now (unless you're somehow living under a rock), but yesterday YouTube made the announcement that there will soon be changes to their requirements for channels to benefit from their monetisation within the YouTube Partner Program. This simply means the requirements to make money from YouTube have risen - the standards have been seriously (and I mean seriously) amped up.

Whilst I still have a relatively small channel, I am fortunate in the sense that these changes will not affect me when they're set into place on the 20th of February this year, however I certainly understand why so many creators are upset at this drastic change. For the last couple of years the requirements have been that you must have 10,000 views on your channel to be eligible for monetisation - I remember exactly what it was like just trying to get my first 1000, 5000, 10,000 views (although I believe I could benefit from monetisation at an earlier point when I began YouTube in 2015), but I can see why there's great frustration that creators will now need 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of watch time (within the last 12 months) on top of that on their channel. It can be incredibly difficult to reach that when you're first starting out; I certainly know!

Disney World 2018 Trip Announcement!

Surprise! I'm heading back to Walt Disney World! In fact it's no surprise; if you've been keeping up to date with me on social media you may notice that I've been dropping hints just about here, there and everywhere. But regardless, I'm so excited to finally share with you all exactly when I'll be heading back to the happiest place on earth, along with all the nitty gritty details that go along with it.

As a Disney vlogger, one of my favourite things (other than actually being in Disney World) is being able to share my plans for upcoming trips, counting down the days to each exciting step in the planning process - and also sharing the excitement for their countdowns too!

From Drab To Fab: Blog Photography Tips

Photography can easily be one of the hardest aspects of blogging. There's something about taking a flatlay or maybe even an outfit shot that I just found unbelievably difficult (even throughout the first couple years of blogging). Yet all in all, there are a few simple things that we're able to do to improve the overall aesthetic of our photos.

It's something that we shouldn't do, but certainly something that I can say I'm guilty of and that's comparing my photos to others - especially when you've got so many incredible people taking some immaculate photos, it's difficult to not do that, particularly when you have no photography experience yourself. I just didn't understand how their photos appeared as though they'd been taken by a professional photographer with 25 years experience and mine were pretty much on the complete other end of the spectrum. 

Saying that, recently I've really put some much needed effort into improving my overall photos, and bit by bit I'm finally happy to say that I've gotten to a point where I'm actually proud of the images I'm taking. It didn't all happen at once; if you take a glance at my blog photography over the years you'll be able to notice slight improvements to my photos as time goes on. But like anything, blog photography can be a massive learning curve; if you too are struggling with this aspect blogging, take into account some of these well loved tips - I'm sure like me you'll also see some significant improvements to your photography too!

50 Easy Prop Ideas For Your Next Flatlay

One of the biggest, yet most enjoyable aspects for me when it comes to blogging is certainly the photography side of things. It's pretty safe to say that when I first started blogging my photography was, well questionable; it was a case of grabbing one or two products, chucking them together and photographing them in what would only be considered as terrible lighting by the entire blogging community. 

Aside from improving the lighting, the main aspect which has positively impacted my photography the most is definitely the use of props in my photos/flatlays. And it doesn't have to be expensive; you probably have many similar things just lying around your house that could be easily used within your next photo. In fact, to make everything even simpler for those of you who may be struggling on the prop front, I've collated a list of 50 common and inexpensive items to help further improve the aesthetic of your blog photos. It's crazy just how much adding a few simple props can improve everything!

Twenty Things I'd Like To Do In My Twenties

I'm sure I'm not the only one saying this, but how is it already 2018; last year certainly went in the blink of an eye. And with a new year comes new year resolutions. I'm not usually one for new years resolutions; I made them one year, yet there's something about trying to squeeze in so many goals in a relatively short space of time that just doesn't appeal to me.

So instead I'm here with a list of goals that I'd like to achieve within my twenties, some easier than others! Being 23, I've got plenty of time left to achieve each and every goal I set in place; some are one-time events that I'd like to happen at some point or another, whilst others will be spread out over the entire seven years, something that I'll need to put the effort into, so that I can make a positive change. I want to vastly improve my life over my twenties, becoming healthier, happier and more independent in the process and I personally like this way of going about it; there's no rushing around trying to get something done before these 365 days are over - and trust me, they'll be over before we know it! 

Grab a drink, this is a long one!