FAQ

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How do I start a blog?

Good news! I finally have a post on how to start a lifestyle blog with step-by-step instructions for you to get yourself set up in no time.

The best way is to subscribe by email. I send out a newsletter a couple times a week with new recipes as well as other tried and true favorites. Email addresses are private and secure and I never share them with anyone.

As an added bonus, when you subscribe and confirm your email address, you’ll receive a set of Kitchen Inventory printables!

You can unsubscribe at anytime. A link to unsubscribe is found in each email at the bottom.

How do I find a particular recipe on your site?

Look for the search box in the top right hand corner. Simply type in what you are looking for and a list of related posts will show up.

I also have a Recipe Index. Feel free to browse and check out all the recipes! Each recipe is printable, too.

How do I know if you were paid for a post?

Easy. I will tell you. I always disclose in my sponsored posts (or review posts) if I’ve been compensated to write the post. I believe it’s important for reader trust to be transparent. For me personally as a reader of blogs, I like to know within the post if it’s a sponsored post. It doesn’t sit well for me to not disclose. It’s also required by law for companies in the USA and Canada to disclose a compensated relationship.

Can I write a guest post for your site?

No, sorry. I’m currently not accepting guest posts.

Can you post about my product or service?

Maybe. Email me and we can discuss what you had in mind!

Do you sell sidebar ad space?

Yes! It’s sold through my network, Mediavine.

Do you work with brands?

Yes, I love to work with brands that are a good fit for me and my readers! Email me for a copy of my media kit or to discuss the campaign you had in mind.

Can I share your recipe or photos on my blog?

For my recipes, no. I don’t allow my blog posts or my recipes to be republished in their entirety on other sites. You are welcome to link to the recipe, but if you post the whole thing, then people don’t have a reason to visit my site.

If you make my recipe and want to share what you’ve made, please rewrite the recipe in your own words.

In terms of photos, feel free to use one photo, saved to your own server, with a link to the recipe post. Please DO NOT hotlink photos. That is theft.

Do you blog full-time?

Sure do! My blog is how I support my family and keep a roof over our heads. I started blogging at the end of 2008, but didn’t begin to monetize until 2010. Back then, I earned enough for a little extra spending money. Over the years, it’s grown into a full-time job with long hours, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I truly love what I do.

What kind of camera do you use?

My parents bought me a Canon Rebel T2i DSLR camera for Christmas 2011. My first photos used the kit lens (and the flash- eek!). I decided to upgrade my lens and moved to a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. For Christmas 2012, my parents bought me a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro. They are the BEST (lenses and parents – ha!).

In the summer of 2015, I felt I was ready to move on to full-frame DSLR. I purchased a Canon EOS 6D with the kit lens. Again, I don’t use the kit lens at all.

I upgraded again in November 2020 to a Canon 5D Mark IV. I absolutely adore this camera! It’s worth every penny.

I have two main lenses: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens. Both are AMAZING lenses for food photography.

I also own a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens. I rarely use it though because I love my other lenses!

What kind of lighting do you use for your food photography?

I predominately shot with natural light up until Fall 2020. At that time, I took the Pretty Focused Artificial Lighting Masterclass and learned how to shoot with continuous light. It’s been a game changer for me. I never have to worry about the weather and what the sun is doing. Winter is tough for photos in Canada!

What do you use to edit your photos?

From 2011-ish to September 2015, I was solely using Picmonkey to edit my photos. I recommend getting Picmonkey Pro if you are just starting out. It’s super easy to use and affordable. I use it to make my pins for Pinterest!

I also like using Canva to make pins.

Starting at the end of September 2015, I started using Lightroom Creative Cloud. You pay a monthly subscription for Lightroom and Photoshop. The bonus is that you get free updates so you always have the latest version. I don’t use Photoshop currently. Lightroom has everything I need. I use Lightroom Classic (not the cloud version).

Do you have a photography portfolio?

Yes, I do. Check out my food photography. Want your own online portfolio? I recommend SmugMug.

How can I improve my own photos?

I’m completely self-taught. I didn’t take any formal schooling for photography. Everything I’ve learned over the years, I’ve done so online and by reading books! Two things that were crucial for me to improve my photography skills: Absorb as much as you can AND practice!

The first thing I did was learn how to shoot in manual. I took one of Bella Pop’s photography courses (now they look to be FREE – bonus for you!)  and it was like a lightbulb went off. Learning the basics is critical and now I pretty much only shoot in manual mode!

I also recommend reading these two ebooks to learn how to improve your food photography: Tasty Food Photography and The Food Photography Book.

In September 2015, I joined Food Blogger Pro and binge watched all their videos on Food Photography. I started applying the tips I learned and noticed a big improvement in the quality of my recipe photos. 

In 2020, I took the Pretty Focused Food Photography course. This is THE course you NEED to take if you want to learn how to take beautiful photos of food. Seriously, get it.

Who do you recommend for an email newsletter?

I use ConvertKit!

What do you use to schedule your social media?

For Facebook, I use SmarterQueue. I also use Fanpage Karma to source posts from my page and others.

For Pinterest, I recommend using Tailwind or live pinning.

Where do you host your online store?

Shopify! It was a bit of a learning curve to figure out, but their support has been awesome. Check out my store.

Why are there ads on your blog?

The ads are what pay the bills and keep me doing what I do – providing free recipes to you! It costs a lot of money to keep a website running. My hosting alone is $350USD/month. Then there is the cost of my email list ($$$), technical support, various programs (like Adobe, Picmonkey, Canva, Tailwind, etc), cost of ingredients, my camera and lighting equipment and on and on. Plus, I want to be able to get paid for my time and pay my own bills. 

For more info on this topic, check out this post by Two Sleevers.

Where can I find you online?

Besides my blog, you can find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Tiktok and Instagram

Visit my other site, Busy Day Dinners.