Blogger Series
Hello lovely readers! I am back in SA after a much anticipated trip to Italy, unfortunately my hubby fell ill in the middle of the trip, hence why I have been MIA for the past week!
In today’s Confessions of a Blogger we meet, not one but two bloggers! Sally and Kim are the creators of The Saltbox, a blog which showcases their passion for home décor and delicious food. Definitely girls after my own heart 🙂
Hi I am Sally – I am 29, live in Joburg, from Durban. Love the beach, eating and travelling. Hi I am Kim – I am 28, live in Durban but have lived in a couple other cities prior to this, including Cape Town, London, Joburg and Zululand (ok, not a city per say). I’m obsessed with food, love a good DIY and entertaining. We met when we were at school together in Durban and lived together in Cape Town, for a few years. We lived in a digs in Newlands, while at UCT, taking advantage of everything that Cape Town had to offer. We both spent time in Joburg and it was during that time that The Saltbox idea was conceived.
- When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? Our journey started somewhere in the middle of 2013 and after about 6 months of talking and planning and writing (and a very steep learning curve), The Saltbox was born in January 2014. What a journey it has been so far! We identified the need for a food and home décor blog in South Africa, most blogs are focused on either food or décor, so we wanted to do something a bit different and offer readers both aspects on one blog. We also both happen to love beautiful places and spaces and great food (and wine!) so a blog seemed like a great platform to collate our passions and share them with the world.
- Do you blog fulltime or do you have a 9-5 as well? We both have other occupations / day jobs! Sally: I work on the deal team at a small investment company in Joburg, but don’t feel too sorry for me – I love my job, and work with awesome people. Kim: I am currently in the process of starting up my own business (watch this space!) and doing some consulting work. So The Saltbox remains my “after hours” indulgence and every now and then during the day as well when I give in to the distraction.
- Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? The Saltbox is our home of food and décor, we blog about anything related to food, entertaining and decorating your home – so you can look forward to recipes, DIY projects, restaurant reviews, décor inspiration, food travels, real life before and after projects, gardens, entertaining ideas and so much more. It’s a place where we can share our obsessions because we just can’t fathom people not knowing about that restaurant we visited or the wine we tasted, that really simple dish to make your life easier at your next dinner party or some easy DIY’s to get “that look” for less.
- Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? Kim: Those moments when I discover something and I’m bursting to share it. It’s the “you HAVE to try this” kind of moment. I almost get FOMO on other peoples behalf it’s that serious! The Saltbox is an incredible place for me to be able to share this with others and I am really motivated when people tell me that they have enjoyed what they read on the blog or the recipe they tried. It makes it so worth it! Sally: I have always loved writing and since my day job revolves around numbers and spreadsheets and legal documents, I love the opportunity to use the other side of my brain. The Saltbox is a fantastic creative outlet for me, for which I am very grateful. I think the fact that we are working on this together, and that I really don’t want to let Kim down is also hugely motivating. That being said, we are both pretty flexible and can usually step in for the other person if they are too busy or hectic to blog.
- What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Photography! Neither of us have the experience and/or the tools yet to take amazing photos but it is something that we are working on and we even hope to do a photography course one of these days. With cooking often happening ‘after hours’ lighting can pose some challenges so we have to get a little creative sometimes. It is also quite daunting when you see the level of interaction that some other blogs receive and it can get disheartening at times but what’s important is why you do it and not always the number of ‘likes’ you get!
- What do you love most about being a blogger? Kim: Being able to share things I have discovered and love with others because I genuinely want them to try it or see it for themselves. Sally: The interaction with our readers, especially when it’s not my sister or mom!
- Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? {things that other bloggers or social media peeps do, that really annoy you} Sally: I find negative people on social media/blogs exhausting (and in real life too!) But one thing that I do love about social media is the fluidity, if someone is annoying you – unfollow them. It’s that simple. Kim: I also hate negativity and people who use these types of platform to complain. No one needs that in their life.
- What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? Sally: It is constantly changing my life. It keeps me on my toes and I find that I am always looking for a ‘Saltbox’ angle when doing something whether is cooking or shopping or travelling. Blogging has me looking at the world a bit differently, which I love. Kim: Like Sally, I look at things in a bit of a different way now always keeping an eye out for awesome things to share with others. It’s also pushed me to try new things, put myself out there and not worry too much what people think. These are the things I love and I hope that people enjoy it too but if they don’t, I’m ok with that.
- If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Kim: Planning! If you don’t plan ahead life and work (naturally) gets in the way. We plan our content weeks in advance and make sure that we stick to this as best as possible ensuring that we treat our readers to all sorts of content on a consistent basis. The worst is knowing you need a post for the next day and have nothing to work off, that can only waste time. A content plan gives you a base and a way to use your precious time more efficiently. Also, it’s all a bit of an experiment, so try out different things and see what works best. Sally: We are still newbies – any tips for us? Jokes, I would say that starting a blog has its ups and downs and you should be prepared for the downs but don’t let them put you off. You’re unlikely to be an overnight sensation so keep on going and when you get comments from strangers, it’ll all be worth it!
- In three words tell me what blogging means to you: Sally – Writing, Eating, Dreaming. Kim – Exploring, Cooking, Sharing
Thanks Kim and Sally for sharing a bit more about your lives and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about The Saltbox here:
Blog link: www.thesaltbox.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesaltbox
Twitter: @saltboxsa
Instagram: @thesaltboxsa
If you are a blogger and would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below. Or if there is a blogger see featured here please drop me a mail or comment.
Image Source: The Saltbox
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