Blogger Behind the Blog {Hello Cuppies}

Here’s this week’s instalment of Blogger Behind the Blog where I interview a blogger all about their reasons for blogging and what it means to them. This week I’m joined by Natalie from Hello Cuppies.

Here’s Natalie with more about her blogging life:

Where did your blog name come from? 

I run a bakery called Cuppies ‘n’ Cream and I wanted to start a blog that was completely separate to my current website. After a little bit of brainstorming with my boyfriend he came up with Hello Cuppies. I really like it but I do find myself having to repeat it a few times when people don’t quite catch it properly.

When did you start your blog and why?

I started my blog in 2011, albeit a bit naive, inexperienced and admittedly it was poorly done too. I initially just wanted to have somewhere to write and express my thoughts, but also to share recipes and cake related things. I was really worried about what people would think and had a bit of confidence crisis so gave up for a while then re-vamped in 2015 and deleted lots of old  content. Eventually in 2017 decided to really go for it and expanded from just writing about baking and food to travel, lifestyle, parenting… basically anything I wanted to write about. Not having a set niche worried me, but ultimately I decided it’s my blog and I’ll write what I want.

What did you do before you blogged? 

I still actually do the same as what I’ve always done. I run the bakery part time from home where I predominantly make wedding cakes, one a week at the moment. I’m a Marketing Manager at a Venture Capital firm and I teach cake decorating too. Blogging is my way to take time out of all these things and whilst I do earn money from it, I love how selective I can be too.

What was your first post?

Oh gosh… it makes me cringe when I go back but at the same time it’s also good to see how far I’ve come. This is it.

What inspires you to blog? 

My inspiration comes from my personal life, how I feel, where I go and what I do. I’m also inspired by other bloggers and if I’m ever having a time where I’m struggling I’ll read other blogs and it quickly gets me back on the right path. I love receiving messages from people who’ve used my recipes and being tagged on Instagram in someone’s post is the most amazing feeling.

What post has had the best response, which post are you most proud of and which post did you enjoy writing the most? 

My most popular post and the one I’m most proud of is a post about how to price a cake in the UK. It was personal to me as I was kind of giving away my secrets but I also knew that so many other bakers were struggling to know how to price realistically or if they were earning what they should be. I’ve run my bakery since 2011, I’m good with numbers so the formula I’ve always used, despite it being a common one, didn’t seem to be too well-known either. I can guarantee it’ll be my most viewed post every month.  My main niche is my baking and even though I know most of my audience is there for this, I actually love writing about travel the most. I’m very fortunate and get to go on holiday and have long weekends and to me it seemed bonkers to not share those experiences. I was always worried my readers just wouldn’t relate, but in the end it was fine. I mean who doesn’t love to travel? Those types of posts I find the most fun.

Have any of your posts not had the response that you expected? 

Um, not really, I don’t think. Sometimes I write one and it doesn’t get as many visitors as others, but then when I write one that I’m not particularly loving that does really well! Sometimes there’s just no reason for this.

Where do you see your blog in a year’s time? 

Hopefully working with some more amazing brands! I’ve recently picked up the pace on pitching and I’m hoping that this increases. I’d love to have a new blog design created too, something unique and custom to me.

What is your favourite thing about blogging? 

Meeting other bloggers, press-trips, and having a chance to just have total control over doing something I love.

…and your least favourite? 

Fixing broken links!!!

What’s the best blog post you have ever read? 

Oh gosh… that’s so tricky! The first one that pops into my mind is a blog post by Abi Richards, all of her lifestyle posts on careers and motivation always resonate with me.

What blog do you love to read and why? 

Despite the fact I love blogging about food and baking I find I love to read more lifestyle posts from other bloggers the most. Some blogs I love, and that have been reading for quite some time are: Ilaria Petrucci (who is actually a photographer, but I find her writing style so dreamy!), Always Carry On (Becca lives in the same area as me, and she’s just so real and a fab writer) and I Don’t Like Peas (Karen is so witty and funny)

Do you do anything differently now to when you started blogging? 

Don’t use as many !!!! and my photography is so much better now that what it was when I started.

Is blogging what you expected it to be? 

I didn’t really have any expectations, but yes I think it is.

What’s been your favourite blog collaboration to date? 

Ooh I’m going with two. One was with The Post Office who sent me on a foodie adventure in Rome and the other was with Fentimans where I had to create a series of recipes for their pop-up bakery. This is one of them, a pink rose gin cake. 

Are there any brands you would love to work with, why? 

Right now I can’t think of one particular brand, but I do love working for foodie brands and always get excited when something new comes through.

Have you had any blogging fails so far? 

Yes, I didn’t ask or sign a contract for one particular collaboration, which is unusual, but as I knew the person running it I naively assumed it would all be OK. Lots of things that were promised didn’t happen so I felt disappointed and frustrated.

What is your biggest blogging hope, dream or ambition? 

My biggest hope is that my blog just keeps growing and people enjoy what I read and share. I can’t really ask for anything else than that.

What do you do when you’re not blogging? 

When I’m not blogging or baking, or working I love to read, spend time with friends and family and sleep!! Naps are a particular favourite thing to do 😉

and lastly, tell us all a random fact about yourself 

I love horror movies! Anything totally gruesome, weird and freaky is welcome.

Now that you know all about Natalie from Hello Cuppies make sure you go and read her blog. Make sure you follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too. Thanks so much Natalie for being involved!