Everyone loves a triple threat, and blogger Cari Dunn definitely fits that mold.
Cari is a seasoned blogger on Hometalk, but she doesn’t stop there. Not only does she balance and perfect being a busy, homeschooling mom of three and professional copywriter, she even manages to run 3 personal blogs - Everything Pretty, Koti Beth, and Homesteading in Ohio.
You can find Cari on Hometalk, Foodtalk, and Upstyle - and that’s where she keeps us in awe with her beauty recipes.
Cari’s recipes are known for being hits, but she points out that she got to this point with hard work and a love for creating.
Take a look at how she’s best learned to highlight her strengths and the tools she uses to grow and elevate herself as a content creator.
How did you get started blogging? Was there a specific moment that made you decide to start your blog?
I started working from home when my kids were little. I knew that I wanted to homeschool them, so I needed a job that was flexible to allow me to work around their schedules. I started working as a copywriter and wrote articles for brands and other bloggers. I ultimately started my own blog because I wanted to make recipes and share DIY projects with others.
How long have you been a content creator/ when did you start blogging?
I started my first blog (Koti Beth Designs) in 2008, but I didn’t know what I was doing so it didn’t do well. I started a new blog (Everything Pretty) in 2013 and started learning about SEO, photography, and how to grow a blog.
I loved sharing my DIY beauty recipes on Everything Pretty, but I also wanted to share food recipes and other DIY projects. I decided to start posting on my old blog again since it was getting some traffic from old posts.
I started a third blog last summer, Homesteading in Ohio. When the events of 2020 started happening, I was very thankful for the knowledge and skills that we had learned from our small farm. I wanted to share that knowledge to help others.
I know you share projects on Hometalk, Foodtalk, and Upstyle. What are your favorite types of projects to create and share?
My favorite projects to make and share are DIY beauty recipes. Although I’m a writer by profession now, I was actually a science and math nerd in high school and college. I love creating new formulas and learning about the properties of each ingredient.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from a lot of places. Sometimes I make things because it fills a need that I have or it’s something that I like. Other times, I look at current trends for inspiration.
What are your favorite platforms to use (ex. Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) and why?
Pinterest is the best for blog traffic, but personally I like to use Instagram. I like to scroll through the pretty pictures and see what other bloggers are creating. I also like being able to share candid moments from my life in stories.
What would you say your favorite beauty recipe on Upstyle has been?
My favorite DIY recipe is my unicorn soap. Although the recipe is fairly basic and I didn’t get to play with many ingredients, it was a lot of fun to sketch on paper and then create the soap. I love the colors and the scent that I used. Each time I used the soap, I couldn’t help but smile because who doesn’t smile for unicorns?
How did you get started on Upstyle? What made you want to join?
I’ve been posting my DIY projects on Hometalk for years. When Foodtalk was created, I started posting there too. When DIY beauty projects moved to Upstyle, I joined that community. My daughter likes to sew, so we’ve had fun looking through the creative projects.
To you, what is the best part of the blogger experience on Hometalk/Foodtalk/Upstyle?
I enjoy looking at all of the projects and recipes. I’ve found some great projects to make myself, and I love the creativity from all of the bloggers.
How would you say Upstyle has benefited you as a blogger?
Upstyle has helped me because it inspires me to keep creating. I also enjoy the community aspect because sometimes it helps me learn what my readers want to learn more about.
If you could offer advice to new creators, what would it be?
When I started blogging, I wanted to be the best at everything. I quickly learned that was a good way to get burnt out. Instead, I focused on learning one skill at a time. I focused on improving my photography, then SEO, then social media. I love my job as a blogger because I have many roles and I get to be creative every day.
Is there a creator on Hometalk, Foodtalk, or Upstyle who you think should be our next Creator of the Month?
Let us know at amanda@hometalk.com!
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