Author: Deborah

Top 3 Instagram analytics tools for free

I wouldn’t usually write a post about social media analytics but today I’m breaking that rule. I went to check my Instagram analytics today on Iconsquare to be confronted with payment options starting at $199. I thought this was for a year but after a quick stalk on twitter of #iconsquare I saw people saying this was a MONTHLY fee. And this is just the basic range, it goes up to $799 for the full package. See update below.

So I went on the hunt for something else we could use, trying them out with my Instagram account. You get to see some of my stats, they aren’t great but hey ho.

WEBSTA (formally webstagram)

There is something very plain and simple about Websta. However it does have quite a few adverts. You can use it for stats but also to browse, like and comment on your feed. One thing I really like about it is that it gives you an idea of the best time to post. It also gives you the option to have a look into your followers and see who you’re mutual relationships.

WEBSTA overview instagram analytics

WEBSTA best time to post instagram analytics

INK361

I think this is the best looking analytics tool I’ve seen. I know it’s not all about the looks, but it’s clean and colourful while delivering the stats you need. I really like the love rate/talk rate feature which analyses what percentage of your followers like and comment on your post. There are a lot of ads between each section, but they are easily skipped over. You can also use this as a browser to like and comment on your Instagram feed.

INK361 overview instagram analytics

INK361 love and talk rate instagram analytics

squarelovin

As soon as I tweeted my dilemma with the loss of iconosquare, squarelovin tweeted me back to give them a try. When I first registered it was really slow for my stats to come though – I wonder if this is because they had a huge increase in traffic from tweeting their link. They were very responsive to tweets and got it working quickly. I am really impressed! They have the best time to post (and least), monthly stats and even how your filters affect your likes. They have no ads at the moment so I don’t know if this will change  in the future or if they will start charging too.

squarelovin overview instagram analytics

squarelovin monthly engagement instagram analytics

As far as I can see squarelovin is the only one that offers monthly statistics. For a business this can be important to meet KPIs or for reporting purposes. I’d like to be able to input dates and compare to a previous period, but this is a really good start.

I use instagram analytics to check when I should post images, what hashtags and filters that I use are doing the best and what images are getting the most likes and comments. I noticed at work that likes and comments don’t necessarily correlate so what may work to increase one might not work for the other.

Update: I received an email yesterday from Iconosquare saying that they’d listened to everyones feedback and have rolled back to the version with free statistics. I’ve had issues with iconosquare before where it took days for the stats to update (just when I needed them most for reports), so I’ll definitely be giving some of the others a try looking back at April’s stats.

Do you use instagram analytics? What site do you use to do it?

Author: Deborah

Next flare jeans and platform sandals with New Look crochet look top

Next flare jeans and platform sandals with New Look crochet look top

Agghhhh scary pale legs warning! I know I said I wouldn’t get them out and frighten you but these 70s platform sandals are just too good to not show off. Can I also say that these are the COMFIEST heels I own. Like mega comfy walking about all day sort of goodness. I’m not saying my feet feel like they’re walking on clouds but I went shopping all day in them last weekend at I was fine. I’m not a heels person.

Next ten leather 70s platform sandals

New Look denim dress and Next platform sandals

Next flowers sunglasses

Next flowers sunglasses

Tan leather platform sandals Next // couture flares Next // white cotton lace wide sleeve top New Look // denim 1/2 sleeve shirt dress New Look // sunglasses Next (not on website).

I am in love with these tan leather 70s platform sandals from Next. I’ve always wanted a pair of wedges for the summer but struggled to find something comfy for hours of walking. These are SO comfy because of the platform. I wish I could wear these every day but I think work would frown upon it.

I’ve paired them with denim. A gorgeous shirt dress from New Look and some flares from Next. I remember wearing flares as a teenager. Or at least I used to wear my jeans hanging off my hips and they were huge at the bottom and dragged all over the floor with holes in – really not a good look! Why am I even admitting this? Did anyone else wear their jeans like this?

Author: Deborah

A-Z Facts about me hello deborah

I’ve been blogging for about 6 months now and I thought it was about time you get to learn a little more about me. So, with minimal rambling, here’s an alphabet of facts about me.

Age – Let’s go with 25, that’s a nice average age to go for. I’m not yet at 30.

Breakfast – I really can’t leave the house without breakfast. I am incredibly grumpy if I don’t eat within 10 minutes of waking up.

Cocker spaniel – I need one! I’ve always wanted a dog and after a lot of research I’ve narrowed down the breed I want.

Deborah or Debbie or Debs – My friends call me Debbie, but my mum calls me Debs so when she switches to Debbie I know I’ve done something wrong.

Early – I am always early. If I try to be on time I’ll more than likely be late, which is why I leave so early that even if I get held up I’ll be right there waiting.

Fiji – I spent five weeks of blissful relaxation in Fiji with no electricity or hot water.

Glasses – I’ve had to wear glasses since I can remember. One of my pairs in primary school were pink and yellow spotty ones like Mr Blobby.

Hong Kong – It’s one of my favourite places in the world. I spent a lovely two weeks there exploring temples and wandering around the markets.

Italy – There’s just something about this country which makes me want to read all about it and visit it over and over again.

Job – I work in digital. That’s as specific as I’m going to get!

Kids – None yet but hopefully some day.

London – I lived in London for 8 years and I although I miss the shops and exhibitions, the countryside suits me more.

Miranda – That show had me in fits of laughter so much! We also nearly rescued a dog called Miranda but the time wasn’t right. I still miss her but she has a wonderful home now.

NCIS – I’ve watched every episode of every version out there. I’ll always love Gibbs but I do like New Orleans and LA too. Don’t ever stop making it!

October – I’m born in October, it’s autumn which means pretty coloured trees and I’m getting married in October. So it’s obviously the best month ever.

Parking – or parallel parking to be more specific. I just can’t. I don’t even try any more. I’ve promised myself I’ll learn one day because at the moment I go in and out in a semi circle and can never get close to being parallel. I am giving no one the joy of laughing at me attempting a 20-point manoeuvre.

Quote – “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” by A.A. Milne

Reading – Fiction is a bit of escapism for me. If I’m feeling stressed I’ll dip into a book. I always read the book before the film.

Succulents – I have too many. I think I have a problem. They’re just beautiful in every way and now I’m learning to make baby ones from the leaves.

Tea – I love tea. I feature it in every monthly favourites post and I can’t get enough. I can easily put away 6 cups a day. Is that too many? Not enough? What’s the average?

University – I spent five years at uni and I hated it. I dropped out of my first course and picked another subject, which took me four years to complete due to a bit of drama. I did well but I spent more time dancing than studying!

Vegetables – I didn’t eat vegetables until I was in my early twenties and I still won’t eat some today (whole tomatoes!). Actually, I’d never eaten pasta or rice until I was about 16. I was missing out on so much!

Wedding – I’m in the midst of planning my October wedding.

X – really, what does anyone write for this except x-ray?

Yoga – I’ve been following Yoga with Adriene on YouTube for a couple of months now and I find it sets me up for the day and really calms me down.

Zoo – The zoo is one of my favourite places to go ever. Whenever we go somewhere new I make sure that we visit the closest zoo and check out all the animals. My favourite so far is Monkey World.

Author: Deborah

Yankee Candle wax tarts and votive candles

Yankee Candle wax burner and votive holder

Yankee Candle candles, votive holder and wax burner

I have a bit of an addiction to Yankee Candle wax melts and jar candles. I have a supply of them and don’t get to use them as often as I’d like. Which is why I’ve bought another melt warmer in the shape of this amazing green plant pot to use in another room. It’s one of my favourite colours and I just love it! I also bought a green plant pot votive holder as I thought it would look lovely outside on our garden table when the garden is eventually finished – you can see what the garden looks like at the moment.

I don’t often go for sweet smelling candles but as I’d forgotten to bring my purse my fiancé decided he’d choose. I actually do love the smell of Summer Scoop, which reminds me of raspberry ripple ice cream even if it’s supposed to be strawberry.

The Cappuccino Truffle and Pain au Raisin are from the new Cafe Culture collection, which promises you fragrance from a luxury city break. Does this mean it’s going to make me want to run off to Paris? Time will tell.

Summer Scoop is destined to go in our office. On those days I’m working from home I think it’s just going to make me incredibly hungry and craving ice cream! I’m most excited about using my new holders, they’re just so pretty!

Have you tried any of the new Yankee Candle collections like Cafe Culture or Life’s a Beach? What’s your favourite candle?

Author: Deborah

Shloer sparkling iced tea

Shloer sparkling iced tea

I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to Shloer. I currently have 18 bottles in my cupboard in a variety of flavours. I like having a glass of wine in the evening but sometimes I just want that feeling of having something other than tea or water, so Shloer is my go to. I thought it was about time I tried something different with it.

I noticed on the Shloer website they have a recipe for sparkling iced tea. I really like green tea so I used one of my T2 tea bags called sencha. After leaving it for 3 minutes I removed the bag and let it cool down. I poured 150ml over ice and then topped it up with the Shloer White Grape and Elderflower.

I popped a strawberry on the side but I wish I’d gone all out Pimms like and filled it with fruit. It tasted really refreshing after a day sitting in the sun.

Have you tried Shloer? If so, what’s your favourite flavour?

Author: Deborah

Wedding dress stock photo

I guess the traditional answer is yes. I definitely should wear a wedding dress to my own wedding.

And I am quite traditional.

But I don’t really like wedding dresses.

I’ve been to five bridal shops and a high street retailer and tried on about 60 dresses in total. Most of which I said no to as soon as I looked in the mirror. I tried to pick dresses that I thought would suit my shape but it’s something I’ve never had to think about before.

My fiancé keeps saying I should just wear this beautiful Adele Blossom dress as I walk down the aisle as he loves it. If I could get away with wearing this to my wedding I would, but not only would my mum be disappointed, I’m also wearing it as a guest to a wedding this summer. Definitely can’t be spotted twice in it when the guestlist will be similar.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t like wedding dresses and to just choose the dress that’s the best of the bunch. So I decided to write down some of the pros and cons of wearing a short or long dress, as once I’ve got that decision made I’m halfway there.

Long wedding dress

  • Traditional
  • Lots of choice
  • You’ll stand out from other guests
  • A good excuse if you don’t want to dance
  • Get away with wear comfy shoes underneath all those layers
  • Feel like a proper bride
  • It will probably get filthy at the bottom
  • You might need at least one bridesmaid to help with toilet duty
  • You might struggle to dance in it
  • They can be quite heavy

Short wedding dresses

  • Often cheaper
  • Won’t get dirty on the bottom
  • Show off amazing shoes
  • Easier to dance in
  • No one will walk on the train
  • Won’t need help going to the toilet
  • Can be lighter and more comfortable
  • Legs are on show (if you have amazing legs this is a plus)
  • Fewer choices
  • You might get cold in Winter
  • Can be quite informal

The other option of course is to buy two dresses. I think that’s a little greedy for me, but I’ve heard of people doing it so they can dance in the evening.

Am I any closer to picking a wedding dress? No. Has it helped? I feel like I know which dress is more practical. But everyone tells me dressing shopping should be done with your heart. Which is where I falter as I haven’t been wowed by any of the 60 odd dresses I’ve tried on.

That’s a lie. There has been one. One very much over budget dress that was pretty much the first one I tried on. I tried it on again recently and I didn’t get the same feeling about it, but it’s still the best one I’ve tried on. In six months time you’ll see what dress I went for!

Would you consider a shorter less traditional wedding dress? Have you pictured your dream dress? Or if you’re already married, how did you know when your dress was “the one”?

Nb. I wrote this post a couple of days ago just before I went to try on two dresses and I picked one! I tried them on with shoes, veils and accessories and I knew which one I wanted instantly. I’m so excited!

Author: Deborah

E45 Intense Recovery Body Lotion

Usually ladies name their breasts, however I have named my legs Itchy and Scratchy (my boobs don’t have names). I have suffered from itchy legs for the past 18 months. And I don’t mean oh they’re a little bit itchy today, I mean scratching them so badly I’ve made them bleed and scar. The itch gets so bad that the only thing to relieve it is to scratch and then it burns from the pain. Last summer I was stuck in jeans, tights and maxi dresses unable to get my legs out at all.

Over a year on I have FINALLY found some relief. This is probably quite a disgusting topic to talk about but I hope it helps others too.

I have tried SO many things to stop my legs from being itchy and tearing them to shreds. Here are just some of the things I’ve tried:

  • Shaving every day (even in winter, who does that?)
  • Not shaving at all for ages (eww!)
  • Epilating
  • Calamine lotion
  • Body Shop body butters in every scent
  • Using an exfoliating mitt every day
  • Body brushing
  • Lots of body scrubs
  • Moisturising a ridiculous number of times a day
  • Baby oil
  • 50:50 ointment – paraffin and it’s very messy
  • Steroid creams
  • Prescription body washes
  • Antihistamine tablets
  • E45 and Boots Itch Cream
  • Flicking an elastic band on my wrist whenever I got the urge to scratch

I have a wonderful blogger to thank who mentioned a product in her Holy Grail Beauty Products post. I’ve tried E45 products before and I’ve been using their itch cream which helped a little bit but didn’t solve the problem. I saw the E45 Intense Recovery Lotion in her list and thought why the hell shouldn’t I give this one a go too. I think I’ve probably spent in the hundreds trying to get my legs to feel comfortable.

I’ve been using it for a about a month now and I haven’t scratched once! Bearing in mind I’d scratch my legs multiple times a day, whether that’s while at work on the phone and not realising I’m doing it or last thing at night while in bed. I use this lotion once a day when I get out of the shower and it’s really helped. Occasionally they still itch like a day after shaving but I’m not scratching!

My legs are still covered in scars so I won’t horrify you with the evidence but they are feeling unbelievably better now. I can’t put into words how happy this has made me. I thought I’d have to live with the pain and the frustration for ever and this has completely changed me. It’s definitely my holy grail product too.

I hope this helps someone else too. Have you ever suffered from itchy legs? Do you have any products to recommend?

Categories

About me

Hi there, I’m Deborah. I live in Hampshire with my husband and spend my time baking, making and getting out in the fresh air. Find out more or get in touch.

Youtube

Popular posts

Me on Instagram