The saying is true - 'time flies when you're having fun'. It feels as though I've barely blinked an eye and suddenly it has been 6 years since I first started my blog. This is definitely a momentous occasion considering I didn't think I'd continue this hobby for more than a couple of weeks, and I certainly didn't think I'd be sat here still pouring over my blog at 20 years old, still as passionate and enthusiastic as the day I first started. It felt only right to mark this occasion with a brief journey through my time blogging, so sit tight and enjoy the ride!

I remember starting my blog like it was only yesterday - I was 14 years old and obsessed with watching beauty YouTubers like Zoella and Tanya Burr. I admired them so much and knew that I wanted to do something similar, but never in a million years would I dream of being in front of a camera. Despite having the confidence to perform on stage in front of large audiences, there was something about filming myself that I was way too shy to do. And then I discovered blogging, where all of these passions and endeavours could instead be channeled into writing. This was right up my street as I'd always been an avid writer as a child, and so one Tuesday afternoon without really questioning it, I decided to start 'Daisies and Delights'.

I was so excited to start and quickly created my first blog post: 40 facts about me (which is still up to this day, although I don't recommend searching for it as it is quite possibly the most embarrassing thing of mine to exist on the Internet) and from that point on I was hooked. I used to rush home from school every day and excitedly plan what I was going to write about next, using my iPhone 4s to take photos of makeup on my floral bedding, including now-classics like the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and Maybelline Colour Tattoos. Although my photos were by no means the best, my posts were very writing-heavy (although not much has changed there) and I had a very limited knowledge of makeup, I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it.

It wasn't until long that I decided to expand the horizons of 'Daisies and Delights' and blog about other things rather than solely beauty. Reading was a huge love of mine growing up (and nothing has changed there) and so writing book reviews seemed like a natural progression, as well as writing posts about my studies, hobbies and anything else that I found interesting. I would sit there for hours every weekend and constantly redesign my blog appearance, try to teach myself coding: I would pretty much do anything I could to work on my blog.


And before I knew it, my blog started to receive a little bit of traction. My heart honestly exploded the day that I hit 3 followers, which after a while became 5 and so on. It was never much, and still isn't, but each and every person put a smile on my face and motivated me to continue. I also was introduced into the world of blogger mail and received a few books and beauty products from various brands, which was the first time I thought 'perhaps I'm actually alright at this blogging thing, other people seem to like it'.

I couldn't keep my blog under wraps forever, and after a year or so people started to discover it, which at the time was the worst thing imaginable for me. As a 15-year-old girl who was a) very self-conscious and b) in a high school environment, the last thing I wanted was for my blog to be broadcast to everyone ready for judgement or mocking. My closest friends obviously knew about it and would see my posts through Twitter, but it was never something I openly discussed. Looking back, I'm sure some people saw my blog and thought it was weird, but equally I had a lot of people in my high school and college tell me that they had read some posts and really enjoyed them (plus, as a major nerd in high school, I'm sure my posts about revision tips would've been welcomed by anyone needing advice!) I'm so glad that I didn't let the fear of judgement get to me and cause me to stop blogging, as it has evolved so much since then and is a huge part of my life.

One moment that really stood out and made me realise just how much my blog meant to me was being invited to my first ever blogger event down in London. It was the summer holidays of 2016 and a week before my GCSE results, and I travelled to London with my mum for our first time exploring the city. We had the best time sightseeing and shopping, and the obvious highlight of my trip was attending the Seventeen Cosmetics event for an afternoon of masterclasses, makeup tutorials and testing their latest launches. Although I'd always been blogging as a hobby, it was at that point that I knew I wanted to continue doing it, no matter what.


Speaking of my mum, she has always been the biggest supporter and assistant I could ever wish for (although I'm sure she'd prefer the term creative director). Whilst in high school and college, she would constantly help me to come up with ideas for posts, taking photographs of me and doing every little thing she could to help. It was like our little project together at times, having photoshoots of Primark clothing on a Sunday afternoon or justifying our joint purchase of an eyeshadow palette as it was for my blog. Although she doesn't help as much now as I've moved away for university, I genuinely couldn't have blogged without her and she deserves so much credit. My boyfriend also deserves a huge thank you, as he's always supporting my blog and helping me take photos (even though I'm sure it's the last thing on earth he wants to do in his spare time), and I couldn't thank him enough for the help that he gives me.

Fast forward to now, and 'Daisies and Delights' has become 'By Daisy Bradbury' - an updated space that is more in keeping with who I am now at 20 years old. Although my posts aren't as frequent due to juggling my blog with a degree, part-time job and various other commitments, one thing that'll never change is the passion and dedication that goes into it. What started out as a simple hobby that I expected to last for a couple of months at most has now encompassed a huge span of my life and many milestones along the way. But this is by no means the end: I adore my blog with all my heart and couldn't imagine no longer doing this, and I'm determined to not give up on it.

Thank you so much to all of you who have supported me - whether you've been here since day one or joined last week, you honestly don't know how much it means to me. The lovely comments and messages always make my day, and I've made some genuine friendships through blogging that I'll always cherish. So thank you very much, I seriously appreciate it!