The Kitchen Thyme Blogger Spotlight Series is a way for you and I to get to know and support the wonderful Bloggers who share their delicious recipes on Kitchen Thyme.
Meet Lisa from Tiny Kitchen Capers
Click HERE to see Lisa’s recipe collection on Kitchen Thyme!
Kitchen Thyme: Thank you for being part of our Kitchen Thyme Blogger Spotlight Series! Tell us where you’re from and how you got into blogging?
Lisa: I live in the St. Louis area. I’ve always loved to cook and bake for other people, so sharing my recipes is just an extension of that.
KT: How did you come up with the name of your blog?
Lisa: I have a really tiny, poorly laid out kitchen.
KT: How long have you been blogging?
Lisa: Almost 2 years
KT: Where do you find inspiration to create new recipes?
Lisa: I watch a lot of cooking shows, I’m a cooking magazine junkie, and of course there’s way too much time spent on Pinterest.
KT: What are your top 5 favorite recipes on your blog?
Lisa:
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Cheesy Italian Sausage Appetizer Bites
KT: What camera and lens do you usually use for your food photos? Do you edit on Photo Shop or another Photo Editing site?
Lisa: I have always used the native lens on my iphone. I started on my 6s plus and have recently upgraded to an 8 plus. I use Snapseed to edit.
KT: What advice would you give to new food bloggers when it comes to taking photos of food?
Lisa: Take your time and really set up the shot. And take lots of pictures, many more than you think may need.
KT: Do you have great lighting in your house for photos or do you need to use artificial lighting and filters?
Lisa: I try to use natural light as much as possible. I have some lights but I really don’t like them.
KT: Are you a part-time or full-time blogger?
Lisa: Full time.
KT: Do you have a Virtual Assistant that helps you, and if so, what does that person do to help? What tasks do you like to do yourself and which ones do you prefer to outsource?
Lisa: I don’t have the budget for a virtual assistant right now, so it’s all me!
KT: What does a typical week look like for you? Do you create recipes and blog posts on certain days of the week? What are some of your daily tasks or routines? Do you have a good blog/life balance? Do you unplug at night or on the weekends?
Lisa: I post twice a week. The day before a post I tweak the post, cook the recipe, take pictures, edit, and schedule the recipe to go out the next day. The morning of the post, I spend on promotion; social media, recipe site sharing, that sort of thing. In the afternoon I’m starting on the basics of the next recipe. The following day I shop for my next recipe. These are the days I do any admin stuff, watch tutorials, read articles, anything to make my blog a better place for people to spend time.
KT: How much time do you spend on Social Media each day?
Lisa: I’m guessing way too much. But I love to see what other people are up to and connecting with other bloggers.
KT: What tools/Apps help you to stay organized with your blogging business?
Lisa: I use the native calendar on my phone/ipad. That way I change schedule things no matter where I am. And I would be lost without Google Docs. I use it to jot down notes, make outlines of recipes, etc. And, again, I can access it from anywhere.
KT: Do you use any schedulers for Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? If so, which ones do you use and how do you organize all of the scheduling?
Lisa: I use Tailwind to schedule pins. Everything else I do manually.
KT: What are some Word Press plug-ins you find helpful?
Lisa: Revive Old Post automatically shares my older posts to Twitter. I recently started using Social Warfare so people can share my posts to their social media. Yoast SEO really helps with search engine optimization.
KT: What are the main sources of income from your blog? Sponsored Posts? Advertisements? Affiliate Links?
Lisa: Right now Google Adsense and Amazon Associates are main income streams but I’m always open to other opportunities.
KT: Do you have a long relationship with any particular Brands?
Lisa: Not right now.
KT: Do you enjoy going to Blogging Conferences? If so, which ones do you recommend for Food Bloggers?
Lisa: Conferences aren’t really in the budget right now.
KT: Do you have any advice for someone starting a food blog?
Lisa: Create great content, take the best pictures you possibly can, connect with other bloggers. And remember, it takes time, so hang in there.
KT: Do you have a favorite cookbook?
Lisa: I love The Joy of Cooking. It’s an older cookbook but it’s loaded with fundamentals and basics.
KT: If you could cook with a famous chef or celebrity cook, who would it be and why?
Lisa: Ree Drummond. Our styles of cooking are very similar and I think she would be a lot of fun to hang out with.
KT: Did you get your love for cooking from someone special in your family?
Lisa: I’ve loved to bake since I got an Easy Bake Oven when I was a little kid. Growing up, both of my parents worked so I never really learned to cook. It wasn’t until I got married that my husband, who had cooked professionally, and my mother-in-law taught me to cook.
KT: You are constantly working with food. What are a few ingredients you cannot live without?
Lisa: Chocolate, cheese, bacon, and pecans
KT: Thank you so much for joining us at Kitchen Thyme! Where can our readers find you?
Blog: Tiny Kitchen Capers
Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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