Some Favorite Blogs: Part 1

Sometimes a blogger needs inspiration. Actually, to be completely honest- I should say, "You, as a blogger will always need inspiration!" Your brain can only do so much on its own before you need to refuel it by looking at some pretty nifty blogs across the web!

I personally, try to refuel once a week (but that's just me)- usually on a Saturday morning when I really can't get much work done. I usually have a good hour or two of quiet before the weekend starts with my husband- so this is the perfect time to browse through my favorite blogs (and Pinterest), find inspiration, pin certain ideas or loves, and then digest it all, the following two days while I'm off.

Because I'm a food blogger mostly, my blog loves are usually going down that road. But I love to gander through home and DIY blogs, as well as just "pretty to look at" and design-focused blogs.

Do you need inspiration? Are you feeling like you could use a few new blogs to frequent so your brain can refuel? Here are just a few of my absolute favorites!

INSPIRATION BLOGS

creature comforts // love and lavender // wit & whistle // rebekka seale // bleubird

These are the blogs I look at and usually sigh with relief. They're my "pretty to look at" and "find big time inspiration" blogs. 

Creature Comforts not only blogs about delicious color combinations, but she also showcases pretty neat gift ideas, simple DIYs, and all around gorgeous photos to excite your creative brain. 

Love & Lavender was one of the first blogs I started following. I just love them. True, when I first started following I was a newlywed, and so all things wedding were my cup of tea- but I just can't seem to NOT come back again and again. They post some of the most beautiful wedding (and party) ideas!

Wit & Whistle is such a gorgeous blog. It's simple, tidy and pretty to the point. Amanda has a knack for creating art and crafts that are sure to ignite your creativity. Plus her greeting cards are a crack up! Truly one of a kind.

Rebekka Seale is another blog I follow because it calms me and yet sparks my creativity at the same time. Her whole aesthetic is simple, yummy, and absolutely gorgeous. There's something about the way she writes that's like a lullaby- it's soothes me. Plus her pictures! Oh her pictures! I just love them. (She also posts some amazing recipes as well!)

I think I have a simple/gorgeous aesthetic theme going on here- Bleubird follows suit with the last two blogs mentioned. Gorgeous pictures, neat DIYs, simple recipes....just lovely.

HOME, DECOR + DIY BLOGS

hank & hunt // oh, hello friend // kevin & amanda // lovely indeed // apartment therapy // design*sponge

These next few blogs are the ones I go to when I'm looking to accomplish something in particular, looking for a craft idea, wanting to learn how to do something for my home, easily...need a blog design element tip, a blog "how to", etc.

Hank & Hunt is a great source for simple party DIYs (and I mean GREAT source) and amazingly gorgeous fonts!

Oh, Hello Friend is another blog I've followed for a LONG time. I even call Danni my friend now. Awwwww. She's so very talented when it comes to DIYs, packaging ideas, and gorgeous design elements. Plus she has a brand new shop where you can buy things like washi tape, rubber stamps, and all things cute + packaging + gift ideas + office stuffs!

Kevin & Amanda is pretty much my number one choice for blog design and just plain "blog" help. If you've got a weird question, they've most likely already answered it, in blog post form.

Lovely Indeed is a great source for simple (yet awesome) DIYs for the home, gift ideas, and for parties. Plus Chelsea uses such gorgeous color choices for all her crafts and does a lot of travel talk as well! I love this blog as much as I love her quirky (funny as heck) personality.

Apartment Therapy and Design*Sponge are both blogs I visit when I want to get inspired to change something in my home. Great place to see "small space idea solutions", as well as crafts on the cheap, real people's design ideas, and all things artsy!

FOOD + BAKING BLOGS

deliciously organic // the faux martha // love & olive oil // elana's pantry // oh, ladycakes

Be still my heart. My favorite category of all. (Surprised?) These are some of the blogs I frequent when I need some kitchen inspiration. And boy do I leave inspired!

Deliciously Organic is amazing. The end. Carrie is one of the sweetest and most down to earth food bloggin' gals I know. She specializes in all things organic (duh!), as well as gluten free and Paleo. 

The Faux Martha's whole aesthetic just kills me- I'm so in love with it. Her pictures make me swoon each and every time. From good 'ol mac and cheese to upscale dutch oven bread- her recipes never disappoint. They're easy and oh so yummy!

Love & Olive Oil is (again) another blog I've followed for a long time. Lindsay and Taylor have some serious talent! Every recipe makes my mouth water and their pictures are seriously amazing. Having already put out a cookbook, and currently working on a second, they're a great recipe "go to" source! Plus they love cats. And I love cats. So that's awesome.

Elana's Pantry is a new one for me, but I'm already in love! A friend recommended it to me when I mentioned I was looking to eat less starch and gluten. Elana's got you covered! Focusing on strictly gluten free, it's a great place to find recipes that are yummy (I've tried a few) and easy to make! Plus I love that she doesn't ONLY use those expensive gluten-free flours! Win!

Oh, Ladycakes is just like The Faux Martha- I just love them to pieces!!!!! Love their look, love their recipes, love their pictures!!! Some creative cats we have here (see what I mean about the cat thing?) Although Oh, Ladycakes focuses also on gluten free and mostly vegan recipes ;) Don't let that stop you though!

Hope you're all seriously inspired! What are some of your favorite blogs out there?

Be an Encouragement

We've all been there- you worked long and hard on a blog post, poured all your (figurative) blood sweat and (maybe literal?) tears into the meat of what you're sharing, and just as quickly as you publish you get a nasty comment back. Boom...your blogging self esteem falls through the floor.

I know this feeling so well, friends. In fact, it just happened to me last month. Not even joking, I literally spent 3 good whole days testing, retesting, photographing, editing, and composing a recipe blog post only to have some of the nastiest comments I've seen written within like 2 hours of it being up. I mean, really? The best part? It was "signed" as "Anonymous". Oh Anonymous, how you make me sad. Thank goodness for comment moderation! I hope you all have that option going on. If not, click that box! You definitely will want to start moderating your comments (ie approving them before they're published)- not only for the totally uncalled for posts, but also for spam- which sadly, happens in your comment feed.

Anyway, here's the meat of what I'm getting at- blogging is hard work. Like, very very hard work. Bloggers will sometimes pull all nighters, bloggers will work without breaks, bloggers ARE WORKING in general. Yeah you- if you're a blogger- what you're doing is indeed work! :) That being said- when interacting with each other, all of us bloggers need to make sure what we're putting out is encouragement. Be an encouragement in the blogging community.

Blogging community? Oh yes. See, whether you knew it or not- bloggers are a part of this wonderful tight knit, creative community. Or at least we all should strive to be. Think about what it means to be in a community: There (should be) support, love, encouraging words, positive interactions, shared laughs and shared sadness. We are all allowing each other to be a part of our life and world. The more open we are means the more vulnerable we are, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In a community we know each other, we listen to each other, we interact with each other...sometimes on a daily basis.

This is what blogging should be about. As bloggers, we should really strive to support our blogging sisters and brothers. Make our interactions with each other uplifting. Encourage them with kind comments on their blogs, if applicable- constructive criticism (done always in love), positive interactions via their social media sites, etc. Sort of follow that "do unto others as you would like to be done unto you" thing. Remember, we are all real human beings, with real human emotions. Feelings can get hurt.

And this is the absolute truth- its a community! Not a place for competition, not a place where streams of inappropriate and rude criticism flow, and not a place for harshness. Nor should it be a place for you to create such a thing!

Also, blogging should definitely not become a vice for you to leave feeling "less than" or not good enough. There's a temptation to browse others' "better" blogs where big time advertisers are on the front page, they have one kwazillion GFC followers, and 6 million comments per post. Their life looks perfect, kids are always best behaved, house looks straight from Country Living Magazine, etc. You know what I mean. Well that's them. That's their life. It's not yours perhaps and certainly isn't mine. It doesn't mean you are a less than blogger, it means you're not them. Don't become discouraged when viewing their blog space, rather see it as inspiration! Get inspired by things you see and like! Speaking to myself here as well. I am so guilty of browsing Pinterest and my "favorite" blogs only to leave going, "Shoot. My blog basically is the worst! I only get one or two posts up a week while they do every single day! My home page isn't a $5,000 paid graphic designer made page! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!" The truth? Nothing! Nothing is wrong with me- I'm just not them. Neither are you. We are to make a home out of our blog- make it a place others feel at home! Make it somewhere you'd love to visit. Be friendly, be REAL, be honest, and as much as possible be open. And that's it. Nothing more and nothing less. Please leave all competition at the metaphorical door. Do what makes YOU happy and what YOU love to do. It's your blog, by the way.

Unfortunately competition and nastiness exists. Why? Because there are what I like to refer to as "Blogging Wolves in Sheep's Clothing". Although it would be lovely to only have encouragement and positive loving people around, thats not the real case. There are those few that for whatever reason, like to break down, discourage, be rude, jealous, whatever- and take it out on you. Sometimes a mean comment will happen. Sometimes your picture will be stolen. Sometimes you'll lay in bed wishing you never blogged in the first place. Remember- these things are just lies. Their sole purpose is to bring you down. Don't let them win. And seriously, now's the time to really get into that blogging community you've created and surround yourself with your blogging friends.

We're to lean on each other. We're to be joyous with one another's successes and cry with one another when life gives us some storms. We are to love one another. Blogs should be a place to feel at home and get inspired by other moms (or dads) or people who are in your same shoes with your same interests. It should be a place to meet someone new, click and become friends, and share in each other's lives.

Blogs should be intimately inspiring.

Most importantly have fun bloggin. It's what it's supposed to be- fun. Sure it's work- but work can be fun right? Don't lose sleep over your blog. Be inspired with your blog. Don't lose time with your husband and babies. Work when you can (maybe during nap time?) Spend as much time as your life permits, and nothing more. Don't compare yourselves to the other blogs out there and don't think yourself less than them. Remember, look at others' and be inspired. I guess that goes in life as well...but that's a whole other blog post for another day.

Showcase yourself and your friends! Showcase what a neat person you are or what super neat deal you just scored! Show your followers that you're just like them. Be personable. Be identifiable. Be real.