BEDM #6: 10 brilliant blogs

'Share the blog love' was Elizabeth's brief for Blog every day in May today.  

I recently introduced a new blog feature where I highlighted a particular blog I like and listed posts that were favourites from their blogs.  I do think, that since blogging can come across as a very introspective concept, that it is important to ensure you highlight other people for their attributes.

Today, as part of BEDM, I’m going to highlight 10 bloggers or blogs in a nutshell who I think are particularly good at a particular ‘thing’. 

There are undoubtedly many people who either have a niche or are generally great bloggers and I like both types of blog.  Indeed I have many more blogs I could write about for a specific reason or just for general love but nonetheless,  I wanted to highlight 10 blogs I enjoy for particular reasons in a nut shell.  10 is a nice round number!  I have still got a lot of people I want to talk about over time so please don't feel left out, I love you all!

1. Brilliant for historical, informative writing but with a personal edge.

Louse AKA Fundy Blue writes a wonderful weekly post using letters sent by her Father when he was living in cold Canada in the 1960’s.  You get a wonderful contemporary perspective on what his life was like there and Louise painstakingly locates images to help illustrate his points or finds contemporary photos of people or maps from either her own sources or others. It is SUCH an interesting read and so unique in the blogging world. You really feel like you are there with her Father.

http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-lansdowne-letters-big-bang.html

2. Brilliant for an expert on Wildlife and its effects on life.

Louise at Ramblings of  a Roachling is SO knowledgeable about wild life and she takes magnificent photos of natural phenomena, flora and fauna, taking you along on her walks.

http://roachling.blogspot.com/

3. Brilliant for zany fashion experimentation and downright hilariousness

AKA Miss Bagz, the wonderful Melanie at Bag and a Beret makes me laugh everytime with her hilarious (and very stylish) way of writing about what she wears. 

http://bagandaberet.blogspot.com/

4. Brilliant for the perspective of a musician

Fil’s place, old songs and memories

Fil is an Irish singer and folk musician who often writes about her time on tour and her life back home, running choirs. She sometimes includes recordings of her music and I think she has the most wonderful voice.

http://fil-campbell.blogspot.com/

5. Brilliant for eating out drooling opportunities

Helen at Positive Fridays, who I met through Lakota’s Faith, Hope and Charity swap a few years ago has evolved her blog into a wonderful description of places she eats out in Birmingham. You can tell she loves food and I drool everytime she posts!

http://www.positivefridays.com/

6. Brilliant for wonderful blog outfit post locations

Sophie in the sticks is SO much more than just outfits, but aside from her beautiful dreamy natural photography, Sophie takes her outfit shots in the most evocative and beautiful locations, taking an outfit onto another level.

http://www.sophieinthesticks.co.uk/

7. Briliant for your daily fix of Daleks

Is that just me? Well,Daleks of the Day always has some fun cosplay, Dalek cake or image to amuse! I even featured on there once dressed up as a dalek!

http://www.daleksoftheday.com/

8. Brilliant for general joie de vivre, loveliness, interesting facts and shoes!

Denise at Denise’s Planet is SUCH a nice blogger (one I’ve met!) and she posts only weekly, thus meaning you can really take the time to read and love her posts, and she always links interesting facts with nice places, really interesting fashion outfits and shoes.

www.denisesplanet.com

9. Brilliant for Vintage wisdom and awesome outfits and no nonsense

Vix, AKA Kinky Melon or Vintage Vix is the absolute Legend of the blog world. She is the Black country’s Vintage queen and finds the most incredible vintage in charity shops and car boots. I honestly don’t know how she does it! She can sniff out vintage like she’s fitted with  high-spec radar, has an absolute photographic memory for vintage labels and gets them for a song! I can rarely find anything vintage but she was born with innate vintage knowledge.

http://vintagevixon.blogspot.com/

10. Brilliant for hilarious chatty blogstyle and hilarious crafts

Katie absolutely makes me giggle the whole time- though she’s been a little absent recently, her blog has always made me snort with laughter. She loves experimenting with crafts, especially round the home and hands on heart, is so much fun! She even managed to get a terrible fox plushie toy into a ‘’Craft fails’ book!

www.hooklineandsinkher2.blogspot.com

Who else should I know about as a blogger?

Kezzie xx

There's a blog that I love #4 Ang Almond

Sorry, I have fallen behind with these posts, wanting to do them justice!
I decided to start writing posts focusing on bloggers that I really admire and love to read because to share the love is to create more joy!

This week, I'd like to focus on another blog friend. This is a dear blog friend of a few years now.  Ang Almond who can be found at Tracing Rainbows  is possibly the most kind, wise and understanding blogger I know. She's witty and her blog is a wonderful miscellany of 'did you know?', things she's made and her life as a teacher, preacher and general lovely person.  I learn from her blog daily. She has perfected the art of a short, informative, chatty post with light humour, attention to detail and beautiful projects and advice in terms of practical and faith/living.
She does not waste words. When she writes, I get the point, it goes to my heart in a few words. Whereas I would flounder around in oceans of unnecessary words, she just knows how to get to the heart of the matter.  When she writes about her faith, it is simply, humbly, with humour, love and generosity.

She is exceptionally good at sewing and crafting and has a wonderful imagination.   She has the kindest of hearts and I see the love she has for her family (including the wonderful Bob who features in many posts as biker, pastor, excellent practical DIYer and generous heart), her community- in the past in Kirby Muxloe and presently in Ferndown and for fellow bloggers.  She also has a great environmental conscience and someone I know does not waste anything.

Probably the most prolific blogger I know. Ang manages to post daily and sometimes twice a day. She's been blogging since 2008, so she's one of the diehard bloggers.

Ang is someone I would love to meet and I know we would get on well!  If you don't know her, or haven't met her blog, do go over there to say Hi, she is truly one of the most wonderful people her in the blogosphere.

A few posts of Ang's I love:

Fruit of the Spirit- Peace. I love how Ang took the gift of a Peace-lily from a friend to reflect on the need for peace in the world
Bunting Advice in the middle of making bunting, sharing her advice for making it.
Flattening the carpet - a great tip for getting rid of marks in the carpet, alongside with an unfortunate but funny tale and humour in it!
Showoffs cereal bars -  how to take a simple bag of Lidl cereal topping to make your own muesli bars
Soap Opera- soap trivia and the ins and outs of soap!
Being in the right place at the right time how Ang rescued a bride in a charity shop and made friends in a new twon!
A pause in Advent-traditions of candles.
Lots of Supermen capes- clever Ang makes superhero capes for school colleagues brilliantly!
Bob's brilliant cake stands -  Moving house with too many plates, Bob fashioned beautiful cake stands out of them.
Top tips for Christmas-  what to do last minute in certain circumstances.
Let love be real  - beautiful hymn lyrics.
A simple Christmas message


***

There's a blog that I love #3 Pink-haired Princess

Last week, I featured Lizzie and I am pleased that some lovely blog friends went over to say hi! And even better, Lizzie now has regular commenting function-yay! I've tried to make up for lost time!

This week, I am going to feature one of my longest-standing blog loves and blog-friend and it is really thanks to her that I do things on my blog other than waffle about random work life things or teaching. This is Gem, Pink-haired Princess, the curator of her other blog, the Shoe Girl Diaries and general lovely Scottish girly!

I first came across her blog when I was searching out THAT Pearl Lowe, Crochet Peter Pan collar dress from Peacocks that every girl and her dog wanted! I did a google search and came across Gem's blog. I was fascinated as this was my first foray into fashion or beauty blogging and Gem's blog was so beautiful!

Over the years I have cooed and wowed over Gem's amazing shoe collection, her amazing hair and makeup, her immaculate presentation, laughed at her tales, learnt about new collections coming out, learnt more about beauty products, been amazed at her cute and kitsch taste in pretty much everything and got to know the girl who writes, who has a brilliant chatty style of writing yet with a real professionalism to what she does! She's got a great heart and she shares her difficulties of living with a long-term illness, in an honest manner and her wonderful Scots ebullience and sense of fun comes through even when she is exhausted and not able to move. She has been very supportive over the years I know her, always having something very valid to say on things I discuss and is always kind and genuine!  She puts so much effort into her blog. Even though she has lots of followers and I'm sure many of you know her, still if not, I want more people to know this lovely, lovely girl and her beautiful blog!!!!  Go and say hi


There are so many posts over the years I love, it is hard to choose a few (and to sift through and find them!)


One that really touched me was this post Gem wrote only yesterday on being real - REALLY worth a read: Be real March

A year of coloured hair- beautiful!

The most incredible shoes with a music box in the base!!!!!

A wonderful post about body confidence!

The gnome shoes!

Hilarious shoe conversations between the unicorn and the gnomes

Have you met Gemma? DO go and say hi!

xxx


Also in Blog world,  this Denise made a chocolate box clutch which I loved! I know you lot love novelty bags so this is worth a look!!!

There's a blog that I love: #2 Lizzie Dripping

Last week, I said I'd like to highlight blogs that I think are great or bloggers that I think are super because it is nice to share and important to show appreciation for what people do. Last time, I shared my love of Char's blog. This week I'd like to introduce you to Lizzie who posts over at Lizzie Dripping (did you read that book as a child?).

I've known Lizzie a few months now and I think she is a super blogger.  Over at her blog, she writes a true diary which I really applaud- what a great way to document what you have done. She's very modest about it- even her tagline is 'This blog is my diary, a short series of daily updates to let anyone reading, plus friends and family, know what is going on in my uninteresting life.'  I don't find it at all boring, I like it- her's is the only blog I know like that- it is unique in that respect.

Her daily posts include what she does each day, what she feels, reviews games and episodes of shows she watches and, my favourite, shares what she's been eating. It is a long and standing joke amongst my family that when we talk on the phone, I always ask about what they've been eating or if they've been out, what they had. I really do like to 'eat vicariously' (if I can coin such a phrase- hopefully it gets across what I mean) through other people and the fact that Lizzie eats out lots and shares what she had is something I LOVE!  I sit there and drool over her dinner! Lizzie has strong links with her family and I love that, I've loved getting to know Alan (boyfriend) and Matthew (brother) through her blog.  She's a teacher like myself and she's is really motivated to progress and become a better teacher, enrolling on BSL courses, summer programs for youth (she actually wants to use her school holidays to work with kids- WOW!) 

 And, one of the things I think is really special about Lizzie is she is a REALLY supportive commenter and has been to myself and other  bloggers I like. I wrote a post about tips for feeling disheartened about blogging and Lizzie is the ultimate antidote to that- she is caring and consistent with commenting and showing she liked your post. I absolutely do not deserve all the kindness and support she shows me.I long to comment on Lizzie's blog but her comment settings are Google+ which I made an active decision not to sign up for a few years ago (which I wont go into) but please go and say hi to this wonderful, kind blogger.  Do you know Lizzie?  I hope you go and visit her!


For a few posts I liked of Lizzie's:


Tuesday 10th February -  I think this reflects Lizzie's great motivation and care towards her pupils

Liebster award- great to know more about Lizzie's motivation

30 days tested -  Lizzie is not a dedicated  beauty blogger but I love the fact she tested this product dedicatedly, not seen that too often in beauty bloggers.

A regular post with exciting food piccies! Mmmm....

And for a few other posts I loved this week:

An amazing Kale and tofu dish from Herbs Spices and Traditiom

Janet's cool cloud cushion

Hazel's wedding invitations post. I love how Hazel is documenting her wedding prep in a really fun way without it feeling too overly wedding, wedding,wedding, which I know many engaged bloggers often worry about! Don't worry, it's fun to read about!

Louisa's attempts at Duck-shaped fried eggs amused me even if they did go wrong. Plus there was lots of other goodness in here.

Sophie in the Sticks is a very talented photographer- these are just beautiful!

Gemma lets us vote for what she features next week. When The 5 choices are dwarf, bunny, unicorns, dolls or gummy bears.,you know you've got to visit! 

Donna visited the Coronation Street Set and very good fun it looked too!

Shamu wrote a beautiful poem

Discovering magic hexagons thanks to WOMOTM via WKWTTG's birthday card

There's a blog that I love.... #1: Dino Princess Char

Illustration by Hannah at Doodleheart

There's a blog that I love I frequently see posts where people share blogs that they adore. I thought I'd like to highlight blogs that I think are great or bloggers I think are super because it's nice to share and always important to show appreciation. The first person I am highlighting is:

www.DinoprincessChar.blogspot.com - Char

Char is a kind, kind, clever and beautiful person!

 I first came across her blog through Pink-haired Princess Gemma (who I also adore!), I used to see 'Dino-princess Char' comments and think "Who is that!??"- finally, I went across and looked. How can you not love someone whose nickname involves prehistoric beasties!!??

She also has the most droolworthy wardrobe, many of which she has made herself and dare I even mention shoes? Char possibly has the craziest, most cool shoe collection I've ever heard of and did a wonderful challenge where she wore every pair of Irregular Choice shoes she owned on consecutive days!  Visiting her blog is like visiting a museum dedicated to fun, quirky and unusual clothes and prints. I click each day with an excited sense of anticipation for what whimsy I will find within.  She and Gemma are solely (ha, get it?) responsible for the naughty acquisition of around 5 pairs of Irregular Choice shoes, one of which Char passed on to me.)

She also happens to be my penpal and she's extremely dilligent at writing (plus she has the coolest stationery!) and she is just kind and though I think she works too hard and worries too much, I love reading her daily posts- she's honest:  life is not all sunflowers and stars- she's honest about her struggles. She writes a good variety of different posts too! Books, recipes, wishlists, daily style and more.

She's also extremely modest and doesn't seem to know what a wonderfully kind and thoughtful person she is.  She is caring and considerate and wonderfully individual. She might have some of the coolest latest dresses, but do not think that she is a fashion clone- No, this lady has a unique sense of fun in her style and she's not afraid to mix up a great variety of patterns in a riotous medley of colour.

Oh and finally, she's decided not to shop for the whole of 2014 and I salute this!


Check out these posts:

Fun Valentines-themed outfit

Milkshake bag and a whole host of cuteness

A dress that is basically that lovely shiny wrapping paper!

Intriguing Book review


Anyone you'd like to recommend to me?

Do you know Char?  Go and say Hi!
xx