10 new blogs I have loved in 2016

Last year I shared my favourite ten blogs and this year, I thought I would share my favourite ten blogs that I have discovered for the first time in 2016.  Some of these bloggers have been blogging for a while; others are a more recent addition to the blogosphere.  Here are my top ten new blogs that I have loved in 2016 and look forward to reading more from in 2017:

 

After the Rain

Tara shares a mixture of posts on After the Rain – crafts, book reviews and general observations on everyday life. I especially love the beautiful photos Tara takes and reading some of the things her daughter Freya says which have been linked up to my #ftmob linky.

 

Beta Mummy

Beta Mummy’s blog tells parenthood as it really is – comparing that model of perfection that is the alpha mummy with the normal life of the beta mummy. I love the drawings that illustrate each post and bring each scenario described to life. I also love the way Beta Mummy’s blog acknowledges that most, if not all, of us are far from perfect specimens of parenthood but that there is nothing wrong with being imperfect.

 

Conversations with Hank

Joy from Conversations with Hank is a regular linker to my #ftmob linky. She blogs about the conversations she has with her two children – nine year old Hank and two year old Molly. I love the stories of their everyday family life in Portugal and reading about Hank’s observations on what is happening in the world around him. It’s a blog that makes me smile, makes me laugh and often makes me think too.

 

Dear Bear and Beany

I love reading Laura’s stories of her family life that she shares on Dear Bear and Beany. She writes with so much warmth and affection and her two little girls are just adorable. Her blog particularly resonates with me because her two girls are only a little younger than mine but with a similar age gap. Laura also hosts the Sharing the Blog Love linky which is a wonderful way of finding new blogs to read, and Laura and her co-host Katy from Hot Pink Wellingtons showcase their favourite posts each week. It’s a linky that I love although I don’t join in with it as often as I would like to.

 

Hot Pink Wellingtons

Katy from Hot Pink Wellingtons co-hosts the Sharing the Blog Love linky with Laura from Dear Bear and Beany. She also blogs about days out, her beautiful garden, homes and interiors and family life in general. Her photos of her son Max are just beautiful and her Instagram feed is one of my favourites.  When I first came across Hot Pink Wellingtons and realised who the blogger behind the blog was, it brought back some happy memories as I performed in a show with Katy back in my uni days. It has been lovely getting to know her again through her blog.

 

Island Living 365

Emma from Island Living 365 describes her blog as a “lifestyle magazine from by the sea” – sharing posts about her family life on Jersey, thoughts on blogging, feminism and what’s going on in the world. Her posts are honest and thought-provoking, brilliantly witty at times and powerful and moving at others. A very deserving winner of Fresh Voice in this year’s Brilliance in Blogging awards (BiBs).

 

Just Saying Mum

Helen from Just Saying Mum writes with warmth, honesty and humour about her life as a mum to three teens.  The teen stage is still quite a way off for me but Helen’s posts give me a good idea of what I might encounter when we get there – sharing the challenges but always with a big dose of affection.  I love her friendly and encouraging style of writing and she is also one of the nicest bloggers I have encountered on social media.

 

Mummy in a Tutu

I would describe Katie from Mummy in a Tutu as being a blogger who wears her heart on her sleeve. Her posts are so open and honest – she pours her heart out through her words and writes with warmth and sincerity. I love the fact that through writing one blog post about trying to find her tribe, she has brought together a whole group of bloggers, creating a tribe who support and encourage each other. Her Instagram feed filled with photos of her adorable daughter Alyssa is another one that I love. Katie also co-hosts two linkies –  #ablogginggoodtime on Thursdays and #FoodieFriday

 

Taylor Made Ramblings

Rebecca from Taylor Made Ramblings describes her blog as her space “to discuss and ponder anything and everything” – sharing a mixture of posts about family life, reviews and general thoughts on the world around her. I love her poems and her Mindful Mondays feature in which she shares some reflections on mindfulness and different mindfulness exercises to try. Rebecca is also someone else I did shows with at university and it was lovely to discover her blog. She is currently having a blogging break and hopefully will be back again sometime in the new year.

 

Two Tiny Hands

Karen at Two Tiny Hands blogs about family life, days out, crafts and sensory play. I especially love reading her posts about her outdoor adventures with her partner Dave, and her son who is nicknamed The Robot. She hosts the monthly #MessandPlay linky for posts about messy/sensory play and co-hosts the #FamilyFun linky each Wednesday.