I was really chuffed when I got a tweet the other day from Fi at Beauty Baby Me to say that she’d nominated me for the Liebster Award. I’d not heard of it before, so I had to look it up - it’s an award passed from blogger to blogger as a way of recognising and supporting other blogs and bringing the spotlight to newer bloggers. And then the next day I had another tweet from Jemma at Anxious Mummy to say that she’d also nominated me! Thanks so much to both of you lovely ladies - I’m really chuffed that you thought of me and happy to take up the mantle! I’ve answered both sets of your questions, and just left out a couple which were duplicates - I hope that’s ok!

Beauty, Baby, Me’s Questions

1.) What inspired you to start your blog?

I’ve been an avid reader of blogs for a while now, and a few months back I decided to start my own as a bit of a creative outlet and an emotional outlet to get all my thoughts out and written down. I realised that my little boy’s first year had whizzed by and thought how lovely it would be to have an in-depth record of it through photos and blog posts - although I was very on the ball at filling out his baby book, a blog allows you to express and capture so much more.

2.) What blogging goal are you currently striving for?

I’ve been fairly relaxed about my blogging goals - initially I said that I didn’t care if no-one read it at all! I’ve now gone back on that and I very much do want people to read what I write - I’d like to create a positive space that helps and inspires other parents.

3.) What activities do you enjoy outside of blogging?

I love to get outside in the garden, and I’m an opera singer, so although I’m taking a little break from singing performance-wise, I still like to keep my voice ticking over.

4.) What tactics do you employ on those days when blogging is hard & frustrating?

To be honest, if I’m not in the mood to blog, I’ll probably end up going out for a walk, or just doing something else. I blog for fun, so I if I’m not in the right frame of mind, it’s best not to tackle it that day. I tend to have enough posts completed on the backlog so that if I’m not in the mood to write I can put one live anyway. Of course, I’m always reading and commenting whether it’s a writing day or not!

5.) If you could have lunch with any famous person, who would you choose?

I love Kate Winslet - she seems really down to earth and like you could have a good old natter with her over a cup of coffee and cake!

6.) What are your three favourite blogs to follow?

I love Mummyofboygirltwins - a great read, featuring home and interiors posts alongside parenting and fashion. I love that Jess doesn’t have a niche - when I started my blog I read over and over that I had to have a niche to be successful, which I found really restrictive, so it’s lovely to see other people having success without confining themselves.

Katie at MummyDaddyMe takes the most beautiful photos of her family and is a really stylish mum with a beautiful home.

Fi at Beauty Baby Me writes a blog which appeals to my two favourite things - babies and makeup! I love how honestly Fiona writes, and it’s lovely to see someone really settling into life as a new mother. I remember that time well and to be frank I really struggled, so it’s lovely to see someone getting on so well, while at the same time being really honest about how difficult things can be.

7.) What piece of blogging advice have you found to be most helpful?

That if you don’t promote your posts, no-one else will do it for you! When I first started writing I found the idea of self-promotion quite cringey, but the reality is that it has to be done if you want people to read. And as a blogger you need to have the confidence in what you’re writing to put it out there. Tweet often, take part in linkys, and build your network - don’t expect it to ‘just happen’.

8.) Are you a full-time blogger or do you also hold down a day job?

I have a day job doing freelance admin (having been a PA / Project Manager pre-baby), which I do two days a week from home, while the rest of the week I am at home with my little boy. Blogging tends to fit in on lunchtimes and evenings at the moment.

9.) What is your favourite post on your blog thus far?

I think my post on Motherhood and Guilt remains my favourite - it was one of my first posts, and really got some thoughts clearer in my head on how I felt about my parenting. Of course I still get The Guilts every now and again (read: every day) but I think I’m better able to dismiss them.

10.) What social media platforms do you use and which one is most effective for you?

I use twitter, Instagram and Facebook - twitter being by far the most effective for me, but also the one where I am most active, so swings and roundabouts! I was reluctant to set up a Facebook page for so long, as I was hesitant to start showing my blog to friends and family, but I’ve recently relented on that front. Instagram I love, but I get almost zero traffic from it - I tend to keep it as more of a visual record of what we’ve been up to, rather than a blog promotion tool.

 

Anxious Mummy’s Questions

1.) If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be?

I’m a huge fan of Tuscany - I’d call it my ‘happy place’. It’s where I got engaged, where we had our honeymoon, and where we’ll be heading this summer with Max. I love the good food, great wine, beautiful scenery, and friendly people.

2.) Which is your favourite topic to write about, other than parenting?

I love writing about makeup and interiors - my two other loves! I’ve always been a huge makeup fan, but found that for a long time after having Max I just didn’t care that much about it. It’s lovely to be getting back into it now and discovering all the new products that I’ve missed out on!

We moved into our current home 2 years ago and had to do lots of work to get it how we wanted, so interior decor is a big obsession for me. We’ve now decorated all the rooms we can for the moment though, so I’m now limited to pinning images on Pinterest ‘for the future’!

3.) What’s on your pizza?

I like it really spicy! Extra jalapeños please!

4.) Are you an Android or Apple kind of girl?

I’m an Android girl, having moved over from Apple a few years ago now. I love it!

5.) What’s the best surprise you’ve ever had?

The best surprise was when my husband proposed to me - I was completely unsuspecting as he’d put me off the scent quite spectacularly a few months back. In fact, I made it very difficult for him, as I wasn’t at all keen on going to the secluded spot he’d chosen to ask - he practically had to beg me to follow him! Suffice to say it was worth it 🙂

6.) Is there something you constantly lose?

Yes, my phone! To the point where my little boy has now started bringing it to me if I leave it somewhere! (What an angel!)

7.) How did you celebrate your latest birthday?

From what I recall, money was a bit tight and our babysitters weren’t available, so we had a night in and my husband cooked us steak. Life as a parent!

8.) If you had a day off from mummy duties, how would you spend it?

My default answer for that is normally a girls day shopping with a friend or my mum and sister - with lunch and cocktails and general feeling like a grown up!

9.) Who is your hero?

Cheesy answer, but it’s my husband! He’s a real one of a kind, so thoughtful and he understands me completely and always knows how to cheer me up.

Passing the buck!

So… I’d like to pass the Liebster Award to the following fabulous blogs:

Natalie - Meme and Harri

Lauren - Loz and the Sprog

Louise - Squished Blueberries

 

I hope you’ll take up the Liebster mantle! If you accept the nomination I’d love if you could answer the following questions:

1.) What inspired you to start your blog?

2.) What blogging goal are you currently striving for?

3.) What activities do you enjoy outside of blogging?

4.) What tactics do you employ on those days when blogging is hard & frustrating?

5.) Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

6.) What are your three favourite blogs to follow?

7.) What advice would you give to a new blogger?

8.) Are you a full-time blogger or do you also hold down a day job?

9.) What is your favourite post on your blog so far?

10.) What social media platforms do you use and which one is most effective for you?

 

Liebster Award Winner Rules:

1 – Thank the person/blog who nominated you and post a link to their blog on your blog.

2 – Display the award on your blog. This can be done by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a widget (note: the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog/post).

3 – Answer the 10 questions about yourself that your nominating blogger chooses for you.

4 – Create a list of questions for your nominated bloggers to answer.

5 – List these rules in your post (feel free to cut & paste!)

6 – Inform the blogs that you nominated that they have been awarded the award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

 

So there we go! Hopefully a mildly interesting insight into me 🙂