Leah / The Full Nilson.
Sara / Lost Bird Found.
Tamera / Verhext.
My favorite blogs are almost always the ones with a strong, personal voice behind them. Yes, there are a few exceptional blogs that are so well-curated and edited that they can get away with “showing me other people’s stuff” (Remodelista, Emma’s Designblogg and Hoping for Happy Accidents immediately come to mind), but they are few and far between. I like to feel like there’s a personal connection, even if it’s one-sided.
I’ve been blogging for more than a decade now (going back to before normal people called it “blogging”), and I’ve made some awesome friends along the way. A handful of them have moved in and out of my internet-life in various contexts for years and years now, and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to see them change and grow over time. I met Leah, Sara, and Tamera through LiveJournal eons ago (well, eons in internet-years). All four of us have since transitioned to “freestanding” blogs, but I think we’ve all managed to keep the personal voice behind our blogging that drove us to put snapshots of our lives on the internet in the first place.
Anyway, if you don’t already read these blogs, take a few minutes to check them out. All three are well-written, beautiful to look at, and share pieces of the lives of three women I admire so much. (More than they realize, probably.)
A note about me and blog-reading: There are 62 blogs in my Google Reader*, and that’s pretty much my limit. If a blog isn’t holding my interest anymore (or worse, if it’s actually making me angry on a regular basis) I take it out. If I’m “test-driving” a new-to-me blog, I add it to my Reader so I don’t forget about it. I also use Reader to keep track of blogs that I don’t have on my public blogroll (usually because they are either infrequently updated or unlikely to be of interest to most D16 readers). My goal, though, is to keep my Reader lean enough that I can actually keep up with the volume in a meaningful way.
*Google Reader is the best thing ever when it comes to blog-reading. I’ve been using it for a couple of years, and I can’t imagine being without it. I like to read blogs in their “natural state”, though (as opposed to just viewing the RSS feed with Google’s formatting), so I have a nifty NEXT button (in your Google Reader settings, click on the “Goodies” tab, then scroll down to “Put Reader in a bookmark”) in my bookmarks toolbar. Whenever I have a free minute during the day, I just hit that button and see the next updated blog in my queue. Love.
Okay, your turn: Tell me which blogs you think I should know about that I might not be reading already. (And yes, it’s okay to promote your OWN blog!)
62 Comments
Well I see you around of some of my favorite blogs (Whimsy & Spice etc) soooo… I’d love for you to drop my mine. I’d like to think it has a honest and personal vibe over there – http://blog.modernemotive.com
Not exactly what you asked but you were really kind in mentioning my old blog Peapods years ago when I was just getting started, I just wanted to say thank you! It meant a lot 🙂 I find there are too many good blogs out there. I can’t keep up.
Oh Anna. This is such a sweet post. I remember finding you again, thinking where do I know her from???? And then I remembered. Its funny, the stigma that was attached to “blogging” way back when. A family friend actually introduced a boyfriend that I had met online (and was standing right there in real life) as my “INTERNET BOYFRIEND”. Like he wasnt real. Hilarious. Most of the friends that gave me a super hard time or were way weirded out by my blogging then, now have blogs, online profiles everywhere. Pretty hilarious too.
I really love Door Sixteen obviously, Whimsy & Spice, Bird & Banner, For Me For You and Matt Logelin’s.
Best phone call I had a couple of months ago? “There is this thing called social media, you should try it, I think that you would be good at it.”
holy crap! I had no idea about the ‘Next’ button in Google Reader… this is about 100 times better. You just made my day! Now I have to clean out my Reader so I don’t have to see blogs I don’t really care about!
hey there lady! thanks for the kind words! and thanks for introducing me to some new blogs. Door Sixteen is a constant inspiration!
Hi Anna!
Thank you so much for the mention, I’m honoured!
Three of my favorite blogs are From Scandinavia With Love, Green is the new black, and Fridas Fina. The first two ones are tumblr blogs, so they are more pictures than words, and the third one is written by a Swedish girl and lets you follow her days with her family and her amazing apartment renovation. They all have tastes very similar to my own. 🙂
http://fromscandinaviawithlove.tumblr.com/
http://sofia.pulp.se/
http://fridasfina.blogspot.com/
I just got here with my next button! I’m off to see the blogs behind (in front of?) those lovely women up there.
Thanks for the Next button tip…I like it so much better and didn’t even know about it. Nice blog recs!
I read Remodelista and Emmas and a few other blogs that post inspirational or professional content, but I am also most drawn to blogs that have a more unique personality/voice and original content and photos.That’s why I love your blog, actually.
I like Katy Elliot because she is basically out there by herself as the lone voice of colonial New England style. She doesn’t really care for what’s new or popular or edgy, and she doesn’t apologize for it.
One of my newer favorites is Ill Seen, Ill Said (http://seenandsaid.blogspot.com/). Jane makes that personal connection with readers that you mentioned above, and she’s not afraid to be real or to stick to her personal style either. Refreshing.
I guess for me it all boils down to authenticity. I try to do that on my own blog, though it means many of my most loyal readers are over 50. I’m renovating an old log house, and my style is a combination of rustic, modern and industrial. I know log homes aren’t interesting to many people, and I’m sure I’d get more readers if I branched out, but my home and I are what we are. You can’t please everyone, and if you try you end up being annoying.
On a side note, I am often amazed that some blogs I consider to be quite awful and even make me cringe a little get tons of readers. How is that possible?
love leah. love love love her. i’m in the same boat as you with old livejournal friends, it’s so nice to see people grow and mature from it.
Thanks for the info on the ‘Next’ button! So excited to use it! I too love Google reader. I use it pretty much every day!
I second your advice re: the google reader — it’s awesome. I didn’t know about the next button though, and it sounds like it’s worth taking for a spin 🙂
Thank you! I feel like we’ve known each other forever, even though it’s online. It’s amazing to see everyone get older, get married, have babies (Bird!!) – wild.
Hmmm, blogs I love:
http://sixorangecarrots.wordpress.com
http://prettysmartgirlart.blogspot.com
Hopefully some of your readers will add more Paris tips & places to the post requesting Paris info! Yay! (hint, hint!)
At the risk of seeming overly sentimental can i just say how eternally grateful I am to livejournal for allowing a safe space of so many of us to develop voices and build a community of like minded people online? I have watched so many strong and talented women emerge from that place (& make careers for themselves online, etc) & i feel like, though we didnt know it at the time, we really created something extraordinary. ♥
Here’s my shameless self-promotion (design and DIY with an emphasis on kitchen/bath design): http://enzyliving.blogspot.com
And a couple others recently discovered and suggest checking out:
http://www.kitchenclarity.com/
http://www.caitlincreer.com/
http://flourishdesignandstyle.blogspot.com/
BTW, I LOVE my Reader!
What a sweet post. I got so excited when I saw that you’d made your way over to my blog the other day, but in case you didn’t see the comment I left back, I just wanted to assure you that my apartment will look less and less like like my blog could be called “Anna Rents a Secret Two-Bedroom.” I’m a-okay with my mom and a few friends being our only readers (although I tend to write as if it’s for a larger crowd, just in case for when the occasional stranger shows up), but I think you’d like seeing things come together. Plus, there are a few big exciting projects coming up, so it’s a good time to jump in!
manhattannest.wordpress.com
PS- holy shiz how did I not know about the next button! This is beyond exciting.
thanks for the new blogs… it’s mind boggling that you keep up with 62! i can only handle about 20, although that number seems to be creeping slowly upwards…. you may or may not find my blog, materiadesigns.wordpress.com interesting, hopefully you will; renovation and all it’s distractions… great blog, will definitely keep reading…
my blog interests are really all over the place, but a couple I like lately:
http://weblog.buttonsmagee.com/
http://lisasolomon-musings.blogspot.com/
The next button just blew my mind.
Thank you so much for sharing these blogs! I can’t wait to catch up. I agree that I tend to lean towards blogs with a personal voice, rather than just a collection of great photos. While I’ll save those photos for inspirational use later, I’d still much rather read up on someone else’s day to day. Helps give the mind a break, you know?
Also, here’s my shameless self promotion! I’d love for you to check out the blog I share with my husband, and everything that goes into our tiny Chicago home: http://www.yellowbrickhome.com
Have a lovely Friday!
Thank you so much for creating this post. Leah’s blog is amazing, and I’m blown away that I live in Vancouver as well and had never even heard of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to write about your favourites.
I may try the “Next”-button-in-my-browser method. I’ve been using Google Reader for a year now and couldn’t live without it. My only concern about the next button is that it’ll take time to load the website versus just scrolling through all the posts in Reader.
Anna,
I’m a big fan of Google Reader and the next button as well. It’s good to hear others using it! I also have a “subscribe” button that allows me to automatically add a feed to by Reader when I find a new site—definitely recommend this.
Somewhat related, I’m curious if you use the “share” feature on Reader. It’s one of my favorite parts of Reader, since I get to share with friends and family what I’ve been reading lately. My mom, who doesn’t use Reader, checks in with these items on my blog (http://marthaandtom.com) in the “Martha’s been reading” section. I’m curious if you’ve ever thought of adding a feature like this to D16. It would be fun to see what you’ve found around the internet, but I suppose it would require that you stick inside the Reader interface!
For everyone excited about the Next button, can I just put a plug in for Lifehacker’s Better GReader extension for Firefox? It adds a preview button at the bottom of every feed which loads the whole web page in the frame of the RSS Reader. Then, you never have to leave GReader to read the whole blog.
I’d love for you to elaborate on what a blog does to make you angry! I mostly read design blogs so thinking of one of them doing something to anger me made me laugh a bit.
I LOVE Google Reader, but I have had my issues with it… especially because I add way too many blogs (just last week I had over 1000 posts to read). I came up with a system of folders that really helps declutter things: I move my “friend” blogs into folders labeled with days of the week so that I can leave them comments at least once a week and then label the others by category.
Wow, so many new blogs to check out!! Thanks, guys!! 🙂 🙂
@Sara: That is hilarious. I guess I have an “internet husband”, then!!
@bawkbawk: I know! I get kind of choked up when I think about LiveJournal and what a HUGE impact it made on my life. I definitely didn’t realize at the time that it was setting the stage for such a massive community of independent bloggers.
@Martha: No, I don’t use the “share” feature on Google Reader, but I do share the things I find on Twitter! 🙂
@Kasey: I didn’t necessarily mean design blogs, but I tend to get really turned off by blogs with TONS of advertising or sponsorships/giveaways (especially when it starts to affect the content). As far as “anger” goes, I’m referring more to bloggers who get really negative and do little more than post stuff they *don’t* like rather than stuff they *do*. That makes me defensive, and even though I don’t comment, it’s not worth getting silently upset over, either. 🙂
shameless plug time!
I know you are vegan, and I have a bunch of recipes on my site that you might dig-
http://www.shutterbean.com
I think you will especially like this one:
http://www.shutterbean.com/quinoa-avocado-salad-with-dried-fruits/
and this latest one is pretty fab!
http://www.shutterbean.com/asian-inspired-mango-orange-slaw/
and thanks to you and all your commenters for recommending such great blogs. I can get lost for days now! 🙂
oh i love Tamera too. her blog is one of my favourite hands down.
others include fine little day, but i think you know that one, other faves include http://at-swim-two-birds.blogspot.com/ and http://dosfamily.com/ and http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/tiny_happy/
i think i need to do some exploring of all the links above and also to cut down on the amount i read, it’s out of control…
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for sharing the information about the ‘next’ button! That’s awesome.
Lovely blogs, as well.
I agree I also like to feel a connection to the people i’m following. I like seeing their homes and lives come together, as they add parts and take away others.
Of coarse one of my favorite blogs is DOOR SIXTEEN. I actually found your blog because I was going to name my blog Door 18 but when I checked I found yours and am so glad that I did.
I also Love Young House Love
Home and Harmony
and with no bias at all I also like my own. http://www.maillardvillemanor.com
My blog and home are starting to come together, although there is still alot of work to go, but thanks to great inspiration from you and some select others it’s getting there.
I’ve got to try google reader. Right now I just have a bunch of blogs in a dropdown folder in my bookmarks, which works fine but doesn’t inspire me to profess my love for it.
I really like http://www.thedesignfiles.net/, and if you haven’t read http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/, especially as a vegan, then you must check it out. Best. sushi. salad. ever.
I also just started a blog: http://rugbyroad.wordpress.com/, which was initially just to catalog eye-candy but is turning more and more personal as I actually get going on house projects. Now I just need a good camera!
I’m in love with Google Reader. It’s a great way to read the internet while at work without drawing too much suspicion.
I read most everything kottke.org puts up.
I tend to like visual blogs, so other favorites are:
http://hulaseventy.blogspot.com/ (photography, etc.)
http://mattbites.com/ (food, photography, travel, etc.)
http://grainedit.com/ (design)
Of course, I also recommend my own blog. We’re building a tiny house (20’x12′) in rural Idaho, trying to live a semi-retired life.
I’d never paid attention to how many subscriptions I had until just now…152! There are probably quite a few that I can remove. A few of my favorites are:
thesilverliningblog.com
book-by-its-cover.com
kerismith.com
lettersofnote.com
scoutingny.com
sweet-juniper.com
And since it’s officially okay to self promote: ihavegoodbooks.blogspot.com
I really don’t remember what life was like before Google reader…thanks for the “next” tip, I’ll have to check that out.
Even though I work in the design field, it’s fun to get so many different perspectives and ideas dropped into one neat pile. (And being on the west coast, there’s always a fresh batch ready to read during my lunch hour.) I especially like the well-done remodel/design blogs since we’re chipping away at an old fixer as well (http://www.chezerbey.com).
once i actually had 700 unread post in google reader. i decided it was time to cut some blogs out. 🙂
i’m sort of partial to my little space on the internet, and i actually made a couple pillows the other day that i’m in love with that i thought you might like… http://ultravroom.blogspot.com/2010/06/manifest-destiny.html
thanks for your great blog!
great post, your readers suggestions are wonderful. Thanks for this.
Hmm…I struggle with keeping up with my reader blogs constantly. I have no idea how many there are, but as a new blogger I feel the need to add everyone that comments more than a couple times on mine. It’s frustrating. I really don’t like the blogs that do a lot of sponsored posts and ads, and the ones that post the photos from Lonny or constant ‘inspiration pics’ really make me snooze. I can see those things myself online. I personally don’t post anything unless I’m excited to share it, there is no filler.
I look forward to reading the blogs you posted about!
Anna- I have to say *you* were one of the reasons I started my own blog (ok that & the fact I moved across the country)… but you gave me reason to do it with style! 🙂 While it’ll never be as slick as yours I’m sure, I’m proud of what I’ve done with it for the time being… I’d love for you to check it out!
http://www.cozylittlecave.com
First, a little self-promotion: http://www.mausumi.com is my blog, and a lot is going to happen there in the next weeks or so. I’m really working on changing the vibe to a more personal one.
Also, some of my favorite blogs are:
http://www.susannahconway.com/
http://marianne-elliott.com/
http://shimmerlikegold.org/
http://www.yesandyes.org/
http://thethinkingtank.wordpress.com/
Hope you like them! 🙂
Hey Anna, you might be interested in Helvetireader.
http://helvetireader.com/
It’s a nice alternate overlay to the typical Google layout and color scheme. It works as a plug in for most browsers. Here’s a screen shot of mine. Minimalist with all the features of the original.
http://twitpic.com/1w5f0i
That is a great tip, I haven’t used Google reader I found the volume of posts too much to handle. I will have to get myself a bit organised so I can just focus on the ones I really like.
I guess I like a range of different blogs for different reasons I personally loathe ads but it doesn’t put me off other blogs I like.
I completely agree about the personal voice thing. I have to feel or hear authenticity behind the posts before I can enjoy it otherwise I may as well be reading a magazine.
I still feel I self edit a lot, because I am way too opinionated, but really its a big wide world and you can’t please everyone.
Check mine out but also on my blog roll some great Australian ones some small and some big.
I do love coming here, always something thought provoking.
hi anna,
my name is theresa and i have been following your blog for about a year now. i love you blog writing and find your house renovation and design aesthetic totally inspiring. i also find your point of view refreshing and similar to my own in many ways.
a few lines about me: i grew up in southern California in the 70’s and 80’s and was a huge Smiths fan as well. at 25 i moved to NYC and lived there until age 35 when I sublet my apartment, packed up all my belongings and moved to Sweden, after meeting my Swedish boyfriend in NYC. ok, so it wasn’t a huge leap! i was born here but moved to SoCal at age 6, only to return 29 years later. anyway, i am here now and loving it (all but the not being able to find a job that suits me part)… you can read more about me, my life, my kids, my artwork (upper right), inspirations, blah, blah, blah on my blog: http://www.overseeslife.blogspot.com
thanks for the new blog inspirations.
my favorites are:
sweetfineday.com
scandinavianretreat.blogspot.com
dosfamily.com
smittenkitchen
the-brick-house.com
smittenkitchen.com
I’m loving:
http://girlsandbicycles.blogspot.com/
http://www.lakejane.com/
http://goodbonesgreatpieces.com/blog/
I’m a breeder bedsides being a set decorator + prop master.
Mostly read the typical design blogs.
I spend my free time reading blogs about parenting, birth and breastfeeding!
http://mamapundit.com
http://navelgazingmidwife.squarespace.com
http://www.thegirlwho.net
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com
Thanks for the great blog suggestions! Okay, here comes my shameless self-promotion: http://designfixation.blogspot.com
My favorite part about blogging is getting inspired by other bloggers. Especially lately, I have fallen for scandinavian blogs (use google translate if you need to). They are just so freaking effortlessly beautiful!
Here goes:
http://finetingogsjokolade.blogspot.com/
http://ifralahell.blogspot.com/
http://mamamekko.blogspot.com/
http://tavelhus.blogspot.com/
http://pikkuvarpunen.blogspot.com/
http://johanna-vintage.blogspot.com/
I also totally appreciate:
http://sitandreadfurniture.blogspot.com/
**I use my blog mostly for business, but on occasion I blog about something I have purchased to keep. Also this summer, our home will undergo a complete renovation. That will become the focus probably once that bomb is dropped.
Cheers!
Thanks for the links, can’t wait to check out the new blogs! Although I have far too many blogs in my reader and it says 1000+ unread posts every time I log in. I should probably cut down my list a bit!
Here is my shameless self promotion, I’d love it if you stopped by! http://bijoulovely.blogspot.com
There are quite a few blogs that I really enjoy. One that reminds me a little of yours even though you seem very opposite…there are some core things in common is aurajoon (I think thats it)
I love reading your blog and I agree its a bummer when you get into a blog and then it starts to get all commercialy, money driven or just starts to piss you off. But there are lots and lots of blogs to read instead aren’t there? Thanks for the new ones to check out 🙂
What a treat, thanks so much. I tend to flick my eyes over eye candy blogs (and mine is much the same, really), so how brilliant to take the time to read some feisty opinions. Much appreciated.
how did i survive without the next button before today? i am going to share the info on my blog: http://dukebecky.blogspot.com/. thank you!
I got really into blogging in 2005, when I left the US for Sweden. I wrote a humor blog for about a year, but gave it up when I went back to University. During that time I read TONS of blogs. Three have stuck with me till this day. Yours, Making it Lovely, and Girl’s Gone Child.
I don’t use any kind of rss or reader system to keep up. I think I will give it a try though, now that I have started blogging again.
After reading this post, you inspired me to “clean out” my blogs…I had bitten off more than I could chew and you reminded me that it’s ok to stop reading if you’re not sold. Do you find blogs that are “too prolific” a problem? (I gave up some of those since 8-10 posts a day seems too much for anyone with a life to follow.) Thoughts?
@ModFruGal: Yes, I do have that problem with the more prolific blogs. Personally, I prefer to read blogs with fewer carefully edited, meaningful posts than ones with many entries every day. Yes, this means I’ve stopped reading a few of the “big guys”, but I’m getting along just fine without them. All it means is that I’m able to get more out of the blogs I do read. 🙂
Okay, can I get serious for a second? I’m pretty sure your post has just drastically changed my life on the internet (aka 9-5ing on my entry level work computer 4daze). For the most part, I have always been pro-google everything, but reader was the one thing I just couldn’t get behind. You see, I really look up to bloggers who seem to spend just as much time and consideration on the aesthetic design of their sites and posts as they do on the content and copy contained within (door sixteen obviously included) and I felt like reader basically said, “well f-that, who cares about aesthetic? time is money, just let em read it, FAST and NOW.” I even got bummed whenever someone told me they read my blog through their reader feed (my thought bubble = nooo! i just spent, like, half a day applying tags, updating my header, and adding a new page that you will now NEVER see!). But after reading this post and taking your reader approval to heart (not to mention the gloriousness of a blog in the flesh next button), I’ve finally caved/converted/drunkthejuice.
excited/terrified.
wish me luck!
also, I like these blogs:
ilikeyoulikeyou.com
firmuhment.tumblr.com
molls.tumblr.com
kitsunenoir.com
lost.net.au/vic
(the first one’s mine)
I came across your blog when i just had a baby and decided to stay home and take care of him(i’m a teacher). This was last year and i bookmarked your blog and has been a fan ever since. I am also a design addict and just decided to start a blog(almost 2 months ago) really just to catolgue what i like and chat a bit about my life. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles- would love to add all that but i do have a baby so that’s not priority. Anyway, I would be honored if you stopped by: http://designaddictmom.blogspot.com.
Hehee, small world (wide web). I know Verhext from a Flickr group. She is gorgeous 🙂
You’re cordially, make that “warmly”, invited to stop by either or both of my blogs:
http://sunnysblog.typepad.com (“eye candy” + stories of my niece, nephews and wacky friends)
http://www.justdaisy.wordpress.com – a newish blog of mine about getting rid of extra: extra stuff from my apartment and extra pounds from my body.
I have just spent time visiting the blogs of everyone above who left links. SO great! I found more to add to my google reader subscriptions.
about that. I subscribe to 199 blogs (just got it down from 250 subscriptions). too many. I don’t know how to cut blogs out!
I just discovered your blog via Nubby Twiglet. I love your blog! So happy I found it.
Many thanks for the nifty “Next” button tutorial for the Google Reader. I have been saving my RSS Feeds to my toolbar, but I love to look at visuals not a bunch of text. Thanks for introducing me to this feature! Sooo helpful.
These blogs look great, I can’t wait to check them out! Some of my favorites are Heart of Light, A Lovely Morning, A Beautiful Mess, and Smile and Wave.
I also enjoy blogs with a more personal voice behind them. I love visual blogs with lots of pictures but the ones I can’t resist visiting every day are those that share the writer’s life.
Oh, and then there’s my blog – I’m starting to find my voice and I am very happy with how far my blog has come in the last few months. I’m starting to share more about myself and my home projects and renovations!
Here you go. 🙂
http://unhappyhipsters.com
http://www.goodmorningandgoodnight.com
Shameless plug:
http://www.vintagescoutinteriors.blogspot.com
We try to keep it fun and fresh. Since we’re full time designers, we’re only part-time bloggers though.
Glad to have found your blog. Love your vestibule floor choice- might check it out myself for my mudroom. Can’t for the life of me figure out what to put out there.
Anna – I am relatively new to this world but have been following and loving your blog for the last couple of years. You are definately a favourite. I have really appreciated your advice on blogging – which I found in the Q & A section, about just being yourself, and not worrying about what a blog is supposed to look like. As a very new and somtimes uncertain and self-conscious blogger, I just keep your advice in mind. It’s all about being authentic isn’t it?
I can’t wait to try out all these blogs suggested by your readers!
In case you’re interested, you can find me at My Pink Door. (I’m new remember …)
Seeing as it’s okay to promote your own blog … here’s my link http://www.mypinkdoor.com.au/