To me, variety is the spice of life – so, the blogs that I’ve chosen run quite a wide gamut from travel, to family, to interior design. These are the blogs that I read every day, and I’m always excited to click on their links when they pop up in my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram feeds. Blogs help inspire me to be creative, to cook, to connect and to live my best life. I hope that you check some of these out the next time you’re looking for a lift.
For me, this is what life is all about – the little moments. Written beautifully and honestly by a mom / blogger / photographer / crafter / author / wife (and those are just a few of her titles!) named Kelle Hampton, this is my go-to blog. Kelle writes about her family’s life in Florida as a mother of three children under the age of 8. Her middle daughter Nella has Down syndrome, and through her blog, Kelle has become an inspiration to many parents in this community through her honest approach to writing about her family’s victories and challenges. Not only is Kelle a brilliant writer, she also takes beautiful photographs. If (when!) you check out Kelle’s blog, be sure to start with her children’s birth stories, particularly Nella’s. I dare you not to shed a tear. Kelle’s words are a reminder to squeeze every drop of joy out of life, even the small moments.
As someone who works in a creative industry, I love to look at pretty pictures. I especially like to look at pretty pictures when there’s a not-so-pretty before and an extra-beautiful after. Enter Young House Love, a blog written by John and Sherry, a couple of self-described DIY enthusiasts. They document all kinds of projects from painting and decorating to cleaning and organizing to crafts – including, but certainly not limited to renovating their first (and second, and current) houses, their daughter’s 4th birthday party, a fun event called Homearama, where they were invited to help design & decorate a showhouse from the ground up as part of a seven-house showcase tour. They are super super talented, very creative and I love their quirky sense of humor. My cousin’s fiancee introduced me to this blog, and I can’t get enough!
I love to travel. I almost love planning travel more than the travel experience itself – dreaming about a certain city or country, pinning pictures, researching every last detail, drafting my itinerary…I even like to plan travel for other people – Amy, my mother-in-law, friends…can you tell I like to plan? Well – I’ll let you in on one of my little secrets – Design Sponge City Guides. I always find that while traveling, it’s best to get advice from someone who’s been there before – or better yet – ask a local. DS’s City Guides are the perfect answer to any question you might have, as they’re written by people who live in each of the featured cities. Where are the best art galleries? Where can I grab a quick cup of coffee or dine on an outdoor patio? I especially love their ’24 Hours In’ editions, great for tacking on that extra day to a business trip to a city you might otherwise never vacation to. Bookmark this site for when it’s time to research your next trip. Happy planning!
