Get a sanity check and a dose of laughter
Whether you’re a working mum, a stay at home mum, a mum that cooks quinoa, a mum whose craft will NOT be seen on Instagram, a mum that collects recycling materials for school, or a mum whose finest hour is 7pm (aka wine time), you deserve to put your feet up, pat yourself on the back and indulge in some congratulatory camaraderie. Pour your poison and meet this handful of blogging mums whose take on the most important role in our lives will instantly make you feel more human, more connected and more willing to do it all again tomorrow.
Between this lot of stylish, quirky, resourceful, witty, candid, honest and self-deprecating ladies, you’ll read your way to smiles as they share the oh-so-familiar moments of mum-hood with some cool ideas thrown in. It’s time to show perfection the door and honour these brave blogesses who aren’t afraid to share their screw-ups and thrift store style and more, just so we can have a laugh and get inspired.
Design for Mini Kind
By her own description, Erin Loechner’s blog is a personal quest to live a creative, inspired and meaningful life with her family. It’s a tall order for anyone but one which she delivers with apirational finesse. There is plenty of stunning imagery and products here (including nappy bags that ooze style), globally-curated ideas and lofty ideals. The thoughtful and enchanting letters to her daughter Bee, that she pens and publishes for the site are good idea to take away – if only we had more time. We might just pop along and check out her other site, Design for Mankind, instead.
The Honest Toddler
This is guffaw-out-loud hilarious! This is life from the perspective of a toddler. This is a must-read. Apparently Bunmi Laditan based The Honest Toddler on her middle child who ‘enjoys attention, cake, television, running and games.’ Rather than say more, here is sample from a recent post on Mothers’ Day gifts: Q-“I’m an out of work toddler and a little low on ends. Can I make her something.” A- “No. I have bad news for you: she hates all of your crafts. I know you think that macaroni necklace was a masterpiece but nobody in their right mind would want jewelry made out of refined carbohydrates.”
Adele Enersen
This zany author and illustrator from Finland is the woman behind Mila’s Daydream, a series of whimsical images created on her living room floor using socks, blankets, cushions, and oh, her sleeping baby. Checking on her every so often, when your 4 walls seem to be closing in, will show you how much fun being at home can be after all.
Girl’s Gone Child
This is the cool young Mum we all want to be or be near. Rebecca Woolf is 30 years old, has 4 kids and lives in LA with her groovy husband doing what the rest of us do but talking about it in hip speak. OK, she goes to organic markets and gets misty over many a poignant family moment – she’s from California after all – but her themes are universal and you can go here to relate.
Paint On The Ceiling
We adore the gorgeous homemade games and crafts that this vintage-inspired thrifty Mum creates with her kids. If the pictures are anything to go by Hannah lives a life that takes pleasure in simple beauty, using items that are to hand to offer plenty of opportunities for play. Think mud pies, puddle boats, river-stone painting, pot and pan orchestras and making a scarecrow. Just add imagination. And maybe a pair of wellies.
Edenland
Eden Riley writes like you might know her. It’s all very up close and personal, warts and all stuff. Eden started blogging 7 years ago to document her IVF experience. Heavy. Well it would get heavier when she goes on to talk about cancer, suicide and mental illness too, except that she’s so funny amongst the heartbreak. If you want to discover how life can be dealt with in an off the wall, unique way, get your inspiration here.
Motherhood: The Final Frontier
When you want a combo of smart and laughs, come here. We don’t know her name but the woman behind this blog refers to herself as Mothership. Get on board and you can hear her tell it like it is on all manner of modern motherhood topics. She was once a jet-setting woman of means from Blighty, married a German and settled on the US West Coast to have kids later in life. We enjoy her cerebral takes on politics, pop culture and poo (the kid kind).
BabyMac
Ever dreamt of a sea-change? Beth Macdonald did it. After a trendy but stressful life in inner-city Sydney, Beth and her family decamped to the stunning scenery of the NSW South Coast where people tend to do things like slow cook with locally-reared livestock and drink wine by the fire. Beth does all this with a potty mouth as she tries to blend her city sensibility with country living and raising 2 young girls. She also has her own handy (and FREE) app chock-full of recipes, tips for entertaining, household advice and more available on iTunes.
Design Mom
Here is a mum of six. She’s also a designer and lives in a home called, The Treehouse (it doesn’t look like a treehouse), from where she approaches motherhood with a designer’s perspective. Things of beauty are interspersed with words of wisdom and quiet musings in this blog. Don’t visit for gritty tidbits but do take a look when you want to prettify your mind and feel all nice and wholesome again.
Justina Blakeney
If Anthropologie and Mexico had a baby it would probably look like Justina’s Junglaow – that’s what she calls her house, where she gets up to all manner of projects, rants, crafts and thrift discoveries awash with colour and plants. Her baby girl and hubby don’t feature that much but it’s fascinating peeking inside their home at the way they live.
Top Image: Justina Blakeney