Liebster Love!

I've been blogging since Ella was a baby but I haven't ventured much outside of family-related posts. I've written a few organization, crafting, and DIY posts in the past year or so along with some posts on some personal projects I've been working on (exercise, cleaning, resolutions, Year 32, etc.)

I'm starting to realize there is a whole, new blogging world out there including linky parties, features, and new {bloggy} friends. While I have no intention of trying to make money off of this blog, and [warning!] I will continue to blog about the things that interest me, not about what I think this new audience wants to hear, I have to say this is all a little bit fun.

I received an email this morning from Kate @ craft whatever telling me about something called the Liebster Blog award. It sounds very exciting (and it is for a  recreational blogger like me), but it's basically just a way of sharing the blog love for smaller, just-getting-started blogs.

Here are the Liebster Rules: 

The award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, to promote and encourage new friendships among the blog community.

1. Post the award on your blog.  
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them. 
3. Reveal your 5 picks for the award and let them know. 
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogsphere... other bloggers. 
5. Finally, the best rule of all, have fun and spread the love!

I will start by saying thank you to Kate! She runs a super cute blog over at craft whatever including loads of tutorials, printables, and recipes (I recently made her Pumpkin Whatever Cookies and they were a big hit!) I also love the idea of her Crafting Bucket List - thanks to Pinterest, I think we all have one these days!

It seems very appropriate to spread some blog love today on Valentine's Day. {My Liebster shout-outs are below.} To my fellow bloggers, enjoy your moment in the spotlight, and I hope you will pass the love on to some other blogs too!

• Theresa @ party of four: T is one of my dear friends and one of the people who motivates me to keep blogging (she also inspired me to start a 365 project a year and a half ago). Her party of four is soon to be a party of five upon the arrival of their sweet new daughter, Finley Grace. T writes with honesty, and she is one of the best mamas you will ever meet. She has also been working on another sort of labor of love, and I hope you will keep an eye on her blog for the announcement (coming soon)!
• Kara @ Hobbies of a Homemaker: Kara is my very talented, super creative sister-in-law. She is able to take things that a lot of people might call junk and turn them into amazing creations. She sees the potential in everything and her blog has been booming since she started about a year go (I had to pass this award on to her ASAP because she is currently at 195 followers). She and her husband are committed to real, organic food and a desire to get back to the basics and live as simply as possible.
• Kelley @ The Grant Life: I recently discovered Kelley's blog and I was super excited when she featured one of my projects last week. Along with her weekly link party, Kelley runs a cool series called Labor of Love featuring other moms' labor and delivery stories.
• Michelle @ Michelle Lea Design: I found Michelle's blog through the wonders of Pinterest, specifically these cool {free!} printable mini-journals. Michelle is a photographer, graphic designer, and event planner so everything on her blog looks pretty and clean (which I love). She has a 365 project going on too!
• Christy @ The Changing Room: Christy is a talented local designer and up-cycler. I love her recent client lower level feature, especially as we are getting ready to turn our own basement space into something functional and beautiful. She does a fun event each holiday season where she stuffs her home full of her cool creations and opens it up to the public for a big tag sale.

There you have it. I hope the ladies above felt some blog love and I hope the rest of you discovered a new blog or two to follow!