This week I interviewed the lovely Stevie who blogs at acornishmum.com. Stevie writes about pretty much anything under the sun, but predominately parenting and lifestyle! She’s from Cornwall, just like I am – so you’d definitely be jealous of her images if you went and checked out her blog.. Don’t believe me? Go check it out here.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a 32 year old Mum of two boys living in Cornwall with my boyfriend, who somehow puts up with me. I love where I live and I love my life, although a lottery win would possibly improve things.
Why did you initially decide to start a blog?
When my eldest son was 5 he almost died, because he had Type 1 Diabetes that was undiagnosed. I didn’t know the signs and whilst i was in hospital with him I tried to google for information on Type 1 Diabetes. What I found were a lot of horror stories of complications, and alone with my son in hospital this was the last thing I needed to find.
My blog is not all about Type 1 Diabetes, but I have a section that covers a lot of the things I would have wanted to read when I was in that hospital bed with my son. My most read post is my post about the signs and symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes, which makes me very proud as hopefully the more people know the signs, the less likely people are to be as ill as my own son before diagnosis happens.
What do you blog about and why?
As I mentioned above, it’s partly Type 1 Diabetes, but I also write about Cornwall, family life and well pretty much all subjects, even including DIY.
Any advice to anyone that wants to start a blog?
Think long and hard about the name you choose, as unless you only want to blog for a specific period of time, then that name has to last and grow with you. For example, if you call yourself ‘Mummy of One’ and then you go on to have more children, it’s really not a name that will work any more.
What are the best aspects of running your own blog? What are the hardest aspects?
The best part is never knowing quite what will come into your email inbox, it makes things very exciting. Also I love working for myself, and being able to set my own hours, and my own terms for work.
The hardest part for me, is the technical side of things, and I am still getting my head around some aspects of WordPress, but luckily I have learnt a lot already, and I know people who know a lot more about it than I do.
Which social media tools do you use the most?
My favourite social media is joint between Instagram and Twitter. Instagram, as I love the insight into other people’s lives it gives you, and Twitter as it’s very interactive and there’s always someone to chat to on there. My favourite actual tool would have to be the Crowdfire app, which works for both of my favourite forms of social media.
Crowdfire lets me see who unfollows me, and I have to admit I love being able to unfollow the cheeky people who only follow for a follow and then unfollow.
What do you enjoy about blogging the most?
My favourite parts are firstly the community, I have made so many new ‘bloggy’ friends who I hope to meet int he future in person, and there’s always someone willing to help you out if you get stuck on something. I have helped out a lot myself with bits and pieces that they were stuck on, that I’d learnt myself through trial and error, and it’s a nice feeling.
Another favourite part is that my children get extra treats and experiences. From watching a favourite show in the stage and going on a weekend away, to toys I’ve had for them to review, they get something they wouldn’t have done otherwise. Plus it’s given me confidence in myself again.
Where do you see yourself and your blog in five years time?
Ooh now this is a tricky one. In five years time I will have a 14 and a 16 year old (eek) so obviously some of what I blog about will have changed, but I hope I’m still around blogging and enjoying it. For now though, I’m just enjoying it and a year ahead is about as far as I plan.
Three blogs you love that we should know?
One I read the most is by Donna over at What the Redhead Said partly because Donna herself is lovely, but also because I like how eclectic her blog is just like mine, she writes about so many different things it keeps it interesting. I was also reading Donna’s blog before I started blogging myself.
The Unmumsy Mum is hilarious! I don’t often comment, because my children are a lot older so I don’t feel I have much to input, but I can’t read a post on her site or Facebook whilst drinking a cup of tea or I end up wearing it.
One of the blogs that touches me the most is by Julia at Rainbeaubelle her husband Roger died three months ago, and reading her honest outpourings both whilst he was ill and afterwards, has had me in tears a few times. Her strength, and his was phenomenal and it’s the kind of blog that if I was going through something similar, I’d want to find.