The MAD Awards are now half way through the voting process. Patch of Puddles has been nominated in two categories, Best Family Life Blog and Most Inspiring Blog. But there are also lots of other categories and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to introduce the finalists from two of them.
The MADs are a great way to discover new blogs and discover people who put their heart and soul into trying to write well and convey life as it is lived from their moment in time. Blogging is a popular parenting sport right now but the places where it shines as a way of connecting are in those blogs where the personality and humanity of the writer really comes across. The Post of the Year category celebrates particular posts that have caught the eye and attention of the voters and with 3000 nominations and a huge and varied list of posts suggested for the category, to reach the last 6 is no mean achievement.
First Up is Baby Budgeting who writes of the inspirational mum who told her real life stories of people who had done great things and been wonderful people and how populating her childhood with real life heroes and heroines has shaped and moulded her own parenting.
Over at Metal Mummy, there is a poo instance of true horror as she describes the ‘Tapoo’ artwork her daughter inflicted on the family. We’ve got a lot of sympathy with this one, having had a daughter do just exactly the same. Poo is just so much worse out of a nappy 😆
Prepare to feel icy claws on your heart and have it squeezed by Kate at The Five F’s. Her prose poem describing the effect of abuse on her life and her escape through sheer determination is chilling and awe-inspiring and truly gripping. Big up to that woman.
Give yourself a giggle at Very Bored in Catalunya with her ABC of Parenting. While it is fair to say this woman truly must be very bored indeed 🙂 I can only say thank goodness for that if it gives her time to come up with gems such as “Thanks to Super Nanny most parents have some variation of the Naughty Spot, however if you find that this approach doesn??t work for your unruly offspring then why not put yourself on the Naughty Spot, preferably with a Gin and Tonic. Remember one minute for every year of your age, if you are over 30 you might as well make it a large G&T.”
At Dance without Sleeping, Carol writes about depression and the release and support she found in admitting she needed some help. As a long term sufferer of depression myself, I have every sympathy with the gripping effect of this debilitating illness on her life.
Last but by no means least in this category, the Missy M Missives starts with shoes and ends with pants in what is probably the best bit of? of naked humour horror you are likely to find on the internet. And that, she says with 10 years of wincing at the things people will say on the internet, is no mean feat. (And as someone who once appeared in a Quizilla quiz as person most likely to discuss periods on a blog, I think I can say that with feeling!)
Food Blogging is something I really know nothing about; for an amply sized person, I have relatively little interest in food and if you do discover I’ve started putting recipes on my blog at any point, I strongly suggest you send round the Blogger-Clone Investigation Team. Luckily, I have a cooking friendly husband and kids that love to bake; mind you, the following blogs have actually rather inspired me too!
MaisonCupcake is a rightly popular foody-blog with recipes, ideas and reviews. The photography is gorgeous and makes your mouth water, the recipes look manageable and inviting and the reviews look honest. The posts are regular and varied and there seems to be something for every palate. Go have a look. Really, go. Then bake.
At Feeding Boys and a Firefighter, Katie combines some great ideas for food, with giveaways, reviews and her thoughts on coming up with nutritious and filling food. The photos make you feel right in there; I particularly liked the Elderflower Cordial post as we recently tried out making Ginger Beer (must blog that!) and had a great giggle at her Glossy Winter Chasseur post. Currently she is trying out vegetarian cooking too. Something for everyone told in an engaging style.
I may have put on 3lbs just reading Eggs, Cream and Honey; there was a time in my life where if those were the only three foods on earth, I’d have been just fine with that 😆 In all that baking, from puddings that cross between exotic and nursery cooking all at once, to cakes, cookies and scones, the blog looks and feels accessible with the types of recipes that tempt even me to have a go. I really love the Very Posh Chocolate Cupcake Display.
Amy at Cookies, Cakes & Children combines parenting, cakes, some savoury recipes and some fab ideas for novelty cakes. Her Toffee and Pecan Ring recipe looks divine and I’m seriously impressed to see she has also published a book.
Beth from Jam & Clotted Cream has restaurant reviews and food events from Cornwall on her blog, a place we haunt often enough to make sure I’ll be following her from now on. Like her fellow entrants, she has plenty of cakes, giveaways and reviews on the blog but the ones that really stand out for me are some of her savoury cooking ideas. Her Courgette, Feta and Pine Nut Penne has me longing for the courgettes outside the back door to be ready to pick!
I hope this carnival has helped you find some new blogs to read. Of course, now is the moment of truth.. it’s time to vote. Don’t forget to place a vote for PoP as you go through 😉
Misssy M says
Cheers for your kind words about my Chiropractor Story- maybe meet you at the awards eh?
Caroljs says
What a great round up, thank you. x
Amy says
Thanks for putting together this lovely round-up, x