Blog (n): a website that contains an online personal
journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the
writer; also: the contents of such a site (Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary).
www.younghouselove.com
When it comes to home-improvement blogs, Sherry and
John Petersik of Richmond, Va., have made their mark in the blogosphere, by
all accounts. With over 85 features in various magazines, newspapers,
television programs, and websites, the little DIY diary blossomed from a
part-time hobby to a full-time blog and business. �We�re definitely not
experts, just DIY dorks who like to learn as we go and share our adventures
and misadventures with the world,� they explain. They feature projects (all
with detailed accompanying photos), answer reader questions, coordinate
giveaways, and manage sponsors for their burgeoning blog. They have also
written a New York Times-listed bestselling book titled Young House Love. It
all started with their first house. �We bought it back in 2006 after coming
off of a combined eight years of living in Manhattan. Armed with a little
bit of know-how and a lot of enthusiasm, we decided to make our little
needs-some-love house into a love-it-to-pieces home,� Sherry explains. So
what makes this home-improvement blog stand out from the thousands of
home-improvement websites out there? The fact that visitors get to go on the
daily home-improvement journey with the Petersiks and learn from their
mistakes and get inspired by their successes. After reading this blog,
visitors will not only fall in love with the young couple and their
2-year-old toddler, but will be inspired to tackle some DIY projects of
their own.
www.360chestnut.com/blog
The blog�s tagline says it all: Save Money. Save
Energy. Live Better. With entries from a variety of different writers, this
blog contains many wonderful articles on how to do just that � save money,
save energy, and live better. ECOtistical vs. EGOtistical is one such blog
entry � where blogger Caroline Egan explains that �being ecotistical is
about knowing what types of information to share with your friends and
family about being eco-conscious� without being egotistical. �First, never
sound preachy,� she writes. �For example �What do you mean you don�t
recycle? Don�t you know the polar bears are dying?� Rather you could say, �I
once read that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to listen to a
full album on your iPod and recycling 100 cans could light your bedroom for
two whole weeks! That�s why I try to recycle as much as I can, because it is
often the littlest things that help.� People are much more willing to listen
to you if you don�t link their failing to be eco-conscious to a massive
problem (like the population of polar bears).� Other topics covered include
solar panels, federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency,
ductless heat pumps, LEED certification, and energy audits.
http://enthusiastphotographer.com
Just as the title conveys, this blog is written by a
photography enthusiast who is learning as he goes. �I hope this blog helps
somebody else discover the power in their hands with a modern digital SLR
and capture special images!� he writes. Recent blog entries include: �What
are F-Stops,� �Lens Dilemma,� �The Magic Buttons of Happiness,� and �What do
more X�s get you?� This writer decided to write his blog in layman�s terms �
foregoing the technical industry-specific lingo that tends to be prolific in
many of the other popular photography blogs. �Jargon and complexity,� as he
puts it, just isn�t his style. So if you�re someone who wants to be a great
photographer and capture amazing memories, but doesn�t quite have all of the
know-how, this blog is a great resource. Easy to read and easy to
understand.
http://pinchmysalt.com
This humorously titled
cooking blog is written by a woman named Nicole, who started the blog five
years ago while she was living in Italy. �I have always loved to cook, but
the sights, sounds and tastes of Sicily inspired me in ways I never could
have imagined,� she explains. Through her blog, Nicole welcomes visitors
into her kitchen. Gorgeous high-quality photos of the most beautiful
culinary creations tempt readers to keep reading, while easy-to-do recipes
keep them coming back for more. Whether it�s cranberry white chocolate pecan
cookies or baked white bean dip with rosemary and Parmesan, there�s
something featured to please every palette.
http://pawcurious.com
This blog is written by Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, a very
popular veterinarian on the web. A graduate of the prestigious UC Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine with experience in both emergency and general
practice, �Dr. V,� as she is known on her website, started her award-winning
blog pawcurious.com in 2009 as a way to share her enthusiasm with the world.
�I�ve always been a dog person, unabashed, and proud of it. From the time my
first Lhasa bit me at 8 years old, then snuggled into my arm before pooping
in my shoe, it was all over. I�m helpless,� she writes in one of her
entries. But don�t go to this blog thinking you�ll be reading post after
post on the best dog collars or how to train your animals, because this
isn�t a blog about being a veterinarian. Instead, it�s a blog about this
veterinarian and her life. With excellent writing ability and a good sense
of humor, she welcomes you into her world and into the world of her home
full of pets.
Be sure and check out part two of this column in the
next issue for more great blog reviews.
