Spotlight Saturday

I didn’t even realize that I had missed a week (or was it two?) of Spotlight Saturday posts. Last weekend being my birthday, and with the launch of the new biz, I just didn’t get around to reading as many posts as I would have liked. But, not this week. I’ve found some really great reads this week. Enjoy!

• Design Tips for your Blog by April @ April Showers: I actually thought of Ashley @ Ashley Plus 3 when I read this. She made a comment in one of her posts the other day about wanting to design her own blog. This list from April is a great jumping off point. While there aren’t any html tutorials in this post, it’s loaded with a lot of information to get you started and on the path to designing your own blog.
• Blogging, Freelancing & Maintaining your Tribe a correlated post by Gigi @ Kludgy Mom and Heather @ Theta Mom: Now that I’ve found myself with a business, a blog, a family, etc. I’m having to learn to find some sort of balance between work, home, play and blog. Granted, I still consider my blogto be as much a part of my work as anything. While there is no magical solution included in these posts, there is a lot of advice on how other moms are doing it in the comment sections. 
• The Simply Things by Kimberly @ Zook Book Nook: I stumbled across Kimberly’s blog after she left a really sweet comment on my Simply Living post. I popped over to pay her a visit and immediately loved this first post I read. She raises a lot questions and provoking thoughts about the materialistic tendencies we breed in our culture. She doesn’t do it in a nasty, finger pointing way…but in a way that made me stop and examine a few of the choices we’ve made.

And then these posts were in my drafts, saved from last week (or maybe the week before). They are a few weeks older than I usually post, but they were great reads and totally deserve to be shared since I totally failed and forgot to hit publish.

• I Am Convicted by Hannah @ Aspire:  I don’t know if you guys know Hannah or not, but if you haven’t met her, you should. You’d never guess she was as young as she is (think High School) because she is so well versed and wise beyond her years. Her photography, her writing…it all just sucks you in. This post was written from her personal awakening and realization that she wasn’t living just like she thinks she should…but I walked away feeling convicted in some areas of my own life. Go read it. Now. 🙂
• The Moment Everything Stops by KK @ The Mom Diggity: I love, love, love this blog. KK is a fantastic writer, and has the cutestlittle girl. Oh, and she’s pregnant with her second daughter now…and I’m pretty sure she’s one of the cutest pregnant people ever. Which kind of makes me sick, but whatever. 🙂 This post made me tear up a little bit. She shares a little experience with her toddler and makes a huge relevance to our relationship with our Heavenly Father and how he is always there to hold us and assure us that things will be ok. Make sure you read this. I’m sure if you discover her blog, you’ll be hooked like I am. 
• Cheating and Putting on our Judge-y Pants by Shell @ Things I Can’t Say: I had to share both of these posts today because of how well they go along with my post Judgmental Mommy (which had been my most popular and most commented on post—48 comments and counting—before my blog crashed). The point to both of these posts is this: We all judge. Most of us know that it’s wrong and that we should do it, but it happens. And those who say that they don’t judge aren’t fooling anyone. Like Shell said: It’s not about judging, it’s what you dowith that judgment that matters. 
• Photography Behind the Scenes by Darcy @ My 3 Boybarians: I know I featured Darcy last week, but she’s putting some really great posts out there that are more centered and focused on the business side of photography. There are dozens upon dozens of resources on shooting and capturing beautiful photos, and a half a dozen more than that on Photoshop techniques. I love real life advice from people who have been there when it comes to business.

Hope you guys have a great weekend!