Meet Charise from I Thought I Knew Mama.

Tell us about your blog.

I Thought I Knew Mama is a window into the adventures of stay at home mamahood, natural parenting, and green & healthy living.

Why did you start blogging?

When I was laid off shortly before my first child was to be born in June 2010, I was faced with an experience that I had never planned upon – being a stay at home mama. I decided to start a
blog and dedicate it to examining the experience of being a full time mom, my attempts to incorporate natural parenting and a green and healthy lifestyle into our days, and to exploring this stay at home world with my son… a world that I thought I knew and understood, but now realize is a layered, fascinating, and blurred experience which I wade through in this new life of mine.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

My goals are to keep sharing the information that I learn about creating a green and natural life for my family, as well as documenting my pregnancy (I’m due with my second babe in May!) and learning how to care for our expanding family. I’ve also got lots of green and natural giveaways for mamas coming up.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

I am very active in social media, and I actually wrote an entire post about why it is important to me: Has Social Media Changed You? A Stay at Home Mom’s Perspective.

Social media provides me with the opportunity to connect with all different kinds of people – those who have known me forever, those who I knew long ago and have now reconnected with, complete strangers, loved ones, and brand new friends. And thanks to social media, I can now interact with them through the platform that makes me most comfortable and allows me to express myself easily and freely.

As a stay at home mama, social media provides me with something that stay at home moms in the past might have missed out on and craved: regular and consistent adult interaction and stimulation.
You can find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

If I had to pick a favorite post, it would probably be the post that launched my blog and explains the name of my blog.

Mom Blogger Interview: Charise from I Thought I Knew Mama is a post from: Mommy Community

Get to know Ashley from The Undomestic Mommy.

Tell us about your blog.

The Undomestic Mommy is my little collection of my rants, raves, and product reviews, as well as pictures and stories about my life as an, again, soon-to-be single mother of two girls.

Why did you start blogging?

I actually didn’t start out blogging to write about any of the stuff I write about now! I had a really hard time coming up with a name for my site and somehow decided on Split Ends S*ck which isn’t even remotely related to the things I was posting about, which were freebies/samples I was finding online. I went through a pretty long phase where I spent a lot of time signing up for freebies, my mail box was constantly full, so I was posting them on my blog to hopefully help other people be able to score some free goodies too. Then I started to slowly blog about my life with my kids and my soon-to-be ex-husband and I started reading some other mom blogs and noticed they were getting free things to review, things that were a lot better than the samples I had been getting. So I started reviewing some things I already owned and then started contacting companies to get review products. Once I started contacting companies though I knew I needed, at the very least, my own .com URL, and since the old name had caused me to miss out on some review opportunities due to the swearing, I wanted a whole new name, and that’s how The Undomestic Mommy was born.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

Going forward I hope to increase my readership, because what’s the point if no one reads it really, and to get better opportunities to work with bigger brands.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

Am I active in social media? I’m only 19 so I have grown up with the social media age, so I have been very active in it from the start! Way before I had thought about blogging. I love that it gives me the chance to connect with people I’d never otherwise meet and to stay caught up with my family that doesn’t live close and my friends after we finished high school.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best? 

I’ve had nearly 500 posts now so picking just one that I like best is tricky. My favorite, more recent one, is probably A Leap Day Baby, Why You Shouldn’t Purposely Have One because I was finally able to vent all the frustrated feelings I’ve had about being a leap day baby.

Mom Blogger Interview: Ashley Jordan of The Undomestic Mommy is a post from: Mommy Community

Little Ceasars Hot & Ready When You Are is a post from: Mommy Community

Today we’re introducing you to Melissa from My PB&J.

Tell us about your blog.

I talk about my kids (shocking I know! ) The chaos of two under two, my son’s journey of being born with a cleft lip, my weight loss journey, recipes, and gettin’ crafty!

Why did you start blogging?

I starting blogging as a way to document our life as newlyweds and as a way to stay connected with my husbands family who all reside in New Jersey. My degree is in English, however, I do not follow proper grammatical rules on my blog, don’t judge. We got a puppy and then I got knocked up a few months later. The blog changed gears and I found myself talking about my growing ute! I struggled with severe post partum depression with my daughter and blogging was my way to stay sane.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

I want my blog to continue to grow. I struggle with reader comments so trying to figure that out as each day goes by…

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

Yes! Twitter, Facebook, etc. I love it because I can connect with more readers and fellow bloggers for support and ideas!

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

My fav post was probably my daughter’s first birthday, Payton’s Winter Onederland. Not because of the party but more of how we made it through one year. I struggled so badly with my PPD and then returning to work as a full-time mom. Our year was nuts, but we made it!

Mom Blogger Pro: Melissa Atkinson of My PB&J is a post from: Mommy Community

Meet Lisa Hanson from Mompreneur Mogul.

Tell us about your blog.

My blog is a resource for mom bloggers filled with powerful blogging tips that will increase comments, grow followers & help take their blog to the next level.

I help mom bloggers accomplish that by creating techniques that will help their blog “GET FAMOUS” by using the same methods that have worked for me.
My posts are presented in unique ways sprinkled with parenting articles and humor.

Why did you start blogging?

Because I like helping people and I wanted to connect with other awesome moms.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

To increase my own followers, continue to create strong content & present it with my own flair because after making my living as a copy I don’t like to be a copy see this link for details.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

Yes Very. I enjoy seeing that I actually helped someone when they say ” Hey that was great, or Thank you for that post it really helped” those moments are rewarding.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

“How To Get Noticed In a Sea Of Self Promoters” I love this post because it’s a reminder ( even to myself) that even though most of us have something we want to promote be that a blog or product , if we remember it’s not only about us and put others in front of ourselves, our goals will exceed much further, & faster.

Mom Blogger Pro: Lisa from Mompreneur Mogul is a post from: Mommy Community

Meet Anne from Zephr Hill…

Why did you start blogging?

I’ve always loved to write and began keeping a personal journal when I was about 10 years old. Twenty-three years later, I’m still writing in my books when time permits. So it was natural that when blogging online became popular I had to join in the fun.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

I’d like to gather around me a large but loyal circle of mothers who share the desire to better our homes and our families. I want my blog to be a fun gathering place where ideas are shared, experiences are learned from and fun is had by all!

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

I’m very active on Facebook and enjoy the flexibility it offers for people who want to keep in touch but don’t have time to spend a lot of time on the phone. I love that I can quickly connect with my readers all over the world while at the same time nursing my baby, checking my bank balance AND enjoying some dark chocolate and a cup of hot tea. Now that’s multi-tasking at its most enjoyable!

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best? (Give us a link!)

My favorite posts seems to have become my readers’ favorite, too. It’s called “How to Name Your Farm or Ranch,” but really it’s about helping people find a name for virtually anything. Names are such an important part of life – mothers name their children, their pets, their homes and their work-at-home businesses and products. This blog post is full of tips for finding the perfect name and it’s really fun to read. It even includes the story of how I picked the name for our farm in Kansas.

Mom Blogger Interview: Anne from Zephr Hill is a post from: Mommy Community

Tell us about your blog.

Our blog, To Sew With Love, started as a Facebook group. Our blog is basically where we share our creations. We post a lot of tutorials, too. We also love, promote and support everything handmade in our blog.

Why did you start blogging?

My sister Laarnie and I got hooked with sewing and to share our creations to our friends, we created the group page. A few days later, the blog was born.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

We are taking it one day at a time… Honestly, we don’t have long-term plans. We just hope that we could keep on inspiring people with our creations, especially people who are new to sewing.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

We post a lot in Facebook, Twitter, Triberr and Pinterest. I love Facebook more than Twitter since we get to interact more with other people. We have recently started with Google +. We are still trying to learn the ins and outs of it, though.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

It must be this Diaper and Wipes Purse Tutorial post as it got the most number of visits re:tutorials in the blog. Plus, I think people found it helpful.

Mom Blogger Interview: Lelanie from To Sew With Love is a post from: Mommy Community

Meet Iris of Sweet Metel Moments.

Tell us about your blog.

Sweet Metel Moments is a blog where you can find party inspiration, sweet treat recipes, craft ideas, and tons of free printables that can be used for children’s parties, classrooms, church groups, or any event! I also love sharing photos of my children and fun family memories.

Why did you start blogging?

I wanted to have a place where I could journal some fun family memories and be able to share photos to friends and family that we don’t see often. I also wanted to share photos of parties that I throw for my family.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

Recently I have been focusing on sharing simple craft ideas and party printables that anybody can create. I want to be a blog that busy moms can turn to when they are planning parties for their children or making treats/favors for their children’s classmates and friends. It is amazing what pretty paper can do to simple gifts and I think it’s little touches that make inexpensive gifts something more personal and special.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

I am currently not active in Social Media at this time.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

It’s hard to pick just one, but if it’s okay I will pick two. It would be the first birthday parties that I posted on my blog for my children. The first one was for my daughter Skylar which is an Olivia the Pig party, and the second one was for my son Brody who had a Candyland party . I put so much work into those parties (a lot of sleepless nights!) and to see the outcome made it all worthwhile. I will do anything for my kids! They also happen to be my top 2 most viewed posts.

P.S. Iris has an Etsy store!

Mom Blogger Interview: Iris of Sweet Metel Moments is a post from: Mommy Community

Meet Jessica of Made by Jess.

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging, so that I could find a new way to connect with other moms, and eventually get my handmade business off the ground. It became more than just that. I started reviewing products, joining hops, and making the most awesome blogger friends. I have come so far with the blog, and I love being a part of the blog community.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

I am trying everything I can to spread the word about my blog, so I can get as many friends.followers as I can, so that I will have a readership already at hand when I launch my business off the ground. I have been preparing for more than over a year for this. Teaching myself new techniques, reading new exciting craft books, and trying the best I can to produce quality handmade items that people would enjoy receiving as well as giving.

Are you active in Social Media? What do you enjoy about it?

I am active in Social Media, and I love that everybody is so networked these days. It is so easy to be able to stay in constant contact with people: to further myself, my blog, and my company.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog what would it be and why do you like it best?

I really like my “Perfume Pointers” Blog Post because I would love to write more articles. I have been trying to gain followers for awhile, so I post mostly reviews and giveaways. I do need to post more “me” posts. But this one rocks right now.

Mom Blogger Interview: Jessica of Made By Jess is a post from: Mommy Community

Meet Heather of Then Comes Mercy.

Tell us about your blog.

Then Comes Mercy is about faith and home life. I write occasionally about frugality and hope to write more about that as well as home organization and other projects in the future. Right now, most of my posts center around life with a newborn.

Why did you start blogging?

When I was pregnant, I started looking for blogs about pregnancy and new motherhood. Most of the blogs I found were about older kids; there wasn’t a lot out there about life with an infant. I assume this is because most moms with infants can barely find the time to shower (myself included!). I wanted to write about the sleepless nights and share advice with other moms of newborns, so I started Then Comes Mercy.

What are your goals for your blog going forward?

I specifically picked a blog name that I thought encompassed motherhood as a whole rather than focusing on the stage of motherhood I’m in now. My goal is for the blog to grow and change with me and my family. Right now, I’m writing about life with a newborn and the challenges and blessings that come with this stage.

Are you active in social media? What do you enjoy about it?

I have a personal Facebook account, but I have yet to start a Twitter account or Facebook page for my blog. I’d like to be more active in social media as a blogger, though.

If you had to pick a favorite post on your blog, what would it be and why do you like it best?

My favorite post at the moment is an entry I wrote called “Then Comes Motherhood.” The entry is basically about the wake-up call of becoming a mom (any mom out there knows exactly what I’m talking about) and the death to self that comes from that. I never considered myself a selfish person before, but I definitely was way too self-focused. I analyzed way too much, worried way too much. Motherhood doesn’t allow you that luxury, which sometimes can be exhausting (those days when you just want five minutes to be alone) but overall makes you a much better person.

Mom Blogger Interview: Heather of Then Comes Mercy is a post from: Mommy Community