what i'm reading - blog edition: outdoor adventure blogs

Some weeks I feel like I spend almost as much time reading blogs as I do books and as more and more people move from reading books to reading blogs, I want to start sharing some of my favorite reads on the internet. Today I want to share two of my favorite blogs that focus on outdoor adventures. 

SoCal Hiker 

The first one is more focused on adventures in the Southern California area. So Cal Hiker is my go to resource when I am looking for trail information. While I frequent All Trails for reviews, it can sometimes be difficult to really know and trust all the varied reviews of a single trail. It's nice to be able to read a consistent voice review trails and Jeff really knows the So Cal area better than almost any other blogger out there. And not only does he give great information on trails but he also offers gear reviews and information on training for bigger adventures. 

Some favorite posts: 

How to Use a Buff as a Backpacking Pillow

Cucamonga Peak via Icehouse Canyon  (Part of the Six Pack of Peaks) 

Overview of the John Muir Trail 

Dirtbag Darling 

People like to say that it is hard to find female bloggers who talk about outdoor adventures. Honestly, I could devote an entire series of posts to the amazing women out there who write about getting outdoors and seeking adventure. But for today, I want to focus on one: Dirtbag Darling. This site is awesome. From climbing to surfing to skiing to yoga: if you want to learn about it, read about it, and see great photos of it - this is the place. She consistently features knowledgable guest bloggers in her 101 Lessons series and every post inspires you to get outdoors. 

Some favorite posts: 

How to Afford the Outdoor Lifestyle on a Budget 

Vanilla Protein Pancake Recipe 

7 Reasons to Give Yoga a Try 

Love outdoor blogs? Let me know some of your favorites in the comments or on twitter! 

xoxo,

kat

what i'm reading: eCourses on blogging

Now, I know this is usually a place reserved for books and I promise to get back to that soon. But reading a book a week is something I am currently behind on because I spent this last week reading two different blogging related eCourses. I mentioned one of them in my things I love post last week but today I want to really give you a review of what I love about these eCourses.

Blog Life eCourse from A Beautiful Mess 

Let's start with the big one: Blog Life eCourse from A Beautiful Mess. I was curious about this course because I had taken their previous eCourse on blogging and having seen how far they have come in just a few short years, I knew there was a lot they could share in this eCourse.

First off, the format of how this eCourse is created is really well laid out. It is very text heavy but they have the chapters organized well, it is easy to see where you left off, they included some gorgeous photos so you don't get too overwhelmed by text, and they have video included as well. It is always interesting to read the more personal views of those who are successful at their craft, A Beautiful Mess has had incredible success over the few years but in this course they are honest and insightful on where they may have made mistakes and that is not only beneficial to read and learn from but it makes it more comforting that there may be mistakes.

The price on this eCourse is a little on the higher end of eCourses out there. While it does have a lot of useful information and solid activities (or 'homework') to help you grow and develop your blog, it may not be the best eCourse for someone who is just starting out. I found this to be useful because I had a foundation in a lot of the subject matter already but if I was just starting out I think this course might be a little intimidating. I would say this is a great course for someone who has the basics down and wants to grow and develop from there.

Spark eCourse from Campfire Chic 

Be prepared: I am about to rave like a fangirl about this eCourse, if you can't handle that turn back now. Kam has long been one of my favorite bloggers out there, she has a solid newsletter for bloggers, has created an awesome app to help you stay inspired in writing and blogging, and now with her Spark eCourse she is giving you access to 30 days of tips and insight to rekindle your blogging passion or take your blog to the next level. 

Full disclosure: I am only on Day 6 of this 30 day eCourse and I plan on writing another post once I am done but I wanted to share my experience so far because it has been so positive. The course is formatted as daily e-mails that not only give you tips, tricks, and insight but also activities and lessons to help you dig deeper and resources to extend your learning. While some of the things she has you do in the lessons seem really simple and straightforward at times, you will realize that she is having you do them as part of the course because they are essential things you need to do that you probably have been putting on the back burner. I really love this course and cannot wait to see what that full 30 days has in store. While she markets this for bloggers who are in a rut, I think it is great for all bloggers and the price really can't be beat. 

Have you tried either of these eCourses? What did you think?

xoxo,

kat 

getting crafty: 4 craft blogs to get you sewing

I am still working on getting back into sewing and trying to relearn all the basics. I have mentioned before that I like starting with projects that don't require patterns because they let you just dig in, play around, and go with the flow. Right now, I have been relying on blogs to help keep me inspired with sewing projects. So for this weeks Getting Crafty, I thought I might share some of my favorite blogs that offer great sewing projects, tutorials, and sewing tips!

Recently I shared the tote bag I made inspired by Lazy Saturdays. I really love this blog and how clear and easy to read the instructions are on tutorials. While this blog is not updated frequently, when it is you get quality tutorials that are worth the wait.

See Kate Sew is another great blog for tutorials and sewing tips. I love all the things she is doing with bows right now and can't wait to try this bag here. It's on my to make list right now. She also includes great non-sewing DIY's and has a pattern shop right on her site.

Adventures in Dressmaking is another favorite right now. She includes how to wear DIY, clear instructions that can take your sewing to the next level, and tons of great tutorials!

Sew Caroline is awesome and filled with tons of tutorials, DIY's, and inspiration. She also has patterns available and great sewing tips. Her series on drafting and sewing a circle skirt is one of the best ones out there.

What craft blogs are inspiring you right now?

xoxo,
kat

things i love 5.2.14

I don't have many pictures to share today, so you get to see how adorable Daisy is. I just can't handle her sometimes. She is the best little dog. This week, the blog world was on a roll! So many great things to share. I know I am missing posts here so feel free to share your favorites in the comments. 

I love Selective Potential - this blog is gorgeous and her style is amazing.

Restart a bad day and make it productive again from Yes and Yes.

I've written before about how much I love my Fitbit Zip* but this week it really helped me stay on track with my goals. The app is just the best.

I love the store Emerging Thoughts, just got the cutest pair of shoes and this cute necklace!

This altered printers tray is super cool! Can't wait to try this DIY!

The Polka Dot Chair has 50 DIY's for Mothers Day (or any day really, some of these I might need to make for myself!)

Want to go on a MicroAdventure? Kam has you covered with these great apps!

Look for a Science Fiction Young Adult book? Cinder* is so great, read my review here.

Rising*Shining has tips for starting your own podcast.

Floral Party Craft ideas from A Night Owl

Lemon and Raspberry is hosting a free blogging webinar next week. Her newsletter is amazing so I can only imagine how great this will be!

What did you love this week?

xoxo,
kat

things i love: prAna monarch pant, #ParkChat, and more

These pants survived 16 miles of hiking over two days, a couple hours in an ATV with extremely high winds, and while they were covered in sand (as is everything in the desert), I was able to wear them to dinner at Pappy and Harriet's and not look (or smell) like I'd been hiking the desert all day. The prAna Women's Monarch Convertible Pant* are my new go to for multi-day outdoor adventures. They convert easily to capris, kept me protected in the wind, and kept me cool in the sun. They have tons of useful pockets and they somehow managed to not smell at all. They are also flattering, which is hard to find with hiking pants for women. Also pictured here is my Leon Tank from fabletics. One of my all time favorites for moisture wicking performance tanks.

I participated in my first ever twitter chat this week and it was awesome. #ParkChat was a chat about the National Parks which was hosted by @Flow397 and @59NationalParks was awesome and I can't wait to participate next week. Wednesday night at 9PM EST on Twitter, just look for #ParkChat and join in the discussion!

My current favorite blog series is from Habitual Homebody, I am obsessed with the Crafting Through History posts she has been posting! They are amazing.

I just found out I won Project Life Lessons from Amy at Lemon and Raspberry! I am so excited. I always see amazing Project Life posts on my favorite blogs and have wanted to do it but did not know where to begin. This is perfect!

Look at these adorable crochet patterns from Me! MaDonna!

I can't wait to try this free skirt pattern from See Kate Sew.

There is a new chocolate place just a 30 minute drive from me that California Through My Lens reviewed. Must resist temptation!

What are you loving this week?

xoxo,
kat


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rambling: on blogging and adding affiliate links

If you have ever read my about me page then you might know that I decided to start blogging again to help me stay focused on things I love. I wanted to write about various aspects of my life, share those stories and journeys with others, find community online, and maybe inspire others in the process. I'm a small time blogger and outside of this little internet world, I work in a field I absolutely love passionately. The idea of monetizing my blog seemed wrong to me for a while, I kept thinking that if I did it would send the wrong message or change the focus of the blog.

But the thing is, I am often linking to products and books that I love and use. People often take hobbies and turn them into something more, even if it's just a little bit here and there. Why is blogging any different? Most people monetize their blog in some way or another from the largest million dollar blogs to the smallest every other week blog, it's just makes sense. That is why I decided to become a part of Amazon Associates and begin using affiliate links.

So, you may notice a couple very small changes in the next few weeks. First you'll notice a disclosure on the side bar that also links to a full disclosure page with more information. This is standard practice for anyone choosing to add affiliate links or monetize the blog in any way. Second, you will also notice that now, on some posts, when I link to a product it will be an affiliate link. And that's it. Nothing else really changes. I'll make sure to let you know in the post if there are affiliate links and if you decide to use them, thank you and that's really awesome. If you don't, thank you for reading my blog and that's really awesome.

xoxo,
kat

guest post over at campfire chic

Today you will find me over at Campfire Chic talking about tips for your first spin class. Even if you are already a spin class pro I would love it if you would check it out and maybe add your own tips to the comments!

Kam of Campfire Chic and I have been reading each others blogs for years now. I love her blog because it shows how to balance a creative and adventurous life with a 9 to 5. She has awesome posts on project life, adventures, and the National Parks, just to name a few.

If you landed here because you saw my post over at Campfire Chic - Welcome! A little bit about me, I am an educator who just finished grad school and decided to start blogging again. Right now I blog about adventures, crafting, fitness, and so much more. You can learn a little more about me here. Please feel free to explore the blog, maybe leave me a comment, use those pretty buttons on the side to find me on social media, or send me an e-mail!

xoxo,
kat

what i'm reading: wild and a blog roundup

Earlier this year, I made a promise to myself to finish every book I start this year. I am about halfway through the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed and I am starting to regret this decision. I really want to be done with this book and if it were any other year, I would have given up on it by now. It's not that it's bad, I am only halfway through so I can't really judge that yet, it's just that it's not what I expected. I knew it was a memoir and I knew that meant it would deal with life changing moments and stories of where things went wrong in her life but I also wanted more about the Pacific Crest Trail, more about being out in nature, and more about hiking on your own than I have gotten so far from this book. I hope to have a full review soon, because I really need to finish this book and move onto something else, but for now how about a blog round up of some blog posts I have read recently that have been absolutely awesome.

Kyla Roma wrote a great post recently about her secret reset button. I love her writing in general and this post was a great reminder of how we all need to make sure we take time for ourselves and how to make the most out of that time.

Allyson Potrebka wrote a great post on yoga etiquette for beginners! If you've never been to a yoga class before this is the perfect resource for you!

For all the crafters with dreams of a book deal out there, this post from Tilly and the Buttons is inspiring and heartfelt. Learning about how she got her book deal and the whole process behind it makes it a great read. And I love her honesty through the whole post!

What book are you reading? What blogs are you loving right now?

xoxo,
kat

things i love: my new blog design by kaelah

If you have been reading this blog for a little bit you may have noticed a huge transformation last week. This gorgeous design that you see was done by Kaelah who is also the writer of The Clueless Girl. My experience working with her was so positive that I absolutely feel the need to review it. As with all my reviews of products, I don't make any money with this blog and I do not have affiliates, everything I review and share is because it is something I truly love and use.

When I decided to work with a designer, I was nervous. I had a clear idea of how I wanted my blog to feel, but I did not really have a clear idea of how I wanted it to look. For most designers - this would be a nightmare thing to hear from a client. And maybe it was for Kaelah, but if it was, she never let on.

The first thing Kaelah did was send me a questionnaire that I was ill prepared for. I did my best and really tried to make sure I gave truly honest and thought out answers, even if the answer was as simple as "No." I gave her some vague concepts, things like "I like white space but I want bold colors throughout" and I sent her a pinterest board with a lot of mismatched ideas of things I liked and things I loved.

(Just a little bit of the non-sense pinterst board I sent her)

What she came back with was amazing. Of course, there were some changes needed. The first colors I had sent her did not look the way I thought they would when all put together so I had to send her another color scheme but again she was patient, understanding, and made it work. I wanted more for the header and she immediately came back with a new design (which I love) and helped inspire me to add pages to my blog. And with every e-mail she was positive, professional, patient, and encouraging. Within a week, the blog was ready to go and I loved it.

She made the process positive and easy. Like I said, I didn't have the most clear vision but somehow through my rambling, she was able to create exactly what I wanted.  She gave me great insight from her own experience as a blogger and she even checked in with me this week to make sure there wasn't anything else I needed.

If you are looking for someone to work with or if you want to know more about Kaelah, you can find her on twitter, instagram, at her blog where there are even more ways to connect with her.

So, what do you think of the new look?

xoxo,
kat

things i love: journals, coffee, and blogs

Lately, I have been waking up each morning to a big pot of coffee, my journal (see above), and some time reading blogs before getting ready for work. I used to read the news first thing but found it was getting me in the worst mood. Now, I listen to the news on my drive and read some articles during my lunch break instead. By using my morning time to write in my journal and read through my favorite blogs out there, I seem more inspired and focused throughout the day. It sets a more positive tone. Here are some of my favorite posts from recent weeks from just a few of the blogs I read.

I loved this book report from Lemon and Raspberry. There are so many books on my to read list and her list here gave me even more. It's also nice to see that someone else out there reads as wide a variety of genres as I do. While I know most people do, it's always nice to see a reminder of it.

This post from Campfire Chic about a blogger camping trip with SoCal Hiking/Adventure/Outdoor bloggers really inspired me. I keep telling myself that I am going to be more outgoing and social and try to meet people doing the activities I love, seeing this post from Kam gave me even more reasons why I need to stop being shy and afraid and just go out and do it!

I loved this post about writing from Scoutie Girl. It was such a sincere post and gave an intimate glimpse of her life as a writer (and so much more.)

And finally, a little bit of Spring inspiration from Selective Potential. I love this collection of her favorite Spring outfits. The polka dot dress at the end is my favorite! Especially with those shoes.

What is your morning routine? What are your favorite blogs to read?

xoxo,
kat

what i'm reading

Last week I told you how I had just started reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and how I just could not put it down. Well, I really couldn't. I loved it so much I immediately read the second book in the Grisha Trilogy and then yelled a dramatic "NOOOOOO!" when I discovered the third book isn't out until June.

Shadow and Bone was amazing. The world that Bardugo created is so rich and intriguing. The characters were relatable, detailed, and they drew you in. I hate weak female characters - this is different than flawed characters, I enjoy reading flawed characters or characters that are conflicted. Bardugo did an amazing job creating a lead female character who is not weak but does have flaws and faces challenge after challenge.

The world of magic that is created is beautiful and distinct from other worlds recently created in books. I also really loved that so much of the book focuses on the struggles of power in so many different ways. This is such a refreshing focus as opposed to love (not that this book doesn't have it's fair share of love and intrigue.)

When I finished Shadow and Bone I immediately picked up Siege and Storm. I was worried that the second book wouldn't deliver or would repeat the same pattern as the first. The first chapter makes you think "Oh no, it's just going to keep repeating" but a series of great twists and new characters introducing you to more levels of the world Bardugo has created makes this another compelling read.

I wont lie, I was able to guess some of the twists and turns in these books but that didn't make the books any less enjoyable. The writing is so good that even if you might have an idea what's happening next, you have to keep reading to see if you are right and if it's going to be ok.

I cannot wait for the next book and I was very excited to get input from Leigh Bardugo on what to read while I wait its release.

@ramblekatramble what other types of books do you like? have you tried Megan Whalen Turner, Rae Carson, Robin LaFevers, Melina Marchetta?

— Leigh Bardugo (@LBardugo) February 24, 2014

What are you reading right now?

xoxo,
kat

what i'm reading right now

This past week has been crazy. The boy had surgery (he is fine, it was an unexpected but routine surgery) and everything got put on hold as I helped him with his recovery due to very limited mobility.

When I say everything, I mean it. Last night was the first time all week I had the time and focus to read a book. I just started a new one, and three chapters in and I am already excited about it. I started reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. This book is considered a fantasy book and I picked it out because it was recommended to me based on my love of The Night Circus.

I am already hooked in and had to remind myself to put the book down last night since I have work today and had to be up at 5. I am excited for my lunch break today, I am already wanting to read more.

While helping the boy with recovery, I got to catch up on my blog reading and found a few favorites:

I loved this Campfire Chic post on creating an art journal you can start and finish in just one night.
I am so excited this feature is back on Sometimes Sweet!
There were a lot of really good productivity posts this weeks, I especially liked this one from Lemon and Raspberry. 

I have to limit myself to just three good reads, I almost just posted every blog I read this past week (there were a lot) because there is so much great reading out there right now.

What are you reading right now?

xoxo,
kat

reading: ya and blogs

I always hate admitting that I read YA books. I shouldn't be ashamed, but I am. I always feel like it's a secret I am supposed to keep because I am an adult now and I should read adult books with adult themes that are at my reading level or slightly above my reading level so it will continue to help me learn and grow as a reader.

But YA books are so addictive. And fun. And adventurous. And yes, sometimes I will read them and when I find one I like, I will read the whole series in just a couple of days. That is what is happening with Divergent by Veronica Roth. I know, I am totally late to this party but these books are so fun. I will probably finish the second book tonight and yes, I get and see the similarities to The Hunger Games series (which is a better series overall) but it is still a series that I easily get lost in and I cannot wait to read what happens next. And sometimes that's what you really want from a book - even if the story or themes are similar to other popular books, that's ok. This a just another way to explore those themes and another world to get lost in. Not every book needs to change your life and for me at this age - these books are not life changing - but they are extremely fun to read. And that's what is great about them.

Also, this week has been an amazing week of blog posts. So much inspiring writing for the new year and great reviews from the past year. Some of my favorites include...

- this list of top DIY projects from 2013
- this list of  some Campfire Chic top posts 
- these sewing resolutions
- a great list of gorgeous instagram accounts

What are you reading right now? Who are your favorite bloggers at the moment? I would love suggestions on what to read next!

xoxo,
kat