When Maria’s blog was still a new space, it won the Brilliance in Blogging: Fresh Voice 2010 award so she knew she was doing something right from the beginning. Recently Maria moved to the States and decided it was time to give her blog a completely new look and voice, but she didn’t end up making the drastic changes she thought she needed after all…
I became a blogger after falling in love with a mummy blog that had been sent to me to read. It was called Mummy’s Little Monkey and it was unlike anything I had ever read online before. It was brilliant!
I worked as a PR and a colleague had forwarded me a link asking “is this coverage?” I clicked through and there in front of my eyes was a parent, a mum, blogging about our client (The New Ice Age) and how she used frozen food in her home.
I immediately said “Of course it is! She links back to us, has comments and used our image. This is fantastic!” I then continued reading all about poo, vomit, travelling with a child and strange eating habits. I was hooked. Then it happened. It clicked. I can do this too! Oh my goodness, my mind started to race and I planned, read other blogs and one day, boom, Mummy’s Busy World was born and it would be from my son’s perspective. I was thrilled, I was on fire and creating my blog gave me a much needed dose of creativity I had been lacking in my life. Fast forward nearly two years and I am sitting back in my “homeland” in the USA with second blog in the works and a wealth of blogging experience under my belt. When we left the UK everyone would ask if I was going to continue blogging. I never thought to stop, but I never realised just how much of a difference it would make living in a different country.
Suddenly, I had nothing to say. I’m not sure why, but I closed up. I thought I would have loads to share and blog, but I suppose the changes in my life were so major that I spent more time with my family and less time online. After all, I had lived permanently in the UK since 2005 just my husband and I, and had not been back to visit my family in two years. I had so much to do and see and blogging was put aside.
When I did sit down to write (I blog from my son’s point of view) it didn’t feel the same. All of my PR contacts were in the UK. I wasn’t doing reviews or attending events. The five hour difference made a huge impact on my twitter conversations and when I wrote about local area outings and events, it didn’t make much sense to my readers.
So I began. Just like I had in the beginning. I started following local area parent bloggers, clicking on their badges, joining communities, signing up to collectives, pitching myself to PRs, making the blog rounds, joining in memes and dropping links like there was no tomorrow. I was a new blogger. Again.
And it worked. Slowly I began to find new bloggers in the US and in the DC area where I know live. I attended a local event (and won a phone!) and met other bloggers and it snowballed from there. However, I still wasn’t satisfied. I felt that I needed to speak. I wanted to share my new life, talk about me (hey, I’m a blogger, it’s what we do) and get my name and face out there. So I made the decision to take over Mummy’s Busy World and starting on the 1st of January it would be mine, not Little M’s. New header, new feel. But you know what? I sat down on that first day of the year and I JUST COULD NOT DO IT. My hands wouldn’t type. I realized I could not write as me. I was absolutely terrified. What would everyone think? Would it just be ridiculous?
Instead I read back the posts from the very beginning. I had a mix of tears and laughter remembering those days, me and my Little M. My sweet boy. We had been through a lot together. I had begun this blog for him, for us to remember our time in the UK and here I was taking that away. I just couldn’t do it. Even my husband said “But that is Little M’s blog. You can’t just change it now. What will he say when he’s older?” And he was right. I knew it. So it stayed his and after tossing and turning at night and debating what to call my blog and what language to blog in (it was going to be in Spanish) I made the decision to go with what was already there – Very Busy Mamá {life, beauty & style}. No new twitter would be needed because that would be a waste of two years worth of followers and networking.
And here I am now. Again I am on a massive high working on a new project, and that much needed dose of creativity has been injected once more. It feels amazing and I am working away. I am contributing to Love All Blogs, All Things Chic and The DC Ladies. And being a Latina blogger in the US goes a long way. Brands are killing themselves trying to reach out the Hispanic market and here I am, a PR, experienced blogger and ready to put my skills to good use to bring in revenue. Yes, people, money.
Live then blog.
Not the other way around.
Very Busy Mamá {life, beauty & style} is my space to share things that we as mothers and women love such as fashion, beauty, fitness but often put aside when the children come along. I no longer have the disposable income I had BLM (Before Little M) or the same body. I talk about working with what you got, how to shop your own closet and staying stylish on a MAJOR budget.
Looking good doesn’t’ have to cost a fortune.
Watch this space: Maria’s next post on the differences she has found between the UK and US bloggers will give you a few surprises!
–María José Ovalle, Very Busy Mamá {life, beauty & style}
María José, is a Chilean raised in the USA with a hint of Britishness mamá to Little M. She loves all things beauty and fashion and just because she is busy with family and work it doesn’t mean she has to look like a mess. Spanish speaker and raising her son bilingual. A runner and all about AmDram.
Little M’s Blog: Mummy’s Busy World
Twitter: @verybusymama
Facebook: Mummy’s Busy World
Pinterest: verybusymama
About
BritMums is the UK’s original collective of lifestyle bloggers and digital influencers, fueling the country’s most influential social content. We lead the online conversation with members who are parent social influencers creating content on topics ranging from food, parenting, travel, politics, style and more.
Maria @verybusymama
Thursday 1st of March 2012
Yes! Your protege :) Seriously, I will never forget the day I read your blog...it was like nothing I had ever seen. xx
Mummy's Little Monkey (@Jax2000)
Wednesday 29th of February 2012
Naaaaaaaaaww - I've gone all shy! So basically you're like my younger, better, more successful student ;) xxx