In my Best of the Blogosphere this month I have my new Etsy shop (woop!), zero waste swaps, invisible disabilities, life lessons from Diana Ross – and more.
The penultimate Best of the Blogosphere of the year, and despite 2020 being one of the sh*ttiest years ever, the content I’ve found online has been as good as ever. In fact it might even be BETTER as a result of Everything That’s Happened in 2020 as people look for the positives and make more attempts to spread kindness. I hope you love the links I’ve found as much as I do… as always there are cute animals and viral videos among the more thoughtful and helpful posts.
[Reading time: 3 mins – excluding time reading links]
Next month’s BOTB won’t be the last Sunday of the month but the third Sunday (20th December) – I’ve decided to take the festive period off so no posts between Christmas and New Year this year. But no doubt there’ll still be plenty of great stuff to include here.
(The first mention of New Year means just one thing round these parts… my annual bloopers post on 1st January!)
Do have a read of these great links – you never know who or what you might discover that makes your day/week/month?!
What links did you like – and have you found any fabulous new blogs to follow? Comment below…
(Disclosure: This blog post uses some affiliate links at no cost to you)
(Photo credits: Top left | Top middle | Top right | Middle left | Middle | Middle right | Bottom left | Bottom middle | Bottom right)
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I’ve opened my own shop on Etsy at last! Not Lamb Home is my new venture, selling bold, kitsch upcycled homewares, vintage and decor. I’ve actually sold quite a few pieces since it opened last week so if there’s anything you want, I’d advise you get it sooner rather than later (each piece is unique). I thought I might as well give it a shameless plug while I can…!
Alison changed her mind about Black Friday – read what she said she’s doing to support small businesses instead (anyone with over 10k Insta followers can do this).
This is so inspiring: Tracee Ellis Ross published a video of her mum Diana Ross being interviewed in 1975 in which she shared so many nuggets of wisdom about motherhood, her career and mental health that are so relevant today. Just WAIT till you hear that last sentence.
I’m doing my best to swap out as many items that I use as possible with reusables, but this complete list of zero waste swaps gave me lots more ideas for reducing my plastic waste even further.
I’m not one for sharing AAAAAALL the Black Friday sales and deals, but I AM happy to share a post that supports 50 Black-owned businesses to shop for Christmas [US-centric]. If you want UK-centric, try the Etsy UK page of Black-owned small businesses.
Amber cleans, her husband cooks. She talks about the judgment that surrounds men and women swapping their ‘traditional’ roles in the household (or not doing them at all, and why that’s perfectly okay).
Disability awareness: this deaf guy explains how not all disabilities are visible and how to be respectful of that after an experience in his local gym.
5 makeup tips for looking your best in photos, because I know from experience that makeup that works in real life isn’t always right on camera.
Avon have created a brilliant initiative: the Beauty in Colour Start-Up is offering a £20,000 prize and mentorship for “women of colour who want to be the next big beauty boss with a kick-ass product idea”.
A kid’s birthday party that perfectly sums 2020 (look at how 2020 is so unremorseful and pleased with itself).
“We are women… we are not birds, chicks, pigs, cows, dogs, or any other kind of farm animal”. An incredibly empowering 3-minute film changing the narrative about women.
We don’t do Thanksgiving in the UK but I do lap up the recipes from our friends across the pond: roasted sweet potatoes with whipped feta sounds too good to be true.
From setting boundaries to focusing on the little bits of joy, here are 5 ways to keep your mental health strong over Christmas.
I want to know why this never happens to me when I go out for a walk (adorable baby bunnies warning).
I’ve been waiting for Kimberly’s glam, peach office/dressing room reveal like FOREVER and it’s every bit as gorgeous as I thought it’d be.
Another perfect example of #iwillwearwhatilike: Mila Povoroznyuk dresses in 19th and early 20th century clothes Every. Single. Day, and she has an Instagram account to prove it. My personal favourites are the Edwardian era outfits (think Titanic).
As someone who married a man who changed his own surname to something entirely different just before we got married, it was interesting to read Patti’s post What’s in a Name about how everyone has the right to do whatever they want with their own name, without judgement.
I’m sure I say this every month, but this is probably the funniest, cutest puppy clip you will see this month. I can’t stop watching it…!
Two recipes in one BOTB post… why not? Chicken brown rice bowl (with avocado, tomatoes, Gruyere and a sriracha yoghurt sauce). Officially drooling over here.
And a few Not Dressed As Lamb posts you perhaps missed the first time around:
Alternative Black Friday Gift Guide: 11 Indie, Sustainable and Local Sellers,
Styling a Classic Tailored Coat With Bold Winter Patterns
and
Using Accessories to Breathe Life into Old Clothes
Stay safe XOXO
Linking up to… Monday: Inspire Me Monday, Ageless Style Linkup (first Monday of the month), My Glittery Heart, On Mondays We Link Up || Tuesday: Style With a Smile, Trend Spin/Walking in Memphis in High Heels, Turning Heads Tuesday, Spread the Kindness, Confident Twosday, Happy Now Blog Link Up || Wednesday: Style Me Wednesday, WowOnWednesday || Thursday: Chic & Stylish || Friday: Fancy Friday, On the Edge, Fabulous Friday, Fabulous Friday’s Link Up
Such interesting links to hop over to! I’m jumping there now- especially to the era costume dresser on Insta. Thanks! xx
Author
Thanks Lucy, Mila’s outfits are AMAZING…!
Great list, once again! I loved Patti’s post on the name change. I changed my name once, got divorced, changed it back, and then refused to change it again when I married my amazing husband. We are no less married with different last names and we are no less committed even though we don’t wear wedding rings. I am so tired of society dictating to us what our relationships should look like! Although, it is nice that having different last names doesn’t confuse people as much as it did ten years ago. I have some crazy stories about that but I will save them for another day!
Shelbee
Author
Glad you enjoyed the post Shelbee… and yes, wasn’t Patti’s post interesting? Here’s something: I find it odd that some people get so hung up on not changing names even though they hate their name. It’s SO easy to change it, like Keith changing his for example. Having been married before I’m on my third surname, but I’m the sort of person who embraces change so changing mine each time I got married was a no-brainer… it’s like having a new persona, LOL!
I’m so glad it’s more acceptable now for women to do whatever they want with their name, though Keith DID have a few problems with some people being very suspicious of him changing his name back in 2003(ish). He just didn’t like his birth name and had always thought about having something new so changed it when starting a new job to make the transition easier. He declared that references and old paperwork would have his previous name on it – he was totally honest about it – but people assumed because he was a man that he had something to hide. No one questions women having a different name before, but a man?! No, he must have done something terrible to be changing his name. As he kept saying, if I had something to hide I wouldn’t be telling you my old name…!!!! #FacePalm
Another jam packed post of brilliance! I don’t know if it’s my current mood but the image of those women screaming without sound was incredibly powerful.
Love the zero waste swaps. I was only thinking today, as I replace the shampoo bar in my shower – I wonder how many plastic bottles I’ve saved from landfill this year? It’s a bloody good feeling, highly recommend
Author
It was SO good [that video], wasn’t it MT? Very powerful as you say.
I *knew* you’d love the zero waste swaps… loads I didn’t know existed. I’m gradually getting there, I think of you every time I get something biodegradable/reusable instead of disposable or harmful to the environment!!
I love reading through “the best of’…..”. The We Are Women really touched a cord. My generation fought so hard for women to have rights, and yet often, sadly, so many still don’t. And that horrible name calling? Very much put-downs. A post like that sends a profound message that can resonate.
Author
I couldn’t believe the list of put-downs when they flashed up in that video, Ratnamurti – it was astonishing how many there were! I thought it was an amazing video with a very powerful message
Glad you enjoy the BOTB posts x
Thanks for the love, Catherine, and all the yummy links to read today! Hope you are staying well and safe, xx.
Author
Patti it was my pleasure, there’s been a lot of love for your post! So interesting x