This week we’re proud to present Pocketchange readers with another rousing variety pack of outstanding blogs and blog authors. This first issue of November brings us a host of talented artists and painters. We’ve also got perspectives on life from the tropics and as far away as Turkey, a blog all about creating delicious eats from everyday items, the innate humor of children, and a very well organized blog author with some tips for how to keep our lives in order. Read on for all the goods!

Tropical Mum 

a good story and a laugh

“With two school-aged boys, a husband, a part-time job and a recently-completed degree, this Canadian/Australian knows how busy life can be. She doesn’t always get it right, but she’s trying and sometimes the failures make for a good story and a laugh. Sometimes Funny, Sometimes Thoughtful, Always Real, Always in Thongs…the Shoes, Not the Underwear.”

Fuss Free Cooking 

uncomplicated, delicious and exciting

“Fuss Free Cooking as the name says it is all about cooking with no sweat and tears. I firmly believe there is an inner cook in everybody and honestly, food doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious and exciting! I love to be creative with the use of everyday ingredients such as ketchup and cornflakes and be clever with unusual combinations of ingredients (cornflakes crusted PB &J sandwich, anyone?). All I can say is home cooking rocks!”

A Blob of Color 

every bit of life that moves

“Welcome to A Blob of Color! Here you can find emotions and inspirations expressed through watercolors: nature and landscapes, trees and skies, people, flowers and animal… every bit of life that moves me! I’m Cristina Dalla Valentina, an italian painter. My observation of reality first passes through my camera lens and the contemplation of colors and shapes, and finally express itself in the play of watercolors on the paper. In my blog I love sharing my creative and artistic journey with everyone who comes to visit me. I will wait for you!”

DorsArt 

sharing knowledge with other artists

“I am a self taught artist and I really enjoy being at my art board creating. My specialty is pet portraiture and wild animals in graphite.  Drawing has been a hobby for many years. I mainly work with graphite but also do some watercolor, oils and color pencil.  My blog is where I have so much fun with my art, sharing knowledge with other artists, some of whom I have recently met in person for the first time in the USA during a trip of a lifetime, which also included UK & China.”

Bneato

how to organize just about everything

“The Bneato blog is all about how my life intersects with being organized. Because I’m a Professional Organizer, there’s a belief that my home is the epitome of perfect. And while, yes, it is organized, life is chaotic and I strive to make organizing accessible and fun while using my home as a example. I love blogging about cool DIY’s, repurposing containers and how to organize just about everything (from your wallet to your DVD collection—it’s all there).”

The Boo and The Boy 

on kids rooms and staying sane

“I started my blog a few years ago as a way to document my kids’ milestones and it sort of morphed from there into what the boo and the boy is today. I continue to blog about my kids and their development and the humor that they bring to our lives. I also love interior design and after having my kids, I quickly became obsessed with kids’ room decor and I started posting my favorite kids rooms that I find all over the internet (including my kids’ rooms). Early last year, my husband became very ill and was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. I blogged about his fight to survive and life after brain surgery and radiation therapy. The boo and the boy turned into therapy for me. If I was having a bad day, I blogged about it and got so much support from the blog world. It kept me going and helped keep me sane.”

Ayak’s Turkish Delight 

everyday life in a different culture

“Ayak’s Turkish Delight is  about my life in Turkey. I settled here in 1998 and married my Turkish husband in 1999.  We have lived in different parts of the country and have moved 15 times. My blog is about my Turkey journey, but it’s mainly about everyday life in a different culture. The ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, the happy and the sad.”

Coffee and Paint Drips 

painting, not painting, and life

“Whether fighting with resistance, deciding between artistic expression or housework, creativity is always on the agenda. Getting to fit it all into my day is quite another story, which is the premiss for my blog, Coffee And Paint Drips, where I yap about my trials with painting, not painting, and life. I whine about fitting art into the day, and not messing it up. So far it’s been working. The blog helps!”

Looking for unusual or decorative items for your home this holiday season? Browse our huge selection of fun items and find that perfect red christmas tree.