I’m absolutely thrilled to have award-winning blogger Kate from Kate On Thin Ice answering my Meet The Blogger questions this week! Kate’s blog was one of the first I found when I embarked on my own blogging journey and one that I regularly read. If you haven’t already make sure you check out her site, but first of all have a read of my interview with Kate to find out more about the lady behind the screen. enjoy!
Tell us a bit about yourself and your blog
I am Kate and just turned 50 although weirdly seem to be feeling younger than in a long time. I am mum to a teenage daughter and two teenage sons. I am a Cambridge University law graduate and spent my career working in local and national charities before starting the blogging journey.
My blog used to be a place to share my thoughts and feelings. It has developed into a women’s lifestyle blog with the overarching aim of helping women glide through the seasons of life with balance.
How long have you been blogging?
I blogged intermittently but really started blogging properly in 2009.
What or who inspired you to create your blog?
My mum came to me for Christmas one year. She had never done this before so I should have known that something was amiss. Late on night and in fact in the early hours of the morning, she said she thought I should write as I had always wanted to. She knew I was depressed and overwhelmed by all the demands of parenting. She said “even if you just keep a diary” so I thought about that and thought If I bought a pretty diary, my young daughter would use it for drawing on. So I looked up “online diary” on the Internet and started to discover the world of blogging. Mum turned out to have terminal cancer and I always think blogging and what we have got out of it as a family is her legacy.
What’s your favourite thing about running your blog?
To be honest, I miss working out in the real world. It was on of my biggest struggles about becoming a parent really. So blogging has given me a sense of identity and belonging as there is such a welcoming community out there. If you can monetise your blog, that is a lovely bonus too.
How do you stay motivated?
I am a pretty self-motivated person anyway. On days where I feel stressed, I have learned to take time out perhaps walking in the forest. I always return more able to deal with the blog and other responsibilities. The best motivation of all is when someone comments on a blog post and says I have made a positive difference to their life.
What’s been the most challenging part of your blogging journey to date?
Occasionally people can get the wrong idea of you online and it is so easy for misunderstandings to develop if you have never met a person and only communicate online. Having said that, in over 10 years of blogging, I have only had around 3 occasions where things have gone wrong with other bloggers. These situations have resolved themselves quickly.
Tell us about your favourite blog post
Just a woman and proud
Describe your blog in four words
Comprehensive women’s lifestyle blog
What are your future hopes and dreams for your blog?
I would like to share what I have learned about blogging with others perhaps through courses and mentoring.
I could also fancy having a more niche blog when time allows which is certainly not now!
QUICKFIRE GET TO KNOW YOU QUESTIONS:
Early Bird or Night Owl?
Night Owl
Night in or night out?
Night out these days and that is a big and recent change
Ketchup or mayo?
Ketchup even on cornflakes or so my late mum would have you believe.
Summer or Winter?
Summer but I prefer the less extreme seasons of Spring and Autumn
Tea or coffee?
Coffee
Bath or shower?
Bath
Pizza or Chinese?
Chinese
Dog or cat?
Dog
Movie or box set?
Box set if I ever get the time again
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury
Blogger Links: Blog | Twitter | Facebook |Pinterest
I’d like to say a massive thank you to Kate for taking part. Check out next week’s post as I welcome another fabulous blogger.
Fraser’s Fun House 