This week it’s Emily from A Mummy Too who I first came across at a rare blogging event I attended. It was hosting by Sainburys and there was a lot of fizz tasting involved. Anyway, I think I embarrassed myself by saying I thought my favourite fizzy wine tasted a bit like Babysham. Emily smiled at me and after that I decided I should definitely look her blog up. And I’m glad I did. Emily dances to the beat of her own drum and what a result.
What’s your name? Emily Leary
Where do you come from? Nottingham via Lincoln, Sheffield, London…
How old are you? 31
What’s your educational background? Did you leave school at 16 or finish with a PhD? I was home educated through my secondary school years, but still got all the usual qualifications through college. I went to uni at 18 but got offered a dream job at 19, so left and completed my degree in the evenings with the OU.
What’s your blog called? A Mummy Too
When was your blog born? August 2011
Sum your blog up in one sentence: A foodie blog with a family slant, mixing recipes, ideas, reviews and stories from a parenting perspective.
Why did you start your blog, where did you think it would lead? I started blogging to give me something productive and creative to do while I was on maternity leave with my second child. I just thought it would be a hobby, but it’s turned into so much more. I love being part of that world.
Name 3 blogs you like: Recipes from a Normal Mum, obviously! Ok, ok, three others…Making it Up http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/, because Jax is a passionate, intelligent lady and a great advocate for home education. Chocolate Log Blog http://choclogblog.blogspot.co.uk/ because Choclette puts chocolate in every single recipe, sweet and savoury alike. And Lavendar and Lovage http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/ because Karen’s recipes are always of an incredibly high standard and her photography is wonderful.
What’s your most popular blog post? Oooh, it’s hard to say. Probably this one http://www.amummytoo.co.uk/2012/11/reduced-fat-mini-garlic-naan-recipe/ for low fat garlic naan. I hesitated to publish it for ages because the photograph was poor, but then I had a busy period at work, so I set it live and it pulled in nearly 70k visits from StumbleUpon alone. Bit of a shock!
How often do you check your blog stats, truthfully?! Ummm, about 10 times a day. DON’T JUDGE ME! I have a live feed and watching the little numbers tick can be rather comforting. I tend to take a peep after completing an item on my ‘to do’ list. I need my regular hit of stats!
What’s your biggest kitchen disaster? Probably last week, actually, I tried to make Mary Berry’s tea bread and somehow read 250ml of tea as 250g of butter. I know, how does that even happen? Let’s just say, it wasn’t a pretty sight.
What’s your advice to fledgling food bloggers? Read lots and lots of food blogs, watch lots of cooking programmes, eat lots of different foods from all over the world, stare into bakery windows, and take your camera everywhere. Fill your mind with inspiration and then let it all out on your blog. Don’t worry about whether it’s good enough, if the pics are pro enough, if the recipe is exciting enough, just go for it and you’ll find your way. Oh, and always, always credit your sources. Stealing isn’t nice.
Is there anything you’d have done differently? I wouldn’t have called my blog A Mummy Too, I would have gone for something more foodie. Of course, I didn’t know, back then, what my blog was really going to be about, I just knew that I was a lot of things work/hobby-wise and a mummy too, so that’s what I went with.
Blogging high? Being a finalist in some blogging awards for the very first time.
Blogging low? When hackers took down my site 2 days before said awards show.
Who inspires you? My mum, she’s amazing and I’m very proud of her. Also, of course, my husband and kids. They’re all very creative and it hadn’t been for their constant desire to get stuck in and make beautiful things, I don’t think I would have found my way into all this.
Do you have a day job? Yes, I’m a digital marketing consultant, mostly for large organisations who have to work out what the likes of Twitter, Facebook, blogs etc mean for their company and what to do about it. It’s fun and very rewarding work, but I feel happier and more rounded now that I food and lifestyle blogging to balance out the corporate side of my life.
What keeps you awake at night? Deadlines *looks at watch…panics*
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? Hopefully, in a similar place to where I am now, but with bigger children. I guess that means I’m pretty happy :)
What would be your 3 desert island items? Can I say Kitchenaid? For making well mixed sand-pies? No? Hmm, ok, tough question. Probably, a solar-powered Kindle loaded with as many books as possible, a knife set and a sharpening stone. I think I could probably fashion the rest, although as a vegetarian, I fear I wouldn’t survive long unless my island had some decent plant growth!
What advice would you give to your schoolgirl/boy self? That feeling you get, the one that tells you that you don’t belong, that everyone else gets it and that you are terribly, awfully out of place, ignore it. It might be true, but who cares? Follow your own path, you’ll get to a really good place.
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Holly Bell 
Really enjoyed reading this and find out a bit about Emily. My cousin was home schooled as are a few others I know, so that was interesting to read. And thank you Emily for including my blog in your top three, that has really made my week.
I enjoyed this feature and who wouldn’t bond over a bit of Babysham tasting wine
THANKS so much for your lovely mention and it was LOVELY to learn all about you too! Karen xxxx
If you would like to take part Karen just let me know. x
Thanks Holly! Would love to take part – my email is: karen(at)lavenderandlovage(dot)com :-)