I have this rather unpopular opinion about blogging. *deep breath*

I’m not a fan of blogs whose contents are 90% outfit posts and reviews of makeup, restaurants, or hotels.

Don’t get me wrong, I read those kinds of reviews from time to time, and they are useful. But it’s not why I follow someone’s blog. Someone could have the most amazing photos of them in their outfits or write the most elaborate and trusted reviews, but if they don’t share their thoughts and stories, I wouldn’t click on the subscribe button.

I might be the weird one here. I can see why more and more blogs are shifting toward the editorial, magazine-like style, telling more about brands than themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s good that blogging now can be a source of income. It’s great to see many amazing ladies out there got recognized and make it.

But I also miss the days when blogging was just about… well, documenting your everyday lives and personal musings. It’s hard these days to find blogs who write more stories than reviews, and I’m constantly on a quest to find this kind of blogs.

So for the 7 Things Series this week, I’m compiling a list of my favorite blogs. And I can tell you that the bloggers behind these are also amazing. Not only these bloggers have a knack for words, but their photos are also something else.

1. The Salty Sea Blog by Sarah

If you like beautiful prose and stunning pictures, The Salty Sea Blog might be your ultimate favorite. Sarah’s blog is just GORGEOUS. Through her blog, she paints a dreamy and whimsical picture of Cornwall, affirming her love of tales, folklores, and nature. Her way of turning words and pictures into enchanting stories is incredibly brilliant, and I’m thoroughly hooked. Warning: her blog will make you want to move to Cornwall ASAP.

Favorite posts: Wooden Boats, Tales for Fairies, Wildflowers on the Helford River, Mares Tails & Little Boat Sails.

2. On Serpentine Shores by Alex

Another Cornwall blogger that I love! Alex writes about her life in Cornwall, and really, her blog just makes me want to go outside and wander with my camera. She has an eye for details and pretty things, so that makes reading her blog even more captivating. She recently got married, and her wedding was SO beautiful (#weddinggoals). If that alone couldn’t get you to visit her blog, I don’t know what else…

Favorite posts: In Spring at the End of the Day You Should Smell Like Dirt, Let’s Get Lost, and all her wedding posts.

3. The Freckled Fox by Emily

I don’t usually follow mom blogs, but The Freckled Fox is so much more than that. Emily really has a gift for writing. Through her emotive and raw writing, she writes eloquently about her life and struggles to overcome all the hardships. In the past couple of years, she’s shown strength, grace, and positivity through her husband’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, the passing of her husband, and now the start of a new chapter with her remarriage. There’s a lot of to admire about this lady, and her blog reflects that.

Favorite posts: Let Your Heart Be Light, Finding the Right Thread, Whiplash.

4. Nazura Gulfira by Ozu

I might be biased here, since Ozu is my friend, but her blog is one of my long-time favorites. She documents her travel, daily life, thoughts, and her love for flea markets, all through reflective writing and a series of beautiful photos. She’s also amazingly stylish, and sometimes she posts about her outfit (these posts are not inundating though, don’t worry). She mostly blogs in Indonesian, so this is more for my Indonesian readers.

Favorite posts: Before Monday, Cinque Terre, Perempuan, S3, dan Jodoh.

5. Nishaantishu by Freya

Freya Dowson, the girl behind Nishaantishu, might be one of my favorite photographers of all time. She travels a lot for her job, and it’s really eye-opening and interesting to see the other parts of the world through her photos. She produces the most beautiful and raw imageries, and pair that with honest writing. On her blog, we can see glimpses of the exciting life on the road and the quiet life at home, both equally compelling.

Favorite posts: The Truth About Not Good Enough, A Summer Life, Visiting Nepal, and her posts about Senegal.

6. Me and Orla by Sara

Many people might have known Sara from Me and Orla, she’s quite the queen of Instagram. In fact, that’s how I first discovered her blog. I subscribed to her newsletter (generous Instagram tips!), but apart from brilliant Instagram tips and courses that she gives regularly, she also writes about her daily life and thought-provoking opinions on her blog. Sometimes she writes fiction, all chronicled under the title 100 Stories. Really, her blog has it all.

Favorite posts: Autumn Nostalgia, A Year of Fear – An Instagram Stories Challenge, A Day in May, and of course, all her 100 Stories posts.

7. One Pleasant Day by Carrie

Carrie’s blog gives a glimpse of her life, and somehow it makes me want to embrace a slow and simple living. There’s something cozy and comforting about reading her blog. She shows that beautiful things can be found in your everyday lives, in the most simple things. With her charming photos and concise writing, it’s not hard to fall for her blog.

Favorite posts: Jewels of Autumn, Let’s Get Cosy: The Joy of Colder Weather, On the Isle of Palms.

If you have any recommendations for blogs similar to these, send it my way please. I’d love to read new blogs 🙂