As most of you know, I have been into this whole blogging thing for the last 3-4 years. So into it, that I have become almost evangelical about blogging. I have tried to convince my sister, my brother-in-law, the best man from our wedding, my best friends, basically everyone I know to start a blog or professional website. Forgive me for sounding like a zealot, but blogging is a magical thing! I have witnessed firsthand some of my favorite bloggers become true business women, earning their living from their "passion project". Even if you don't plan to turn your blog into a full-time business, starting a blog can be a great way to "get your foot in the door" of your chosen industry.My blog definitely set me apart and helped me get my current job as a Design Consultant at INTER!ORS. How do I know? My (now) bosses told me so!

By taking writing quality blog posts about the career field you work in (or want to work in), you are showing prospective employers that you are passionate about what you are doing and that you are committed to going above and beyond to make a name for yourself in your industry.

Today, I'm sharing a list of the first 5 blogs I really started following and why I find them so inspiring. Before I discovered Bloglovin, I had memorized the full domain names of these five blogs, because every morning, I would type them into my url bar to see what new things they had posted!

1. Merrick's Art

I really can't remember how I came across Merrick's blog but I do remember that it was 2011 and I spent the next 2 hours scrolling through as many posts and I could read. Merricks "Refashion" tutorials were what first got me hooked. She would take items from her (or sometimes her husband's) closet that were just not working for her and make them totally new with some simple alterations. Since those early days, I've watched Merrick's blog grow exponentially and lead to amazing opportunities like contributing writer gigs with Babble and SheKnows collaborations with brands like Joann Fabrics and Golden Tote! If you've never checked out her blog before, make your way over there now! ---Or as soon as your done reading this post ;)

2. Jones Design Company

Emily from Jones Design Company is basically my life role model. On top of raising four (adorable) children, Emily writes an amazing blog about painting, home decorating, sewing, crafting, graphic design, baking, party planning--- it's hard to pin this talented lady down! One of the things I love most about Emily's blog is her ever-changing House Tour, where you can follow along with the upgrades Emily and her husband have made to their beautiful (but builder-basic) home in the last few years. Her inspiring home has been featured not once, but TWICE in Better Homes and Gardens magazine (Fall 2013, Spring 2014)! In addition to making over their home, Emily designs beautiful art prints and offers an awesome paper goods subscription service (called "Paper Works") to help you stay organized in style! You can spend days perusing through JDC, and I highly recommend that you do!

3. Everyday Reading

So Janssen from Everyday Reading is actually Merrick's sister. I also follow their other sister, Landen's blog, but before you go calling me a creepy stalker let me just say that these long-distance sisters run an awesome series called Raiding My Sister's Closet , which I originally started reading on Merrick's blog and is what led me to Janssen and Landen's blogs. Originally I didn't think I had a lot in common with Janssen because (as her blog titled suggests) she writes a lot about reading. But I got hooked by the hilarious stories she tells about her daughters and the delicious recipes she posts. When I first started following Janssen's blog, I was a college student who hadn't read any books outside of school in years. Her thoughtful and exciting book reviews were enough to inspire me to get a library card! Plus, Janssen's family of 4 just returned to the states after spending a semester in London and they are about to welcome their third daughter into the world! I'm always excited when I see that Janssen has posted something new.

4. Avoiding Atrophy

My friend Rachel (who writes With This Ring and is starting her own blog soon!) first introduced me to Christy's blog, Avoiding Atrophy. Christy is a freelance writer and comedian who lives in Brooklyn. She describes her blog as "A lifestyle blog where wisdom is shared by a woman who came upon it accidentally. You may laugh at the things she says, but don't feel like you have to". Christy's writing style is so hilarious, you will definitely find yourself laughing out loud. But she can be serious too! One of my favorite posts she's ever written is Progressively Married at Twenty Two. Christy writes about being a twenty-somethings is such an honest and unique way that her blog has been one of my favorites for years now. My suggestion is to start by visiting Christy's Popular Posts page, and just read your way through. They are all gems!

5. A Beautiful Mess

Emma Chapman and Elise Larson of A Beautiful Mess have been a fixture in the lifestyle blogging world pretty much since it's beginning. Their blog is all about creating happiness every day through a homemade lifestyle and they write about everything from DIY and Home Decor, to crafting and scrapbooking to recipes and photography tips. Over the last 8 years, Missouri sisters have published TWO books (ABM Photo Idea Book, ABM Happy Handmade Home), launched TWO wildly popular photo apps (A Beautiful Mess, Party Party) and this past year, they made their first foray into products with the A Beautiful Mess Shop. Even if you aren't familiar with their blog, I'm positive that you've seen some of Elsie & Emma's projects on Pinterest. I loved this post about the way Elsie scrapbooks so much that I added their Greige 4x4 album, page protectors and alphabet stickers to my Christmas list AND bought all three things to make a scrapbook of my sister Frankie's Instagram photos to give to her for our sibling gift exchange. On Christmas morning, I got to give Frankie her finished album and I received all the same supplies as a gift from my brother-in-law, Chris! Win-win!

Now that I have shared my crazy fan-girlness with you, I want to know, which blogs do YOU love to read?

Comment below with your top picks! And if you write a blog, feel free to share a link to your site! I am always looking for more reading material!

The 5 Blogs That Made Me Love Blogging