SHHHH, don't tell Suse, of Pea Soup, but she's kinda my blogging hero. She's been blogging for, like, ever, and whenever Google Reader tells me she's posted something new I get quite excited. Suse keeps it real. She's unapologetic about her blog being HER blog, she's generous, super clever and she's just a little bit funny. I like people who are a little bit funny.

Q... What's the inspiration behind your blog name, Pea Soup? 
A... It comes from my nickname. When I was 17 I went to America as an exchange student for a year. My host mother immediately nicknamed me Sweetpea and she called me that all year long. Many years later when I met my husband he, by coincidence, called me Sweetpea also, although he quickly shortened it to Pea. It stuck and 20 years later he still calls me Pea more often than he calls me Susan. When I started the blog, the idea of pea soup appealed because it allows for a wide range of content - the many different ingredients making up the "soup" of my life.


Q... Who designed your blog header? 
A... I have no blog header these days, just a title. I used to put a banner photo up and change it semi-regularly but now I just have the blog title so the photos in the posts can shine without competition from the top of the page.


Q... Do you have a design tip for new bloggers? 
A... I like the simple, unfussy template of a white background, minimal clutter on the sidebars, top and bottom, and a minimalist clean typeface. I like my photos to be as big as possible (the bigger of the two 'medium' sizes on Flickr), and for the photos to be the only colour on the blog. I've tinkered in the past and for quite a while I had a soft duck egg blue background, but for now it's white with soft grey text and I'm happy with it. It feels fresh and simple. 

As for tips, I would advise using big bold photos. Don't use flash when taking photos and try to make your images crisp and inviting. Try not to clutter up your template with advertising or sidebar gimmicks, and don't use white type on a black background unless you want to give your readers severe eyestrain. Keep exclamation marks to a minimum, teach yourself appropriate apostrophe use and try not to split infinitives. Keep it real but at the same time, be discreet. The world really doesn't want to hear all about your domestic disharmony or your sex life. Have fun with your blog because that's what it's all about.


Pea Soup blog