WRITTEN BY TIINA RINKINENGreetings from Sparkling Ink, the food and home blog! I'm Tiina, the author and editor of Sparkling Ink, and I'm also a media production student in TAMK Media department. Sparkling Ink is a Scandinavian style blog in English about food and home related topics, with a focus on seasonal food and living. I just recently completed my thesis about lifestyle blogging and publishing my own blog. Developing as a blogger and my studies have really worked together perfectly for me.


I started writing Sparkling Ink in September 2008, and it has been quite a journey. Since then, I have stood in -30 degree weather in the snow, fine tuning a drink with juniper sprigs trying to get a perfect photograph. I have cooked Christmas food all December long, and let me tell you, that is a far too long time to enjoy eating it. I have stood on a kitchen stool, on my balcony numerous times hovering over a plate of food, trying to catch good light and angle with the camera. Blogging has got me into doing these, and many other things. Sometimes I wonder myself, why did I start blogging?

Blogging combines three passions of mine. I have wanted to expand my knowledge and experience with editing and writing, especially in food related topics. I have developed kind of an obsession for photography. And for years now, I have been interested in online content production which my studies in TAMK School of Art and Media have supported well. Producing Sparkling Ink simply includes all these three things: food editing, photography and media production.The lifestyle blogging community has grown strong in the last few years. The connections and networks created in the community have started to offer opportunities more and more also outside of the virtual world entering our everyday life. After publishing my blog for over a year now, I have written over 300 posts. Now looking back, I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to the next 300. I have received great feedback, and with the experiences of writing my thesis, I'm excited to keep developing Sparkling Ink. After all, that's what blogs are; a gradual process with always more to learn, work on and look forward to. Just like the development of becoming a media professional. Quite a journey.

With this guest post, I would also like to thank all the teachers and staff who have supported me during the last four years. Kiitos.

You can read more about lifestyle blogging and my blog project in my thesis "Blogging Life - Aspects of Lifestyle blogging", and of course by visiting Sparkling Ink at
http://entertaininganytime.typepad.com/

I wish you a lovely holiday season and end of the semester!

-tiina-

Sparkling Ink

You can also find me on:

TWITTER
FACEBOOK

Photos from Sparkling Ink.
A link to Tiina's thesis will be added here when it is online.