Hello 2013, and hello YOU, dear blog reader! We’re both here in 2013, and I’m excited! But more about that in a minute.
So I might be the only person who doesn’t regularly read Geri Hirsch’s Because I’m Addicted. Maybe that’s because in my sixth year of blogging (which was 2012), I kind of took the whole year off and didn’t read much of anything in the blog world.
OK, I didn’t really take the whole year off—I just coasted because I didn’t feel much enthusiasm for taking photos of myself, blogging, or commenting. Maybe with blogging it’s the six-year-itch that gets to you; instead of breaking up with my blog, I just took a few steps back. Now that we’re in a new year and I’ve had a good chunk of downtime, I feel like I’m past the slump and really ready to dive back in, as a content creator/curator, and as a reader.
Which brings me back to Because I’m Addicted.
Today, as I sat around enjoying the calm after the storm that is New Year’s Eve, I spent many quality hours in my freshly-organized bedroom checking out blogs and that’s when I happened upon Because I’m Addicted. Wasn’t my first time there, but it was my first time seeing LEAFtv in the sidebar, and I as soon as I clicked, I was riveted.
LEAF is like a cross between fashion blogging and the Food Network.
LEAF, or Living, Eating & Fashion, is a collaboration between Geri Hirsch and Erin Falconer of Pick The Brain that’s been in the works for a year (see what happens when you check out for a year?!), and is “…a fresh, easy to consume, how-to concept covering all things…living, eating and fashion.”
The duo has been releasing LEAFtv videos in anticipation of the launch of their new site, and I can’t wait to see it, because the videos are not only informative, but beautifully shot, and oh-so-short-and-sweet. Some are just 15-to-30 seconds, and that might be what’s so refreshing about their approach.
When it comes to video, five minutes feels like 15, and that is not what mobile consumers and people hitting dozens of blog and media sites daily actually want. Even I find myself bypassing vlogs from bloggers I love beacause I just don’t feel like I can commit to a seven minute video. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of it too, so this year I’m going to try to do better!
Here are a couple LEAFtv videos I loved:
What do you think of LEAFtv? Or did you already know about it?
GRIT & GLAMOUR 
13 responses to “New Fave for the New Year: LEAFtv”
It’s nice to see you’ll be blogging again this year, I’ve always enjoyed reading your posts. Sometimes time off from the blogging world is necessary, after six years of blogging (and writing for other sites) I don’t blame you for needing a break!
Happy new year!
Em
and I hadn’t heard of LEAF prior to this post.
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Hi Em, thank you! Happy New Year to you too. I am definitely feeling invigorated and I hope to take things up a few notches here on G&G.
Hope you like LEAF!
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I have never heard of leaft. Thank you for introducing it to me! That’s one of the reasons I love reading blogs – learning about things I would never hear about normally. Like you I don’t normally watch vlogs, Garance dore’s short videos being the exceptions. I just don’t have time to sit through a video. But the little video on setting up a bar was so much fun, and educational too!
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Glad you like! Happy New Year!
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FRESH OUT: New Fave for the New Year: @LEAFtv http://t.co/H6tIIJ0O
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I love the concept of leaftv and there are other channels out with similar creative content to offer.
Unfortunately, this collaboration is a part of the Style Haul network. It’s a youtube partnership network that is gobbling up the youtube beauty and fashion community. They pay their partners less than they deserve in advertising revenues. I know this because I was offered to sign up with them and refused due to their contract conditions.
People join it with the hopes of getting more traffic, similar, but different to lookbook or chictopia. In short, the network claims you will earn higher ad revenue when you sign with them, but only after they keep substantial portion of your revenue. Video-bloggers join style haul in the hopes of making it big on youtube, but only some channels “make it big” and enjoy all of the advantages the network has to offer.
My apologies for going a bit off topic, but I just read your “Why I’m Not on Weardrobe…” so I guess that’s why I felt the need to speak out a bit. It’s an issue that vloggers are facing in the same sense that bloggers are always running the risk of being taken advantage of by companies these days.
xx best of luck in the new year!
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Hi Alexa, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think LEAF has indeed done a Style Haul series collaboration, but most of their videos are not produced in partnership with Style Haul.
I do agree that many companies often lowball bloggers when it comes to compensation, but the unfortunate aspect of that is there is ALWAYS a small or newbie bloggger willing to take/do anything for exposure, which feeds the beast. That’s how sites like Lookbook and Chictopia have managed to garner such massive participation, for really nothing but potential traffic in return. We as bloggers contribute to this, but I can’t point fingers at those who do participate—even knowingly—because I am a hobby blogger and that affords me more choices than if my blog was my full-time job.
There are a lot of bloggers trying to turn their blog into their dream job, and that’s admirable, but like every business, you have to have a plan, and you have to know when to say no. Leandra Medine of Man Repeller is exceptional at this…she’s made no bones about only wanting to work with premium/luxury brands, and everything about her blog echoes that. Some bloggers just don’t care, or can’t see that taking money from and working with anyone and everyone in the name of a dollar actually dilutes their own brand or niche, which actually decreases the chance of becoming “big.” That is a whole other post, though!
Thanks again for commenting and sharing your perspective.
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I am yet to check this out, since I’ve also missed reading ‘Because I’m addicted’ on a regular basis.. Sounds good and I do love something that’s been beautifully produced and there’s food and fashion involved, what’s not to love?
Wishing you a fantastic year V! I sure hope we’ll see more of you this year! Kali Xronia koukla!
x.o.x.o
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Happy New Year to you too, sweetie. It’s going to be a BIG year for you with the little one on the way!
Thanks for the tweet related to this post…glad to see others finding LEAF. It’s just so good!
xo
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i really like leaftv. the videos are informative (for a hosting novice like me) but not too twee (which i hate).
and i look forward to reading your blog in 2013. happy new year!
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Hi Kenda, thank you!
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I didn’t know about LEAF but it may be because I don’t normally read Because I’m Addicted (no offense to anyone, it’s just not my personal favorite type of blog). However, LEAF does look awesome. The videos are fun, informative and straight to-the-point. I’m looking forward to seeing more from them. Thanks for sharing!
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They are SUPER cute, and really, truly easy to get in and out of. Wishing you a wonderful 2013, Stephanie! Also, love seeing your photo a day shots on Instagram. I keep trying to commit to daily shots (I love the Fat Mum Slim prompts), but I tend to forget to do them. Oh well.
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