About
Who is HollyGoesLightly?
Video filmed & edited by Proper Social
So I’m Holly Wood, UK Lifestyle Blogger and I’ve been writing HollyGoesLightly for about 8 years now! I’m ancient in the blogging world! Over the years, HollyGoesLightly has changed, grown and developed with me – it’s been on quite a journey, as have I. It’s moved with me from London to Manchester, it’s taken the leap from full-time employment to freelancing and starting my own business. It’s grown from a twenty-something to a thirty-something. It’s accompanied me from dating, to engaged, to married, to mother. And it’s now documenting my renovation and growing family life.
I guess you could call HollyGoesLightly a lifestyle blog.
Essentially though, this blog is always about things that make me happy, things that inspire me and a few bits in between. I write openly and honestly and hope that I’m approachable and over the years, I’ve enjoyed working with brands and businesses that I’ve discovered along the way.
DISCLAIMER: I always disclose when I’m working in collaboration with a brand or business, usually at the bottom of the post or in the first paragraph. Sometimes I’m gifted things, sometimes I’m paid to work with a brand and sometimes I’m just doing it for the sheer love of it – either way, I WOULD NOT include it here on HollyGoesLightly if I a) didn’t like it, b) didn’t already use it or own it or c) didn’t think it might be useful to someone else.
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CONTACT
Before I carry on, if you’re interested in working with me in any way, or want to know more and for my media pack, please email me at [email protected]
You can also find me on Instagram and IGTV (which I love!) and Twitter and more recently, my Youtube channel (please subscribe).
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HOLLY GOES… FREELANCER & MUMBOSS
I’m a thirty-something “mum-boss” and run my own business – WeBlogNorth and the Northern Blog Awards. I pursued my own flexible career, after being made redundant on my first maternity leave – I’ve never looked back and love the work-life balance is gives me and the time to be with my family. It’s tough, I’ve got a long way to grow, but I love it.
On HollyGoesLightly, I write about my experiences and the reality of freelancing, as well as some self-help guides and tips, to hopefully inspire other people who are thinking about following a similar path.
I’m married to my best-friend and we have a beautiful daughter and a gorgeous son (4 yo and 1 yo respectively). We bought our family home last year and have been renovating it ever since.
I’m obsessed with lifestyle photography, and take my own photos, usually on my Canon 60d (Similar here) and my own videos too. I’m particularly passionate about lifestyle photography and capturing real-life moments.
I’m a Londoner born and bred and now a fully-fledged Mancunian as I’ve been living here for over 6 years. There’s always inner turmoil between by southern pie & mash-loving self and the northern chips and gravy-eating me…I think there’s room for both don’t you? 🙂
HOLLY GOES… FOODIE
And did I mention I like food? I like reading about it, watching it on TV, eating it and cooking it (but mainly eating it!). So you’ll definitely be seeing lots of that on here – foodie experiences, eating out, places I discover in Manchester, the UK and globally!
I’m no critic, I just know what I like – so I really only write about places I enjoy and that I think you will too!
HOLLY GOES… RENOVATING
I got married in 2013 to my best friend and my name is now officially Holly Wood. It’s a great conversation starter to say the least!
We’re in the final stages of our total home renovation and I’m loving designing and dressing our family home. There’ll be lots about that on here and interiors have become a passion of mine for sure. There’s lots of this on my instagram too and this year is about finishing the master bedroom suite, guest bedroom and home office…phew!
HOLLY GOES… TRAVELLING
We love to travel and spend a lot of time in Italy, as we have family there, so I enjoy documenting all the amazing places we discover, which might help some of you when planning your holidays.
Now we are a growing family, I document our family holidays, travel experiences and also the occasional moments we get to spend as a couple. We like to go to nice places, even when we’re on a budget, so our focus is generally premium travel experiences.
HOLLY GOES… PARENTING
And quite possibly the most significant thing of all, I became a mum in 2015 and again in 2018. I’m totally winging-it, but it really is the best thing ever (bloody hard, but amazing). So there’ll be bits on being a mum, baby stuff and everything else that goes with it. I like to focus on how I retain my sense of self, whilst being a mum and still get to live life how we want to…with the addition of two little ones.
I also like to talk about my business and how I created something that means I can work more flexibly, allowing me to be around more for my kids.
HOLLY GOES… Blogging
And 8 years in, I’ve learnt a fair bit about this blogging game. I started a business called WeBlogNorth – a community for content creators, and love to help other people start-out in this industry, learn and grow. I share tips and insights into the industry and how to “go pro”.
HOLLY GOES… Podcasting
All of the above leads me to ask the perpetual question: Can We Have It All? And that’s exactly what my podcast is all about! Being a modern, working mum, there is increasing pressure to have it all figured out – health, fitness, wellness, food, family, mortgage, marriage, career…but can we really have it all, all of the time? In my podcast I alternate episodes on topics that might help others navigate their thirties and forties, and episodes where I talk to a guest, an amazing mum doing her “thang” and juggling life. Real life chat, experiences and inspiration.
Come with me…
So I hope you’ll come on my journey with me and please comment, interact and get to know me across whichever platform suits you best, as that’s what it’s all about! Share the love!
