Today we are delighted to welcome Tiina onto the blog. She is one of the most talented people that we’ve stumbled across in the blogging industry and we hope that you share our enthusiasm for her work. Alongside her own blog and instagram account, she is also the editor for thefeedfeed, cool…right? Welcome Tiina!
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Hi Tiina, thanks for joining us on the blog today.
Hi Hannah and Heather, thank you. It’s so lovely to be here today to tell a bit about myself.
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Word on the street is that you’re the Finnish Smoothie Champion, how did that come about? And what did you have to do to win?
The Finnish Smoothie Championship is an annual competition for all smoothie lovers here in Finland. I submitted my Apple Caramel Pie Smoothie recipe to the competition and was chosen for the semi-finals. The Championships were held in a mall in Turku, and all the semi-finalists had to create their winner smoothie on stage in front of an audience. The smoothie was then judged by six judges who all are involved in the wellness sector here in Finland. My smoothie was chosen for the finals, which meant that I had to prepare a smoothie from surprise ingredients again on stage, and this time the “show” was also judged. So I made a berry-carrot smoothie while dancing to Happy. It was pretty exciting, and although I was quite nervous I truly had a great time on stage! It was an unforgettable “stepping out of my comfort zone” experienceJ
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Your instagram @myberryforest is incredibly vibrant and has us drooling with food envy, what was the reason for starting your account?
I started the account on my maternity leave to share meals and snacks I was eating with my then 1 year old son. I was also searching for cooking inspiration, especially plant-based vegan recipes, and Instagram was the perfect way to get inspired!
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We love @thefeedfeed, how did you become part of that?
I’ve loved Feedfeed ever since the beginning of my Instagram journey, and I realized quite early on it’s a community I really want to be a part of. I contacted the Feedfeed and it didn’t take long to set up the Vegan Family Friendly feed which I am now the editor of. The feed is updated monthly and it’s all about colorful, kid-friendly and healthy vegan sweet and savory recipes.
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For someone starting their own instagram account, what advice would you give them?
Instagram is full of inspiration, so think about your favorite areas of interest, what inspires you the most? The best accounts show true passion. So find your passion and start posting! If you’re planning on setting up a food account, I recommend focusing on inspiring food – you don’t need to post your daily oatmeal, but rather think about what foods inspire you and try to be an inspiration to others! If that’s what you want. Or if you just want to post your daily oatmeal, and that’s fun for you, then keep it up! Instagram is supposed to be a good vibes only media, FUNJOnce you’ve found your passion, my advice is to find your unique style and not copy anyone’s signature style. Be yourself on IG! Let your personality shine through your pictures and captions. Also don’t be afraid to make connections – like and comment (actively) posts that inspire you. This way you’ll begin making IG friends in no time. And last but not least: be kind, ALWAYS be kind.
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What’s the best opportunity that has come your way as a result of blogging?
I would have to say the best opportunity is the amazing supportive network of like-minded people, some of whom have become my friends along the way. I’ve also gotten familiar with several ethical quality brands, which I didn’t even know existed before I began blogging.
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We know from your account that you’re vegan. We really like the vegan movement, but can sometimes feel as though the community shames those who are not vegan. What’s your take on this?
This is very unfortunate, and I am absolutely against shaming of any kind. I think how you live your life, what you eat etc are all very personal matters and no one should be made feel bad about their own choices. Instead of shaming and bad mouthing people, wouldn’t it be amazing to use all the (bad) energy to do good, to educate people about vegan food and inspire people to eat more plant-based?
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Sweet or savoury?
Sweet, definitely, but preferably without refined nasty ingredients.
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What camera do you use to take your photos?
I use a Canon 70D with a basic 50mm f/1.8 lens.
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Is blogging your full-time profession?
No, but hopefully someday my full-time profession will be related to blogging, Instagram, recipe creation, cooking, photography, and to inspiring people to eat more healthy plant-based food.
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Do you like to travel? If so, where’s been your favourite destination?
I love to travel! I love big city vibes so I have to say New York City is my absolute favourite destination. I visited the city in 2008 for the first time (with my husband) and have been there 8 times since. I would also love to go back to Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico. I visited these countries over 10 years ago, and I’m hoping to show them to kids one day, too.
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What’s your worst personality trait?
I stress too much over little things.
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When are you the most happy?
Impossible to respond with just one sentence so here’s a little list:
-Lately I’ve been really happy every day, and just super grateful of my incredible family! My hubby is really supportive, and he encourages me to go after my dreams.
-When I’m goofing around with my kids (5 and 2) or cooking with them, and seeing my family enjoy the vegan foods I’ve made.
-When I’m in a creative mood creating recipes, cooking, and taking pics.
-When I’m in the forest or by the sea breathing fresh clean air.
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Do you have any regrets?
If you had asked me this 8 years ago, I probably would’ve had a list of regrets. Now though I’ve come to realize every single choice I’ve ever made, every minor or significant event in my life has actually led me to this exact place where I am now: I finally know who I am (and I love who I am!), I know what I want, and for the most parts I know how to get there. And the parts I don’t know, I have the skills and the will power to figure it all out. It’s never too late to go after your dreamsJ
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Thanks for joining us Tiina! We wish you so much success with the growth of your blog and instagram, never stop doing what you do! To follow Tiina’s journey don’t forget to follow her over on insta + check out her blog!