In this research project, students in applied linguistics were asked to keep blogs over a three-month period in which they reported on their online informal learning of English through activities such as social networking, downloading films and TV series and listening to music on demand. The study is situated within the framework of complexity theory, many aspects of which are well suited to describing informal language development. The blogs are analysed according to a number of learning processes suggested by Larsen-Freeman and Cameron (2008) and a corresponding range of learning activities are observed. Finally, suggestions are made as to possible classroom applications of this work.