bloggy love...

Finding a new blog to read for me is the same as what I imagine some people feel when they get the latest issue of InStyle or Elle in their hands.  It literally is like finding a long lost source to feed my creativity, which is corked up for the time being (coming to an end soon? we shall see).  I‘ve written about my love for blogs before, and lately have found myself more and more drawn to DIY home improvement/decorating blogs.  Which- when I think about it, kinda doesn’t really make all that much sense because 1. I don’t own a home 2. I’m currently living in somewhat of a short term rental house (story still developing) that I really don’t want to invest a lot of time and sweat on and 3. most importantly because my ‘discretionary fund’ budget is well…non-existent at the moment *insert sad trombone sound here please*.  Thank you.  So a lot of times reading these blogs just leaves me bummed that I can’t do one/all of these things in my home (I’m still dying to tackle something from KOW).  One of my regular/daily reads is Young House Love.  I found them maybe about four months ago and once I did I quickly added them to my Google reader and devoured their archives for two days straight! I swear their archives could be a stand alone encyclopedia set of new homeowner how to’s.  If you don’t know them or haven’t ever visited them, hurry up! Go! Go!  What this young couple has done with their ranch style home is nothing short of Amazingness.  Through their Reader Redesign post the other day I found a new blog to love, Shopping Candy.  The blogger (Jolie) is chronicling the “journey from beginning to everything in between” of owning her first home in much the same way as Sherry & John of YHL.  I think the reason I’m so drawn to blogs like these is because I’m much more a fan of older homes than new ones.  I’m particularly drawn to homes built in the post-war era to just about the 60’s, and don’t even get me started on the mid century modern iconic homes of Eichler and Rummer- um…Die! Anything after that and it becomes more of a case by case basis for me.  I just find older homes to have more charm & character than newer ones.  Which is especially true in the area I live in, the land of the McMansions and cookie cutter subdivisions- hello Agrestic!  Not that there’s anything wrong with that…there’s actually one home, that is newer, that if I’m honest…I do very much covet and if someone said‘here you go, it’s yours’ I would move in before they could move out! Aside from that one house, new is just not my type.

Ok so back to what this post was about, Jolie and her lovely blog.  I really love all of the little and major things she’s done with her home since she moved in.  She’s made it feel modern, yet cozy and homey.  I love the light and airy feel and all the wall colors she’s chosen so far, check out her room before and after transformations here.  I’ve just added her to my Google reader and I’m looking forward to having one more house-envy blog to squee over when it updates.  When you get a chance, make sure to show her some love and visit her blog, you never know, you just may find your new blog-session.

From this

To this

 image source

some of the house deco blogs in my reader right now:

tart house

young house love

knock of wood

I'm a big fan of blogs. If I had to tell someone exactly how many blogs currently reside on my Reader, I don't know if I'd be embaressed or surprised. That being said, I think I added three more to the list about 15 minutes ago. Whatev...have you heard of Knock off Wood? No? Well then please, click on the link & be prepared to be blown away. When this blog updates it's all I can do not to stop what I'm doing and devour the entire post. This blog has so inspired me that I'm 85% convinced that I'm going to tackle building this West Elm Modern inspired Farm Table . I've been thinking about it for awhile now and after reading about the success of the first timers over at pemberwick.blogspot.com, I went from 'meh' to 'I can SOOoooo do that too'. Paul & I have always wanted a big table like this but were convinced that it would be awhile before we could actually afford the one that would fit us perfectly. So...can you build a $600 Farm Table for $20-$30 (about how much it has cost some readers)? Stay tuned folks.