One of my favorite people is having a birthday today - Karey, of Kirtsy fame (and I do mean fame...is world domination next?) and the must-read, most bookmark-able Mackin Ink (which I gushed about here).
For about a hundred reasons, I could write this lady a love letter. And today, on her special day, I wish her nothing but a rainfall of turquoise, hugs from her girlies, and endless love from Uncle Sugar.
When sweet Starr over at Grandia Road gave me a nudge to let me know that she chose me (along with four other bloggers) to receive a sweet little award, I rushed right over to check it out.
But before I could read a word of what she wrote, I got distracted by this, calling out to me from her sidebar. Starr: you know I'm weak when it comes to pretty, colorful strings of beads. Your gorgeous handmade jewelry should be kept far, far away from me.
But I digress. I am really very flattered to be included among a list of her favorite bloggers. And to be mentioned in the same breath as (my fellow Kirtsy editor) Heather? And Pioneer Woman? Yikes. Are you sure you have the right person here?
And here's my favorite part. I get to pass the baton and choose my five. But first, I need to preface my choices with a bit of 'splaning.
I have 182 blogs in my Google Reader. Partly because it's my "job" as a Kirtsy editor to find cool and fabulous links to post on the site (and blogs are clearly the best places to do just that). Partly because I have a voracious appetite for all things pretty, interesting, and inspiring. Partly because I'm nosy and love peeking into other people's lives.
182 blogs means that some days, when Google tells me there are 553 unread items and I happen to be totally inundated with work and have no time to devote to reading each and every one of the posts, most of them have to go unread. But there are a select group that, no matter how busy I am, I always make a point to read. Here are just five from that great group:
Bliss : I'd love to live next door to Mrs. French. She's like that girlfriend you can sit down with in front of a pile of magazines (or, my enormous blog roll - you choose) and just gab and gab about decor and what looks right where and addressing very important issues like "What should I do here?" and "Could I pull off that Eames rocker in my 200-year old house?" and "What if I painted everything white?" Since she's in Portland (Oregon, unfortunately - not Maine) and I'm not, I get that same sense of fun and inspiration by reading her blog.
Mackin Ink : If you don't bookmark Karey's blog and and absorb all of the absolute gold coming from her pen each day, you're missing out. There, she pours her heart out about her family and her life abroad in Jordan in the most stirring, emotional way possible. You'll giggle, you'll cry, and you'll always leave there a better person than when you went. You know when you feel like you were meant to know someone? That's how I feel with Karey. So thank you, Kirtsy, for the introduction.
Please Sir : Let's start with the name. In a world where there word "design" is clearly a favorite moniker in the blogging world, Diana named her blog something totally unique and random. Genius! Her eye for vintage finds is impeccable, and because of that she's on my list of ideal cohorts with which to invade Brimfield. And leave it to Diana to always post thought-provoking questions and topics which induce a frenzy of really insightful and interesting comments from the peanut gallery.
Scissors Paper Glue : I first met Jen through her lovely shop, where I - ahem- went a little crazy with ribbon-wrapped vintage Bingo cards. Her blog became a daily read of mine and I always look forward to her great photographs (she does a killer job with a Polaroid). Aside from the amazing women I've met via Kirtsy, Jen was one of the first bloggers who really reached out to me and made me really feel the camaraderie within our certain niche of the blogging community.
Simplesong : That Suann. My fellow Kirtsy editor is the very definition of sweet and gracious, and I'm pretty sure I could give her the keys to my house, an unlimited credit line, and instructions to completely re-decorate it, and I'd come back to my dream home. I love each and every one of her posts (eye candy!), and...oh, the paper goodies she designs. Just envision someone on one of those game shows where they run through the grocery store, pulling everything off the shelves and into their carts. That would be me, in her shop. She's been a giving, open resource as I build my business, and someone I'm so happy to call a friend.
Thank you, Ladies, for never failing to inspire me and make me smile. And thank you, Starr, for completely making my day!
For the first time in my blogging career, I've been tagged by the sweet Suann. Here goes.
What were you doing 10 years ago?
Working for a start-up and dreaming of future riches. Ahh, the late 90's.
Five items on my to-do list:
Snacks I enjoy:
Olives, potato chips (and dip) of any kind, bread, cheese, pickles, crackers. Basically, anything salty and with a high carb count.
What would you do if you were a billionaire?
Places I would live:
Jobs I have had:
Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:
Emily (Chere Amie)
Jill (The Perlman Update)
Karey (Mackin Ink)
Megan (Megan creates...)
Sarah (Lemon Pie)
{The rules of the game: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.}
Want to see what made my day yesterday?
A set of scalloped edge notecards, a pair of chalkboard gift tags (genius!), and some letterpressed cards. And, a few vintage blocks spelling out the name of my little business venture. All tucked neatly into a package and sent off to me by the beyond-kind and sweet Suann.
Every single item was something I'd wanted from her shop, and little Miss Lovely knew it and put them all together as a birthday surprise.
Sometimes, life's road takes you to places where you just meet the best people.
Today my sister-in-law turns 28 a year older and we're wishing her a day full of pedicures, gossip magazines (and the time to read them), 90-minute massages, Bunko with the girls, a Volvo SUV, and lots of love heaped upon her by her three favorite people.
Our friend Wilson walked over today with his dog, Bert, who is deaf and has pretty much the best disposition on the planet. If being sweet and adorable isn't enough, Bert also regularly visits the sick kids at Children's Hospital in Boston.
We are so in love with this pup!
Once April hits, the tornado of birthdays arrives and lasts through September. Today, it's my brother-in-law's 30th birthday and we hope he has a great day chock full of golf, hockey, beer, drinky-drinks, Italian food, and hugs from his three loves.
{Guys like cars, right? I swear, I turned our house upside down for something - anything - that would be appropriate to photograph for this post. All I found was this little slip of paper. If he only liked ribbons I wouldn't have had such a problem.}
I don't really have sufficient words to describe how I felt when I saw this post by my friend Karey.
You know when someone you really admire and adore starts talking about someone they like and you sort of look around the room to try and get a good look at whomever that lucky person is? And then you suddenly realize it's you? Yeah, that's pretty much it.
That and how I really wish a fence separated us rather than an ocean.
Each of my fellow Kirtsy editors is amazing. And this one - she's a firecracker. A big ball of smiles and love. Zipping around this planet with a fabulous zest for life.
Amy Turn Sharp has three names, two kids, and a killer creative drive. She spells "your" yr. Because writing the o and the u will keep her from her fun projects and schooling her kids and writing and just living. She's so cool that Gabby at Design Mom asked her to be a Guest Mom all week long.
And look what she sent me? Just because?
Pushpins made out of buttons, my favorite red and white twine wrapped around an old clothespin, and sweet notecards.
Check out Amy's little shop and her blog for big-time creative overload.
