Hop, Skip, Jump & Some Major Link Love

When I first discovered blogs several years ago, I had stumbled upon Simple Lovely.  I had searched Google for something and somehow ended up on her blog.  I fell in love.  I began reading and following the links that she had posted to other blogs and websites and I started to realize that a whole new world had opened up.  I had always loved design, I had studied interior design at Colorado State University, but I didn't realize that design was as easily accessible as reading a blog and finding people who loved the same things that you did.  I also don't think that I realized then that I have an eye for design that not everyone has.  I have always been this way and I see it in my daughter, too.  It was refreshing to see and read about other people who were interested in the same things that I am.  I think that is why blogs and blogging have become as popular as they are now, people want other ways to connect.  I have learned things about myself that I didn't even know I would be interested in by reading blogs.  I planned my wedding by reading blogs, not by checking out bridal websites.  I have been inspired by countless blogs, but I will be focusing on a couple of my favorites here.

I think that what I love the most about blogs are the links to other blogs...I am always amazed when I end up on a blog and I wonder how I got there in the first place.  Then I realize that I have hopped, skipped and jumped around the blogosphere and ended up there.  Simple Lovely led me to another lovely blog, Domestic Reflections, which eventually led me to Enjoying The Small Things (via her birth story about her beautiful daughter, Nella- one of the most beautiful things I have ever read).  This is a small example of how we can skip around the world of blogs and find things we love, learn things about how other people see life & see new ways of doing things.  (I do realize that there is a dark side to blogs/blogging, but I am simply speaking of the blogs that have changed my life for the better).  I read Perilously Precocious, written by a woman that I went to high school with.  She is a gutsy & wonderfully talented writer (as seen here) and I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog.  We saw each other at a function at our old high school recently and although we had not seen each other in years, it did not feel that way at all.  I think we realize that we have more in common than we thought, but we would have never known if we hadn't reconnected via blogging.

Yesterday, I went to Simple Lovely, were a guest blogger, Ana of the dreamy blog  Live & Enliven, had written a guest post about some of her favorite things...talk about a Hop, Skip & Jump-fest.  I think I clicked on every link that she posted...I especially liked the jam and the delicious cologne.  I love Jo Malone!  I also loved the Simon & Garfunkel mention.  I love them too.  I just enjoyed all of the beautiful things that she posted...some of them I was already aware of, but a few of them have been bookmarked in my Delicious account for future reference.  Here are a couple of the lovely things that she posted about yesterday:

1.  Bonnie's Black & Blue Jam:  It sounds delicious, but it it the label that sold me.  LOVE IT.

2. Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, My Father's Daughter: I had already wanted to buy this, but then I read the review that Ana had posted from The Kitchn website & now it is on my wishlist.  I love Gwyneth Paltrow, but what made me love her forever was when she was asked on Regis & Kelly, "what is something that you are bad at?"  Without a moment's hesitation she replied, "Math."  I am terrible at math, specifically algebra.   Math and I are not friends, but I am okay with that now.  It was nice to hear someone else admit it.  Check out Gwyneth's blog, GOOP

3. Jo Malone: I found out about Jo Malone while freelancing as a make up artist at Saks Fifth Avenue.  I fell in love with the  Nectarine Blossom & Honey cologne:

"A youthful and fruity fragrance, inspired by the delicious scent of just-ripening nectarines and a taste of refreshing peach sorbet. Mouthwatering nectarine and peach with hints of plum, blackcurrant and vetiver are combined with the sweet warmth of acacia honey in this truly seductive combination."  Sold.  it smells divine.

4. Paris:  my 7 year old daughter loves ANYTHING to do with Paris, so I had to include the picture of this beautiful Parisian home.  I followed the link (sensing a theme here?!?) to The Designer Pad, which is a fantastic design blog.  LOVE IT. Isn't this just a pretty home?

So, there you have it.  A small example of the interconnected world of blogging.  I never knew the design world was literally at my fingertips, full of beauty & inspiration, from all over the world.  I have learned how to cook better food, I have learned to sew, I have found out about fantastic designers in all areas of design: interior, industrial, textiles, graphic.  I have learned more about what I am really passionate about in life.  I am constantly inspired and I have the bookmarks in Delicious to prove it!  I see the competitive nature heating up in the blogging world, but I don't pay much attention to that.  I blog because I enjoy it, I try not to feel guilty when time has passed without a post from me.  This is more about putting what I love, what I struggle with and what inspires me out there.  I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for reading!








{P.S.  You have to check out the home tours of Joslyn Taylor from Simple Lovely (via Design*Sponge-another one of my favorite sites) & Jora, from Domestic Reflections (via Apartment Therapy- another one of my faves!)...They both have amazing homes!}