The Short List: My Blogroll
Does the world need another blog?
In this time of constant interruption, over-sharing and social media mayhem, does the world need another blog? I thought about this a lot before starting my own. Hasn't it already been said? How much more time DO we have in our day to connect and share?
I enjoy blogging and I enjoy reading other bloggers. For me, it's a constant source of inspiration and idea sharing. In fact, I feel I've gained perhaps more of a practical, real-world education on design from the blogs I follow over any other source. Can a book or magazine compete with the timeliness and accessibility of a blog? Not really.
What I feel I gain from reading blogs (good ones) is a well-curated, finely-edited punch list of the blogger's expertise that I might not have access to locally or elsewhere. I'm getting the best of the best, little spoon fed bites of their wisdom based on years of their trial and error and general experience.
So does the world need another blog?
I think what we desire and seek as humans is connection. I want to feel that I am a part of a greater web of compassion, understanding and oneness. The blogosphere gives glimpses into that. What I look for is a vulnerability which reminds me of how alike we really are. I find inspiration in others' passion, dedication and commitment to their craft and it motivates me to keep pursuing my own.
So to answer the question, or maybe not answer it, I'll leave you with MY TOP FIVE sources of inspiration on the world wide web, this place of often overwhelming vastness.
You decide if the world needs another blog. I am thankful for all of these.
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Amber Lewis is a masterful designer of boho chic spaces with the craziest ability to balance color and elements. In her blog and instagram, she puts it all out there and comes off as super laid back, just like her style. What I love is how well she paints a picture of her chaotic (albeit super stylish) lifestyle.
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How cute is her family? Myquillyn Smith speaks to my heart. This is all about what makes a home a home. She definitely incorporates a spiritual element and shares her connection with God. Her motto, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" is a constant reminder for me. I SO appreciate that she shoots her home in all of it's well-loved, messy, imperfect glory. You won't find too many photos here professionally lit and staged, and it's a huge breath of fresh air.
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Erin Gates is a super polished professional interior designer in the Boston area with a best selling book based off of her successful blog. What speaks to me is her body of work. It's glamorous, punched up and on point. She truly has a gift for putting elements together that have a conversation and story to tell. Also, her voice - it's authentic, self-depricating and super entertaining.
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This is a blog curated by two unique women - one from Australia and one from Canada. They each have day jobs in a field outside of design but connect through their love of interiors. This has been a long standing blog I check for many years. It's all about the photos - not a ton of writing which I appreciate. They stalk real estate from Australia to Europe to Argentina. They both just get it and I enjoy their editorial point of view. Tons of pin-worthy images on the daily.
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This is a blog by Dr. Gail Parker. She is someone I know to be deeply committed to her spiritual path and living her yoga. It's one thing to unroll your mat every day and practice asana (physical yoga poses) and it's quite another to begin to make the connections and commitment to taking these lessons off the mat. What I've learned from her is probably another blog post in itself. If you have any desire to learn more about yoga (all eight limbs) or what it is to be on this deeply inward journey, follow her blog.
But there are so many blogs out there...how to decide who to follow? I often think of the analogy of the graphic designer with their suitcase of fonts. There are thousands and thousands of fonts but the talented ones gravitate to a very well-edited handful that they know like the back of their hand. Each time they open up their computer to design they aren't choosing from everything that exists. Same thing with the blogging world. It's a practice of editing down to a very short list that continues to speak to you.
For instance, I've learned not to follow anyone that blogs about baking (anything, period. Be it gluten-fee, dairy-free or soy-free), packing bento box lunches for their kids (or anything involving bento boxes) or hand-dipping Easter eggs in organic food dye (or that sort of thing). In fact, I've eliminated anything on my pinterest that has to do with those things. It's just not me. And there are tons and tons of blogs about that sort of thing. It just makes me feel crazy and sort of bad about myself as I shove the same peanut butter sandwich in my kid's lunch every day and refuse to bake anything. Or buy bento boxes.
Looking over these five, perhaps my simplest criteria for a good blog is that it doesn't begin to annoy me. Case in point, I began to follow a really popular French fashionista and could not take one more staged photo of her in full make up and trendiness on the streets of Paris. I started to get really concerned that this woman did nothing without a camera following her. One more shot of her in an nonchalant pose sipping a latte at a Parisian cafe and I vowed to stop following her. And it happened so I did. She seems to be very popular, have a ton of friends and go to super glam places like Morocco and Isanbul (fully sponsored.) I'm not quite sure how this works. Some things in the blogosphere are still a mystery.
So maybe the most important characteristic of a good blog is that it's gotta have a soul, and it's gotta speak to yours. That never gets old. Hope you find some inspiration in this list. I'd love to hear of yours.
XO
Anna