Meet Miss Jones

I love my home. I also love to decorate said home, except I don’t exactly have the kind of budget that allows me to recreate spreads from Martha Stewart (or buy out Anthropologie). So I’m a big fan of any resource for DIY and DIF (do-it-frugally) home decorating advice. Even better? When that blog knows how to mix in a certain amount of hilarity and is run by a super-sweet couple.

Enter Young House Love. John and Sherry started this incredible blog after moving from Manhattan to Richmond, VA. They’d purchased an old but fabulous 54-year-old house, and wanted a place to share their renovation adventures with friends and family. They’re not afraid to show the good, the bad, the ugly, and the genius that they experience with each project. As they accomplished more and more projects, their blog flourished and the posts became more frequent, until it turned into a full-time job for both of them.

I love getting ideas from the simple (and not-so-simple) projects they tackle, as well as learning about organization tricks, sustainable resources, or getting an inside peek at other fun homes during their room makeovers. Sherry recently gave birth to an adorable little girl, and it was a blast watching as they created an adorable and hip (yes, at the same time) nursery for her.

So next time you’re looking for a fun way to decorate that big empty wall, or want some insight on the safest paint for your bedroom–or even just need a few tips on memorable ways to celebrate your anniversary, say hello to Young House Love. They’ll be glad you stopped by!

If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Ree Drummond’s blog, The Pioneer Woman, I envy you. Because the first time I was introduced to her tasty step-by-step recipes, hilarious stories and drool-worthy ranch (the kind with cattle, not suburban neighbors), I was blown away. My friend Erin sent me a link to Ree’s series of posts about how she and her husband met and fell in love (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels) and when I looked up, hours had gone by.

I immediately found a more comfortable chair and got lost for a few more.

Ree is the hilarious, self-deprecatingly confident friend you’d write for yourself in a novel. I have no idea how she finds the time to do the things she does, but I’m so glad she, well, does. Thanks to her blog, I’ve discovered the best way to chop an onion, how to make killer pico de gallo, and what my dream sink looks like (ok, maybe I was better off not knowing that last one).

Her recipes almost always include a cast of real food characters (despite a cameo now and then from the sugar villain) and they are pretty much fail-proof. Her meticulous step-by-step photos may be too much detail for some, but for me they go a long way towards helping me perfect my cooking techniques.

Some of my favorites:

Fresh Corn and Avocado Salsa

Potato Bundles

Crispy Yogurt Chicken

Rosemary Sweet-Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges

Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza

…and that’s just to get you started. Go check out The Pioneer Woman and enjoy!

I love mid-century modern design. It’s clean, bright, witty and fun to look at. I love the way it feels classic, modern and vintage all at the same time. To get my fix for all things mid-century modern, I head to Grain Edit.

They do a wonderful job of merging the past and present by revisiting artists from the 1950′s – 70′s and featuring current artists who are inspired by that time period. I’ve discovered so many artists and designers through their posts, both old and new.

Also on Grain Edit: some of the coolest houses ever. Seriously, these digs are awesome. Granted, some of them are really crazy, but I’d love to take a tour.

Stamps, brochures, catalogs and magazines from the 50′s – 70′s are also featured regularly on the blog. These are another great source of inspiration, plus it’s fun to see how much time and care was put into the beauty of these everyday items.

Head over to Grain Edit to enjoy some classic, modern design that will put a smile on your face.

I’ll be honest–my Google Reader is packed to the brim with blogs. I don’t know how I got by before I used an RSS reader, because there are just so many good blogs out there to keep track of! I feel like I’ve discovered so many new things and new people through the blogs that I read, and I want to share the wealth! So I’ve got a new post category: Spotlight! Every few weeks, I’ll be picking a new blog or site to share with you.

For the first spotlight, I want to introduce you to Sara from Walk Slowly, Live Wildly, Happy Foody and The Happy Janssens (ok, so I guess that’s three blogs!). Sara, her husband Matt, and her two daughters live on the road in their amazing, veggie oil powered RV.

Sara is passionate about many things, especially when it comes to food, photography, squelching consumerism and following her heart! Here are some of my favorite posts of hers:

Unschooling: A Life of Freedom

The Alternative

Stuff

Green Smoothie Challenge (with a video for my favorite green smoothie recipe)

Kindred Spirits

Photo by Denise Andrade / Boho Photography

I hope you’ll enjoy Sara’s blogs and reading all about her travels as much as I do!