I read many craft and do-it-yourself blogs. About a year ago I saw a theme emerging among the blogs I read - references to a site called Pinterest. Bloggers were going ga-ga over it. It required an invitation to join, and I figured it was just a silly time waster. I didn't give it much more thought. But the rave reviews continued and it became so prominent amongst the popular blogs I read that I thought there must be something to it. I requested my invite and finally visited the site.
Oh me, oh my!
I'm ridiculously organized, and Pinterest spoke first to me on that level. A place where I could collect the pieces of the web that most interest me in a visual yet organized place. Pinterest is basically a virtual bulletin board. Each user can create "boards" that he/she names. For example, some of my boards are labeled "beauty", "inspirational" and "for the kitchen". Then I can browse through thousands of images that others have pinned. When something attracts me, I can "pin" it to a board of my own creation. So, for example, makeup tips could be pinned to my beauty board, a great quote would go on my inspirational board, and a great refrigerator on my kitchen board. I can then pull up the boards individually and see what is on each one. Clicking the picture will link me to the external site where the pin originated.
I love the variety I find on Pinterest. I've seen everything from date night ideas to how to remodel my kitchen, to books, quotes and suggested recipes. I can think of no other place where so many of my interests of such a wide variety are ALL inspired. Pinterest seems to have no limits to the amount of topics it can represent. Thus, I never get bored with it. Always, always, there is something new to see.
Pinterest is perfect for planning. Whether it's planning for a teacher, a wedding, a party or a holiday, I can search Pinterest for theme specific ideas. I then get to seperate and categorize them any way I want. Right now I am considering ideas for the Fourth of July. I have a board for decorations, one for food, and one for crafts related to that holiday specifically. I have seen amazing collections of wedding ideas and they have so inspired me that I wish I could get married all over again! (But to the same guy - don't worry!) I wish Pinterest had been around six years ago when we got hitched. Teachers would find Pinterest a perfect way of finding new ideas and collecting them. There's no limit to who might find inspiration here - men, women, children, professionals, stay at home moms - everyone is represented on Pinterest .
I hate to cook. I hate deciding what to cook. The recipes on Pinterest make life easier, and the fact that most of them are represented by images and not just words makes it even better. The biggest downfall of Pinterest is all the crazy goodies and yummy dishes. I get hungry every time I go on there, even if I just ate. Desserts, main dishes, wedding cakes, birthday cakes, cheesecakes, on and on and on - it's just a food lover's paradise! So be forewarned- it's not easy to resist the pull of the great food ideas. But the fabulous cooking/baking tips will make your time spent in the kitchen better.
Hobbies and crafts are abundant on Pinterest. I have been doing Becky Higgin's Project Life this year and Pinteresters went crazy posting delightful suggestions, ideas and all around juicy goodness when it comes to Project Life. I have also completed two Modge Podge projects - the lampshades and the boxes. I have an abundance of craft ideas pinned on my boards. What I love about this is that it's inspirational, and also that when I am in the mood to put my creativity to good use but am unsure about what I want to work on, I only have to browse my boards to find a good project to start. Creatives, especially, must find Pinterest a lovely place to exist.
Pinterest can be a great representative of who I am. I have pinned everything from clothes that I love to jewelry that delights me. Not only could Kyle or anyone else look at my pins and get ideas on what I like, but it is an insight into who I am. Like a collage that represents me, my boards and pins are a reflection of the many components that make me me. I have found my pins to give me important information into what I really want, need and who I really am. Because my collections there are just for me, I do not feel pressure to like what others like. I get to collect what really speaks to me personally. It's an adventure in discovering what I'm really about, which is exciting!
Finally, Pinterest is just very fun and relaxing for me. I love to wind down at the end of a day by pinning and browsing. Kyle usually watches TV and I sit beside him browsing Pinterest. It always has something new to see, and I notice Kyle watching over my shoulder much of the time. It's wonderful to spend time selecting and organizing that which pleases me, and better yet having it all in one place for me to reference at any time I like.
Oh, and my favorite board? Happy Memories, my collection of all that made my childhood pleasant. What boards are your favorites?
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