I am an avid blog reader. A perk of working in social media is the encouragement of this behavior and as such a good chunk of my day is spent absorbing the photos and words of bloggers from around the world. Recently though I've noticed my taste in blogs evolving and becoming more about the human connection I feel with a blogger's work and less about the "must-read" blogs that everyone is talking about.

That being said I'm not the least bit exclusive- I follow all kinds of blogs. I read blogs about art, fashion, marketing, weddings, cooking, homesteading...you name the genre I probably follow it. All of this reading has lead me to a few discoveries (some old/some new) and today I'm sharing my picks for the 5 blogs you should read right now.

1. Bookswept 

A lover of books and a true wordsmith, Yuri writes what has become one of my favorite blogs to read. Bookswept's concept is simple- as she reads books she pulls quotes and juxtaposes them against photos mainly taken from her everyday life. The tension created between these two elements is palpable and they vibrate off of one another melding into a single entity until you can no longer separate one from the other. It's an art form. Yuri also peppers in bits and bobs about herself and her life making this amazingly artistic and thought provoking blog approachable, and like a long drawn out conversation with a good girlfriend. If you can't tell, I'm a fan.

2. It's the little things

I've been following Amanda's blog, It's the Little Things, on and off since my old blogspot days. I've always loved following her socially (you gotta see her Pinterest) and recently I reintroduced myself to her blog and boy am I glad I did! Her photography is breathtaking, her family is gorgeous, and she's 100% real 100% of the time. I just love every post so much and so look forward to peeks into her home life, and decorating as they settle into a new home. She's pretty much living my dream life- for real.

3. The Weaver House

Two parts photography, one part design, and a dash of vintage sprinkled on top. The Weaver House is written by stunning twin sisters who also happen to be amazing photographers and graphic designers. Their blog is filled to the brim with inspiration, my favorite series being twins day, and the organic approach they take to their business and their honest and clean aesthetic is so very pleasing to me. Their vintage and print shop is how I originally found this blogging gem so be sure to take a peek there too!

4. The American Edit

I've shared my wardrobe goals and dreams with you in the past, and part of those dreams has been about finding a way to support designers and manufacturers based in the USA. During my many meandering internet searches on the subject I stumbled upon The American Edit by Rita Mehta and it's now my no. 1 resources for discovering American made fashion for my slowly growing wardrobe. The American Edit features stories on designers based in the USA, their goods, services, and a handy A-List of places to shop for the finest made in the USA products. I highly recommend reading this blog.

5. Floret 

My love affair with flowers continues, this time by stalking flower blogs like a crazy person! My favorite of the bunch? Floret. Written by flower farmers Erin and Chris, their story is a testament to living simply and beautifully and their blog is the visual embodiment of that testament. Every image in the Floret blog is breathtaking and their passion and love for what they do is evident in every post. I leave their blog feeling inspired, hopeful and in need of a sunday drive in the country. I know you'll feel the same way too.

I hope you found some reading inspiration to take with you into the months and years to come. -b.

On a busy Friday afternoon at work I took a break from my normal desk views to take part in a special workshop during lunch. I had been dreaming of attending one of these workshops for sometime but consistently missed the sign-up (they're popular). Lucky for me one of my sweet colleagues was unable to make it and gave me her spot! 

Terrain, one of the sister brands to to the company I work for, hosts a special topic gardening workshop once a month so they've pretty much got these things down to a science. The topic was fall container planting and it focused on techniques and tricks to create a visually appealing and cooler-temperature-friendly outdoor planter. I'm a big dork and love to get schooled so this was pretty much heaven for me.

Terrain's product specialist was on-hand to guide us through the entire process and educate us on the plants we had to choose- there were ornamental leafy greens, peppers and grass, climbing ivies, and asters. Here are some of the tips she shared I found the most interesting:

+ Smaller container plants can be planted at an angle so that their leaves face out and create a more aesthetically pleasing composition.

+ When thinking about your container garden's composition remember these things:

1. Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye than even. Three being an optimum number

2. Choose plants with varying textures and heights to create visual interest

3. Consider the colors you're using- what is the overall look you're trying to achieve?

+ For container gardens without drainage use a thin layer of gravel or rock before adding your soil. The rocks allow for water to drain away from the roots and sit as a reserve for when your plant needs more water.

+ Plants shouldn't be watered on a schedule, instead check the soil to decide whether your container needs water or not. If the top inch of soil is dry you should wet the soil evenly, if it's moist let it be. 

In the end I walked away with a beautiful new fall container filled with an ornamental pepper plant, cabbage and grass. Kind of an amazing work opportunity don't you think? I've already signed up for another workshop, this time on porcelain jewelry. Oh no- I think I'm addicted. - b. 

PS- Thanks to Maddie for the pictures of the workshop! Sometimes it pays to have a photographer as a friend ;)

Those of you who follow me on Instagram are already way ahead of the curve with this post, because you've seen hints of what I've been getting into lately in art. I've taken a giant nosedive back into painting and I'm never looking back- well kinda. My latest artistic adventures have lead me to yet another lesson in art making...

If at first you don't succeed, maybe it's because you didn't do your research first dummy.

I'm really quite happy with my latest paintings- they're loose, romantic and intense representations of flowers which is exactly what I was hoping to achieve. There's just one little problem. The paper is too thin for the type of paint I'm using (gouache in case you're curious) so it's rippling. The wetness of the paint is causing the paper to absorb too much moisture and leaving my final product a wavy mess. The overall look of the painting is still nice but the quality has been completely sacrificed due to an oversight on my part.

I should have known better. I did know better.

I ignored what I knew about the paper, and the paint, in an effort to save a little money and get on with it already. I was so anxious to get the painting started that I threw research out the window. I've since gone back and done my homework on what surface is best for gouache/acrylic paintings and bought the supplies I need to move forward with confidence. Illustration board.

Tragically the 3 paintings I did before wising up have been relegated to the sketch pile and I'm starting from scratch once again. These lessons in art making can be painful, but hopefully they'll keep you from making the same mistakes. - b.