Blog Roll, Part 1: Most Artistic and Class Clowns

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post, humblebragging about how many blog posts I’d read recently.  Well, I wasn’t humblebragging so much as I was sharing my dedication and commitment to reading what my favorite bloggers have to say, to spread the love and comments and oh, okay.  I was bragging outright.

Anyway, that post really struck a chord with a lot of people, and one person even asked what blogs I read every day.  I was excited about the idea; after all, it would be an easy blog post – writer’s block is real, people.  But I was also a little unsure if I wanted to do that.  Would other bloggers care if I casually promoted them, unsolicited?  Would anyone be offended by being linked to me?  A conversation with some blogger friends advised me that this would be okay among most bloggers, and without the permission of any other bloggers that I follow and read, I thought I’d give it a go! 

I’m very thorough in my preparation process.

So I read 69 blogs.  It’s a lot.  In the previous blog post I said 75, but as I was compiling the list I realized that the number was less for various reasons.  But 69 is still a lot of blogs. Currently there are 62 new posts for me to read in my reader (hey girl).  And that’s just from the past two days. So things pile up pretty fast around here.  Anyway, I decided to give you a break and break the list into three parts.  I can’t believe I managed to get three blog posts out of this.  Blogging win!

Okay, so here we go.  I’ve organized them into categories for your ease of reading and because I like things to be organized into categories.  Each of the three Blog Rolls I post will contain two categories. Today’s categories are Art & Design and Humor.

Category #1: Art & Design.

In my mind, I have really good taste.  In my home, I have lots of Ikea and framed kid art.  That doesn’t stop me from knowing what’s good.

Artchoo!  I started following Jeanette when she did Craftwhack, which really was a humor blog.  Her hilarious voice and delivery held me while she transitioned to Artchoo!, which is her art and design blog geared toward kids.  She does all sorts of art projects with her kids and reviews art books and stuff that I find interesting.  Plus she’s super friendly and funny and I want her to live next door so she can do art with my kids so I don’t have to.

Cuckoo 4 Design.  Julia is a German transplant, married with two kids and has an art and design background which comes out in her home.  Her blog is new to me, and honestly, the pictures of her kitchen are what sold me on this blog.  Her decorating skills appeal to me on so many levels, and she refinishes furniture which I admire.  And gorgeous photos.  I can’t wait to read more and drool over what else she has up her sleeve.

Live, Laugh & Love. Lindsay is a cutie-pie and she talks about her life, her clothing, her husband, and their little home in which I’d like to live.  This is less an art and design blog than a lifestyle blog, but she is arty and design-y and collects mid-century modern furniture pieces which pretty much makes me jealous about everything.

Simple Dwellings. Amber, interior decorator responsible for Amber B interiors.  Amber focuses on e-designs on her blog, and she shares client projects and her ideas.  The whole site is eye-candy.  I love that she asks for reader input, as she did when she and her husband finished their basement and she was looking for a piece of art to hang.  I love when designers let us into their process.  It shows us that they are just like me, but with better-decorated homes.

Simply Modern Home. Susan is an interior designer who also provides e-design services.  Her style is simple and modern, which I love, and she is a sweet sweet sweetie who has two kids and brings gorgeousness to my computer screen every day in the form of photos and ideas for her own house or her clients’. She invites us into her ideas, and asks about our opinions. Isn’t that sweet?

Young House Love.  Sherry and John are design blog superstars.  They started Young House Love to chronicle their house transformation, and along the way became wildly popular in the home projects world.  At least I think they have.  I mean, they wrote a book and everything. And it’s no wonder.  Their DIY skills are noteworthy – they have a no-fear approach to tackling anything from toilet replacement to brick fireplace whitewashing – and fill me with awe.  Plus their design aesthetic makes me happy.

Still with me?  Good.  Let’s keep going!

Category #2: Humor. 

My favorite category of all time.  Because I think I’d be on this list.  Maybe you don’t agree.  Please keep these opinions to yourself.

Baby Sideburns.  Do you know Karen? Get to know her.  She is high-larious.  She calls her kids poop machines and gives online dating advice and routinely gets into trouble on Facebook for posting weird internet stuff.  I mean, really.  What’s the purpose of Facebook if you can’t comment on weird stuff that you find on the internet?  Plus she’s featured in at least one book.

Cannibalistic Nerd.  Carrie is funny and witty and has the best replies to comments ever.  Plus, she regularly does re-caps of old Super Friends cartoons.  You know, Super Friends from the 80s?  Go there.  You won’t regret it.

Crappy Pictures.  You might know Amber from Crappy Pictures because she has a book out now.  I don’t know how she managed to make life via MSPaint so darn funny, but she did it.  Crappy Papa, Crappy Boy, and Crappy Baby would agree, I think.

Freaky Perfect.  I started following Amy right around the time she published her last post, in July.  She’s been blogging for a while, and instead of reading her old stuff I’ve been waiting around for new posts like a big dummy.  Her writing voice reminds me of a friend who you want to have around, because she is fun and funny and smart, just like me. ::flips hair::

Ironic Mom.  Leanne also has a book out called Don’t Lick the Minivan which is awesome in title alone.  She has this great guest-blogging series (Whiteboard Wednesday) wherein guest bloggers tell a story about parenting, highlighting something they never thought they’d say to their kids.  Some recent one-liners: “We live in a pants-wearing society!” and "Please don't pee on the chickens." Try not to laugh.

Life With the Campbells. Molly is warm, witty, and wise, and that sort of person who has a wry humor about everything.  She’s been around for a while, and she’s a real writer who’s written a humor book and has won the Erma Bombeck Award for writing – twice.  Did I tell you that her husband plays the accordion?

List of the Day.  Oh, List of the Day, where would I be without your laugh-out-loud Mugshots and Found Porn of the Day?  This site is a catch-all for everything hilarious that Cary or his readers find in the world or online.  This is the funniest three minutes of my day.  Start anywhere on this site and get a face-full of funny. 

Mama’s Losin’ It! If you’ve been around my blog for a minute, you will notice that I use Mama Kat’s writing prompts faithfully each week.  I started doing them because they helped me think of topics to write about, and I keep doing them because they help me think of topics to write about.  I’ve found quite a few blogs from the writing prompt link-up, and there’s that, too.  Kat also does videos of trying out Pinterest projects and working out parenting issues, and they are always comical.  She also is a little bit sarcastic, which makes me love her all the more.

Misty’s Laws.  Misty is an actual real lawyer which ups her street cred.  I’m not really sure what that means but she’s a blogging lawyer so she must be a superhero – everyone knows how hard lawyers work if they’ve seen LA Law or Ally McBeal.  Anyway, Misty is straightforward and honest and tells great stories that involve mysterious rashes, deep-fried treats, and all the weird and wonderful people she meets.  Go to her.

MODG.  MODG is Amanda, a fiercely funny mom of two adorable babies who makes me laugh at her quick, desperate rants about anything from mom jeans to baby puke to Britney Spears.  She is a gem who has a huge following, and for good reason.  She is totally honest and OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING about being a mom to smalls, and it makes me want to invite her over for coffee so we can chat while her kids destroy my furniture.

Raising Colorado.  Zakary makes me laugh with her straightforward delivery about her life’s mishaps and family which includes two kids – one with Type 1 diabetes, one without – and a husband.  She is heavy into the blogging world in terms of conferences and speaking engagements and partnerships with some other bloggers who I follow and it’s obvious why – she rocks.  And her hair is fabulous.

Really Real Atlanta Housewife.  She watches reality TV, specifically Real Housewives shows.  I do not.  She saves me from having to watch them for entertainment value because she uses them as comic examples on how to do life.  If you don’t know what I mean, please head on over there.  Her brilliant use of GIFs is celebrated.  By me.  Oh, how I love a well-placed GIF.

The Baby is Fine.  Mo is a young new mom who is adorable but who refers to herself as an old tired worrywart.  Her view of life with a child is smack on the nose of how I viewed life with a child when I was her age, but writes it a lot better than I ever would have back then because back then I think I was seriously out of my mind.

The Bearded Iris.  Leslie calls her son Bucket Head.  She is a new Tiger Cub Den Mother.  She appropriately calls herself a Humorist: she is editor-in-chief of In the Powder Room, has a list of blog accolades, and just released a book.  She says things like “You know what would take my mind off these cramps? A big black dog all up in my biznatch.”  You will laugh until you pee your pants.  Just go.

The Dawnie Project.  Dawn is living the life in Chicago and is not afraid to share it.  She is random – today there’s a recipe for Cajun nuts, tomorrow, a picture of a Lego man in a mysterious location.  She loves live music and can draw like a champ and her conversational style makes me feel like when I read her posts, she’s talking JUST TO ME.  She also claims to have invented pancakes, which I believe.

The Reedster Speaks.  Cindy shares dialogue of conversations she has with her daughter, stories about feeding neighborhood kids, mishaps on reddit, and general life events infused with a hefty supply of humor.  I get sucked into every one of her stories, and then she sneaks in a snarky comment or three and I snot all over my computer.

What Now and Why.  Arnebya is that quiet friend who is serious and contemplative and you want to really pay attention when she speaks because you know it’s going to be good.  And then she says things like “Someone should write a list on how to get your kids the things they need AND want but also teach them gratefulness and humility and you too can achieve this without shaking your ass for money” and you realize that not only is she smart and thoughtful but she is also funny in a way that kind of hits you upside the head when you’re not ready which only makes you want to hear more of what she has to say.  Please do not hesitate to follow her.

Holy crap.  That was long.  Thanks for sticking with me here.  You are a stone-cold hero.  Your mission is to visit these blogs, and follow at least five of them regularly.  That’s totally arbitrary on my part.  I just like telling people what to do.  You really should follow all of them.

Come back on Friday and I’ll share my picks for the Foodies and the Moodies!  See you then!

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