Going home to roost!

Swoon. Gush. Swoon Swoon. Yes, in just a moment those words will be running in your brain uncontrollably! Bonnie, editor for Going Home to Roost has created her blog in a magical fashion.

Each post is fresh and informative, and each photo, purely brilliant. Her blog is a daily first read of mine, and I encourage you to pop on over there after you get to know her a bit!

1. What's Your Name and URL: hello! my name is bonnie forker and i author going home to roost.

2. When did you start blogging? What drove you in the direction home design?: i started blogging in april, 2009 (almost one year!) and plan to continue for many years to come.  i like to write about home design, because i feel like a home is such a special place.  it's a unique reflection of who you are and it's where you can really get creative.  at going home to roost, we're all about roosting, which means making your home a place where you can do all things that you enjoy most.  along with home design, you can find me writing about handmade artists, gardening, recipes, diy and craft projects and homesteading.

3. What has been your favorite post?:i think my favorite post was actually one i wrote this past week about the latest femivore movement.  it generated such a since of community and was so inspiring and uplifting to talk about it.  i encourage you to come join in our conversation!

4. Where do you go to for inspiration?: lots of places!  off line i always head outdoors and walk around the yard, go for a hike or head out on a run.  i live in the beautiful mountains of north carolina and nature and beauty surround me, always filling me with inspiration!  i also find lots of inspiration by taking photographs or reading a good book in the sunshine.

online i love finding and learning about new artists and often visit my favorite blogs for inspiration.

 5. Every home dweller should: make their home a reflection of themselves.

6. If you had unlimited funds you would buy :a new fence for the backyard and some sheep (not what you expected, huh?) for your home

7.Where would you buy a second home and why?: at the beach, any quite & beautiful beach. 

8. What's your favorite piece of furniture in your home?: the old farm table we use in my kitchen to eat at.  as i sit their, i can just envision all it's been through.  it has old nails running down the center and knife marks as i guess someone once used it as a chopping block.  i love to let it take me back to a simpler way of life

9. Your homes style is: whimsical and bright

10. Three words to describe your personal taste: simple, fresh, comfortable

Not Just a Blog

Editor of J-A-Girl, Chris, has a way of sucking you in with her candid and realistic blog. She comes from a place of realistic views yet provides inspiration for all. DIY Projects to give-aways, it's an all around awesome find. So sit back and meet Chris, then hop on over and say hi to her!

1. What's Your Name and URL  Chris  www.j-a-girl.blogspot.com

2. When did you start blogging? What drove you in the direction home design?:  I started blogging nearly two years ago.  I honestly have no idea how I got here.  I never felt like I was aware of it while I was growing up, but as soon as I moved out on my own, it was all I could think about. 

3. What has been your favorite post?: This was a tough one.  Oddly enough, my favorite posts are my organizational ones.  They make me feel giddy inside.  Perhaps one of my favorites? www.http://j-a-girl.blogspot.com/2009/08/organization-station.html

4. Where do you go to for inspiration?:  I rarely buy anything from here, but Pottery Barn is my inspiration.  They use so many pieces that can be replicated for less.  It's just a no-brainer.  I also visit Candice Olson's site on a regular basis.  I spend an unhealthy amount of time dissecting all the rooms she's decorated. 5. Every home dweller should start thrifting.  I'm fairly new to it, and it has changed the way I shop for my home.  I cringe at all the money I wasted before I started thrift shopping!

6. If you had unlimited funds you would buy: Custom trimwork.  Every room would have something done.  I regret not having done it sooner.

7.Where would you buy a second home and why?:  Florence, Italy.  I visited several years ago, and I fell in love with every inch of it.  Who needs to worry about trimwork and window treatments when you're surrounded by beauty?

 

8. What's your favorite piece of furniture in your home?: My grandparents' hutch.  After taking several other pieces, my mom actually had to convince me to take it.  It's got beautiful curves, and it's full of family memories.

9. Your homes style is: A mystery to me.

 

10. Three words to describe your personal taste: Neutral, comfortable, eclectic

Scoutie girl crush

The give away ends in just a few days! So don't forget to enter! It's really simple, and the prize is amazing!

Tara, the editor of scoutie girl, is a rare breed. Though you will find impeccable selections of eyecandy and inspiration on her beautiful site, you will also find words of wisdom of a slew of real world advice on how to manage yourself as a blogger. An easy to read collection of her wisdom can be found in her ebook, 52 weeks of blogging your passion. (Yes, I downloaded and fell in love instantly) Tara has some how tapped into the business end of blogging with keeping it personal and genuine. Though not a blog which focuses soley on home design, I can't help but share her with those if you who have yet to discover her amazing voice.  So take a moment to meet Tara and her blog scoutie girl!

1. What's Your Name and URL:

Tara Gentile 

Scoutie Girl, http://scoutiegirl.com

2. When did you start blogging? What drove you in the direction home design?:  I started blogging in college - way back in 2004. But this latest incarnation of blogging started in January 2009 with Handmade in PA.net and was propelled a hundred steps forward when I took over Scoutie Girl in July 2009.

Scoutie Girl is the blog with the penchant for the passionately handmade, whether that be home design, jewelry, clothing, art, or graphic design. My whole life has been crafty & directed towards an appreciation of style & DIY. My mom (who blogs at fabricshopperonline.com) is a seamstress who took her craft to the highest levels while supporting my brother & I. We used to watch the very first DIY & lifestyle programs on the Discovery Channel (Lynette Jennings anyone?) like a religion. Being back in this niche feels like home!

3. What has been your favorite post?:  Oh my! That's like asking a mother to choose between her children! Honestly, one of my favorite posts - and a popular one - isn't necessarily craft or home oriented at all. It was a recap of a presentation that I did on my new career as a blogger at my college. It really feels like a culmination of all that I've accomplished in a short period of time: the Art & Business of Crafting Your Online Self. http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2010/02/the-art-business-of-crafting-your-online-self.html

4. Where do you go to for inspiration?: Etsy, Twitter (http://twitter.com/scoutiegirlblog), and Facebook (http://facebook.com/tara.gentile). I am constantly perusing Etsy for new favorites and updates at friends shops. I get so inspired by what you all can create and how clever you are! And then I am just thrilled to pieces when I run across something new & innovative on Twitter or Facebook. Seriously - what did we do before these things?

5. Every home dweller should: Remember that a home is to be lived in and not looked at.

6. If you had unlimited funds you would buy _________________________for your home: Well, right now I really need an office. So I would buy a fab desk and several bookcases. Sorry, that's not very exciting....

7.Where would you buy a second home and why?: I'm jonzing to move to Philly. We live just an hour or so away but I'd love to live in the swing of things. Independent business, arts, culture - I want to jump in and swim around in it!

8. What's your favorite piece of furniture in your home?: Ugh... My husband and I are really still just starting out. But we recently bought a new side chair that is taking center stage in our living. It's a dreamy shade of blue green and big enough for two. And it has a fabulous ottoman!

9. Your homes style is: Eclectic - and definitely geared to friends & family.

10. Three words to describe your personal taste: Simple, Indie, Personal