Touring Through Blogland

Today, I'm super excited to be participating in the Tour Through Blogland! I was invited to join by the lovely Deb at Seeking Lavender Lane. Deb is working on decorating their new home and shows you how to DIY it on a budget. Deb's home is full of detail and I wish I had all of those beautiful accessories for my own home! She has some amazing projects that I'm in love with, like this rope shelf she and her hubby made! Be sure to stop by and show Deb some love! She's sure to inspire you!
For the blog tour, each blogger is asked the same four questions and then passes on the torch to three more bloggers! Sounds like fun, right?! What an awesome way to meet and get to know more of the blogging community!

What am I working on?

I think the real question here is what am I not working on? I'm inspired by anything and everything, so I frequently pick up things here and there that I want to work on, so then I end up working on multiple projects at a time and don't finish any of them in a timely manner :) Ha. It's also been without a doubt the busiest summer of my entire life, so I haven't had as much time for crafting as I would like. 

I would have to say though, the biggest thing I'm working on is the yard. If you missed it, I recently did a budget friendly makeover of our patio. I'm thrilled with how it turned out! We're also working on removing ivy, transplanting azaleas, and building a pond. Before the year is over, we hope to remove all the bushes in the front yard too so that we can have a pretty garden next year.

I'm also working on some decor projects inside. I don't have any pictures to share yet, but I'm working on some wall lanterns for the dining room, storage for cat toys (They are hoarders- it's a problem. Seriously.), and artwork for my craft room. I'm also working on a super fun project with a group of bloggy friends that I'm really excited about but can't spill the beans quite yet :)

How does my work differ from others in this genre?

One thing about having a niche is that we are all passionate about the same thing, so you therefore tend to see a lot of the same information. Sometimes, you even see the same projects, but the cool part about it is that we all have our own style, so no two projects are exactly alike. We all inspire each other and put our own twist on things. That's what keeps the DIY niche so interesting! I can't get enough of all the creative minds!
My own projects usually have some sort of rustic touch or shabby chic feel. I've always had a passion for old things so that slowly evolved into my style. When I was a little girl, I wanted to own a big old house and refinish it. Once, I got to tour a house that was over 100 years old that some family friends temporarily stayed in. After that, I always asked my dad to drive the long way home so we could drive by it and I could day dream about that old wooden staircase, the wrap around porch, and the barn that was about to fall over any second. I just have a passion for old things!

I also like to add a little pop of color among a world full of neutrals. Most of my wardrobe is in the grey/black/brown/beige range and our home is no different. But you'll also find bright pillows, pastel signs, and colorful accents throughout our home.

Why do I write/create what I do?

I create because I can't not do it. Does that make sense? It's just how my brain functions. When I was little, I was labeled "artsy fartsy" and that still stands true today. I've always been the type that gets a catalogue in the mail and could spend five minutes on one page just looking at one picture of a room and thinking of how I could recreate it myself without buying anything from the catalogue. I'm the type that loves touring open houses because I can just daydream about what I would do if it were my home. I'm the type that can spend hours in Ikea just looking for inspiration and then leave the store empty handed. Then I'll head to the craft store and can't possibly leave empty handed.
Crafting is just something I'm passionate about and the one thing I ever feel confident enough to say I'm good at. I'm not one to talk about myself because I hate to be in the spotlight and in most aspects of my life I majorly lack confidence. But creativity is something I know I have and that I love to share with others. Crafting makes me beyond happy and everyone should do a little more of what makes them happy, right?

How does your writing/creative process work?

I'm a chronic list maker. I love lists. I love to make lists on index cards, post-it notes, note pads, my daily planner, wherever. I love to cross things off my list and then rewrite the whole list so that it looks neater. So whenever something inspires a project, it goes on a list. That list might get rewritten about a hundred times before I ever do the project, but it's on a list! 
I get my inspiration from magazines, decorating stores, walking the aisles of a craft store, Pinterest, friends' homes, pretty much anywhere. My creative "process" never stops!
The writing part of the process is the hard part for me. I never feel like I'm a good writer. I can never think of what to say other than here's step one, now step two. I keep trying to write posts ahead of time, but it's so hard! The words are definitely starting to flow a lot easier now that I've had time to develop my blogging voice a little, but I still have far to go in my writing process! Don't worry, there's a list for that ;)
Thanks for reading my little blog tour! 
Now to introduce the bloggers who will be giving the tour next week! Don't forget to stop by their blog next Monday to show them some love and see what they're working on!
Ashley at ABC's of Life
I ran across Ashley's blog back in March and nominated her for a Liebster award. The Liebster award is for new bloggers to meet more of the blogging community and get to know each other. Ashley's blog is full of DIY and organizing projects, as well as advice for moms and army wives. I'm currently in love with Ashley's gold painted pharmacy lamp.


Amanda at The Kolb Corner
Amanda is super sweet and recently nominated me for a Sunshine Award (I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet!). I love her blog because she's super honest with her readers. It's a good reminder that behind the blog, we are all still real people with real life going on! She's also a cat lover, like me, so that makes her cool by default. Amanda also posts some great projects and recipes. She recently did a series called Real Food on a Budget that I love!! 


Havalah, Joy, Anjuli, and Sierra at Sisters, What!
I only recently learned about this blog, but boy was I missing out before! This group of sisters is so creative! I absolutely love that they all contribute to the blog even though they aren't all close in distance. Their blog is full of crafts, sewing projects, and recipes and each project is so interesting because each sister has their own style. There is something for everyone at Sisters, What! My favorite recent project is this adorable "hello" sign!

I can't wait to read all of their posts!! Have a great week, everyone!