Making My Day

Unfortunately, I am still figuring out the nuances of blogging, and juuuuuust barely (imagine me holding up my index finger and thumb a millimeter apart) added an RSS feed option to the side menu. I don't even know how the magic happens, but it results in an aggregate of your blog choices and makes it into a nice little bouquet for your daily fix. This is still all theoretical to me. Don't even get me started on the email subscription gizmo I'm still trying to figure out how to install here, for the more cognitively elevated readers (one of whom is you, of course).

And the contest email list that our wonderful customers are signing up for? I apologize profusely. I overshot my ability to moderate a newsletter group, and I give up*. For the lovely, marvelous subscribers (+ smart + good-natured + patient), look for a different opt-in email confirmation thing (or something like that) for a new contest list, along with a generous helping of more apologies.

I verbage all this to verbage this: my blog doesn't email me right away when people leave comments, and throws an email at me as an afterthought after I moderate the comment. What kind of work ethic is this? And do I know how to fix this? Theoretically... ... ... no.

*I will deny any mention of "giving up" in future posts

So, Heloise-with-the-beautiful-name-and-who-left-a-sweet-comment-thank-you-so-very-much, this is for you for making my day:

Blogs that Sparkle My Stolen Moments
(I'm a wife + mommy, so I treasure these snippets)

01 } shimandsons - My style is more romantic girly, but whenever I need a good fix of creative clean modern, this is the place to go. Sally is the sweetest girl I've ever met in cyberspace, and I admire her ability to put her tres adorable boys first in her busy life. I always feel like I'm there with them when she composes her diurnal routines, and my heart cheers whenever I see her creations sell like hotcakes.

02} Grand Revival Designs - Reminds me so much of Cabbages and Roses with a smidgen of Cath Kidston... I really cannot wait for the Stella apron pattern and I've been checking Tanya's blog pretty fanatically (please don't think I'm a stalker, Tanya! My fingers are itching to make that spring-y pretty apron!). Hmm... is this where RSS would be beneficial?

03} sfgirlbybay - Prolific Victoria interviews not-starving-for-long artists and cute-shop-around-the-corner storekeepers, peppered with photos. The best photojournalist shop interiors I've drooled over. Not to mention great design sense - domino mag loves this girl!

04} savannah's at home store - This one is a little left-field, but I must include mega-talented Liz's blog. After living so close to Savannah, GA for 3 years, there are times I pine for the jewels on Broughton street. I've brought every visiting relative there, along with my son, in-belly and out, and husband (however unwillingly - my trouper man). To hear the shop's happenings semi-transports me there, and I get a whiff of the nostalgic purity of the artsy region in the durrty South. Liz is a supremely busy woman, and I cherish her whenever-she-can-fit-them-in posts.

05} the purl bee - For my beloved Eenie's birthday (no, that is not her real name, though it's real in my galaxy), I bought her this absolutely lovely book, Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts. I loved it so much, I seriously pondered keeping it outright. I struggled with my shoulder angel for two weeks (what can I say - I try not to procrastinate), and as a supreme sacrifice, I nestled the teenytinybitworn book into the cardboard birthday box, amidst other goodies. I think that was my real present to her. Are you reading this, Eenie? Can't wrap up my love for you! And then I came out of my "duh" fog... why don't I buy one for myself? It's on backorder and I'm still waiting not very patiently... Anyway, this is her blog, accompanied by crisp photography and can-do projects. Too bad I am a dyslexic knitter to try any of her crochet/knitting crafts... but sewing I can do! Quilting, here I come (when the book arrives)!

The non-theoretical rules are:
1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make your day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Tell the award winners that they've won by commenting on their blogs.