Apparently I’m the only scrapper without a blog, or so I’ve been told by some of my scrappy friends. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy blogs. Sometimes, I spend lots and lots of time reading them. Just ask my kids. (On second thought, don’t!)

Blogs are such a wonderful source of inspiration for me. But they are also a source for confusion. After reading too many blogs, my mind starts to spin with all that information. I end up feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities. And instead of being creative, I just want some tea, cake and a nap.

So I’ve set myself a little rule for blog reading: read a max of ten blogs a week. Yup. Ten. And I try to stick to only one or two posts per blog. Sounds crazy, because really, there is so much stuff out there to read and absorb. But now that I’ve put that myself under blog restriction, I feel like I’m getting much more out of them.



As I was thinking about this post, it occurred to me that while I’ve used blogs for sketch ideas, theme inspiration, titles, color combos, etc, I hadn’t created a layout about a blog itself! If any blog is deserving of a layout from yours truly, it’s the Smitten Kitchen. Its recipes are regular staples in my kitchen, and my family heartily approves of them all.

Because I’ve been trying to take photos daily (you can see my not-so-daily efforts on Flickr, I sometimes pull out my iPhone and document my dinner creations. The photos are blurry, and I usually have to yell at my family to leave the food alone, but they are a great peek into my daily life.

 
 
supplies: patterned papers: Cosmo Cricket, Studio Calico + alpha stickers and flair: American Crafts + corner rounder: Creative Memories + Polaroid frames: Shakeitphoto.com

I’ve also asked two of my friend (both of whom have blogs!) to scrap about their favorite blogs, and how it inspires them.



First is a layout filled with seriously cool details by Jenn Olson. Jenn says: “My favorite blog these days is Knock Off Wood. I find myself hooked on all the cool projects people make from her plans—it’s better than celebrity gossip!! I used some different wood grains, little pieces of veneer & even some screws to drive my ‘theme’. (I wanted to use nails—but do you think I could find any laying around—of course not!)”




supplies: Patterned papers:Studio Calico, Cosmo Cricket + fabrips, labels & woodgrain alpha: Studio Calico + small alpha: Making Memories + gaffer tape: 7gypsies



And a sweet and happy layout by Cindy Liebel. Cindy was inspired by artwork in the blog Rae Dunn: “I've been a fan of Rae Dunn's ceramic artwork for quite sometime now. I find her pieces thought provoking, and every simple detail is mesmerizing! I love how she adds just enough color to the all white, natural ceramic pieces. The impressions of her fingers is beautifully shown, which makes me love them even more. Perfection! I was totally inspired by her designs to create my layout. To get the same embossed look in her ceramic pieces onto my page, I used my letterpress to create the framing surrounding my photo. It added texture to the page along with the bold colors and a splash of red accents.”





supplies: pattern papers, craft alpha stickers & button: Jillibean Soup + embossed cardstock flowers: Bazzill + printing plates & inks: Quickutz Letterpress + rubons: American Crafts + label stickers: 7Gypsies + deco brads: Making Memories + pearls: Doodlebug + corner rounder: Fiskars

Well thanks for reading and why don't you scrap something inspired from your favorite blog?