Thursday, November 3, 2011

Pinteresting

Here's a job I would like: Pinteresting. I would sit at the computer uninterrupted for an hour each morning, with a chilled Diet Coke and some delightful carb by my side, and pin things on Pinterest. Maybe I could be trusted with an important client project like "Pin all the best ideas for a nautical themed birthday party for a two year-old boy" or perhaps I would just be so admired as a pinner that I could pin and categorize whatever struck my fancy. Then, I'd go about my day as usual, taking care of the kids, doing school pick-up, heading to the park, making lunches, etc. At around 1:00 p.m., after Sweet P goes down for her nap, someone would come in and clean up the kitchen and family room, transition the laundry and occupy the boys for about ninety minutes while I got out my glue gun, paint, oil drip pan (yes, really), and ribbon and got to town turning my Pinterest dreams into realities. Actually, since I won't be beaten down by the thrice daily tidying of the kitchen, I will have the patience to let the boys join me in Pinteresting.

Some of you are nodding your heads like, "Oh, yes, I hear you MEP. I also am addicted to Pinterest and want to apply for a job as a pinner too."

Others are all, "What the hell is Pinterest?"

It's an online home for every recipe, design idea, craft project, gorgeous photograph, handy tip, inspiring quotation, or party plan you've ever been tempted to rip out of a magazine (and obsessively sort and save in binders you rarely open -- wait, that might just be me). Since all the cool stuff is there, you just "pin it" on virtual boards in categories of your choice. If your friends are on Pinterest, you can see what they're pinning and "repin" their cool finds. I love seeing what my friends pin and it makes me happy to think that so many people are seeking inspiration and outlets for creativity.

So, here's a recent example of Pinteresting at Casa MEP.

I repinned a friend's link to this template for a beautiful thumbprint tree, intended to be a wedding guestbook (guests place thumbs in ink to make leaves for the tree). The tree was meant to be printed out large-scale, but I cropped the image (did not need the text on bottom for my project) and pasted it into a word document and sized it as I wished.

I then threw the ink pads on the kitchen table and said, "Go to town, peeps!" Ha! I hovered a bit and strongly suggested they not use the blue ink and only the purple very sparingly because "don't we want our trees to look Fall-like and beautiful?"

Luckily, the boys ignored me and did their own thing.
Bub made a fist and pressed the whole side of his hand on the ink pad to create a flaming maple type effect. Love it.
Little Bit used the same fist trick and was drawn to the very blue and purple ink I had strongly suggested they avoid. The result -- a lovely, twilight effect behind his tree.
Sweet P needed a little help getting her small digits pressed into the ink far enough, but she caught on and enjoyed herself.
I typed each child's name and the season and year before printing. I think if I did it again though, I'd have handwritten those details in the corner to make the trees seem more like the pieces of beautiful art that they are.
I loved the final result so much that I popped them into some inexpensive frames from Michael's and cleaned off the mantle so I could display them.

New plan is to come up with a creative take on Thanksgiving and then Christmas to rotate into the frames. I think I might stick with digit prints for now and will, of course, search Pinterest for ideas. It will be tough though, to switch things out, because looking at the autumn fingerprint trees is making me so, so happy.

What about you? Do you Pinterest?

And, what are you waiting for? Follow the link above to the tree template and get cracking!

11 comments:

E... said...

Oooh. I'm so on board with a spot on "The Real Women of Pinterest." Think Bravo will pick up on this?
Okay if I just keep stealing your blog post ideas?? I'll share some of the inspiration Pinterest has brought to my life. Seriously, I'm not that creative on my own, Or maybe those parts of my brain are still the ones suffering from sleep deprivation.
All I know is, I feel happier when I implement something I've pinned on my board, and it happens more times than I thought it would when I started pinning. Love the trees! And it's a printable template? Oh, yes, I can do that!

Steph said...

I feel so out of it! I have just this week started seeing Pinterest popping up everywhere. How did I miss this? Anyway - LOVE the artwork!

LAP said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE the trees your kiddos made. I've made 3 pinterest inspired art projects (2 or the 3 I would call a success). I also made two dishes for a baby shower based on cute things I've seen. I love seeing which of my friends enjoy the pinning and I feel that someone I am getting to know other people better based on the things that they pin? Good luck landing that job.

sarah d said...

I love your trees! I am also addicted and have been getting lots of good photo ideas. (Did you see the pics I took of L w the pink background? that was an idea i got on pinterest!)i made her a wall hanging and i've attempted a few hairstyles i found on there, too. this is my new bedtime activity. i haven't started a new book because i've been pinning into the night.
so many ideas, so little time.

Anonymous said...

Love the trees! I get so happy every time I actually do something I've pinned on Pinterest. I am happy to say that I actually do do a lot of them!

Good luck blogging all month!

Stacia said...

With one post, you have single-handedly convinced me to try Pinterest. LOVE. Now, mail me some ink pads, 'kay?? =>

Beth WA said...

I love, love, love Pinterest. I also love, love, love those trees. They look so nice on your mantle.

Unknown said...

What a fun blog! LAP was telling me about this website, I'm even more intrigued now to keep checking it out. Love the trees!

CaraBee said...

I am a Pinteresting fool. I've made a half a dozen recipes and a couple simple craft projects. I hadn't seen these though. Love them! I'm definitely going to do this with Sophie.

Teachinfourth said...

The trees are really great. Not a Pinterest person myself, but I have friends that are hardcore into it...I've had a photography post or two 'pinned' before which is always flattering...

Tricia @ Take 10 With Tricia said...

I just pinned this! I also love Pinterest and would sign up for that job immediately. I think your trees look fabulous!

 
Blog Designed by : NW Designs