Pin it if You Like it

Warning, this article will contain information that could lead to a serious addiction.

The subject that I’m going to share with you has affected me greatly. I now have grayish-blue, crinkled shopping bags under my eyes as well as a terrible yawning problem during the day. Currently this dilemma is keeping me awake ‘til all hours yet I can’t get enough of it. Friends, my problem is called Pinterest.

Basically, Pinterest is a site that lets you "pin" or organize ideas, recipes, jewelry, crafts, home décor ideas and so much more, from the wide world web, onto your very own "pin" board.

Let’s say you're surfing the web you come across a photo of the most beautiful kitchen you’ve ever seen or find the best way to organize wrapping paper; you simply click on a ‘pin it’ button and these images are saved on your own personal bulletin board. (Of course, you’ll need to be signed up for Pinterest and have loaded the ‘pin it’ button to your bookmarks.)

So far, I have boards set up for sayings, recipes, home decor, fashion/style, crafts and handy tips. And every time you login, there are thousands more ideas on Pinterest because you can ‘repin’ anyone else’s pins. Ok, this may sound confusing but I promise it’s not. 

In just four weeks, I’ve learned from Pinterest how to perfectly fishtail braid my daughter’s hair, flambé the inside of a strawberry, organize my cleaning supplies, make no-bake cake balls, create rainbow fruit kabobs and turn a spice rack into a hanging nail polish holder. I’ve only once pinned something from a website; everything else has been re-pinning from others on Pinterest.

Buffalo Grove mom Ellen Fryer shared the following: “I too am addicted to Pinterest. I found out about it while reading someone's comment on Facebook and I was intrigued. I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes and am looking into one of the craft projects right now. I just joined a few days ago and I have been browsing every chance I get.”

“I am hooked! I probably spend three hours a week on Pinterest,” boasts Diane Sherman, a Long Grove mom and business owner. “I am a visual, creative person, so it is perfect for my interests. It has opened my mind to the Internet, actually. I would never have perused websites, blogs, etc. if they weren't pinned on Pinterest.” 

Some people find the idea of being able to organize their interests as the best part. , also from Long Grove, says, “Not only does it help me organize great ideas I find on the web, I’m also amazed at all the great ideas that can be captured in a photo. It really inspires me to try new things!”

If you’re into wasting time while fortifying your creative juices late at night or getting inspired early in the morning while your sipping your morning coffee, this is the site for you! I’m planning on making “Knock-off Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits” that I found on Pinterest. I’ll post a photo of the finished product!

As always, email me with any news, topics or ideas that you want to read about. Remember, I’d like to be the first to know! I can be reached at laurenbgpatch@aol.com.