Pinterest Love
Have I told you about my Pinterest addiction? I discovered Pinterest when I was purposely searching for an online pinboard and I’ve been on there almost a full year now. The addiction was instant and it still hasn’t worn off, though I have perhaps got a little more fussy in what I pin now. The other social networks I don’t find nearly so addictive – I suspect it’s something to do with the purely visual nature of Pinterest, and the sheer volume of creative inspirational material you find on there.
I’ve read a number of posts from people saying that Pinterest can however sometimes have something of an overwhelming, not to say depressing effect – especially when you realise that the brilliant project you’ve had an idea for has been done really well, or better, numerous times before. But then I’m a great believer in the idea that there is nothing new under the sun, and that everyone contributes their own slant to a project, making it fresh and new.
Also it’s not always easy to guess what will be popular on Pinterest. Some images or projects just seem to resonate at that moment, and get pinned and re-pinned thousands of times. Others languish, waiting to be discovered, and then suddenly become popular months later. Personally I love to seek out those ‘hidden gem’ boards which don’t have zillions of followers, but have some fantastic pins on there that have been ‘missed’ by the masses.
Of course Pinterest has meant that the list of creative projects I want to have a go at has just got longer and longer in recent months, which in itself is quite frustrating. But on the plus side I have managed to tackle quite a few projects, some of which have been more successful than others. So, amongst the more successful Pinterest inspired activities I have:
- Made some laminated photo bookmarks of my boys as small gifts.
- Knitted a gorgeous cardigan (took me ages, but worth it)
- Created some stylish kids hats from old jumpers.
I have also tried several recipes which have become firm favourites, including:
- Indian Spiced Fries
- Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
- Sausage Spaghetti which the kids love.
- Baked Oatmeal Muffins – a really healthy breakfast treat.
And there are lots more still to try!
Some of the least successful projects have also been the recipes – this is often nothing to do with the quality of the recipe itself, but more my skills (or lack of them) as a cook. Possibly the most disastrous of all were the Oreo pops I attempted to make with the kids, which looked so gorgeous in the photo, but kept on melting and dropping off the stick – a complete and very sticky disaster.
When it comes to what people pin from Artful Adventures, so far, my all time most pinned post has been my tutorial about 3 Ways to Paint with Bubbles. I don’t know why because I didn’t expect it to do particularly well and there was nothing startlingly original about it. Also popular have been the Watercolour Spray Inks, and my Chalkboard Gallery.
In terms of my own Pinterest boards, as you might expect I have of course got lots of boards containing inspirational pins relating to children’s artwork and to children’s art and crafts in general. There are so many brilliant ideas out there. Unfortunately I’m not always too good at pinning things to the right category, as I sometimes forget what boards I have! I’ve got 44 of them so far, so my filing (as at home) can sometimes be a bit idiosyncratic, and I really should find time to go and sort it all out. But the same could be said about my computer, and my home filing, and I always seem to find more fun things to do instead. I have other more personal boards for grown-up art, design and craft too.
So if you want to check out some inspirational material relating to children’s arts and crafts which I’ve pinned, you might like to check out some of the following:
- Children’s Art Activities
- Displaying Children’s Artwork at Home
- Home-made Children’s Art Materials & Tools
- Using Children’s Artwork
- Cool for Kids
There’s lots more, but some of them don’t have too many pins yet!
And if you have a more general interest in art, design and crafts, you might like some of these:
Happy pinning!
(with apologies to anyone not on Pinterest)
hi, Jude!
you and I have the same addiction about Pinterest.
I know that website is awesome, right?
by the way, have you ever heard pinfaves[dot]com?
it’s a great website where you can submit your favorite pins from pinterest.
you can also vote up the pins you like or vote down the pins you hate.
it’s great, isn’t it?
just go to pinfaves[dot]com and trust me, it’s worth the try.
love,
Kat
Kat recently posted..beach hair
This Pinterest is all over the place. I’ve read a lot of post stating that it is so awesome. Guess I need to check it out and I’m really outdated about this. Thanks for sharing.
Stacy Jenkins recently posted..Client Services Project Coordinator
Yes, it’s suddenly got really popular, which is partly why I decided to write this post. It’s not to everyone’s taste and it does have its faults, but it’s so easy to use, and if you are visually led and into creative stuff you’ll enjoy it. I find it really useful.
I recently read an article, though I can’t remember where anymore, stating that she find Pinterest not that great. Well, you’re right. Everybody got their own taste. But me? I’m two thumbs up for Pinterest!
Britany Viguerie recently posted..Cinco de Mayo Makeup Inspiration
I love Pinterest. I use it to store the gazillion recipes that find their way into my email. It is also a great way to collect ideas for summer projects and science experiments that look interesting. You have made some great suggestions. I can’t wait to check them out.
Shelle recently posted..Reading For Charity and Fun