Allow Me to Introduce.... Pinterest

Oh my goodness!

After reading yesterday's comments, it became clear to me that several of you have not discovered the wonders of Pinterest yet.

And I just wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't take a little time to introduce you.  I promise you will thank me later....

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard, a place for you to collect things you love.  The website itself is full of images, quotes, youtube videos and the like.  Each of these is referred to as a "pin".

You can request an invitation to create a profile or a friend can invite you. (Let me know if you want me to send you an invitation.)  Then all you do is sign in and create your profile.

Within your profile are "boards", which are divided up by category.  Pinterest does some suggested board titles for you but you can come up with your own as well.

The boards are basically topics in which you categorize the images you like.

For example, maybe you're about to remodel your kitchen.  You could create boards with titles like "Cabinets I Love", "Great Paint Colors", "Lovely Kitchen Islands".....

Or maybe you're about to get married - or hope to one day.  You could create boards with categories for dresses, rings, table decor, photo ideas..... how about wedding cakes?

Are you catching on now?

But you don't need to have major projects going on to love Pinterest.  I have boards for recipes I want to try, desserts that look super yum, playtime activities for the Bird, home organization ideas, and outfits I like, among other things.

Here's two of my boards, just to give you a peek:

• What I Would Wear

  
  

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• For The Bird

  
  

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And if that's not enough, you can add a "Pin It" button to your toolbar and no matter where you're surfing on the web, if you see something you like, you can click the "Pin It" button and instantly pin the image to the board of your choice.

No more trying to remember where you saw that knitting pattern you love or that landscaping layout you want to do in your own yard or that yoga workout you want to try.

And no more random post-it notes scattered around the computer that make no sense to you a week after you write them.

You can follow boards that other people have created, like the special needs "pinners" I suggested to you yesterday.  If I'm looking for something to do with Lily, I don't have to scan the entire Pinterest site. I can go directly to the boards of people who tend to pin things I like.

Likewise, people can follow your boards.  It can be a good way to drive some traffic to your blog, if you have one.

But more than anything, it's just plain fun.  It's like looking through a magazine filled with all kinds of lovely things, delicious food, funny sayings, beautiful photography, travel suggestions, and creative ideas, just to name a few.

So, can it be a waste of time?  Sure.

Can you spend hours of time pinning things that you know good and well you'll never do?  Definitely.

Just like anything else in life (chocolate and Angry Birds comes to mind), you'll need to exercise some self-control.

But keep this in mind, too:  Time you enjoy wasting is not always wasted time.

I found that quote on Pinterest.  :)