2016 blog loves.

Three years ago, Ginger from Literally Inspired asked us to share our "blog-mances" - the blogs we were absolutely, head over heels, gotta-read-every-post obsessed with. I still love rounding up the impressive blogs that cover a range of of my favorite topics - art, lifestyle, home decor, cooking, DIY, reading - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP! This month, the topic for The Circle link-up hosted by Kiki from In Its Time was "Blogger Valentines," so it's the perfect time to share an updated list of blogs I've fallen for.  Here are five blogs I'm loving right now...

You Are My Fave

You Are My Fave - Melanie's blog is dedicated to diy projects, decorating and party ideas, gift guides, and other fun, quirky, and colorful finds. I fell in love with her blog thanks to her creative "in a box" series, like these TV shows in a box.

Oh Happy Day - If it involves parties, DIY, neon, interior design, larger-than-life photo props and backgrounds, or balloons, Jordan and the other creators behind Oh Happy Day have found ways to make it new and fun. My favorite feature is the weekly round-up of clever party ideas from around the web.

Camille Styles - Reading this lifestyle blog is like reading a fabulously glossy magazine about a well-lived life. The team features recipes, beauty tutorials, and wellness tips, along with sneak peeks at amazing parties, and pulls off sponsored posts in a way that isn't cloying.

Still Being Molly - Molly posts about her life as a mom, her love of essential oils, tips on how to manage money, real-girl fashion and wardrobe picks that support good causes.

Allons-y Kimberly - Kimberly seems to be on a bit of a hiatus right now, but I hope she comes back soon! Her lifestyle blog was one of my inspirations to share more of my geeky side (I love her "Weekly Wonders" posts) and join in the #5FandomFriday fun.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still freaking out over:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, Nine-Thirty to Five, Putting Me Together, Un-Fancy, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Sacramento Street, Oana Befort, Sarah's Scribbles, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, Yes and Yes, My Life as a Teacup, The Perpetual Page-Turner, The Life of Bon, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Trash Is For Tossers, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, A Thoughtful Place, {Ella Claire}, The Lettered Cottage, Earnest Home Co.,  6th Street Design School, The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic, Dinner, A Love Story

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

my winter blog loves {three years of love!}

Three years ago, Ginger from Literally Inspired asked us to share our "blog-mances" - the blogs we were absolutely, head over heels, gotta-read-every-post obsessed with. I still love rounding up the impressive blogs that cover a range of of my favorite topics - art, lifestyle, home decor, cooking, DIY, reading - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP!  Here are five blogs I'm loving this month...

Putting Me Together

Putting Me Together - Apart from the style challenge that I'm currently way behind on, I love new mom Audrey's blog because she's all about staple pieces, and most of her outfits are totally affordable - for instance, she recently shared a look she copied from an Old Navy ad.  I can't tell you how many times I've been browsing Putting Me Together and thought, "I totally have everything to make this outfit in my closet!"

Un-Fancy

Un-Fancy - capsule wardrobes are a hot topic in the fashion blogging world right now, and Caroline's 37-piece wardrobe is streamlined and chic. Along with guest bloggers Jaana and Jacquelyn, she shares outfit ideas and shopping advice.

The Life of Bon

The Life of Bon - Bonnie is a secondary English teacher like me, so I loved her lifestyle blog pretty much automatically. She keeps it real about marriage, stress, teaching teenagers, and even has her own book club!

6th Street Design School

6th Street Design School - Interior designer Kirsten features bright, beautiful photos of her family's home and her work for clients, lovely homes from around the web, and a fun link round-up.

Sarah's Scribbles

Sarah's Scribbles - I discovered Sarah Andersen's cute webcomic when I saw this comic (which is so me!) posted on Tumblr, and now I'm hooked.  Sarah is 22 and many of her comics deal navigating adult life with anxiety.  I can so relate to her comics about going to bed on time and procrastination. I also love her adorable doodle about being a bookworm.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still freaking out over:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, Nine-Thirty to Five, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, Oana Befort, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, Yes and Yes, My Life as a Teacup, The Perpetual Page-Turner, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Trash Is For Tossers, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, A Thoughtful Place, {Ella Claire}, The Lettered Cottage, Earnest Home Co.,  The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic, Dinner, A Love Story

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

current blog loves

Every now and again here at Beyond the Aisle, I feel inspired to round up my "blog-mances" - a variety of awesome blogs that cover all of my favorite subjects - art, lifestyle, home decor, cooking, DIY, reading - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP!  Here are five blogs I'm loving this December...

Oana Befort

Oana Befort - Oana is a talented illustrator whose blog includes design freebies like pretty desktop wallpapers and printable holiday gift tags, along with her ongoing project to take photos of her (adorable) children every week for a year, lovely photos of life in Bucharest, Romania, and the occasional inspiration post.

Yes and Yes

Yes and Yes - Sarah Von is a world traveler who lives life on purpose, and I think that she has one of the most unique voices on the web.  It's like she scours the four corners of the Internet for the most unusual, but interesting content aimed toward a primarily young female audience.  The "Mornings In" series shows how women around the world greet the day and Mini Travel Guides give readers the inside scoop on destinations that are off the beaten path.  Her True Story features (like this interview with a professional ballerina), which cover all sorts of controversial, interesting, and quirky choices and lifestyles, are probably my favorite, but I also love the Network of Nice and Web Time Wasters.  Sarah has an app coming out in January - I really hope it will be available for Android because it looks awesome!

House of Earnest

House of Earnest - Erin Souder's lifestyle blog encompasses home decor, DIY (how pretty is this pillow inspired by Moroccan wedding blankets?), recipes, and party inspiration.  She also shares behind-the-scenes peeks as she runs her own business, Grandiflora.  My favorite feature is her Friday Favorites series- the posts always include something modern and stylish that will catch my eye!

Trash is for Tossers

Trash is for Tossers - I discovered this blog one day when I saw that several of my Facebook friends had shared a link to an article called something like, "She hasn't made any trash in two years.  Here's what her life is like."  Total clickbait, but I was really intrigued.  I spent the rest of that evening reading every single post on Lauren Singer's blog.  Her goal is to live a sustainable, Zero Waste life, and she chronicles that journey on TIFT.  Her posts include zero-waste alternatives to everyday items, supplies and recipes for cleaning and skincare, spotlights on companies that take a waste-free approach to producing their goods, and strategies for traveling waste-free.  I am so inspired by how Lauren lives in a way that truly reflects her values, and her blog has made me more likely to stop and think before buying plastic.  She's even launching her own company!

The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner - a haven for YA and adult book nerds, I discovered Jamie's blog through her post on being married to a non-reader.  Her reviews have a conversational tone and she often reflects on how the books she's reading relate to her own life.  I really enjoy her monthly round-up posts, which go beyond books to include recent obsessions, favorite blog posts from around the web, and great music.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still freaking out over:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, Nine-Thirty to Five, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, My Life as a Teacup, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, A Thoughtful Place, {Ella Claire},The Lettered Cottage,  The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic, Dinner, A Love Story

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

oh hey friday: my 5 recent blog loves.

Every season here at Beyond the Aisle, I like to share a handful of my "blog-mances" with my readers - charming blogs that cover all of my favorite subjects - lifestyle, fashion, cooking, organization - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP!

Nine-Thirty To Five

Nine-Thirty to Five - Sure, I love the fashion blogs that feature Chanel this and Coach that, tulle skirts with sweatshirts, and other creative takes on what fashion actually is, but what I really want to read are fashion blogs that show me outfits I can actually replicate on an everyday basis.  As cute as those tulle skirts might be, I can't wear them in the hallways of my school.  Paloma and Karen deliver with real-life, work-appropriate outfits that include budget-friendly options (think The Limited, LOFT, J. Crew Factory, and Forever21).  I'm constantly going, "Oh my gosh, I have a leopard print top/striped dress/green pencil skirt/whatever, but I've never thought of wearing it like that!"  I really love that these ladies aren't afraid to repeat items to show how they can be worn in different ways.

{Ella Claire}

{Ella Claire} - Kristen shares her lovingly decorated home, fun craft ideas like her signature vintage-inspired fall signs, and yummy seasonal recipes - the freezable breakfast bites are truly a thing of genius, people!  She's also one of the hostesses of the Inspiration Exchange link-up, which is always worth checking out.

The Lettered Cottage

The Lettered Cottage - Layla and Kevin's blog is very well known due to their DIY skills and work with HGTV.  Their modern take on cottage style is right up my alley - the little reading nook/guest room in their old house is still so inspiring to me.  My favorite features on the blog are Pick My Presto, in which Layla uses her mad Photoshop skills to show people the potential in rooms they want to makeover, and their Blog Threads project, which uses the proceeds from cool t-shirts to help families fund adoptions.

Dinner, A Love Story

Dinner, A Love Story - Reading Jenny Rosenstrach's blog is like having a conversation with your cool older sister who's got her act together.  There are so many tried-and-true recipes on this site, like the 10 fall favorites Jenny posted this week.  The what to cook tonight page is genius.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still loving:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, My Life as a Teacup, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, Home Stories A to Z, Teal and Lime, A Thoughtful Place, The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic.

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

my spring blog loves

blog loves - spring 2014

Every season here at Beyond the Aisle, I like to share a handful of my "blog-mances" with my readers - delightful blogs that cover all of my favorite subjects - lifestyle, fashion, cooking, organization - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP!

My Life as a Teacup

My Life as a Teacup - I'm pretty sure Kristin is a blogging soul mate - she's a teacher, reader, and loves Star Wars and Batman.  Regular features include Things I'm Loving Thursday, Link Love, and For the Love of a Linguaphile, which I think is one of the most creative ideas in the blog world.

A Thoughtful Place

A Thoughtful Place - Courtney has one of my favorite living rooms, give great decorating advice, shares her favorite shopping finds, and features a really cool idea where fellow bloggers share their fashion and home decor "shapshots."

The Recipe Critic

The Recipe Critic - Mom of two Alyssa's blog promises "tried and true recipes your family will love," and she does not disappoint!  Her recipes feature gorgeous pictures and easy to follow instructions, she features clever round-ups, and she hosts a weekly link party with even more great ideas.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still loving:  Cardigan Junkie, Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, Rosie Molinary, The Everygirl, Hip Hip Gin Gin, Fabulous K, Note to Self, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, The Fancy Shack, City Farmhouse, Home Stories A to Z, Teal and Lime, The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, Skinny Taste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean.

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?

my winter blog loves.

blog loves - winter 2014

Every season here at BTA, I feature a handful of my "blog-mances" - some that I just stumbled upon, some that I've been reading for ages.  This winter's featured blog loves cover a broad array of subjects - lifestyle, fashion, cooking, organization - and are definitely worth a look!

Oh Joy!

Oh Joy! - Joy Cho is a graphic designer and author whose blog is always full of colorful, creative ideas for home decor, fashion, food, entertaining, and travel.  Her daughter is also one of the cutest human beings on this planet.  I love the posts where she takes readers on trips to her favorite restaurants in Los Angeles.  And Joy recently shared some big news: Oh Joy! for Target will introduce four seasonal collections this year, starting March 16th with the Garden Party collection.

City Farmhouse

City Farmhouse - I describe my home and decorating style as "Country Townhouse," so is it any surprise that I love a blog that combines the same ideas?  Jen's blog is bursting with cozy, creative, family-friendly ideas for country modern style - DIY ideas (including Ikea and Anthropologie hacks), affordable decorating, recipes, seasonal entertaining, and the weekly Inspiration Exchange linky party.

Teal and Lime

Teal and Lime - Jackie's home decorating style is very colorful, cheerful, and modern, but most of the projects she shares could be adapted to fit any setting.  I've learned a lot from her about how to add dimension to my home decor.  She also shares useful ideas like how to store your craft supplies in plain sight and strategies to avoid spending money unnecessarily at home stores.

Shutterbean

Shutterbean - Tracy's tagline is "food, photography & pretty things" and her blog fits the bill.  Regular features include mouthwatering recipes (I know I'm not alone in being way more likely to attempt to cook something if the picture looks awesome), organizing advice, a Friday links round-up, and peeks at everyday life.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still loving:  Cardigan Junkie, Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, A Cup of Jo, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, Rosie Molinary, The Everygirl, Hip Hip Gin Gin, Fabulous K, Note to Self, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, The Fancy Shack, Home Stories A to Z, The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, Skinny Taste, How Sweet It Is.

What are your favorite blogs - the ones you can't miss reading

without serious signs of withdrawl?

falling for my blog loves.

blog loves - fall 2013

Every season here at BTA, I feature a handful of my "blog-mances" - some that I just stumbled upon, some that I've been reading for ages.  This fall's featured blog loves cover a broad array of subjects - lifestyle, fashion, cooking, organization - and are definitely worth a look!

Sacramento Street

Sacramento Street - Caitlin is a designer and stylist who posts a wide array of inspiring content, from themed round-ups she calls "Four Favorites" to weekly inspiration posts that give a peek into her fabulous life.  Her "Blooms in Season" posts are a mini course in flower arranging.  My favorite posts are her "Room Anatomy" series where she shares a styled room and how to recreate the look.

Southern Curls and Pearls

Southern Curls and Pearls - Caitlin has a personal style that I love - pretty much every outfit she combines features at least one piece that is fun and quirky, big chunky statement jewelry, and fun Southern touches like monograms.  She also holds some of the best giveaways I've seen on fashion blogs.

How Sweet It Is

How Sweet It Is - Jessica features seasonal recipes with a good mix of "healthy" ingredients and "comfort food" choices.  My favorite feature is "Currently Crushing On," where she rounds up awesome recipes from around the web.

Tidy Mom

Tidy Mom - Don't let the name fool you; you do not have to be a mom to appreciate this blog.  Cheryl features DIY and craft projects, recipes, and pretty desktop calendars for each month, as well as great cleaning tips.  Her I Spy Sunday round-ups feature standout organization and DIY projects from around the web.


Previously featured blog loves I'm still loving: Along the Lines of Style, Cardigan Junkie, Corilynn, A Cup of Jo, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Geninne's Art Blog, Rosie Molinary, The Everygirl, Hip Hip Gin Gin, Fabulous K, Matchbook, Note to Self, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, The Fancy Shack, Home Stories A to Z, The Vintage Housewife, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, Skinny Taste