Sometimes being an author is hard. One of the main reasons it’s hard is that you don’t always see the result of your hard work. I can work on a book several months, then watch it be shepherded through the editorial process for a year, then finally hold it in my hands. However, I usually don’t know how much the book has sold until a year later.

So the other night I was talking to my hubby, who often doubles quite well as my counselor. He could tell I was ruminating and frustrated about career things. So he sat by me and asked me to spill. (This is very brave of him because I’m very adept at verbally spilling.)

I gushed it all, finally landing on the topic of home decorating. (I promise this will make sense. Hang with me.) I’ve been thinking of affordable ways to nest in our home of almost five years. I did a flurry of decorating as we moved in, but then everything stalled as life happened. Plus we didn’t have the funds to run around decorating. But lately I decided that decorating is something I love, so I’ve been dreaming.

Finally I said, “What I love about decorating is that you can finish something and see the tangible result of your work.”

Zing ding ding.

Suddenly I knew why my mind traveled to painting furniture, making concrete countertops, and rearranging furniture. Once you do any of those things, you can see the result.

I wish my life were more like decorating, to be honest. But I have to live in the tension of this life, where intangibles often invade the tangibles. In the meantime, I’ll keep dreaming and reading my absolute favorite design blogs. I wish I could thank each of these ladies. They have no idea that I stalk them and drool over their talent and artistic vision.

My gift to you: My fave design blogs.

• A Well Dressed Home. (She lives in Dallas!)
• Bohemian Hellhole. This is my dear sister’s blog. I adore it.
• Emily A. Clark. She rocks it!
• Holly Mathis Interiors. I love her design aesthetic.
• Miss Mustard Seed. She has changed my view about painted furniture. Poor hubby won’t know what hit all our wood furniture!
• The Nesting Place. Her tagline says it all. “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.”
• Pure Style Home. I love the clean lines of her site and her many ideas.
• The Inspired room. I’ve found some great ideas here.
• Dear Lillie. She inspires me to take better photos (among other things.) Wow.
• HGTV Design Happens. There are some really cool, new, innovative posts here.
• Our Fifth House. Great suggestions for the average homeowner.
• Perfectly Imperfect. I love the look of this blog. Great pictures too.
• The Casabella Project. Another beautiful blog with great ideas.
• Positively Splendid. I appreciate the ideas she shares. Attainable too.
• The Lettered Cottage. I have a crush on this blog!
• The Polished Pebble. Another beautiful blog, really clean lines. Love the drawings.
• The Pleated Poppy. This appeals to my inner seamstress, and her header is amazing.
• Imperfectly Polished. I’m ending on my favorite. They have a tutorial about painting cabinets and creating concrete countertops that even hubby has enjoyed! Fun for men and women!