I Love You Because…or my ode to Pinterest.

I seem to have developed a small addiction to Pinterest over the past couple of months.  The food pics and recipes alone are enough to keep me hooked.  The family is alternately excited and terrified when I announce that the dinner we’re having is compliments of some random blogger that was  recently pinned by some random pinner.  Our hands-down favorite recipe so far is our bastardized version of lasagna cupcakes, while these ham & cheese sliders are a close second.

I’ve also found amazing craft ideas and dutifully pinned them to my own board because someday I will do these things.  At least that’s what I keep telling myself.  The truest quote I’ve seen so far about Pinterest was something about it being a place for people to go to and pretend they’re creative.  (I can’t believe I didn’t pin this when I saw it…now that I need it, I can’t find it back.  Clearly, I’m still a bit of a Pinterest novice.)  After seeing this pin for the first time, I vowed that I would not just mindlessly peruse and pin…I would actually do something with all of this great knowledge.  This happened to be on New Year’s Day so of course “make things I see on Pinterest…besides great recipes” made it onto my New Year’s resolution list.  Along with “post to blog every month”.   So on this last day of January, as I scramble to not fail in my resolutions in the first month of the year, I’ve made something and blogged about it.  Two birds…one stone…

Inspired by this pin, I created a family “I Love You Because…” board to use during the month of February.

It’s made with a cheap Ikea frame, sparkly scrapbook paper (that I have because someday I will scrapbook), and cardstock.  All of this artistic beauty is preserved behind a layer of glass (from the cheap frame…duh…) which acts as a dry erase board!   I haven’t quite worked out all of the details yet…after all…it’s still only January.  I have a whole day before I need to introduce this to the family.  The theory is that any time the board is blank, any family member is welcome to post an “I love you because….” note to anyone else in the family.  While everyone is welcome to write…only mom and dad can erase.  This ensures that any message written is seen, appreciated, and acknowledged before another one can go up.  Here is an example of what the kids will see when they wake up tomorrow morning…

Of course, this is going to be a meaningful, touching, thought provoking addition to our day.  It will not erupt into fights over who is “hogging the board”.  I will not lose my cool when the dry erase marker disappears for the hundredth time.  No one will dare to cross out the heart and write an “I don’t love you because…” message when they’re angry.  This won’t fall off of the refrigerator every time someone slams the door.  And I won’t freak out and throw the whole thing away when the glass breaks after one too many falls.  Really.  None of this will happen.  I promise.

Bring on February…we’re ready to share the love!

(Note to self…replace glass with plexiglass ASAP!)