I imagine most of you internet-savvy folk have heard of the DIY blog Young House Love. If you haven't, I suggest you come out from whatever rock you're hiding under and
a.) Add them immediately to your Google reader and
b.) Start from the beginning and catch up on their hundreds of awesome blog posts about how this young couple completely renovated two old houses into masterful things of beauty. Seriously. The before/after photos are the stuff Bob Vila weeps about.
I have been stalking/ following them for some time, wistfully dreaming of the day when I don't live in a second story apartment with off-white textured walls, when I have a house of my own to fix up all pretty-like. But until that happens, I just live vicariously through John and Sherry Petersik, two budget-conscious DIYers crafting their way through each room of their house.
If you stalk/follow Young House Love like I do, you'd know they just came out with a book in November filled with 243 crafty wonderful ways to spruce up your home. And even better - the Petersiks are currently on a tour to promote said book, and lo and behold, one of their stops was lovely little Portland.
So what was I to do but join my friend Elizabeth downtown on Saturday, book in hand, to meet the two bloggers I have been idolizing for some time. Us and 500 other Portlanders, apparently. It was quite the crowd to welcome John and Sherry, and a little surreal to see them in person. Like, they live in pictures behind my computer screen, but they're actually people? Weeeird. And believe it or not, they're very cool people. Very upbeat and bubbly and funny. And thoroughly sweet and gracious to each person in line, though they must sign books for hours in each state they visit, so I don't quite know how they manage to juggle all that and keep blogging. Super hero powers?
At any rate, if you haven't picked up a copy of their book yet, you should totally do that. It's only $25 and it's full of fun, colorful, easy ideas to make your house a home. Or in my case, to make my apartment slightly-more-colorful-and-upbeat.
