These are a few of my favorite things...

I know this post won't generate nearly as much excitement as when Oprah does her Favorite Things show. I am not giving away cars. People won't pass out or get free piles of stuff. Nobody will become a bestselling author if I endorse her book on here. But there are a few things - blogs, in particular - that make me happy lately, and I want to make a list.

I used to make a Gratitude List every day; I would list at least five things for which I was grateful on that day. It really helped me through some dark times, and the simple exercise of writing down something positive really seemed to lift my spirits. I'm not necessarily doing this for that reason, but it can't hurt. Here, in no particular order, are my picks for Favorite Five Friday (theme: BLOGS):

1. Honeyscrap Crafts. Ever since I found this blog a couple of weeks ago, I check it every day. I don't just check it; I look forward to snuggling into bed, slathered in Vicks (ah, memories of my Gramma), and cozying up to this blog. I started reading it for the crafts (which are awesome - inexpensive, well-made, and well-explained) and ended up reading further for so much more. Plus, it's literally well-written. I don't mean to sound like a total grammar snob, but I am an English teacher, so it is important to me that the stuff I read not be so full of errors that it's distracting. Honeyscrap Crafts is good stuff.

2.

I love Sparkle Power! for many of the same reasons I like Honeyscrap Crafts. Just read Sparkle Power! and you'll see what I mean. I think it's honest and simple and forthright. I love that.

3.

MADE is the kind of craft blog to which we all aspire: incredible photography, great writing, and awesome projects. It makes me want to be a better craftsperson. Plus, Dana is funny and sincere, and I never feel like she's pretending to be someone she's not. She's the Real Deal.

4. New Dress A Day. The concept is amazing: the author refashioned a different dress every day for 365 days (only spending $365!), much in the same fashion that Julie cooked every recipe from Julia Childs' cookbook in Julie & Julia. The 365 days are over, but she is still going strong, and I can't wait to see where else this blog goes. Her dedication is amazing. Every day for 365 days she refashioned, photographed, detailed, and wrote about a garment she refashioned. She offers tutorials and instructions for a huge number of them. It puts part-time crafters to shame.

5. Crafterhours. The projects are great, but the writing is so sharp and funny that it's the real reason I read it. The fact that she's often writing about sewing is just an added bonus.

There's my Must List. That's how I spend most of my time on the Interwebs, looking at something from one of these blogs (or something they've linked to). Now if you'll excuse me, there's a tub of Vapo Rub upstairs with my name on it, and it's calling to me.