Blogs I Love: The Pioneer Woman

I've been blogging for over ten years now. It feels like an enormous thing to have accomplished - especially given that I'm sticking to it as my longest ever Work In Progress! I only set out to document my work and designs; when you spend all day creating, time becomes 'relative' and it's nice to have a journal to access as the years roll by. The early years were less organised than my posts today, but being online is a learning experience and I'm still learning what it means to be online - even now.

When I started blogging, there weren't many quilt blogs around and over the years, many have fallen away or become inactive. This is such a shame as really nothing compares to the 'unedited' voice of creating and managing your own blog. One of the first blogs I followed when I set out on my own journey online was 'The Pioneer Woman' by Ree Drummond and I've been reading it for well over 10 years now. I found it completely by accident - via links from one blog that led to another blog and finally ended up at her ranch. Boy am I glad those winding links led me there. 

This might sound strange, but when I see Ree on a magazine cover or on the TV, she feels so familiar, it's like recognizing a friend. I suppose that's the power of the internet and blogging. It's hard to read someone for so long and not feel connected to them in some way - even though I've never been to Oklahoma or met her in person. This might explain why I'm so thrilled with her homewares range, it's like congratulating a friend on their success, you feel so happy for them and that happiness is contagious. 

And here's the weird thing: the items in the range are exactly the kind of thing I would have designed, I just love them so much. My DDs and I have been creating a wishlist of items we simply MUST HAVE but it's a futile enterprise, I just want to back up the truck and take two of everything. Sigh. How can I even decide?

About 20 years ago, I actually 'folk painted' our rice cooker, which is the nearest I have come to finding the kind of home and kitchen ware I want - boy am I tired of white and metal finishes! This just steals my heart. If it wasn't for the electrical differences between the US / EU and AU, I'd already own this. 

and this..

but I'll just focus on what I can have, like this

and who doesn't need these?

And I just love that Barbie have created a Ree doll in her own kitchen; can it get any cuter than this? If Barbie made a Quilter playset, they'd have to bury the doll under layers of fabric swatches to make it lifelike; and scatter the toolkit randomly. It could be a kind of treasure hunt to find the rotary cutter, matt, ruler and threads. Ha! The idea really appeals. 
This post is not paid or endorsed or requested. I have no connection to the Pioneer Woman, she doesn't even know who I am. I'm simply posting my love and happiness at another blogger's success and fawning over her knockout homeware collection.

You can visit the Pioneer Woman here
You can visit her recipe posting site her (you can be sure I do!)

I'd love to know, who's your favourite blogger? What blogs do you LOVE to visit?