You are my favorite. Keepin' it real and colorful always. You're fresh...others bloggers like stale bread. Do your thang.

F*ck yeah...I love everything about this! I love your Real Raleigh posts, but then I've loved most all of your posts lately, very real.

One or two of my favorite food blogs are now doing sponsored posts for things like fish sticks.

FISH STICKS.

Thanks, food blogger. I needed you to tell me how to use a box of frozen fish sticks.

Lumpish, indeed!

Keep being you.

I kind of feel the same way about the internet and blog content. I'm an eternal cynic and struggling for good content as well.

And I thought it was me that blog content had been getting blah...glad atleast ONE other person sees it. Even though I don't blog (I don't have enough dicepline for that), I do get inspiration for the jewelry I make, my fashion inspiration, fun and funky interiors that scream me, ink, all that jazz. Maybe it is just a lull before fall. I hope so, because some of that crap is boring. Perk up.

I'm with you. I don't have a blog, just a reader. I am so tired of reading five blogs that write about the same sponsored product in a week. SK-II, parachute sheets or some shit, frame bridge, etc. You are not in that category for me. Just keep doing you because whatever it is that you are doing is totally UNLIKE what anyone else seems to be doing. Good job. What should you post? I don't know, but I will like it when I see it, unless it is the same thing that I have read five times already that week. Good Luck. :)

Ugh, agreed. I DO have babies and I don't give a shit about anybody else's (sorry!). I'm so entirely sick of "influencers." One place I do find different is Man Repeller--they're really just doing their own thing.
I can't help since I don't know where to get inspired either--but you're not alone!

I feel the same. More Real Raleighs please. I'm with you.

I love FLINGS! More FLINGS, they give a great sample of what you are into and are authentic, which is hard to come by these days.

Do you follow animalsdoingthings on Insta? I feel you would enjoy that account.

Amen, and thanks.

Haller! Truth bomb. I used to follow so many blogs, but they're all either snooze fest or baby bombed anymore. I've pretty much whittled myself back down to the two originals I started with, you and MFAMB. Y'all are the OG's. You keep it real and I always look forward to your posts.

For real, right!?! I get the icks from all the sponsored posts, fashion garbage, consumerized super spendy disingenuous BS on blogs and IG lately. Here's to avoiding that noise like the clap. Give me messy progress shots, loosey-goosey updates on people's lives and homes. Give me unique finds and non-cookie-cutter rooms. Give me vintage finds you've been searching months for. As a bush-league blogger myself, that's what I like and try to post. There's still inspiration to be had on IG but not necessarily from the most popular accounts. As for this peach of a blog, keep up what you're doing!

The internet world is feeling a little stale, isn't it? Here are a few I still like: Cup of Jo, Man Repeller (agree with the comment above), Bitches Gotta Eat.

I like your more chatty posts, and the real Raleigh content is fun. Outfit inspo is nice. I like Flings. I'm less into the interiors roundups. Travel stuff is nice but, yes, I'll probably not be visiting most of the places. And if I do, I will have forgotten to revisit. All this to say, I like what you do here!

I feel you on the same old-same old content. I've always looked to you for truly original inspiration and have brought up this blog numerous times while talking to other creatives in our town. You've got that funk. I always enjoyed the Instagram Highlights you used to do of other followers, but maybe more out of the box... Visual artists? Statement fashion? Cultural textiles that aren't in everyone's home? Perhaps the rabbit hole it leads us all down could help us discover more originality. It's got to be out there hiding under social media algorithms.

Flings and design post, but actually all of it. Plus you keep it real on your blog and that is inspiring in itself. My blog reading has narrowed simply b/c I hate pop-up ads. I understand bloggers need to make money too but sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming. Love your stuff! Please

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! as a single woman in my late 30's your blog is the only blog I check on the regular!!!! Everything in your post spoke to me!!!! ( so many exclamation points!) I am looking for cool content that is accessible and outfit ideas that are not all from nordstromsl :)

i drink coffee too, fascinating that you do as well - hysterical. Best thing I have read in a long time.

I have some of the same feelings for sure... I come here for inspo (glad you are back blogging more) and I love Real Raleigh and I want to see more of your projects, your home, your employees homes, etc. I want to see "real living' not homogenous sponsored decor. I just started a "Bamboo Friday" on my blog a few weeks ago trying to post inspirational pics of something I really love - vintage bamboo. I like things like that, too. I was a little inspired by Aesthetic Oiseau because she does a Favorite Friday post. I love, love Amanda Louise Interiors IG and blog and Maura O. Endres IG feed. I find a lot of inspo on IG but when you want more details or a deeper look there need to be good blog posts. I love the Australian IGers and bloggers like Anna Spiro, Jane Spiro, melinda_boundy_designs, etc. So many people are trying to make a living on blogging and get sponsors and I'd love to be a full time blogger too but I just blog because I like to do it and share what I run across- I can't offer professional pics and big giveaways!. I've never been sponsored or mentionned by a "big blogger" I think some of the "less known" blogs I stumble across are good because they don't get paid! One of my favorite blogs has turned into a "I love this product blah blah blah" blog. Every week. If she wasn't in the town I live in I would probably rarely pull it up now. Maybe this is a blogging cycle and some of the less sponsored more individual bloggers will rise to the top! Hang in there!!

agreed on more Flings. You have good taste in tv and movies. and agreed feeling over blogs right now. A handful that I still look forward to reading including yours and also MFAMB - how freaking funny is she. I'm digging your travel pics too. I've been living vicariously in Aspen all summer through you.

One of my favorite blogs right now is Cote de Texas; her posts are well researched and informative and read like a really good magazine article (back when really good magazine articles existed). I also love Messy Messy Chic--I love historical photographs and images, and she opens windows into worlds I've never seen before. I want to read interesting copy and learn things I don't know about and see places and decor and people that are unfamiliar to me. I check into your blog regularly because I like your voice; you seem honest and blunt and I lurve your fashion sense. Do you read Women of a Certain Age? If you haven't already met, I feel like you and Kim would be friends. Just keep it real!

I would love to see more real Raleigh! But I'm basis, my boyfriend and I are considering moving to the area in late spring. We've been in Atlanta for three years and while it has its charm... were ready for a change. As for blogs these days- you hit the nail on the head. I do love the realness of Grace Bonney and Julia Turshen's insta stories and photos though. Grace wrote a great post recently on why her personal uniform finds itself in contrast to her pink and colorful interest aesthetic. Also Catherine from In the Fields. i want to live in her house.

I'm with you! FYI, I barely read any heavily, heck the moderately sponsored blogs now. I don't click on the blog. Most "full-time" bloggers are off my list these days. First subconsciously, then purposely. Guess that's how I've been spared recent the SK-11 and cleaning products you mentioned. However, I wasn't spared all the new mattresses during the past several months (even though I never bothered to read full post). I still love blogs, but I search out more of small, less "professional" ones.

Love your blog and all the things others have mentioned. Flings, travel, Real Raleigh. I hope you will share the changes you make at your boyfriends Aspen home!! Interested to see your spin on a mountain place.

I always like getting your opinions, whether it's in a Flings post or something open-ended like this. I also love the Real Raleigh posts. In general, I love interior design posts that deep dive into the decision making process. I'd definitely be into reading design posts like that from you.

Agree that the blogging world feels a bit uninspired lately. I don't always hate sponsored posts (I'm cool with people getting paid for their work), but so often it's poorly done and feels awkward and insincere. I'm also over the defensiveness that often comes with the sponsored posts. Product round-ups are my biggest pet peeve though--especially if they're from one store. It just feels entirely uncreative. Pick a "cool" store (Anthro, West Elm, CB2, Nordstrom, Shopbop, etc. etc.) and post a bunch of pictures of products from their website? Why is that a thing? Half the time they haven't even seen the products in person to say whether they're any good anyway. I feel like I've vented about this too much--possibly on this very blog... ;)

I agree - blogging is too much about money now. If your post is nothing but a string of affiliate links I'm over it. I do love deep dives into interesting history about a place or person- Messy Nessy is great. Also legit share your life bloggers that post their real, not perfect lives. Carolina Charm comes to mind locally, and I don't even like mom & kids blogs as a general rule. Much like it did with weddings, the internet has homogenized so much of our personal style both in fashion and decor. I think now you almost have to be a historian, digging up something new from pre-internet or at least pre-Insta days to inspire the next wave.

One of my favorite posts you ever did was on how to mix and match dining tables and chairs. You found tables and chairs available on the internet and created five different Furbish-inspired looks for dining rooms. I love that post because you created the ground work for different room ideas but left space for the reader to to create something unique too....like a launch pad or an inspirational leg up for creativity.

I totally get you. Thanks for the NYT article. Story of my life.
Always love your posts!

Not sure how I've been spared some of that sponsoring, since I read about 15 blogs, but I have not noticed. I HAVE however noticed the off the shoulder top and bon bon situations, (and even fell for it, which is sad since I'm not 30), and the GIGANTIC WHITE SUNNIES WITH BOATER HATS AND TURBANS situations as well..... I love your blog and when you get to writing, I like to read what you say, since not many are saying much.....and instagram is just copycat city. My faves from you are Flings, trips and I always love the SCHNAUZIES.... I like blogs that have pretty pics of things you could actually afford, mixed with something to say. Hard to find. When I get my blog up, you can counsel me. Love you girl.

love the real raleighs.

Love what you're saying here!! So true!!
-Gabby
www.oruttfamilydentistry.com

Real Raleigh is my favorite! I always check for new ones.

Amen. I love all of your posts, especially Real Raleigh, Flings and Closet Cravings!

I've been with you since you printed t-shirts!

I LOVE the Real Raleigh and Flings the most but really and truly enjoy everything you post. Keep up the good work (and by good work I mean staying true to you!).

I live in a small northern Arizona town where the interior design is generally Midcentury Hipster Modern for the youngs and Rustic Ranch for the olds. I use the internet to reach out for inspiration beyond the Quirky California Blinding White Room that seems very popular on pinterest/instagram and other sites ... but I have trouble finding it. I want to be inspired. I want ideas that help me meld my environment to my more Global Neon-Trad taste (I grew up in Raleigh.) But I also want something new. Something interesting. Something that gives me back my creative energy. It's often a struggle as so much of the editorial content out there is canned, rehashed, and just too trendy. Thank god color and maximalism is edging back in ...

It seems likely that you already read/follow these gals but I love My Favorite and My Best and the IG drinkingwithchickens.... which is pretty much all cocktail recipes but also great for outdoor living//barware inspiration :)

They're rarely (never?) #sponsored and so very entertaining!

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I never know how to make a comment go through?? So sorry if I posted already but @drinkingwithchickens on IG and myfavoriteandmybest = FAVES

I'm with you on the blah blogs. I was hoping after summer it would improve? Yours is one of my favorite blogs. Love the Real Raleigh and really all of it. I always skip other blogs sponsored posts and babies but I thought maybe that was just me....

Yes x 1000.

I have been feeling this EXACT same way lately. The Real Raleigh is brilliant! I plan to look outward and travel more for inspo. Your blog is still one of my favorites, just keep doing what you do! xx

I started reading your blog when House Beautiful linked to your "Bookcase of the Day" it was years ago. Maybe you have run out of them? I feel things are lacking lately. I miss the feels from blogs. MFAMB is my other favorite and has already been mentioned.

This will be my first comment on a blog... EVER. That should be an indication of my voyeuristic nature in the blog world. But this really spoke to me. Discovering and uncovering creative things and people was addicting and I too feel like the greats (with the exception of a few- wink) have all vamoosed, sold out to ads, or life changes place them into things I am not as interested in. Keep it up with the style, ART, and travel. You have a real community around you and we addicts appreciate the hit.