What's in a PIN?

In the past few months, nice ladies from Texas and Michigan have written on their blogs about "pinning" -- Pinterest.  I've decided to weigh in on the subject because I'm not sure they gave you the whole truth -- the plain, unvarnished, "can we talk" truth about this pinning-thing.  

If your New Year's Resolutions for 2012 have led you to take a Vow of Nicety, then I'll bid you good day and I'll hope to see you soon.  But if you're in a mood to release a tiny bit of your inner snarkiness, read on.  

Pinterest is a lot of fun.  As a quilter, you can be inspired and left speechless.

From the Quilts board of Rocky Colavito. 

From quilts to fabric, embroidery projects to crochet -- which, by the way, is hugely popular judging by the number of crochet-related pins and boards -- if somebody on the Internet makes [fill in the blank] and posts a picture of that [fill in the blank] somewhere/anywhere online, it's going to wind up on Pinterest. 

Quotes!  Everybody loves them and they're easily found and in many different forms.  

From the Words for Camp Sloanie board by Pat Sloan.  Artwork from The Wheatfield by Katie Daisy - on Etsy.

By the way, some of the best quotes aren't necessarily inspirational... though I might still deem this one motivational.

Searching for "sassy quotes" boards can be an enjoyable pasttime, especially if you've had one of "those" days.  

Do you like to cook and save recipes?  It's almost like Food Gawker -- a one-stop "shop" for recipes and food blogs.  

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes.  

Ironically, it seems as though some of the best food-related boards are done by people who also pin lots and lots of workout pictures. 

I also think that a lot of people pin pictures of food that looks good without ever reading the recipe.  I want to read the recipe before I pin something -- and on a couple of occasions, I've deleted pins for things I actually made that tasted awful.  Some things look fabulous but if you read that the cupcakes pictured above were made with rice flour, carob and tofu, would you save the recipe?  (Don't worry, they're made with the real stuff, the good stuff.)  

If you're looking for direction and inspiration for your home -- more importantly, for your maybe-someday dream studio, then sit down, get a cup of coffee and get ready to call a contractor.  

And maybe you should turn off the phone because "eye candy" is meant to be enjoyed.  Slowly.      

From Dream Studio by Melissa.  Photo of studio from/by Kelly Lautenbach.

The same is true if you like to shop for make-up / shoes / handbags / clothes / jewelry / accessories.  

That's the upside.  But has anyone mentioned that Pinterest can also be a giant, gaping black hole of time spent doing not a whole lot?  You think you're going to spend 15 minutes... okay, maybe 30.  It will be fun, you'll scout out some recipes... get a little inspiration... maybe even find something cool and wonderful.  Two hours later you've pinned nothing but you've bookmarked twenty-three craft projects, printed out sixteen recipes -- not one of which can you make because you're lacking important ingredients -- spent $150.00 on Etsy and checked flights to Prague, Santorini and Beijing on Kayak.  Or maybe that's just me.

At its best, Pinterest is a giant magazine that you can customize to contain just the things you like.  And the things your friends like.  And the things that total strangers like -- total strangers with really cool taste.  

It is the biggest, best, coolest bulletin board you never knew you always wanted.  And it's filled with great recipes, awesome blogs and more nifty ideas than you have time to process, let alone actually do.

At its worst... it is a business and people use it to advertise, sometimes to advertise themselves.  While most everybody gets into it to create "personal pin boards" of stuff they like, there is no question that it is also a growing part of social media -- the promotional part of it.  Many designers -- interior, lifestyle, personal style -- with blogs as their business, or part of their business are on Pinterest, and much of what they pin comes from their own blog and/or business.  If you click a picture to get more information about a product, you'll find yourself on their blog where you were just tallied as a hit for their traffic numbers, thereby increasing their advertising revenue and so on.  Some are good about linking the picture back to the specific post with the information you were trying to find but many just link back to the main blog address, meaning that you have to go hunting for whatever it was you wanted to find.

But again, if they show a product that you're looking for, you'll be able to find it.  And that's always a good thing.   

But be warned, it can get a little competitive.  I'm not saying that there's a contest to see who has the most pins, boards or followers, or to see who has the best board names -- though really, Monica wins that one in Secretariat-like fashion -- I mean something else entirely.  I think I could be involved in an altercation should I ever manage to find one of these... 

Pretty cool, huh?  I re-pinned this from someone/somewhere and added my own tag, and then when it was repinned by someone else, they wrote that I would have to fight them for it.  Yikes!  I'm a little worried because Rocky has a bat.  

Just so you know, vintage sewing machines are big on Pinterest... actually, vintage anything is big.  Huge.      

A nice lady in Florida pinned this picture of a vintage Rolex today and I can honestly say that I would fight her for it.  Then again, she does know someone whose got a bat...

So in the almost-a-year that I've been on Pinterest, I'm still not a very prolific pinner.  But I am being inspired by what I see though I do seem to keep getting side-tracked into reading recipes and the instructions for craft and do-it-yourself projects.  And I seem to wind up on Etsy a lot.  But its been fun and I'm really looking forward to my wool arriving.

Since I saw this on Tara's Wool board, do you think I can send her the bill?

P.S.  I didn't buy this exact bundle of wool.  It sold back in December.  I bought something else... but I think I'm still going to blame it on Tara.  

 

Comments

[Tara]

Well, you can send the wool bill - but I might not pay it! LOL - just kidding' what are friends for!

[Auntie Pami]

It is addicting. I still have a couple of real boards that I use. I've always had them. They are messy, but fun.

[Archie the wonder dog]

What a great post! I'm a new pinner and so haven't noticed the commercial side of it but I'll be keeping an eye out...and so far, touch wood, I haven't ended up on Etsy once! Or at the travel agent!

[Monica]

I have been known to spend hours surfing and pinning myself...one giant eye-gasm after another. Damn you Pinterest!

*shaking fists up at the sky*

[Shelley dionne]

Okay Carrie, now you've become an enabler! LOL! I've been doing my very best NOT to go anywhere near Pinterest, then you post that huge green cupboard, that gorgeous wool, the killer cupcakes and now I'm addicted :) When the bills come in, I send hubby to your blog lol! Have a great day and loved this post!

[pam]

My first few days on pinterest cost me about $100.. now I try and pace myself. It leaves me all wanty and envious. But inspired. And demoralized and entertained. And whatever else. Love seeing stuff people pin, don't care as much about pinning. But I love the sneak peak into peoples brains. What they select etc. If you admire people you can see what inspires them and how it plays into their creative endevors. So it's a little like spying. And I really like spying. And the red polka dot watch I got.

[Nancy]

Hi Carrie, I tried to post a comment earlier and it said it posted but it doesn't show. I'm afraid to try to post it again because my internet server (or so they call themselves) has gone haywire and it was very long and I left a comment on one other blog and it posted 3 or 4 times *UGH*. I just suffice to say, I don't do Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or any of those other fun sites the eat up my quilting time. I know myself and I will sit at this silly thing all day when I could be creating instead. Hugs...

[kelly]

I'm wasting time, scrolling through Google reader... when what to my wandering eyse should appear? A picture of my fabric storage in my studio. :) Thanks for brightening my day. I adore Pinterest... almost as much as google reader. ;)

[Bev]

Love pinterest, can't get enough

[Susan]

I can't remember who led me to Pinterest in the first place but it didn't take long to become a junkie. Who woulda thunk a giant bulletin board would have this kind of effect? Is there a 12 step program for this problem? ha ha.....

[Megan]

Gah, some of the nastiest recipes I've made the past few months have come from my Pinterest boards and have promptly been deleted from said boards, BUT I've learned my lesson - if I see it on Pinterest, I can probably find a legit recipe that's pretty similar in one of my own cookbooks. THOSE recipes have been wins. So I guess Pinterest is indirectly responsible for the wins, too ;)

[Elizabeth E.]

My daughter is a huge Pinterest fan and even sent me an invite, but my blogs eat up enough of my time, so I have decided to curb that potentially addictive habit before it starts. But--I do sometimes feel like I'm missing out on another way to be involved in What's Out There. I do like what one of your commenters said: that it caused her to be "wanty and envious." There's enough of that going around without my adding more of that particular thing to my life.

But I'm glad you showed us that fun sewing machine, and watch, and cupboard, and . . . (you see how it goes?)

[ina]

lol, Miss Rosie, you weren't snarky at all. Really. You weren't. However, that Karma/slap quote was snarky and I'm going to remember that one for sure! ;p

I refuse to participate in pinterest for the exact reasons you listed. I already spend way too much time reading a dozen or so blogs. ;p

Etsy? Sorry, that quick-sand swamp swallowed me up 3 years ago. I find the most AWESOME things to buy there! Sign up for the daily newsletter and you'll need a bat to break yourself away from the cool places the newsletter suggests you visit. (read: buy) ;p

thanks for the good laugh Miss Rosie and you are NOT snarky! You're funny.

[linda]

I joined Pinterest, believing if I joined, there would be more to see than I could see on my first visit to the site. The only thing joining got me was a bunch of followers, who, I'm afraid, would be sorely disappointed as uploading pictures is one of the things I hate the most. I deleted my account. I can still see everything without joining. Yes, there is some wonderful inspiration, but I didn't really find the need to hang around too long! ;D

[Mdm Samm]

OMG 1st where is your board>????? Seriously Carrie, I avoided it like a very bad cold...I had every excuse to not go there...and then we did the Ghastlies..and I needed a place to put all the great creations....and then nothing...AT Christmas I took a peak...welllllllll I have nearly well let's just say a lot of people came over and took my pins, sew I had to find new ones, and I do look at the recipes, tried some, some I just changed, don't be fooled by those insane pics...lol Now I am pretty disciplined. I work out with it...I get on my equipment and I pin and glance and before I know it 1 hour is gone...sew it keeps me healthy, I don't mind working out..even find some days I want to work out for 2 hours...xxx we can talk again..thanks sew much for always bringing me a smile..I have to go pin something xx

[Michele]

This was a super post! I can only look at Pinterest every few days or it sucks up too much of my time. Just a few more minutes....... I don't have my own board? Is that what you call it? I just wouldn't get anything else done!!

[Mindy]

Heaven and Miss Rosie, please help me!!! I have three of your books Carrie and I can only imagine the heaven that is your scrap heap :), I have found trying to find springy, toile rose filled pastel fabric a lesson in frustration! The closet I have come up with is Mary Wood Wild Rose collection. So for my piece of mind, would you please tell us from whence does your fabric grow or it's time to branch out Carrie and design your fabbie line! Yes and please do include your pinterest account as my boards seem oddly filled with your books and potential (not quite right) fabrics.

Said with manic humor - 12 hours and counting trying to find fabric! You've been PINNED!: http://pinterest.com/jollyjokerpansy/a-touch-of-rosie-quilt-carrie-l-nelson/

A new and |gosh darn it where does she gets those lovelies| fan!