Here are FIVE of my favorite posts from the past week. Each week I will be highlighting some of my favorites. I have many blogs in my reader, as I have many friends with all different types of “niches” or “non-niches”. I will post serious stories, fun stories, pictures, recipes, etc. They will most likely be in a random order.

1. Just a Girl: Painting Furniture

She shares some great tips on how to she preps and paints furniture. I have some furniture I need to paint soon. I’m keeping this post bookmarked!

2. Scary Mommy-Building Your Blog Audience with Social Media

How Jill uses different forms of social media to promote her blog, and how YOU can too!

3. Busy Dad-Neither I, Nor Beef, Will Ever Be The Same

Seriously, Busy Dad makes the best videos. I am amazed with the things he comes up with. This particular post is about BEEF. If you are a vegetarian, don’t watch unless you have humor.

4. The Nester-Using Chalkboard in Your Home

The Nester talks about several ways that you can use chalkboards in your home.  They are not just for school kids.  She also provides a link-up for other people whom have used chalkboards in their homes.  Go and check out all of these great projects.

5.  MomDot-Top 100 Mom Blogs of 2009

Trisha is a little late with her list this year. But, I’m ok with that. Because I’m on the list.  I’m not going to tell you where though. You will just have to find me among the other 99 blogs listed.

Here are FIVE of my favorite posts from the past week. Each week I will be highlighting some of my favorites. I have many blogs in my reader, as I have many friends with all different types of “niches” or “non-niches”. I will post serious stories, fun stories, pictures, recipes, etc. They will most likely be in a random order.

1. This Mama Makes Stuff-The Slim Slack

Carrie re-fashions a pair of men’s slacks into boy’s slim slacks.

2.  Livin’ The Simple Life-Folding Shelf Drying Racks

We’ve been looking for a way to get rid of our rolling rack in our garage. This is simple project which will eliminate the bulk of a bigger drying rack.  It’s also very inexpensive.

3.  Well, That’s Just Fabulous-Starting Over, This is going to be a long one

Danielle talks about picking up and moving to Chicago from Los Angeles all by herself. She has had some bumps along the way, but she’s planting down her feet.

4.  The Unexperienced Mom-Finding a Blogging Mentor

I met Tamara at Blissdom. She’s a realist like me.  She talks about finding someone to connect with during/through your blogging journey.  She is also launching a new website for blog conference newbies.

5.  Living with Lindsay-Real People Don’t Live in Magazine Spreads

Lindsay, a real life friend of mine, talks about getting ideas from design magazines and websites. But no matter what, your home is fine just the way that it is, and you never see people living in those magazines.

Here are FIVE of my favorite posts from the past week. Each week I will be highlighting some of my favorites. I have many blogs in my reader, as I have many friends with all different types of “niches” or “non-niches”. I will post serious stories, fun stories, pictures, recipes, etc. They will most likely be in a random order.

1.  Violence Unsilenced-Tanis

A post about domestic violence, child abuse, addiction, and adoption.

2.  Hostess with the Mostess-Fairy Sweet Birthday Party

What little girl wouldn’t want a fairy party? This party was all planned by the little girl’s mother.  With decorations, a toadstool cake, fairy wings, and pixie sticks. The photography makes everything pop and so memorable.

3.  Ciaran Blumenfeld-Advocates, Enthusiasts, and Advertising: Bloggers on the Brandwagon

Ciaran talks about bloggers and promoting brands. Did you do a post because you just *liked” the product, was a it a review, or were you paid to post. She outlines the distinctions.

4.  Scary Mommy-ChatRolulette-A Warning to Parents

Jill from Scary Mommy talks about a new website started by a 17-year old in Russia. This site accesses your webcam and projects you face-to-face with the world.  What a perfect place for a pedophile to hide out in.

5.  Coco’s Cuckoo World-Building Self Esteem. One kid at a time

Her kiddos Bram and Tess are always showing off fashion in their house. Courtney is always posting some HILARIOUS photos of them. A great post to make you smile.

I’m going to try and highlight my favorite posts of the week, every Saturday.  I usually put a *star* next to my favorites in my Google Reader.  I re-read them and comment later, I forward them to friends, and I even post them on my Facebook Fan Page.  I know that as a blogger, there is so much to learn from other bloggers.

So here they are, my favorites for the week of 02.07.10-02.13.10:

1.  Dadvatar-Busy Dad Blog

Jim’s tale of attending the Blissdom Conference as the only male blogger. He compares it to the popular movie, Avatar.  With whitty content, and great pictures to go along.

2.  Heart Shaped Ice Cream Sandwiches-No Biggie

What a delicious and cute Valentine’s Day treat. So simple. Brownies, ice cream, and a cookie cutter.  Yum. It makes me hungry just typing this out.

3.  Connecting with your Community of Readers-Tip Junkie

Laurie from Tip Junkie did a presentation at Blissdom about Community and Blogging.  She talks about networking, and creating a community for your blog. This is the first of a series.

4.  A Happy Home for Hotel Toiletries-This Mama Makes Stuff

Carrie talks about donating those sample size bottles of lotion and shampoo that you bring home to homeless and women’s shelters. I mean really, do you use theses? I know that I sometimes use them at the Hotel, but when I get home, they never get used and go to waste.

5.  Wanna Be J. Crew Ruffle Shirt Tutorial-Her Southern Charm

All you need is a plain t-shirt, an old knit shirt, rotary cutters, a self-healing mat, matching thread, and a sewing machine. You can make this design with these simple instructions, and you can save yourself from spending $50.

It is ironic that the week before Valentine’s Day, that I’m so full of love.

I’m in love with blogging.

I’m in love with meeting other bloggers.

I’m in love with blog conferences.

I’m in love with learning from others.

I’m in love with photography.

I’m in love with the Internet.

I’m in love with my family who supports me and my blog.

I’m in love with Orange County, CA, as it doesn’t snow here and I was able to return safely.

As I sit on my Macbook (love) and my iPhone, I see the traffic and the new subscribers.  I see the tweets and pictures.  I’m so filled with love from my former and new friends that I’ve connected with over the past weekend.  This was my second blogging conference in my little blogging life.  I’ve been doing this for two and a half years now.  It is amazing how much I’ve accomplished in the past year, really.

I started my journey on a plane ride.  What a coincidence that I ran into Jim, at the airport.  Jim and I have a shared love of  Monster Trucks and all things Star Wars.  I was already nervous about flying. Perhaps, I may have taken a Xanax.  I was able to chat the entire way without thinking about the bumps along the way.  We met up with Tanis at the airport and I got one of my first giggles for the weekend, her sparkle stick aka her cane.  Tanis recently had surgery, but made the trek all the way from Canada to come and speak this weekend.  We hopped into a cab with some great gals, Brittany and Liz, from  Fleishman-Hillard whom were here for the Tastemakers Potato Challenge.

We arrived at the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, which was huge.  I was overwhelmed.  I went on the hunt for my roommate, Shannon.  I didn’t realize that the hotel was so big, and that she would be on the far end of this huge monstrosity. I was literally sweating by the time I finally reached the room.  I did not think about sweating in Nashville, because the weather outside varied from 30-40 degrees. I was able to collect myself and meet some old and new friends for dinner.

Laurie from Tip Junkie, Tiffany from SITS Girls, and Sugar from Sugar in the Raw

Look at me, surrounded by beautiful, talented and intelligent women, and one man, Busy Dad.  Each of us has our own skills and talents. How amazing that we were able to all connect through this conference, over a few days, to make things happen for the next few years.

This is why I blog.

This is why I flew across the country to Nashville.

This is why I’m not Angry.

This is why I will go again next year.

Stay tuned for more details about Blissdom in the next few days.  Now, I just need to edit my photos, edit my videos, and think of more fabulous things to stay.  I just couldn’t get enough.  As my friends, Lindsay and Shannon said, “Where is Julie? Julie is with a different group of people every time we see here.” That’s me.  The Ambassador of randomness and friendship, who’s not so Angry in person.

P.S. I wasn’t being snarky at all in this post.  I was speaking the truth.  I will add this to the list of the best experiences in my adult life.  It ranks up there with the firearms safety class I went ton for work a few years ago. But alas, Blissdom can’t compete with guns and unlimited free ammo.

Photo collage made with letters from the The One Letter Pool Group on Flickr.