Tour Through Blogland

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda from Serenity Now invited me to participate in a Tour Through Blogland where I get a chance to show you a little behind-the-scenes look at my creative process and introduce you to three other awesome bloggers who will continue the tour next week. Here's how things are gonna go today: first, I'll talk a little bit about Amanda and her blog, second, I'll tell you a bit about myself, and third, I'll introduce the three awesome bloggers you need to meet!

First up, Amanda!

I first came across Amanda's blog when I was a brand new blogger. She hosts a weekly link up party on Fridays and I started adding posts there. Amanda has been kind enough to share some of them along the way and last year, she invited me to join in her Christmas series, which was so fun!

She's a momma to three kiddos, and lives in my home state - Virginia. She's all about easy, approachable, budget-friendly DIYs, craft projects, recipes and design tips. And although she's been taking some time off to enjoy her newest little boy, she's about to jump back in with new projects and posts. You won't want to miss out on that - say hello and visit her over at Serenity Now. One of my favorite posts of hers is these tissue paper pom poms she made for her girls. They add just the perfect pop of color and whimsy to the space!

Thanks, Amanda, for asking me to join in on this blogging tour!

About me

I've been blogging for nearly two years and love sharing my home, DIY projects, graphic design and bits of life at May Richer Fuller Be. I work in healthcare by day, and do projects on nights and weekends. It's a fun - and busy - adventure! I'm also married to a wonderful man and we've got a mostly awesome, sometimes crazy pooch named Jackson. He pops up here from time to time. 

A few weeks ago we moved from DC to Philadelphia (by way of a summer at my parents house at the river) and are enjoying exploring a new city and making an 1850s row house into our home. Here's a peek at our living room from the "introductory house tour" I posted a couple of weeks ago:

What am I working on right now?

Oh, so many things! Moving to a new house comes with a whole new set of fun things to add to the ole to do list. I'm currently taking the shotgun approach and working on parts of several spaces in our home. Everything's functional right now, but there is much work to be done! Right now I'm working creating an entryway out a space by the front door, tweaking our master bedroom and adding some organization for my office.

How does my work differ from others in this genre?

I'm a big believer in using what you've got and making it work for you. This doesn't always make for a magazine-worthy, picture-perfect home, but it's real life - perfection isn't the goal here! This might mean doing something like giving a bedside table a creative, inexpensive makeover instead of replacing it with a new one. I also inherited a lot of furniture from my grandparents and while not everyone would choose to use pieces like this in their home if they weren't quite their style, I love them because they're a part of my history. For that reason, I'll make them work and repurpose them in creative or unexpected ways. Secretary turned bar, anyone?

Also, I really enjoy graphic design, which I think makes my blog slightly different than the traditional DIY/home/design blog. I designed MRFB from scratch and have done some projects on the side for non-profits. I'm constantly trying to learn more and refine my graphic design skills. In fact - I'd love to take on some clients in this area! (Interested? Shoot me an email! :))

Why do I write/create?

I've always thought of myself as creative, but was always on the lookout for a good outlet to share my passion with a broader audience. So when I came across the world of design blogs several years ago, I knew that I could contribute something that would add to this incredibly creative community. Speaking of community - that's definitely one of the most fun aspects of being a part of this blogging world. Connecting with other bloggers and readers is one of my most favorite things. 

How does my writing/creative process work?

First off, I constantly have a million ideas for projects and posts running through my head, so I use the Wunderlist app to keep track of them. Since I always have my phone with me, it's easy to jot down ideas there that I can go back to later. There's nothing worse than remembering you had a good idea...but you just can't remember what it was. Hate that. I use those ideas (along with other blogs, Pinterest, magazines, etc.) as jumping off points for posts and projects.

I get all of my projects done on nights and weekends, so the actual creative process happens then. I wish I had more time to spend on this part! I find I'm at my best when I have a big chunk of time and brain space to dedicate to creating and doing. This season of life hasn't allowed quite as much time as I've had in the past for that, so my current blogging schedule includes three posts per week: one project, my regular lovely links Friday post and a wildcard post. I usually give myself a day or two to pull the post together and hit publish the night before so it goes out first thing in the morning - before most of you are probably awake!

Alright, alright, enough about me. I want to introduce y'all to three awesome bloggers who are going to continue the tour next week. Drumroll please...

Ashley from Bigger Than The Three Of Us

I met Ashley through a few other bloggers and when I first went to check out her blog, I was blown away by her home! She's got amazing taste and creates beautiful things like the DIY Ikat painting you see above. I'm also a big fan of her calm, layered master bedroom. The blues she's got going on in there are similar to the ones in our master bedroom - such relaxing colors.

Ashley's a photographer and stay-at-home mom to an adorable little guy, and she's got so many other great posts that I don't have room to share, so head on over and check out Bigger Than The Three Of Us!

Emily from The Gallivant

Emily is a real-life friend (yay! real life friends!) who writes over at The Gallivant, which is a lifestyle blog that covers a wide variety of topics. She writes about everything from design to cooking to her adventures with her new husband to book reviews (she's a big-time reader, so if you're looking for a good book recommendation, she's your girl). A couple of favorite posts of hers include The Anatomy of a Cozy Guest Bedroom and one that included this delish-looking squash dish she made from The Kinfolk Table cookbook.

Emily is a freelancer and editor in "real life" and is currently living in Pensacola, Florida, where her Navy husband is in flight school. If you want to check out a blog that veers off a little from the typical DIY/design blog, you'll definitely want to stop by The Gallivant.

Shannon from Burlap and Lace

I'm pretty sure Shannon was one of my first ever commenters at May Richer Fuller Be, so she'll always have a special place in my blogging heart (did you know that, Shannon?). Her blog is full of incredible DIY projects like this black and white spotted art in the above left photo, and beautiful interior design like her dining room "progress" in the right photo (I put it in quotes because I think it's more than just progress!). She's not one to shy away from bold pattern, which is something I admire. It comes so naturally to her as you can see from the photos above. 

She and her husband recently moved from North Carolina to DC and she's been busy making their new apartment into a home. I'm sad that our time didn't overlap in the Nation's Capital! 

I think you'll enjoy each of these bloggers as much as I have, so stop by and say hey - and tell them I sent you :).

Also, my blogging friend Cassie is posting her Tour Through Blogland next week as well, so make sure and visit her awesome blog, Primitive and Proper next Monday, the 25th.

I'll be back later this week with either an office or master bedroom update. We'll see which one I finish up first!