Have you caught the Pinterest bug yet? I wandered to the site one day and was immediately captivated.... for years I'd been filing away ideas I found in magazines and on websites in folders on my computer or real folders, but here was a site that visually filed all those great "I must try that someday" ideas in a way that was appealing and inspiring... especially in the gloomy months of winter.
There is just one problem, and I know I'm not alone as I've often heard friends lament, "I find all these great ideas on Pinterest (or the web in general), but I never get around to trying them." And so, I've decided that this winter, my own boredom buster / keeping up the habit of trying new things, will be to tackle at least one idea discovered on Pinterest per week!
And so, the challenge began with three experiments so far:
Experiment #1: Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
I found this recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Cookies on Tip Junkie (another favorite website I love), and, as big fans of strawberry lemonade, we had to try them. My daughters and I whipped up a batch, following the recipe exactly, and my family is hooked! The flavor is a swirl of strawberry cake and pink lemonade... tangy, sweet, and a bit tart... ultimately BOLD! Don't try them expecting a delicate little tea cookie, these cookies are unforgettable, but they're really good and easy to make!
Experiment #2: Glow Sticks in the Tub
Do you ever hear or read a new idea and ask, "Why didn't I think of that?".... this was the case when I saw a post for putting glow sticks (you know the kind you can buy in the $1 bins... about 15 - meant to make bracelets- come in a black tube) in the kids' bubble bath. Last night, we tossed an entire set in the tub, turned off the lights and let the kids play. The girls LOVED it and it was soooo simple!
Experiment #3: Valentine Cheesecake
Don't you love recipes that look to be difficult to impossible, but are actually doable. The other day, I stumbled on this recipe for Raspberry Valentine Cheesecake on Pinterest and the photo had me intrigued. So, today, my girls and I baked a cheesecake together and they had a blast. Our hearts aren't quite perfect (when you have eager preschoolers bumping your elbow, the size of the dots and hearts tend to vary a tad), but we had a blast making it and the result is decadent! The photo is our "before sliding it in the oven" shot. This will definitely make an encore for our Valentine Family Dinner this year (we always get a heart-shaped pizza from Papa John's, then make our own dessert).
Today, I glanced through my Pinterest boards and jotted down the ideas I'm most eager to try. Meanwhile, I'm not sure who first thought of the pinterest site, but the concept is unquestionably brilliant. No more file folders of ideas, no more files of now broken URLs on my computer with no clear memory of what the bookmarks originally were... the visual effect of pinterest solves for broken links (with a photo, I at least know where to begin to search if instructions are required for any given idea), and I can save all those great Christmas ideas I'm stumbling upon now, knowing just where to look next December!
Now, you tell me... what are your favorite new ideas thanks to Pinterest?
Written by Kristina Light