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Jet Lag, Kids, and the Birth of Family Traditions

by Wendy Swart Grossman

http://moms.popsugar.com/Jet-Lag-Kids-Birth-Family-Traditions-27331201?trk=article_list

Top 25 Home Design #4

Oct 28, 2011 - Article Views: 480

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It's a biological fact that decorating goes hand in hand with motherhood. Even after the initial urge to nest subsides (in which you transform a neglected nook in your home into an adorable nursery using only spackle, sweat, and a hand-me-down crib), your children's constant growth dictates periodic re-dos of the space you share as a family.

Out goes the crib, in comes a twin bed...no more room for the home office that was hiding in the nursery...cleverly recreate it in a hallway closet...add twins to the family, get a bigger kitchen table...ready to get rid of the kids' play table...refinish it as a new end table for the porch…

And so on, all the way up to the day your no-longer little one leaves home, and you finally get that nook back and transform it into something else entirely: a craft room maybe?

Even if you've never experienced design fever, you may well start to after looking at our list of the top 25 design blogs, as shared and ranked by Circle of Moms members.

These resourceful writers brighten our days with eye candy from the worlds of decor, architecture, design, food, and everything that falls under those umbrellas, including thrifting for vintage finds, inspiring before & after transformations, and "get the look" how-to's for budget projects. Read on, and just see if (as the husband of blogger #5, Emily Clark, shared on her blog) you don't find yourself "intently staring at a blank wall" and mentally canceling all plans for the weekend.

4Better After by Lindsey Allen

Better After

What inspired you to start blogging?

I've always loved before and afters (who doesn't?), and since my mom was probably getting sick of me calling up and being like "Ok, you have to go to this blog, click on this tab, scroll down until you find this one post, nope, try checking the archives ... there! Do you see it? Isn't that the coolest sofa/table/lamp/thing ever?!" I started sticking them on a blog.

Almost 2 years later it's still going strong! I like to think of myself as a bit of a before and after curator/hoarder. I never get tired of them. People are so creative and there is so much potential in even the freakiest of thift-store finds, that I can always count on being amazed by something.

What are three distinctive features of your blog?

Very simple format: a little commentary, a before, an after.
I don't produce any of the projects themselves! I don't think I'm good enough to be featured on Better After! I am, however, a professional pretty-picture admirer.
I try to keep it funny, or at least fun, even if I am usually a dork and/or rely heavily on SNL quotes and Bieber jokes.

What are three adjectives that describe your blog?