This month we’ve been talking about organization in all its forms: craft rooms, supplies and even information. Today I’d like to share my thoughts on using Pinterest to organize and bookmark projects and inspiration for your crafting. Our own Diane actually introduced me to Pinterest last fall, and I’ve had fun steadily building up my boards. First, let’s take a look at what exactly Pinterest is:
Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.
Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.
Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests
You can read more about how to get an invite to Pinterest and how to set up your boards on their About page. You can set up boards for different subjects like craft projects, recipies, color inspiration, fashion, home decor – anything you want to group and pin projects to. They start you off with a few standard boards, but you can modify or discard them and add new ones as needed.
Pinterest is a brilliant bookmark fix for folks who are very visual. I love being able to see, at a glance, dozens of projects, recipes and color inspiration. It’s also a fantastic way to bookmark in one consolidated space any visual ideas for a big project or event and then share them with other people so they can easily comment on what you’ve posted.
My first big foray into Pinterest was as a tool for capturing inspiration and links for our big home renovation we did this spring. I’d never embarked on a massive renovation before, and I had no idea how many details and decisions would have to be considered. Being able to visually bookmark things like faucets and light fixtures and then share them with my husband and decorator friend was a huge help. I must have looked at hundreds of bathroom sink faucets. It was borderline insane, but being able to grab images of the ones and have them all in one place so I could visually compare them was fantastic.
I also use Pinterest as a place to bookmark crafty projects or recipes I’d like to try. Some are things I find in my own daily blog reading, and others are ones I repin from the boards of folks I follow on Pinterest.
Another great way to use Pinterest is to compile color inspiration for your projects. Sometimes you might stumble across a picture that, regardless of its subject, has some fantastic colors that might work great in a quilt or sewing project. Setting up a board for color inspiration is a great way to get a visual kick in the pants when you’re trying to brainstorm your next quilt’s color scheme.
Here are some final tips for using Pinterest:
– Read the About page for full instructions on using Pinterest as well as pin etiquette.
– When you find someone you want to follow, take a few min to really study their boards and follow selectively. When you “follow all” you might find your page getting cluttered with stuff you didn’t really care about.
– Set a time limit for yourself. Like many social media, Pinterest is awesome but can turn in to quite the time suck. There is a big rabbit hole ready to swallow you up, so be thoughtful about the time you spend there. Pick a time each day to check it out and give yourself 15 minutes or so and then close that tab. Sharing and being inspired is fun … until you look up and realize it’s two in the morning. (not that I’d know anything about that)
Do you use Pinterest to organize projects and inspiration? What have you found works best for you? Share your tips and favorite boards to follow in the comments!
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