Honor Roll

Honor Roll

90 Days, 90 Reasons to Reelect Barack Obama

  • 90 days, 90 reasons. (Ooh, you had to know I’d put a political link in there one of these days. This is a brilliant one, with essays insightful and humorous from some of my favorite people.)

  • It’s sort of like a giant ball pit for adults, but pretty.

  • Spending thirty-three days in the mountains, living off the grid, and being surrounded by creatives, looks like this.

  • The cutest little disaster preparation kit you ever did see. For a different kind of living off the grid.

My Writing Elsewhere…

Kyrie Tote Bag Giveaway from Making it Lovely

This week’s giveaway: a Kyrie Tote Bag from Magpie Lovely! Enter to win on Making it Lovely’s Facebook page.

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

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Honor Roll

April 30, 2010

Honor Roll

June 8, 2012

Honor Roll

March 26, 2011
  • j.johnston
    September 21, 2012 at 5:19 am

    That Obama article is a joke. Have you looked at the unemployment rate? At the state of the economy? At gas prices? The future of healthcare under his “brilliant new plan”?! The LIST IS ENDLESS – take a good long look at this president, it isn’t hard to see HE sure thinks he’s amazing, but his list of accomplishments is truly pathetic.

    • Making it Lovely
      September 21, 2012 at 6:47 am

      I disagree, and am also extremely thankful for the Affordable Care Act.

      • Ashley
        September 21, 2012 at 10:41 am

        Amen, Nicole.

      • Cynthiaj
        September 21, 2012 at 11:16 am

        Thanks for posting this, Nicole. It was brave of you, especially in light of some of the inevitable negativity. I read your lovely blog even though I’ve got grandchildren the age of your babies, and I appreciate knowing that I can relate to you on this issue.

      • Crystal
        September 21, 2012 at 12:07 pm

        I absolutely love your blog! Go Nicole!

    • Kate
      September 22, 2012 at 12:46 am

      @ jjohnson,

      I for one (a college educated and employed woman with a preexisting condition since birth) am *extremely* thankful for the ACA!

      Thank you, President Obama–you have my vote. And again, as a woman, thanks for supporting equal pay for equal work.

    • Tamara
      September 22, 2012 at 2:16 pm

      Nicole,

      I have to say I’ve loved your blog up until today. Like Susan, I enjoy you blog for the design and lifestyle posts, but bringing politics into it is a total turn off and you shouldn’t be surprised when a political debate ensues. If I wanted biased political commentary all I would have to do is turn on MSNBC, CNN, ABC, or 99% of the other media outlets. To say it takes guts to support Obama is just nonsense. Ninety-five percent of the media is propping Obama up and refuses to run stories that would cast him in a negative light so it’s no surprise he has so many supporters. To think there is a free press is ridiculous.

      I do agree that the 90 day article is designed beautifully, but the comments, and I read all of them, make me gag. I second what Susan said, please keep the focus on what you do well.

      Sincerely,

      Tamara

      • cd
        September 25, 2012 at 11:35 am

        Just don’t click the links you don’t wish to read. The internet is magical like that.

      • Karen
        September 25, 2012 at 2:48 pm

        Tamara – This may come as a shock, but it is not Nicole’s responsibility to alter her blog to your tastes. It is *her* blog and she can blog about whatever she wants. Because … it’s her blog. If one link in one post is enough to turn you off it, my guess is you weren’t meant to be here in the first place.

      • Kathy
        September 26, 2012 at 5:23 am

        Tamara,
        I find it sad and alarming that you could go from a state of admiring “love” to judgmental “hate” so abruptly. When you claim to love Nicole’s blog, that means you have embraced the girl writing it too. This blog is not fiction. This is who Nicole is. You know the kind of person she is. As a wife, mother, friend and partner. As a daughter-in-law, neighbor, citizen and breadwinner. You have followed her through both good times and bad. She has revealed her traits in her writings. And you have embraced her.

        Would you have become such a loyal fan of her blog devoid of the personal story? No. Because it is the whole package of Nicole that you are so enamored with.

        Yet the moment you discover a small part of her that does not square with your standards, you reject her out of hand and attack her. How could you turn on her like that for something so innocuous? You owe her an apology.

    • Adelaide
      September 24, 2012 at 2:20 pm

      Thank you for posting the 90 Days, 90 Reasons link. I just became a new reader today because of it. I take to heart the saying, “When you don’t stand up for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Really enjoy your blog!

    • SarahV
      September 25, 2012 at 10:49 am

      @JJohnston

      Presidents have little to do with gas prices. Gas prices are set by commodities markets, which bet on how much things will cost in the near future–it’s called futures trading.

    • Patti J
      September 28, 2012 at 4:20 am

      We’ve gone from losing hundreds of thousands of jobs each month to gaining jobs each month. The economy is no longer teetering on the edge of the cliff and the stock market has doubled since President Obama took office. Gas prices are set by a worldwide market, not by the President! US oil production last year was the highest it’s been in 10 years. The future of healthcare finally includes millions more Americans. Yes, the list IS endless!

  • Kelly
    September 21, 2012 at 5:55 am

    Right on, Nicole. I’ll take four more years of a president who wants the ENTIRE country to thrive (and I say this as a member of the 53%). Easiest presidential choice ever.

  • Kathryn
    September 21, 2012 at 6:32 am

    Edwidge Danticat, Colin Meloy, Judd Appatow, Julia Alvarez … I love the mix of disparate voices and articulate, clear writing. If only all the discourse could be at this level.

  • Making it Lovely
    September 21, 2012 at 6:35 am

    And now, after exactly two and a half hours of sleep, here I am to man comments! Just to be clear before anything gets out of hand, I have no intention of arguing politics here, or fostering arguments. I don’t mind comments one way or the other, but let’s keep it civil. (Civility in politics, on the internetz!? Oh, let us try!)

  • Susan
    September 21, 2012 at 8:53 am

    I read your blog for your great ideas on crafts, decorating, trends, etc. I ignore all the sponsored posts that push products, because honestly, to me the “blog-commercials” are annoying — now I’m ignoring this political post as well. Please keep the focus on what you do really well – lifestyle topics. Thanks

    • Giulia
      September 21, 2012 at 10:16 am

      Susan, this is her blog – if this is important to her she has the right to publish what she wants. It’s authentic and true to her. You have no right to tell her what to focus on.

      • Marcee
        September 25, 2012 at 4:36 pm

        Sure. Of course!

        Honestly, so many folks (these days …. or for always???) are cranky, crabby and all around bossy. Please …. go away quietly. TY.

    • Susan in SC
      September 21, 2012 at 4:08 pm

      You cannot both ignore and comment on a subject. I usually make it a habit of ignoring rude comments, but I chose to comment this time. This is the first blog I started following. I especially enjoy the wide range of topics that Nicole included in Honor Roll. It takes courage and intelligence to produce a blog of this caliber.

      Thank you, Nicole, for your hard work, your thoughtfulness, and your guts! And for the link to 90 Days, 90 Reasons!

    • Angie
      September 25, 2012 at 11:42 am

      Great job ignoring! You’re really good at it! :)

    • Kathy
      September 26, 2012 at 5:46 am

      Susan, Just wanted to remind you that this blog pays a mortgage, health coverage, food and clothing for a family of four. Therefore the occasional sponsor plugs are necessary. Don’t forget the years Nicole spent laboring on it for nothing.

  • Becca :: Making Room in Sicily
    September 21, 2012 at 8:53 am

    Haha, a political argument on this blog… no, please, spare us, there are enough elsewhere! Thanks for moderating, Nicole. :-)

    I’ll start another topic: I love the Babble posts but don’t like having to click and reload a new page to see each new picture. Each Babble page takes so long to reload because of all the ads. I rarely look at Babble because of this, even though there are so many cute ideas on there (I love yours!). I am sure the extra page views helps Babble, but I wonder if people would be more inclined to look and spend more time if it was in an easier-to-view format?

    • Making it Lovely
      September 21, 2012 at 9:57 am

      Babble does love the pageviews that come with slideshows! And I have certain traffic numbers to meet each month, so the slideshows help with that (versus just putting everything in one long post). In their defense though, they have significantly improved the speed of them — they used to load much more slowly.

      • Becca :: Making Room in Sicily
        September 21, 2012 at 10:02 am

        Good to know about improving the speed. Thanks for replying, it helps to know that others have noticed too!

      • Hana
        September 21, 2012 at 12:19 pm

        I appreciate the work that goes into the blogs that I read for free and I love reading your blog/Babble posts. So I am happy to do any extra clicking if it keeps my favorite blogs going!

      • Margaret
        September 25, 2012 at 12:08 pm

        Ahah!
        I always wondered why Babble was set up the way it is. Thanks for the explanation. Now I understand (but I still don’t like it any better!). Heheheh.

        And shame on the snarky commenters here.
        If you dislike something, don’t click on it… and mind your manners!

  • Caroline
    September 21, 2012 at 9:08 am

    Looking forward to reading the article. Thank you for adding a tiny bit of politics into your roundup. It may be unpleasant for some people, but it’s what’s going on right now. If you don’t know what’s happening in your country, then what are you doing? You have a voice, I say use it (and use that chancy First Amendment)!

    • kimberly
      September 21, 2012 at 9:33 am

      I agree…whether readers agree or disagree, it’s hard to ignore the elephant (or donkey) in the room–the election is a big deal and it’s OKAY to talk about it…we SHOULD talk about it. (And, it isn’t like the whole post was devoted to politics…it was just one link…those who don’t like politics on a lifestyle blog don’t have to click over…)

      • Bethany
        September 26, 2012 at 11:00 pm

        Huzzah for that! It is okay to talk about it and we SHOULD! Love it! Well put.

  • Mae McNeil
    September 21, 2012 at 10:13 am

    That article is a joke. Glad you are still enjoying your fancy shopping trips while your husband is on unemployment.

    • Giulia
      September 21, 2012 at 10:18 am

      Really! Wow, I can’t believe you just wrote something so hurtful. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all – didn’t anyone teach you that?

    • Making it Lovely
      September 21, 2012 at 10:19 am

      Mae, that was rude.

      And for the record, Brandon is no longer on unemployment. We made the decision for him to stay home and when he was no longer looking for work, he stopped collecting benefits. I was planning to write an update soon, and I don’t want there to be any misconceptions in the meantime.

      • Heather
        September 21, 2012 at 11:28 am

        I just want to chime in that unemployment is not welfare. It’s a benefit that Brandon has been paying in to since he started working. Criticizing someone for using unemployment during a economic downturn is like criticizing someone for filing an insurance claim after their house floods.

        It’s hard to live on one income. Good on you, Nicole!

      • Camille
        September 23, 2012 at 2:30 pm

        I would like to add that Nicole’s blog is focused on style…around the house, what she wears, stylish products. Imagine if she quit all her shopping, and had nothing new to post about. People would stop visiting her site, traffic would slow down, advertisers would pull back on advertising. Nicole would eventually lose her income from this blog, and then what? Both parents unemployed and her kids go hungry? Yeah, that sounds smart. Not.

      • Jessie
        September 28, 2012 at 2:15 pm

        Darling Nicole,
        You are so generous to not only respond to such nastiness, but to respond in such a civil and polite way. Three cheers for you. You don’t have to explain your life and situation to ANYONE, particularly to some snotty stranger. Keep calm and carry on!

    • Peaches
      September 21, 2012 at 10:37 am

      @Mae, What on Earth is wrong with you? If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Vote as like. Fine. But who do you think you are helping by making snide remarks about things you don’t know anything about?

      • Terri
        September 24, 2012 at 11:06 am

        Actually Heather, Brandon has not been paying in to receive benefits, it is the employers who are paying in via a tax. Just a clarification because many people don’t know where the money comes from.

    • Lindsay - Shrimp Salad Circus
      September 21, 2012 at 10:38 am

      I guess kudos for not leaving such a vitriolic comment anonymously, but other than that, what on earth is wrong with you, Mae? Clearly you’ve never ‘put yourself out there,’ subject to public scrutiny, or you would keep your snark in check a bit better.

      I love how anything that people disagree with is ‘a joke’ or ‘ridiculous.’ Let’s all become a bit more open-minded, shall we? Part of being a voter and fulfilling your civic responsibility is becoming educated about both sides. You have to listen to both sides before you write them off at the third sentence for being ‘a joke.’

    • robin
      September 21, 2012 at 12:22 pm

      and there’s your 91st reason. if one feels they must say such ugly things in an effort to prove what they believe in is right… i want nothing to do with their beliefs!

    • AnnW
      September 25, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      Mae McNeil, Just because Nicole reports on new clothes, decorating trends, and home goods doesn’t mean that she actually buys them all. That is her job, to spot trends, or to examine new products for babble. I’m getting Social Security in a few months. Is anyone going to criticize me when I buy new clothes because I have lost so much weight exercising? What about when I get sent to the ER with high blood pressure from a migraine (last week) and Medicare will pay part of the bill. Ann

    • Kathy
      September 26, 2012 at 6:00 am

      Mae, if you truly are a reader of this blog, you ought to know how frugal and sensible Nicole is with her purchases. That is the beauty of her entire approach! Hence the title…”Making It Lovely”…. with a little money and a lot of ingenuity and elbow grease! And in case you didn’t notice, there were very few household purchases made in the time Brandon was on unemployment.

      I am actually sorry that anyone (especially Nicole) responded to your snarky comment. But I wanted to point that out to anyone reading.

    • Heather B
      September 26, 2012 at 6:34 am

      My Dear Mae,

      Ugly snark aside, the VAST majority of people in this country are one accident, illness, or lay-off away from financial ruin. Unless you have one year’s salary in the bank or are otherwise independently wealthy, you too could end up on unemployment. Then you too can enjoy ugly snarkiness aimed at you.

      Not to mention, I’m unclear about the correlation between one’s political leaning and one’s employment status/shopping habits. Snark aside, it’s an odd and inarticulate comment in general.

  • Catherine
    September 21, 2012 at 10:50 am

    I hadn’t heard of 90 Days, 90 Reasons – thank you for the pointer! Even from this side of the pond, the election is a very big deal, and it’s good to read opinions from non-political sources. Also, my crush on John Hodgman just self-multiplied x 3769875.

    • Making it Lovely
      September 21, 2012 at 10:52 am

      Oh, I know. I love John Hodgman a little extra now.

      The site is a good one because there are so many different voices represented. Some are very serious of course, but some are really funny too.

      • patricia
        September 25, 2012 at 9:27 pm

        I had seen it from one of the writer’s facebook pages. Julia Alvarez, she’s one passionate and compassionate woman. I loved this article, so artful too! Thank you for posting it and for being so true to yourself! I just shared it in my FB too!

  • Mandi
    September 21, 2012 at 11:33 am

    That Sticky Mountain post made me want to go run off and live in the woods! Totally not possible at the moment, but oh what a dream.

  • Lindsay Stephenson
    September 21, 2012 at 11:48 am

    @Mae that was unbelievably rude.

  • casacaudill
    September 21, 2012 at 12:01 pm

    Perhaps I’ve been on the internet too long and seen my fair share of trolls, but the wording of the two dissenting posts seems very similar. Having experienced something like this in the past, it’s probably either one person posting twice, or someone rallying his/her friends to post. Ignore ’em.

  • andrea nicole
    September 21, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Wow. First of all, what a well-designed site! (The 90 reasons one, to be exact).

    And I also agree on civility when discussing politics on the Internet. We can’t and won’t all agree on everything, but if we are to truly make progress, instead of leaving a comment like ‘That article is a joke,’ perhaps some well-worded, politely phrased, fact-based arguments on why you take a different viewpoint would serve us all better.

    As for me, I fully support the Affordable Care Act and its focus on preventive care. Thanks for sharing the link. This election is a big one, and I’m excited to see how it all plays out.

  • Catherine
    September 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    Thank you, Nicole! That’s a really awesome link and I’ll be checking it from now until November. I really admire your style and your blog, and I think your success only proves that it’s working for you. Keep up the great work!

  • You learn something new everyday « East Coast Girl
    September 21, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    […] Design Crush “Happy Weekend” + Oh Happy Day! “Inspiration Edition No. 17″ + Making it Lovely’s “Honor Roll” + A Beautiful Mess makes whole wheat pretzel bites Like this:LikeBe the first to like […]

  • Jeanie
    September 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    Reason #26 is all the reason I need not to support Obama in this election. The essayist, though I’m sure she thinks she’s supporting the left here, only edifies the real problem- these children that are aborted are children and fellow women, I’m sorry, we should not have the right to kill them.

    • Emily
      September 25, 2012 at 1:29 pm

      agreed.

    • Elma
      September 25, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      I just find it so hard that anyone would support killing unborn children. They are real live babies as we all know a heatbeat is heard by 10 weeks.

  • Jen
    September 21, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    Unrelated to the discussion above, immediately thought of this cartoon after reading about the “ball pits” http://xkcd.com/150/

    Chin up! Thank you for sharing so much of your life with us.

  • Kim
    September 21, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    Bravo on posting the 90 days article. I’ve forwarded it to everybody I know. It’s great to know you’re an Obama supporter. Obama is a thinking, empathetic, and humane person who really does believe in the greater good. He’s willing to invest in us as a people, in our education, in our well being because he believes in all 100% of us. He became president for all the right reasons. It’s unfair to pass judgment on his performance based on the past four years when the Republicans have done everything in their power to thwart every good intention he had. The Republicans are interested in one thing and one thing only, their own position of wealth and power and they will do anything to keep themselves there, even if it means duping half of the population into voting against their own interests.

    • Jeanie
      September 22, 2012 at 7:24 am

      [Comment Removed]

    • Sarah
      September 22, 2012 at 11:46 am

      Thanks for this interesting discussion. But I just wanted to respond to Kim’s post by saying that I’m part of the 47%, yet I’m looking forward to voting for Romney, so characterizing people like me as being a victim of Republicans “duping half the population into voting against their own interests” makes the same mistake that Kim accuses Romney of: painting nearly half the population with the same broad brush. I feel capable of determining what is in my best interest, and don’t consider myself easily duped by politicians on either side of the aisle.

      • patricia
        September 25, 2012 at 9:39 pm

        That “47%” is actually a misused number and it’s best to look into what Romney really meant to say. IT was never overly explained on prime tv because it was too offensive to do. But this is the candidate you will choose to vote for, the one that misused that number to help explain what he will do for the rest of the pie. I hope your situation will improve once you do vote for him and you are able to move to the other 40 something side.Good luck to you!

    • Tamara
      September 22, 2012 at 2:51 pm

      Oh, my dear Kim. I have to comment on this one. It’s so typical to blame the other party instead of taking accountability (nothing is more annoying that playing the victim card). The economy still sucks, in fact, it’s WORSE than when Obama took office. I suppose that’s the Republicans fault, too.

      If Republicans really just wanted wealth and power, don’t you think they’d support entitlement programs, gay marriage, federally funded abortions (Planned Parenthood), and the “Dream Act” in order to get votes to get into office? How easy is it to make those promises? Wouldn’t that be a smart move?

      Don’t most people want wealth? Republicans happen to believe that you make your own way (don’t rely on Uncle Sam) and you should be able to keep what you’ve EARNED. They believe risks should be rewarded. I guess you disagree with that. Since Democrats are not interested in wealth, perhaps you all should donate a little or all of your income on your income taxes. You could send in more than you owe, but you don’t. Like everyone else, you make as many deductions as possible on your annual income taxes, do you not? Oh that’s right, you don’t want to pay more, you want those greedy Republicans to.

      I, like you, had rosy colored glasses on in 2008 and voted for Obama. Hope in 2008. Romney in 2012.

      Here’s what Republicans are really about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwqhoVIh65k&feature=related

      • Kate
        September 23, 2012 at 12:14 am

        Tamara,

        Please check your facts. Planned Parenthood does get federal funding–for cancer screening, for low income prenatal care, for sex education classes–but all money used for abortions comes from private money. No federal tax dollars are used for abortions.

  • Little Gray Pixel
    September 21, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    I can’t believe the amount of people who got worked up over you posting a link to a political site. Just a link! No long diatribe, no hateful words about the GOP. Honestly, Nicole, I think you’re a class act with the way you’ve responded to unnecessary rudeness.

  • Barbara
    September 21, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    I wish you would have kept the politics out of your blog. You lost me!

    • Katherine
      September 21, 2012 at 4:21 pm

      So you will stop reading a blog you enjoy because the writer’s politics are contrary to yours?

      • Samantha
        September 21, 2012 at 8:35 pm

        I agree with her political views, but I agree with Barbara and I think it’s ignorant for you to assume that her views are different. I read design and lifestyle blogs to escape the constant political nonsense. It just never stops.

    • cd
      September 25, 2012 at 11:46 am

      Unless Nicole starts decorating every room in shades of blue with a donkey motif, you are probably safe still enjoying 99% of her content, don’t you think? I have friends in both parties and some of the 3d ones to boot. We can all enjoy interior decor together and a lot of other things.

      Walling ourselves off from each other is exactly what the world and our country DOESN’T need.

      • jess
        September 26, 2012 at 10:16 am

        this cracked me up – the day nicole decorates in shades of blue with a donkey motif will be a special day, indeed !

  • Patti J
    September 21, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    I truly believe that President Obama wants what is best for the most Americans and is willing to fight for it. He may not have won every battle, but he won enough to keep me hopeful. Thank you Nicole.

    • Tamara
      September 22, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      Have you ever heard the expression “hope is delayed disappointment.”

      • Patti J
        September 27, 2012 at 5:33 pm

        Many people do get what they hope for. I hope it happens for you too.

  • Camille
    September 21, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    Although I respectfully disagree with your political choice, it changes nothing for me. I come here because I love all your creativity, your home is beautiful, you’re an inspirational mom, and clearly an amazing mom, and you posted an article you enjoyed and wanted to share. I haven’t loved every Honor Roll post you’ve put up (different styles), but I’ve certainly never taken that as a sign to avoid your blog. :)

    Post as many political posts as you want.. it’s your blog! As long as you continue posting all the other cute stuff, I’ll still be here, reading every post!

  • Camille
    September 21, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    And hey everyone! How about that room full of balloons??? Doesn’t that look like something we could all enjoy, together?

    • Darcy
      September 22, 2012 at 12:38 am

      Lol. Favorite comment. Love the room full of balloons (needs more colors!) and love your blog, Nicole. Keep up the good work!

  • MissC
    September 21, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    Oh, yay. I can’t wait to learn what Judd Apatow thinks about wage policy.

    I don’t think it’s the end of the world when lifestyle bloggers post about current affairs, even when I think they’re terribly misguided as I do here.

    But I also don’t think it’s “brave” or “inspiring” or whatever. It’s just the blogger using his platform to talk about a subject that readers don’t expect and may not welcome. It’s a dumb blogging move because it’s guaranteed to alienate roughly half the audience. (And change exactly no one’s mind.)

  • Rae (not to be confused with Mae)
    September 21, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    I love you even more now that I know you are a fan of….Ben Folds Five! We just saw them a few nights ago in Charleston and they were fabulous! Obama is pretty cool, too. Too bad he doesn’t have a campaign video with Fraggles because that would be totally awesome!

    • Making it Lovely
      September 24, 2012 at 12:38 pm

      Brandon and I will be seeing Ben Folds Five when they come to Chicago next week too. I’m so excited!

      • Rae (not to be confused with Mae)
        September 24, 2012 at 8:35 pm

        I am excited for you guys and wish I could go again! They played a great mix of the new and the old and threw in some of his solo stuff. Oh and Kate Miller-Heidke was incredible! I found myself humming her songs the next day, as well as, BF5 so I think that says something. Happy belated birthday! My sister shares your birthday and mine is today (BF5 was my b-day gift from Hubby).

  • Jill
    September 22, 2012 at 6:21 am

    Wonderful share indeed! Wow! Thanks a lot for sharing those links.

  • Jessica
    September 22, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    Well, as the comment have shown, there are rude people everywhere.

    This is your blog and you’re free to post what you want. I love your blog. If you were Republican, I’d still love your design style. I wouldn’t slight you for it.

    And it isn’t as though you posted a long diatribe or hateful rhetoric. It’s pathetic that people believe anyone who has an outlet has to suddenly become a shell of themselves. They don’t. You’re YOU. And either people can except that you’re human or they can move on. The adults will deal, the playground whiners won’t. And for the record, if these were Democrats spouting this kind of vitriol, I’d be the first to call them on it. Rude is rude and doesn’t get forgiven based on party.

    And the people who attacked you for having a husband on unemployment have some gall — especially considering the fact that Romney’s own father used welfare when his family were “refugees” from Mexico. They came back to the US after fleeing to Mexico in order to escape the outlawing of polygamy. He left that part out of his no-longer top secret fund raising speech where he inappropriately joked about how it would be beneficial to be Latino.

    And for the record, I’m a PROUD liberal — married to a conservative. And he CRINGED hardcore when he saw that video. All he could feel was how familiar it was — as someone who was raised by conservative people of privilege and narrow mindedness. At least he can recognize it when he sees it!

    • patricia
      September 25, 2012 at 9:57 pm

      I agree with you Jessica! and I am proud LIBERAL too, married to a centrist who really is more conservative than he knows, but hey we make it work, even though I’m hard core because I went to school on it. I also wanted to add to the factoid list, that Mr. Romney although he’s against abortion (so he says – but did you know that his son and his wife are trying hard to conceive and that he helped paid for the surrogacy path, in which there was a contract that allowed abortion in case the mother was in danger or if the fetus was malformed) in any case, Mr. Romney truly believes that a woman has the right to an abortion, unfortunately he has a party to carry on his shoulders and the conservative slogan doesn’t allow for room to discuss allowing abortion in any case. I think Mr. Romney is more liberal than he cares to admit, but he doesn’t because he’s trying to carry the conservative stick and it’s a heavy one. I also wanted to point out here, that even Mr. Bush was never that conservative to the core, his wife Laura is pretty liberal to the core too, except she married into that family, and Bush Jr, married into that conservative machine that actually won him an election! So politics at the end is about loyalty and paying up when the time comes. Even Mr. Obama doesn’t much believe in many things that hardcore liberals believe, but hey he’s trying to make it all work in his very constitutionally minded attorney mind! Also I want to add, and thank Nicole for this amazing loophole in her blogging links to allows us to enjoy a few rants on politics, that many conservatives really believe that Mr. Obama has been the most liberal president ever. But you know, he really hasn’t. He has had no room to do that yet, if he’s really one. I sure hope this economy turns up soon. It will be a shame if it goes to Romney, all the credit I mean, because, history teaches us that when we are in a mess like this one, not even a freshly inaugurated president will steer away so drastically from the policies were put in place to help.

  • Nicole Cottrell
    September 23, 2012 at 11:23 am

    Nicole,
    You and I obviously disagree on politics, but that doesn’t mean I love your blog any less. I respect you as a creative and thoughtful blogger and that is what brings me back here time and time again.

    I support your right to post whatever tickles your fancy on your own blog. This was a lesson I too had to learn in regards to my own blog.

    Come November, may the best man win. Until then and after, you have a loyal reader in me.

    • Kathy
      September 26, 2012 at 6:14 am

      Nicole… Thank God, a voice of reason. Tamara and others could learn from your graciousness. May the best candidate win, indeed. And no matter who wins, let’s all make it a point to demand that our legislators on Capital Hill reach across the aisle and work together to pull our country out of its slump.

    • Jessie
      September 28, 2012 at 2:28 pm

      Here! Here!

  • Jill Browning
    September 23, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    I love your blog, Nicole, and I think you’re doing a great job!! :)

  • Frances
    September 24, 2012 at 9:18 am

    Some of these comments are just blowing my mind. This wasn’t a political post….there is one link to one website supporting the President. There were 11 other links…. I don’t even know how to finish this comment, I just continue to be amazed when I see people express outrage over opinions that differ from theirs.

    • WES
      September 24, 2012 at 12:34 pm

      Oh but Frances it was a political post at least partially. She went and linked to a list of reasons to vote for a particular candidate, in this case the current President of the United States. This was a tacit endorsement of the President Obama.

      • kerri
        September 24, 2012 at 11:05 pm

        So what? I would say it was an outright endorsement of President Obama and I applaud her willingness to state her beliefs. By the way, here in Chicagoland, Nicole is hardly in the minority in supporting President Obama. I think those posting negative comments are simply upset that Nicole is not backing their candidate of choice. Knowing where Nicole lives (come on, Oak Park!) and what her interests are, her political views should almost be a given. The fact that people are so upset leads me to believe they are surprised, which is odd. Although I am also a Chicago suburbanite (though from the usually more conservative but, as of late, more left leaning Dupage County) and am used to having everyone around me support the president.

      • WES
        September 25, 2012 at 6:53 am

        I am replying to myself since I cannot reply to @Kerri.

        I was simply responding to Frances’ comment that this was not a political post. I think it is because of the tacit endorsement of President Obama (and you call it an outright endorsement). I also stated that I didn’t think it was brave but I don’t find it horrible either, and I agree knowing where she lives and some of her interests and if I gave it any thought prior to this post I probably would have assumed she was supporting the President’s re-election campaign. Who cares?

        I am not about to clutch my pearls and flounce away because Nicole wanted to add some political content. Will I be a bit more wary but not because she has opposite political views but because this was a nice refuge from political views. I have other sites that I will visit and engage in political discourse. I see her site as a product I view it to fill a need and if she changes her product that is perfectly fine, if it still fills my need I will continue if it no longer fills my need then I won’t. One single post is not about change that.

        This is a business for Nicole and she can put content as she sees fit. The internet is a big place and each person tries to find their niche. I am a believer in the free markets so I really don’t intend to tell Nicole what to do, nor do I feel others should tell her how to run her business. I did provide feedback as did others, and it is up to her to decide if she wants to incorporate it in some manner. I would imagine she will do what she feels is best for her business to support her family and kudos to her that is the way life should be.

  • WES
    September 24, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Actually Nicole, I didn’t think you would have to put a political post here because it is not a political/news orient blog. I as other have stated they visit for your ideas on design creativity etc, since that is what your blog is focused on. I come here for a respite of the political action and now the safe haven has been broken.

    I don’t feel that your inclusion of the 90 days thing was brave it just was. Will I stop following your site, no but I will be a bit more wary in the future since the wall has been breached, I am not sure how often you will feel the need to post political things in the future. It is your blog so feel free to do so as you wish. I am sure that you thought the post out and figured you would have others that remove your feed from their RSS readers/stop visiting and you would gain others because of it.

  • Lizzy
    September 24, 2012 at 10:12 pm

    I really enjoyed the link to the article, I’ve forwarded to many friends. i do not understand why people are responding with such vitriol. Are people so afraid of ideas being shared? I only read a few of the entries so far, but I really related to the entries I read by Moby, Rick Moody, and others. I’m disheartened to read such ignorant and insulting comments regarding the host of this blog simply because she posted the link to a thought provoking article. It is truly depressing to find that many people seem so completely opposed to learning about any other viewpoint then their own. I not only respect her choice (and right) to include this reference to such a great article, I wholeheartedly applaud it.

  • Breadwinning | Making it Lovely
    September 25, 2012 at 9:57 am

    […] our family now. Officially.I posted a single political link out of a dozen cute and fluffy links in last Friday’s Honor Roll, and it got people all riled up. One person was so incensed that she tried to insult me personally, […]

  • Danielle
    September 25, 2012 at 10:32 am

    Lord! Remember people, Free Country!! Just because Nicole posted a link doesn’t mean we have to agree with her or like it. Skip it like I did! It’s not that I for or against Obama. It’s just that I didn’t want to read the politics.

  • Brooke
    September 25, 2012 at 10:37 am

    I’m not really sure why people are getting riled up about posting a political link. It’s not like Nicole wrote an article covering why she loves Obama and hates Romney. As an American, I like to think that being informed about my choices is a good thing. The media does highly skew their coverage, but it’s nice to be in Texas and be able to hear positive things about Obama. Does that mean I will vote for him? Not sure. But at the very least, Nicole has shared an article that points out some great facts I don’t hear about him in line at the local grocery store (or on my Facebook feed!) I don’t think we need to get all up in arms about that. Maybe instead of attacking Obama supporters, you could link to something similar that points out Mitt Romney’s good points?

    I for one wish we could have more political discussion and disagreements without resorting to name calling, accusations, or flat out meanness.

  • Nina
    September 25, 2012 at 11:23 am

    It often seems like the design/mom/lifestyle blog world is dominated by Mormon and conservative bloggers (maybe this is just my perception and isn’t actually true?) and they frequently include links on their blogs to their beliefs, causes, and candidates. This is the first one for Obama/the left that I’ve seen in a long time, and I welcome it.

    • kelley
      September 25, 2012 at 4:57 pm

      Agreed, 100%.

    • RobinD.
      September 25, 2012 at 6:45 pm

      Agree!
      I see a LOT of blogs with permanent references to their religious beliefs and I have zero interest in their religious beliefs but if I like the content, I keep reading.

      Therefore, I see zero harm in a link to a topic with political message.

      Politics and religion are just out there.
      It gets on my nerves, too, but jeez just ignore it.

  • VICKI
    September 25, 2012 at 11:27 am

    This is your blog you own the content. You made my day when I saw the post.
    I wish you and Brandon all the best on you being the single breadwinner.

  • Snowlet
    September 25, 2012 at 11:32 am

    Thanks so much for posting this link!

  • Meggie
    September 25, 2012 at 11:44 am

    I just wanted to say that I support you and whatever you want to post on YOUR lifestyle blog! Your blog is amazing and I love reading it!

  • Robin-Lynn
    September 25, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    This entire thread has made me extra glad in Canadian. Ha ha!

    This is a wonderful blog, keep up the work! I have a stay-at-home daddy situation going on here too. It works wonderfully for us :)

    Best of luck, and remember:

    When crazies start going off on political rants… Read it in jack donaghys voice and it becomes comedy gold!

  • Rosemary
    September 25, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    Unless you are personally paying Nicole to write this blog, you have no right to dictate what she does or does not write. She takes time out of her day, away from her family, to post things that we get to enjoy FOR FREE. Any blogger knows that blogging is partially for your readership, but also partially for yourself. This is her creative outlet. If she wants to post something personal, you have no right to tell her she is wrong to do so. If taking half a second to scroll past something you don’t want to read is too much work, or if you feel the need to leave a hateful and ignorant (!) comment about Nicole in response to it, then we (and Nicole especially) are all better off without you.

    Nicole, I’ve been reading this blog since 2007 and am so glad you’ve provided me with so much inspiration and entertainment. Continue to post whatever the hell you want. Your voice is what has made this such a lovely blog to read in the first place.

  • Angela
    September 25, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    I am not thrilled with the concept of putting political ideas out on a blog of this genre. However, if readers unsubscribe due to this kind of post, the writer will bear the consequences, not the readers. That’s what is great about this country…we have the freedom to express our ideas, spoken or written. Which doesn’t exactly mean we are free from the natural repercussions. I am not an Obama fan but I respect your right, Nicole, to run your business according to your ideas. Please know that there are many of us out there who do not agree with @Mae or her judgements and comments. I am sad that you felt pushed to share your families finances. Best of luck to your family as you make this transition.

    • Libbey
      September 25, 2012 at 2:40 pm

      Have to agree with Angela: it bummed me out that Nicole felt she needed to justify her or her family’s financial position with today’s blog. While I really love Nicole’s voice — and her willingness to share her personal perspective — this share felt coerced by the nasty comments of a few people.

      As for the original political post, it did surprise me to see it. Seemed like a risky proposition for Nicole from a readership standpoint (as a fellow Oak Parker, I personally loved it). If she had done the reverse and posted a link to a full-on endorsement of Romney, I confess I would have been turned off, and it would have negatively colored my view of her.

      In the end, it breaks my heart that there are few places where we can have thoughtful discussions about political issues. How are we to progress if we’re busy building the walls higher and higher, and surrounding ourselves only with people who agree with us? A good reminder for me personally to not do what I found so objectionable with Mae.

      In the meanwhile, Nicole, what an amazing growth opportunity this past week has been for you. You will need to make choices going forward about how much of yourself to bring to this blog (or others?). I just hope that you can stay true to yourself and your own voice. We each make the world a little better when we are our highest selves. In other words, you go, girl.

  • Jasi
    September 25, 2012 at 2:42 pm

    congrats for outing the trolls. i read your blog for design. but you’re a person with an opinion. and it is -your- blog. anyone who causes a fuss and leaves was just waiting for something to hate on anyway. don’t let the door hit, ladies.

    obviously, i’m still on board. keep writing, chickie.

  • Jade
    September 25, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    Go Nicole! If people can’t handle multiple opinions in the room, they really need to get out more :). Love your blog and your opinions, doesn’t mean I have to change mine if they are different.

    Good luck with your family and household – seems like you are doing a great job and same to Brandon as a stay-at-home dad – not an easy job either!!

  • Elma
    September 25, 2012 at 3:51 pm

    I for one love your blog and am sorry you felt the need to tell us what you and your husband have decides to do with your wonderful family. I think we all need to look at our own life first( then we know we can not say anything about anyone elses life) before we tell other what to do in fact we have no right to tell you how to run your life .
    As for the election I am sick of them both and just wish each one would tell us what they can do for our country and not cut each other down. We live in the good old USA and we all have the right to our own thoughts:)
    Keep up the wonderful work that you do!!!

  • Julia [life on churchill]
    September 25, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    I think its natural to share a bit about ourselves in blogging. You sharing politics doesn’t change my view of your blog at all, in fact–I’m surprised there are so many republican readers! We live in a really liberal area, and my husband and I have art backgrounds, so he and I as moderate conservatives are always the minority. I guess my point is, your post doesn’t offend me at all!

  • Amanda
    September 25, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    Don’t people know that you live in Oak Park? The crunchy, liberal haven of IL? I am pretty sure you can’t pass into our city limits unless you drive a Prius and show that you are a card carrying Democrat. I would be shocked if you didn’t post something for Obama.

  • aly
    September 25, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    I know it might not be safe to talk (or in this case, subtly link) about politics (or sex, world events, other facets of reality) in the lifestyle blogosphere, but I will say that I really appreciate seeing it.

    I think it is CRAZY-TOWN and frankly sad that bloggers are expected to be completely one-faceted human beings who only care about all things pretty and shiny. It is one of our fundamental rights and privileges as citizens to exercise our right to vote and to be dynamic members of our civic society. It makes me sad that some of the commenters expect you (and other bloggers and dare I say it… WOMEN) to just shy away from intellectual conversations (across political lines) and play it safe. Anything that can raise discourse and get people engaged with the electoral process is a step in the right direction!

    this is such a dorky post… i couldn’t help myself!

    • Ryan Green
      September 25, 2012 at 7:01 pm

      Well said, I was thinking the same thing! Why in the world is it so horrible for a person to express a political opinion? And why does it have to be that one side “hates” the other just because we disagree?

  • Kari.
    September 25, 2012 at 6:57 pm

    Here’s another reader supporting you for including the Obama post. Thank you!

  • Kate Riley
    September 25, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    Hey Nicole! I agree with Angela and Rosemary and Aly, it’s your blog and you dictate the content. I’m an Independent and I’m not voting for Obama, however I completely support your right to say and link to what is meaningful to you. It’s an important election and worthy of much discussion and thought.
    xo
    Kate

  • Sara S
    September 25, 2012 at 11:10 pm

    I can’t believe some people got so offended by a simple link…I love your blog (and happen to be an Obama supporter) but there are several other blogs I read that are written by Mormons who are activly supporting Romney (and post WAY MORE than just a link in support of him) and I still love their blogs! I just skip over the stuff I don’t aggree with.

    • Monique
      September 26, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      For the record, we’re not all Republicans!

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/mormonsforobama/

    • Jessie
      September 28, 2012 at 2:39 pm

      I’d like to back Monique up on that. I’m a Mormon and I am so not a Republican. I’m sure Romney is a nice enough guy, but just because we’re both LDS doesn’t mean that I am going to vote for him. You would never say to an African American “Oh, you’re black, you must be voting for Obama”. Any who, just throwing that out there! (I do realize though that there are plenty of LDS folks that totally love Romeny, so I do see what you’re saying Sara)

  • Deborah Day
    September 26, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    Tip: All those who didn’t enjoy the post, step away now.

    The rest of us, who admire and respect Nicole enough to allow her to have her own political views, regardless of whether they are the same as ours; carry on reading. It really is as simple as that. A blog isn’t a public service. Nicole doesn’t have to adhere to any rules. Making It Lovely is her personal space that she chooses to share with us, and we, in turn, as sensible adults, have a choice as to whether we read it or not.

  • Kristin
    September 26, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    Nicole – thank you for handling this with such grace. And thank you for inspiring me to finally put pen to paper on my blog on this issue I’ve been grappling with for awhile – how much or how little to reveal on certain topics. And also, how we’ve all become so quick to accept or write off someone for voicing their own views. That’s the real shame here.

  • Monique
    September 26, 2012 at 5:09 pm

    Wow. Late to the ‘party.’

    Haters gonna hate, Nicole. You know that, of course. You were true to yourself, which is what this blog is all about, and I appreciate that.

    (Side note in response to an earlier comment: I’m a Mormon FOR Obama. It’s a big misconception that we’re all pro-Romney. Us MoFOs (love it!) are going strong on Facebook with more than 1500 public members.)

  • Jen S
    September 26, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    It will be fun to see if you break a personal record for number of comments with this post?

    It is refreshing to learn that so many republicans have such good taste and style. I didn’t know any that did. Oh, I kid ladies! :)

  • cecily
    September 27, 2012 at 10:16 am

    I’m late to the party, but I had to show some support.

    I don’t know why, but it surprises me that many of your readers are sooo conservative. They seem as riled up over this as I felt when another blogger showed support for the whole Chik-fil-a event. I was disgusted, but chose not to post hateful things on her blog. I’m sorry some of your readers couldn’t do the same. Pay them no mind.

  • Cheryl
    September 27, 2012 at 11:50 am

    I could tell from other things that you’ve written that you were a liberal Obama supporter. Still, seeing links for that man put a bad taste in my mouth. I’m not the biggest Romney supporter by any means, but he’s a much better choice than Obama, in my personal opinion.

    I wish you had steered clear of politics, as I have been a loyal reader for years and will be removing you from my reading list now.

    • awro
      September 29, 2012 at 7:06 am

      Wow Cheryl…what is it like to live with such intolerance and hate in your life?
      To reject Nicole because she posted one tiny link in support of Obama is pathetic?
      I really hope you don’t have children so that you’re not raising impressionable little ones in an atmosphere of hate and meanness.

  • Marla in Columbus
    September 27, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    To all the nasty commenters: tell me what exactly you’re paying to read Nicole’s work??? Oh yeah, that would be NOTHING!!!

    Honestly, I do not understand why some people think they can tell bloggers how to write/what to write about on their blogs. If you don’t like what the person writes about, don’t look at the blog anymore. Pretty simple I’d say.

    I know I’m late to all this, too, but I really don’t think you, Nicole, should feel the need to explain yourself to the people reading your blog. It’s absolutely no reader’s right to know whether or nor your husband is collecting unemployment benefits than it is my right to know if they are.

    Bad karma bed gone and appreciative readers stay!

    Marla in Columbus, OH

  • Nester
    September 27, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    I guess I’m naive but I’m so saddened and shocked that people would stop reading a blog because of a mention of political views. If I choose to only read things from people who I agreed with politically, religiously, and with my own design taste my list would be short and most likely boring and I’d be missing out on a lot of great content.

    On another note, it’s so impressive that you are bringing home the bacon! Thrilled for you!

  • katiedid
    September 27, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    Really shocking, the amount of people who boycott if they don’t happen to agree with something. Does this mean they will stop seeing movies, buying clothes, food, travel to states or locations that support someone they are not on board with? I think not. Cool your jets, peeps, unless you plan to boycott everything that does not fit into your narrow view of the world!

  • marlo
    September 27, 2012 at 7:20 pm

    Nicole, love your blog, love your 90 days post. I had a hard time not reading every single essay that evening, and posted a couple to Facebook. I don’t think people realize all the great accomplishments of President Obama in the past 4 years, or what it would mean if we lost the Affordable Healthcare Act, or if women lost the right to control their own bodies. People can choose not to read those things, and they can choose to believe everything Fox News puts out there, but I choose to educate myself. Thank you for helping me do that!

  • Ilene
    September 27, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    Just getting to this. First, thank you for the 90-90 link, those are some awesome essays! Second, of corse politics belongs here. You can’t separate politics from the rest of our lives. To think that politics is not inextricably linked to everything we do–from what couch we can afford to who cleans up after dinner–is silly. Or rather is one of the reasons women still don’t get equal pay or flexible work schedules or more men who stay home to take care of the kids. Our feminist foremothers said it, the personal is political. Thanks Nicole, you are one smart cookie and I love your blog!

    • patricia
      September 28, 2012 at 10:05 am

      Well said Ilene, politics IS part of our lives. We are all political animals, whether we realize or not, and everyday make political choices. To think otherwise it’s naive, ignorant and backward. And Nicole has every right to post her political views here. On another note, I’m not afraid to point out that some of these riled up commentators’ views are tinted with a bit of racism. Like Cheryl’s comment above. “That man’s link left a bad taste in my mouth”. Not afraid to say it folks, but some of these are really hateful. I wish we can just stick to arithmetic to show our support or not for our candidates, instead of putting these hateful passionate racism-brewed comments.

  • Liz
    September 27, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    To quote Judd Apatow:

    “Sometimes fucked is the perfect word. Just because we are talking politics doesn’t mean I have to use a phrase like grossly unfair.”

    The fact that we can’t have a sane discourse about the election in any context (a passing mention on a design blog, for god’s sake!) is just further proof that Apatow nailed it.

    Thanks for spreading the word and sharing your family’s story.

  • nicolette @ momnivore's dilemma
    September 28, 2012 at 12:05 am

    If Infinite Jest is in your bookcase, chances are…Obama.

    :)

    But only the esoteric among us would get it…

    Keep up the good work.
    I hope to be breadwinning too soon.

    If only, to prove my husband wrong.
    Nic

  • Jacqueline Ashby
    September 28, 2012 at 11:59 am

    Thank you for the political link! Loved it. It’s about time people start to pipe up about the upcoming election and the fact that the political sphere is something we all live in. Fashion, design, art, fluffy things, and all that is around us are influenced by the politics of this great country. Thanks for sharing! A toast to our Freedom of Speech!

  • Caitlin
    September 28, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    I think the point is that design blogs are a nice escape from the ugliness that is politics, especially in an election year. I come here to look at gorgeous design, NOT to read about the candidates. I mean, don’t we get enough EVERYWHERE else? Ugh.

  • Anna
    September 30, 2012 at 6:32 am

    Wow…I’m Australian and I am SO surprised people are so against each others political views in America…I don’t even know my friends definite political views, but even if I did, we can still have a conversation about life and all the other interesting things that life brings! Nicole, I loved your blog so much more when you first started because it was all you and no sponsors…but honestly, you are living the dream. And I would LOVE to be a paid blogger. You are GREAT at it. And I am sorry that your family gets under attack through you blog. I imagine you are under a lot of stress and heart ache right now. Our whole world is filled with different people and opinions…no one is exactly that same. That’s what makes life so wonderful. I hope your readers realise that and open their eyes to tolerance and awareness. Good luck…

  • Tracye
    September 30, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    This is why this Country, America is jacked up…we have within our Constitution, the freedom of speech yet it is rarely accepted or tolerated or embraced.

    If some chick with a brain the size of one a grain of sand, can’t allow someone to write what they want on their own blog and stomps off in a hissy fit inducing rage and sickness, forever to remove Nicole from her reading list-OH THE DRAMA GET A LIFE PLEASE-then what hope is there for us as a Country of people?

    Is it really that serious? Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING can be worse than watching Bush plummet this Country into a void of nothingness but that was okay right? War was okay RIGHT? The spending of funds we did not have, WITH BUSH IN OFFICE, that was okay right?

    Everyone forgets what came before, that is the downfall of the human race well, one of them…

    Anyone that can’t take any political talk on a blog they don’t run? Needs to go play in traffic. Right now. Just, go because the world is full of people with opinions including those who can’t stand political talk on blogs.

    You people with so little to do…should go flog yourselves for being so…petty. And ridiculous and should on your knees thanking GOD that Mitt Romney will never be the President of these United States I MEAN, the one percent because he certainly doesn’t care about you remember?

    It’s not his job to care about “those” people?

    Yeah, that’s you hater.

    • Jennifer
      October 1, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      Thank you so much for posting this awesome link. I am grateful to you for speaking out. Quietly revealing your political views by posting a single link, makes you, in my opinion, quite lovely!

  • Joanna
    October 20, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    I know I am really late here, but it’s only now that I had some time to catch up on favorite blogs. I am shocked that so many people attacked you for posting the link. As many other commenters I agree that you have the right to post whatever you want, and it is impossible to separate life from politics. I can’t understand how this one person (“Mae”) could make such rude, ignorant comment. I see it very often with people making snarky, patronizing comments on what poorer among us can or can’t wear, eat or do. It’s no one’s business how someone else decides to spend his or her money.

    As I read home&design blogs or go through similar boards on Pinterest I am tired to see so many Christian-oriented decorations, signs, etc. – but I just roll my eyes or move on. I am atheist and of Jewish tradition – but I don’t scream on others, don’t get offended, even if I wished people kept their religion to themselves, I don’t like to be “attacked” by Jesus when I just want to find inspiration for bathroom decor, I still just go past it and move on. It seems like a lot of the stay-at-home moms who are intersted in DIY and living frugal, are also from Bible-belt and seem very conservative (which comes with a lot of Christ art and pro-Republican sentiments), and like to also run blogs/pin a lot. Go figure, a job for a sociologist ;-)

    Anyway – you are doing a great job, your life is your private business and I am just really happy for you that you and your partner were able to figure out how to earn a living out of a passion! that’s a treasure to cherish.

  • Shannie Denney
    December 5, 2012 at 10:16 am

    Hi… I just saw your blog (Thanks Young House Love) and since work is slow I am able to back-creep on your stuff. Since voting issues are now a thing of the past (Thanks media ;) I will comment on the most important thing you noted… BEN FOLDS FIVE REUNITED!!!

  • Mary
    December 31, 2012 at 7:23 pm

    I am not an Obama fan but it’s your blog and you can post what you want to. I don’t discuss politics at work because it isn’t relevant to what I do. Odds are you are going to offend half the people you are trying to build relationships with. It’s bad for business (my opinion) BUT you own this blog and can write what you wish. You know the audience you want to attract and maintain and how you want to grow your business and platform. I do think politics are best avoided in this arena. I didn’t care about the link but am shaking my head at the comments. On both sides. To say half the country is “crazy” is…well, crazy. I supported Mitt Romney and I’m not crazy. Well, at least I don’t think I am. Keep up the beautiful work. I couldn’t disagree with you more politically but love your aesthetic and wish you much success.

  • Xenia
    May 22, 2014 at 11:49 pm

    I know that I am really late on replying to this post, but I am just seeing this post for the fist time, and I just wanted to clear something up that someone wrote. I worked as a payroll administrator for 26 years. Employees DO contribute to the benefits they get from unemployment. It is the sui tax that comes out of their paycheck each week. Granted it is a much smaller amount than what the employer contributes, but employees are contributing as well to unemployment benefits. It is just that the employer is contributing most of it. It is NOT welfare by any stretch of the imagination.

    Nicole, you run a great blog! I voted for Barack Obama both times by the way. He is not perfect, but I do believe that he means well for our country. The nation has been screwed up for a long time. No one could fix it in only two terms. I chose to stay away from writing about politics on my blog, even though it is my right to write about what I want on MY BLOG. Once in a while I will air my New Age thoughts on it though. :-)