What’s In A NAME?!

What's in a name?We have all heard that question before, haven’t we? The reason I am asking it is because I started thinking about some of the fun blog names I have ran across. I sometimes wonder what is behind their chosen name. I thought it would be fun to list a few of the names that have caught my attention and have made me wonder why they chose this particular name………

1. If the Lamp Shade Fits         9. Bluebird Notes
2. Little Blue Deer                  10. High Gloss Blue 
3. Hamptontoes                      11. The Shiny Pebble
4. Tip Toe Butterfly                12. Pink Wallpaper
5. Lime In the Coconut           13. Privet and Holly
6. A Refocused Life              
7. Divine Distractions            
8. Acanthus and Acorn

(You can click on any of the above names to go to the blogs listed)
           

If I have your blog name  listed and, if you have time, could you leave a comment telling me why you chose the particular name for your blog? Or, you can email me at: Goodlifeofdesign@yahoo.com

Choosing a blog name is really a personal experience. After all, it represents the author and what they want to present to their readers. I know none of us blog authors took this lightly.  I just think it is interesting to find out what the thought process was that took place in choosing your blog titles.

My Story
I chose my name by process of elimination. My wonderful DIL had been encouraging me to do a blog for awhile. On one of her visits to my home, we started talking seriously about it and she set me up on Blogger and we came up with a name. I made a list of words that described what design means to me. After looking at the list, we came up with Good Life of Design because I truly have had a richer life because of design. It just  fit. The rest is history!!!

That brings me to the present day where I have to say, “Thank you, thank you" to all of my readers that are so faithful in reading my blog. I still can not believe that anyone likes what I write and actually will come back for more. My life has been enriched by all of you out there in blog land!! I must say the time I spend on my computer reading all of your wonderful blogs and comments is a very nice part of my day!!!

Here are a few of the responses from  I have already received:

Claire from High Gloss Blue

The name of my blog High Gloss Blue comes from the "concrete floor that resides in my dreams".  In 2005, I saw the home of Baltimore architect Chip Bohl in Met Home.  He painted his concrete floor, you guessed it, high gloss blue.  When the light hit its surface, the floor transformed into water and just interacted with the space in a completely different way.  It was so beautiful and so dynamic that I saved the article.  Five years later, I still have it and I still love everything about his entire home.  In fact, one day I'll probably just rip it off in my house because I'm not sure I could ever improve upon it (my apologies to Chip).  I inserted a picture of the kitchen above.  It's divine

Erika from Tip-toe Butterfly

Well I started blogging after the movie “Julie and Julia” – that movies started it all – so then I had to come up with a name – and well my Mom LOVES butterflies – and I really just got my motors going and thought about how my goal in life is really to flutter around and just gentle touch everyone and everything I come close to  – sorta’ leave my mark on the world in a delicate way – so that’s how “Tiptoe Butterfly” came to be

Lisa from Hamptontoes

Here's the story...feel free to edit as needed for your purposes.
It's simple...I love the Hamptons and I love dipping my toes in the water! It is one of the simple pleasures of life that makes me happy! Being barefoot on the beach in the Hamptons equates to happiness for me and that's the reason I named my blog Hamptontoes

Sally J. from Divine Distractions

When I first thought of Divine Distractions, I thought I might just try it out for a while and see if it grew on me.  It really was a “practice” name.  Little did I understand that once you put something out there, it sticks and changing isn’t an option.  I really like it now.  You know my background is in special education, and I spent many years working with kids and adults with ADHD….probably  because I was diagnosed with it as well.  I’ve changed my tune on putting that label on people now, mostly because I think  it’s usually the educational setting that screws with kids learning, not the other way around…..that’s another whole story ( and soapbox!) Being distractible as a kid was viewed as a bad thing, but as I’ve grown up, I realize that sometimes it’s the distractions in life that are the real path to living our purpose and finding our personal truth.  Mostly, I just think that a divine distraction takes us to an unexpected place, and for me, the unexpected elements are  what separates the best design from the predictable….and when that is done well, then it’s magical.  So I embrace my distractions….they often take me exactly where I need to go.  I hope my blog inspires in the same way….providing a little daily distraction that might lead to something wonderful!

Suzanne from Privet and Holly

Many people have asked how I arrived at the name Privet and Holly for my web log.When first thinking of starting a blog, I pictured two neighbors, coffee or tea cups in hand,leaning over a hedge that separated their properties, deep in a lovely conversation.

Soon after I first imagined that scene, I was looking through a book I own entitled The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden.It is a charming book, first written in 1906 as Nature Notes and published posthumously in 1977 with the current title.

As I flipped through the book, looking for possible name inspirations {I love English gardens}, there it was, on page 170....privet and holly. 

Since I had heard of privet hedges in England and you often see holly used as hedges in America, particularly in the South, the combination seemed like a natural one to adopt as my own!

Rita from A Refocused Life

A major part of my blog title was due to the fact that I had just left a 30 year career, and I realized I had the freedom to create a new path. At the same time, I discovered that for too long I had tied happiness to the thought of, "I'll be happy when....." - when I have this or that, or when life is perfect. I finally realized the importance of finding joy in each day.

Although I still collect and file torn pages from my favorite decorator magazines of fabulous kitchens, to-die-for bathrooms, elegant monogrammed linens, must have closets, attic makeovers, and holiday recipes (to use when I give that 'someday' New Year's Eve buffet), I have learned that I can still dream about those things without feeling that those are the things I need to be happy - to feel true contentment and joy, here and now. I have refocused my thoughts to how blessed I am to be where I am, to have what I have, and most importantly, being amazed at what God has provided. For me, being 'focused' is knowing the importance of finding joy in the simple things in life and remembering to always celebrate those moments with the ones I love.

"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful" Annette Funicello

Artie from Color Outside the Lines

Color Outside the Lines started as a blog about gardening, and because I was a complete and total Gardening novice, I named the actual URL of the blog: niagaranovice.blogspot.com (Niagara) because I live in Niagara Falls, NY, and (Novice) because I was bound to make plenty of mistakes when it came to gardening and I didn't want more intelligent gardeners to pass jugements! :)

I knew that in order to make a garden I would have to venture outside of the rules that I was reading about in gardening books and magazines - so I decided to name the blog "Color Outside the Lines" - and fully did so literally and figuratively to create a beautiful garden that I'm quite proud of.

Of course, the blog didn't stay about my garden for long, but rather than rename the blog, which had already gained a following - I kept Color Outside the Lines, because that's my design/decorating perspective as well. Many of us don't fall inside of the boundaries that are created by decorating genres: French Country, English Country, Modern, etc. So I say color outside the lines - there's always a way to make it work

Thank you Bloggers!! I love reading your stories!! This is Great!!

I can not wait to read about more of the names listed!! If I did not list the name of your blog and you would like to tell me why you named your blog a certain name, please leave a comment or email me!! I look forward to reading all about your names. This is so much FUN!!!!

I am Enjoying The Process Of:

Reading blogs and making new blog land friendships

Kathysue