Not to sound braggy or anything, but I’m Famous now. Okay, I can see that you’re a little skeptical, but it’s true!
So get this. I was reading a newspaper interview with Jennifer Bertrand, one of the top two contestants left on HGTV’s “Design Star” (look up–that’s her). Jen mentioned that she’s been reading design blogs and what they say about her. The reporter remarked:
“Hooked on Houses says you wear a lot of headbands.”
To which Jen laughed and said, “I do! They save bad hair days!”
Whaaaaa? (Imagine my eyes popping out of my head and me doing a dramatic double-take.) Did they just mention my little blog during their conversation? Are you kidding me?
The interview was published in several publications that I found during some furious Googling. Here’s one of them if you want to see it for yourself (I know you think I’m making this up, but I have proof!). And here’s where I mentioned Jen’s headbands, way back when I was young and idealistic and still had high hopes for this season of Design Star.
I’m working on a To-Do Now That I’m Famous List. This is what I’ve got so far:
- Buy tiara.
- Get tiny dog to dress up in cute designer outfits and carry around in purse.
- Start feud with Perez Hilton.
- Get photographed reading Us Magazine so that Us Magazine will publish photo of me reading Us Magazine.
Am I forgetting anything?
This interview wasn’t the only thing contributing to my fame this month, though. Oh, no. There were plenty of blogs and websites that kindly mentioned Hooked on Houses in July, and since it’s the end of the month, it’s time to thank everybody again.
So let’s get started!
A Big Thanks to Everyone Who Mentioned Hooked on Houses This Month:
Laura over at Shorehouse Chic wrote so many nice things about me that I’m thinking I should hire her to do my PR–which will be especially important now that I’m so famous. According to Laura, I’m lovely, my blog is fantastic, and my Design Star recaps are hilarious. Wow. I’m blushing. I even won a very cool giveaway on her site recently. So is it any wonder I love visiting over there?
Aimee at Aimee’s Petite Maison gave my Design Star recaps high marks in this post. Thanks, Aimee! Be Mary recommended my Design Star recaps to her readers, too.
Trend Office is a Bulgarian website that I enjoy, even though I can only understand half of what its author Temenouzhka Zaharieva writes on it. I can at least appreciate the lovely photos! Trend Office has mentioned Hooked on Houses several times this summer, and I always appreciate the international shout-outs.
By the way, I took all these house photos in Annapolis. I love this little cottage with the yellow front door and white picket fence. Can you see the starfish in the windows?
Linda over at Restyled Home linked to my Cheap and Easy Photo Wall post this month and her readers came here in droves. Welcome to all of the Restyled Home readers who came to visit! Linda’s blog is as delightful as she is.
If you love Nashville music and gossip, then hop on over to Nashville Gab, Shannon’s really fun site. She told her readers about Kenny Chesney’s Malibu Mansion and sent them my way. Thanks, Shannon!
Journeys of Mangonett blogged about Jennifer Connelly’s Limestone and directed readers here to see more photos. Thanks, Mango Gal!
Lisa at Books on the Brain mentioned me in her Sunday Salon. Thanks, Lisa! If you’re hooked on books like I am, then be sure to visit her site.
I already told you that Marilyn at my favorite food blog Simmer Till Done interviewed me this week, which was a lot of fun. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by and read all about my weird food habits, snack cravings, and cooking disasters when you need a good laugh and want to feel a little superior.
Big Bass Mailbox. The kids want one of these for our house now.
Heather at Book Addiction was kind enough to bestow me with this Excellent Blog Award. Thanks, Heather!
It’s so hard for me to narrow it down to only 5 blogs that I think are excellent. I have so many favorites out there! (Just take a look at how long my blogroll is getting!) But I hereby pass the Excellent Blog Award to my fabulous blog friends at: 1) Mabel’s House, 2) Bienvenue, 3) The Painted House, 4) Nesting Instincts, and 5) Watch the Wind Blow By.
Thank You for Adding Hooked on Houses to Your Blogroll in July:
Puffer Street House in Progress
A Picture’s Worth a 1,000 Words
NOTE: I don’t always know if you’ve added me unless you tell me. If you don’t see your blog listed here and it should be, please let me know. I don’t want to overlook anybody!
Still not convinced I’m famous? Well how about this: Hooked on Houses cracked the Top 100 Blogs on WordPress this month. I still haven’t recovered from the shock of that one. When you consider that there are millions of WordPress blogs floating around out there, cracking the top 100 was never anything I could’ve even imagined doing.
(Unfortunately, the fan site for “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta is kicking my blog’s butt. It keeps trying to knock me out of the Top 100. It’s hard to compete with Little David! He’s so much cuter than I am.)
Really, none of this world-wide fame would’ve come my way if it weren’t for you. So I have to tip my tiara to all of my amazingly loyal readers who not only come back to visit day after day after day, but who tell their friends about it and send them over here, too.
You guys are the best. For real. I don’t even know what else to say. Except for maybe–come back again tomorrow, okay? -Julia 
P.S. Don’t forget to join the “Hooked on House Tours” Blog Party next week! We’ll be having a giant Fantasy Open House around the blogosphere on Tuesday, August 5, and this is party central. If you’re a blogger and want to participate, read this post. It’ll be a lot of fun, so I hope you’ll play along!
P.P.S. You have one more day to enter my “I Love My Readers Giveaway.” The deadline is Friday at midnight. So what are you waiting for?
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Wow. Julia, that’s incredible! I tell you, the rest of us are just poking along, putting up this and that…but you’re a regular bloggin’ celebrity. Your Mom has like a hundred more reasons to be proud – as if she wasn’t proud enough already. Congrats – you deserve it all.
Wow, I feel privileged to be reading such a famous blog! Way to go!
congrats! The pictures of houses in Annapolis are great -annapolis is such a GREAT little town -i love to visit it
It’s a great day trip from DC
Don’t forget us little people.
CONGRATS!!!!! That is so awesome, before you know it people will be giving you free stuff just to mention it on your blog.
I mentioned you on the HGTV message boards.
Now that you’re famous, don’t forget to pick up a deviant habit that will eventually be revealed, causing you to high tail it to a five-star hotel/rehabilitation facility.
…and maybe a touch of anorexia…to go with the tiara.
Congrats!!! Well deserved on all accounts! You do the best design star around!!! What a gal!!
Now, if you would quit yer yammerin’ I could look at those delicious Annapolis cottages….YUM!!! (wink)
Look at you go
You deserve it.
Julia! That is great!! Congrats!
WHAT???!! You just got done telling us how famous you are and then, in the same breath, you mention Nesting Instincts as one of your top five blogs??? Now you’ve done it, Julia. I think you’re my favorite blogger in the whole world. (Sshhh!) This award is fabulous and I’ll display it with pride! Thank you!
Just a few more suggestions for your “To-Do List Now that You’re Famous”:
1. sell your kids’ baby pictures for an exhorbitant fee
2. have an affair with Lance Armstrong (not really – please don’t)
3. create a new combined name with your hubby’s…like “Dulia” or “Jave”…or perhaps a play on your blog name like “Hooked on Julia”
How cool is THAT!
BUT, you were famous wayyyy before they ever knew you.
I have you on my blogroll, Miss Julia.
Excellent! I’ve only recently discovered your blog, but I totally want to be in your entourage!
I love all of your ideas for my Now-That-I’m-Famous To-Do list! You’re cracking me up. I’ll get right to work on all of those. I hear Kate Hudson just broke up with Lance Armstrong, so that should be an easy one, Courtney.
THANKS, Upstart, for mentioning me on the HGTV message boards. I got a lot of visitors from that! I owe you one.
Darla–I thanked you for adding me in June, but you’re one of my favorites, so I’ll gladly thank you again!! Go visit her site, y’all.
And we can all say that “we knew her back when”!
You must buy a Home-A-Rama House now, all the big stars live in big houses with TVs on the lanai. It’s the perfect spot for your “reading US Weekly” photo op. Better yet, start listing photos of your house on your “Celebrity Homes” section!
Holy cow, where do I start???? Can I still comment here even though you are so famous? And top 100? Girl, you are on a roll! But you deserve it all. I know you work so hard to keep us entertained–on vacation even! And, you are so good to your readers and fellow bloggers. I can’t wait to say I knew you when!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the award! I feel so honored to be selected. Can I have a tiara now, too?
I am as hooked on houses as they get! I just added you to my blog roll this week and I love your home tours~ PLEASE show us some more!! You definitely get a tiara from me and my girls!!
Julia – that is so awesome!!!! Congratulations! All of your hard work is paying off. I would have passed out if I’d seen my blog mentioned like that.
P.S. I linked to you yesterday over at the delightful home.
Julia, I’m not surprised that your blog is receiving so many accolades. Yours is one of the few blogs I visit on a very regular basis. Congrats, and I’m looking forward to next week’s house tours.
Now that I minutes away from Annapolis. I want to go find all these houses.
Wow! That’s awesome! Congrats on the recognition you deserve it.
Oooooooooo – we are so impressed!! How cool was that – reading it yourself???
You’ll have a great weekend – no need to wish you one, but…..we will anyway!! “ee” you Tuesday!
Karla & Karrie
“ee” you Tuesday is code for SEE you Tuesday – just in case you didn’t pick up on that one!!
HA!
Congrats ! That is so cool !
Congrats Julia……
I am so happy for you!
Enjoy your fame!
Have a great weekend,
Hugz, Dolly
Please don’t forget to buy a matching tiara for Lily! She might feel slighted if Celebrity Mommy hoards all of the bling.
Congrats, Julia! You really deserve it. You obviously put so much effort (and batteries) into giving us lovely homes to view. You set out to find others like yourself and have made it big time!
Wow! So many mentions this month!!! And thank you for the award. Coming from someone so famous I feel especially honored!
)
Now that you are as famous as say… Brangelina…you should probably adopt a few kids from assorted countries. Or give birth to twins. Whichever you prefer.
Congrats, Julia!
Oh how cool is that!!!!
Go Julia!!!!
And to think, we knew you when…
Congratulations Julia! We love Hooked on Houses!!!
xo,
Kim
Oh WOW! Thats so great! I’m so happy for you and it is completely deserved. I think you may have to have a tiara give away eventually, on second thought you could probably sell your tiara on Ebay and get quite a bundle for it.
Congrats again!
Congratulations on your rising star.
Aww yay!!!!!!!! That is so ridiculously exciting. Wow!
Lol, I highly doubt that your blog is ‘little’! My blog kinda takes that title!
Congrats on all the recognition and FAME! Even though I’m new here I can tell that you deserve it. =D Ooh, and that bass letterbox was so adorable! (Sorry, that was random!)
I also wanted to say thank you so much for the email, and the comment on my blog! That was so, so, SO sweet of you! =) Lol, I hope you don’t mind me recycling it but you were my ‘Nicest Commenter of the Day” (Or make that ‘of the week’! Lol, that’s what happens with irregular bloggers like myself, lol)! Hope you’re having a great day!
~Lucy D =)
~blush~ I’m a sucker for validation. LOL!
Whoops, I just noticed how many times I wrote ‘Lol’! Please ignore those! *blushes*
~Lucy D =)
Julia, you’re so much fun, it’s no wonder you’re getting famous! That is really neat to be mentioned like that. Couldn’t happen to a nicer gal!
Rhoda
Wow ,impressive Julia!
You guys are all so nice to go along with my delusions of fame. -J
Cool !
We can say …. we knew you when !
Julia! Cool that you’re a fool for fame. You do have a super blog; I read it every day. I feel lucky that I discovered it early on before you were so famous! Can’t wait for the house tour on Tuesday. It’s a go for me; my friends are hosting me tomorrow and I am going to get lots of photos to show you why I love their house!
Wow – that is so neat!!! Congrats – and lovely round-up – can’t wait to visit!
So I read the beginning of your post and I’m feeling all excited because I can say, “I knew her when” (and was wondering if I have enough stuff floating around here to craft you a tiara or something) and then I read on to see the amazing shout out to little ol’ me! Now *I* feel sort of cool and regal. To your “To-Do” list you must add, “Buy large, Jackie O sunglasses and be photographed in very public places with super grande Starbucks coffee looking flummoxed and askance.”
And Wordpress Top 100? Am I even worthy enough to be here?!
Congratulations!
p.s. I’d do your P.R. in a New York minute.
congrats girl! lol…l nearly choked on the Armstrong comment….
I go away for two weeks and when I come back you are famous, but are still kind enough to mingle with us little people.
Congrats,
Janet
PS. I am trying to catch up with 300+ posts, so this will be my only comment, but I WILL read them all.
Okay, I am suitably impressed!! You deserve every mention as your blog is unbelievably interesting and inspiring!!
As for what you should do now that you’re famous: keep your underwear on when you go partying at the clubs…no getting out of the limo shots for you!! Oh, and you and your hubby should blend your names a la “TomKat” and “Brangelina”!! Sooo trendy…
Thanks for the mention, and the kind words!
Linda
Oh my, I’m in the presence of a famous person!!!
I’ve been out of the blog loop for a while, glad to be back. I always look forward to coming hear and getting all the visual eye candy! Congrats on the awesome mention!!!!