Some days I find pins (recipes, crafts, home improvement) that change my life for the better, and some days I find pins that I am convinced were created just to drag my life through the mud!
There are more than enough "Pinterest Fail" resources, so I will spare you the shenanigans of that format. There is NOT a space where folks are talking about the dirty side of some pins. These pins are not complete failures waiting to happen, but are little missiles waiting to ding the side of life's ship and blow a hole big enough to cause a slow and painful leak.
Leading Example - Gluten Free ANYTHING!!!
I am fortunate enough to have the luxury of choice when it comes to gluten. I have taken enough online tests to determine that my health would benefit from banning my gluten intake, but my internal aspiring baker and chef say "bah humbug!" and the gluten flag waves high!
Occasionally I like to indulge that little internal voice begging me to reconsider, and so off to Pinterest I must go (because, in this day and age, why would I bother with any other combination of sites?). I search "gluten-free" and "grain-free" and am initially wowed by the myriad of selections that fill my screen. It is often like peering into the window of a fancy bakery and wanting it all (Violet Beauregarde, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). And then I click on the recipes...
Look, I know how to make chocolate chip cookies (and quite well I must say). I do not need a blog post on how to use store-bought gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour. I clicked on this pin because it was supposed to be the door to some revolutionary method of recreating my favorite dessert. I hardly call buying a gluten-free replacement "revolutionary!"
Secondary Example - Wood Pallets
Let us be honest - this is the top-tier of misleading posts! Yes, sure - you can nail and paint a bunch of pallets and voila! a dining set fit for royalty. Caveat - you would have to use your weight in sandpaper to make these pallets into something that would not impale your guests, rip their clothes, or even be remotely safe for children.
If you are like me, you see the post and think "I can get those things for free!" and the creative juices start. Two weeks, 50 sheets of sandpaper, and no closer to a completed project later, you realize you have been duped!
On the reverse, there are some Pins that have revolutionized my life in ways I never knew that I needed.
Anything With a Kitchen Shortcut!
I now make no-yeast cinnamon rolls, no-yeast Indian Nan bread, and quick bread like nobody's business!!! My kitchen equipment is being used to it's full potential (that French Press is not just for coffee!). I have also managed to revive so many items that would have previously been scrapped (cutting boards, pans, knives, and more).
International Recipes and Cooking Techniques
We cook what we know, and what is familiar to our immediate resources (family and friends). One day we find ourselves walking through a bigger city (New York) and faced with a selection of international cuisine. If we are brave enough we dive face-first into a menu full or words we cannot pronounce, and gorge on dishes that we will never be able to describe to others.
The more adventurous will return home and want to recreate this life-changing culinary experience. And this is where Pinterest really earns it's keep! Recreating these dishes is not always as easy as pulling up a recipe. Arroz Con Pollo is a delightful dish, and quite simple to make. One of the keys to getting it right is how brown the onions are, and how slowly they are browned to develop the proper flavor. Without Pinterest, and the hearty bloggers behind it, I would have never mastered this dish (which is kind of a big deal as I am convinced it is the single strongest thread keeping my husband happy. I whip it up right around the time he is going to review our credit card statements each month).
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