SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: Carol from Art and Sand

Spotlight: REAL LIFE BEHIND THE BLOGGER

  Susan from Must Love Junk, and myself (Kris) Junk Chic Cottage wanted to do a regular feature on our blogs, something unique that hasn't been done before.   So we came up with an idea to 'spotlight the real life behind the blogger' in a more personal way.

There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland, and we thought it would be fun to bring you a closer look at the person behind the blog.

Every week on Saturday we will spotlight a blogger and have them tell us a little bit about themselves and their blogs.  You will be able to see and read about each of the bloggers on both Susan's and my blog. 

I would like to introduce you to a very special blogger that Susan and I have come to know in blog world.  She is not only talented but also a very special teacher that recently retired and lives with her talented artist husband Steve in a sweet little beach cottage in California 

Hi, I am Carol and I write the blog Art and Sand t and Sand.

I was flattered when Kris at Junk Chic Cottage asked me to write a post for her blog.

But, then I was totally at a loss - what would I write about?

She said to make it personal - write about our beach lifestyle and our creativity.

Let's see, 

I AM A SCHEMER

I plot and plan until I get what I want and usually make my husband, Steve, think things are his idea.

In 1997, I wanted to live at the beach so our daughter KC and I went house hunting, without telling Steve.

We found this house

 and we talked Steve into looking at it because it was 7 houses from the water and he could check the surf from the driveway.

The plan worked, but buying that house didn't work out - thankfully!

Instead, we bought a little 1928 cottage - mullioned windows, 6 inch molding, French doors, arched porch - on the same street, 14 houses from the water.

MOVING 1 MILE CHANGED OUR LIVES 

We live on the best lane in Pierpont and life is one big party.

Beach people spend most of their time outdoors - sitting on the beach, socializing, walking dogs, watching the sunset . . .

 A quick story to explain life on our beach -

For fourteen years, on New Year's Eve, Brunswick Lane has held a Progressive Dinner with sometimes as many as 100 people - non street people are welcome.

Last New Year's Eve, a guest was chatting with me and said it was amazing that so many of us wanted to be together on New Year's Eve.

Our neighbor, Craig, jumped into the conversation to say, "It isn't just New Year's - we get together on Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, birthdays, retirements, graduations, anniversaries, etc. Brunswick Lane is family!"

So, we live at the beach with our large family and share in each others joys, sorrows and celebrations.

We ski together, go to concerts, eat dinner out and watch sunsets.

Craig documents our Brunswick family and on New Year's Eve we watch a video of the past year.

We could not be happier living in our little piece of paradise.

WE ARE CREATIVE CREATURES

Steve was not always an artist.

That is not exactly true - he was an artist who did not do art.

Moving to the beach provided him time - he no longer spent all weekend looking for surf.

With that time, he went back to his childhood love of art.

In 2002 he began taking art classes, in 2003 we built a studio onto the house, in 2006 he left the corporate world to pursue his art full time - and the rest is history.

I on the other hand, am not an artist.

I never was an artist, but I am a creator.

My fingers must always be busy - I play games on my iPhone while Steve drives or I fall asleep.

For the last 19 months I have blogged and because I blog,

I sew  . . .

I paint on boxes

and fabric . . .

I make books and cards . . .

I garden . . . 

I do not sleep . . . there are too many things on my lists to complete.

I guess this all makes me a scheming, creative blogger who loves the beach.

As of last month, I can add the adjective RETIRED to that list which means I can do any and all of the above all day long if I want.

Or, I can just play on the beach - want to join me?

Now if you loved reading and getting to know Carol from Art and Sand please hop over to Susan's blog and read about Mary Alice from Chateau Chic.

Aloha

I am getting ready to get on a plane for beautiful Hawaii tomorrow.  I have never been and my husband's wonderful mom and dad are treating all of us to this trip.  

I just hope the 8.5 hours of plane ride there will be good.  I am not afraid to fly just do not want to be cooped up with others on a plane for that long with no escape!!!!!!

We also see on the weather radar that a tropical storm is hitting Hawaii today and tomorrow.  It is suppose to be gone when we get in tomorrow night but it is bringing rain to the islands this week.  Just my luck.  I am going to stay positive that I will survive the plane trip and the tropical storm!!!!!!

See that hammock I am planning on planting my self in one of those!!!!! Just hope I do not need an umbrella when I am laying in that!!!!! The only umbrella I want to see this week is in my drink!!

If there is rain I may see a few of these!!!!

Hope to see a lot of these.

Aloha.  Taking a week off from blog world for this beautiful trip from my in laws!!!!

Please check this Saturday to both my blog and Susan's blog for our Saturday Spotlight Feature: Blogger Behind the Talent.  You will learn the personal side of two special bloggers: Carol from Art and Sand and Mary Alice from Chateau Chic.  You won't want to miss their features.
Aloha See you in a Week.
Kris
:)

Mixing Two Brands Of Paint!!!!

Good Sunday Morning.
I thought I would share a little make it up as I go along project I finished this week.

I am not sure what it was if the sun was coming in the room just right or what, but all of a sudden got the urge to paint my entertainment unit.  It was a stark white and looked perfectly fine but then I remembered I had some plaster paint and chalk paint.  Then I thought....... hey what might happen if I mix the two!!!!  The chalk paint was white and the plaster paint was Toasted Marshmallow.

I mixed the two together equal parts and I came up with this pretty linen/taupe color.  So I was going with it!!!
The plaster paint is the self chipping paint so I was anxious to see what the chalk paint and the plaster paint would do together on my entertainment unit.

This is the before of the cabinet all white.

Then one coat and it started to do it's thing!!!!

Second Coat starting to look even better.

I then just lightly used a sponge and a piece of really smooth sand paper.

With using a sponge the plaster paint was doing it's thing and I was able to wipe the edges where I wanted a distressed look.  I used the light sandpaper where I wanted it to look a little more distressed. You can see where some of the white from the chalk paint was coming through too. I was loving the results of my little experiment.

It is a little hard to see but the piece came out in a light linen color and distressed ever so slightly.  Just adding the little bit of color from the plaster paint to the white chalk paint gave this piece a slight hint of color.  So it kept my white cottage look with just a little warmth and character added.
It was fun to experiment and I was excited to have these results.
Have a great week.
Kris
:)

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