Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Susan from Must Love Junk, and myself 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. 

Di from Cottage Wishes
June 21st

Happy Saturday

I have the great pleasure to introduce you to a sweet blogger Di from Cottage Wishes.  Enjoy reading and getting to know Di.  Then hop over and check our her wonderful blog.

When Kris invited me to share about myself on the spotlight at Junk Chic Cottage, I was thrilled.  I am Di from Cottage-Wishes

I started my blog when I moved to Asheville, North Carolina.  I wanted to create a blog about everything I would want in a Cottage and called it Cottage-Wishes!

My wish was to create a wonderful home to share with my grandboys, hubby, girls and their husbands.   I have been married to my wonderful hubby for 40 years.  We have been to waterfalls, parks and mountains.

 

Along the way I have shared my adventures around and about town.  I have tried new things from my blogging friends and learned alot about myself.  I try to encourage fun in my family.  My grandboys are keeping hubby and me young.

We have two (yes two) yorkie puppies...we just couldn't separate them and leave one behind.  They have gone from 2 pounds to 10 pounds, hopefully they will stop there.

 Four sweet boys that call me Granon (Gran - non)  

 I love shabby chic, nordic and french style! 

 I am truly blessed

 I have found and copied many good ideas from my blogging friends

 I have way too many collections and do like blue and white

 I love to paint with Annie Sloan Chalk paint

I hope you will stop by and chat and let's share our adventures!

Thank you Kris for inviting me over!

Di

Thank you Di for letting us get to know you better.   I do not know who is cuter those two Yorkie's or the 4 grandsons.  All are adorable.  Now that you have gotten to know Di please hop over to Susan's blog and get to know another sweet blogger Lin from A Tiny Cottage In The Woods.

Have a great week end.

Kris

Mental Health Day

Did you ever have one of those days where you just felt like you needed a "Mental Health" Day.  Today was one of those for me.

I got in my car and took a day for myself.  I had no real plans just went to where I felt I wanted to go.  It was nice to just see where the day would take me.

I found this little treasure on my trip today.

Loved the saying on this chalk board block.  "Let's go into the garden and listen to the flowers sing!"  Loved it the minute I saw it.  I knew it would look cute in my wreath by the front door.


I really enjoyed a day to myself.  I had a nice day stopping at some fave shops and eating a nice and yummy lunch.

I think every once in awhile we need to have some time just to ourselves, to do what we want and see the day unfold and enjoy the journey on our own.

As Martha Stewart always says "It's a good thing".
Wishing you a wonderful day.

Please come back on Saturday for Spotlight Susan and I have two new bloggers for you to get to know better.
Kris
:)

Cafe de Paris And Flower Market

I shopped this past week and found this great Paris de Cafe Sign for my kitchen.  Thank you Vintage Shop in Morris one of my fave shops to visit.  Never walk out of Cassie's great shop without something wonderful to take home.

This sweet sign is stenciled on an old chippy mirror and then it was framed in black.  It looked really sweet with the black frame but I had this really chippy vintage frame that I have wanted to put up somewhere and thought hmmmmm......

I think the vintage chippy frame gives this Cafe sign just a little more character than just the plain black frame.

This new Cafe de Paris just gives a little french flair to the farmhouse kitchen.

Flower Market Vignette:

 I shopped the house to make up this little vignette by my window in the dining room.

I had everything.  The picket fence piece, the little french stool and the french garden flower gathering basket.
So got a little summer vignette going on by the window looking out to the back garden. Did it all for $0 dollars spent.


Thank you for your visit.
Kris
:)

Parties this week:
Share your Cup Thursday

She Knows Feature

Happy New Week!

I WAS HONORED WHEN JANA RANDALL ASKED ME TO IF SHE COULD FEATURE MY KITCHEN AS ONE OF THE WONDERFUL KITCHENS IN HER ONLINE MAGAZINE SERIES.  I AM POSTING THE FEATURE HERE SO YOU CAN ENJOY ALL THE WONDERFUL INSPIRATIONAL KITCHENS THEY ARE FEATURING.  I WAS HONORED TO BE AMOUNgst THEM.  ENJOY SEEING ALL THE BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN INSPIRATION.  THANK YOU JANA FOR THE HONOR.  Grab a cup of your fave beverage there is a lot of inspiration here!

JANA RANDALL

Home & Living Assigning Editor

Jana.Randall@sheknows.com

RENOVATION MADE EASY

This guide is chock-full of all the information you need to renovate your kitchen. Save it, pin it or print it so that you have what you need before you start the big demo.

Photo credit: Kaneko Ryo/Moment/Getty images

Kitchen renovation

Photo credit: Manhattan Nest

Homeowners make the decision to renovate a kitchen for many reasons — the kitchen may be outdated, they dislike the design made by a previous owner, they need more space, etc. But for whichever reason you had for renovating your kitchen, one simple idea comes to mind: "to minimize the bad and maximize the good." This quote, taken directly from the blog Manhattan Nest, is a great philosophy to keep in mind when designing and creating the kitchen of your dreams.

If you're using a contractor, you'll want to know how to tell him what you want.

Renovation 101: Conveying your vision to the contractor >>

Before you get started, check out a few of our favorite renovations.

Top kitchen renovations of all time >>

Have a family? Here are tips to survive a kitchen remodel.

• Tips and tricks >>
• Inspiration >>

RENOVATION MADE EASY

This guide is chock-full of all the information you need to renovate your kitchen. Save it, pin it or print it so that you have what you need before you start the big demo.

(page 2 of 3)

Tips & tricks

There's no doubt that we've got plenty of tips and tricks up our sleeves to help you with your remodel. Here are some of the best points of advice from SheKnows writers, experts and some of our favorite bloggers.

Budget

Photo credit: Elissa from Our House

Before you go shopping or looking for inspiration for your kitchen renovation, it is essential that you sit down and figure out your budget. It would also help if you have a needs and wants list. This will act as the core of your remodel, helping you know where you can spend and where you can and should penny pinch. Elissa at Our House did just this. By making "save" and "splurge" lists, she and her husband had a backbone before they even started renovating.

• Lowe's helps you remodel a kitchen on a budget
• SheKnows spacelifts: 10 Modern kitchens under $500
• Steal the look: Get Fab You Bliss' sleek and modern kitchen

Design

Photo credit: Deuce Cities Hen House

Depending on the square footage of your home or the year that it was built, space may not be on your side. When designing your new kitchen, it is vital for you to think of the functionality of your kitchen. If you want more space or organizing options, you will want to add this into your plans from the get-go. Alison at Deuce Cities Hen House's kitchen was built in the early 1900s, giving her an outdated and very small space. Going with a minimalist design, she was able to create a statement kitchen with a lot of personality and functionality.

Read about four staples you need for a modern kitchen design.

• Kitchen design trends: Back to basics
• Kitchen design trends that will last
• Kitchen makeover tips from HGTV's Meg Caswell

Color

Photo credit: It's a Wannabe Decorator's Life

The color that you choose for your kitchen is one of the most vital decisions that you will make for your renovation. This is because a color can change the entire feel of the room, and since most kitchen concepts are open, it also has to blend well with the rest of the home. Erin at It's a Wannabe Decorator's Life chose to keep her kitchen a beige hue while painting a selection of her cabinets a unique shade of green. In her opinion, the painted cabinets "open and brighten up a space," and we couldn't agree more.

• Kitchen color trends: Jonathan Scott's predictions for 2014
• Amazing kitchens in blue color schemes
• Top 10 paint colors for kitchens

Personality

Photo credit: The Inspired Room

Your kitchen is easily the most lived in room of your home, so allow it to have a bit of your own personality and style. Use creative color, architecture and patterns to create a space that you can enjoy spending time in. Melissa at The Inspired Room allowed room in her budget to add two-toned cabinetry and a baking center, something that is absolutely essential to her in the kitchen.

Learn how to make a white kitchen show off your personality.

• Drab to fab: Vivi Dot shares her home's style makeover
• Hey blogger, show me your kitchen
• The feng shui kitchen: How to use these principles to bring prosperity and health

Storage

Photo credit: Everyday Enchanting

Your kitchen needs to store a lot of items: plates, bowls, serve ware, baking ware, glassware, utensils, decorative items and, of course, food. Therefore, you want to ensure that you have a lot of space for storage in your kitchen. When renovating, think of clever spaces and ideas that you can use for storage in your new space. Turning an otherwise unused space into something functional, Nina, from Everyday Enchanting, and her husband turned their hood into a storage area with this simple guide.

Photo credit: Everyday Enchanting

Get inspired with these kitchen storage ideas.

• 6 Ways to unclutter your kitchen
• Functional and stylish kitchens we love
• A quicker cook: Make-under your kitchen routine

Appliances

Photo credit: Fisherman's Wife Furniture

Believe it or not, many kitchen renovations begin with appliances. Realizing that their appliances are either outdated or do not fit the home's style, homeowners will opt to remodel the entire space to fit their new modern appliances. Due to the cost of new appliances, they do take up a good portion of the renovation's budget. With this in mind, before you go shopping, get educated. Kaylor, the blogger behind Fisherman's Wife Furniture, gives a great list of advice to help you snag a deal on appliances that will last.

Learn how you can save money with Energy Star appliances.

• Appliances designed to make life easier
• Real women share: My favorite life-simplifying appliance
• How to make a simple kitchen look done

RENOVATION MADE EASY

This guide is chock-full of all the information you need to renovate your kitchen. Save it, pin it or print it so that you have what you need before you start the big demo.

(page 3 of 3)

Inspiration

Looking for a bit of inspiration before you head out to your favorite home store? Here are some of our most-loved kitchen renovations and remodels from around the web.

Light & airy

Photo credit: Young House Love

Using a bright color combination with modern fixtures, this kitchen is filled with personality and light.

French country

Photo credit: Junk Chic Cottage

It's hard to believe that this shabby chic beauty is located in the heart of Illinois.

I have added some of the new changes to my kitchen since this article was done.  So I have posted those pictures here.

You can click on the photo credits below each kitchen in the feature to visit their sites for more pictures of each of the kitchens featured here.

Enjoy all the inspiration.

Farmhouse delight

Photo credit: Miss Mustard Seed

Taking a modern twist on the farmhouse kitchen, this beautiful kitchen features a full-length chalkboard wall.

Sleek & sophisticated

Photo credit: Blog the New Black

Black is back with this sleek kitchen accented with black cabinets, white subway tiles and small pops of color.

Checkered charm

Photo credit: A Lo and Behold Life

Looking charming with black-and-white tiled flooring, this kitchen has an endearing vintage appeal.

Simply stated

Photo credit: The Mustard Ceiling

A kitchen with a very simple style, this space has a rare and fascinating allure to it.

It's in the details

Photo credit: B in Real Life

This is a modest kitchen that screams personality thanks to the small, yet significant, red vintage details.

Woooo that is a whole lot of inspiration.  Hope you can take some time and visit all the pretty kitchens featured here.  Have a wonderful start to the new week.

Kris

:)