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. 

August 30th

Celestina Marie from Southern Day Dreams

This week for Spotlight it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to a very talented blogger.  Celestina has been recognized for her artist talents and has designed ornaments for the White House.  How awesome is that!!!!!  I think this is a wonderful honor and shows the talent of this special and sweet blogger.  So enjoy reading about Celeste and then go by and visit her blog and lovely treasures in her etsy shop.

Greetings Blog Friends

 Thank You Kris for having me here today to share my "Life Behind Blogging" in your Spotlight Series. It is an honor to be invited to participate.

My name is Celestina Marie and I am from the blog, Southern DayDreams where I share, decorating, artistic creations, hand painting and more.

  I was named after my grandmother who was from Italy and many of my friends call me Celeste, shortened by my mother when I started school. 

I live in North Texas and have been married for 41 years this month to my best friend. We have one son who is still single and has his own home, also in our town. 

Originally we are born and raised in Michigan 

and lived in several states over the years including Texas now for 25 years and love it.

This is our last family photo with my parents before they passed away.

I have been reading blogs since 2006 and opened my blog in 2007. It has been so much fun to share my journey and make so many wonderful friends along the way.

My shop on Etsy is named after my grandmother, who along with my parents, were great inspirations having much talent in the arts and passing those loves on to me. 

Along with art, I love music and have played the piano since I was 5 years old along with guitar,clarinet and auto harp.

My precious piano hand painted white.

Over the years I have worn many hats on my career path and far too many to go into

here now, however, my greatest joy has been working in interior/exterior design, display, home staging and teaching decorative painting.

 I studied Interior Design, Marketing and Business with Distributive Education in collage and those areas greatly help me today as I have designed in the arts for 30 plus years and enjoyed every minute. 

This path has taken me in many directions from brick and mortar shoppes and craft shows to selling on line since 2004 and designing ornaments for the White House at Christmas, twice.

The above pic is a portion of my shops in brick and mortar spaces before going on line in 2004.

Behind blogging I am a 25 year member of The National Society of Decorative Painters 
along with membership in  Embracing Cottage Style
and Shabby Cottage Shops.

Starting out, I was on Ebay with a store for 5 years, but over time learned that Etsy was a much better fit for designers, artists and collectors.  When closing  my shops in local antique malls after 10 years, I then enjoyed a new direction working from my home studio which is a converted third car garage, turned studio and office.

My hubby Larry, travels several times a month for his work and sometime I go along to treasure hunt. We love to go junk hunting off the beaten path when we travel and on weekends here at home searching for those perfect treasures to transform. As a decorative artist, I have specialized in many styles over the years from folk art to the cottage roses I paint today with lots of furniture painting too. 

The above pic is from THE PRAIRIE in Rachel's Shabby Chic Couture Shop

When I am not blogging or designing in my home studio, my best guy and I love to work on home improvement projects inside and out.

Recent Kitchen Redesign

 Here in Texas, you might find me in the garden, or maybe taking a dip in the pool if I'm not in the studio. I love to cook and entertain and enjoy lots of family and friends coming to visit and stay.

We also love to travel and have visited many interesting places in the U.S.

One being our recent trip to Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Bed and Breakfast

called THE PRAIRIE in central Texas.

Last summer, 2013 at Coronado Island celebrating our 40th anniversary.

Along with my love of swinging a paint brush, I enjoy reading and have a home library filled with favorites along with my love of design books. 
Each and every day is an inspiration to create and I have been so blessed to have a job that gives me this opportunity. 
God has truly shown me through the years my place in life and to give in a way that brings a little joy to someone through something I might create.

 A lot goes on behind the scenes of my blogging making up our lives, but sharing some of it through blog posts and also sharing in the lives of the friends I've made, is very special.

Thanks for taking the time to share in my SpotLight.

 You are always welcome to visit me HERE on my blog

 and my Etsy shoppe doors are always open. 

Thank you Kris for the invitation.

With Love from Southern DayDreams,  

Celestina Marie

Thank you Celeste for sharing your personal side with all of us.  Please hop over to Susan's blog and meet another really wonderful blogger  Ann from Tarnished Royalty.  I actually met Ann last year at Junk Jubliee in Iowa that I attended.  She is so sweet to enjoy getting to know Ann.

CelestinaMarieDesign.com @ Southern DayDreams 

Restyled Home Décor and Staging with Hand Painted Vintage Charm Boutique Studio Blog 

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New Ottoman for Dining Room Chair

Happy Thursday!  Wow I cannot believe we are heading into Labor Day Week End.

This summer has gone by so fast.  I love fall but with that really hard winter I am cherishing the summer days still left for us here in the midwest.

I wanted to show you my new ottoman I found on Etsy.  I wanted a little something with a ruffle to keep a soft feel to the reading chair in the back of my dining room.

You know how I like to give a shout out to those wonderful and talented people I find on Etsy.  This pretty ottoman came from Debbie at Purple Flower Fairy.

Debbie has an eclectic amount of vintage pretties in her shop. I thought this ottoman was the perfect match with my Ikea slipcovered chair.  So when you have a minute hop over and check out Debbie's Etsy Shop.
I did not receive anything to give her this shout out,  I just like to show my gratitude when I find wonderful and talented Etsy Shop owners.  I love women helping other women with their talents.

Thank you Debbie I love my new ottoman.

Have a great and safe Labor Day.  Be sure to come back on Saturday for Spotlight.  Susan and I have two wonderful and very talented bloggers for you to meet.
Kris
:)

New Found Joy

Hope the new week is wonderful.  Love a fresh start with each new week.

I was junkin on Friday because.............

Found this sweet Joy! Isn't she lovely.  Vintage silverware hangs on the old lampshade and the base is ivory and chippy.  Pure joy when I saw her.

I love that she is near the mason jars with my old vintage silver I have been collecting.

Love all the vintage and different silverware pieces.

Each piece is different and has a beautiful pattern.

So that is my new joy find from Friday.  I am still tweaking in my dining room.  It is fun to find new things and move around the things I have to get a new look.

Have a great week.  I am trying to enjoy these last few days of summer.
Kris
:)

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WOW Us Wednesday

New Angel In My Life

Happy Sunday.

I received a new angel for my angel collection and I wanted to show you.

Cathy Pendleton for The Cheswick Company sells on Etsy and has finished products and also kits and patterns you can buy to make yourself.  I have always loved her beautiful angels and try to collect one each year.

This was my first angel that my hubby got for me from Cathy.  I love her in my guest room as a guardian angel to greet and watch over my guests.  At Christmas she usually gets moved into the Christmas decor.

This is my second angel I got from Cathy.  She was a special Christmas Angel.

This was a third angel I purchased for a friend for her birthday last year.

This is my newest to the collection.  The Harvest Angel.  I just received her a few days ago.  When I do up the mantel this fall in my white and tan harvest pumpkins she will look so cute.

I also moved this old chippy bench in from the garden to go under the mantel.  I want to do some cute things with it for fall.

She looks pretty happy in the wreath for now.  She will look so cute when I do up my mantel for fall.  Just not ready to let go of summer quite yet to do that.

Cathy's angel just speak to me softly and I love them to be around me in my home.
The sweet Joy they give me.

Cathy put her in the cutest little vintage coat with a velvet pumpkin in her hands.  Thanks Cathy I love her and she is a great new addition to my collection.

If you would like to make one of these pretties, you know you people that can sew! visit Cathy's Etsy for the pattern.  She also has so many other wonderful patterns and finished pieces.

Have a great rest of the week end.  Thank you always for you your visits and sweet comments.  I really appreciate the time you take to visit and leave a comment for me.
Kris
:)