Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Jen from Sweet Auburn Life

 Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger is a feature done each Saturday that introduces you to a blogger you may already know or a new blogger for you to get to know. This feature gives you a peak into the personal life of the blogger.  Getting to know the special person behind the beautiful blog.

There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland so enjoy getting to know these talented bloggers each Saturday.

This week I would love to introduce you to a sweet blogger from the beautiful country of Ireland.  Jen has her blog called Sweet Auburn Life.  I love when I meet and become friends with international bloggers.  It is so wonderful that blogging brings friendships to us from all over the world.  You will really enjoy getting to know sweet Jen with her feature today and then hop over to introduce yourself and see her lovely blog.  

When Kris asked me if I would like to be included on one of her Saturday Spotlight features I was flattered and excited but also nervous. As I explained to Kris, as a blogger I have always 'guarded' my identity if you like. It's scary putting yourself out there on the internet for the world to see and potentially ridicule. I am pleased to say however, my experience to date has been nothing but positive. Thank you Kris for the opportunity. Here goes nothing...

 

My name is Jen. I am 35 years old and live with my husband in a two story three bedroom eco-friendly house in the middle of Ireland. We met in college and have been together for almost 14 years.    

Just before Christmas 2011, we married in my local church (where I made my first holy communion and my parents married) and had our reception in this lovely country house near my parents home. 

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We live in the country and both make daily commutes to work. Mr. Auburn definitely has it worst, leaving the house before 6am for Dublin! I work in Mental Health, my husband in Telecommunications. We both spend up to 12 hours a day out of our home so evenings and weekends are precious!

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We bought this house in 2008, an empty shell and it has been our first home together. We don't have plans to leave just yet but it is not our forever home. We hope to build a house someday on a rural site we have a couple of miles from our current home close to my in-laws. 

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We are both reasonably creative, somewhat frugal and fairly sentimental which has lead to a home full of handmade and homemade, hand-me-downs and upcycles.

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I read many blogs and have done so for years while for so long my own life was an undocumented blog; living in the country, decorating our home, crafting and gardening. It was my husband that suggested I start my own blog, so in early 2013 Sweet Auburn Life began.    

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For the most part I blog about our home, decorating, make and do, baking, things we get up to. Life and work occasionally get in the way but I always come back to it. I have met so many ridiculously talented, inspiring people from all over the world whose stories and opinions are so important to me.

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Sure, sometimes their amazing homes make me want to gut mine!! Mostly though it is motivating and energizing and educational to be connected to the amazing network of creative people you all are.

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Jen xx

Thank you Jen for sharing a  little about yourself, your hubby and your life in Ireland.  It was fun international feature for this week.  Have a wonderful rest of the week end everyone.  
Kris
:)

For the Love of White!!!!!

Happy Thursday.  

I know this post is going to be a real shocker!!! NOT!!!!

I painted something white.  Yep I wasn't going to and then the decor crazy of my love of white got to me.

Ok remember that sweet church alter I scored back in March.  Well I really loved this piece with all its history but I have been staring at it for some time thinking maybe it should be white and chippy to match the other vintage white and chippy's in the room.

Ok after talking Terry into painting this white.  Yep I got the look!!!! but still convinced him to paint this white.   We put up paint plastic and decided to use his handy dandy indoor paint sprayer.

Yep this little baby paints in no time flat.  It is called the Home Right Finish Max I got it for Terry for Valentine's Day from Home Depot.  Took all of 10 minutes to paint this alter.  We let the first coat dry for an hour and then 10 more minutes and we had coat two on.
Easy Peasy.  Love this sprayer.  It keeps the paint on the piece and there is little if any paint spray anywhere else.  I put up the plastic just in case but it was all good.

Two coats and this was ready to be chippified!

Took the mouse sander to this and got the distressed and chippy look I wanted.

I like this alter white and chippy.  Just is more my style.
Come back on Saturday I will have a wonderful blogger in Spotlight.
Have a great rest of the week.
Kris
:)

Beginning Summer Front Yard Garden

We have been having just awesome weather here in Chicago Land.  I was able to start my summer gardens.

I thought I would share the front of my house today in this post.  The rains were moving in so the sky was gray but perfect to take pictures so you can see the pretty colors.

I did a blue and yellow theme out front this year.

I will start with my signature vintage bike out front.

I am on the hunt for a bike rental sign to hang above the bike on the tree.

Old potting table out front.

Love this old blue barn door that was made into a potting table a couple of years ago.  It has held up nice with the harsh winters and all the watering I do in the summer months.

I did the blue and yellow and white flowers to go along with my yellow cottage front door.

You can see how vibrant the yellow and blues are this year.

This is the old painted cottage nest door that I made into a planter using an old dresser drawer for the flower box.  You can see the faint hand painted nests and birds on this old door.

This fence piece use to be a headboard of a bed and a couple of years ago I moved it out front in the garden.

Every year I have the same Sparrow couple move into this bird house to raise a family.  Usually I can capture the female with her head sticking out of the hole.  She is being shy today.

Hung a yellow petunia bag on this old chippy shutter on the brick wall.

So the front yard beds of perennials are filling in nicely  and the annual flowers are all planted.  Now I will feed them and take good care and in about a month they will be over flowing with blooms.  The colors out front will be so pretty.  The house will have lots of curb appeal.  As you can see by that gray sky the rain is moving in.  The new flowers and grass will get a good drink of water.
Have a great week.  Hope your Mom's Day was nice.  I am such a summer girl and love to get my flowers going.
Stay tuned for the backyard and deck flowers.
Kris
:)

Parties:
Make It Pretty Monday
Something to Talk About 
Show and Share
Inspire Me Tuesday
Wow
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Share Your Style
Shabbilicious Friday Party
Summer Outdoor Spaces
Favorite Things Blog Hop

Happy Mother's Day

I thought I would show you my lovely Mom's day gift of roses from Terry.

Instead of a dozen roses to put in a vase Terry got me three new Knock Out Rose bushes for my garden.  Love these kind of roses they will not end up gone in a week and I will enjoy these Mother's Day Roses all summer long. 

I planted them in my little flower bed off the deck.  I have this old chippy head board to hold my garden retreat sign. You all know how I love to mix salvage chippy pieces in with the flowers in my garden.

I love the knock out roses they are pretty and so easy to grow.  Love their vibrant color.

I have been getting my garden planted for this year.  Here is a sneak peak at one of my chippy porch posts I am using on the deck to hang the baskets of flowers and my old vintage bike is going to be part of the decor on the deck this year.

Stay tuned hope to have the garden and deck pictures posted soon.
Have a wonderful Mother's Day.
Kris
:)