Saturday Spotlight: Brenda from Cozy Little House

Hi, everyone!  Myself and (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 Kris's and my blog. 

I'm so happy to have Brenda from Cozy Little House as my guest today!  She is a blogger that I admire-she always has a positive attitude even though she's been through some difficult times.  Her style is colorful and fun, and she hosts a weekly linky party.  Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Brenda better!

Hi, I'm the blogger behind Cozy Little House. And Susan has asked me to tell you about the blogger behind the blog.

I've had this blog since the spring of 2009. Unfortunately, during a move from Wordpress.org back to Blogger, some crazy things happened, and I lost 1500 posts. So I just started over at the end of July 2013 and kept right on going!

I tried to come up with some photos of myself, but I'm the one always behind the camera. So this is all I have!

And I found one from when I was very young. I had a rather unconventional childhood. I really don't have photos of myself during that time.

I am divorced. My girls are grown and in their thirties. I have two Yorkies that I refer to as the pupsters. They are Charlie Ross and Abigail Rose. They are seven years old. They keep me hopping. And they are spoiled absolutely rotten.

I rent a 1010 square foot house built in 1934 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When I was going through my divorce in Texas, my oldest daughter, a real estate agent, purchased it so I could rent it from her. (Bless her for that!)

I moved in two years ago this month. Scared half to death that I couldn't make it on my own. My confidence dipping low. But I can now say I have found my way. And it is in no small measure that my readers brought me to where I am today. In so many ways, my blog saved me. Truly kept me going.

I have a Bachelors degree in Professional Writing in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. And I feel I am finally using that degree again.

Knowing I didn't have much money to start a garden my first summer here, my readers sent box after box of cuttings and bulbs from their own gardens. I'm sure the postal service wondered what was in all those big boxes from all over the country.

I opened them to find irises, day lilies, hostas, all kinds of perennials. And now I have a garden, thanks to them. Which is very important to me.

When I walked in this house for the first time, my daughter and her husband had worked and painted and had my appliances delivered. So all I had to do was move in. I love my hardwood floors (the boards are probably an inch wide, and I imagine they are the originals), and my beautiful white woodwork. They don't make houses like this anymore!

My most recent big project was decoupaging my lower kitchen cabinets. They were white and very plain. I'd already removed the top cabinet doors. My kitchen is tiny, so I wanted to do something to incorporate my personality.

So I decoupaged favorite images, favorite poems and quotes, lots of birds and flowers, which everyone knows I dearly love. And I did it all rolling around on my garden cart.

You see, in early July of 2012 I broke both sides of my right ankle, and had surgery. I still wear an ankle brace. There was no way I could get down there to decoupage without some help. My little garden cart was perfect. I just rolled along and glued!

That injury has set me back quite a ways in doing things in this house. But I'll make up for it!

I love color. The primary colors are my favorites. So you will see lots of color in my home. Like many bloggers, I love to move things around. And "shop the house."

You'll see lots of quilts in my house. Many I made myself over the years. I also love to decorate with vintage tablecloths and treasures I find in junk stores and such. And things I've made or sewn myself.

This old house is in a neighborhood of other wonderful old houses from the thirties. All different, all unique. No cookie cutter houses here. My house exterior is pretty plain. It is really just a little blue box, as I like to call it. All the action so far is inside.

I spend my days online, researching, writing, blogging, editing photos, etc. And often I can be found outside with my camera while the dogs sniff around the yard. I love nature and taking photos of birds. It brings me serenity to be outside, whatever the season, to enjoy the abundance of beauty that nature provides us.

I managed to get this shot a few days ago. It is a red-bellied woodpecker. I was amazed that he/she stayed there looking out that hole for so long! Normally I just have seconds to get a photo.

I'm a homebody to the core. I don't go out much. About once a week to run all my errands. Because really, where I want to be is home with the pupsters. And of course, all of you reading blogs!

I want to thank Susan for asking me to participate. And tell you all who I am and what I'm about. I truly enjoy this series she and Kris are doing. It's so much fun to learn more about bloggers I read every day.

Brenda, thank you so much for sharing more of your story with us!  Please visit her at Cozy Little House then hop over to Kris's blog to read about Anne from Dream Designs by Anne!  :)