Saturday Spotlight: Linda from Itsy Bits and Pieces

Hello! Every Saturday Kris (Junk Chic Cottage) and I each feature a blogger where they tell us a little bit more about themselves so we can get to know the person behind the blog.

Today I'm pleased to introduce Linda from  Itsy Bits and Pieces.  We definitely share a love of vintage decor!  On her fun, colorful blog you will find her decorating and repurposing in a creative, whimsical style.

Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Linda better!


Hi!  I'm Linda from the blog Itsy Bits And Pieces!  I'm so pleased to be visiting here with Susan and all of you on Must Love Junk!

I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota...but that wasn't always the case.  I grew up as an Air Force Brat and lived all over the place.  Born in Illinois, we moved to Washington and Texas, followed by 3-1/2 years in Japan.  I have many wonderful childhood memories living there.  Take a look at this kindergarten photo...I insisted on wearing a Christmas corsage...signs of my future infatuation with all things vintage Christmas!

Returning to the states, I spent the remainder of my childhood in Greenville, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.  It was while living in Savannah in the 60's that I first began going to the thrift store with my parents.
There is a lot of Southern girl in this Minnesota woman...including eating the black-eyed peas I made on New Year's Day!

As a teenager, I moved to Minnesota...later meeting my future husband...here we are at my senior prom in 1972.

We have been married for 41 years now and have three grown children and six grandchildren...number seven is on the way!  I posted about my daughter's barn wedding last August.

We all enjoy getting together at our family lakehome in Southern Minnesota, it's a place that we gather and just enjoy catching up on life!

I have been a vintage dealer for many years.  After going to school for floral design, I started a custom design business, but quickly realized I was much more interested in the vintage containers I was using!  I sold vintage goodies and junk re-use projects in shops, with my daughter for many years, as well as 4 years of monthly occasional sales, and 6 Junk Bonanzas!  This past fall I decided to take a step back from the big sales, take it easier, and concentrate on my etsy shops.

I love to bake and cook and have taken up the challenge of developing tasty recipes for family members (including myself) with dietary restrictions~ gluten free, egg and dairy free, etc.  I love spending time in the kitchen.

I have loved blogging!   My newfound love for the photography was a wonderful surprise, as have been all the friends I have made during the 4-1/2 years I have been writing!  I have been blessed to meet many other bloggers at sales and get-togethers!

I am looking forward to some fun opportunities and adventures in 2014!  I hope you'll stop by my blog for a visit and to say hello...I love meeting new friends!

Thank you, Susan, for inviting me here and allowing me to share a little of my more personal side today!

Linda, thank you so much for sharing!  Your 'story' is so interesting, and I really enjoyed learning more about you!

Please visit Linda at Itsy Bits and Pieces then pop over to Kris's blog to learn more about Kathleen from Faded Charm!

How I Found My Style

I'm honored to be featured today by Pamela at From My Front Porch To Yours in her 'How I Found My Style' series! (Thanks, Pamela!)

I'd love it if you'd pop on over and check it out!

Have a wonderful day :)

Saturday Spotlight: Martina from Northern Nesting

Hello! Every Saturday Kris (Junk Chic Cottage) and I each spotlight a blogger where they tell us a little bit more about themselves so we can get to know the person behind the blog.

Today please help me welcome Martina from Northern Nesting.  I think Martina's style is classic and elegant, and I always enjoy seeing what she's up to. On her blog you will find her decorating her lovely home, rearranging a room, or maybe painting a piece of furniture.
Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Martina better!

Hi there...I'm Martina from the blog Northern Nesting!

I want to thank Susan for having me over here today...I'm so excited to be part of the Saturday Spotlight Series!! 

 Ok so I guess this is where I have to tell you a little about myself:) I'm a New York girl born and raised and LOVE to spend time in the city. I married my soul mate 16 years ago and we have three beautiful children...Mackenzie, Will, and Victoria.

Here's my gang...

 

When it comes to decorating my family thinks I'm  a little obsessed LOL!! They know things change around here so much it doesn't come as a surprise to them anymore! I think they would be surprised if things didn't LOL!

I'm a big animal lover...I've had dogs since my childhood...Neena is the newest member of our family...we adopted her last May from North Shore Animal League in Long Island, NY.

Next month will mark my 3 year Blogiversary...boy time sure does fly!! I remember how nervous I was to hit that publish button for the first time...soooooo glad I did!

I started a home and garden blog to share my love of decorating...and favorite decorating style Country French...Here's a little peek into our home...

I love the blogging world...it's filled with so much inspiration and it's brought me many wonderful new friends whom I cherish!

Susan thanks again my friend for inviting me to be part of your Spotlight series... and all you Must Love Junker's feel free to stop by my blog anytime...I love making new friends:)

Marina, thank you so much for sharing with us!  Please visit her blog Northern Nesting, then head over to Kris's blog to read about Sandi from A Cottage Muse!  :)

Winter Mantel

(Thank you to One More Time Events and Knick of Time for featuring this post!)

Hi, everyone!  I just got the last of my Christmas decorations down as I'm finally starting to feel better.

After enjoying all of the holiday decor around my home since November, I was anxious to put it all away and start with a fresh, clean slate.

I decided to start with my mantel.  I wanted a lighter look so I kept up the chippy white door that I had up for my Christmas mantel, here.

On one end I placed this worn, enamel pitcher...

...and filled it with dried pussy willows...

Then I hung this dried lavender wreath that I got last year on the door as a focal point...

Next I added 3 cardboard canisters that I got from my mom (they used to be on this shelf here.)  I like the texture and earthy color that they add.

I layered a couple of old books with a small silver urn that I got while shopping with Kris (Junk Chic Cottage) in Chicago last summer.  She took us to the cutest shop called Tattered Tiques and this was one of my purchases from there.

It's monogrammed with the letter 'P' which has no significance to me...I just liked it!

On the other end I placed a silver candelabra with a tag made by a friend hung on it...

And finally, I strung up my burlap and rhinestone banner again.

So there you have it...my new winter mantel!

We've been spending a lot of time in front of the fire (as you can see by the ash that I neglected to clean up before taking pics...oops! I could've cropped it out, but instead I'm keepin' it real :)

The temps have been in the single digits and they're heading for below zero!

Hope you're keeping warm in your neck of the woods!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

I'm linking to these wonderful blogs:  Cozy Little House
                                                        Coastal Charm
                                                        My 1929 Charmer
                                                        Knick of Time
                                                        A Stroll Thru Life
                                                        One More Time Events
                                                        Savvy Southern Style
                                                        Ivy and Elephants
                                                        Common Ground
                                                        Jennifer Rizzo
                                                        French Country Cottage
                                                        No Minimalist Here
                                                        Revisionary Life

Saturday Spotlight: Kathy from Creative Home Expressions

Hi, everyone!   Hope your 2014 has started out great!

This bug has had me down for almost 2 weeks now,  and I'm ready to be over it!  It seems like about everyone I know has been sick; unfortunately a lot of nasty stuff has been going around.

Now that we're officially into the New Year,  Kris (Junk Chic Cottage)  and I are back with our Saturday Spotlight!  

Every Saturday we each feature a blogger where they tell us a little bit more about themselves so we can get to know the person behind the blog.  

For my first Spotlight of the New Year I'm pleased to introduce Kathy from Creative Home Expressions.  

Her blog name describes her well, as her home and her Etsy shop are filled with her beautiful creations!  (She also has extra points with me for being a fellow 'Ohioan'-ha! ;)

Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Kathy better!

Many thanks to Susan for inviting me to visit here at the Saturday Spotlight!

I had a big birthday this October when I turned 50.  My birthday is on Halloween which many people find interesting.  You might be surprised to know that I don't go all out decorating for it.  I am married for 28 1/2 years and I have two adult children ~ a daughter (26) and a son (23).  I also have a granddaughter who is 3.  She is a true joy in my life!

Up until two years and a few months ago, we all lived on Long Island.  A job opportunity for my husband within his company came up.  We had already had our house on the market to downsize anyway, but this move took us to Ohio.  A state I had never been to until we came to look at homes.  A big change for native New Yorkers!

It was an interesting experience ~ downsizing, moving to a new state, and becoming empty nesters all at the same time!  My son-in-law works for the same company and was able to transfer as well, so my daughter and granddaughter are nearby and I get to see them a few times a week.  Now we just need our son to come here!  He is currently going for his Masters in Pennsylvania, so he is closer now than he was when he was finishing college on Long Island.

I've come to realize that I am sort of a "jack of all trades and master of none".  I can do a lot of different things well, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert in any of them.  I love to sew and craft, and have challenged myself at times to make things.

I also love decorating and always have.  I used to move my bedroom furniture around all the time when I was a kid.  I think I get that from my Mom, as she always had a beautifully decorated and put together home.

I love thrifting and repurposing things I find.  My newest hobby this year was hitting yard sales and estate sales.  I was finally able to get a space in a booth, the weekend before Easter this year, which gives me an outlet for my creativity and makeovers.  It is in an antique mall that is not too far from where we live and I am enjoying the experience.

So, that's me in a nutshell!  Thanks again for having me, Susan!
http://www.creativehomeexpressions.blogspot.com
www.etsy.com/shop/kathycreativehome

Kathy, thank you so much for sharing with us-it's wonderful to learn more about you!
Please visit Kathy at Creative Home Expressions, then head over to Kris's blog to read about Michelle from Petite Michelle Louise.

Thanks for stopping by, and stay healthy!

Merry Christmas To Me!

Good morning, everyone!  I hope that you had a great Christmas!
I haven't been around much because Keith and I got hit with a nasty bug, and I've been trying to rest and recover from it.

I managed to snap a few pics of a Christmas gift that I bought myself.

My mom and I went to an antique mall a couple of days before Christmas.

When I spotted this statue tucked  behind some things on the floor of a booth, my heart started beating faster!

I was taken with her beauty.

I have quite a growing collection of smaller white Madonnas, but this is the first large one that I've come across.

It's hard to tell from these pics, but she's pretty big (over 2 feet tall!) and unbelievably heavy!!

My mom and I had to laugh that she is blue...after avoiding blue all these years, now it seems that all my 'must-haves' lately are blue!
(As I showed you in my last post, here.)

I also bought this bluish-gray cabinet that same day, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping it or if it's going to my shop.  (I've started taking down my Christmas decor, and I'm changing a lot of things around.)
It's a great color and has a zinc top, which I love.

So...Merry Christmas to me! :)

I wish you all a happy, blessed New Year!

I'm sharing this at:  The Dedicated House

Merry Christmas To All

I mentioned before that I don't really do much outdoor Christmas decorating, but I did manage to give our little back stoop a touch of Christmas love.

A couple of months ago, one of my favorite 'vintage' stores was closing, and I spied this chippy blue sled...

...and this to-die-for barn door...

...and of course they both had to come home with me!  (At fabulous prices, to boot!)

This old, shabby tricycle was given to me by my nephew's dad.

He knows that I love anything worn and chippy, and this sure fits the bill!  Perfectly rusty, and look at those layers of paint! (sigh)

I thought the barn door needed a wreath, so I hung one that I've had.

I wanted to pair up the sled and the trike (kind of ironic that they're both 'blue', the color that I previously shunned, don't ya think?) and this turned out to be the perfect spot!

I just want to take this moment to thank all of you, my dear readers and fellow bloggers who keep coming back to my little blog, who uplift me with your kind comments, and who inspire me all throughout the year.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year full of blessings!!  :)