More Hallway Changes

My mom is my best friend.  She's generous, kind, and thoughtful, and we have so much fun together!  She's such a beautiful person, both inside and out, and I'm so blessed that she's my mom!
I wish her the happiest Mother's Day :)

 Now onto some decor 'business'...I've been showing you the changes that I've recently made in my hallway.  I have one more small space in the hall to show you.

I just found this little bench at a local shop and something about it drew me in.

Could it be that chippy patina? (sigh)

The cain seat is in poor condition with a hole in the center, but I had an easy remedy for that!
Cover it with a wicker basket! (To read more about my obsession with wicker right now, go here.)

I filled the basket with some sweet little pillows.

The larger French one my friend Carol made, the smaller no. 3 one I got at the Country Living Fair and the little cow one I got recently-so cute!

I love using pillows in baskets to add some texture and interest!

Above the bench I hung my large chippy frame...

...then hung my dried lavender wreath in the center...

The  tan and white of the frame mimic the tan and white of the bench.  A marriage made in heaven, I think!

Although this is a very simple vignette...

...I think it still makes a statement in this little area of wall between our office...

...and the stairs...

Thanks so much for stopping by, and Happy Mother's Day!

(Please don't forget to enter my 2 Year Blogiversary Giveaway, HERE!  :)

Saturday Spotlight: Ceekay from Thinkin of Home

Hi, everyone!   Kris from Junk Chic Cottage and I 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. 

      

Today I'm happy to introduce you to my guest, Ceekay from Thinkin' of Home!  I'm sure that you'll be as inspired as I am by her upbeat, positive attitude on life! Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Ceekay better.

I am so honored to be joining Susan for Spotlight Saturday. I just love this feature and read both every Saturday.

I am Ceekay from Thinkin' of Home and My Journey with Teal.

The beginning of my blog, Thinkin' of Home, was when I was recuperating from a life changing surgery.  I needed to keep my brain active and I was no longer able to work.  I had time to look around and think about what I could do with my home!  I started stalking other blogs and decided...I should do a blog!  I have enjoyed blogging so much.  Many new friends have been met, challenges fulfilled, and projects completed.

I was born and raised near Detroit Michigan.  I am still smitten by the mitten!  I met my husband 42 years ago at Bible College on the first day I was there!  I KNEW he was the ONE!  We have been happily married for almost 41 years.  We lived in Michigan for several years, then Northern Wisconsin, and finally, settling in Phoenix.

On the Queen Mary 2014

 We have two children, our son, who is 32 years old.  He has a fabulous girlfriend who has 2 boys we adore.  We are just waiting for a wedding date!  Our daughter married 2 years ago this June to the father of our fabulous 2 grandchildren, a boy almost 12 and a girl, 8!  Both our children live in the Phoenix area, so we get to enjoy spending time together.

Our Family Easter 2014

Prior to 2006, I have always worked outside the home.  When I finished High School, my first job was in the shoe department at JC Penney.  I still love that store!  I also worked several years at Minnesota Fabrics, doing window displays.  Secretarial work was my last employ, being a Legal secretary.  I would have stayed with that until the totally shocking day that I found out I had Stage 4 Ovarian cancer.  Since then, I have been on my Journey with Teal.

However,  I have tried to focus on LIVING with cancer, not waiting to die from it.  My husband and I enjoy estate sales, and going "Up North" in our 1973 Shasta camper.  I go every year on a "girlfriend vacation" and enjoy it immensely.  There simply is nothing that compares to girlfriend time.

AZ Bloggers Luncheon

Our home also changed several years ago, when my husband decided we were going mortgage free in a 1978 Mobile Home.  That I didn't see coming.  We have worked very hard to update it and make it Home!  If you ask me what my style is.....I would have to say Old World, mixed with Grandma's attic!  I love big gorgeous furniture, but have to have my 1930-1950's kitchen decor!

Christmas 2013

It may interest some of you that I was a soloist singer and also have done some drama.  Seems like a lifetime ago, but it was a huge part of my life.

I will finish with an answer to prayer in my life, our rescue dog, my Bentley Boy.  He is my shadow and I love him so much.  He forces me to get up each day and get going, even when I rather not!!

I hope if you haven't visited by my blog, you will stop by.  I would love to get to know you!!


Thanks for sharing with us, Ceekay!  Love that picture of your sweet Bentley! :)
Please visit Ceekay at Thinkin' of Home then head to Kris's blog to read about Su from Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow.

Have a wonderful day!

My 2 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!

Wow! I can't believe that it's already been 2 years since I wrote my first post and hit the publish button!

I appreciate you, my dear readers and followers so much!!
So to celebrate, I'm having a fun giveaway!  :)
(Open only to U.S. residents-sorry!)

I've mentioned my friend Carol in many of my posts, because I have so many of her creations around my home!  She is uber talented in many ways...she sews, makes jewelry, and creates lots of fabulous things!

Here are just a few of her creations that I proudly own:

                                                                       {Valence}

                                                             
                                                                         {Basket}
                                                                   
       
                      

                                                                     {Lampshade}


And the pillowcase shams in the first photo!

I recently showed you here my little barn wood sign that she made me, and many of you commented on how much you liked it!  (In French it says 'You are the love of my life')

Soo, Carol got busy making some more signs, and she's generously offering one to my winner!
(The blank one is just waiting to be custom-made for you! :)

I'm also including an adorable necklace that Carol made by stamping a pretty bird/birdcage onto a charm...

...AND you'll also get a fabulous candle from the line that my mom and I carry in our shop!

I'm making it really simple to enter. All you have to do is:

1. Be a follower of 'must love junk' through GFC (Google Friend Connect on my sidebar)
2. Leave a comment on this post stating what saying you'd choose on your sign if you won!
(From the selection in the above photo of the signs)

That's it!  I'll have my hubby do an old fashioned drawing at the end of May.

I'm also offering a 10% discount off items in my Etsy shop 'MustLoveJunk'!  Just use coupon code 'BLOG2' at checkout!  We have some really fun finds listed right now, so take advantage!

Carol has recently opened an Etsy shop, too, 'Vintage Shack' so we'd love it if you'd visit her and 'favorite' her shop, too!
She's got lots of great items including valences and pillows, and she's generously offering a 10% discount to my readers, too!  Just use the coupon code 'MUSTLOVEJUNK' in the checkout.

Thanks so much for celebrating 2 years of blogging with me!  Happy shopping and good luck! :)

Wacky for Wicker

Hi, everyone!  In my last post (here) I showed you how my decor is going lighter and brighter.

I gave you this sneak peak of an area that I've changed in the hallway...

...and now I'm going to give you a better look!

This is what the hallway looked like before...

I had my stack of suitcases here for many years! That has to be a record for something staying in one place!

As much as I love those suitcases, I was craving a change, so I replaced them with a stack of wicker 'trunks'.

I'm really loving wicker right now and used it a lot in this space.  I feel that it gives a lighter vibe and plays nicely with my whites.

I topped the trunks with a small pile of vintage linens.  The monogrammed one on top is a recent purchase.

I've had this barn wood chalkboard in storage for awhile and decided to hang it behind the wicker stack (with one of my favorite sayings added!)
On the adjacent wall I hung a wicker basket that I recently got, and filled it with a couple of gorgeous dried hydrangeas that my friend Suzanne gave me from her garden.  Look at those beautiful colors!

Next to the wicker trunks is the huge statement piece (coat rack) that my mom got us.

From one of the many hooks I hung a wire birdcage (a Christmas gift) with a candle.

Then I totally changed out the top shelf of the rack.

I gathered a collection of wicker bottles...

...and added my old apple picking basket filled with more dried hydrangeas.

I got this at the Country Living fair a few years ago and it's still one of my favorite finds!

This chippy enamel-top table was moved from my little 'studio' upstairs to under the coat rack...

...then I topped it with a shallow dough bowl.

It holds the mail and random magazines.

So, what do you think?

Are you wacky for wicker, too?

Have a wonderful day!  And stay tuned for a fun giveaway that I have coming up! :)

Saturday Spotlight: Katie from Let's Add Sprinkles

Hi, everyone!   Kris from Junk Chic Cottage and I 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. 

      

Today my guest is a sweet blogger, Katie from Let's Add Sprinkles.   I appreciate her pretty style and enjoy following along as she remodels and redecorates her rooms. And how cute is that blog name?!
Please sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know Katie better.

I was thrilled when Susan and Kris asked me to be a part of Life Behind the Blogger.

I always felt a little like an odd duck because I was forever re-doing things in my home. It wasn't until I discovered blogging and other bloggers that I realized that there were others like me who were constantly decorating and re-decorating.

I come by this naturally.
My parents bought a turn of the last century home the year I was born and then they began the painstaking process of restoring and updating it. My very formative years were spent watching my mom and dad refinish, build, paint, remodel and decorate. I was the only girl with 5 brothers, so I sought out time with my mom while she stripped years of paint off of the old doors, gardened, crafted, sewed and searched the countryside looking for antiques. I remember sitting with my dad "helping" him. I'm so thankful he had patience while I played with hammers and screw drivers.
Tragically, I lost both of my parents by the time I was 17. My step-mother moved us to Texas in the fall of '77.
It was during my junior year of college that I met my future husband. He lived across the hall from my brother at Texas Tech. It was serendipitous when they discovered that home base for each of them was Arlington, Tx. They are still great friends which makes for fun family weekends and vacations.
I met Bill during a Thanksgiving break and asked him out for pizza. We didn't immediately start dating but we became the best of friends. It was a great foundation on which to build a marriage. Our friendship grew as he waited patiently for me to recover from a broken heart.

Bill and I began dating during his senior year and within a year we were married. We began to furnish our first house with thrifty finds and hand me downs. He was just like my dad in that he could fix almost anything. He wasn't afraid to tackle woodworking, plumbing, electrical and other repairs.  We've DIY'ed our way through 5 houses.

We have been blessed with three wonderful and creative children. Chris, Rebekah and Jonnie.
I retired from teaching 3rd and 4th graders when our oldest was born. I was blessed to be a stay at home mom when they were small and I cherished their growing up years. Money was still tight and I wanted a cute house so I became a fan of garage sales and thrift stores.
A part time mother's day out job opened up at our church. I found my age group and my calling and returned to teaching. That was 20 years ago. I continue to work part time so there is plenty of time to balance my family, job, hobbies and blog.

I began blogging about 2 1/2 years ago as an outlet. I'd been thinking about starting one for a several years but the impetus came after my brother suffered a debilitating and devastating stroke. He survived and has since recovered but it was during the subsequent months of grieving that I needed an outlet and a distraction. Our children were grown and  I was looking to redecorate the empty nest. It was a perfect time to begin a blog.

Many of those initial projects are completed but because I believe that a home is never completely finished there will always be more to do. I love sharing makeovers with those that stop by Let's Add Sprinkles.

It's primarily a DIY and decorating blog but I love sharing my heart and my faith with readers who have become friends.
Thank you, Susan and Kris. It was a blessing to be part of your Saturday Spotlight.
Katie

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Katie! Please visit her blog at Let's Add Sprinkles then head to Kris's blog to read about Judy at Gold Country Cottage.
Have a great day!  :)