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. 
October 25
Courtney from Golden Boys and Me


This week I would love to introduce you to a sweet blogger that I have recently found and love her blog. Meet Courtney that blogs over at the  Golden Boys and Me.   Courtney has a beautiful blog, home and I am excited to introduce you to her.  Sit back and enjoy getting to know this very sweet and talented blogger.









Hello and Happy Saturday!  My name is Courtney and I write a blog called Golden Boys and Me.  I was so honored to be asked by Kris to participate in this series.  I think I am like many home bloggers in that we like to "hide" behind our homes.  It's so much easier to share pictures of a project in your house than it is to talk about yourself!  But, I also think that the absolute best part about blogs is that, unlike all the perfect pictures in a glossy magazine, the reader also gets to know the people who live within the home.  So here is a bit about me...
I started blogging about a year and a half ago.  I had kept a teeny tiny "blog" since my kids were young, but I basically used it as an online scrapbook.  Even my mother didn't read it!  Then, last spring, I decided to share a few pictures of our master bathroom project on that little blog.  I stepped outside of my comfort zone and shared that post in a link party, and just like that I was a blogger.  My partner in every project featured on the blog, and my most dedicated reader, is my husband, Billy.
We have been married for 18 years.  Billy works as a police officer in the same town in NJ that we live in.  Together, we have renovated 3 homes and learned so very much along the way.  We have 3 boys, ages 16, 13 and 9.  I have been a stay at home mom since our first was born.  After a short stint as a second grade teacher, I knew that my main job title would always be "mom".
 Having 2 teenagers can make deciding what to share on my blog difficult.  I am very careful about not sharing too much about my guys, which proves difficult because they are my whole world.  Our other 2 "kids" are our Golden Retrievers, Forrest and Keeper.  I share lots of pictures of them on the blog (and even included them in the blog's title).  They never complain!  In fact, Forrest tries to get into every picture he can.
We live in an expanded split level style house about 20 miles from New York City.  But, we dream of living in the country where life moves at a slower pace.
We chose this home based mainly on its proximity to Billy's job and the excellent schools in this area. As a police officer, Billy works many evenings and holidays.  Because he lives in the town where he works, he can stop home for his dinner breaks and we can keep some degree of normalcy for our kids.  I think the decision to move here was probably the best decision we have ever made for our family.  However, the house hadn't been updated since the 1980s.  It needed help!  Good thing we trained our kids to help with all of our projects :)
We wanted to make this place a home we could be proud of, but we needed to do it on one income.  I have always been a big fan of home design magazines and, later, blogs.  I could invision what I wanted our home to look like, but I had to find affordable ways to achieve it.  I had to think outside the box, and together with Billy's ever growing DIY skills, we created our home as it looks today.  In our kitchen, we used Ikea bookshelves to create an island where we took down the wall between our living room and kitchen.  Not only did it open up the space, but it gave it lots of open storage.  
I loved the high end look of over-the-range mantel shelves, but they were out of our limited budget when we completed our kitchen project 6 years ago.  We recently removed our microwave from over the range and DIYed a mantel shelf.  I think little changes like that can make all the difference in a room and, if you get creative, it can be affordable.
I mentioned earlier that our DIY master bathroom propelled me into blogland.  Having our bathroom featured in Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen+Bath Makeovers was a highlight of this past year.  By shopping on both the internet and big box stores, as well as doing all the work ourselves, we created this space for under $7,000.
Our very favorite times are spent together in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY in a town called Schroon Lake.  Our parents have a cabin there and we escape up there whenever time permits.  
We have no internet or cell service at the cabin and that has been a huge blessing for our family.  Well, maybe the boys wouldn't always agree with me on that:)  Depending on the season, we can be found boating and exploring the trails on foot, snowmobile or ATVs.  For us, there is always something to do in the mountains.  
 I also love taking pictures, reading a good book and cooking.  I am always planning our next DIY project and I love to decorate for the different holidays and seasons.  Like so many other bloggers I have gotten to know, I love the simple things in life.  Billy and I often feel lucky to be among those who can be happy with a "quiet" life full of simple pleasures.  Now that the cooler weather has arrived, I can be found reading by the fire in our family room.
I would just love if you stopped by to say "hi" at Golden Boys and Me!  Thank you so much for letting me share some of my life with you.  I look forward to getting meet some new friends.


Thank you Courtney for sharing yourself with all of us.  This was so much fun to get to know you better.  Now that you have met Courtney please stop by Susan's blog and meet another wonderful blogger Joni from Jasper's Cottage.

Happy Week end Everyone.  Enjoy.
Kris
:)

SOLD!!!!!

Up Date My Beautiful White Slipcovered Sectional is sold and going to a new home soon.

She will be residing in a beautiful farmhouse with white and chippy decor.  So it does my heart good she is going to a good home.

I told the new owner the only problem will be that Libby might have to come with the sectional.  She loves that sectional and will not know where to take her naps without it lol!

Thank you for all the inquires and good wishes on selling this piece.  I am thrilled for the person that will get to have this sectional for her beautiful home.



Wait!!!! what you sold my sectional?!!!!! Pout face!!!!!
Have a good week end.  Check back tomorrow for Saturday Spotlight.  Two great bloggers to meet.

Also don't forget to check in on Sunday for the great Give Away.
Have a great Friday and wonderful week end.
Kris
:)



White Sectional Sofa For Sale

Happy Thursday.

I thought I would use my blog today to advertise something I have for sale and maybe one of you local bloggers or followers might be interested in before I put it up on Craig's List.

I am selling my white slipcovered sectional.

Yep :( I will miss her but with having a very spoiled basset hound and a granddaughter that frequents often a white slipcover just is not what is I want anymore. 

I have wanted a leather sectional for some time and have been saving my pennies for one.

I finally took the plunge and ordered it.  It should be arriving around the first part to middle of December.  Apparently you have to have your sectional made to order and it takes anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks to arrive.

Here is more info on the sectional.

This is what the sectional looks like without the slipcover.  I bought it at Macy's about 4 years ago.  It is two pieces and seats five.  It is a very comfy sectional.




This is the slipcover after I first received it from Lisa Harmon @ LHarmon Designs on Etsy.  You can go to her site and see what I paid for this slipcover to be made.  Lisa does beautiful work.








Please note the throw pillows are not for sale with the sectional.

This is a more recent picture of my sectional.  Again throw pillows and throw not included in the sale.  The sale is just for the slipcovered sectional and cushions.


One of the reasons why leather will be more practical!!!!

This slipcover is made of heavy 12 oz white denim that washes and dries like a dream.  It gets softer with each washing just like your favorite old jeans.  It wears really well too.

So if any of you in the Illinois driving range like Wisconsin, Michigan or Indiana and would  be interested in this sectional just email me for the details and price.

I cannot ship this that is why I am offering to anyone that wants to drive here to pick it up.

Have a great day.
Kris
:)

Happy Monday

  Hope your week end was great.  Loving the mild fall temps.  Soaking it all in as long as we can here in the midwest before you know what comes!!!!!!!!!


I wanted to share a little project my hubby Terry and I did yesterday.  It was easy peasy and gave a whole new look to our porch.

Remember our blue front porch we painted for summer.  Well...... I just thought this color would not cut it for the winter months.

So with a little paint and about an hour of time we turned the blue summer porch into the taupe fall and winter porch.  This was easy peasy to do and fast.

We used Behr deck over paint from Home Depot in the color Taupe.  They have several colors to choice from.  I chose this one as I thought it blended well with the trim color of our home.

I did not get compensated from Behr or Home Depot these are all my personal opinions.  I wish they would compensate me for all the free advertising I give them LOL!

My fall painted porch is ready and all the decor looks good on the new color porch.  As you can see my hanging bag on the door is still holding out.  I tell you this little impatiens bag does not want to let go.  Fine with me I want to hang on to mild temps too.

I love the mix of the pretty colored leaves falling into the flower beds with the green still holding on from summer.  Love that they co mingle!

Can you say Photo Bomber!!!!!!!!!

Yep! Libby does not want to be my behind the scenes assistant but in the pictures assistant !!

Have a great week.  Be sure to come back on Saturday for two new bloggers in the Spotlight and I also have a great give away coming on Sunday you won't want to miss.  Little hint it has to do with Christmas.  What?!!! you say but hey Christmas will be here before we all know it.  So be sure to come back on Sunday for the give away.
Happy Week.
Kris
:)

Found Treasure Re Loved Into a New Window Header


Here is a couple of the items I got for myself at Nellie's Barn Sale last week end and what I did with them.


Cute broom wreath for the laundry room 



New Paris Sign to hang in the kitchen.



This is one of the two great old crown moldings I found.  Hmmm what to do with those......
I thought my bedroom window needs a little something.  Bear with me with these photo's it is hard to get good pics from this window with how the light comes in the room especially on these rain filled days.





Terry cut the pieces to fit this window and then used chalk to fill in the seam.






Here is the header attached before touch up paint along with my assistant Libby the little photo bomber.



Then I just touched up some spots with a little paint.  I wanted to keep as much chippy as I could.








  This is the window done with the header all chalked and painted.  Yep, my assistant still in the same spot!!!!

Have a great rest of the week end.  Happy Sunday to all of you.

Kris
:)






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