Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger



Milena from Path to Junkin Treasure 


 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 Saturday it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to a blogger I met in person and did not know she was a fellow blogger or follower of my blog.  

Terry and I were out one day junkin and we came across this cute antique place.   Carriage House Antiques in Crystal Lake Illinois.   I walked in the door and there was Milena behind the counter and right away she recognized me from my blog.  We struck up a conversation and when I got home I found her blog and knew she would be a wonderful blogger to get to know here on Spotlight. 

 How great is this to meet up with a fellow blogger before we knew we were fellow bloggers lol!  Love it!

Enjoy getting to know Milena and then hop over to her great blog and say Hi.




Thank you Kris for including me in the Saturday Spotlight.  I am touched and extremely excited to be a part of this.  When you and Terry walked through the door of The Carriage House Antiques the day I was there, I never imagined how wonderful being a part of a blog could be.

Hi, my name is Milena and I am fairly new to writing a blog.  I am still figuring it all out.  My blog, pathtojunkentreasure.blogspot.com started out as a way to let everyone know how much fun and inexpensive it could be to buy treasures (as I call them) at garage sales, rummage sales, thrift stores, flea markets and even salvaging someone else's throw outs.  I am out almost daily looking for those finds.  I like to list how much I paid for an item and when the sales are happening.  I also like to blog about stores that I have found on my travels.  It is my path to junk and treasure.  Hence, the name for my blog.

I am sitting in "my room" where I spend a lot of time creating.
                                                     
And so my story begins.....I was born in New Jersey and moved to Illinois around 22 years ago when my husband went to work in the family business.  (August marks our 20th wedding anniversary)   I am still a Jersey girl at heart and get homesick at times, especially in the summer.  I spent so much time at the Jersey shore that I miss the ocean when things heat up.  I make sure to get back there every summer so my sons know the joy that I experienced while growing up.  Speaking of sons, I have 2 wonderful teenage boys that I drag around on my treasure hunts. 

Atlantic City New Jersey                                                                        


Before my sons were born, I worked in haircare/skincare sales in the salon industry and traveled the East Coast and then in the Midwest when I moved to Illinois.  I traveled a lot and really enjoyed it, but when the boys came along, I decided to spend my time with them.  I substituted at different school districts for the past 13 years so that I could be around when they were out of school.  Eight years ago, I became a McHenry County Master Gardener through the University of Illinois Extension.  I love it and enjoy teaching others about gardening.  It has been very rewarding and fulfilling. 


Here we are in New Glarus Wisconsin.
                                                                     


Almost 1 year ago, this September, I began selling my treasures at The Carriage House Antiques and Good Stuff shop in Crystal Lake Illinois.  Karen and Di have been in business for over 10 years now and I shopped there often.  I am so glad that they asked me to be a part of their business.  I am loving every minute of it!  I can now shop for others instead of only for myself. 




My whole family loves antiques.  It must be in our genes.  My grandfather had worked in the coal mines in Pennsylvania and loved to "shop" at the local dump for bottles.  He had a large collection.  In the summer when we would visit, he would always show us his collection in the shed.  It was huge to my little eyes.    He gave me an Indian syrup bottle at one time and I treasured it.  My mom would let us bring home treasures that we would find on throw out days in town.  She repurposed items before it was the thing to do.  My brothers were also bitten by the antique bug and most recently my father has become addicted to treasure hunting. 
There are a few collections that I am obsessed about.  My mother gave me a hammered aluminum piece years ago that her father had given to her.  That was all it took for me to want to know everything about hammered aluminum.   At one time, I had over 300 pieces.  I have since reduced the size, but still get excited about a new piece.  I also love milk glass, vintage jewelry, vintage Christmas and vintage linens.  Especially vintage tablecloths and hand embroidered pieces.  My guest room closet is full!  In my spare time, I like to knit and sew, especially pillows.  I enjoy quilting where I can use my vast collection of fabric, another obsession of mine. 
Thank you so much for opening up your home to me.  I have enjoyed sharing my life with all of you and hope you will visit my blog to see where my next pathtojunkentreasure will lead.


Hope you enjoyed getting to know Milena today.  Milena is a sweet and down to earth as her story shows today.  Please take some time and visit her great blog.

Have a great Saturday.
Kris
:)  

Ordinary Day... Treasure Box Arrival!!!!

I know I have said this so many times but it is so true.  Bloggers are the best and I have become friends with so many of you sweet loving peeps.


Today was an ordinary day for me.  My Mailman,  you know the one that I flirt with and my hubby calls my "boyfriend"!  Well he came to the door today and told me I was special and was getting a package.



I was so excited.  I wasn't expecting anything in the mail so this was a nice surprise.



Milena from Path to Junken Treasures blog is going to be my upcoming Spotlight this week and she sent me a lovely thank you gift for having her in the feature. 



Oh my I should be sending all of you that do the spotlight feature for me each week a gift.  It is such an honor when you guys say yes to share yourselves with all of us.


Inside the special treasure chest was these lovely gifts.

This absolutely gorgeous beaded scarf and a little garden box with a cute garden pin and Milena knows how much I love garden hats and sent me this adorable one.

Such a sweet little flower pin.




I added the pretty new garden hat to my collection by the door going out to the back garden and deck.

Thank you Milena for my special surprise treasure chest filled with beautiful gifts.
Thank you for doing Spotlight this week.  I cannot wait for everyone to get to know you and your lovely blog.


Have a wonderful day.
Kris
:)










Chippy Cedar Chest

Hope your week is going great.

I wanted to show you a quick DIY I did on my grandmother's cedar chest I inherited.

I did not get a before picture of this cedar chest :(.  It was dark brown and I painted it white and I decided to chippy it.




Mouse Sander with light grid sandpaper to get the chippy look.





I like the chippiness to this old cedar chest.  Libby uses this chest at the end of the bed to get up and off the bed.  The more chippy the better to hide her basset hound large paws going up and down this piece.

Yep!!! Major Bed Messer Upper!



Now if she adds a few scratches here and there as she gets up and down off this chest it will just add to the chippy feel.

Have a great week.
Kris
:)









Lounging Kind Of Sunday

Happy Sunday.


While I was out junkin the other day and scored that fabulous new cabinet for my kitchen I also found another sweet treasure that day.



Here is the post on the cabinet re love if you missed it.






Yep it was another STOP the car moment!
Look at her with her cute legs and scroll arms.



You know I already have a lounge chair on my deck but I just could not pass this another one up for $15. 
Look at her cute scroll arms and sweet little tires.  She was in great shape for $15.


So stay tuned to see what I do for a sweet cover for this chair.  It is going to involve me sewing Yikes!!! So wish me luck.
I think she will stay indoors in the back of the dining room after I make her a nice chair pad.


My mom is in from Florida for a visit so I am going to be away from my computer for a few days with all the family activities.
Have a great start to the new week.
Kris
:)


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