Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Diana from Adirondack Girl @ Heart 

 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 week I am excited to introduce you to a very talented blogger Diana from Adirondack Girl @ Heart.  Diana has a wonderful way with vintage finds.  You will love her posts on her weekly vintage finds and she also introduces us to wonderful vintage bloggers each week too.  Enjoy getting to know Diana a little better.

Hi everyone! What a special treat to be asked by Kris to tell you a little bit about myself and my blog, Adirondack Girl @ Heart. Shall I start at the beginning?

I'm the eldest of five children, and we grew up in the town of Peru, on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York. My grandmother and cousins lived in a tiny town called North Creek, at the center of the mountains, and I spent a lot of time there, hiking, bottle digging, skiing, picking wild flowers, and camping. The bottle digging is probably where my addiction to the "thrill of the hunt" first developed. The name of my blog is a tribute to my love for these mountains.

My last year of high school, a special teacher introduced me to a life of faith. She set me on a course that would guide and strengthen me through the years ahead. Knowing God and receiving his forgiveness have meant everything to me.

After college, I moved to Albany, New York to attend Law School, and then I worked for the Legislature on environmental issues for eight years. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to work on some important and innovative legislation, but my favorite was the Hudson River Valley Greenway. I "retired" in 1995 to marry my sweet husband, Bob, and shortly thereafter my son Dan (now 18) arrived, followed by my daughter Gracie (now 16). Interesting fact: we married on October 7th, Dan arrived March 7th, Grace on April 7th, and our house number is 7!

Shortly after we married, my girlfriend Robin encouraged me to get into the antiques business, as a way to make a few extra bucks. I'd grown up surrounded by antiques, so the love for old things was pretty deep in my bones. She took me under her wing, and before long I was selling at antique shows and in a nearby dealer shop. 

When we moved to England in 2009, I took a break from selling, but not from buying! In 2011, we came home and I had boxes and boxes of treasures in tow. During those two years, I shopped at antique shows, antique shops, auctions, open-air markets, and my very favorite, car-boot sales. The best thing about car boot sales, besides their incredibly low prices, is they are held in an open field or car park--it's one stop shopping. In fact, there's no such thing as a [private] garage or tag sale, only car boot sales. Above is the amazing c.1648 half-timbered home we lived in. We had a wonderfully blessed two years in England, making special life-long friends and travelling all over Europe.

A vintage market in the town of Chesterfield, England.

8th grade art class project--slave jugs

Upon arriving back in the States, we settled back home and I began teaching art one day a week at my daughter's middle-school and I slowed down on my antique/vintage buying.

A couple of years later, I was looking for an emotional and creative outlet. We were going through some difficult times in our family and I needed a healthy distraction. Believe it or not, that's what "drove" me to blogging, and I've not regretted it one day since. I wrote my first post in August 2013, and then opened my Etsy shop a few months later. I've met so many kind and encouraging people along the way, and have experienced tremendous personal growth in many areas of my life. I love blogging!

Adirondack Girl @ Heart has a distinctively vintage focus. My regular features include weekly "Vintage Finds" and a "Vintage Blog of the Week." Like many other bloggers, I also love crafting and decorating, but again, I try to put a vintage twist on my projects. Because I've a bit of a teacher inside me, I also love to write posts that provide good information about evaluating and caring for antiques. And sometimes I write "FaiTHoughts" about spiritual matters dear to my heart.

I just recently moved into a real "live" antique shop and so I write about my space every now again, too (photo above). I expect I'll be writing about my vintage adventures for a while to come. Thanks for listening to my story; I hope you'll pop over to Adirondack Girl @ Heart and introduce yourself  to me some time soon--

Thank you Diana for letting us get to know you a little better.  Love the 7's being so lucky for you.

Have a wonderful week end everyone.  Please hop over to Diana wonderful blog and say Hi.

Kris

:)

Pottery Barn Meets Chippy Cottage

Here is my long awaited change ups to my living room.

This is still a work in progress but I finally felt like I could take a few pics to show you how I made the leather sectional blend more with all my cottage and salvage pieces.

I am calling this room my Pottery Barn mingles with Chippy Cottage.

A few weeks back I was in a shop I love called Janeen's Home Decor in Geneva and I have always admired this beautiful oak display piece when I would come in the shop.  The day I was in the shop the girl that owns this piece was there and I asked if she would ever think of selling the piece.  To my surprise she said yes and after she told me this was an old church alter I fell even deeper in love.  I knew this beautiful piece of history would be a great way to display our TV and have it warm up the room with its lovely oak and beautiful carved features.

I
  The color of the oak alter helps the sectional blend better in the room too.

Terry was able to make two of my distressed wood bird cages into pendant lights on each side of the TV.  Bird cages by day and pretty pendant lighting at night.  I also have my old chippy half door back up and put my old framed out mirror for the top of the door and to reflect the chandelier.

This is the other chippy bird cage pendant light on the other side of the TV.

I am still looking for some fun decor for under the pendant lights on the  oak alter.  I also am thinking about getting some kind of salvage barn doors and putting them on a track from the ceiling for in front of the TV screen to cover it from site.  A work in progress.  I saw someone do that with an old headboard and it looked cool to cover up the TV while not watching it.  So I am hunting for something cool for this TV exposure!  Stay tuned!!

The pendant lights are on a dimmer so they are very nice at night to give us a soft light while watching TV.

My reading chair and an old chippy bench for a stool along with my old vintage window and another of my old bird houses hangs on the wall in this corner.

I left on the barn board planks on the leather sectional. I felt they tied the sectional in with the chippy cottage salvage pieces in the room.

I left up my old cottage shutters and arched window.  I hung an old vintage iron mail box on the window with some faux flowers.

My little distressed coffee table/ blanket chest.  I store all my throws in this little chest.  Brought in this chipped yellow watering can that had been left out in the garden all winter.  It was chipped to perfection!

Terry's comfy worn leather recliner next to a chippy ladder with all his remotes!  Every fireman needs a ladder Right?!!! He stores all his remotes on the ladder.  What is it about guys and having so many remotes!!!

Since my new entry re do was more on the line of pottery barn and my living room opens to the entry I think this decor gives a better flow to both areas.

My little design assistant likes the pottery barn chic for her bed too!!!!!  Funny how ever since I got rid of my white slipcovered sectional and got the leather one she does not like to go on the sectional anymore.  Likes her bed now!! I can't win.  I guess it was more fun to lounge when I had the white slipcovers for Libby than the leather.

I am still looking for a wonderful rug to anchor this room and pull it all together.  I am on the hunt!  Everything in this room redo I had except for the new Church Alter piece.  So it was fun to re hang and make the pendant bird cage lights for this room out of the salvage I had.

Now the room has some pottery barn and some chippy cottage.  I think I got the leather sectional to mingle finally with all my cottage decor. 

We lounge, snack and watch TV in this room.  My granddaughter loves her juice boxes and snacks on this sectional while watching her shows and Libby on occasion will hop up on this sectional too.  So it is all good the leather is easy maintenance.    I was happy to marry the very practical pottery barn sectional to some wonderful salvage that I love so much in my decor. 

Have a great week.
Kris
:)

Parties:
Show and Share
Wow Us Wednesday
Shabbilicious Friday Link Party

Happy Easter

source

Enjoy this day of renewal and hope with family and friends.
Happy Easter
Kris

Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Kim from Exquisitely Unremarkable

 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.

Happy Easter weekend everyone.  I have a wonderful blogger to introduce you to this week.  It is Kim from Exquisitely Unremarkable.  Kim is a great DIY'er and very crafty.  You can take a look at the cute Easter Banner Kim made here.    Enjoy reading Kim's story and getting to know her.

Hello everyone! I'm Kim and I blog at Exquisitely Unremarkable. I would like to thank you, Kris, for having me here today, I couldn't be more flattered! To be honest, when Kris asked me, I was floored. Me, really? I actually read the email twice. You see, I still consider myself the brand new kid on the block...what could I possibly share? Of course, then it hit me that I'm no newbie at all. I have been blogging for two years. It just doesn't seem possible

I usually hide behind my tulips!

I started my site on a whim. I had never read a blog before in my life and when my nephew told me to start one, I said, "A what?"

Really.

My mom and two siblings were all diagnosed with terrible diseases at once. I have a very close family and, while everyone is doing well now, our lives were mired in doctors, hospitals and treatments for far too long. I needed a positive outlet, so I started writing.

Tulips are my favorite flower!

I chose the name Exquisitely Unremarkable, because I needed to remind myself that there is great beauty and grace in our everyday surroundings, no matter what is going on in our lives. I just needed to look a little bit harder to find something to make me smile.

Clean teen bedrooms, a rarity, make me happy!

It didn't take long for me to find my groove, sharing about my house, a small beach cottage, that we lovingly renovated about a decade ago.

Soon, I was writing about decorating tips, crafty creations and a few silly stories about my life.

I embarrass myself on a pretty regular basis, so why not share? It's always more fun to laugh with friends!

It's been a great escape and I have met some truly amazing and very creative ladies. So I keep writing. I do it around my kids' schedules, carpooling, homework, driver's ed...yikes!  Like I said, it's been two years and I am still having a ball.

It's hard for me to define my style. I just decorate the house with what I like. I guess I have a country/ cottage/ farmhouse flair.

I adore the color red. It is my signature accent and I love reusing and recycling items.

We have lived in the same charming neighborhood for twenty years, first in one small house, then another!

Our home was built in the 1920's and still looks just like this!

When we were looking for our current home, my husband said, "Do not find a house with a new kitchen that you think is ugly and expect me to rip it out."

Thankfully, the kitchen barely functioned so we got to add and build our own, including my pretty hood, that my extremely handy husband built for me!

We met at a roller rink when we were thirteen, became the best of friends, but didn't date until we were in our twenties. We've been together a really long time and he certainly knows the way to my DIY heart!

We built this lamp together!

As for my own talents, well, they're limited! I am not a power tool girl and I can sew, but don't look too close! I enjoy super simple projects and crafts. I like things to look elegant, I just don't want to work too hard or pay too much for them!

I used to teach kindergarten and first grade, so I love to write tutorials too, it fills the teaching void!

Plus it makes my kids, teenage girls, very happy to have me telling someone else what to do!

Well, that's it! That's my Exquisitely Unremarkable story!

Thanks again, Kris, for inviting me to share on your own lovely blog! It was truly my pleasure!

Thank you Kim for sharing yourself with all of us.  I know it is a busy week end with Easter being tomorrow but if you have some time please "hop" over to Kim's blog and see how creative she is.  Happy Easter Everyone.  Enjoy the holiday with family and freinds.

Kris

:)

Two of my Yummo Easter Recipes

As we head on to the Easter week end I wanted to share a couple of my favorite recipes I make for Easter.

First is my crock pot Beans with bacon and hamburger.

First thing is to brown the hamburger with 1/2 cup chopped onion.

Second is to brown a pound of bacon.  You can brown your bacon with your hamburger and onions I just like to do them separate less grease.  After your bacon has cooled cut it up into bite size pieces.

In your crock pot add the browned hamburger/onion mix with your bacon pieces.

This is the part of the recipe that you can make unique to what your family loves.  You just open and add what ever kind of beans you love.  These are the varieties my family likes in this recipe and I love all the combo's of flavors.

Add all the cans of beans to the meat mixture in the crock pot.  You can add 1.4 cup of ketchup and three tablespoons of mustard and 1.4 up of brown sugar to this mix too. I do not do that since this is already heavy in the can mixtures.  Then I put the beans on for 7 hours on low the day I am going to serve this.  They are so good and yummy.  They go perfect with the ham for Easter.  These are also great for BBQ's with brats, hotdogs etc.  I get so many compliments on this bean recipe.  If you do not have a crock pot or just want to bake them you can do that too.  You would put them in your oven at 350 for about 45 minutes to heat them through.  I just like the crock pot it is easy and they cook all by themselves!!!!

The second recipe is a great appetizer to share with your guest.  It is called the Loaded Baked Potato Dip.  The best part about this dip is it tastes just like a loaded baked potato with out any potato in the recipe.

The ingredients are 8 oz sour cream, two 8 oz cream cheese packages and 8 oz of cheddar cheese and also not pictured is three green onions chopped.

This recipe also calls for real bacon bits.  So I forgot to pick them up so I sent Terry to the store to get them.  He came home with the jumbo size bag.  You only need the small bag that I believe is 2 oz's or about a 1/4 cup of bacon bits.

Do I smell Bacon!!!!!!!My decor assistant is apparently now my cooking assistant.  She saw Terry come in with the big bag of bacon bits.  Hmmmm she wants to taste all the ingredients for quality control!

You put all of the mixture into a glass pyrex or in my case I just used a pie dish.  Top with the rest of the cheese and you microwave this until the cheese melts and then serve with Fritos Scoops.
Now there is a "secret law" that say you can only serve this dip with Frito Scoops.  That is the only way it tastes the best. So if you do not want to break any laws then get the Frito scoops to serve with this dip.
It is so yummy and my guests always rave about this one.
If you want and have time you can also put this in the oven at 350 until the cheese melts.

So my Easter Dinner Menu will be:
Ham
Polish sausage with homemade sauerkraut
Crock Pot Beans
Jello Pretzel Salad
Cheesy potato casserole
deviled eggs along with colored eggs colored by Abby my granddaughter
Black and green olives and pickle tray
Hawaiian sweet rolls
Lamb cake with cut up fresh strawberries

So as we "hop" on to Easter Bunny Week End have a wonderful celebration with your family and friends.
Come back tomorrow for Spotlight and have a wonderful Easter Sunday.
Kris
:)

I interrupt this Decor blog for a moment today.

My little grand dog Penny went to her heavenly doggie home yesterday.

My daughter Kimmie and little Penny that we affectionately called PenPen.

My daughter lost her little buddy and companion yesterday and Terry and I lost our little grand dog.  

Penny had a back issue that come on suddenly and progressed quickly and involved several disc's in her back.

Kimmie and the Neuro Surgeon fought hard to help her but 

in the end she was not able to be whole again.

Penny was 5 years old and gave all of our family such joy and love.  We will miss her.

Easter Table Setting

I thought I would show you my table setting for my Easter Guests.

I stayed with a pretty simple theme.  All my whites and creams and grey with a touch of spring colors from the flowers and my yellow garden boots.

For my center piece I just added some daisy's to the yellow garden boots and my friend gave me this cute wreath for Easter so I attached it to the boots too.  A few carrots for my bunny.
The bunny is holding one of my chippy garden signs from outside.  This old picket garden sign is so chippy and sweet.

The little garden cups I made to go at each place setting.

These were quick and easy to make.  If you would like to see how these were made you can go here.

I added a egg cup with flowers and a little bunny at each place setting.  Tied off my silverware with either a sweet purple spring flower or the bird cage you see below.

Just simple and sweet for each place setting.

I found these cute little bunny tail chair covers at Pier 1.  Thought they were so cute on my chairs.

They just velcro onto the chair.  I guess I should move them down so it will look like each of my guests have a bunny tail when they sit down at the table LOL!

A little Easter on the bench in the dining room.

My cute little bunny with some spring flowers.

He has his spring dreams basket all ready to fill with Easter treats.

Had to show you this cute little kitchen towel I found at Home Goods.  Cute little chick with her umbrella and sweet garden boots.  Just was too cute to pass up.

 I have my table ready for my guests for Easter.
Yummy Ham, polish sausage, cheesy potatoes, my famous crock pot bacon and hamburger baked beans and pretzel jello and of course Lamb Cake with fresh strawberries.
Yum I cannot wait.
We play games after dinner and have a Easter Egg Hunt.  Abby our granddaughter is always so excited to get the clues to hunt for her eggs throughout the house.  My two adult daughters and SIL like to hunt for eggs too.  I put little prizes, money and gift cards in the eggs and then hide them and give out clues where to find them.  I always tell them any eggs not found come back to the Easter Bunny!
Have a great rest of the week.
Come back on Saturday and check out the wonderful blogger that will be in the Spotlight.
Kris
:)

Parties:
Mod Mix Monday
Wow Us Wednesday
Treasure Hunt Thursday
What's It Wednesday
Share your Style The Vintage Nest
Share your Cup Thursday