Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Darrielle from DD's Cottage and Design

 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.

Wooo Hooo Happy Saturday.  This week I have a wonderful blogger to have you meet and get to know here in Spotlight.  I love Darrielle's blog DD's Cottage and Design and adore all her re loves when she paints beautiful pieces.  Please enjoy getting to know Darrielle and then hop over and check out her blog.

I was honored when Kris from Junk Chic Cottage asked me to be part of her Blogger spotlight series.  I love reading her blog and her Saturday series on getting to know other bloggers.  

I grew up on a 600 acre horse ranch in Northern California and I have 3 brothers.  The beautiful ranch I grew up on was very remote and we did not have any electricity, my first time living in a house with electricity was in collage!  It was a fun and interesting way to grow up.  

After playing lots of sports in high school, I moved away to Santa Cruz, CA and went to UCSC where I got my multiple subject and Special Education credentials.  I had wanted to be a teacher since 3rd grade and my youngest brother has Down's Syndrome so becoming a Special Education Teacher seemed natural for me.  I met my husband, Shawn, when we were both working with kids with Autism at a local elementary school and we got married in 1996. 

We were both high school Special Education Teacher and coaches ( me-girls and boys volleyball--- Shawn-football) and we bought our first home on our one year wedding anniversary and home decorating started for me.  

20 Years Later Going Strong!

The next 5 years challenged our marriage as we tried to get pregnant and had major infertility problems.  Finally we had our exquisite daughter, Brayden. 

After the struggles of getting pregnant, I became a stay at home mom for about 8 months and then found a new job as a Special Education Teacher for a virtual school and I am still teaching there today.  Being at home enabled me to be with my daughter and take care of our home.  

I have always been a home-body and a do-it-yourself kind of person and being home all day helped me become more creative and inspired by decorating and making our home cozy and happy.  

Brayden and Dakota-they were always together!

Kindergarten

I have always painted our furniture and tried to decorate our home on a budget and one day my friend encouraged me to start painting furniture and selling it and the junkin'-painting crazed me found a new very fulfilling hobby.  

My family and friends have been very supportive of the paint-covered Darrielle! 

Grandma and Papa 

Favorite Uncle Joey

Grandpa Joe

GG (Great Grandmother)

My wonderful 96 year old grandmother and Great Aunt Annabel
(junkin' is in our blood-ha ha)

I still work full time, but try to squeeze in painting when I need a creative break.  

I started my blog:  D.D.'s Cottage and Design about 2 years ago to share my painting hobby and connect with others who like to paint, junk, decorate, cook and be creative.  

I am very lucky to have my very supportive husband and inspiring daughter to help me be creative and happy. 

Brayden and Hudson

Thank you Kris for letting me share a bit about myself and be part of your behind the blogger series. 

Thanks Darrielle for being in the Spotlight this week.  It was so much fun to feature you and your sweet family and get to know more about you.  Happy Saturday Everyone.

Kris

:)

Door Change and My Decor Crazy

With this house on the market I feel like my decor crazy has been stifled of late.  I love change and doing new things in my decor but with the house up for sale I feel like I cannot express my style or change much up.

So it is the little changes I can do that give me some creative pleasure.

This was my front porch starting with some fall decor.  I had my summer yellow front door.  I felt it gave the front of the house a more cottage feel.

We replaced the yellow cottage door with our other wooden front door that matches the garage door.  It is a better door and I thought the buyers would like that it matched the garage door.  Terry switch the doors out for me.
I left the yellow door in the shed so if the buyers want to put the yellow one back on they can.

I  like the wood front door it feel less like summer than the yellow one did.

I brought out one of my white urns that I had my Christmas tree in and re planted this sweet potato vine.  I added some fall pumpkins and fall faux flowers to the potato vine.

I kept my sweet yellow boots from summer and added some fall faux daisies.

My sweet potato vines are really going strong.  The vines stretch across the front picture window.

So just a few change ups to my front porch.  Ohhhhh how I am hoping we  get a contract soon and we can move onto a new place I can release my decor crazy on!!!!

Have a wonderful week.
Kris
:)

Hugs and Thank You

Just a  big hug and thank you to Benita from Chasing Quaintness.  I got this special little sachet in the mail from her on Friday.  Sooooo sweet and it smells heavenly.  Benita just sent it to be sweet and to say thank you for being blogging friends.  She has a kind heart.  Love my pumpkin sachet Benita.  Hugs & thank you so much!!!!

Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Ricki Jill from Art @ Home

 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 honored to introduce you to Ricki Jill from Art @ Home.  Not only is she talented and creative she has a big and kind heart.  So enjoy getting to know Ricki Jill and then head over to say Hi on her blog. 

Hello!  My name is Ricki Jill Treleaven, and my blog is Art @ Home.  I'm so humbled that Kris asked me to write a post for her Saturday Spotlight.  Thanks so much, Kris!  :D

I'll tell you about myself first, and then I'll tell you a little bit about my blog.  I've been married to my college sweetheart for 27 years, and we have two daughters: Shanley Belle, who's a graduate student in Communicative Disorders at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) and Shelley Angèle, who's eighteen and a senior in high school.  I homeschool Shelley and we're often interrupted by our naughty Westie named Finlay.  I'm a former high school English teacher and an artist.  I also have a fairly new second blog, Meditation of my He{art}, for my art journaling and art prayer journaling.

I was trying to think of what in the world to write about as far as introducing my blog to y'all because my blog is not very defined....it tends to be "all over the place" like my life!  So I think I'll just share with you my Top Ten List of stuff I like to blog about.

10.  Family Life.  Although we're almost empty nesters (both girls were living at home when I first started blogging) I still like to share about my family with my readers, especially homeschooling.

Shelley's first day of school 2015

9.    MacKenzie-Childs   We've collected MacKenzie-Childs majolica since we married.  You'll see our collection from time to time on my blog!

MacKenzie-Childs flower frog

Honey pot

8.    Home Decor  I love fluffing the nest and sharing it on my blog.

My art studio

Our kitchen

I enjoy tablescapes for all seasons!

7.    Finlay   He's naughty and full of Westietude!

6.    Recipes   I enjoy cooking for my family and sharing recipes with my readers.  I have a recipe page on my blog with links to the recipes I've posted.  My buttermilk pie and iCarly spaghetti tacos recipes are two readers' favorites!

Southern Bourbon Balls

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

5.    Crafting   I wish I had time for more crafting because I love it!  Whenever I have time for crafts I try to write posts about them and share.

4.    Link Parties   I enjoy link parties, like the Mad Tea Party.  You can read more on my Link Parties page.

3.    Flowers    I love, love, *love* flowers...and anything with flowers on it!

2.    Art    True to the name of my blog, I do write about art (usually on Mondays).

"Peonies in Mercury Glass"

Some of my paintings in various stages 

1.    Books    Hello!  My name is Ricki Jill and I'm a bookaholic!  I write a weekly post on Fridays (Literary Friday) that's also a link party.  So if you read a good book (it can be about anything....I shared a recipe book last Friday!) please write a post and join in on the literary fun!  ;P

Thanks again, Kris, for inviting me to share my blog with your readers.  You're the *sweetest*

xo,
Ricki Jill

-- Blessings! Ricki Jill Art @ Homericki-treleaven.blogspot.com

Thank you Ricki Jill for sharing yourself with us.  It was fun getting to know you better. Finlay is too cute.  Hope everyone has a great week end.

Kris

:)

An the Winners Are!!!!!!

Well my friends thank you to all of you that entered to win a copy of the Somerset Life magazine that I was recently published in.

I am listing the winners below.  If you see your name please email me your address and when I get my order of magazines hopefully this week I will send you your copy.

Winners:
Nancy Comer Nancy's Notes
Nancy Reinke Joyful Cottage
Sandi Barberry Lane Designs
Deb Garage Sale Gal

Congrats girls.  Please send me your address's.

For those of you that did not get your name pulled out of the hat.  I have the post here where you can read the article and see the feature.

My good friend Nana Diana at her blog is giving away a copy of this magazine too.
So if you did not win one here and want another chance please hop over to Nana Diana Takes A Break and leave a comment.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.  Be sure to come back on Saturday to meet a wonderful fun blogger in the Spotlight.
Kris
:)

Fall is in the Air but Summer Flowers are still Holding on!

It says fall on the calendar and fall is in the air with cooler days and nights.  My summer flowers just do not want to let go just yet.

My ivy geraniums are hanging on and the passion flower plant while not budding anymore is still green and lush.

The geraniums are still popping with pretty color.

My knock out roses are still blooming with lots of buds ready to open.

My deck boxes still are having a few blooms and the greenery is holding on.

It won't be long and there will be frost on the pumpkins and the flowers will be done for the season.   I am holding on for just a few more weeks of enjoying these pretties.

A little fall mixed in on the front porch.

Hope you all have a wonderful start to the new week ahead.
Kris
:)