Thank you.
Thank you very much for sharing your dreams with me.
No matter how big or small they were or ARE - they are important. They belong to you and they are born from your precious spirit. I hope that you NEVER let someone take your dream away from you. For those of you whose dreams have NOT come true - yet - I hope that they become your reality soon, or when the time is right, and I hope that they bring you great joy and happiness.
As I read each of your responses, and as my eyes welled with tears over some of the personal stories that you shared, it became clear to me how much our hearts yearn to love others - how much we like to give to others - how much we want to provide for others - and how for so many of us our dreams were to fulfill nurturing roles. We wanted to marry, we wanted to be mothers, and we looked forward to becoming grandmothers, and great grandmothers. We give, and we give, and we give - from our hearts and from our souls, and I think, we as women, probably always will. It is who we are. Whether we work professionally outside the home, or work professionally at home, or whether we decide to be full-time homemakers - we all want to give our best to those that we love. I know that YOUR families and friends who have YOU in their lives are truly blessed - and I am so happy that for many of you, your dreams have come true.
The main thing to remember, in my opinion, is it doesn't matter where we are in life - we can have a dream, it CAN COME TRUE, and each of our personal stories is still being written. Every day in our lives is another page to turn. My hope for you is to love yourself enough that you will claim some of these blank pages just for YOU - to pencil in whatever makes your sweet heart sing and your spirit happy. Please be good to yourself - for you truly are a miracle.
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Now, to answer your questions! :-)
Do you have a professional background in photography, writing, and design?
I have NO professional background in any of these. At one time I experimented with having a little decorating business and distributed a few brochures around town, but after a couple of "jobs" I decided that it wasn't for me. I prefer to help my friends just for fun.
Your dream that has come true for you?
I have had many. I married my high school sweetheart, and I have a beautiful son and daughter. I moved into my dream home three years ago and I have recently had my writing published! And yes - I still have more dreams! ;-)
Have you ever worked full-time outside the home - a previous career, etc.?
Yes, I worked full-time, outside the home, before I became a mother, and have worked here and there, at various jobs, over the years.
Have you always lived in Florida?
Yes, I have always lived in Florida! And I have NEVER seen snow fall from the sky. Can you imagine??
What is your fondest dream?
My fondest dream was to be a mother - and that came true - TWICE. :-)
What is your favorite fragrance?
I don't have one! I rarely wear any as they tend to give me headaches. I LOVE the fragrant smell of orange blossoms and Christmas trees though - does that count? ;-)
Who or what gives you inspiration when decorating?
EVERYTHING gives me inspiration when decorating! I also gain inspiration from my sister, my friends, other like-minded souls, decorating books and magazines, beautiful blogs, and web sites. I find that restaurants, store displays, and hotel lobbies offer wonderful ideas too. I am an observer and I find myself taking in every detail of my surroundings.
What part of the country do you live?
I live in beautiful Central Florida.
How did you keep your home all cute and put-together when your kiddos were younger?
Oh believe me, their toys and belongings were scattered everywhere during their at-home days, but we cleaned up at the end of the day and used lots of baskets to store their "treasures"! ;-)
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't blogging?
Well, besides spending time with family and friends, and of course Maggie, I love to go thrifting and yard saling! I also love visiting coffee shops AND book shops. I'm a magazine junkie so give me a comfy chair and a brand new decorating magazine and I'm in heaven! I enjoy walking the streets of our neighborhood and especially enjoy chatting with my neighbors on their cute porches over a glass of wine or two! ;-)
Did you always have a love for old things?
Yes, I have always loved old things!! I remember going junking with my Dad and being enamored with the vintage treasures that we would find!
My daughters think that I should start a blog. Do you have a good source of information to get started?
My best advice to give to those of you who are thinking about starting a blog is to just jump in and do it. Don't over-think it! There are several blogging sources for you to choose from, although I am partial to Typepad! Once you sign up and choose one of their easy templates you are ready to go. Write your first post and you are blogging! You can do it!
What gives you the reason to get up every morning?
Because I am able to. What a blessing to be alive and here to greet the morning! As you know, I think we should treasure them. :-)
Do you have a favorite film (s) or book (s) ?
This one is easy! My favorite film AND book is Gone With The Wind.
My second favorite film is You've Got Mail.
When do you have the time to write and post your blog? Don't you ever sleep?
I am blessed to be home alot of the time and no, I'm not a big sleeper. I usually get by on 5 hours or less a night. I write my blog at all different times of the day and I compose it as I sit down to post. I don't have any real blogging routine, other than I try to write a new post every few days or so.
Where do you store your pretties when you change out around the house? Do you have a big room to put things in?
Oh dear, you should ask Fifi! ;-) The poor girl was exposed to my cluttered closets and saw first hand how I am a "stuffer". I have alot of things stored in my linen closet in our hall bath and under our bed. I wish I did have a big room to put things in, but I don't. So I stuff. ;-)
Will you please come decorate my house, even just one room? Ever been to Michigan?
Suzanne, I am flattered! No, I've never been to Michigan and I'd love to come play in your house!
What is your absolute favorite ITEM in Daisy Cottage?
My favorite item - and this was a hard question - would have to be the first real antique that my husband and I bought - the oak buffet that we now have as a bathroom vanity in the hall bath. We used this piece in our dining room in our last home. I hesitated about turning it into a vanity, but then I thought of it as a "present" that we could give to Daisy Cottage and it would be something of ours that we could leave behind if we should ever have to move.
What decor styles have you had in your homes?
I've always been a cottage girl. My last home didn't have as much emphasis on "collections" or themes (although I had my roosters, baskets, and vintage treasures) but it was still casual and with a cozy emphasis. And of course, it had color! ;-)
What was your biggest decorating mistake?
We had a beautiful pine ceiling in the family room of our last home and I decided that it should be painted white to "brighen" up the space and to visually "lift" the ceiling. Big mistake. We never should have covered up that gorgeous wood.
Have you always dreamed of owning a home like the one you have now?
Yes, ALWAYS!! Ever since I was a little girl. :-)
Can I ask how many rooms you have in that lovely cottage?
Let me count.... ten!
How long did it take for you to decorate your home so cute?
Thank you!
Honestly, not long at all! I picked the colors quickly and seemed to know just what I wanted. I've added things as I've found them and I've had so much fun putting it all together. :-)
Have you ever been to NH or New England?
No, I have never been! I would love to one day!
How has blogging changed your life?
It has been a huge blessing in my life! It has been 100% positive and I am so thankful for all of YOU and the entire experience. It has made our world much smaller to me and it has opened my eyes to beauty and inspiration that I may not have ever known.
Where did you live before Daisy Cottage and did you also decorate the same? Does your hubby also enjoy all your decor?
We lived in the same town and in a ranch-style home for 14 years prior to living here at Daisy Cottage. I did decorate in the cottage style, but my color choices were not in primary hues. For example, my red for the dining room was more of a raspberry, and our bedroom was painted a beautiful pale aqua - that is still my favorite bedroom that we've had. Our kitchen was painted in a rich, goldish-brown. My daughter's bedroom had many paint transformations over the years - it was sunflower yellow, cornflower blue, bright pink, and lavender. My son's room was painted in a rich, dark green for many years. The outside of the home was painted a mossy green. I've always used color in our homes. I had my roosters, my baskets, my shell collection, my vintage art, and I created vignettes everywhere, of course! ;-) I tried to create a cozy home with a cottage feel. My hubby does indeed love our decor! I am VERY lucky in that he leaves that all up to me. From our very first tiny apartment 'till now, he knew that it was my "thing" - my passion, and what makes me happy. He DOES have a "man-cave" and it is filled with his things and as long as he is able to go fishing, he is a very happy camper. ;-)
What inspires your designs and photography?
Oh boy, it is hard for me to say when it comes to the photography because really - I am SO CLUELESS when it comes to that! I am mechanically challenged and I wouldn't understand the manual so I don't bother reading it. When I take a photo I try to capture what I think looks pretty or inspiring in some way. I try my best to capture what I am seeing or feeling at the moment. I point and shoot and hope for the best. I appreciate and admire many different design styles - but whenever I see a room that evokes warmth or coziness, then I am instantly inspired. I just drink it in. And if it is colorful? Well then it has me - hook, line, and sinker! ;-)
What would be your dream vacation?
A dream vacation for me would be one taken with my family, and at a relaxed pace. A beautiful place filled with quaint shops perhaps, and of course - great food - would make a wonderful setting, I think, for a very sweet vacation. I've never been to Europe so that would definitely be a dream vacation but so would visiting Vermont! Or Maine... or Boston... or Seattle... or....
What did you do to get published in a magazine?
My blog has brought me several writing opportunities and of course dear Fifi gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to write my very first article for a decorating magazine. I first met her when she was the stylist for a photo shoot here in our home.
Are you originally from Florida and where did you attend school?
Yes, I was born and raised in Florida - a true native Floridian. I attended school in Miami.
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I think I answered all of your questions - if I missed any, I'll try to come back here and answer them. Thank you for sharing... thank you for caring.
And remember - DREAMS DO COME TRUE!
