Please welcome my beautiful and much-loved guest blogger, Rue, of Rue's Peanut Butter & Jelly Life! I am SO happy that she is here today. And today is a VERY SPECIAL DAY indeed because it is our guest of honor's BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday Dear Rue!
Happy Birthday To You!
Yes, I love Rue. She is as authentic as they come.
She is real.
She is humble.
She is appreciative.
She is giving.
She is loving.
She is kind.
And she is a SWEETHEART.
Love, love, love my Rue.
And I know that you will too.
So without any further adieu, I will let my guest blogger and birthday girl share all about her own home-sweet-home journey and then I'll tell you about the adorable giveaway that she has made just for you.
Welcome Rue!
Hi everyone! To begin with, let me tell you a little bit about me…
All my life, I have been drawn to things of the past, be it an old piece of furniture, an old door at a salvage yard, an old home and even the way of living as they did before 1960. Some say it’s because I have an old soul and I would have to agree, since even as a child I preferred long dragging on the ground dresses to the bell-bottom fashions of my 1970s childhood.
I don’t know why I am this way. Perhaps I can attribute it to watching Gone With The Wind throughout my childhood as well as spending a large part of my youth in a house that was built in 1920 and also the antiques that my mother had inherited from her grandmother that have always surrounded me. It could even be the old farmhouse in Virginia that I helped my mom restore at one point. Anyway, all I really know is that I have wanted to live in an old house as long as I can remember, but it took me years to find it.
Flash forward to when I met and married Rich and moved to Ohio. We ended up buying a new home, instead of some of the old homes we looked at. Why? Well, because my sweet husband had grown up in post WWII homes and apartments all his life and even though he wanted to live in one of the gorgeous old houses he saw everyday downtown growing up, he wanted to live in something practically unlived in at least once in his life. Being his loving wife and wanting him to be happy, I agreed.
It only took about a year before he realized that living in a practically brand new home wasn’t what he had thought it would be and even though we spent all kinds of money trying to give it character and although it was nice, it just wasn’t our dream home.
I have always looked longingly at old rundown homes that no one cared about or loved anymore, but it began to take over my thoughts after buying that new house. How could anyone not see what I saw? To me, old homes carry with them the souls that have lived within their walls and to see one falling to the ground is like those souls dying another death. How could anyone let that happen?
To be honest though, the unrelenting search really began around the time I started blogging almost two years ago, after I read sweet Kim’s letter to Daisy Cottage. Have you read it? Well, you should, because after that I thought to myself “Now that is what I want to feel about my home” and all those dreams of living in an old house started resurfacing.
Then one day I noticed a farmhouse that once used to be the primary house for the farmland that our development sat on.
Long story and oh-so-many tears later we didn’t get the house or a few others, but we realized that someone must have been watching out for us, because a few months later we found out we had to move about two hours away for Rich’s job. It was there that my dream would soon be realized.
We took a drive to the new town and looked at a few houses for sale in a really charming neighborhood. I gushed over several of them, but there was one that Rich was drawn to immediately.
To me it looked like an apartment and had absolutely none of the charm that the others did outside. I have to tell you that I didn’t even want to get out of the car, but Rich did and was able to see something I couldn’t. It ended up being number one on his list and the last one on mine.
Well, the day came that we had one day to look at the seven homes we chose and make a decision. House after house was disappointing and had either been redone or undone so much that to take it back to the way it was when built would have broken the bank. That is until the house I couldn’t stand came up…
I walked up to the door thinking to myself, there is no way that I’m going to want to buy this, but with a huge annoyed sigh I went in and… in one second fell absolutely in love. We did look at a couple more houses and then came back, but none compared. This was the one.
With a little research and a lot of sweat we are taking it back to what it was and hopefully one day it will stand as proudly as it did the day it was built in 1904. Here are a few before and after pictures...
Right now we’re in the process of redoing the floors and exposing the brick on the fireplace that was covered in paint. It’s a process, but hopefully one day we’ll have it looking just like it did.
I have to give a huge thank you to sweet Kim for unknowingly pushing me to find our home and my sweet husband for seeing what I couldn’t see or else, I wouldn’t be living my dream. Much love and many thanks to you both.
rue
Thank you so much Rue!! I cannot tell you how happy I am that YOUR dream came true.
And thank you for making this ADORABLE birdhouse to give away to one of my readers! It is soooooooooooo cute!
I love it!
So my dear friends, if you would like the chance to win this cute-as-can-be Rue birdhouse, please leave a comment below and I will pick the winning name at noon on Sunday.
Thank you everyone and Rue - thank you for being YOU.
xo,
Kim
Hello Rue. you have perfectly described the way I feel about my 1909 house! As soon as I saw it, I knew it should be mine. My husband said, "It's too small. It only has one bathroom." But I won him over. We still have work to do to make it perfect, but it's ours and that's what counts.
Your house is gorgeous!
p.s. Happy Birthday! It's my best friend's birthday to day, too.
Posted by: Rachel | November 12, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Lovely, just lovely. There is nothing like a makeover whether it's a house, a yard, or someone's wardrobe or face. This was really fun.
And I'll happily take that birdhouse off your hands!
Posted by: RockerJewlz | November 12, 2009 at 07:36 PM
Happy birthday, Rue!!!
I really enjoyed your story, and LOVE what you have done to the (already) lovely home!
Posted by: Esther Sunday | November 12, 2009 at 07:43 PM
I really loved the pictures of Rue's house. I like the old vintage homes also. I was born in the wrong era I believe! I am so drawn to anything vintage or antique. I would love to win the cute bird house.
Posted by: ginny | November 12, 2009 at 07:55 PM
Pick me, pick me. I love the charm of the little birdhouse. And I really enjoyed the visit at Rue's house. What a neat lady! I love what she said about being an old soul. I think that is what could be said about me too.
Posted by: Tracey | November 12, 2009 at 08:17 PM
Rue, I agree with you completely about older homes. :)
Posted by: dale | November 12, 2009 at 08:27 PM
What a beautiful home!
Posted by: Christy | November 12, 2009 at 08:29 PM
Kim, I have read this post again. Please help me! Rue mentioned that she read your letter to Daisy Cottage about two years ago when she started blogging. I have only been reading your blog for about a year. Please where can I read that particular letter. I have searched in vain for it.
Many thanks.
Hattie
Posted by: Hattie Ligon | November 12, 2009 at 08:31 PM
Rue's PB&J is a favorite of mine - one of the first I go to after Daisy Cottage. I love her new home and am enjoying their updates. PB & J are very hard workers!!!
Love the sunshine yellow birdhouse - hope I win!
MimiG
Posted by: MimiG | November 12, 2009 at 08:44 PM
Thank you for sharing Ms. Rue....what a gem. and the birdhouse...it reminds me of Daisy Cottage!!! I love little holiday houses and would love to add this to my all so small but beautiful (start) of a collection.......
Posted by: Andrea @ Big Creek Cottage | November 12, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Hi Kim and Rue,
Happy Birthday Rue - may you have a beautiful year filled with Blessings and Love. Oh my goodness - what a wonderful story about yall's journey to find the perfect house - and what a lovely house you have. Thank you for sharing your before and after photographs.
Please include me in your drawing for your adorable yellow bird house - love it.
Blessings,
Erin
Posted by: Erin | November 12, 2009 at 09:06 PM
pssst..... Hattie....click on "about" above Kim's picture on the left side bar and you'll see her letter ;)
rue
Posted by: rue | November 12, 2009 at 09:35 PM
What a sweet dream home for some lucky little birds!! Your home is beautiful, Rue!!
Thanks so much for sharing - Bev
Posted by: Beverly | November 12, 2009 at 09:47 PM
Hi Rue, so great to see you over here! Loved your post and I don't have to tell you how much I love you and your blog. Great post!
~Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | November 12, 2009 at 10:10 PM
I've watched the transformation of Rue's home from the beginning. It is truly heart warming.
Happy Birthday Rue!
Kim, I just adore your blog. Truly charming.
Jessica
Posted by: Jessica | November 12, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Ive looked at your blog a couple times, and its great!
Love the birdhouse!
Posted by: Wendy | November 12, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Thank you for sharing the home tour. It is lovely, and the bird house is too.
Posted by: linda | November 13, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Happy Belated Birthday to Rue. The make over pictures are wonderful.
Love the birdhouse.
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara | November 13, 2009 at 03:23 AM
Happy Birthday Rue! Isn't that the cutest name! I have been a frequent visitor to Rue's blog for a while. Thanks for having her today Kim.
Posted by: DeborahF | November 13, 2009 at 08:39 AM
Happy Birthday to you RUE!!! I love your home and your little birdhouse is adorable!! But I must say that it looks like it belongs at Daisy Cottage!!
Posted by: Southern Lady's Vintage | November 13, 2009 at 08:59 AM
Happy Birthday Rue!!
I love visiting your blog and have enjoyed the ongoing transformation of the Peanut Butter and Jelly cottage. You give alot of yourself to your readers and we love visiting you. :)
Posted by: Stacey | November 13, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Happy birthday to you lovely Rue!!! I´m so happy that your dreamed house came true!!! And the work you are doing in your home is amazingly beautiful... congratulations!!!
Muchos cariños
María Cecilia
Posted by: maría cecilia | November 13, 2009 at 09:16 AM
NOVEMBER is a GREAT month, Happy Birthday to Rue! My birthday is the 15th, grandson is the 18th and my daughter Allison is the 25th! Love the birdhouse, my house too, is yellow! Polly
Posted by: Polly | November 13, 2009 at 09:42 AM
Beautiful house Rue. You've done a great job.
Posted by: loree | November 13, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Oooohhh, love all the before & afters......also love, love, love the cute birdhouse!!!
Posted by: Holly | November 13, 2009 at 10:47 AM
A beautiful home for a beautiful soul.
Posted by: Kaye | November 13, 2009 at 10:54 AM
I always enjoy reading Rue's blog and she's done a great job giving such a good summary here. And "happy birthday to Rue." I love the before picture of her kitchen, with her husband looking up at the top of the cabinets, --it looks like he is thinking about what lies ahead in the redoing of it all! Thanks for posting this all, Kim, such a treat!
Posted by: dotsie | November 13, 2009 at 11:15 AM
I have followed both you and Rue for the past year.....you are both inspirations!
Posted by: Brenda | November 13, 2009 at 11:34 AM
What an adorable little birdhouse!
Posted by: Kelly | November 13, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Isn't it great that we each have a distinct idea of what our perfect world would be? I love it when I see someone begin to form that world.
Posted by: Elaine/MuddlingThrough | November 13, 2009 at 11:46 AM
I always love checking out Daisy Cottage and have enjoyed the pictures of her friends' homes. Rue has a lovely home and I enjoyed seeing it. The birdhouse is darling. I would love to enter the giveaway.
Happy day, Linda
Posted by: Linda Escue | November 13, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Two of my very favorite bloggers EVER! Love you both, and I would love a chance to win that cute birdhouse. It's adorable.
Sending hugs and love to both of you girls...
XO,
Sheila :-)
Posted by: Sheila | November 13, 2009 at 02:08 PM
What a gorgeous holiday house!!! Please enter my name!
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=895325012 | November 13, 2009 at 04:05 PM
Loved the home tour! Absolutely beautiful. Happy Birthday Rue, hope you are treating yourself to something special!
Posted by: Lisa | November 13, 2009 at 05:10 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,RHE..I TOO LOVE OLD HOUSES AND ENJOY YOUR BLOG REGULARLY..REMEMBER THE LINE IN THE SONG"THANKS GOD FOR UNANSWERED PRAYERS."wHAT A GREAT JOB YOU TWO HAVE DONE WITH YOUR HOME..BIRD HOUSE IS JUST DARLING ..VAL
Posted by: VAL LINN | November 13, 2009 at 06:22 PM
Happy Birthday to Rue! What a sweet post about her love for all things old! I enjoyed seeing the photos too of how they are making their dream home a reality.
I would love love love to win the darling birdhouse. I would love to have it myself, but it screams for my "Other Mother". She would be thrilled to have it. It has her name written all over it. Adorable...just adorable.
Have a wonderful weekend sweet friend.
Hugs!
Kat
Posted by: Kat | November 13, 2009 at 07:28 PM
Love love love Rue's house and her blog in general. I covet her kitchen sink :) Thanks for having her as a guest writer.
Posted by: Vail | November 13, 2009 at 07:49 PM
First of all, let me say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to sweet Rue!!! I just LOVE you, Rue!! Your story is so romantic, heartfelt and honest. You and Rich have put your heart and soul into making your current home warm, beautiful and just amazing!!
Congrats on being Kim's guest blogger!
L*O*V*E the sweet, sweet birdhouse and I would be honored to win.
Kim, you are just so wonderful and a true friend!!!! BTW, I made your chocolate chip bundt cake this week and we so enjoyed it - for about the sixth time around.
much love to both you and Rue,
becky
Posted by: sweet cottage dreams | November 13, 2009 at 11:41 PM
From one November baby to another - Happy Birthday Rue. I love your blog as well as Kim's. The bird house is adorable. Please enter my name.
Terri
Posted by: Terri Bartgis | November 14, 2009 at 01:50 AM
And another Happy Birthday Rue! You and DH have done a wonderful job. What you did outside made such a difference and I love the front door; you've made it a focal point. Enjoy your home everyday. It's hard to enjoy what you've done and not think of all the things you want to do isn't it?
Posted by: Judie | November 14, 2009 at 02:54 AM
Dear Kim and Rue,
Oh what a sweet blog post..........and being from Ohio may I say that it is nice to know someone so awesome lives near me somehow. (I live in north Cols.)
Love your home, love your style of writing, so so happy you are happy. So glad you and Kim are friends because you are meant to be (obvious) and lastly - GO BUCKEYES!!!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
~Michele
Posted by: Michele | November 14, 2009 at 04:36 AM
What a beautiful house Rue, I also live in a 1898 house, it's been in the family since 1900. What stories these walls could tell, We have been giving it loving care since we took over in 1974. And it has given us back many beautiful memories.
Aloisia
Posted by: Aloisia Tomschin | November 14, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Kim and Rue,
Thanks for sharing your blog with Rue and Kim thank you for giving me the challenge of blogging to.
You both inspire me.
Gretchen
Posted by: Gretchen Gerg | November 14, 2009 at 09:37 AM
I loved the story of your old house and I love the house too. We bought an old, 1867, farm house on 133 acres in SE Ohio in 1996, Took 10 years to renovate and we love it. I always wanted an old house and land. We are so happy here in the home we made. The bird house is great! Laurie
Posted by: Laurie Munc | November 14, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Hello Kim and Rue,
I am an avid follwer of both of your blogs! I read them everyday and have for almost a year.I found Rue's first and saw Kim's on hers. You two inspire me a lot. I take things from each of you to do at my house. I would love the birdhouse because it looks like Kim's house and maybe I could be a little like Kim:) even though I am trying hard!!
Posted by: Elisa Guthrie | November 14, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Happy Birthday Rue,
I love all of your ideas, and how you and your husband are such a terrific team. I love how Rue created her blog because she followed you Kim, I remember that story. The two of you have such a loyal following because the love you both put into everything shows in everything that you do. Look at this giveaway Rue.
Happy Birthday.
Karen
Posted by: karen cox | November 14, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Hi Kim, Happy Birthday to sweet Rue...she is the reason I started blogging. I would read her blog and it lifted my spirits each and every time I did. Thank you for having her as a guest blogger...both of you are the best!
Posted by: Cyndi | November 14, 2009 at 12:06 PM
I just love your blog. You have given me so many ideas for our "vintage" home.
Posted by: Sherri Bailey | November 14, 2009 at 01:02 PM
First of all the very best of wishes and blessings for a beautiful birthday!
Aw...life lessons...aren't they grand?..
Thanks for giving us such a lovely tour of your beautiful home...
I too found Dear Daisy Cottage and Kim at a time when I was fretting more about my house than looking at the beauty of it...after reading Kim's blog...I blossomed and embraced the rustic style of my home on the ranch...and voila..I made it victorian rustic...and its me!!!! I owe the motivation to Kim...she made me stop and realize home is what I make of it...what I put into it...to stop whinning and bloom!!!
Yay Kim...oh Rue..your home is a joy..hugs..
Now the birdhouse....well...that is just a sweet temptation!!!
Love
Oma
Posted by: Oma | November 14, 2009 at 02:24 PM
What a wonderful renovation! And an adorable bird house as a giveaway! Look forward to checking back to both blogs.
Posted by: Sandy LA 90034 | November 14, 2009 at 03:32 PM
Happy Birthday Rue! Your house is sooo lovely. I could move in without changing a thing. I'm loving that birdhouse too.
Posted by: Laurie | November 14, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Hi Rue your house is soooo adorable! Thanks so much for inspiring! Hey Kim I would looove to win the birdhouse. Thanks!
Love, {Madison}
Posted by: Madison | November 14, 2009 at 04:49 PM
I was transfixed! I want an old house again...this is the first new(ish...37 years old). I loved seeing the transformation in her beautiful soulful home!
And that birdhouse...Home Sweet Home!
Posted by: linda@LimeintheCoconut | November 14, 2009 at 08:59 PM
What a beautiful story! I can see why Rue fell in love with the house.
Ally
Posted by: Ally0005 | November 14, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Rue has such a beautiful home! And the birdhouse is just precious. Please enter me in this giveaway! Thank you.
Posted by: Carol from Indian Springs | November 14, 2009 at 09:31 PM
Such a nice post. Love the birdhouse.
Kristen Smith
searchforgod@yahoo.com
Posted by: Kristen | November 14, 2009 at 11:39 PM
I dream of the day when I can buy a really old house and make it my own too, I know it will come...I can't wait!
Posted by: Stormie | November 15, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Dear Rue,
Happy Belated Birthday!!! Hope your house turns into the home of your dreams. The birdhouse is absolutely darling. Thanks for introducing Rue to us all Kim!
Posted by: Lisa Barnes | November 15, 2009 at 09:24 AM
I've been a fan of Rue's from nearly day one of her blog! She's the sweetest and I love her blog, Kim....Thanks for making her day on her birthday!
Hugs, Pat
Posted by: Pat | November 16, 2009 at 07:52 PM
Gorgeous Rue sweetie, just gorgeous! Great guest post Kim, really enjoyable. You and Rue are both just a couple of sweethearts!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)
Posted by: Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa) | November 17, 2009 at 03:52 AM
Rue how wonderful your home is becoming
Sweet giveaway
Alison
Posted by: Alison Gibbs | November 17, 2009 at 05:10 AM
Oh Rue! I'm so happy to sit here and read your story. It's so encouraging to me. I'm so happy you guys followed your hearts.
Posted by: Jen@thecottagenest | November 17, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Aw...I love, love, love me some Rue, too!! It was so great seeing her new/old home's transformation all in one post -- it's amazing how much progress you can see when it's all in one place.
Thank you for inviting Rue over to your "house" -- and thank you for inspiring her to start a blog. :-)
Posted by: laura @ the shorehouse | November 18, 2009 at 05:29 PM