Interview with the salty girl of beachhouse etc., Suzanne Pignato

Suzanne Pignato of beachhouse etc

Guess who is in the house today? Suzanne Pignato of beachhouse etc!!!! Have you been to her hip blog yet? Well you better check it out, after you read my interview with her!

I found Suzanne's blog,  beachhouse etc  in February 2010 when I was researching information on slipcovers. Her post on slipcovers was very thorough & detailed and you can find it  here. I became hooked on her blog and was one of her early followers. In that time we have corresponded & now talk on the phone weekly. She is a blast to talk to & is high energy~my kind of girl. She is a very beachy and salty kind of girl.  Not too sugary and not too syrupy sweet. Also, she is very positive. She left me one of the kindest comments with a bit of advice from her late father. Since then, we have discovered that her father & I are graduates of the same university, Michigan State University. Suzanne & I have a lot in common, but the best thing is our ability to always laugh with each other.

She is very creative & curious & enjoys trying out different new things in the blog world & encouraging me to do more.  Suzanne challenges me or gives me tips on what she has found to work well. She doesn't take herself too seriously & it is pure fun just to chat with her throughout the week! She is already a treasured friend & we have yet to meet!

So without further adieu, here is my interview with 

Suzanne Pignato of beachhouse etc:

When & why did you start blogging? 

Well here goes …I really started blogging about sept of last year but then really didn’t do anything with it until like november Why I started a blog was because of the inspiring first blog I saw… House of Turquoise…while searching for ideas for my own home …I thought it was just a regular website..then I noticed the links on the sidebar….honestly… I truly was not aware of what a blog was…I didn’t even like the word…sounds funny to me…anyhow that led me to A Beach Cottage ..which inspired me even more to start my own blog with beachhouse etc. The inspiration for beachhouse came before the blog . . .though… when my hubby of 20 yrs said… I need to do something creative.. I decided I wanted to do what I love and that is creating beachy looks for myself and others…I also saw that there …isn’t a lot of outdoor living type products that are fun so I am designing outdoor pillows and then also the beach bags…my mind is always coming up with new ideas…so I will keep adding as time goes by…

What is your favorite saying & who did it come from?

My father… (who passed away in June of last year) had so many funny phrases that I still use everyday…but, here’s the one I like the most …”if you don’t like your world …change your thinking.”

Who (in your personal life) inspires your creative side?

Probably my friend Susan Tancer who has a handpainted purse business called UNFRAMED ART

She inspires me… because she is always doing something creative…she never stops…she does what feels  true to herself

And she is an incredible person…  

  

Favorite color to decorate with?

White White and white ..it’s like a blank canvas for me ..being the ever changing chameleon that I am…it works for me…. because I can change things up a bit with pops of any color that seems to attract me at the moment ..i’m usually changing things seasonally..

Favorite color in wardrobe?

White again… second… is lilac (it’s almost pink with a hint of lavender in it)

What do you wear to kick it up a notch (ie special date, ritzy party, polo match)?

GUCCI GUCCI GUCCI AND sometimes PUCCI…

And I love inexpensive jewelry accessories like tons and tons of bangles like 4 – 5 inches of them ..oh and I adore different types of wraps ..i tie them around my waist my neck…

What is your favorite food?

I LOVE SEAFOOD …so with this whole oil spill I am saddened by and broken hearted for the people in Louisiana and hope that it will be corrected very soon as it looks like it is getting closer and closer to south florida.

What is one of your pet peeves?

Biggest pet peeve would be…  someone who I know is not being genuine.. i am very intuitive and when I feel in my soul it’s not right …it’s just not right…and I’m almost always right on target.

Are you an early arrival, on-time arrival, or late arrival girl?

Something ..I’m not proud of… but, sad but true a late arrival girl… I always seem to think I can squeeze that extra what ever it is before I have to be somewhere

How long have you been married?

Married 20 yrs dec 1…together 22 yrs.. amazing huh?? My husband is truly my best friend and everything in between.

What is your secret to a long & happy marriage?

You need to trust each other and also be true to yourself… if something is bothering you …you need to let the other person know before it turns lethal…

Favorite flower?

Peonies ..but they do not grow here…L

What is your favorite thing about being a mom & wife?

Being able to stay home and be there for both my husband and my son when they get home from their day and quite simply as a wife enjoying the fact that I am truly in love with my husband.

What do you do to unwind?

You KNOW Cathy…A glass of wine or two and my seemingly unlimited magazine obsession.. with no budget ..

Favorite sport to participate?

Tennis

Favorite sport to watch?

Lacrosse.. my son started playing this year and I love it…

What is your secret/undeveloped passion?

To have my own beachy store called beachhouse etc. filled with all of my designs in it…. Including… home décor… body scents, clothing candles etc.. of course all beachy.. I also want to carry truly inspiring original artist paintings..

Any advice to new bloggers?

Read Read Read …and ask questions follow other bloggers that are successful… but, also try to be original to what your passion is …that will filter through as you learn more and more.. the more I figure out on my own the more sense of accomplishment I have… there are time though that I would love to hand over to someone and say here’s what I want put it all together in a cute little package and be done with it.. but, I know in my heart I need to learn it myself…

~End of Interview~

I want to thank Suzanne for agreeing to be the first person to be interviewed on my blog!! You are the best! 

Now go check out her blog, beachhouse etc!

Sunny Morning

Isn't it amazing how a sunny morning can get you up & moving? This was my view this morning from the upper porch.

And this is what I will be doing today with my friend Bella. Bella is very bored while watching me paint. She usually enjoys a nice nap while I am working. {These have been sanded & then primed with 2 coats of exterior Kilz. Now awaiting 2 coats of exterior paint~I will post pictures when the project is completed)

I am taking full advantage of this awesome painting weather. Warm (70's) & a light breeze today!


Remember just a short while ago it looked something like this:

Big improvement, don't you think?  Other things on my list:

• new custom blog header! Almost done. 
• check on couch & chairs that I found through a friend~think transformation!
• research painting/replacing shutters
• wash porches & get out porch furniture (now that pine trees are done spilling forth the yellow dust!)
• finish interview with my best blogging buddy *you will love her*!!

Let's stop the list right there. That will take me a few days! I am linking up to Amy's Anti Procrastination Tuesday @ New Nostalgia.  


Also, I did get one important thing checked off last week's list. I had a backup device on my computer that hasn't been functioning & I emailed the company & because it was still under warranty (I had the receipt from January 2008~see my organization tip for paperwork here) they are going to replace a part for free. It should be up & working soon!


Spring lists are always long. I hope you get a chance to enjoy the chirping birds & beautiful blooms while working away at your list.

Hugs,

Blooming Lilacs

It is finally time for the blooming of lilacs. This is the time of year, where even though we may have a thick heavy frost on the ground, you know that summer is right around the corner. I think most people adore lilacs just because it is a sign that spring is truly here. Or one might adore the powerful scent. Which may take them back to a fond childhood memory. When I see or smell lilacs I think of my childhood home where I lived for 10 years in Battle Creek, Michigan. We lived in suburbia & on a corner in a traditional  2 story home that was kept immacualte inside & out by my parents. As one of four kids, we had to help around the house & in the yard, but my parents were the ones that kept it neat & tidy. (ummm, except for the garage! that was "organized chaos")


In the backyard in a little corner where the garden hose was situated, there was a lovely lilac bush. It was not the prettiest of corners, except when the lilac bush was in bloom.  Then it was my very favorite corner of the world.


Many years later & one state away, my lilac bush blooms a little earlier than the one in my childhood town. Except I have a baby lilac bush & cannot cut the blooms, as I fear that it will stunt its growth. It was a Mother's Day gift from hubby & the kids a few years ago. Fortunately for me, my mother-in-law is kind enough to let me cut whatever I like from her collection of lilac bushes.

A new reader of mine (go check out her blog, Revamped French Maison) has asked the simple question , "How do you keep your blooms fresh looking? I've never had much luck with that. They just wilt and shrivel up in a day. It's quite strange to me." 

Well that got me thinking. How do you keep them from shriveling up, once they are cut? This is why I love to blog. I have a reason to think & research on fun subjects like lilacs. I have no idea what keeps them fresh! I just cut them & place them in water & hope that they will survive for  a few days. Then the rhododendrons & peonies will be getting ready to bloom. And summer will be here.


But I cannot leave my new friend hanging, so I did a little research & found this excellent article on keeping lilacs fresh. I did most of it correctly (I didn't have a floral preservative). Also, you may want to arrange them outside & bring them in after the spiders & bees have left the blooms.  I love learning new things & hope you find this link helpful.


Enjoy the pictures of the lovely blooming lilacs.

What flower takes you down memory lane? 

Giveaway Results & Weekend in Review

Miss Boo chose the winner of the adirondack citronella candle holder & it was 

Kris from Catering by Kris  

Congrats to Kris. She is a new blogger so please visit her blog for Italian inspired recipes!


I really enjoyed having a giveaway & loved reading everyone's comments! Check back as the next giveaway is going to include something French~inspired. 


Here is a sneak peek at one of my projects. Repainting an old picnic table & benches, currently in the sanding phase (Before Shot):

A messy & dusty affair that is only suitable for outside:

This weekend we had just one soccer game, where Miss Boo got to play goalie. My assistant, Miss A took the camera & had some nice results:

Love her pursed lips & the flying pony tail:

After the soccer game, we visited with some friends & checked on their new twin baby goats. Poor baby goats had their horns removed~ouch! We had to give them some lovin' :

A little hayloft jumping in the barn (fun on a rainy day!) Miss A, Miss S (friend) & Miss Boo :

Mr. F. was trying out his friend's new quad, with his lil buddy Mr. J. :

The hubby & I had a date that included dinner & dancing, but sadly no photos! 


Sunday was a busy day with religion class for the kids, followed by Mass. The afternoon was eagerly anticipated by the kids, as they had their very first piano recital. 

This is what I found at one of our local antique stores last week. They are now clean & de-lableled & waiting for some lilac blooms:

I have been so inspired by blogland & getting my projects completed. Hubby is having a hard time keeping up with me. I am hoping the rain goes away so we can get some painting done & I will share my results with you. Have a blessed week. What are you looking forward to this week?