Our Featured Guest Star- Domestically-Speaking

Today we are welcoming Maryann from Domestically-Speaking! Maryann traveled all the way in from California and I was a little disappointed to not be able to put her in my Green Room. You see, Dancing with the Stars starts in a few weeks and they really needed my Green Room for extra practice. Well, truth be told, Maksim Chmerkovskiy looked at me with those big brown eyes and I simply couldn’t turn him down. So, we cleared out the chairs and the buffet table and moved them out on the patio. I had Tom Selleck install some astro turf out there so that Florence Henderson (Mrs. Brady) would feel at home and he even put out some lounge chairs so that Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino can work on his tan. Tom and his mustache can be very sweet when he wants to be.

Anyway, let me drag Maryann away from David Hasselhoff and we will get on with this interview. David is kinda long-winded…and a little needy. Anyway…

Suzy: So, Maryann, Tell me a little about yourself, your family, your other hobbies…
Maryann: I’ve been married for 12 years and have 3 kiddos (my son is 10, daughter 8 and daughter 5). I love a beautiful and organized space, but I am cheap. So I am constantly trying to make things cheaper and easier on my own. If I’m not creating something for my home, I also love to scrapbook (both book and digital) and re-energizing with wonderful friends and family.

Suzy: When and why did you start blogging, and where would you like your blogging to lead?
Maryann: I’m going to be celebrating my one year blogging anniversary next month, mid-Sept. I had been stalking blogs for about six months when I finally talked myself into starting my own blog. I LOVE the community of bloggers out there. It is such an encouraging and inspiring forum.

Maryann:  I love all the ideas I find in a week and I hope that what I share teaches, inspires and encourages others. Goodness… where it might lead is a very open ended question. I don’t really even know… I’m just along for the ride and I’m open to see what happens with it.

Suzy: You have a fabulous sense of style. Your furniture redos and decorating ideas are very inspiring to me. Who or what inspires you?

Maryann: Awe thanks 🙂 I live in Southern California… which really doesn’t have seasons… I LOVE seasons! So I am a very seasonal decorator. I just love the textures, smells and visual reminders of a season.

Maryann:  I also am a Pottery Barn junkie!!! I just LOVE pouring through their catalogs and online. I love doing a PB knock-off or being inspired by something I see and then creating it with a bit of a twist.

Suzy: Some of your PB knock-offs are simply amazing. This corkboard re-do has me combing the flea markets for a homeless corkboard.  Name a few of your favorite websites that you go to for inspiration.
Maryann: Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, Ballard Designs, and House Beautiful.

Suzy: You seem to do a bit of everything, craft-wise. What are your favorite things to create?
Maryann: Anything with paint!

Suzy: Is there another type of craft that you would like to learn in the future?
Maryann: I really want to learn to sew better. I’m left-handed, so when I was a little girl my mom attempted to teach me some basic sewing, but with her right handed and me left-handed, it was just more frustrating than a learning experience. I can hand stitch and make a really horrid stitch on the machine… I need some practice!

Suzy: You have so many successful craft projects. Is there one that just never seemed to come together? I know I have several “errors in judgement” hanging around my closet. Do you have a crafty horror story?

Maryann: YES… the one that came to mind first was a valentine’s shirt that I made for my oldest daughter. The idea sounded SO GREAT in my head, but as I started to make it I realized the ribbon I was using was WAY too thick and when it was finished she had the HUGEST, THICKEST heart on her shirt.  My husband confirmed it was a flop when he asked, “You aren’t going to make her wear that are you?”

Suzy: What does your crafting space look like?
Maryann: I currently don’t have a crafting space… right now it’s the counter top or kitchen table or any clean space available when inspiration strikes, but I am in the process of trying to claim part of our recently converted guest room… currently a desk/couch and dumping ground.
Suzy:  I really should show you a photo of mine to make you feel better.  Looks like an episode of Hoarders.

Suzy: Maryann, thank you so much for taking the time to visit me!  It is always such a pleasure to get a fellow crafter here to share ideas. Keep an eye out on Maryann’s site, Domestically-Speaking, for lots of future giveaways and amazing paint inspired linky lists. Her site always has something new and inspiring to offer and is truly a joy to visit.

Now if you will excuse us, Maryann and I need to go check on a small issue. My assistant tells me that Tom and his mustache decided to grill out burgers. Which is an awesome idea. You can’t ever have too many burgers. Only problem is that David Hasselhoff is insisting on eating his off the floor. Which is bad enough, but Florence Henderson tossed a football at Maksim and it hit him square in the nose. He and I were supposed to go out on the town tonight, but I think something suddenly came up…

Mom always said, don’t play ball in the house.

Be sure to check out all the giveaways at my GiveAway Bonanza!!  Only ONE more day left to win a free Ukrainian Egg!  We have low entry numbers, so you have a great chance to win!