Our Featured Guest Star- Creative Art and Design

Today we are welcoming Melanie from Creative Art and Design. Melanie comes to us from Texas and specializes in renovating old furniture, creating awesome fabric art and beautiful paintings. She seems to be good at everything she tries. And being kinda a ADD crafter myself, well I love the variety she offers.
Here at the Green Room, I am in the midst of interviewing a temporary assistant to cover for my buddy Tom Selleck and his mustache while he goes on vacation. Tom suggested I interview Jessica Simpson. She hasn’t had a lot to do lately and could use a break from attending sports functions, cheering on her current flame. Whoever that may be. But I found that she had a very short attention span and frankly had no idea what to do with a glue gun. Last thing I need is a glue gun accident around here. Workers comp isn’t cheap!
He then suggested his old stand-by buddy, William Shatner. Now, I really have no problem with Bill. He’s a nice guy. But he comes with clingers-on. Folks dressed up like aliens follow him around. Fourty year old guys with fake pointy ears. Really. And I can’t trust him to set up a nice buffet for my guests. His idea of a good meal is wings and beer. And between all the fake phaser fights and long-winded discussions full of long…dramatic…pauses, I’m betting I’d be ready to have someone beam me up in no time.
So, when Phil Koeghan from the Amazing Race showed up this morning to interview, Tom was a bit perturbed. You see, Tom is famous for his mustache. Phil is just as well known for his amazingly handsome raised eyebrow. Every time he shows up here, there seems to be a silent competition between the eyebrow and the mustache. The mustache might have it’s own dressing room and possible zip code (if the paperwork goes through), but that eyebrow…well that eyebrow can move mountains. Sigh…
But since Melanie just showed up, I will leave Phil to fill out his job application while Melanie and I sit down for the interview. Tom, be a good sport and get Phil a soda, will you?

Suzy: Tell me a little about yourself, your family, your other hobbies …

Melanie: This could be a book or a long running sitcom. I have “The Rest of the Story” in my banner gadgets. My husband and I have been married nearly 37 years. Our son is a high school assistant principal in Austin, TX. His wife is a language arts specialist in AISD. They have a 19 month old son. Our daughter is an Army wife living in Lawton, OK. They have no children. Because I went straight from high school to college to teaching, I was able to retire at 52. I am having a great time creating, volunteering, taking care of my mother and helping at church.
Suzy: When and why did you start blogging, and where would you like your blogging to lead?
Melanie: I have always wanted to share my talent and knowledge. As a teacher I loved to help other teachers. God has given me a creative soul and I want the world to know what is possible. I enjoy writing and so blogging just seemed natural. I would love to make a little money with my creations and my blog. One day at a time.
Suzy: Can you tell us a few things that most folks don’t know about you?
Melanie: I really am shy and I have to fight feelings of inferiority. It took me a long time to accept that God gave me this and I need to bask in His glory. My brothers are both academically smart. I am not. We all have our talents and we need to look for them and follow our passion.
Suzy: Since I’m kinda a crafty blog, I have to ask. Are there any particular crafts that you enjoy the most?
Melanie: I enjoy things that are quick. I get bored very easily. I am learning to have lots of things going on so that I can move from one task to another. I also do not like doing the same thing over and over. I think that is why I like upcycling furniture. Each piece is new.
Suzy: I know you have a very busy life. I also know first hand how time-consuming a good blog is. How do you schedule it all in?
Melanie: At the first of this year I made a commitment to myself to blog 3 days a week. Marvelous Monday is for anything I am feeling. It can be a project or something in my life or just anything that I feel is marvelous. Wood Wednesday is anything made of wood. One week that was paper, so I do stretch it. Fabric Friday is anything with thread or cloth or sewing. Statement jewelry is included in this.

Melanie: There have been a few times when I have had to update an old post because I didn’t have anything new to blog about. It does take a lot of time to read, comment, link, and write about all that goes on in blogland. I use Google Reader to get through them more quickly. I have no kids at home and I don’t sleep much. My time is more flexible than someone with a real job.

  
Suzy: Since I’m also kinda a sitcom blog, my buddy Tom wants to know if you have a favorite celebrity. Other than him of course.
Melanie: Here is Houston we have a morning show called Great Day Houston. The host is Deborah Duncan. She is great. I was able to be on the show once and she was amazing. She made me feel like her best friend right away. I also love Nate Berkus because he seems to be that way.
Suzy: This blog community is full of wonderful folks. Can you tell me what blogs inspire you?
Melanie: Of couse my greatest imspiration is Suzy. I had to put that in, right?
Suzy: Well it certainly works for me!  Ha!
Melanie: I also enjoy Tidbits from the Tremaynes. I like a funny blog.

Suzy: Can you tell us a little about what you are promoting right now? Anything coming up that you want us to know about?

Melanie: I have been working on several furniture pieces. I list things on craigslist in Houston and I will have a garage sale next week. The pieces that do not sell will go to an “upscale” consignment store. Next month our small community is having a festival. I plan to have a booth to sell my fabric art, like the stuff I highlight on FabricFriday.

 

Melanie, thank you so much for the wonderful interview! Please take a few moments and swing by Melanie’s site, Creative Art and Design. She has lots going on there and some amazing things for sale!

Well, we really better get back in the Green room. We’ve kept Phil and his eyebrow waiting long enough. Maybe the four of us can go get some lunch at Waffle House. Since they are my main caterers, it would do Phil some good to meet them. The head cook, Rastus, and his waitress, Jilly Bean make some great hashbrowns- smothered, covered and chunked. And maybe the mustache and the eyebrow will just agree to disagree. Heck, many an argument has been solved over a good meal.

Phil just raised his eyebrow at me and I’ve totally lost my train of thought…sigh.

Tom, maybe you’d better do the driving.