SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: Carol from Art and Sand


Spotlight: REAL LIFE BEHIND THE BLOGGER


  Susan from Must Love Junk, and myself (Kris) Junk Chic Cottage wanted to do a regular feature on our blogs, something unique that hasn't been done before.   So we came up with an idea to 'spotlight the real life behind the blogger' in a more personal way.
There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland, and we thought it would be fun to bring you a closer look at the person behind the blog.

Every week on Saturday we will spotlight a blogger and have them tell us a little bit about themselves and their blogs.  You will be able to see and read about each of the bloggers on both Susan's and my blog. 


I would like to introduce you to a very special blogger that Susan and I have come to know in blog world.  She is not only talented but also a very special teacher that recently retired and lives with her talented artist husband Steve in a sweet little beach cottage in California 

Hi, I am Carol and I write the blog Art and Sand t and Sand.

I was flattered when Kris at Junk Chic Cottage asked me to write a post for her blog.

But, then I was totally at a loss - what would I write about?

She said to make it personal - write about our beach lifestyle and our creativity.

Let's see, 

I AM A SCHEMER

I plot and plan until I get what I want and usually make my husband, Steve, think things are his idea.

In 1997, I wanted to live at the beach so our daughter KC and I went house hunting, without telling Steve.

We found this house


 and we talked Steve into looking at it because it was 7 houses from the water and he could check the surf from the driveway.

The plan worked, but buying that house didn't work out - thankfully!


Instead, we bought a little 1928 cottage - mullioned windows, 6 inch molding, French doors, arched porch - on the same street, 14 houses from the water.

MOVING 1 MILE CHANGED OUR LIVES 


We live on the best lane in Pierpont and life is one big party.


Beach people spend most of their time outdoors - sitting on the beach, socializing, walking dogs, watching the sunset . . .


 A quick story to explain life on our beach -

For fourteen years, on New Year's Eve, Brunswick Lane has held a Progressive Dinner with sometimes as many as 100 people - non street people are welcome.

Last New Year's Eve, a guest was chatting with me and said it was amazing that so many of us wanted to be together on New Year's Eve.

Our neighbor, Craig, jumped into the conversation to say, "It isn't just New Year's - we get together on Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, birthdays, retirements, graduations, anniversaries, etc. Brunswick Lane is family!"


So, we live at the beach with our large family and share in each others joys, sorrows and celebrations.


We ski together, go to concerts, eat dinner out and watch sunsets.


Craig documents our Brunswick family and on New Year's Eve we watch a video of the past year.


We could not be happier living in our little piece of paradise.

WE ARE CREATIVE CREATURES



Steve was not always an artist.

That is not exactly true - he was an artist who did not do art.

Moving to the beach provided him time - he no longer spent all weekend looking for surf.

With that time, he went back to his childhood love of art.


In 2002 he began taking art classes, in 2003 we built a studio onto the house, in 2006 he left the corporate world to pursue his art full time - and the rest is history.

I on the other hand, am not an artist.

I never was an artist, but I am a creator.

My fingers must always be busy - I play games on my iPhone while Steve drives or I fall asleep.

For the last 19 months I have blogged and because I blog,


I sew  . . .


I paint on boxes


and fabric . . .


I make books and cards . . .


I garden . . . 

I do not sleep . . . there are too many things on my lists to complete.

I guess this all makes me a scheming, creative blogger who loves the beach.

As of last month, I can add the adjective RETIRED to that list which means I can do any and all of the above all day long if I want.


Or, I can just play on the beach - want to join me?

Now if you loved reading and getting to know Carol from Art and Sand please hop over to Susan's blog and read about Mary Alice from Chateau Chic.

44 comments

  1. What a great idea! And, what a wonderful post! I read "Art and Sand" all the time and love her blog. It's so wonderful to learn more about the person behind it! Sounds like a dreamy, wonderful life! How lucky to live in such a wonderful neighborhood! Is there a house on that street that I can move into? I want to join in on the fun and wonderful lifestyle! :-D

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    1. Hi D
      Carol is the sweetest blogger and has so much energy and talent. Her home is bright and cheerful and full of color and life just like her. I was happy to kick off our feature with Carol. Thanks for taking time to read and get to know carol on a more personal level.
      Kris

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  2. Kris - you are too sweet. I knew the feature was coming up, but I wasn't expecting the post until Saturday morning. I looking through blogger and saw the row of Adirondacks and thought they looked familiar.

    Thanks again for asking me to write for your debut feature.

    Hope you are having a great time in Hawaii.

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    1. Carol
      I am so happy you said yes to being one of our first features. You know I love you and your blog and it was fun to hear a more personal side of that dreamy life you have on the beach!! Thanks so much for sharing yourself with us. I am having way too much fun in paradise. I won't want to come home. This is pure heaven
      Kris

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  3. Oh God - Do I want to join you??????????????
    Do beaches have sand? LMHO
    Loved reading this Carol -
    Kris this is a great idea ( and I had completely forgotten about my post- better move my butt - but it's going to be sorely lacking after reading Carol's )
    XOX to all ( you too Susan )

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    1. Hi Suzan
      Thanks for leaving your sweet comment about Carol. You are coming up soon!!!!! I can't wait
      Kris

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  4. Love the way Carol writes, creates and chats in her posts and this was no exception! 'Met' her this year via her cute and colourful house/blog and am addicted to her style! Thanks for featuring her story here today; it certainly was a great peek into her world!

    Poppy

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  5. Carol has been such a sweetheart to me ever since I started blogging. It's SO interesting to read more about her life! I'm jealous, though-I wanna live on the beach in a beautiful home with fun neighbors! :)
    Susan

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  6. What a lovely idea this is............really enjoyed reading about Carol and her life at the beach, sounds wonderful to me. I love the beach.
    Don't think I have ever been to her blog before, so will have to drop by now.
    Thanks for sharing your life with us.

    Blessings, Nellie

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  7. Also, hope you are have a fabulous time on vacation.
    Enjoy

    Blessings, Nellie

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    1. Hi Nellie
      I am having a super time. Hawaii is pure heaven. I don't want to leave ion a few days
      Kris

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  8. I would LOVE to come live on that street near the beach!!
    Mary Alice

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    1. MaryAlice
      You and Cariol are perfect picks for Susan and I to kick off this feature on our blogs. You both are so talented and the sweetest bloggers so thank you for sharing some of your personal life with all of us
      Kris

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  9. Oh what a carefree life style. Love it...if only we all could.:):) If I lived near by, I would be sneaking over to watch Steve paint. I love watching artists. Here's to many more beautiful sunsets at the beach. xoxo,Susie

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  10. I love Art and Sand and her use of color.

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  11. It looks like Carol is enjoying life to it's fullest!
    I enjoyed visiting her cheerful beach home.
    Thanks Kris, for inviting here today.

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  12. Wow! I'm so jealous of Carol's fabulous lifestyle! I love the beach too and couldn't imagine getting the chance to make it my permanent home. She's truly blessed to have an entire community that lives the way she does and they all get along and want to spend time together. So great!

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    1. Hi Kelly
      Carol has worked teaching kids and molding them into super stars and now that she is retired I don't know anyone more deserving to have this beautiful life on the beach. Ohhhhh to wake up everyday to the smells and sound of beach life. Just pure heaven!!!!!
      Kris

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  13. I left a comment last night, but I see that it did not post.

    Thanks for inviting me to take part in this fun blog feature. I went over and read Mary Alice's post and learned things about her that I never knew. I can't wait to see who we get to read about next week.

    Hope you are having a great time in Hawaii.

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  14. What a great story and it sounds like a wonderful community!! The beach seems to have been good to the family and the closeness they share with themselves and the friends they have made in the process is wonderful! Actually PRICELESS! Soundslike their dreams have come true.

    Cynthia

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  15. What a great thing Carol & Steve have going on in their beach community! Thanks for the post, Kris (I thought you were on vacation?!! Enjoy yourself!). I really like your Saturday theme.
    Rita

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    1. Hi Rita I am on vacation still but had the post ready and scheduled before I left. Hawaii is Heavenly. I won't want to come home Monday
      Keis

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  16. I have just met Carol...last week in fact, so this is just wonderful! I feel like I've known her a long time! Life sounds good for Carol and Craig, I admire their ability to make such good friends and enjoy every moment they're given. Living creatively on the beach...what more is there to ask for?!!

    Thanks for the great feature, Kris. Hope you are enjoying Hawaii! :)

    XO,
    Jane

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    1. Hi Jane
      I am having a fantastic time in Hawaii. This is heaven. I won't want to come home
      Thanks for taking time to leave a comment on carol's feature. She is the sweetest
      Kris

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  17. You are both living the life...so wonderful for both of you!

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  18. Sounds like a great place to live. Glad to see people living happy lines.
    Blessings
    Susie

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  19. you do live a dream come true life on the beach, carol:) i hope you enjoy your retirement! thanks for sharing a bit of your life with us!

    hope you are having a great time, kris!

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  20. I have followed Carol for some time and have always been jealous of the climate and her wonderful surroundings. Reading this post it all sounds even more idyllic, with the 'family' that they have created together. This was a great post to get to know Carol a little better - thank you !

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  21. What a beautiful life living on the beach!! LOVE all the color and happy surroundings~~~Roxie

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  22. Hi Kris, I have become friends with Carol for a while now and I really enjoyed this spotlight. She is such a talented person and has a fun personality. Oh, to live so close to the beach! Thanks for sharing this.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  23. Hi Kris,
    Got your comment about how wonderful it is in Hawaii.......My hubby and I went to kauai 20
    some odd years ago, and that is the first thing we said, let's just send for the kids and
    not go home.............So I hear ya, it is truly a wonderful place.
    Where are you in Hawaii?? If you get a chance to go to Kauai.......don't pass it up, it is
    really one of the best places from what I have heard. My daughter and her hubby went there
    last year for his sister's wedding and had the best time, and just loved every minute of it.

    Glad you are having such a great time, enjoy every last second..........
    Blessings, Nellie

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  24. What a great idea! I already love Carol’s blog, but it was lovely to read more about the person behind the blog.

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  25. This is such a great idea! I have followed Carol for some time...we are good buds...but I have learned so much about her from this post! She is amazingly talented, and has a store of energy like no other! Her use of color is inspirational! She is one of those people you would love to live next door to!

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  26. We just spent the day at my sister-in-law's lake home, and if it's anything like what Carol gets to enjoy every day of the year, it must be heavenly! Her home is so colorful and full of life, just like the owners. :)

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  27. I loved reading a bit more about Carol. I've been following her blog for awhile now and she is such a talented lady. What an idyllic place to live and how great to have the real sense of community they experience there. Thank you so much for highlighting this great lady! Patti@OldThingsNew

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  28. Oh this post is just so inspiring! I am going to send it to a friend who has dreamed of living at the beach all of her life. She has to see this post! I would love to have 100s of friends to play with, too! How wonderful her life feels!

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  29. This was awesome Kris! I was just over at her blog seeing all the treasures she had brought down from the attic. It was great to get to know more about her.

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  30. Very interesting! What a life that must be and to have so many friends to mingle with must be just amazing!

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  31. Kris! I am so excited I found your blog through Carol! What a wonderful space you have here! Carol is such a fantastic person and looking at this post just brings a smile to my face! What a beautiful way to live Carol...and your cottage and beach life rocks!!! This series is such a fantastic idea!!! Nicole

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  32. What an amazing lifestyle, Carol! I've been following you for some time, but it was really fun to see a little more "behind" the scenes footage :)
    Kris, thanks for sharing Carol over here!

    Jeanette

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  33. I love Carol's blog and really enjoyed reading more about her over here.

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  34. I've always loved Carol's blog, so thanks for featuring her - it was really cool to read some more personal things about her!

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  35. I don't know how it happened but somehow Carol is living my life. Perhaps because she tried! When I grow up I want to be just like her. And Steve.

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  36. Now I want to live on Brunswick Lane! I read Carol's blog and love her colorful home! She's truly living the dream!

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