Welcome to Tell Us Tuesday! Each week, I’ll have a guest artist answer a few questions and wow, I have a fantastic lineup for you! I hope that by hearing from such a diverse pool of creative people, we will take away interesting and different perspectives. This may help in your own endeavors, be it painting furniture for fun, working on your home and creating your own style, or starting a blog or business for profit. The questions range from the artistic to running a successful creative business.
I consider all of the participants to be my true friends. We may not have met face to face (yet) but I know that we all support and inspire each other.
This week we have Deb from Seeking Lavender Lane! Deb’s blog is full of fun DIY projects and home decor inspiration. I highly suggest you click on her Home Tour to visit her lovely home. It is full of gorgeous pics of all her rooms that are just brimming with her farmhouse style and furniture transformations.
Interspersed in the questions are pictures of Deb’s amazing work. Click on the picture for a link back to her original blog post on the piece. Links also at end of post.
Distressed Farmhouse Table by Seeking Lavender Lane
When did you begin to paint furniture and/or create projects for the home?
When and how did you start your website/blog?
I started SLL, 3 years this past May. I had no idea there were so many blogs out there I was wrapped up in just a couple and thought I was still new the in game (little did I know). I wanted to document my time house hunting and then the beginning process of us making over our house…and here I am 3 years later. I would never have guessed that I would still be progressing with it. It truly has become my other baby and I am so grateful and blessed to be able to have a blog I call my own.
What would you consider to be your unique style and what inspires you?
How do you choose which type of paint or finish to use on a piece?
Painting furniture I never have one specific paint that I have 100% clicked with and felt it was the only paint in the world I could use. I also try to save myself as much money as I can when updating pieces (since they are for my own home), and sometimes I use what I have on hand. So far I have tried just about every chalk paint, including creating my own, and I’ve even used different latex paints. I think it truly depends on the finish you are going for and the type of piece you are making over. I always seal my pieces with wax and I’m super obsessed with dark wax, especially Annie Sloan. I’ve had the same tin for 3 years and it’s still lasting me this long. I think my favorite is using this as a stain over wood…I’ve done this so many times.
Buffet Makeover by Seeking Lavender Lane
Do you consider both writing your blog and working on a project to each be a creative process? Which do you prefer?
What is your favorite part of the creative process? The initial brainstorming/inspiration, working on the piece, the finishing touches (staging/photography) or writing and publishing the blog post? Least favorite?
Oh gosh this is really a tough one for me! I may have to say the brainstorming process. When I was a child I used to tell my parents that I wanted to be an inventor haha. Probably not the first thing they would have thought their little girl would want to do when she was older. I just loved the idea of coming up with ideas and creating something new. Having to resolve a problem with design gets me all kinds of excited. Or even being inspired by other projects and decor and trying to find a way to create that on a budget in my own home – I mean seeing the end results is just as thrilling. I love seeing how it all comes together.
Farmhouse Cabinet Makeover by Seeking Lavender Lane
What do you believe to be the reason for the success of your blog and business?
Well, success is definitely a word that can be described in so many ways. I guess I feel successful in the fact that I have kept the blog going for 3 years straight. I grow every day from it and learn something new. I also have come to make so many new friends and have worked with some great companies from it all. I’m excited everyday never knowing what tomorrow brings in my little corner of the internet. I think my success would have to come from my passion. If I did not love doing projects and sharing it on my blog so much I would never keep at it. It definitely takes a lot of time away from family, friends, and down time…so to me if it wasn’t such a passion it wouldn’t make sense to do it.
What advice do you give other creative people wishing to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your heart, if you follow your brain you will never go for it! Being creative sometimes puts you in a place in life that feels unrealistic and far from safe. Keep at it and never give up. Find hope in small moments and dwell in every opportunity.
Farmhouse Kitchen by Seeking Lavender Lane
Kitchen by Seeking Lavender Lane
Up next week, Diane from The Paint Factory! I cannot wait share her work and hear her story. I am very honored that so many of my amazing blogging friends have agreed to take part in Tell Us Tuesday!
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So good to see Deb featured here this week! I have been following her blog for about a year now and just love her work and impeccable design talents.
Hi Marie – isn’t her house amazing? Such talent!
Beautiful home! Thanks for sharing. 🙂