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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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September 12, 2011

Behind the Blog with Savvy Southern Style

We are so excited for today’s installment of Behind the Blog!
Please join us in welcoming Kim, Miss Savvy Southern Style herself!

Savvy Southern Style

For many, her blog was what inspired them to begin blogging themselves. And for countless of us, she was among the first to pay us a visit after we finally took that plunge and joined this crazy world called Blogland!
She also hosts the popular Wow Us Wednesday Linky Party and you can find us there every week partying away with so many of you. Her gorgeous home provides inspiration and motivation to all of us desiring to create warm and inviting spaces and we are just so thrilled to have her here with us today.

picketfence_20010


Up first, we asked Kim to share with us the “Ins and Outs” of her blogging experience.

What prompted you to start blogging in the first place?
“I had been posting pictures of my home on rate my space for some time and not to brag or anything my ratings were always at least a 3.8 or higher which is good. Well, then things went sour when someone started purposely down rating my spaces to a poor mark. I would upload a new space and it would get high ratings and then down it went again. I decided to not post on there anymore and during this time I had struck up a friendship with Debbie of Debbiedoos. The same thing was happening to her spaces on there. So she started a blog and talked me into starting one, too. I kept putting off starting one because I am still very technically challenged by the computer. I have surely learned a lot since starting this blog.”

How long have you been blogging? 

“I first began blogging on January 30, 2009”


What is the story behind your blog name? 

“I wanted my sister and I to do a blog together and had come up with the name Savvy Style Sisters, but she felt she was not ready for this venture so I started mine and just changed the name to Savvy Southern Style.”

(You know how much we appreciate that “sister love” around these parts! We heard your sister finally took the plunge and started her own blog, The Essence of Home. These next questions will definitely apply to her and anyone else joining the wonderful world of blogging!)

What is one piece of advice you would give to a “new” blogger?

“Not to become addicted to this like have. Is there a blogger’s anonymous chapter?”



What is one piece of advice you would give to a “seasoned” blogger to avoid the dreaded blogger burn-out?

“I wish someone would give me that advice. Sometimes I get panicky when I think I don’t have anything to blog about. Then some ideas will come to me and all is good again. I probably should take a tiny break, but like I said in #4 I have an addiction.”

(We would never know you get panicky over what to blog about Kim and judging by these projects, you always seem to have something fabulous up your sleeve!)
 
picketfence_20010

What has been your most popular project with your readers?


“The kitchen that was recently updated with the beadboard wallpaper seems to be my most visited post.”

What is YOUR favorite project you have ever done?
”The hutch in the dining room that I just recently posted.”


Have you ever had a project that completely failed and you did not show it on your blog?

“Yes, a little tray that I already had that I mod podged burlap to and then stenciled a monogram on it. It was just too cheesy to show y’all.”

(That doesn’t sound so bad Kim! You may just have to show it to us one of these days!)



We call this next round the “If You Were Stranded On A Desert Island” Set of Questions! (original we know…)


If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you want to have with you and why? And if you could only have 1 person with you on that island, whom would it be and why?


“Fresh water, sunscreen and a gun. Have to have water to stay hydrated, I would burn to a crisp without sunscreen and I would want to shoot any strange predators in the dark.”

“The one person I would want there with me would be my husband. He is my best friend, but we may have to sleep on separate sides of the island since he snores! We usually end up in separate rooms now since we have two empty bedrooms upstairs. I have to have my sleep.”
And last but certainly not least, we’re going to put Kim under the magnifying glass with Our Reader Questions..cause we know y’all are as nosy as we are!


MP900399239


Where does YOUR inspiration come from for all of your fantastic home decorating and painting projects?

“Definitely other blogs, Design books and magazines as well.”

If you could only eat one food (or type of food) for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
“Pizza. It has always been my favorite food. I remember when I was seven or eight years old I ate five slices and boy did I regret it. I was so sick all night!”



We can’t thank you enough Kim, for letting us get to know you better today and for giving us a glimpse at the Blogger Behind the Blog! 
And thank you to our readers who joined us today for our fourth installment of Behind the Blog!  Missed the first four installments? Well, you can read them here and get all caught up! And stay tuned for future installments of Behind the Blog…

behind the blog graphic lettering
…cause you never know who might show up next at the fence!


Thanks so much for joining us, along with Kim from Savvy Southern Style, today at the Fence,
dual signature
Don’t forget we have a fabulous giveaway still going on through Wednesday!
Andrea is offering one of her beautiful signs to one of our readers. There’s still plenty of time to enter!
Signs By Andrea Giveaway 





29 Comments Filed Under: Behind the Blog Series

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Comments

  1. Kathryn Ferguson Griffin says

    September 12, 2011 at 1:25 PM

    Thanks gals for letting us to get to know Kim a little better! She’s one of my favs. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    Reply
  2. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    September 12, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    Thanks so much gals!!

    Reply
  3. Penny @ The Comforts of Home/Flea Market Makeovers says

    September 12, 2011 at 1:40 PM

    Great interview! I love Kim’s blog. She is an inspiration to many bloggers.

    Reply
  4. Debra @ Common Ground says

    September 12, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    Great getting to know Kim a little better! She amazes me with her blogging fortitude!!

    Reply
  5. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    September 12, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    Great interview, ladies! Kim has such a beautiful home, I’m so glad she decided to start a blog. I never did rate my space because of what she mentioned. I find that bloggers can be very supportive and give that boost of confidence that we all need from time to time. I think we all need to figure out how to control this blogging addiction!

    Reply
  6. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜@ Debbiedoos blogging and blabbing says

    September 12, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    Ahhh..the days of RMS! Sure do not miss them. However, I will say, I made a lot of friends there and Kim is one of the best I made! So even though there were a few creepers, I say look at us NOW!~ I laughed out loud on the gun part..I just can’t picture Kim with a gun and shooting, Now a paint brush YES! Great interview girls!

    Reply
  7. Kelly says

    September 12, 2011 at 2:39 PM

    Wow! I had no idea that she did this interview! I loved reading it and love this idea of learning more about other bloggers. Thanks for stopping by my new blog and sharing the love!! I’m looking forward to what this new adventure will bring me. So far, it is becoming addictive (just like I was warned about). My sister is coming over today and we’re going to work on some blog things together.

    Reply
  8. Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow says

    September 12, 2011 at 3:35 PM

    Kim is one of my favorites in blog land. Thank you for doing this fun interview! blessings ~ tanna

    Reply
  9. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    September 12, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    Love Kim’s blog, such a great feature. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  10. Lakeshore Cottage Living says

    September 12, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    So fun to read more about Kim! She is a lovely lady!

    Reply
  11. ♥ Sonny ♥ says

    September 12, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    this was a fun read.. great questions girls and I enjoyed your answers Kim..

    Reply
  12. AntiqueChase says

    September 12, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    Great feature. Always nice to learn more about Kim!

    Reply
  13. Debbie--https://refreshrestyle.com/ says

    September 12, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    Kim is such a wonderful person! I love visiting her blog, she’s very positive and inspiring. I’m glad to know her a little better!
    Debbie

    Reply
  14. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    September 12, 2011 at 6:08 PM

    Hi Ladies, Great interview and I enjoyed learning more about Kim.
    xo,
    Sherry

    Reply
  15. Jane@Cottage at the Crossroads says

    September 12, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    I love this feature that you have on your blog because I like to know more about the bloggers themselves. I wish I had half the energy that Kim has!

    Reply
  16. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    September 12, 2011 at 6:32 PM

    Great interview Girls! I can say I’ve know Kim since our RMS days Kim & Debbiedoos are one of the reasons I started blogging! Martina

    Reply
  17. Ashley says

    September 12, 2011 at 8:57 PM

    Love her blog! Great feature!

    Reply
  18. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    September 12, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  19. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    September 12, 2011 at 3:15 PM

    I know Kim already but love learning more about her too!! Thanks for sharing girls! Now when is that bloggers anonymous group starting up?!

    Reply
  20. Richella says

    September 12, 2011 at 11:42 PM

    Kim is great. She’s so talented and so kind to everyone else in the blogosphere. I especially love that she achieves such a GORGEOUS, high-end look on a budget. She’s amazing! Thanks for highlighting her here. It’s fun to get to know people better.

    Reply
  21. The DIY Show Off says

    September 13, 2011 at 12:57 AM

    Love reading the scoop on my favorite blog girls! Hi Kim! 😉 Thanks for sharing the details, ladies!

    Have a great week!

    Roeshel

    Reply
  22. Amy @MaisonDecor says

    September 13, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    I loved learning more about Kim! I started blogging in May 2010 and Kim found me and put me on her blog roll~after that I got a lot more followers. I will always remember that she was generous of spirit, and she is a constant commentator on my blog, which is much appreciated.

    Reply
  23. Shelia says

    September 13, 2011 at 4:25 AM

    Hi ladies and thank you for featuring Kim! She is one of my favorite bloggers! She is just amazing at all she does and she’s made her home so gorgeous! Just can’t get enough of it.
    Be a couple of sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  24. classic • casual • home says

    September 13, 2011 at 4:43 AM

    I wish Kim was my next door neighbor…I would give her some of my earplugs. My husband snores, too.
    I loved this interview, Heather and Vanessa!!!
    Mary Ann PICKETT 🙂

    Reply
  25. Becca says

    September 13, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    Love the interview, girls, Vanessa and Heather … great series! Kim was a wonderful choice to “put under the scope!” … love her witty and honest answers (and can relate to most of them)! You gals rock! xoxo

    Reply
  26. Leslie says

    September 13, 2011 at 12:27 PM

    I give Kim 5 STARS!!!
    I just love her!
    ~me

    Reply
  27. The French Hutch says

    September 13, 2011 at 11:06 PM

    I give the interview with Kim a thumbs up!. Great questions. She’s a great gal with a fabulous blog. Her Wow Us Wednesday party is so inspirational. Lot to see there.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

    Reply
  28. addicted pornography says

    September 14, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    Kim is such a wonderful person! I love visiting her blog, she’s very positive and inspiring. I’m glad to know her a little better!

    Reply
  29. Christie says

    November 17, 2011 at 11:48 PM

    I just love Kim! She has such classic style. Everything she does is beautiful! I just got some inspiration from her site for a T’giving centerpiece! She rocks! Love this ‘Behind the Blogs!’ You girls rock, too! Love, Christie

    Reply

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We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
Happy Saturday!! I haven’t posted all week (exce Happy Saturday!! I haven’t posted all week (except for in stories) because I was soaking up the sunshine and time with my family in San Antonio for spring break. One of our favorite activities was a bike tour of the missions and I found myself obsessed with all of the beautiful architecture, especially the doors. What is it about doors that is so fascinating? Is it knowing that these were so lovingly hand carved? Is it thinking about how many people have crossed through them? Whatever it is, I couldn’t get enough of them and had to stop and admire each one. 

I hope you are having a wonderful kickoff to spring too dear friends! 🌸
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