Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Melaine Thompson~ The author of the famous blog My Sweet Savannah



Hello girls!
I have a special guest tonight!
She is one sweet talented girl!
The beautiful Melaine from My Sweet Savannah!
I wanted to do a special feature on Melaine for all of you!
She has been so gracious to me since I started blogging. She has such a kind spirit, and has made me feel so welcomed into this blog world.
So to have Melaine agree to let me feature her, has been a real treat for me! Melaine also kindly agreed to a mini interview! I hope you enjoy the interview and a peek at Melaine's beautiful cottage!
I think her home looks like it should be in Country Living!


Hi there!
and I would first like to say thank you to Maria for doing a guest post on me! I am so excited!

What inspired you to start a blog?
I actually had never heard of a blog until my sister adopted her son from Guatemala and started one while she was living there so everyone back home could see pictures and updates on them. Then one day while flipping through a magazine I saw a advertisement for a blog called Sadie Olive. I went online to take and peak and I was hooked!
When I started my blog I was doing so in order to keep track of projects I had done, inspiration photos, etc. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be where I am at today! I have met some of the most wonderful friends and on some occasions visited them in their homes, had lunch together, talked on the phone with many, and have gone to The Farm Chicks in Spokane Wa. with several! It has been a wonderful experience and I feel so blessed!

I love the name of your blog. How did you come up with the name My Sweet Savannah?
The name of my blog came from my daughter Savannah, nope I don't live in Georgia!
She is such a sweetheart, it just seemed fitting!

How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as ever changing. When we first moved into our lake home I decorated everything very lodgey. Deer heads, camp blankets, lanterns, logs. We lived with it like that for a few years and then just felt we needed something a little lighter and brighter. It took my husband 10 years to convince him we needed to paint the cedar walls.
Right now I would say I love shabby chic, a little eclectic, and a whole lot vintage!

What inspires you?
What doesn't inspire me? I am inspired daily by even the littlest things. I love looking at other peoples homes, whether in person or over the internet. I guess I'm kind of nosy that way. I love anything old with a history. I love chippy white paint and metal, and I have a slight obsession with pillows and picture frames!

When & what inspired you to open your successful etsy shop?
Gosh, I don't even remember when I opened my etsy shop, good question! I opened it because I started collecting too many things and my house was too small to accomodate all of them! I love being able to repurpose items and pass them along to other people for them to enjoy.


What advice do you give others who are thinking about opening an etsy shop?
I would say if you are starting an etsy shop just to be patient, and continue to put new items in your shop, keeping things fresh!



What is your favorite room in your home?
What was the inspiration behind that room?
I love the living room in my home. It was recently given a face lift and I am happy with the light airy look of it.
However, I'd have to say my favorite room is actually my bedroom. It's a place I can go when the kids are off to bed, and watch a good movie with my husband. My bed is super comfortable and I am a huge fan of sleeping, if I could, I think I would sleep all day! I get at least 9 hours of sleep a night!



How did you learn to run a table saw?
How did I learn to run a table saw? Well....when we first bought our home 12 years ago it was a real fixer upper. We didn't have the extra money to hire projects out so my husband taught me how to use power tools. When my daughter Savannah was 2, I wanted to take on a project all by myself so I built her a playhouse, from digging out the footings to installing windows, siding, roofing, and a porch. Since I am a stay at home mom I did a lot of the projects around the house while my husband was at work. I have put up all the shingles and rockery on the outside of our home and laid tile in all 3 bathrooms, painted every room myself and much more. It's been very rewarding standing back when you are finished knowing that you did that! I now have my own tool shed where I make picture frames and cut wood for signs.

Who is your favorite designer?
I don't know if I have one favorite designer. A few of my favorites are Candice Olson, Rachell Ashwell, and Sarah Richardson. I also love Nate Berkus. I think some of my favorite rooms though are designed by the not so famous people like Maria from Dreamy Whites, Kasey from Lola B's, and Sara from Sadie Olive. I had a chance this past fall to visit Sara in California and tour her home. It is fabulous!!! I feel so lucky sometimes!

Do you have a favorite design book?
I have so many favorite design books! Currently I am loving the new Shabby Chic Interiors book by Rachel Ashwell. Also I am loving Easy Cottage Style by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell. The Well Dressed Home by Annette Tatum is another one of my favorites!

I hope you all get a chance to go over and tell the talented Melaine Hello!
If you are already a follower of My Sweet Savannah, please feel free to tell us how Melaine's blog inspires you!

I want to thank you Melaine for all that you have done for me. You have made me feel special a number of times on your beautiful blog! I really appreciate you and your friendship!





34 comments:

FEDERICA said...

Hi Maria!
Thanks so much for sharing Melaine's blog. Her blog is so inspiring and I love her home and style!
Fabulous interview!
Federica

p.s. Can't wait for tomorrow!

Little Emma English Home said...

Hi Maria, love the interview.... she has a wonderful house, thank you so much for his post... Ps. I did not forget about you....Loved your mail and will asnwer very soon I promise!!

Hugs, Zaira

Fabulously French said...

Bonjour Maria, what a great interview and Kimberly's photos are gorgeous as per normal.

Leeann x

Samantha2818 said...

Hi Maria,
What a lovely interview - I love Melaines's blog and her home is just gorgeous - she is very inspiring.
~Sam

Unknown said...

Mi Maria, Great interview! I have been following Melaine since I started blogging last year and love her style. Both her and you seem to be such sweet and talented women.
Hope you have a great week!

sara@augustfields said...

maria...great interview :) thanks to you and melaine!

melaine's chalkboard wall was the first blog post i ever linked to i think :) she has great style!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Maria! I always love your interviews...you share some great blogs here.I love her style too~ Have a great my friend~

Robyn said...

Oh that was FUN! I so enjoyed that peek into Melanie's home and her interests! THANK YOU!

mary katharine said...

Okay, I MUST find me a bench like that!!!! PUT IT IN YOUR ETSY SHOP MELAINE:):):)!!!
Thanks for the interview post, Maria. You are both inspiring.

Beach House Living said...

A beautiful home and to learn she did so much of it is absolutely amazing. Not just handy wonderfully done.

It's me said...

Hi Maria..................
Thanks so much for sharing Melaine's blog................... Her blog is so inspiring and I love her home and style!..........
Fabulous interview.................i can not wait till tomorrow.have a nice day hugs from me............bye!!

Cottage Dreamers said...

Maria, I love the interviews you do and this one may have been my favorite. I've been following My Sweet Savanah for only a few months so I really didn't know much about her (ie, I assumed she was from Savanah! ;) I really love her style. It's fun getting to learn things about our favorite bloggers, it makes it feel like I know them! Great interview!
☺ Celeste

AT HOME BLOG said...

Hi Maria! :-)
Thank you!! What a beautiful interview... Melaines's blog is one of my favourite...
Kisses
Etta

Kathy said...

Hi Maria..thanks for todays special blog. I would check out Rate my space everyday and that's how I found Melaine over a year ago, and that is how I was introduced to blogging.... I have been lucky enough to go to Melaines for her open houses, and the events that she is in. I feel like a stalker. She is so sweet and generous and I hope for all her dreams to come true....Country Living Magazine cover perhaps! I also LOVE your blog, and can't imagine mornings without them........and it all started with My Sweet Savannah.

Anne Lorys said...

Hi Maria!
Your interviews are just getting batter and better!
Melanie seems like such a sweet gal and so full of enthusiasm. Her style is really marvelous as well.

Add me to the folks who thought she was from Savannah! ;-)

Have a beautiful Thursday, my friend!

Anne

Amy R. said...

I love Melaine's home and I love and follow her blog. Her pictures are like daily eye candy...so inspriring! Thanks for sharing her home with us!
Amy

carolina @ patagonia gifts said...

loved this post! so beautiful home. gorgeous table. thanks for sharing! xo

Twig said...

She inspires me to start grabbing some power tools! I love that she can do all those things! Sometimes my hubby hides from me when he knows I'm in "create" mode haha. Poor guy. I would just LOVE to take a few months and learn, what an inspiration she is! So awesome! Thanks for doing this interview, its so fun to see where other people come from and hear a little of their stories.

Between You and Me said...

love the post...and I'm so impressed with her skilZ!!! :) I never plan to share with my husband that she learned how to use a power saw. never. And, I'll never tell him that she also built her kids a playhouse. never.

:))))))))

paige said...

these are so fun maria!

i've been a fan of melaine's for quite a while. i have a daughter named savannah ( & yes, we actually do live in georgia) so i was immediately drawn in for that reason.
the more i saw melaine's fun style & great design posts i became hooked.
working a table saw , laying tile & putting up shingles?
i am totally impressed

melaine, i'm a big fan of sleeping too :)
your home is gorgeous
great interview
xo

Tricia said...

I just started reading Melanie's blog a few months ago and I love it! Another talented lady with a gorgeous home.

Kacey said...

Love Melaine's blog! She's so creative and very inspiring. I had no idea she had accomplished all those projects on her own. What a woman!

vosgesparis said...

I did not no her and her blog so thanks for sharing ;)

Unknown said...

Bonjour my friend! Oh how I have missed your posts!! And there are so many gorgeous pictures for me to go back and catch up on...you really do have an amazing talent for putting an incredible blog together!!! Hope you are well :) Thanks so much for mentioning my giveaway!

Hugs ~

:) T

DustyLu said...

Fantastic interview! It is so nice that you do these enterviews so that we can get to know the person behind the blog. Great idea! Can't wait to see who is next! ~lulu

Kasey said...

seriously....
Melaine mentioned little old MOI as a one of her style fav's???
I think i need a glass of wine and a trip back to france.
xo

Shannan Martin said...

Fantastic interview! My Sweet Savannah was one of my first favorite blogs...and I still can't get enough of it!

Unknown said...

great post. I've been following you both for a while now so it was fun to see the collaboration!

Melanie said...

I love Melaine's style! Her blog is one of my very favorites!! I cannot believe she built her daughter's playhouse. Now I feel like a slaacker!;-)))

Wonderful interview, my friend!

Hugs,
Melanie

Unknown said...

Hi Maria! what a lovely interview!!! and I've just finished to read your guest post on Sweet as a Candy! Your table setting is adorable. You have a fab style!!! I always look at your home pictures because they are so beautiful! and now that I'm planning the interiors of my new house I find a lot of inspirations in your blog! I wish you a great week end!
Hugs from Italy!
Mara

Beach House 27 said...

Hi Maria -

Nice getting to know Melaine a little more-

Great post - thanks!

Marsha

Kelley said...

I totally agree about Melaine! What an amazing, talented, generous person. kelley

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