Grow Your Blog

 Welcome to Grow Your Blog 2014!  I want to kick off with a big shout out to Vicki at 2 Bags Full for hosting.  I read that there are over 500 blogs this year and what a feat for her to pull it all together.  Thank you, Vicki!
My name is Kathy.  I live in Portland, Oregon where I make my living as a Business Analyst and I make my joy blogging, hunting down cool junk, making things, gardening and collecting (sometimes on purpose!).  I have been blogging since 2009 and my very favorite thing about blogging is the wonderful tribe of like-minded people I never would have met otherwise.
When I was thinking about what to post this year, I decided to put together a sampler of the types of things I blog about so we can get to know each other.  Welcome to my blog!

 I love the hunt and I am out there searching every chance I get.  Search and rescue!

 What I call "poke sacks" are my favorite.  I adore buying a mixed bag and treasure hunting through it!

 I put the junkalanche to use in some of the things I make.

 This altered book is my collection of quotes.  It was a looong project that I just recently finished.  I have already started prepping the next one.  The altered book is my relaxing "play place".

 A vintage apothecary cabinet rescued with wallpaper and new knobs.  I am blessed to have a room of my own where I curate my stash, blog and create.

 My tastes run to a little edgy, creepy and Steampunk style.

 A skirt made from up-cycled t-shirts because I am the queen of cheap and always looking for ways to "wear it out, use it up of go without".  Well, okay, I'm not really that great at that go without thing.  But I can say with conviction that I always choose vintage first!

 I made this altered fabric book for my Granddaughter, Alexa, and it was published in the June 2011 issue of SEW Somerset.  I have been fortunate to be published a few times as you can see from the left sidebar on my blog.  I haven't submitted anything in quite a while and need to get busy with that.

When a vintage photo whispers a caption to me, it is telling me what it wants to be and becomes an altered Altoid tin.

A few pictures from my garden always make their way on to my blog, especially in Spring when everything is fresh and in bloom around here. 

Buttons are an addiction for me.  I don't consider myself a collector since I don't mount them and enter competitions or anything like that.  I am an accumulator.  Buttons are a frequent topic on my blog.  I store them in apothecary jars and jewelry boxes and just love to look at them and learn about them.

 My love of vintage hankies comes from some very happy memories of my Grandmother.

 Flamingos and songbirds are another thing I can't resist and I have dozens of them decorating my kitchen.

 If you would like a tour of my art room you can click the link on the left sidebar.  Things have changed since that post, as they always do, because there always seems to be something new (old!) following me home.

 This is Mona, one of my art room companions, along with her children Harmony and Calliope, but that is a whole other story for another day....

 If you have stayed with me to the end of this very long post, I have a giveaway for you.

Just leave a comment and you will be entered to win this vintage leatherette box of treasures to inspire your next great thing.  The giveaway is open to everyone. I will announce a winner on February 15th.  Good luck!
Thank you so much for coming by to visit today!
Kathy