Behind the blogger...meet Anita from Castles Crowns and Cottages!!

Good morning! Did everyone have a great weekend? I hope so. Here, the weather was quintessentially fall, crisp air, sunny skies, leaves are just starting to turn, it was wonderful. I am so happy to be here today with a blogger who has a special talent of "taking you away" when you visit, say hello to .....

Anita from Castles Crowns and Cottages

Anita, a school teacher is someone who is truly gifted at creating dreamy, inspiring posts that  have the power to strike an emotion through the written word and the pictures that she uses to weave a story. You can be sure its always one with a beautiful, very inspiring and uplifting message. Then she ties it in with perfectly orchestrated music and the effect is spellbinding and awe inspiring. On top of that, Anita, is incredibly sweet, kind, endearing, gracious and classy. Among her many accomplishments, she taught herself French at 34 and went back to night school to get multiple degrees as well as a French license to teach, now that's what I call impressive! On top of that, she also self taught herself how to play the harp!! And last, wow, I am almost breathless listing all these accomplishments, she is a talented artist in her own right, amazing huh? Yes I think so too. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband in a French style brick cottage lovingly named "Rabbit Hill". She always finds time to swing by and say hello and leave a kind warm comment that makes me smile. If you are not already familiar with Castles Crowns and Cottages, do stop by...you will absolutely love it, I promise you that!! I so enjoyed hearing what Anita had to say and I am sure you will too, so without further ado here is my interview with the lovely and personable Anita.

Click on header to visit Castles Crowns and Cottages, and thank you Anita for participating!

So,  how did you end up blogging?

 Three years ago, my sister-in-law mentioned that she had a blog. I found myself visiting her blog every morning even though she may not have posted a new post. I saw the possibilities of creating my own space and so I pushed that "start your own blog" button and the rest is history!

A few things I love about fall are....................

 Cold evenings sitting on the couch with my husband, drinking chocolate tea and heating up our home with the care and love of homemade soup!

You get to spend a month at the perfect beach house on the beach,  will it be Malibu or Nantucket? NANTUCKET, for sure!  I prefer the East coast to the West coast.

Two weeks first class all the way, is it London or Paris? Oh là là, c'est évident, c'est PARIS!

If I was 18 again I would.......have gone to college right away to study linguistics, poetry and journalism.

What would be on your plate for your ultimate dream dinner and dessert?

 PIZZA ( I can no longer eat it) and lemon sorbet. Boring I know, but I am not a decadent eater.

Tell us as little or much as you want to about your family? I have been married for almost 30 years, no children, no parents, no siblings. My family is the group of friends that share common interests.

Worst habit? Best trait?

My worst habit is that I cry to easily! My best trait is that I am a good listener.

Favorite design trend?  TURQUOISE/AQUA home décor!

One golden rule/advice for decorating that you would pass on....Keep your décor "AUTHENTIC" meaning, get rid of the plastic, fake nick nacks and if you want to design in a vintage way, get real vintage or antique items. If you love modern, then wait until you can get your hands on a real modern piece of art. Classic in my opinion is AUTHENTIC, whether it is antique or contemporary

Designer icon? Hubert de Givenchy

You get to have lunch with anyone in the entire world, could be from Hollywood, a famous author or playwright, a politician, rock star, a cooking guru, religious leader, anyone…who are the lucky two to sit at your table?  Albert Einstein because inside that genius brain was the heart of a child..of wonder and curiosity and Audrey Hepburn of course! 

A perfect day would start with...The Dutchess, from the blog named THE DUTCHESS and end with... Penny from the blog, Angelsdoor  and Violet from Creating Beauty. 

If we could only live in one season year round, which would you choose and why?

Spring. Eternal Spring...now that is my idea of bliss because there would be never-ending new growth and surprise.

Describe your favorite outfit.

A black pencil skirt, a black turtleneck with pearls, diamond stud earrings, black tights and pumps.

Tell me about a dream vacation for you and your family…… I would love to more time on the French Riviera and on the beach of Carmel, where I spent my honeymoon 30 years ago.

Favorite movie or book that you could read or watch over and over? LION IN WINTER with Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. Talk about AUTHENTICITY....these two actors give a seamless performance that I can watch over and over again.

3 qualities that I think fairly describe me are.

TENACIOUS, CREATIVE, YOUNG AT HEART.

Comedy or dramas? West Side Story ( I danced the role of Anita a few times in community theatres), Funny Face, ANY AUDREY HEPBURN MOVIE!

A book that I have read in the last few years that I really really loved....................

LES MISERABLES, in French.

In my next life I will…… Dance on point, ride horses and be the artist I was meant to be.

One thing I absolutely cannot live without is................The opportunity to LOVE and BE LOVED.

If I have learned one thing in life, it is....................That I am not growing old, but I am growing UP.

And now a little recap about some of Anita's favorites.....

Can't you just feel Anita's passion for life and beautiful things exploding off the page? No wonder she is so inspiring, she obviously practices what she preaches! I am so impressed with how she taught herself French and how to play the harp...now that's dedication! I would love to be at that dinner with Audrey and Hubert, Anita...great choices and what stories they would tell! The French Riviera, Carmel by the Sea, Nantucket? Oh yes, you are my kind of gal! Thank you Anita for helping to create this wonderful interview and thank you all for stopping by. Click here to visit Castles, Crowns and Cottages! Have a beautiful day.