Interview with Home Improvement Blogger Deb Newton

I was recently interviewed by Danielle Lehman from

 Floor Coverings International.

Thank you Danielle, I'm honored. 

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At Floor Coverings International of Winter Garden, we love bringing you creative insight and new perspectives. Today we have an interview with Deb Newton, home improvement blogger at Dragonfly Treasure.

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.

I have always loved to make things. Growing up I used my imagination to create things for entertainment. Living on a farm far from any other children, my friends were the animals. Daisy crowns for the Cows, Berry Bracelets for the Chickens, even a collection of empty snail shells from the garden, decorated and painted with nail polish.

I love taking items and re-purposing them in new ways. I probably get this from my Dad. If he needed a tool for example, he made it from what he had. Up-cycling is environmentally friendly and endless fun to me. I’m a big DIY’er. I adore anything old and try to incorporate it into something useful for my home or garden.

2. Why did you decide to start a blog?

At first it was to connect with people through like minded interests; gardening, treasure hunting, crafting, etc. Then it became a way to keep my spread out family up to date on my families happenings. It has changed over the years to reviewing products for companies, but is still peppered with the above.

What do you enjoy about blogging?

It has become a sort of therapy for me. Recently I went through a life changing event, which can leave you feeling like no one else could possibly understand. Being able to talk to others, who have been through a similar event, gave me the opportunity to glean from their experience, which can be invaluable.

3. How would you describe your design style?

My home is Vintage Eclectic Cottage, is that even a style? LOL I am lucky to have items from my parents and grandparents that I incorporate with more current, but comfortable Cottage styles. Any item, be it furniture or accessory has to make me smile or it’s not welcome. I need to be able to walk through my front door and smile that I’m home.

4. Where do you find most of your inspiration?

Pre-Pinterest – I try to look at things differently. It may take a while but eventually it comes to me.  What to do with that ugly thing I just new I could make beautiful, I picked from a garage sale!   I like to make something out of nothing. Grab a bunch of odds and ends, found items, whatever and sit down and create something marvelous. AND I do love magazines! which can give me more ideas in my head than I have time to make.

Since Pinterest started, I’m on inspiration overload! Addicted? Most definitely!

5. Tell us about a recent project you’re proud of.

I’m torn between two. Basically the same technique but one done outside, the other inside.

I painted faux brick on my front walkway. I mixed all the reds, browns, oranges and like colors from my craft paints to get the color I wanted. It had to be close to the old mismatched brick I hauled from the farm, that I lined my front gardens with. I used a sponge to stamp a brick pattern onto the cement and sealed it. I love the crooked way it turned out! Just like my crooked lined gardens.

The other project was to paint my cement floor in my bedroom. I chose white and when it was done it looked plain. I decided to find an image I liked and used my Dad’s old carbon copy paper to use to trace it on. I then used felt tip pens, nail polish, paint, and whatever else I had on hand to color the design. It was then also sealed.  The design I chose describes what I’m currently going through.  Dandelion seeds floating on the breeze that turn into birds.  I am currently learning “to fly free.”

Find more from Deb on her blog at Dragonfly Treasure.

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