Stormy Spring Pillow Covers

Working away on my girls' naptime...gray and yellow pillow covers...

The Stormy Spring Collection...

Gray Polka Dot...

Gray stripe with yellow dots...

Gray chevron...

Yellow chevron...and this picture shows the envelope enclosure. I am doing envelope enclosure pillows now...less storage of pillow forms for me here in my studio...and less expensive for you! Change the look of your room more often and for less money!!! Hae a fabulous weekend...my girls are waking up...work time is over! Love & Junk~ Julie

National Milk Day...Drink Up!!!

It is National Milk Day...which, I think, is everyday in this house. We (by "we" I mean my husband, our almost 4 year old and 1 year old) can go through 4 gallons in a week an a half...easy!

I am not a HUGE milk drinker...gasp! Before you even have a second to wonder why...let me assure you I MORE than make up for it in my half and half consumption in my coffee...and CHEESE! I could (and do) make a meal off of cheese and crackers with wine,, lots of Friday nights. (Hmmm...dinner for the Mr. and I is done!)

But, it's Friday...and NOTHING goes better with an ice, cold glass of REAL CA milk than cookies. These are THE BEST Oatmeal Cookies you will ever have. They are my "claim to fame" if you will. Well, they are my mom's claim to fame...and this is her recipe and it never fails!!! These are always a hit. I think it is the sea salt... Momma's Oatmeal Cookies...

3/4 of a cup of butter...REAL butter

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulatd sugar

1 egg...one lonely little egg

1 tsp of GOOD vanilla

Cream butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg and vanilla...

Add 3 cups of oatmeal...slowly...mix...but don't overdo it

1 cup of flour

1 tsp of sea salt

1/2 tsp of baking soda

We added raisins today...about 2 cups. Chocolate chips are our next fave!

Scoop into dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet... bake at 350 degrees for 10 12 minutes.

The house smells SO GOOD!!!!!

Happy National Milk Day! Love & Junk~ Julie 3/4 cup REAL Butter...there are NO substitutes...NONE 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup flour 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 3 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bake: 350 for 10-12 minutes

 

Wine ...Anyone???

Funny day around here...I am sure for you, too!  Let me just say...it is really nice to have a sister in law that has a winery (super close) on days like today!  I am enjoyng a class of some of the BEST Pinot Grigio...and unwinding...hopefully you are, too!

I am working on some cute winesacks for the upcoming wine trail weekend. I LOVE taking my handmade pillows, runners and vintage furniture out to my her winery on those weekends...such fun people! I also like helping pour wine...people watching is GREAT! One sip for you..two for me!! Ha...just kidding! (Not really!)

I am pretty excited about my new fabric tags!!! They add a little bit more of me to my stuff. I am still just one girl...working hard during those hours our oldest is at preschool and the baby naps...but this is all part of my dream!

The only thing I would add to that last quote...is to have faith in God! Love & Junk~ Julie

LOVE

Lots of new projects going on at The Barn! My main project around the house right now is CLEARING THE CLUTTER!!!! Did Santa really need to bring all thse toys? Our oldest's birthday is next week as well...we are hauling junk out! Donating gently used items...giving away some other stuff...and just flat out hauling the junk to the dumpster! FEELS GOOD!!! Ok...so my sweet little 4 year old assistant and I kept ourselves out of trouble this afternoon and worked on some Valentine pillows.

I found some of the cutest fabrics and very nice quality at premierprints.com (I am kind of addicted now!)

These fabrics are making beautiful pillows, perfect for tossing on your couch or dolling up a bed. I am working on a few table runners, which will probably make me want to paint my table a creamy white. (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...)

Classic...

Clean...

Cute!

Stay tuned for a giveaway with pillows made from these fabrics! Have a fabulous week...and get rid of the clutter!!!!! Love & Junk~ Julie

The BEST of 2012

The BEST of 2012! What a year it was! I returned to what I LOVE most...my junking, restoring and decorating. I have only really been back at this since August after THANKFULLY not returning to a job I HATED!! (That was another post..."Follow Your Heart.") Here is a recap of my favorite projects, a little bit about them and what it to come for 2013!!

One of my ALL TIME favorites. This piece belongs to my friend Renee, it was her grandmother's set. Renee wanted to revamp it somehow, giving it an updated look for her home. Classic black, distressed and FABULOUS fabric from Pottery Barn for the seat covers. Voila! I begged her to let me keep this set...no luck! Renee has invited me over for coffee (I need to go) that she enjoys at this table with the paper. Renee...I am on my way!

My mom spotted this dining set at her neighbors yard sale...and she knew I could make it even better. I cleaned her up, gave her a classic coat of black and she moved into a new home with a fabulous family.

This vintage farmhouse hutch and I had quite the relationship during her stay here at the barn. I wanted to keep her, but that would mean having to move or get rid of something in our house. In the meantime a dear friendfell in love with her and I was happy to let her go to a good home.

A little bohemian, beach chair with a burlap seat. I painted her in a funky turquoise...distressed her and she was set.

I found this desk looking as rough as they come. My hhusband wasn't sure it was going to work...but, she is beautiful. Again, just my classic black with a distressed finish. She now serves as a small buffett in a beautiful Napa Valley home.

Perfect piece. This retro buffett got a classic black paint job and a light distressing. This piece was shipped all the way to New York City! I am so thankful I got to jump back into what I love...and great things are to come for 2013!

 Love & Junk~ Julie


Linking to...................

Coffee Addicts Unite!

No Joke. Addicted to coffee.

So addicted that I found these authentic burlap coffee bean bags at a flea market in Northern California and knew they had to go home with me. For something. I was sure I could do something with them...they wer going home with me. Back to the addiction for a minute. Seriously, an 8 cup pot MYSELF (my husband doesn't drink coffee) and in the fall and winter months...another 4-6 cup ot in the afternoon. LOVE it. I love the smell, the taste and just the feel of holding my warm mug. With an almost 4 year old (her birthday invites should have gone out today) and a 1 year old...I NEED IT!

Okay, now back to the uses for the burlap coffee sacks. Pillows!!! Yep, after airing them out and dumping out left over coffee beans...I started sewing. I have made pillows, some with the coffee sack front ad back, others with a cool black or red canopy stripe fabric on the back. I sell these pillows in my Etsy shop, www.thevintagebarn.etsy.com for around $35. So, it is almost 4:00pm and it is a chilly winter day...you can guess where I am headed. To my kitchen to brew a pot of coffee! Now...for a fabulous coffee treat that OF COURSE has a dairy product (supporting my husband and fellow dairy farmers!) in the recipe. This was (and still is) my favorite winter drink. I found this on a fellow blogger's site, www.dineanddish.net. This is an Eagle Brand recipe...delish! Love & Junk ~ Julie

Cinnamon Spiced Cafe Latte A pot of sweet and cinnamon goodness, from our friends at Eagle Brand Ingredients 3/4 cup ground Folgers Classic Roast® Coffee 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 cups cold water 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk Whipped cream, as desired Additional ground cinnamon Instructions 1.Stir together ground coffee and cinnamon. Brew coffee in coffeemaker using 3 cups cold water. 2.Pour sweetened condensed milk into large coffee pot or 1 1/2-quart pitcher. Add hot brewed coffee, stirring until thoroughly blended. 3.Pour coffee mixture into cafe mugs. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with additonal cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately.

Happy New Year! What a WONDERFUL year this is going to be. So many ideas and projects are swirling in my head, on my notepad by me bed, on the notepad in my car and on the whiteboard in my office. I can't stand it...I need more hours in the day! I thought I would share with you some FABULOUS pictures my dear friend Shana Tomlinson, owner of Rustic Photograpy (find her on Facebook she is located in Chowchilla, CA) took of our little family this Christmas. She is awesome...so fun to work with and does a FABULOUS job! Her daughter, Ally just happens to be one of the best asistants around and we love having her babysit our girls while I lock myself in my sewing room/office to WORK!!!! The barn you see in the background is definitely a "Vintage Barn.!" It isn't exactly "THE Vintage Barn"...YET!!!! Work in progress...someday Julie, someday.

I am beyond grateful that I have so many joys in my life. I know this time of year it seems like everyone is working on their "New Year's Resolution." Hmmm....well, I think I will do something different this year. I am setting GOALS. Goals for myself as a mom, as a wife, as a daughter, as a sister, as an entrepeneur and as a child of God. I have OH, SO MUCH TO WORK ON!!!!! But, with "Faith, Hope and Love" I can reach all of my goals (or at least get close!) Speaking of "Faith, Hope & Love" here is my first GIVEAWAY of 2013!!!

Go to my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thevintagebarn and LIKE my page, COMMENT on the post and SHARE with your Facebook friends to be entered in the drawing!!! One winner will be picked Monday, January 7 at 5pm PST. Good luck!!! Keep the FAITH, Have the HOPE and just LOVE in 2013!!! Love and Junk~ Julie