Follow Your Heart...

WOW! It has been almost one year since I last blogged. I am ready to share my junkin' finds and paint again!!!!! I am back being able to do what I love...because like everyone says "God has a plan." Well, yes He does. We don't always think He does, or are often not satisfied with His timing. I, am one very happy, thankful and grateful mom and wife today. Last year I went back to working full time...from home WITH A 3 YEAR OLD AND A NEWBORN! I think I was nuts...well, I had to have been, I only took 4 DAYS of maternity leave. Yes, you read that correctly...4 days off! It was manageable...but not ENJOYABLE! If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life, right? I will not be returning to that job this year...and am relieved. This past year I was working from home and I would keep up with my crafty friends and really began to miss my painting days. I watched my favorite decorating shows and those darling Junk Gypsies and really begin to miss my business. I really began to think "Why can't I do what I love?" I am pretty sure God put me in that position to show me that the $$$ didn't make me or our family any happier, in fact it made me miss the simpler times. I truly missed the quiet of my "studio." My studio is our HUGE garage where all of my paints, paintbrushes and tools waited for me. Waited for me to realize you have to do what you love...and you will never work a day in your life! Now, we are back on our schedule. The girls and I go for our walk on the dairy in the morning, play and paint! I love "working," me in my garage painting and listening to the baby monitor. When my girls wake from their naps...my "shift" is over. Nobody to email me about what needed to be done and who it needed to be emailed to when it was done. I am my own boss...AGAIN! (Well, my 3 1/2 year old and 8 month old may argue with that!) So, my goal is to post before and after's here. I always love looking at before and after's, as well as where these pieces fit in my customer's homes. I have received a few pictures of happy families with their furniture and I LOVE posting them. For my first big project: my husband and I need a room makeover! A bit of a love-shack, junk-gal...meets cowgirl will be going on in here...stay tuned! I love finding something that just looks sad, lonely and worn out and giving it a little TLC, fun paint and a new life! It really is a love of mine...and it is something I can do on my own time, in my own home studio and even have my girls right along with me.

Ooooh La La!

LOVE these French Provincial Nightstands...a must have for any classy bedroom or powder room. I started with two structurally perfect pieces, handpainted them in one of my favorite springy colors and distressed them ever so slightly. The hardware is all original and very sweet!

I am busy searching for someone else's "junk"...to make my (and eventually someone else's) "treasure!" I LOVE finding a piece that is screaming for me to take it home, give it a little TLC and then send it on it's way to a home where it will shine. I know it sounds corny...but, it's true. Why would you want to buy from that "other barn" that has pieces that are mass-produced, made in another country and are SO outrageously expensive. When, you could buy from an artist right here in the WONDERFUL United States of America, who has saved a piece from the dump and revived it into something fabulous!

Okay, so back to these lovely nightstands. As I was painting this springy blue, I was getting hungry for one of my favorite things...homemade blueberry muffins! So, my sweet little toddler and I whipped up this easy recipe...so easy and so delicious!

Blueberry Tea Muffins

Blend together:
1/2 cup real butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Sift and add alternately with 3/4 cup buttermilk:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional...I love nutmeg, you might like cinnamon)

Fold in:
3/4 cup fresh, rinsed and drained blueberries
*(if using frozen, rinse and let thaw for a few minutes before adding)

Grease muffin pan. Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes. We like ours a little more on the moist side...so you might check them at 18 minutes or so. When they are done, let them cool for about 10 minutes. Dip in melted butter and roll the top in sugar...so delicous and so pretty!

Love & Junk~

Julie

Linking to and ParTYinG with..........

Sring Fling

I am in LOVE with this beautiful weather here...absolutely in love! Flea Markets, swap meets and yard sales are here!!!

What a way to spend a day...walk with my lovely little 2 year old girl, lunch on the patio then she is off to sweet little nappy land. Mommy (that's me) rushes around and finishes a paint job, packs a table for shipping and snaps pictures of this chalkboard before listing...all before (hopefully) before my sweet baby wakes up. Which is why every mom needs a reminder somewhere (okay, everywhere!) to people who insist on ringing the doorbell!!! "Shh...Sweet Baby Sleeping!!!" Check out my most recent chalkboard on my website www.thevintagebarn.etsy.com

Just a normal day in my stay at home mommy life! Wait, I am not just "staying" at home...who else runs to the grocery store, post office, cleaners, Dr., dentist, does light yardwork...I am not "staying" anywhere, that is me doing all those things. But, I LOVE it!!! I wouldn't change living on a budget, checking out the new ways to save money, being home with my sweet baby, being able to make lunch for my dairy-farmer husband when he comes in, the tantrum throwing, the days when my ANGRY dairy-farmer husband farmer comes in for lunch, wondering how I am going to pay that bill...nope, still wouldn't change it for ANY paycheck in the world!!!

Life is good, spring is here! Check out my website for new pieces featuring some of my all time favorite spring colors...Robin Egg Blue, Sunny Antique Yelllow...and my new favorite Misty Morning Gray...inspired by my friend Misty!

Have a SIMPLY CHARMING day!

Julie

Still on my shabby chic kick!

This is SO unlike me...but, here is another fabulous (if I do say so myself!!!) shabby chic white piece! This is a wonderful nightstand or endtable...in perfect condition. Plenty of room inside, and painted with a fresh coat of paint for a clean start.

I see this in a sweet babie's nursery with books stacked on top, and toys hidden inside. This would also be perfect in your beachy-chic romantic room.

What a week...busy painting cool vintage pieces and trying to spotlight a few here in my blog. Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day...and all your days are filled with Vintage Love!

Julie

I am back!!!

Wow! Has it really been since May that I have blogged??? Yes...I have been busy and haven't taken the time (really can't find the time) to blog about my pieces I am working on. Now, all excuses aside...I am going to try to blog at least once a week. This is more realistic for me, my business and my family. So, here we go!!!

I am working on a great vintage piece right now. A tall chest of drawers I found sitting all alone in a thrift shop. Venturing away from my favorite style...classic distressed black, I am painting this one a creamy cottage white. A little shabby chic...a little soft, romantic rustic charm! Simply charming and sweet! This would be the cutest in a little girl's room, a grown up girl's room...or even cuter in a laundry room. Store all your cleaning products and laundry stuff in this...you will find yourself wanting to clean all the time...well, maybe!

I have been painting, finishing and listing as fast as I can. Check my website for new things www.thevintagebarn.etsy.com I've been busy!!!

Fabric...Oh, how I love thee!

I just refinished this table for a friend. It was her grandmother's...so sentimental, just in need of a breath of fresh air. So, of course I painted it my favorite, distressed black and revocered her chairs. The fabric my friend chose was just fabulous...vibrant, rich, fun...just fabulous! So, I'm venturing out into the world of reupholstering...and LOVING it!

Visit my website www.thevintagebarn.etsy.com

Happy Sunday!

Back at it!!!

Okay, so I've been busy with a charity fundraiser event...and furniture has taken a back seat! But.......I am done with that, raised a bunch of $$$$$ and now I am back on the yard sale/thrift shop trail. Hunting for my treasures! I buy things, put my touch on them and as fast as I list them in my Etsy shop....poof! they are gone. That's great, I just am trying to keep up. So, I have listed a few new pieces. Check out my Hollywood Regency Bench with Vintage Inspired Ticking Fabric....FABULOUS!!!! I LOVE this...I am secretly hoping it doesn't sell too quick so I can enjoy this at the foot of my bed for a while!

Hope you have a Simply Charming day!


Julie


www.thevintagebarn.etsy.com