Jeanette

I had plans to start an interior decorating blog. But my passion for teaching DIY skills and designing easy DIY projects evolved into a DIY home blog.

What can reading and following Country Design Style do for you?

Do you wish to develop DIY skills to turn your home into a stunning and cozy home within a budget? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Come on in to my little workshop.

My name is Jeanette, and this is my little workshop on the internet where I share “do it yourself” projects.

Country Design Style is a place to share dreamed up and outta the box DIY projects.

Yet, it is more than that.

HERE’S A BIT ABOUT ME AND HOW I HOPE TO HELP YOU “FIND THE DIY IN YOU!”

imagine what you will create….

How All This Began

I was born in Oklahoma and spent as much of my youth with my farming grandparents as the school would let me. An early lesson was learning to do it myself. I watched grandpa repair and build things, at times, even making the tool needed for repairs. My Dad was a common-sense problem solver. He taught me to work through problems. He always said, “There’s not a problem that can not be solved.”

This is me, barefoot, sewing curtains for a dollhouse at six years old.  I still sew barefoot! 🙂 I’ve always loved houses. Dollhouses, playhouses, cottages, farmhouses, and cabins. It was about this time; my dad handed me an old alarm clock and tools to take it apart and remake it. However, I don’t think the clock ever worked again!

I was a single mom for most of my son’s youth. I didn’t have extra money. We lived in simple homes with beautiful rooms. It was only the two of us, but we were a family.

Before blogging, I started a furniture and home decor business, called Porch Decor. I meet the love of my life and we moved to the Central Coast of California. There I built, remade, and painted items to sell wholesale in local shops. Mantels are my favorite thing to make.

 

Our Family and Home

We lived in a cabin in the mountains of Arizona when most of the pictures on the website were taken. Now, we live in my hometown in Oklahoma. Mike, my guy, copes with my strange DIY ideas and home picks.

We live with our dogs, Emily and Otis. They are a hoot and quite funny. Perfect DIY pups.  

The Humane Society is my charity. I give 5% of all my website earnings…and the puppies are starving! In reality, I do give a bit more.  

I would be building, creating, and decorating even if I didn’t blog!

I am not a writer. My writing is as if I’m talking to a friend. There will be pauses…the misspelledwordswillbeonpurpose. I show emotion with punctuation. :0 My favorite part of blogging is sharing and interacting with readers. CDS has a new category called “easy sell-able projects.” I have a large three-ring binder full of design plans to share. If you’re new to woodworking, there’s help in the “Design Workshop” a live video series. It’s available for free to all email subscribers. I tell new woodworkers, “If you can follow a recipe in the kitchen, follow a design plan in the workshop.” I’m a “casual” DIY’er, in that I will try it to see if it works. The small details are essential, but I don’t sweat the small details. Actually, I think I sweat sawdust!!! Eww!

My Style

My style was Farmhouse rustic, but in this home, it’s evolving into English Farmhouse.  I like DIY that solves a problem. Repurposing instead of tossing it.  L~O~V~E working with the broken parts…even the pieces of wood swept up in the dustpan!  Broken pieces mend stronger.

Random quirky things about me.

• Shopping is NOT my thing unless I’m walking into a thrift store, craft store, or lumberyard!
• I’m left-handed but can write with both hands at the same time.
• I’ve never eaten a Twinkie. 🙂
• First wore braces at 57 years old.  The oldest braces my dentist had. They liked that my appointments didn’t need to be after school.
• During grades 1 through 12, I attended 9 different schools.  Mom and dad moved a lot!
• I started wearing contacts at age 11.  Hard contact lenses.
• I cry at dog food commercials.
• During driver’s ed, I hit the teacher’s car.  Still passed the class.  Whew!
• Only had one speeding ticket.
• I enjoy the planning process…almost to a fault.  Tend to forget to actually get the plans done.
• I host family murder parties.
• Never, ever did I think I would enjoy teaching. But I find I can’t wait to teach and get a kick from doing live videos. I’m a Leo, and it took years to learn I do like getting in front of people! 

IF you’re not too bored yet you can read 40 MORE things about me here.