Rustic Junk Box
Way back, when I first started blogging and didn’t understand a thing about it, I would read other blogs to learn. I would read about the personal stuff of my favorite bloggers in the form of “40 things about me.” When I first started blogging was afraid to include my name on the internet!
Hello I’m Jeanette!
So I thought I would open my “rustic junk box” and tell my readers a bit more about me.
Not sure if I can come up with 40 things…but I’ll try.
1. I’m from Oklahoma. My maternal and paternal grandparents’ farms were 1/4 mile down the road from each other. Each family had six kids and each with three boys and three girls.
2. My first website was Homa Style. “Homa” as in Oklahoma.
3. We currently live in a cabin in the mountains of Arizona. I live with the love of my life…truly! 4. I have an incredible son, daughter-in-law and grandson. I’m very proud of the family they have built.
5. Mike has a son and daughter in law and a grandson. He has a daughter and a son in law they are expecting their third son. Both our sons are named Jason!
6. I’m the oldest of four children in our family. My brother is 6 years younger, fun, talented, genuine, still best friends with his grade school buddies. I have identical twin sisters that are 11 years younger. They still look similar and are a hoot to be around. I have 2 nieces and 5 nephews. My mom lives back in Oklahoma.
7. My dad passed away in 2010. I miss him everyday.
8. I look like my brother and my dad!
9. I would rather make it than buy it.
10. Dad gave me an old electric alarm clock when I was 6 or 7 to play with, take apart, put back together {which I did.} I loved playing with it.
11. I’ve worked from home for well over 1986 years in one way or another. I worked for Nabisco for 11 years and traveled around my territory but was based at my home office. I worked for Mike doing payroll for his company at home for 3 years. I started a furniture design business on the central coast of California for 5 years, long before blogging or buying online was popular.
12. Our song is Shania Twain “You’re still the One.”
13. I’m a homebody.
14. I recently started getting the feeling that I can cook.
15. I love cleaning a clean house and having a clean house, but I don’t like cleaning a dirty house. 🙂
16. I had my first dog on the central coast of California in 1998. A German Shepherd Dog named Norman. He was a perfect dog and would go with me to the lumber yard, hardware stores, and nurseries. He passed away at six with cancer. He lives in my heart. That’s all I say about that.
17. We’ve had two dogs. A headstrong German Shepherd Dog named Homer and little Bella, a multi-poo. Both now live in our hearts. Emily and Otis live with us now. Both are Coton de Tulears.
18. I don’t throw enough away. I’m always thinking about ways to repurpose things.
19. I volunteer at our local Humane Society on a fund raising committee and on the volunteer board.
20. I worked in the back office of a medical doctor in my twenties. I enjoyed the lab work best. I also volunteered at a military hospital when I was in my twenties.
21. We are semi-retired. Semi for me because I’m too interested in things like those in my rustic junk box to only do housework and cooking. 22. I don’t consider myself a “girly” girl. But I’m not athletic either.
23. I don’t have a green thumb.
24. I like to read, but at times I stay too busy to read. Now is a time that I’m too busy.
25. I don’t like to iron. {I have to take a break and iron right now!!!!}
26. That’s done…for now. I built my blog myself. This not necessary a good thing for my blog, but I like that I have a DIY website and blog and I DIY my website and blog. 27. I’m insecure about my writing skills. My last writing class was in high school, way too many years ago. I should take a writing class. But for now I write casually like I’m talking to my best friend.
28. I love what I’m doing right now. I’m free to make, paint, or redo what I want. I’m slowly getting comfortable writing, see above. I love the variety in my life. Some days I’m building and painting, some taking pictures, some writing blog posts, some working on the website, and then there’s the marketing through social media. Ugh!
29. I’m shy and pretty quiet. But given the opportunity to teach or speak on a subject I’m passionate about or know well I can be comfortable in front of people. I will have butterflies in the tummy but that’s okay.
30. I don’t say bad words.
31. I’m 56 years old, 5 feet 4 1/2 inches, and need to lose 20 pounds. I have brown hair that I usually add a little red to it. I’ve had a gray spot on the top of my head on the right side that I actually like. My grandmother had one on the right side of her forehead.
32. I’m left handed. 33. I wish I could sing or play a musical instrument. Would love to play the piano. I have a musical family and I do sing at the top of my lungs in the car when I’m totally alone. I stop if a car pulls up next to me.
34. Autumn is my favorite season.
35. I’ve lived at the beach, and in the mountains, and excited to find what’s next.
36. My family calls me Net. The first person to call me Net was my grandpa who I cherish every memory of our time together.
37. I’m a morning person.
38. I don’t watch much TV and when I’m alone in the house the TV is off. Music on.
39. I drink occasionally. My favorite drink is water. 40. I feel blessed to have a simple life that I enjoy.
Wow! I did it.
Wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Thank you for reading.
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Hi Jeanette,
I enjoyed reading your blog! I like to do crafty things and happened to stumble across your blog! Lol.
Vicki 😊
Sorry but I could not get the link for the raw umber to work
Hi Jeanette 😊 it’s just me…but I had to drop a line or 70😂🤣 lol I read 1st list of things to know about you and clicked on to read 40 more……I’m so glad I read bc I know lots of things about you….but I learned much more! it is uncanny how much we are alike…..the only ones I definitely remember we are not alike is I’m a night owl and like the tin man in the am ( FibroMyalgia) ! My creative mood gets me moving time ilike 4 pm but I will work in my shop til midnight ( by myself …no radio…I like quiet) Even being in be all day these past 5 weeks no TV on til about 8 pm. …..please don’t unfriend me for this one but I’m a cusser 🙈🤬 I try to curtail! My father was a cusser….we all teased him about it….he used to call me his truck driving daughter lol I was very close to him….he was sentimental …Mom not so much….he died 22 yrs ago at the age of 66….I miss him so…Mom is very healthy and still works full time at age 86. She works at our local Casino/Horse racing park called Delaware Park….she does the coat check in winter and is the hostess in the winners circle for summer!! She amazes me….we are close now….oh I am born and raised in Delaware and lived here my whole life as has hubby….all of our families are in Delaware as well. Think I hit my 70 lines lol….I will go for now….think the world of you friend❣️ Hugs, kim
OMG!!! I loved reading about you & your story. My name is Missy I live in Fowler, Ohio with my fiancé we live in what we call the cottage & it’s in the country & we have a creek down the the hill side. I am medically retired. I am a very active person so this is a new season in my life. I was a single mom to my son named Jason 35 & he has a son Jordan who is 16 (help me) which is my grandson & I don’t know how all that happened because I’m only 25…. actually I will be 52 on the 25th of July.. I love your blog diy page. I’m new to following a blog & this is so perfect for me. I feel like we are friends already. Ok I guess that’s enough… but thank you for your openness…
Sincerely Missy
PS. I am not a good speller either… lol
Hi Missy, my new friend!
Your cottage sounds incredible! Sounds like we’ve had the same life. Welcome to Country Design Style and I hope you visit often. Reach out if you have ideas for a project, need help with a project or just to chat. ~Jeanette
Hello and o love you 40 things about you . In a way we are similar . I love candid talk and English grammar well let’s just say !!! I raised 3 sons on my own for their dad and my husband committed suicide when my youngest was 2 next in line was almost 4 and eldest a ripe age of 6. I have raised them on my own working several hated jobs , but $232, a month wasn’t going to get it . I always liked to make things and improvised hole raising them . My interest in woodworking was a fav for I seen to have the knack for looking at something and thinking oh my .. so simple . I would rather make it unless it’s a treasure of a antique and a great bargain . I’m now 64 years young have had cancer 3 times and here I am 🙂 my youngest had a motorcycle wreck at 16 so from there past the major medical which we still find ourselves in, I ran into a quad friend who started a art class for people with disabilities. It started as a class for TBI .. traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Well my son has both . I must say that art heals and turns smiles into the ones that feel so helpless and at times useless . I spent a lot of time with the founder since my son and I were always available to go on ventures for everyone else at the time we’re into some sort of employment geared toward disabilities. We have been so many places and have met so many people and not for this I never would of been a part. Have set down to $100 plates with Generals raising money for awareness and other things . My son with my help started painting flags and after 3 years woke up one day and said you know what mom I think I’ll paint a flag ..YAY for his memory is very bad in short term . As he did more things he would realize thatvart was on tuesdays and support group was on Thursday’s . He couldn’t tell you what he did or who he seen 10 minutes and shorter later. He lives for the moment. After 20 years of caring for him and going on special trips to Florida , he’s even been deep sea fishing bd what him and his buddies have done together without moms at their beckon call remains between them . The founder has a very gracious family and he was more experience as life than my son having been a medic in the army and enrolled in college . The class has since became a non profit and is growing way beyond expectation . William Heard our founder was watching a Pollack movie Nd as he watched him pour and dump paint onto canvas it sparked something in him that never stopped . He is actually a well known artist in these part which is Mississippi and beyond . You can read more about him. His name is William Flewellen Heard just google . He has his own web site and my eldest does the main page of about for
http://www.ourartworks.com
Getting back to me I have had more time to spend at home which is a diy fixer upper from wow … still trying ! We have 3 dogs and live with my middle son and his son who will turn 13 on 9/11 … my granddaughter who will be 16 on 9/10 and 13 to be dad will be 41. Munson that’s disabled is 39 and we are ready to get back into creating . He will of course paint flags and will tell you and they sale . I am open for about anything . I found your blog awhile back but scheduling is a task . So I’m finally finding time to reply to you and I think we will click well .. although I’m right handed and actually from Baltimore Md but have been here basically since 18 . So as much as I can say about us for we are a team. I do feel the need to do my own thing and reading about the clay smelly hood sparked my senses . So hello friend and looking forward to your ideas .. my notebook is in my head and find it hard to sleep at times for ideas that pop in . I will never finish all and so I’ll be leaning on you a bit for inspiration and maybe I can bring something to the table on occasion . Nice to meet u and I’m off to your blog !
Ruth
Love your blog and openness.
Thank you, Linda. I hope you stop back by anytime soon. Let me know if you need help with anything DIY related. Hugs.
Disrequard sticky keys and whoops … I’m not very complicated so won’t be hard to see what I meant to spell correctly !
Hi, Jeanette! I’m new here. I don’t know how I was blessed with finding you, and getting on your email list ?! (my memory is NOT my strong suit) You are refreshing to read about, and your ideas are wonderful. I had a chuckle reading the orange spray paint project! Thanks for including it. Laughter is good medicine for this girl. We share similar interests and I’m also passionate about fixing broken things. I like to rescue pieces that are on the street waiting for their final journey to the ….. land of no return….. the dump, aka land fill. Keep up the great work.
✔️✔️✔️
Hey, Kari-Anne, I so happy you commented and we found each other! Thank you so much for the sweet comment. I work hard to be available to readers, so reach out anytime. I double check you did sign up. My memory is terrible too! ~Jeanette
Hi Jeanette, love reading your blog. Do not fear, I think you are a very good writer. I enjoyed reading the 40 things about you.
Hi Melva, thank you for your kind words. Writing this post was interesting and I suggest trying it for yourself. I hope you keep reading along with me. Hugs.
Came across your blog on Remodaholic and so glad I did I am following you now. You mentioned you lived in the mountains of Arizona so we are in the same state I’m just in the hot valley hoping to someday climb up to the mountains. We go camping up north to get away from this heat and I find I so enjoy it but not sure I would want to live in the cold weather again. Coming from Jersey 9 years ago I had enough of cold and snow so maybe a vacation place up north would suffice to get away from the heat and craziness up here. So glad I found you!!!
Mercy
Mercy, I so glad you found me too! We were in “the valley” off and on for years. Finally we were able to move up and get out of the heat. We have 4 seasons here. If you get a summer place in the mountains, we could be neighbors! Thank you for your comments. ~Jeanette
Hi Jeanette; I really enjoyed reading your post…. Glad to “meet” you! I struggle with what to write about since I don’t have time to do any diying right now. Thanks for sharing. I think I’ll do one of these too.
Thanks for stopping by Blondie! It’s so great to “meet” you to! I’m stating to figure out getting more personal on the blog makes reader comfortable. Plus, I getting more comfortable with opening up.
I never run out of DIY ideas but the time to make them is challenging to find. Our kids are grown and this is the only work I do!
I hope you keep reading along.
Best to you,
Jeanette
Jeanette, I can’t remember how I found your blog but it’s fun to read these things. We lived in Edmond, OK for 23 years and my oldest son is still there. Love that state with all my heart. ♥
Oh Stacey thank you so much! I just talked to my mom who moved back to Oklahoma last year and every time I hang up I want to be back home. I hope you keep reading creating along with me. ~Jeanette