And so it begins….
Hello, and welcome to Little Gray Barn!
I’m Michelle, a simple Wisconsin country girl who loves her coffee in the morning watching the sunrise, but equally enjoys a glass of wine (or a margarita) watching the sunset. I’m a homebody to the core who loves being home…and who also loves making a home a place that comforts & refreshes me and others.
I’m the second oldest of 9 kids…six boys and three girls if you are wondering…and grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of a small town. Life was hard financially growing up, but I learned how to live frugally & make do with what you had, how to work hard, how to cook, clean, sew, garden, run barefoot on gravel, raise animals & change babies…and also how to change my car’s oil & brakes.
I definitely grew up a tomboy, and I still love playing or watching sports today, though recently it’s much more of the latter. I learned all things domestic from my mom, but I would also follow my dad around just being his “helper” (aka, handing him the wrong tools) as he used saws & machinery, fixed cars, or just did anything, and I have definitely learned so much from both my parents. One thing in particular I am so grateful for is that my parents never discouraged me from doing or learning anything because “it’s not what a girl should do”. On the contrary, when I took apart my bike, painted it and put it back together around 10 or 11 years old, my dad encouraged me. He always thought a woman should be able to take care of herself, and that a man should know how to cook, and do dishes and laundry, and that’s how we were all raised.
I have appreciated my upbringing more and more over the years, especially since I was single until I was almost 34. And now that I’m single again, I just finished renovating the home I lived in while married, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, furniture refinishing and so much more, all on a very, very small budget. It has been construction chaos, missing doors, rooms off limits, paint fumes, and stuff still in boxes for almost 7 years. It has been a learning curve, to say the least. And now I’m ready to sell, move and start over on my next fixer upper. I am hooked!
Though a big chapter of my life has ended and I don’t know for sure what my future holds, I do know that I am securely in God’s hands, and that he has blessed me beyond measure. I know He has good things in store for me as His daughter. I have so much to be thankful for.
Join me on my next adventure, as I DIY (mostly everything), use power tools (woohoo!), remodel, cook, bake, garden and decorate. If I can do this, so can you, and I would love nothing more than to teach, inspire and encourage you in your journey to create a home that serves you and that you love. After all, home is where the heart is.
A few random facts about me:
• my favorite outfit BY FAR is jeans and a t-shirt and being barefoot…all seasons, all weather (just try and get me in a dress)
• I played two of the most unusual instruments growing up; the accordion and the tuba (I’m sure you all have questions)
• I have Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis (am working hard to get this in remission)
• crying is my spiritual gift
• I played three sports in college
• I love my power tools (I have more tools than jewelry for sure)
• I find beauty in simple things
• I have a slight paint hoarding problem (I buy cans in multiples from my local ReStore)
• I’m that person who (long ago) has torn the recipes from the magazine in my dentist’s waiting area (sorry!)
• I rarely buy new furniture because I always think “I can make that myself for way less!”
• I really want to buy a farm and land and have lots of animals
• I’m a big time foodie; I love to cook and bake
• to date, this is the 4th business I’ve started
• I love natural remedies, essential oils, and whole food
• I’m a Grandma (very proud one)
Thank you so much for stopping by! I am looking forward to getting to know you.
Bridget says
Love this and can’t wait to see all your stuff 😍
Lisa says
I loved reading about you and your life! I’m so looking forward to getting to know you better! Love the blog and I can’t wait to read the next one:)💕