I am Michele, a creator and a collector of cool vintage items! I live in Connecticut with my wonderful family, our Newfie, and two overly-friendly cats. I love this location and the changing seasons, especially in October. We live in the country, but are only one hour from all the hustle and bustle of New York City. I have a terrific husband/best friend and I'm a homeschooling Mom to four fabulous kids! They're awesome and they keep me very busy! I have a BA in Anthropology and Sociology and love to travel, both near and far.
In my spare time I like treasure-hunting for unique vintage items, trying new eateries, practicing Pilates, enjoying the outdoors, beachcoming, quadding, hiking, camping, and taking walks. I also love nature, traveling, thrifting, cycling, spending days wandering the streets of NYC, and rustic things. We are always dreaming and scheming up new adventures for the future. I am also a fitness and healthy food fanatic, making time each day for my health and happiness. :)
My home is an old, very rustic converted barn with a backyard sprinkled with goats and chickens. My walls are cluttered with rusty tools and could pass as an antique shop. I love my house, its huge cozy fireplace, and all of its amazing uniqueness! My barn is decorated to match the feel, which is why I am drawn to antiques and old, rusty, vintage items. If I find something I like and don't have a spot for it in my home, it ends up in my shop!! Vintage and rustic items are unique and perfectly imperfect!
When I was young I was always rummaging through flea markets and tag sales, creating, and crafting. Even more, I was outside getting dirty, experiencing and enjoying the natural world and collecting the many unique elements of nature. Now, I'm outside just as much, collecting just as much, and I think about what I can do with my finds. I appreciate eco friendly, upcycled and natural materials. I believe in reduce, reuse and recycle. This is often evident in the packaging materials I use for shipping! ;)
After finding myself home with the kids, I had the desire to work from home so I can be present while they are young, homeschool them, and financially contribute to the family. It is a tricky balance, but so worth it! Etsy has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities I never knew existed! It is so wonderful! I still get excited with each sale or every time someone "favorites" one of my items or shop. It makes me happy that someone else out there actually likes what I'm doing! Etsy is such a wonderful community to be a part of! I'm so glad that I get to do what I enjoy and be home with my kids! I also love this opportunity to connect with people all over the world!
Michele