Publisher: | A Jennuine LifeA Jennuine Life

I’m a rapidly-approaching-40-year-old mother to Arden and Hadley, my adorable little girls whom I love more than my arms can hold. My husband Dave and I have been married for 7 years. We have two black labs named Laser and Sophie, and three cats named Erwin, Otto, and Poe. Who keep us on our toes with their antics and particularly Poe’s annual haircut where he reduces in size by over 50%. I’m a sometimes runner and former (and hopefully future) marathoner. I spent over ten years training and teaching Muay Thai and while I miss how empowered and fit that made me feel, I really don’t miss the time investment or all the bruises! I’ve been creating as long as I can remember. I made doll’s clothes while staying with my grandma on her antique Singer. My mom taught me how to cross-stitch when I was little, and we sewed a whole bedding ensemble for my cabbage patch doll Krissy Lynn. Later Mom taught me how to crochet (which I’ve since forgotten and recently re-learned), and let me go with her to her monthly craft group, and occasionally sit in on her weekly stitch gathering. As an adult, I learned how to quilt, and tried to start my own craft group where a friend taught me how to knit. During my pregnancy, my nesting instinct took the form of sewing and knitting, and I made burp cloths out of cloth diapers, quilts for expecting friends, and knitted like a woman posessed. After Arden was born, I made my husband and my brother-in-law “man slings” after Dave kept poaching my pink one. Now, I have a small business selling my makings on Etsy, which now include PDF patterns!! My Dad was a home builder and instilled in me a can-do attitude. I’m not afraid of power tools, and am willing to try anything once. I’ve tiled my own bathroom, re-fashioned an antique window into a shadow box/shelf, made a rolling ottoman out of a drawer, and re-screened a sliding door to name a few. I’m working on a large build in Arden’s room as part of a prize I won from Sawdust Girl Sandra Powell. I hope you find something I write here interesting, funny, helpful, or inspirational.