Publisher: Vintage News Junkie — My Life, My Home, and My Love for Recycling More Than Old Newspapers

ABOUT IN THE HEADLINES Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Hello! My name is Candace and I am da-da-da-daaah… the Vintage News Junkie! I felt like I needed the sound effect there! This ‘lil blog is where I share ideas, tips, and inspiration for Life, Home, and Recycling More than Old Newspapers. I’m talkin’ furniture, pallets, metal, any ‘ol junk! And believe me, my recycle bin is overflowing! I find so much joy in using what others would toss out to bring beauty and bliss into my home and hopefully yours too! So snuggle up in that plushy robe, grab your mornin’ cup ‘a joe (or Dr. Pepper, if you’re like me!) and stay a while. You’ll be surprised how far my ‘lil Schwinn can go, tossing Vintage News Junkie on your doorstep every day! CHASING DREAMS…. MORE ABOUT ME! Warning: A LOT MORE about me! I am a child of the 80’s, and that’s when my life as a News Junkie began. So we’re going back, waaaaay back! I guess you could say my first brush with news was just a couple days after I was born when, like most babies, my birth was announced in the Greensboro Daily News, the same newspaper where my Dad worked for seven years. He was a paperboy back in the 60’s delivering Grit. I recently found a Grit paperboy bag online and snagged that bad boy up! It was from the 60′s! So Coool!! I’m tellin’ ya, news was in my blood! My Great Grandfather was a paperboy too! He lost his arm in a tragic train accident, but continued to toss papers every morning, a true testament to hard work and dedication. But back to the Vintage News Junkie, just eight months after the birth announcement, I hit the luck jackpot again and was back in the Greensboro Daily News for winning a beautiful baby contest that my mom had entered me in. Just look at that dimple!! He he… As soon as I was old enough to hold a crayon, I was writing! I love to write, always have and hopefully always will. At the age of eight, I was at a Christmas Parade and saw Sandra Hughes (a local News Anchor) riding on one of the floats. I remember telling my mom that I wanted to be like her one day. Spoiler Alert: I did it! I continued writing throughout school, and found myself in a few more newspapers along the way – for pageants, parades, and honor roll at school. I felt so special! I was disappointed that they spelled my last name wrong in the one below… but heck, look how they spelled “teen”! EEEEEEEeeeeeek! I decided news was who I was and what I wanted to do. I went to NC State University (Go Wolfpack!!) where I majored in Media Communications & Sociology, just in case the news thing didn’t work out. Gotta have a plan B! While at NC State, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the College Program at Walt Disney World in Florida! Yes, I wore those silly outfits and pushed around a cart selling light up Mickey ears and magic wands. But I digress! I spent six months living in Orlando, my first time that far away from home, not because I thought Disney was cool (I mean, I did!) but more importantly Disney owned ABC and I was on a mission to become a News Anchor! I know… in my head it made sense. Ha ha! As a senior in college, I interned at a local television station, WNCN, and that’s when things took off! Without boring you with my entire resume, after graduating, WNCN hired me as an Associate Producer! I worked the dreaded overnight shift (2am-10am) and to make things even better <insert sarcasm> I got to drive an hour and half ONE-WAY to get there!! I was a new grad, with no money, living at home. But much like today, you gotta do what you gotta do to make your dream come true and you work hard with what God gives you! From there I went to WXII where I was promoted to Producer, and where I met my Best Friend and one True Love, Bill. Of course, I would fall for a News Junkie himself, he was a photojournalist, ie. camera man, kinda cool right?! I was content as a News Producer, but I wanted more. So I followed my dream and my gut, packed up my ‘lil Mitsubishi Eclipse and drove 23 hours to the small town of Lubbock, TX. And that’s where my dream came true! I was a News Reporter! On TV! Like, with a microphone and everything! It was crazy!! I still remember my first liveshot like it was yesterday. I was so nervous standing there as they were counting me down, and then something I had never seen before… a JACK RABBIT! Have you ever seen one of those things? They are HUGE!! I couldn’t help but giggle as it hopped along, loosened me up just enough to nail it! And just a couple months later, I was on CNN! We had a local story that made national news and I was chosen to cover the story for CNN! Talk about dreams coming true! And just three months after that, I was promoted from Reporter to Weekend Anchor… I did it!! My Dad and brother came to celebrate! Don’t they look so excited?? (They’re guys! They hide their excitement in their hearts!) From there, I went to South Carolina and then back to my home state of North Carolina. I won awards along the way, including an Emmy! The award was for a story I did called “Firefighting Frenzy: What it Takes to Battle the Blaze”. I underwent two days of training… only TWO DAYS!! And then went into a burning building, hose and all to put out a fire and rescue real-weight dummies. I thought I would die!! Needless to say the firefighters had to jump in and save my guy! Hats off to the men and women who do that everyday to keep us safe! It was truly surreal to win an Emmy, but the pinnacle of all that I had worked for and the sacrifices I had made along the way (including nearly two years half-a-country away from the man I loved.) And yes, don’t tell me you never slept in your makeup!!! Once Bill and I decided we wanted to get married and start a family, I knew I needed a job a little less demanding, preferably 9-5, and definitely one that wouldn’t call me in the middle of the night if a house caught on fire! Sheeez. So, I scooted over to the sales department at a TV station in Raleigh, back home! I worked there for three years. During that time, Bill and I got married, travelled to Paris and Italy, even bought our first house, became landlords, and bought our second house. Yes, all in three years! Life was good! Then I got bit by the bug, you know, the vintage-lovin’, furniture-paintin’, DIYin’ bug and that stinker bit hard!! For about a year I worked full-time and tinkered with antiques and vintage junk. Then, as I learned more and more about blogging, I thought hmmmmm. The one thing that I miss soooo much about being a Reporter and Anchor is writing. C’mon, you must hear the wheels turning in my head?? It was a no brainer! I blogged for a couple months while working full-time and was overwhelmed by the response. I just love the gals that I have met because of this ‘lil blog. After just two months, I decided to take the plunge! I have always been one for going after a dream, so I quit my job in the corporate world to pursue my blog and my business full-time. My hubs is the best for supporting me in doing this. And that’s when Vintage News Junkie was born and Junkie Paint first hit shop shelves It’s amazing what God can do if you put things in his hands. This road hasn’t been easy and sometimes the days are long. But my story is proof that DREAMS DO COME TRUE!! So here’s to you… and here’s to making your dreams come true! I hope this ‘lil blog will inspire you to create the life you imagine!! Believing in dreams, Candace

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