WHERE IT ALL STARTED
Paige Hull
God has a way....
of bringing sunshine after rain, joy after sorrow, light after dark!
Our story starts over seven years ago when hard times fell upon us when a business partnership failed. In trying to do the "right thing", we packed up our one year old and three-year old and temporarily said good-bye to Smoot's daughter who was eleven at the time. We headed to Florida for a year. At the time, life's lessons were hard. But, we had our health and each other. So, we did what we had to do. Those hard times turned out to have many blessings attached.
One of those blessings came in a sweet angel who had been our children's babysitter before. She had just moved from Alabama to marry our next door neighbor's son. She ended up renting our house for the year we were gone. I flew home a couple of times to visit my Mom and was able to stay in our house for a few days here and there.
That is where one of those blessings began. Jill is a very talented mixed-media artist. The first time I came back to visit, I was mesmerized by all of her supplies, found objects, and completed pieces she had in our house. It all spoke to me! Even though we were on lean times, I bought a few basic art supplies to help pass the time with the kids. Once we got back on our feet and back in our house, I had found my passion. I invested in better supplies, took workshops, and set up a home studio.
My asthetic was definite from the beginning - anything yellowed, torn, or tattered. So, naturally I shopped for bits and pieces at estate sales, flea markets, and at the Round Top Antique Fair twice a year. My family was very patient with my quests. We'd plan vacations and get away's around flea markets whenever we traveled. I was hooked on the hunt! I had found my calling - I could see an object and determine how it could be transformed into something else and how to give it new life.
So, on that fateful day three years ago when I passed by "Old Henry's Farm" antique show in Round Top, Texas on my way home - it started the ball rolling for the beginning of The Vintage Round Top. That vivid vision I had of our own "show" on the front of our "own property" - I believe was a blessing from God.
The amazing people and places we've come across since this path opened up to us, has been nothing but spectacular! But those people are for another blog. This one is for Jill!
Jill has since married our next door neighbor's son, had an adorable baby girl named Stella Rae, and opened Stella Rae Vintage. You can see her kitschy finds on her etsy page www.etsy.com/shop/StellaRaeVintageBaby and visit her blog on www.stellaraevintage.com. We hope you will check out her on-line store, shop her booth in Warrenton next Spring, and follow her blog. She has more God-given talent than anyone I know. She sews, she paints, she creates!! Her heart is made of gold.
We can't thank her enough for the inspiration she's provided us, the love she has shared with our children and ourselves, and the sunshine she brings to this earth every day.
We love you Jill!