Welcome to Jo-Girly and Me – a place dedicated to my passions and self reinvention.
In July 2017, after a <very> long career, I decided to join my husband, Craig, in retirement. We set up base camp in the great state of Texas in the tiny town of Comfort (known for their antique stores and German heritage) and will be exploring our great country in our Airstream travel trailer. Both of us have seen the world and now it’s time to see our own back yard.
Along the way, I’ll be keeping up my passion for sewing anything and everything – quilts, clothes, table cloths, camping gear bags, umbrellas, curtains, upholstery, pillows, mermaid tails and more. If I see it, I am challenged to “make it!” Family and friends have recommended that I start selling. Well that’s all in the works…more to come.
I’m also a proud dumpster diver and will share breathing new life into discarded furniture and more! When I see something in the trash or second hand store, I think “oh, I can make that new again!” or “that would make a cool shelf, planter, bench, etc.!” My collection of projects “to do” is busting the seams of my garage (and maybe some closets).
Why “Jo-Girly and Me”? I had an amazing German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix and best, best, best friend named Jo that I rescued from one of the places I lived overseas. She adopted me. I met my husband, Craig, about five months later and soon Jo adopted him too! Her unconditional love saw me through good times and the bad times for almost 13 years. On August 17, 2016, we said good-bye to our Jo-Girly. No words can really help to ease the loss of a best friend and I am thankful for my time with her, she was the cornerstone of my lighthouse. She will forever live with me in spirit and in my heart. In September 2017, we got our Georgy Girl. A long haired German Shepherd who quickly became embedded in our hearts (future stories to come!).
I’ll be updating the site often, so please check back regularly to see where I am, what project I’m undertaking, and what’s on my mind. Until then let me leave you with the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald: “For what it’s worth…it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you’ve never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.”
~April