BHM - The BHM DRAMA and The WINNERS!!!

First -- THE DRAMA
OK...I MUST keep it VERY REAL with this post. There have been some Oscar-Worthy-Dramatic Performances here over the past couple of weeks. You see, one of the BH Boys (Joe)is a Creative Genius with very little business skills, and the other BH Boy (Jer) is a Business Man with very little creative skills. We each dabble a bit in the other Boy's responsibilities here and there, but the roles are pretty set.

The Boys of BH have been playing around with the idea of having an online store for at least a year...probably two years. We had set a date for our "Grand Opening" several (SEVERAL) weeks ago -- this date was the anniversary of our Beloved Baby Bear passing away two years ago. He was 13 years old when he died. He was our everything. He was spoiled rotten. He is the missing link to the BH Puzzle.

So, the "Grand Opening" date was VERY symbolic. We had been working on getting the site put together, but not really focusing on actually getting the products organized, photographed or uploaded onto the site UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE POSSIBLE!

This is how it all went down:

6 Months prior to the "Grand Opening" - Procrastinate

1 Month prior to the opening - Start on the actual website

1 (ONE!) WEEK (1 x 1 week = 1 week) before the opening - Start getting our sh*t together!

Saturday, January 23rd - Start getting our sh*t together day! FINALLY organize the basement which is where the merchandise for BHM will be stored. Move stuff from The Basement to The Barn. Move stuff from The Barn to The Basement. Move stuff from The Basement to the 14 Foot LONG Cargo Trailer for later use. Try out for roles in a new movie called "The Bickersons." The weather is good so BH Boy#2 (Jer) takes some pictures of stuff we want to sell at the very end of the day / last moments of natural light. Pictures are GREAT but BH Boy #1 (Joe) is not too impressed and he acts like a Jack A$$. No items listed on the store. Keeping it real...

Sunday, January 24th - BH Boy #1 (Joe) is VERY UNinterested in the new BH venture. Acts like a Jack A$$. BH Boy #2 (Jer) is VERY INterested in the new venture. Acts like a Jack A$$. Stylist/Creative Genius Joe does no styling and takes no pictures. Business Man Jermonne does his best at styling and takes some pictures. BH Boy #2 (Jer) talks very highly of this new business venture. BH Boy #1 pretends to be interested and (finally) picks up some product from The BH Family for "The Grand Opening" that is just a few days away. BH Boy #1 and #2 BOTH act like Jack A$$e$. No items listed on the store. Just keeping it real...

Monday, January 25th -- BH Boy #2 (Jer) goes off to The Torture Chamber. It's a dark (and I mean DARK), gloomy, rainy Pacific NW day. BH Boy #1 (Joe) has a complete meltdown and calls BH Boy #2 (Jer) who is at The Torture Chamber and tells him about the absolute misery he is in getting ready for "The Grand Opening" of BHM. BHB #1 also tells BHB #2 he NEVER-EVER wanted an online store and was only doing it for BHB #2. BH Boy #2 (Jer) fantasizes about going home and shaking some sense into BHB#1 (a very hard shake) -- but since BHB #2 does NOT believe in violence, he lovingly coaches BH Boy #2 on how to have a productive day. BHB #2 does NOT shake BHB #1 when he gets home from The Torture Chamber -- the loving coaching session worked AND there were some lovely pictures for the new store. BUT, BHB #2 "figuratively" gives BHB #1 a strong shake with words. BHB#1 says, "WOW, you said a LOT!" And BHB #2 certainly said a LOT!!!! A few items are managed to be uploaded on the store. REALLY-REALLY keeping it real...

Tuesday, January 26th -- Another really dark-gloomy-rainy day, BUT, BHB#1 finds a creative solutions for getting a TON of GREAT pictures. One of these solutions was dragging a bail of hay into one of the upstairs bedrooms with the most light. Hay is EVERYwhere. ALL over the house. The pictures are AWESOME! BH#1 is starting to find inspiration and becomes happy about the venture. BHB #1 and #2 do NOT act like Jack A$$e$. Great items are uploaded to the store. Life is GREAT!

Wednesday, January 27th -- The sun comes out in The NW...beautiful pictures are in abundance. BHB #2 spends the day uploading product to the new store and is delirious...writes product descriptions like, "English Ironstone Bed Pan -- Excellent Condition -- Must not have been used much!" The Boys do NOT act like a Jack A$$eS. BHB#1 is VERY proud. BHB #2 is very proud he did NOT shake BHB#1. The Boys open the store and do many, many, MANY Happy Dances while the sales roll in. The Boys dance with the goats, sheep, chickens and llamas too! The Boys have NO boxes/supplies to ship the sales. BHB #2 acts like a Jack A$$, has another "Flare Up" and could win another Oscar. More to come on this.

I know...BH#2 is rambling when folks probably only care about...THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS...


1st Prize = $100 winner = Holly from Gathering Junque in Willow, CA
2nd Prize = $75 winner = Theresa from Canada (no blog)
3rd Prize = $25 winner = Kim from Our Simple Life - One Day at a Time
4th Prize = $25 winner = Sara from Sadie Olive (one of our FAVorites -- visit her site(s) and you will know why)
5th Prize = $25 Deborah from NJ

OH...and we really love EVEN numbers, so we are giving away EVEN MORE!!!! $300 total in BHM CASH MONEY...
TEXAS was definitely in the house for our BHM opening!!! We love y'all...BUT, The Great Almighty Northwest is coming for ya...with all of those INCREDIBLE and INSPIRING shows/blogs you have in TX!!! :o) Thank you for all of your love and support!!!

Honorary Prize = $25 BHM winner = Theresa from Gardens Antqs Vintage
Honorary Prize = $25 BHM winner = Debbie from Talking Trash

Much Love back at EVERYONE...must go back to restocking!! BUT, let me tell you some of the Heavy-Hitters of the NW are joining our little party -- Joyce (Calamity Jane's Antiques), Randy (Madison Park), and Lynne (GUND) will all be in the house!! The stuff we have in the pasture/porch/living room/basement is AWESOME! The BH Familia is not messing around!

MUCH LOVE from The Boys!!!

BHM Giveaway - Last Chance To Enter!!

WHO TRIED TO CRASH OUR STORE SITE???
www.BarnHouseMarket.com

Y'all are something else...Our site just about crashed on opening day!

I have to run off to "that other place," but plan on sitting down this weekend to tell you about the series of dramatic performances of the past week or so -- like Joe's "Meltdown," Jermonne's "Flare-up(s)," the tornado that ran through our house, our new love for packaging/shipping AND BHMs first PRESS mention (it involves Victoria Beckham)!!!

I read out in blogworld about our opening, "I have a feeling it's going to go from Barn House to MAD HOUSE!" -- EXACTLY!!!

This is the last day to enter to win our $250 BHM CASH GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grand Prize = $100
1st Runner Up = $75
2nd, 3rd, 4th Place each = $25

Just leave us a comment telling us what you think of the store (and we don't mind if you want to enter twice).


Lots of new products have been added and more will be added this weekend!! If you had problems on opening day, the glitches have been worked out. You can sign in/register easily...and folks from out of the country can register/order with no problem! Please don't hesitate to contact us at theboys@barnhousebh.com if you encounter any other issues.

www.BarnHouseMarket.com

We are going to pull names tomorrow at noon!! Good luck...

Thank you for all the lovely comments...each one makes our hearts smile...Much Love!!

Talk to you tomorrow...

The Boys of BHM

:o)

Barn House Marketplace - NOW OPEN!!!!

Well y'all, WE MADE IT!!!

Barn House Marketplace is officially OPEN for business!!!

http://BarnHouseMarket.com/

Thank you for all of your kind words of support and encouragement...it certainly carried us along when we kinda sorta wanted to throw in the towel (and that ain't no lie!).

AND a very special thanks to our featured guests who stepped out on a limb for us based solely on our vision and good word...without even having seen the store before delivering their goods!!! Sylvi (Little Cottage), Donna & Diana (Annie, Fannie and Abigail), Sue & Joe (Bella) and Natalie & Lyn (Sparrow) -- we LOVE y'all and thank you for your patience in this CRAZY adventure!!!





And now for the...THE GIVEAWAY!!!!!

$250.00 in Barn House Marketplace CASH!!!!!!!!

Yes, you heard right...$250 for Barn House Marketplace purchases!!!

Not much required to be entered to win...just leave a comment on this here blog giving us a little feedback on the new store...and you are entered to win the following Barn House Marketplace CASH prizes:

Grand Prize = $100
1st Runner Up == $75
2nd, 3rd, 4th Place each = $25

Just leave us a comment telling us what you think of the store (good/bad/indifferent) www.BarnHouseMarket.com

No Purchase Necessary!

Winners will be announced on Saturday, February 6th!!!

Tell a friend...we always say, the more the merrier at a Barn House Party!!! HEE HAW!!!!

Much Love!

J & J

P.S. - More and more product will constantly be added to the store...check back often for new treasures!!! :o)

BH Marketplace - Sneek Peek #3...

It's almost time...It's almost time!!!
Barn House Marketplace opens at midnight tonight!!!
Is anyone coming to our opening???

www.BarnHouseMarket.com
(will be linked to store at midnight)













Hope to hear from you,

J & J

P.S. - Check back tomorrow for our Grand Opening Giveaway! It's a BIG one!!
(hint-hint, Barn House Marketplace $$$...LOTS of it...multiple winners...)

Barn House Marketplace - Sneek Peek #2...

Thanks for all of the words of encouragement! It's getting there...slowly but surely...here are a some snapshots of a few items...





Light a candle for us!

:o)

J & J
(more to come)

BH Marketplace - Sneek Peek...

Well, well, well...do we have a LOT of work to do before January 28th! Why we waited until the last minute to get our online store together, we will never know. Could it have been all of the lollygagging over the holidays?? You would think we have learned our lessons from doing events over the past few of years...but, apparently not. This little excursion of ours has brought back "fond" memories of last minute preparations, "loving" strategic discussions and "delightful" logistical conversations about all of the how/when/why of selling our stuff. It's been one big old party!!! LOL ;o)

SO a mere 5 days before our "Grand Opening" of Barn House Marketplace, The Boys of BH finally (and I mean FINALLY) have gotten our act together and are enthusiastically moving forward in our latest adventure! The excitement level is officially off the charts!! We have been organizing, and uploading LOTS of product. AND, we have some very special and talented friends who are joing us for the opening of BH Marketplace: Little Cottage, Annie Fannie and Abigail, Bella and Sparrow.

Gotta run off to the other gig...but wanted to share a few pix. Keep posted for more sneek peeks and our Grand Opening Giveaway. Wish us lots of luck as we will be running around like lunatics over the next few days!

J & J

Barn House Mystique!

Barn House - "Locales of Intrigue"

Somerset Life Magazine!

Boy-Howdy has it been hard keeping this little secret off of our blog. Our friend, Robin Laws, aka Bird Tweets, was with us this past season as an "artistic-photo-journalist" capturing the essence of The Barn House Experience. We feel so humble to have such a brilliant writer and talented photographer document the happenings of our 2nd season for our first national magazine article! We are very privileged to be surrounded by so much love and by so many friends whose beauty shines bright from the core of their being. The article is a true testament to their hard work, commitment, and dedication to Barn House. Thank you for making our lives here so special...we are living our dream! (If you haven't been able to find a copy in your neck of the woods, you will be able to buy this issue of Somerset Life Magazine at our new online store - Barn House Marketplace)

Folks have probably been wondering what we have been up...as we have been a bit MIA from blogland. A couple of months ago, we decided to step off of the crazy-train and vowed to spend more time taking care of home and spending more time with our loved ones. And that's exactly what we have been doing.

Back in October, we ventured to New Mexico to visit some of our dearest friends. Brenda and Roseanne have been up to the NW to visit us 5 or so times since we moved here. Needless to say, it was our turn to get on a plane and head South. And we certainly needed to get away to clear our heads a bit. One of the most memorable moments was spending some time with Brenda's Grandmother who turned 100 years old while we were in town!!!
She has to be one the most amazing people we have ever met. Not because at 100 years old she cooked us a delicious lunch of green chile posole, beans and freshly handmade tortillas (all on a wood burning stove), but because being in her presence ignited something profound in us. To be in the midst of a hundred years of life experiences and love was powerful beyond belief. Shortly after the picture of her and Joe was taken, she whispered a blessing in his ear. The tears flowed unexpectedly from Joe's eyes, which spread like wildfire among the rest of us in the room...and we didn't even hear what she said. It was amazing! I don't think any of us knew why we were ALL crying, but we knew something incredible was moving through and around us. Our lives will forever be changed by meeting this woman.

Shortly after the cry-baby grandkids pulled it together, we all ventured out of Grandma's adobe house and into the beautiful town of Tecolote, New Mexico...

There were six of us on this walk. At times, we silently reflected on what had just transpired...the healing that mended our hearts and soothed our souls. Being in this little town where Grandma has spent most of her life was incredibly special. Brenda and Roseanne trusted us enough to share this little piece of heaven that they keep very much protected. It will forever be a sacred experience...and we will protect it too. You can't find friends like these often in life...Thanks B & R!!!
After a relaxing and healing trip to New Mexico, the holiday season was kicking into high-gear. Thanksgiving was here at our place with the Tarte Family, then there was the Christmas Show with the Monticello Family, and Christmas Tamale-Making with Sparrow and Little Cottage, and even more Christmas fun was had down in The Land of Tarte. Joe and I swam deeply in our favorite holiday indulgences - Pate, Pumpernickel Bread, Cornichons and Champagne (and now I have to lose 25 pounds of holiday madness--yes 25--poor me!)...
And our fun didn't end there! After coming back from Tarte Land, we had some visitors from the Big City of Los Angeles. This is little Mia Sol, getting her first taste of Country Living. Isn't she just too cute!?!? Seems like her Uncle Joe is teaching her a bit of the Two Step...
And this is Mia Sol's older sister, Laila Golden. EVERYbody works on the farm when they come visit -- no exceptions! ;o) Miss Laila had some chores to do each morning. "Child, go on out there and fetch me them eggs! And don't forget to feed Harpo, Squeek and Celie while you are out there!!"

We had SOOO much fun with our friends and their fearless little girls. One of our Paternal instincts started kicking in (a little late in life, I reckon). "Now, just how would we get some healthy hard working children around here," we asked ourselves. Hmmm, that may be kinda tricky...LOL
WOW...look at these little Supermodels working the BH fashion-pasture runway!!!

Yes, less working/blogging, and more rest and quality time with our loved ones. That's been the theme here at Barn House for the past few months. And it has been AWESOME!!!

During this little break, we have been recharging our batteries for the next chapter for Barn House -- Barn House Marketplace -- our new Online Store!!The bones for the site are in place and it is looking fantastic!! We have LOTS of work to do still, and it will surely be a mad dash to the finish line. But in true Barn House style, it will all come together in the end. Did I mention anything about the very talented invited guests we have for the opening...or anything about the HUGE give-aways we are working on?? Well, I better save a little bit to share for next time, which will be soon! The Boys Are Back In Town!

Barn House Marketplace
Shop Barn House Online
Grand Opening - January 28th!!!

J & J
The Boys of Barn House

BH is in the MH...

Barn House is in the Monticello House!
HEE HAW!!!

This is a preview of our space...

With all of the relaxation and lolly-gagging of recent days, we had a little extra energy and decided to "raise a barn" right there in Monticello's...but, y'all know how we roll...
It just about killed us (literally) in the process. I am finally starting to admit that getting (a weeee bit) older is having an impact on our bodies because of our shenanigans. First, taking the structure down from the very special place it was built on our property was quite comical (it kind of fell down in the process of me and Joe trying to do it alone--messin' up some critical pieces of wood). It really didn't have anything to do with the the Rain or the wind...and especially nothing to do with the "shine."

Then, we had some "issues" getting it all put back together (some pieces didn't want to do what they were supposed to do during the reassembly). One of our neighbor dealers happened to glance over at our team of loonies struggling a (tiny) bit and couldn't help but asking, "Do you need some help???" She looked very, VERY concerned. Folks are so nice up here!!

She obviously hasn't seen how we work best -- a bit dangerous and slightly reckless. "Heck no! I have been hit in the head with waaaaay bigger pieces of wood than this if it falls on me! But, thank you kindly Ma'am!" (this method could explain LOTS of things you may or may not know about us)

BUT, all is good with our very symbolic country-crooked structure. It is solid as a rock in it's own hillbilly way...just the way we like it! ;o)

OK...enough fooling around. This is really going to be a GREAT show!!! We hope to make Kelly, Joyce and the rest of the Monticello Family happy to have us there.

Did we mention we have lots of love sprinkled in from the lovely and talented Miss Natalie of the ever so popular Sparrow?? She has been making some amazing treasures for this show that you won't want to miss...

We hope you can join us at Monticello!!!! The party starts bright and early on Dec. 4th at 8am...and runs through Dec. 27th. You won't want to miss it. The other featured guests have out-done themselves with their amazing product and displays...AND, that's not to mention the 100+ on-going dealers at the Monticello Antique Marketplace who are in the house.

Joe & Jermonne

Barn House

P.S. -- We will be opening our on-line store in January that will feature lots of our talented friends. Be sure you are on our e-mail or snail-mail list to receive information on our Grand Opening.

BH Evening Walk - Part 1

We must thank all of your who have commented on the last post. We have been getting back to the basics -- Spending quality time here on the farm with our little ones...and spending quality time with our friends. Today we had a special & very long talk with with someone we love sincerely and are inspired by immensely. It pretty much pulled me out of my blog-funk. One of my favorite blogs is very simple, uncomplicated and beautiful -- it makes me really happy. This post is dedicated to LB/RD (thanks, Sunshine!). This is the BH version of her "My Morning Walk"...(she also has a very cool on-line store on ETSY called Little Byrd Vintage).

I personally feel like we are incredibly lucky to live here in Venersborg. Our walks here reveal a special history and stunning vignettes of nature at its finest. After talking to RD, I "made" Joe get in the truck with me to drive around our "hood." This is what we were able to capture before the sun set...

When we we made it back into the house, we had received a special message from another dear friend -- Joyce. We feel very special to be a part of the Monticello Antique Marketplace 20009 Christmas Show! We (Joe mostly) have been working very hard preparing for this show. The heavy hitters of the Portland area and beyond will ALL be in the house bringing their A-Game. To say the least, we are REALLY excited to be back at Monti's December 4th - 27th!!!

Much Love,

J & J

The Boys of Barn House

Barn House

AND -- Coming January 2010...

Our Online Store - Barn House Marketplace -- !!! (more to come -- really this time)

BTW - Do you like our new look??? We are probably the LAST bloggers on Earth to finally make-over our site after (only after two long years). We are transforming in many-many ways.

Barn House - The Big Cleanse

Me and my very best friend & favorite person, Joe, have spent the last month or so reflecting on all of the things that are most important to us. Our life together here on our little Farm, the incredible friendships we have made on our journey here in the NW, and The Barn House Experience. It's kind of hard to explain this Vortex of Love/Creativity/Generosity we have stumbled upon in this venture. It has changed our lives. We have been adorned with the amazingly unexpected.

We are thankful -- We are blessed -- We are honored.
Now that our 2009 Season is over, we have had time to just be still and reflect...and to take an honest look at our lives, how lucky we are, and all of the beauty that surrounds us. Just being still for a while has given us time to truly appreciate what is most important to us. And with that, all of the "stuff" we must let go of...

Sometimes, it's really hard to let go. Letting go of Summer was REALLY hard for us!

Then there is all of the "stuff" that somehow found its way into our lives. We had a killer Clearance section in the pasture at our last show to let go of merchandise that just didn't make the cut...and "projects" that were never completed...and piles of things that were just taking up space.
Then, there are those things you love with all of your heart that just don't fit in. Many of you who are reading this personally know our beloved steer, Dexter. He first lived in The Land of Tarte where he was featured on sites by The Queen of Tarte , Annie, Fannie & Abigail and Bird Tweets. Then, there came a time that The Boys of BH needed to save him from some questionable "pursuers" that may have had him destined for the freezer.
We took him in and loved him with all of our hearts. He was the poster Boy of Barn House in 2009. Unfortunately, our Original Girlies (Celie, Olivia, Sug' Avery, Odessa and Sophia) were terrified of him...and our new Girlies (The Llamas) couldn't stand him and Mama Llama would spit anytime he came near them. As much as we hoped The Girls of BH would warm up to him, it just didn't happen. His efforts to be part of the herd were snubbed. He was lonely. We finally had to let him go.

BUT, sometimes letting go is for the best. I had a discussion with our lovely neighbor Jacqueline about how special and gentle Dexter was...about how much he was loved by not only us, but an entire community of people...and about how we really wanted him to go to a good home.

It's funny how things happen when you put them out in the universe. A few weeks later, Jacqueline and her husband stopped by unexpectedly. They harnessed him and he happily walked down the hill to their place (he had never even really met them). I got a call later that day that made me cry. Jacqueline enthusiastically described the most beautiful "Love at First Sight" story I had ever heard. After walking Dexter to their farm, he got a glimpse of a very pretty lady...

She caught a glimpse of him (he is a very handsome steer)...and ran to the fence to greet him. He ran to her. They rubbed noses...they kissed...she introduced him to her little baby calf, who also rubbed noses and kissed him. Then they all proceeded to gallop around the pasture of his new beautiful home.

Dexter is in love, y'all! His new home is stunning...

His view of our neighbor Arlene's garden...

We often get heart-warming messages about how happy he is...and how happy his new lady friend and her baby are to have this strapping young man in their lives...and how much they all love each other. Let go, and let love...
The Big BH Cleanse is in full swing. We have been letting go bags and bags of clothes, letting go of some other stuff cluttering our lives, and letting go of some encounters that hurt our hearts this past season. The great thing is sometimes it's necessary to just "Let Go" in order to make room for something new and special...

Letting go of Summer has opened the door to appreciate The Splendor of Fall...


We have been spending lots of quality time with our critters...


Our babies missed the attention they were accustomed to...and we have been making it up to them...
Life on a farm ain't always easy! We have had some unfortunate close calls...and it's amazing what you can do when absolutely necessary. Taking a sheep's temperature (not under the tongue)...administering shots (when you are horrified by needles)...rescuing your own baby goat who is caught in an electric fence...it can all be a bit heavy on the heart, but you do what you have to do!
We love our babies...and our farm...
One regret we have about this last season is not spending more time with the people most important to us...with our animals...and doing things we love the most. We are making some changes around here...slowing things down a bit...picking up the phone to call instead of texting/e-mailing...planning brunches/dinners/trips to visit our close friends...editing more...living more deliberately...guarding our hearts a little more. So don't be scared if you get a random call from us!!! :o)
...and ultimately, having more time/energy to stop and smell the roses...

And with all of that...
We are happy to announce our 2010 Calendar

May 8th - Spring Opening
July 31st - Flea Market
September 25th - Fall Harvest

(Next year, you will also be able to see us at Tarte, Monticello and Clayson Farm)

Cheers to Fall! And cheers to new beginnings!!

Let go and let Love!

Joe & Jermonne
The Boys of Barn House

P.S. - We were recently feature in The Oregonian with some of our special friends! See the article here:
http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2009/09/ringmasters_of_the_barn_sales.html

And that's a wrap, folks...

I must admit, I was a tiny bit nervous about how this was all going to come together after taking a little vacation last weekend to be with Celeste and Dan...then, I started to get a little more nervous when Joe got sick on Monday (and a sick Joe is a rather challenging Joe to be around--we don't call him Joey Drama for nothing). I made a very special effort not to get myself worked up into a frenzy...there was certainly no time or energy for all of that madness. "Think Solutions, Ding-Dong, think solutions!!!" is what I kept telling myself.
We ended up outsourcing a few things that we would normally be scrambling around to complete before a show. In addition, Diana, Natalie, Kim, Cindy and Katherine came to the rescue on Thursday/Friday. Ladies, we sincerely thank you for all of your hard work helping pull this off. We certainly couldn't have made it to the finish line without your amazing talents!!! We are extremely honored to call you our friends. :o)

It all came together beautifully in the 11th hour...and ended up being one of our best sales to date!!!




















We must thank Timi and the wonderful folks on the Come Junk With Us Bus from Seattle!! We were so incredibly honored to have you all here. And our friend Katherine (Katherine's Folie) did an absolutely AMAZING job with the menu/catering. There were SOOO MANY delicious dishes for the VIPs on the bus. Katherine really outdid herself...it was completely over-the-top! We also must thank Katherine's volunteers who helped make this all come together at showtime...Katie, Lucky Lynne, Heather and Thea. We also must really thank "The Parking Boys of Barn House." The professionalism and hard-working nature of these young gentlemen is something else. We receive endless positive compliments from visitors about them. Their parents should really be proud!!
A very special thanks to all of you who have shared in this experience with us...especially our friends/dealers who have brought their A-Game to Barn House and lifted us up over the past two seasons. The Barn House Experience would be nothing without you. We love you, appreciate you and thank you all! And we obviously thank all of the friends/customers who have come from all over the country to visit and be here with us and The Barn House Family. Your generosity is astounding!

This past season was really incredible! Our only regret is neglecting some of the things most important to us in the process. We have learned a few life lessons to say the least. One thing is for sure, we will be doing a lot more "editing" next year...and spending a lot more time with the people we love and enjoying the pleasures of Spring/Summer/Fall here in The Great NW. I can't believe October is right around the corner and we have only had ONE BBQ this summer (and that just ain't right)!! Some things will be definitely changing.

Before I fall off the face of the Earth for a little bit, I must mention that our friends Laurie & Debbie of Worthy Goods are venturing out into The Big League and are organizing their very first show!!! HEE HAW! You won't want to miss The First Annual Camas Vintage Street Faire. They have over 20 vendors and it is sure to be a blast!!! Hope to see you there...

J & J
Barn House

Barn House - 2009 Fall Harvest Sneak Peek...

What a week this has been! We really thought we would have plenty of time ...waaaay more than enough time to pull it all together...until, when we were driving back Joe started with very Theatrical Sniffles....
Joe's luck would be to catch a little sinus infection just days before our final show of 2009. NIIICE!!! Fortunately, some of The BH Angels descended upon us to close a few gaps...
Lynne (Lucky Lynne), Natalie (Sparrow), Diana (Annie, Fannie and Abigail) and Kim (Mimi Charmante) arrived to save the day.
Things are coming together beautifully...






Our lineup for the final show this year is amazing...how lucky are we???

The final line-up: Tarte, Sparrow, Lucky Lynne, Annie, Fannie & Abigail, Bella Shabby and new to Barn House as dealers -- Mimi Charmante and Aurora Suzette! I hope to post more sneak peeks before the show. See you Saturday...

The Boys of BH

ALERT--There is a road closure in the area on Ward Ave. Please e-mail us to be added to the list for special directions (barnhousebh@yahoo.com).

Replenished! BH Fall Havest Show on Saturday...

Every once in a while, me and my best friend need to get in the truck and just drive. We had a very special final destination, but planned to take our time and let the trip organically guide us as we rolled down the road. There was so much to talk about...so much to decompress...so much to strategize about the final show of this year. We needed to take the load off and replenish our spirits and be in the presence of some genuine friends. And that's exactly what we did...


Now, intuitively, one would think that we would REALLY need to be at home the weekend before our final show of 2009. THAT reasoning certainly makes perfect sense. BUT, have you known The Boys of BH to always/ever use common sense...to take the simple road...to do anything the conventional way?? If you really know us, you definitely understand we teeter-totter between logical and illogical...and between simple and over-the-top...




Outside of driving to visit the farthest place we could think of in The NW, this trip was all about returning to a place when life was a bit less complicated.



And we stumbled across a fantastic barn sale in a place off the beaten path....and stumbled upon some Friends of BH...








BUT, the main reason we traveled so far was because we really needed to spend time with some very special friends...at their home (one of THE MOST beautifully designed/decorated homes we have EVER been honored to spend time at)...and to eat at undoubtedly our favorite restaurant in the world! Sometimes you need to travel long distances to replenish your soul. Spending time with Celeste and Dan was our destination and we certainly knew why we needed to get there...









Celeste and Joe telling more secrets...And how we miss them already -- our hearts ached all the way home! Thank you both for replenishing our souls with your love and generousity. We love you and honor our friendship more than you know!

Now we can finally face the inevitable...our bitter-sweet final show. Did I mention we brought these big ol things back full too???


We are just a tad behind after lolly-gagging the holiday weekend away. BUT, we have called in the troops and it's all good! The Barn is overflowing with treasures. It will be a crazy race to the finish line (as usual)...I will post some sneak peeks tomorrow...check back soon! OH, please note there is a road closure on Ward Ave...please e-mail us for special directions.

OH -- and attention Seattle area-folks, click here for details on the VIP bus leaving from your area with more perks than you could imagine -- including a $200 raffle for Barn House shopping, a VIP gourmet brunch/luncheon, an BH home tour and a TON of other give-aways....Visit Timi at www.comejunkwithus.com for details. The menu has been set for the luncheon -- these VIP ladies are in for a special treat...


See you all soon...

J & J

Barn House - 2009 Fall Harvest

The planning for our final show of 2009 here at Barn House is bitter-sweet...

We both just can't believe it's already September! How on Earth can it already be time for our Fall Show???? Where has our precious Summer gone? No camping, no fishing, not nearly enough hammock time, our BBQs have been scarce, our travels for non-BH events have almost been almost non-existent. Our garden looks a hot mess and week-after-week we have been planning to make it up to her for the terrible neglect.
Next year we will certainly plan better so we can visit our friends and family here in the Pacific NW during the warmest months...to sit by their campfires, enjoy their beautiful homes & gardens, shop at their amazing stores/shows...but mostly nurture the friendships of people who have been here with us and supported us and loved us and listened to us process the most beautiful of experiences we could imagine...as well as The Major Life Lessons of our 2nd Season. As much as we are ready for the ride on this crazy train to be over for the season, we can't imagine not having the crazy train experiences which have brought us so much joy, laughter and a few tears/rants/knock-down-drag-out-hair-pulling-dramatic performances. I will spill SOME of the beans (once I get waivers from a few folks other than The Boys of BH). ;o)
Our last show of 2009 will be very special. We have a ton of inventory spilling in already from The Barn House Family -- Tarte, Sparrow, Annie Fannie Abigail, Lucky Lynne, Bella Shabby, The Withies AND for the first time as a dealer at BH is the incredible Mimi Charmante!! (check our blog roll for their links)


Check back for more sneak peeks soon!

Oh, did we mention that Timi has chartered a BUS from the Seattle area with UNBELIEVABLE VIP perks???
The Tour Package includes pick up from a few different spots in the Seattle-Tacoma-Snohomish area, a raffle for over $200 in BH Gift Cards ($100, $75 and $50 gift cards for lucky raffle winners), an exclusive gourmet brunch/luncheon here in one of our favorite spots on our property prepared by Katherine's Folies, a BH Home Tour, AND EVEN BETTER, a stop at other GREAT nearby shopping venues (Vintage Gatherings and Auntie Tams)...PLUS more trip raffle contributions from The Salvage Sisters, Retreat Design, Annie's on First in Snohomish, A Dozen Eggs, and Freshly Doug Vegetables!!

We wish WE could get on this bus to be a part of all the fun!!! Timi is creating a very special adventure for her guests that is sure to become the next big thing in our antique/vintage industry!! For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Timi's new blog!!

This is one of the places we will be working some magic on for the special VIP luncheon...


So much to share...until next time...

The Boys of BH

Barn House & Willow Nest - 2009

Goodness Gracious! What a time we had this past week...lots of stories to tell...but The Boys of Barn House are exhausted after two weekends of BIG back-to-back shows and really need to get ready for a special photo shoot later this week...so more to come on our journey AND our Season Finale on September 12th. Our friend, "A Girl Named Timi," is even arranging a Fancy-Schmancy Tour Bus from the Seattle/Snohomish area (including an elegant VIP luncheon on Wisteria Lane here at BH, a VIP home tour here at BH, a VIP raffle for some BH gift certificates AND some special stops at some fantastic other shopping venues along the way. Shoot...Timi is probably going to kill us for putting that out there already--more to come).

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the pictures and slideshow....























If you weren't able to make it to Barn House last weekend, The Queen of Tarte will be hosting Annie, Fannie & Abigail AND Willow Nest THIS SATURDAY...don't miss the next big celebration!!

J & J
Barn House

Willow Nest & Barn House Collaboration - Sneak Peek...

Ma & Pa Willow are here!! And goodness-gracious...with a lot of blood, sweat and the inevitable BH Tears...Magic is upon us! Linda and Ludmil have traveled all the way from Texas to be back with us, AND, most importantly back with many of you who have followed them on their journey here in The Great NW for many years. We LOVE them and are so inspired by not only the creative vintage/antique/grand-show movement They created here, but also for both of their amazing talents. One of our favorite things to do after a show is to call Ma & Pa to discuss what went really well...and the things that we can improve on...AND the behind the scenes disasters (BH award winning DRAMA). The conversation usually goes something like..."Yes, Ma & Pa, you did tell us that...and yes I know, Ma & Pa, we probably should have taken that advice...and yes, Ma & Pa, thank you for warning us about that-and-that!" The Boys of Barn House are so thankful they are here with us...take a little peek...we hope to see you Saturday...but, if you can't make it to Barn House this weekend, Willow Nest will also be in The Magical Land of Tarte NEXT Saturday on August 22nd...









Come out to see us! PLEASE note there is a road closure in our area resulting in a detour...so if you didn't get our email, please contact us at barnhousebh@yahoo.com for directions. I have a 7am meeting at my other gig and just can't re-re-format the directions (blogspot drama that I am sure many of you know about) for this post. BUT, there will be many (and I mean MANY) BH/Barn House signs...making it very easy to get here.

J & J
Barn House
The Boys of Barn House
Barn People

Clayson Farm, Flutterby AND This Weekend - Willow Nest!!

SOOO much to share, but sooooo little time! And let me apologize upfront for not being thorough in the story telling as I should be (there's a lot going on with two shows back-to-back). BUT, let me start by saying our trip to Yakima/Naches was incredible AND was a much needed break away from home. The Clayson Farm American Primitives show was even better than we could have imagined!

Leslee and her family have undoubtedly created one of THE shows of ALL shows in the NW. Their property is the perfect setting...the grass was SOOOO green and lush that I literally had to take off my shoes at certain times during the day so my feet could enjoy what my eyes were envious of.

Joe and I came to the conclusion they must cut and water and nuture it blade-by-blade. The vendors, treasures and food were awesome. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take as many pix as normal (Joe left me in the booth alone with only a portion of the money and the camera for most of the day while he was out shopping and lollygagging).











Special thanks to The Clayson Farm Family for the wonderful invitation and hospitality this past weekend! This show is definitely one of our favorites and certainly one we would never miss. Take a look at some extra pix from our slideshow below...


But what also really made this trip feel more like a vacation than anything else was where we were so priviledged to stay. Kim of Flutterby (one of our favorites stores in Yakima) invited us to stay on her ranch with Joy (and the Bayer Family). Spending time with Kim and getting to know her was such a pleasure. The Ranch soothed our spirits in ways we could have never imagined. AND our dinners with Kim, Joy, Terri, Dave and Little Sammy were a bit out of control as we were loud and obnoxious way beyond their normal hours of operations. If they thought bringing that vacuum cleaner out was going to stop us, they were pretty much wrong. Do they know our Auntie Joy can holler over a vacuum cleaner without skipping a beat???? I was laughing so hard most of the evenings that I didn't have enough napkins to wipe my eyes dry from the all the tears from Joy's funny stories. Our Auntie is something else!!!! We just can't get enough of her. :o)
But the entire time I was at The Ponderosa, we felt the peace of being home with family. AND we just couldn't wait to get out in the morning with our camera to do OUR version of "My Morning Walk." -- Take this LB/RD!! ;o)

What made this trip even more wonderful is the fact that we came home and were welcomed by our dear friends, Linda & Ludmil of Willow Nest. They had been here unloading and setting up for the show this weekend...and, WOW, did they bring some great stuff from Texas...french gowns (1860s-1930s), honey suckle wreaths, German glass glitter, french linens, and of course, several of Ludmil's amazing creations. I promise to post some sneak peeks and directions tomorrow...Stay tuned...


The Boys of Barn House

Willow Nest and More...

Barn House & Willow Nest here in Battle Ground on August 15th!!! Linda & Ludmil of Willow Nest (Ma & Pa Willow) are in route from Texas with a wagon full of treasures!! Their legacy here in the NW is something we could only aspire to reach in the next 15 years or so...they have been published in more magazines than you can imagine, including Country Home. As a matter of fact, the only magazine BH has been in was last year at the show we did with them!! We are sooooo proud and honored to have them as our friends and mentors. They left the NW last year to move to Texas to party with The Big Dogs of our little industry/sub-culture. IF you know anything about this here business, the shows in TX are undoubtedly the best in the country (if not some of the best in the world). So for Ma & Pa Willow to come back to the NW to visit us AND to do a show with us for the 2nd year in a row is absolutely mind-blowing! Well, we can't take all the credit for their visit because there are a few other critical factors like also doing a show with our friends The Queen and King of Tarte, as well as visiting their other BFFs like The Withies (Julie and David), as well as taking a break from the TX heat (well not really considering it's following them all the way here to The Great NW). These are some pix of our show together last year...



This show will be our most intimate of the season. Just Willow Nest and Barn House. And if you are wondering why/how we could do a show with only the two of us after our flea market, click here and here AND here ANNNND check out our August 7th post here. OH, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, don't forget to check the link to their special slide show for the Willow Nest Inn in Burton, TX!!! Did we mention that they would be bringing their treasures from THE BEST place in the country/world to shop??!!???!!! Hmmmm, you might want to think about joining us for this Texas Style Party here at Barn House. AND, we sure hope Ma & Pa have brought us back a little Suga from our TX friends Debbie and Theresa (hint-hint)! Ma and Pa are arriving soon, and there will definitely be more to come on this very special show.

So in addition to trying to rest a little after The BH Flea Mkt, we have had a few irons in the fire. We really needed to take care of our somewhat neglected children during the chaos of this last show. Just imagine, being covered in WOOL when it's 110+ degrees in the normally rainiest/coolest place on earth. "Papa, please get it together and take care of us!" And guess what, on the HOTTEST DAY IN RECORDED HISTORY in our neck of the woods, we decided to shear our sheep ourselves (for the first time instead of paying someone else)!
In full crisis mode we bought apparently THE MOST expensive sheep-cutting-rocket-science-mechanism on the planet (b/c that's all the store had left) and started a completely new chapter in our lives. Shearing sheep in 110+ degree weather. Pay back is something else...

Without a doubt, we will certainly have to take this up as a side job to pay for those expensive a$$ shears! But, our babies were clicking their hooves after it was all said and done. Needless to say, there were a few BH glitches along the way. First, I took a tiny little notch out of Shug Avery's ear (our black sheep who was first in line), THEN took an even bigger notch out of my right middle finger causing me to just about pass out before ALMOST needing to be rushed to the hospital (maybe a slight exaggeration). Poor Shug and poor Jermonne! BUT, our babies look good (except for the one Joe finished when I was dealing with paramedics--see Odessa on the left). Next on the list are those sweet (sometimes spitting) Llamas--wish us luck with that one.

BUT, that ain't it!! We are ALSO getting ready for VERY SPECIAL show this weekend in Yakima! Y'all know we had a life changing experience in Yakima several months back that inspired a bit of BH Duck-Mania. Well, one of the big reasons we love Yakima so much is because of the American Primitives at Clayson Farm Antique Show.
We attended as shoppers last year and came home with our Suburban packed to the brim (including the roof rack was dangerously stacked with stuff). The hosts are amazing, the setting is breathtaking and the treasures to be found are out of this world!! We changed our entire schedule in 2009 so that we could be a part of two shows -- The Farm Chicks and Clayson Farm. Please be sure to check out the slide show on their site for pictures from last year's show!!! We know and love several of the vendors and it will certainly be a show you should not miss!!
Until we talk again...

J & J
The Boys of Barn House

P.S. - Thanks Calamity Jane for the wonderful gifts from Curious Sofa on your recent vacation. We LOVE you...and the gifts too. :o)

Barn House - 2009 Flea Market (Part 2)

Whew, we have finally made it out of The BH Flea Market Rehab!! And I have to honestly say that THIS show out of ANY of our shows just about killed us! I was operating on 3-4 hours of sleep per night for over a week, it was over 90 degrees every day, it was our biggest show to date, The BH Layering Effect was in FULL force, we were a "wee bit" behind schedule, almost ALL of our friends were coming over to camp, party, shop, etc...and the list goes on and on. Anyone with an analytical/logistical mindset might just ask why on Earth would they attempt to tackle SO MUCH all at once -- Are they crazy???
So, yes we are a little crazy. BUT, it's important to understand why we attempt to do certain things. You see, our cup overflows with inspiration and generosity from the people we call The Barn House Family and The Barn House Angels. SO, on occasion, we TRY to give a little tiny bit back and go the extra mile to do something a little special for the people who have been so kind to us.

Some of our most favorite people in the world are going to be in Spokane for The Farm Chicks show??? Let's throw a kick a$$ party to show our appreciation for the inspiration they have provided and their endless generosity!

Goodness! They are ALL coming to our house to bust their butts and make The BH Flea Market something incredibly over-the-top??? LET'S THROW A LITTLE PRE-PARTY...THEN AN AFTER-PARTY...THEN, THEN, THEN!

Well, I was talking to a friend from LA who just doesn't get WHY we would push ourselves to the limits like this. BUT IF you are fortunate to know any of these folks personally, you would toooootally get it. Many traveled hundreds (and hundreds) of miles to be a part of this experience. They saved their treasures just for our show...worked really hard...and most importantly, shined their gifts and light and love on us! We LOVE them and appreciate them more than I could possibly describe with words. The "problem" is...the more we try to "pay them back" or "pay them forward," they trump us with what they insist on bringing to the table!

For example, we extended an invitation to our friends selling with us to camp out on our property or stay here in the house during their visit. We thought it would be "cute" to have a little friendly competition for a tent decorating contest for those camping. THEN a "stunt" like this happens -- presented by the ever-so-talented Deb and Bob (DeBob) from Retreat...

It almost brought tears to my eyes...it was absolutely beautiful, But this is the thing -- THEY cooked US a delicious gourmet dinner at THEIR Estate (aka Taj MahTent) at OUR place! Now, I am sure this had nothing to do with the fact that we looked haggard, hungry and maybe appeared to need a place away from all the madness to relax a bit...but just had everything to do with what was in their hearts.

Needless to say -- They won the competition hands down! We had been trumped with their generosity, focus, dedication and hard work! Welcome to The BH Family, our new friends! :o)
The entire week and weekend seemed to be about who could trump the next with kindness...

...trump the next with beautiful displays...with funny stories that made the person next to them almost pee in their pants...
...with laughing the loudest... and with smiling more than the next person. AND there were The BH Crying Spells between true friends who felt something special in their hearts at various moments of the weekend. Now, usually it's me and Cindy and a couple of others...BUT, we had some newbies in "The BH Cry Baby Chair" this time (I won't call out any names)!!! IF you were here and were able to spend a few moments with The BH Family, you most likely witnessed something really special.

OH...and if you were here long enough you may have also witnessed a glitch that happened in my head from running in circles in the sun like a lunatic all day. At some point, I walked by the Tarte booth where several folks were congregating and enjoying the shade. Cindy gave me a look and said (very seriously), "Honey, you don't look so well...maybe you should sit down for a spell and have some water."

She was right (and Cindy knows me very well). By the end of the day I looked a HOT DISHEVELED MESS on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I had been stung by a bee before the show and my normally very attractive skinny ankle was swollen to the size of a tree trunk, I couldn't stop sweating, I probably smelled worse than I looked (hard to imagine), AND I had an After Party to think about!!

BUT, in true BH fashion, one Hot Disheveled Mess don't stop a BH Party!! It was certainly nothing an ice pack on a fat ankle, an ice cold shower AND an ice cold beer couldn't/wouldn't fix. See, we here at Barn House think about solutions and keep on steppin' -- HEE HAW!!! ;o)

J & J
The Boys of Barn House

P.S. - Our next show here at BH is very special -- Ma & Pa Willow (www.willownest.net) have already left Texas and will be bringing their finest treasures from their travels around the country!! If you follow the blogs on the Texas Shows, you know this is going to be some SERIOUS stuff!!! More to come on this special event here at Barn House!!!!

OH -- Today is Joe's ##rd Birthday!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!!!!

Barn House - 2009 Flea Market (Part 1)

It was more that we could have ever imagined! There is so much to share about how special this was to us...it was magical in so many ways...but off I must go to "the other gig." More to come soon...

J & J