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

Barn House Flea Market 2009 (Sneeky Peeky)

The Party has definitely started! The BH Family has been arriving with trailers, truck loads and more trailers. What is on the horizon is AWESOME! And I must say, I am so happy we were able to expand a little this year so we could invite some new friends....and this is why...
Deb & Bob Kennedy (DeBob) of Retreat Design have taken our little "camping tent" competition to the moon!!! I don't want to give too much away of their amazing camping space, but we were fortunate enough to be invited to an intimate dinner tonight with them on The Retreat Estate they have created here at BH...the dinner was absolutely delicious, the company was even better and the setting was in the most beautiful tent I could have ever imagined. So, this is how The BH Flea is starting off...
The company we keep is something else...they are exceptional...they are inspirational...they are here with us this weekend...
And it's going to be one hell of a BH Family Reunion!!!

We sure hope you can join us!! AND, please make sure you print out our directions (see previous post) to avoid any confusion with the detour (but don't worry, the detour is a piece of cake and there will be lots of signs).

HEE HAW!

The Boys of Barn House

Flea Market

Big Wheels Keep on Turning...




Goodness gracious...barely a small portion of the goodies have started arriving. And I must say, the few folks that have been dropping things off have been saving their BEST especially for our show. There is LOTS going on at Barn House and The Party has not even started! This Flea Market is turning into something bigger and better than we could have imagined...it is really starting to feel less like a "show" and more like a Family Reunion (and I have never even been to a family reunion)...which is probably why it's been choking me up all day thinking about what is happening so far and what is to come. There is something really special in the works out here this week! We feel so incredibly lucky to have your encouragement AND the friendship, inspiration and support from our friends/family who will be a huge part of this experience.

More to come...we have already had someone (with red hair) "rushed" to the hospital to get 4 stitches...AND I heard Natalie say a curse word for the first time EVER (shocking!). I am waaaay behind on my BH Pre-Show Crash Diet, not to mention way behind on my Pre-Show Acne Treatment, not to mention we haven't a finished the roof to our new structure, not to mentioned we haven't practiced our Proud Mary routine (or found back-up singers/dancers)...AND, Joe is so hopped up on a new sugar-free Energy Drink he is being more "difficult" than usual! ;o) Y'all know there's gonna be good stories!!

Here we go...wish us luck...

J & J
and
The Barn House Family

Barn House 2009 Flea Market - The Lineup...

"You know, every now and then I think you might like to hear something from us...nice & easy. BUT there's just one thing, you see. We NEVER-EVER do nothin' Nice & Easy...we always do it Nice & and Rough!" ;o)

It would be very hard for me to say we started our season "nice and easy." Especially considering it was our best, yet most difficult "production" to date...including all of the theatrics/drama leading up to the opening. But guess what?!?!? Our BIGGEST venture just is right around the corner!!! Over TWENTY of THE BEST collectors/designers/artists/friends inside and outside of The Barn. And how could we not include The Barn House Layering Effect (Bake Off, Cook Off and tent decorating contest for some friends/family/dealers that are staying with us (15+), The Barn People Pre & After Party, etc). And there's more....

So of course we have been adding more layers...building picket fences, building a new structure for The Boys of BH, landscaping new territories, cleaning up all of the trifling chaos in The Barn, taming a wild baby goat and 3 new kittens, ETC, ETC, ETC. Stuff is getting done, but it's going to be a mad dash to the finish line (to say the least).


We are soooo excited to announce our lineup for The 2009 Barn House Flea Market. I can't say enough about how special these folks are to us...
Tarte (aka The Queen of Tarte, The King of Tarte and The Barn People)
Sparrow (Natalie - aka worse than us for not updating her blog)
Little Cottage (Sylvi)
Aunties (aka Auntie Joy - A Day in the Life)
Worthy Goods (Laurie & Debbie)
Little Byrd (Rebekah)
Calamity Jane's Antiques (aka Joyce from Monticello Antique Marketplace)
Lynne Gunderson (no blog having person)
The Withies (Julie)
2nd Childhood Girlfriends (Corrine & Karen) no blog having people)
Molly Mo's (Diane)
Aleta (Aleta & Bill)
Luluz (Lulu aka Linda)
Julie & Jeff Brough (no blog having people)

And new to Barn House as dealers...
Tickled Pink (Isabel & Lisa aka Maison Douce and A Thing for Roses)
June Bug (Gladys & Celia)
Katherine & Carrie (aka Katherine's Folie and Bertha)
Retreat (Deb & Bob Kennedy)
Ormolulu (Debi)
Bella Shabby (Sue & Joe)
Terri Bayer (no blog having person--BUT, Auntie Joy's beautiful sister)
Duchess (JoDee & Kat -- aka no blog having people)

The Barn is already humming with activity...Natalie, Julie, Joyce and Corrine have already starting bringing a few of their treasures...here is what we have been up to this weekend...






The rush is upon us...stay tuned for more sneak peaks and SPECIAL DIRECTIONS (there is a road closure nearby on Ward so you will NEED new directions--even if you have been here several times).

For pix of last year's Flea Mkt, check out our posts here and here.

And we're rollin'...rollin'...rollin' on a river...See you soon!!!

J & J

P.S. -- The Boys are trying to find time to rehearse our rendition of Tina & Ike's Proud Mary for The Flea...The Barn House Layering Effect at its finest. The BIG BATTLE now is who gets to be Tina. LOL ;o)

Why we haven't blogged?

I am embarrassed by how long it has been since our last post. Then, as the weeks have gone by, the shame has set in. And on top of that, the magnitude of the stress related to our Flea Market (July 18th) preparations has crippled me...resulting in severe case of blog neglect (not to mention how long it's taken us to return phone calls, e-mails and blog comments). There is so much to share on our opening, our Barn People Party in Spokane (and goodness this party was something else--and will be certainly be getting it's own post), and what has transpired here on our little farm over the past couple of months. Yes, this may sound a bit dramatic...but The Barn House Layering Effect is in high gear!!! I need to share this in small, very manageable portions to prevent an anxiety attack...so bare with me over the next week or so as I try to get you caught up. ;o)

OK...so when one old barn collapses, most sane people would would take on this task right before their next show...



In addition to that, most people would layer on some new animals to take care of in all of the free time they have, right?? Animals that need love, attention, care and THE BIGGEST SH*T IN THE WORLD to be shoveled out of the barn...right???


Along with some other cuties who need special loving or they just might SPIT on you...

And our newest babies who just make our hearts ache...


Did I mention we have several acres to try to keep up with in this crazy growing spell?? We made a promise to ourselves to also spend a little time enjoying the pockets of magic here on our little farm..."Enjoy the Journey!" is how the saying goes around here...




And on top of it all, EVERY SANE person in the midst of all this complete madness would be planning their BIGGEST, MOST COMPLEX show to date, right???

Over 20 of THE BEST Collectors/Designers/Artists in the NW (way more than we have ever had), a fancy Magazine shoot with a very beautiful and fancy Magazine Photographer, a BH Family Bake-Off Competition, a BH Family Cook-Off Competition, a BH Family Camp out / Tent Decorating Contest, The Queen and an Elephant (?), another Barn People Party is bound to happen, and much more! The Barn House Layering Effect is out of control...WE NEED AN INTERVENTION (note this as our official cry for help!)...

Check back soon (and I promise soon) for a complete listing of our featured guests and more of the madness that is upon us...

J & J
Barn House

P.S. - Thank you for all of your kind comments and e-mails!! AND thank you to the few folks I asked to send some positive blog energy my way so I could FINALLY post something new. IT WORKED! :o) Much Love...we will be back soon...

The Farm Chicks - Absolute Perfection!!!

It was our first time at the show, but we can certainly see why people travel from all over the world for The Farm Chicks!!! The show was absolutely incredible, to say the least. Terri and Serena were everything you could imagine them to be...and even more beautiful in person than the lovely pictures in their books/blog/website. We can't imagine how they have managed to pick 139 of the most creative, wonderful and inspiring vendors this side of the Mississippi. It was such an honor to be a part of this show. It was almost TOO MUCH to handle! Thank you Terri and Serena for inviting us!!! :o)











OK..we are completely exhausted from all of the fun we had (like everyone seems to be)...so I will have to share more pix (we have tons) and tell you about our Caravan to/from Spokane with The King and Queen, the Caravan Walkie-Talkie nightmare for Cindy (trucker-talk b/t the boys...poor Cindy), show set-up drama and...THE BARN PEOPLE PARTY (BH, Tarte and Chaps) we hosted for 150+ of our closest friends/family/customers. Yes, we are out of control!!!! And it's why I absolutely must get some hammock time today--we had waaaaaaaaaay too much fun @ The Farm Chicks!!


More to come...

J & J
Barn House
The Barn People
The Boys of Barn House
After-Party Specialists

The Boys of BH - On our way to Farm Chicks!!!

Sorry we have been MIA the past few weeks. Please forgive me, but I am waaaaay behind on blogging--it's awful, I know. The past couple of months have been a whirlwind of activity!! After our Season Opening, we had two of our very dearest/closest friends in the entire world here from New Mexico for over a week (Brenda and Roseanne). We just had to get that vegetable garden planted. We have been tending to our new (very high maintenance) children. We have been spending HOURS AND HOURS filling countless water containers for those stinky/messy/mud-loving ducks (who can't seem to remember all the love they received living in our warm living room as tots--heavy sigh). We also spent a couple of days lolly gagging in The Land of Tarte. But really have been spending most of our time preparing for what is the most anticipated show West of the Mississippi -- The Farm Chicks!!! We have been SOOOOOO excited about doing this show for over a year. We couldn't make it last year, but planned our 2009 calendar so we could be a part of this show. So, in true Barn House Style, we decided to layer on a couple of HUGE projects (in addition to everything else going on). #1 Now that we think we are carpenters, we decided to build a little something for the show. #2 Is something extremely close to our hearts planned especially some friends of The Barn People who will be at the show (more to come). Now I know I still have to share the behind the scenes d-r-a-m-a before and during our opening...and I promise to do so (I really promise and have been practicing my "monologue")!! BUT, it's almost 1:00 am and I have to get up at 5 am to get ready (we still haven't packed our clothes to meet the other Barn People -- The Queen and King of Tarte -- for our little caravan to Spokane. The team that is late at our meeting place loses a terrible-terrible-TERRIBLE bet and will certainly be humiliated in front of a LOT of people this weekend. So, with that, I must be a good boy and get some ZZZs so I can wake up. But, we will leave you with a few pix of what we have been up to on our Little farm. HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE FARM CHICKS SHOW THIS WEEKEND!!! If you are going, please stop by our space and say hello!

J & J
Joe and Jermonne
The Boys of Barn House
Barn People
Prisoners of "The Ducks"






***sorry for any grammatical/spelling mistakes...ain't had much sleep in weeks!!!

Off to The Land of Tarte...

We are off to one of our favorite places...The Land of Tarte!!! The Queen and The Twins (Donna & Diana - Annie, Fannie & Abigail) have again created something magical, beautiful and special. The Boys of BH will be there shopping and lolly gagging. We hope you can join us for a lovely adventure in The Land of Tarte! These are a few pix we took from their show in April...






Oh, and don't think I have forgotten about dishing "The Dirt" on the behind the scene drama before our opening. It's coming! There is also some other news we can't wait to share about the new additions to our little familia...we are a bit out of control!!! HEE HAW!!!!!!

The Boys

Barn House 2009 Season Opening - The Love!

The preparation for our 2nd Season Opening was certainly the most difficult of any show we have EVER done. To say the stress was intense would be an understatement. But even in the most challenging times, an undercurrent of love was at the core of the experience. "Enjoy the journey! Yes, we MUST enjoy the journey!" Without a doubt, the journey was worth the end result. "Love, Friendship & Family" was the theme of the day and it was so dense in the air, you could cut it with a knife. There is something amazing about this community we have stumbled upon in the Pacific NW. So far away from our own families, we have been embraced in ways we could have never imagined by so many wonderful people here. It is absolutely AMAZING! We feel very honored and privileged to call so many of you friends and family. Thank you for taking us in...

As most of you know, this show couldn't have happened with the talent and hard work of many, many folks, aka The BH Family. We had almost TWENTY people working hard before and during the show to pull this all off!! The Boys of BH must first thank our dealers & friends for all of their hard work and dedication: Natalie (Sparrow), Slyvi (Little Cottage), Cindy (Tarte), Debbie & Laurie (Worthy Goods), Julie (The Withies) and new to the BH familia is Leah (Art by Leah -- weren't her paintings beautiful??).

And then there were all of the additional Friends/BH Angels that ran around like crazies with the rest of us - Diana & Donna (Annie, Fannie & Abigail), Rebekah (Little Byrd), Robin (Bird Tweets), Kathy (Katherine's Folie) and her lovely sister Carrie (aka, "Bertha"--lol), Florence (Essences of the Past) and our 4 Road Warrior Parking Gents (Patrick's Parking Crew). Oh...and I MUST thank Sylvi's husband Wade for coming through on all the extra lighting for us (we owe you big!). The only person not able to make it was The King of Tarte...we missed you B!!!
Have you ever just been just filled to the brim in your heart with so much love that you just don't know what to do with it all?? That's how I have been feeling lately. It typically overflows out of my eyeballs when I think about how lucky we are, or when I look at, hug or talk to certain people. For a while I thought maybe this whole BH Experience was causing a few screws to come loose in my head (which may really be the case)...but I truly feel so much L-O-V-E all around us that I just don't know what to do with it all, resulting in my new nickname "Cry-Baby J."
Saturday was incredible!! We are so thankful to EVERYone who came out to support us...even the people in the hills who just came down to eat our cake and leave. We appreciate you from the bottoms of our hearts.
Thank you for the hugs, kisses and well wishes.
Thank you for waiting patiently in the warm sunshine for us tally up your treasures.
Thank you for smiling and shining your light upon us.
Thank you for being here with us when you really didn't have to be.
Thank you for being apart of The Barn House Experience -- even when it gets a little crazy.
Thank you for your generosity.
And we must thank those of you out in blogland for sending your love and positive energy our way. We don't know all of you, but we feel you here even though you can't make it!
We love our lives!!! This final picture is one that our friend Robin took that I feel really captures a very special moment...a moment that was happening it seemed like every minute of the day with our customers/friends/dealers...she appropriately named the picture "BH Sisters"--yes, it makes the love spill out of my eyeballs! Thank you, Robin!!


The Boys of Barn House and The Barn House Family

P.S. - Once I dry my eyes, I can't wait to share some stuff that really shouldn't be shared (The BH DRAMA!). "What goes on in this-here house, needs to stay in this house!" BUT, since I cancelled my subscription/prescription to US Weekly, I look forward to our BH Friday Moonshine Happy Hour and spilling the beans about Natalie's meltdown, Sylvi's tirade about "The Boys" stealing her light bulbs over-and-over, Joe's "Big Talk" with Debbie & Laurie, our big "trick" on Kathy & Carrie (including Carrie's horrible job the day of the event) , Cindy (they don't call her The Queen of Tarte for nothing) painting signs at 2 am a few hours before the event in her new line of NW Junkers Lingerie...and you won't want to miss what I am pretty sure I heard our Auntie Joy say as she was walking out the doors--did anyone else hear it or am I crazy??) WE LOVE OUR LIVES! HEE HAAAAAAAAW!!