The Relentless RV Redecorator…

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After battling numerous problems with our previous RV, we finally got it fixed and then we traded it for a new toy hauler!

Of course, I had to personalize the inside of this RV beyond the manufacturer’s decor. I also “had to” remove the stickers that went over the exterior of the windows so we could fully enjoy our view. That was a fun process!

RV organization is an ongoing process. I’ve added cabinet shelving, light sensitive motion lights at the steps and in the bathroom, and I utilized a lot of storage baskets. I LOVE baskets!

Here’s a few of my decor upgrades:

Created some wildlife silhouettes for the overhead cabinets & added cabin decor above.
Added a splash behind the stove for light reflection. I love how it turned out.
Replaced the standard pole table between the chairs with a light weight storage cabinet.
Added “beach” decor to our bedroom.
Added a splash behind our bear themed bathroom.
Created a “bear” toilet paper holder to replace the holder under the sink.

The “bear” toilet paper holder was a combined effort of the two of us. I hated having to reach into the cabinet to get toilet paper. (That action had unsanitary implications written all over it.) I saw a bear toilet paper holder online and asked my husband if we could make it cheaper than buying it. He built it, I painted it. It holds 3 reserve rolls below the roll. I now “always feel like, somebody’s WATCHING me.”

And yes, that’s an espresso machine & Keurig on the counter. (Don’t judge.) We now have a separate SodaStream for our RV instead of taking ours with us from our house.

Our RV is self contained with a generator, solar, and batteries.

We love to “rough” GLAM camp.

Inspiring Home Life (on the road),

The Relentless Redecorator

Inspiring Home Life…

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I’d like to introduce my other half to Rustic Country Market Living.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without my husband, Jon. We’ve been married for 31 years. He’s supported me and I’ve supported him. Together, we make a GREAT team!

Jon in the middle of our retirement home remodel with our dogs, Chip & Joanna. (Names sound familiar?)

Jon has been a multi-talented contractor most of his life. When he wasn’t working on other people’s homes, he was working on ours. We’ve moved a lot over the years, and each house we’ve made into our home, some more than others.

Jon supported me when I first started blogging back in 1998, and when I registered my first website, https://byjoella.com in 2007. I started Rustic Country Market Living in 2017. I also have a patriotic and a travelog blog. All my sites are connected, so if you find one, you can find them all.

I’ve always been focused on the future, while Jon has been focused on the present. After I retired the end of 2020, our goals were for me to focus on Rustic Country Market Living and Jon was going to continue self employment. Instead, we’ve spent the last 3 years renovating our “retirement” house, making it into “our” home.

So here we are, in the future…

Together, we are now going to focus 100% on Rustic Country Market Living. Jon is a big part of all I do, so he will be helping add content to Rustic Country Market Living. It’s a perfect match, and I’m looking forward to growing Rustic Country Market Living with him.

Watch for Jon’s contributions about gardening, BBQ’ing, our wood fired oven, handyman tips, outdoor living, etc. His signature will be Improving Home Life, The Rustic Home Specialist.

Meanwhile, I’m excited to start selling decor items on Rustic Country Market Living, in addition to sharing organizational ideas that have made my life easier, antiques, decor tips, RV decor, etc.

If we love to do it, we might share it…

We’ve talked of starting to repurpose and sell our own creations. Did I mention I love to create stuff with my Cricut? I will share with you some of my creations, hoping to inspire you.

Thank you for following Rustic Country Market Living.

Inspiring Home Life,

The Relentless Redecorator

My Retirement Reality

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We passed thru the 2019 holiday season, and then got hit by 2020. (20/20: What I hoped represented “Perfect Vision.”)

Perfect Vision?

Amid all the 2020 confusion, I was preparing to retire. People asked, me are you sure you want to retire? Um, YES!!! We house shopped all over AZ (literally) for the perfect retirement area. We ended up purchasing a 1986 home in the White Mountains of Arizona, 5 hours from where we lived. Before I retired, we moved our household belongings into the new house over the weekends. Once our old house was empty, we sold it and briefly lived in our RV until I retired; then we moved into what we considered our rural, retirement retreat.

Our goal was to downsize and start a small, home based business built on Rustic Country Market Living, but we couldn’t find a smaller house. Instead we ended up with 1300 more SF, including a HUGE pantry (like a 3rd car garage). We thought we’d turn some of the extra space into a B&B, but instead, my mother moved in with us in 2021.

Things started to morph…

Our house has a chicken coup, so we got a few chickens. Later we found out we have predators in our area, so we had to take defensive measures. We added gutters and rain barrels to recycle water for our garden, fruit trees, grapevines, herbs and lavender.

We knew there were things that needed to be repaired in our “new” used retirement home, but what we didn’t anticipate was the amount of hidden deferred maintenance it had. Yes, we had a house inspection which turned out useless for us. No, we didn’t get a “home warranty.” The house has turned into a major fixer upper, tapping deeply into our retirement savings and absorbing our time.

A new look for an old house.
Continue reading “My Retirement Reality” →

Recipe For Life…

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I’ve seen several versions of a “Recipe For Life” on the internet. In my opinion, some fell short, while others involved values I don’t rate high; so I decided to write my own Recipe For Life.

Serving size:

Never can have too much.

Ingredients: 

Dreams
4 cups of Hope
¼ spoon of Faith (a little goes a long way)
1 cup of Friendship
7 quarts of Love
7 gallons of Forgiveness
1 barrel of Laughter
2 large spoons of Thankfulness
Smiles

Instructions:

Start with Dreams.
Add Hope.
Add Faith.
Mix in Friendship and Love. 
Blend with Forgiveness.
Shake with Laughter.
Bake in Sunshine.
Sprinkle Thankfulness on top before serving.
Serve frequently with a smile.

Until next time…

Inspiring Home Life,

Inspiring Home Life,

THE RELENTLESS REDECORATOR