Our Country Living Magazine Story

I am often asked how our farmhouse was chosen to be featured in Country Living Magazine. 

Here's the scoop.

 On a day in May of 2016, I received an email from my neighbor, Cindy, that lives one street over from our primary house in McKinney. Her words were, " Hi, I have Country Living Magazine at my house doing a photo shoot and I drove the Home Editor around our neighborhood and she would like to see your house. Could I give her your phone number?".

Of course, I said yes and that we also had a farm house we were renovating and she might be interested in learning more about that project. 

(Cindy's home was featured in the July/Aug. 2016 issue. visit her wonderful blog )

Then, I looked around at my messy house! Oh, dear... the two weeks prior to this we had our three grandchildren and son at the house for a week while their mother was in England. The day they left I drove to Tulsa for a  product design presentation, then came home and flew out to the High Point Market in N. C. The day after I arrived back home, Mr. Ella came down with a terrible virus. Thankfully I dodged that bullet, but then I had a horrible allergy attack. So, with Mr. Ella feeling better and me with a tissue box nearby at all times, we managed to get the house into shape! 

I am not saying that anything was thrown under any beds, the garage or the oven...but it may have happened.

I tell you all of this because you have to seize opportunities when they happen.  

If you don't swing the bat you will never hit the ball, much less make a home run!

So, Jennifer Kopf came to my home and it was such a delight to meet her. I showed her photos of the farmhouse renovation and she asked that I send her more as we made progress. 

When we had the farm, which we call "The Range", at a point where we felt good, I had a friend from church take photos.  He was awesome. The house was still a little empty and Karson helped pull in color and plants so the pictures would show the rooms off at their best. So, off these went to CL. It was just a few days later when I was asked if they could come and do a photo shoot!!  The timing was a bit crazy. Our daughter was getting married close to when they wanted to do the shoot. 

And again, I will say seize the moment!

It was all such an amazing experience!