Day 24

A Bit of History on Italy Ava

Take a 4 day blog journey with me on how

 Italy Ava became Italy Ava

FUN FACTS:

Every week (no exaggeration) there are two questions I'm asked by customers:

Are you and Leiah sisters? 
 No, Leiah and I aren't sisters but I have finally told her if customers keep asking make sure to tell them I'm the younger one..

Where did the name Italy Ava come from?
As most know the name was derived by a name I would have given my daughter if that was the hand dealt but I have 3 beautiful boys..so my store inherited the name "Italy Ava"
/

This is my very first blog entry back in September, 2010..

The beginning of my story: 

 "We wanted to start fresh, plant some roots, and raise a family on a tight budget" Moving from the Minneapolis, MN area back to our hometown seemed fitting for us.  We had been working crazy hours and that didn't even include our commute.  I just couldn't get into the groove of it and felt my country girl roots pulling me home.  I wanted to give my kids the same kind of small-town upbringing, so within months we packed our bags moved back home.    

 

We find home in a quaint 1945 cape cod cottage that sits on a corner lot begging to be loved.  The cottage needed a lot of work but had great long run potential.  I fell in love with its exterior and my husband fell in love with the asking price (less than our little place up in the city) so we knew it was meant to be. 

 

With a little time and patience we knew we would not only make this cottage ours but we would do it in style. I became a homemaker for our now three rambunctious busy boys which is definitely priceless but this also left me getting creative with the financial part of our renovation. 

 

Creative is exactly what we did, during the day my husband managed a wind turbine park, but at night and week-ends he became the house craftsman.  He renovated bathrooms, kitchen, basement and added many custom built-in's to the house.  If I could think of it or find it in a magazine he would build it. He relied solely on this orange Home Depot DIY book.   I stuck to my passion and what I do best, the decorating aspect of the home.  I relied on rummage sales, hand-me-downs, thrift stores, and retail store sales. 

 

Three years later we have a house that is completely budget friendly and for our visitors always gives them inspiration and ideas that they can take on and do themselves in their home.    

 

This house was a jewel box waiting to be opened and without its magic, Italy Ava wouldn't exist.  The home gave us an unexpected opportunity and taught us patience not to mention how to get creative on a budget.  For all those people who asked if I would hire my husband out or recreate some of my designs, thank you for molding this idea into my head.    

 

We were asked to be on the 2009 House Christmas Tour so I'll add those fun pics...Enjoy!

 

Laura-Italy Ava