Q:What is the meaning behind your blog name?
A: I've always been about a bargain. I've always seen beauty in the "broken, battered, or bruised" pieces of life. About 5 years ago I started to develop a love...no...an obsession with vintage and vintage-inspired decorating. I loved the recycle-renew-reuse concept and felt the pull towards the past. Living in Arizona as a transplanted San Diegan I truly missed the value of the historical. Phoenix operates under the premise that anything over 20 yrs old must be knocked down and another built in it's place. Almost overnight I developed wanderlust. Unfortunately I did it alone. Not with my husband and partner. Coming from Philly, he has a much more dismissive approach to anything old. In fact, to him, new is much more desirable and is inspirational. So I found myself at odds with this and struggled to include him in my journey. So Junkyard was a natural for me....I love everything rusty and dusty, metal and wood. Shabby to industrial and everything in between. Jezebel to me represented everything forbidden, secretive, and felt...well...a little bit wicked! I wanted to be the "bad-girl" of junking...so what better name?
Q:What made you decide to start blogging?
A:Writing comes very easily to me. My father is an English professor and my mother is an attorney. Words were currency in my home and quick wit and sparkling banter were the norm. In my business I did all the blogging, marketing and communication with consumers and found that I enjoyed having something to say and saying it in a way that people related to. I consider my style more stream-of-consciousness and I heavily overuse punctuation. It's just my thing. So when I got a little weary of writing for business where I wasn't free to really be me...I decided to start blogging.
Q:What do you blog about?
A: Junk-Paint-Shenanigans. Heavy on the Shenanigans. I think I'm considered a "personal experience" blogger. I write about things going on in my life. I write about my transition from a 60 hr a week job to my own business which is re-purposing old things and giving them fresh life. I also represent a line of furniture paint called DIY Chalk and Clay Paints and I blog about the treasures that I create with those. Right now I'm participating in a 30 day blogging challenge where I'm given a topic and then I write about it. I find that easy-peasy because my biggest struggle is what I have to say that someone might want to hear about.
Q:How long have you been blogging?
A: I've been blogging for business 6 years now and blogging personally about 2 months.
Q:What do you like to do beside blogging? Any hobbies?
A:My hobbies are travel, reading, helping others, and killing plants. Other people say gardening....but I might as well be totally transparent.
Q: Have you had writer’s block? What did you do?
A: I've never really experienced writer's block. I've experienced idea block. Frequently. What the heck do I have to say? Why would anyone want to read it? And then if I am foolish enough to try to think about what my "target market wants to read" then I'm bound to spin myself into a coma. As long as I have an idea or a spark I can write all day on it. Still may not be interesting....still may not be current or relevant...but there will be words. There will be lots of words 😀
Q: What’s one thing you want your subscribers to know?
A: I have zero clues. I have less than zero clues. So I just write what inspires me or what I would be interested in reading. I really think readers are graphically driven and want to see beautiful photography. I am not a great photographer. I think people are loving videos and tutorials. I am not a great videographer....nor am I cute or perky on video (or this life...or any other) but I'm not afraid to talk so my plan is to do more videos in the near future.
Q: Where do you see your blog in 5 years?
A: It will be thriving and growing by leaps and bounds. It will accurately reflect my lifestyle as well as my business life. It should be an inspiration to those that would like to quit their 9-5 and branch out on their own. It will include other bloggers and be actively involved in empowering other women.
Q:What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their blog?
A: I'm there! So I'm not sure what advice I'd give other than JUST DO IT! Thinking about it doesn't get you any closer to having a blog than herding crickets. If you wait until you are ready, you'll never do it. If you wait until you know what your brand is, you'll never do it. If you wait until you figure out danged Google Analytics, you'll never do it. JUST DO IT!
Q:Do you have any other social media sites?
A: Yes I'm active you Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/junkyardjezebel/ and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/junkyard_jezebel/ and Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/jezebel0055/
Again, you should check out her blog at http://www.junkyardjezebel.com/. Thanks again, Jenifer for letting me interview you.
<3 Amanda
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