WELCOME

Welcome to the Valera Grace blog, home of the gently repurposed and unique finds that grace my life.  Here you can find a collection of vintage items as well as tips and tricks of living without spending a fortune - and many posts about my struggles. I'm Mary Riley and besides some of my projects, the name Valera Grace has been recycled! Here’s a little history behind the name.

Born in Drop, Texas in 1896, our Grandmother came into this world with her own unique brand of style and “Grace.” She loved the outdoors, dancing, cooking, crafting and gardening. She could hunt, fish, play basketball and….crochet, sew and make ceramics! In fact, she had a love for life like no one else we have ever seen! When she died, I looked in her refrigerator and found a fresh cherry pie!
 
Valera Grace was upcycling before upcycling was cool!   As with many from her generation, Grandma used everything she had. She "reused, reduced and recycled" before our younger society embraced it.  Fabric from clothing became doll clothing, she crocheted around plastic that came off of six packs of drinks and she had a lovely foot stool made out of coffee cans and a used  bedspread.  I think I even saw her stuff pillows with scrap fabric from old clothes. That was before Fiberfil.

Enjoy this blog in the comfort of your home as you see her progenies exhibit variations of her eccentric style as we infuse our modern and eclectic twists. I make, repurpose and buy from “off the beaten path” to create a meaningful lifestyle for me and my husband.  We upcycle, recycle, repurpose and reuse a wide variety of materials to make our unconventional surroundings.  Our dream is to bring new life, like the life our Grandmother had, into objects otherwise destined for neglect.

Yes, Valera Grace is the legacy of one human soul brought to this world to show us how to do it! How to love life and appreciate all that surrounds us! Thank you Grandma Grace.