It’s the most exciting thing when a close friend takes a step back, assesses his or her life, then decides to take the plunge in an entirely new direction. Today I present you with Julie Petrella, my college roommate and one of my nearest and dearest friends.

Just a little over a year ago she moved from Philadelphia to Swainton, NJ to purchase a home and convert the bottom half into her dream business, Homemade.

Embracing the craft ethos she infused me with junior year of college, she painted  stripes on the ceiling, stocked her shelves with fantastic yarn, stationary and craft books and opened her doors to the local comunity for DIY sessions and how-to classes.

A year later, things are good. Really good. Here are a few photos from the Homemade blog marking the 1 year anniversary of Julie’s dream. Have a look at her site and visit her shop if you find yourself in southern Jersey.