May News
Successful Projects
“I’m enjoying my yard so much more this year because I’m not overwhelmed by the weeds I didn’t get to! I’m tickled to see the spring ephemerals! Thank you Julia.” These trillium and all their buddies have their shining moment because I’m working elbow-to-elbow with a client as we transform her flower beds. She’s had family and friends help in the past, and caregiving duties have led this client to bring on consistent skilled gardening assistance to bring joy into her oasis. She said “it’s helpful to put a measurement of the amount of time this takes, the 3 hour sessions work great.” We’ll be adding about 7 yards of mulch in May.
Kitchen backsplash! This client had GCFI installed at the sink, and the electrician put a hole in the wall during installation. The client has been thinking for years about finding artistic tile for this space, but decided to paint it. She had me painting trim in the house already, so she added project time for me to spackle and paint this space while the tools were out. She might miss the lime green (see above the shelf), but shiny white gives a blank slate and clarity.
“I only like containers when they have lids.” Another successful teamwork project in April was kitchen deep clean! This client was finally ready for all the decisions, and we chatted our way through the project. We emptied each cabinet, gave it a good Dawn PowerWash scrub, put in new shelf liners, and put back only the good stuff. The project included cleaning inside, under, and around appliances as well. We’ll do the same with the yard in May.
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This nursery has some lovely native plant collections! Www.twofernsmadison.com/our-plants/
UW Arboretum https://arboretum.wisc.edu/get-involved/friends/native-plant-sale/
Olbrich through May 6. https://www.olbrich.org/calendar/perennial-plant-sale
Also try searching Isthmus.com for neighborhood sales!
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Click here for a list of places to donate or dispose of STUFF.
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I show up at your home with supplies, plan for two hours $50. You provide a gallon of water and whichever tools need attention. The service includes cleaning with soap, rubbing with isopropyl alcohol, and removing rust with WD40. As needed, repairs can be made to tool joints. A metal file will be used to sharpen pruners and shovels. It’s best to work in garages or on porches, but can adjust to your needs and the weather. With any time remaining, I can give some gardening advice, or help with cleaning and organizing other related spaces. The only guarantee is that your tools will be in better shape when I leave.
Don’t miss…
I am deeply grateful to know and work with YOU.
I’ve been enjoying being so busy hearing from new people that I’ve almost forgotten to watch the flower buds open up. Spring is definitely here! My household was spared storm damages, and weather gives us yet another reminder about valuing the asset of having a secure home. I continue to volunteer with the food pantry and a justice-focused nonprofit, and make time to visit family out-of-state. The seeds I saved from flowers last year are in soil under grow lights in my kitchen now, and the broccoli and carrots are in my garden doing their best to make food. Ask me sometime about recommendations for paddling launches on Madison’s lakes, and state parks that suit your travel style!
Owner Credentials and Bio
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Julia is a midwestern child of the 90s, and inherited the hobbies of parents including cooking, camping, veg gardening, wood refinishing, repainting bedrooms, playing piano and a few crafty things. In part the hobbies kept us out of trouble, but also instilled a variety of mental and mechanical skills that became otherwise useful. Following tradition, I ventured to college toward a teaching career and found success in this. Along the way, several fabulous mentors provided skills in construction, electronics, painting, and management through producing theatre productions. Collaborating in building stage performance drew out the creative, person-centric, flow of energy that encouraged me to find some professional energy beyond the requirements of elementary education credentials. Summers found me as a waterfront director at a summer camp in northern Wisconsin. Here I honed skills in outdoor work, adaptive recreation, leadership of peers, sailing, pottery, and loved every moment with the kids. Lifeguarding roles clarified my tendency to be prepared and keep safe spaces for all participants. After achieving a graduate degree in education came the search for permanent classroom positions in Denver, then Chicago.
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There’s a richness to life in a city setting, and many people (especially women) have discovered the many rewards of veering from a path well traveled. Mentors along the way provided me with opportunities to appreciate the feeling of jobs well-done, celebrated the wins of going the extra mile in the work, and the thrill of executing another brilliant plan. I served communities as a licensed K-12 teacher for a decade before turning to the nonprofit sector. For seven years in Madison, Julia then supported job-seekers with training and advocacy, and celebrated 74 people finding new first paychecks. This role in social work introduced me the vast needs and resources for households in Dane County, and appreciation for many ways that plans can change to meet a person’s goals. At a turning point with (ex) boyfriend in 2021, I became a first-time home buyer with a condo by Madison’s Tenney Park and put all the mechanical hobby skills to good use. The condo bathroom was moldy so the vanity and floor got ripped out; I laid new tile and build floating shelves from Habitat Restore urban lumber. I installed a pedestal sink, new toilet, and used an epoxy paint to resurface the entire shower. After a good scrub, I painted every square inch of the place, of course. The condo floor was 1949 original and in good (but ugly) condition, so I installed LVP throughout 800 sq ft, along with new baseboards. In 2022, I renovated the kitchen, shopping for all new appliances, designing a couple custom cabinets, and installing a gorgeous glass-tile backsplash. Home is a passion project! Then there came a turning point with career, where diligence was met with coworker resistance, and I decided to capitalize on strengths, launching the LLC in 2023. Self-employment allows me to truly be of service to you! I have been veg gardening in Madison since 2012, love to kayak, volunteer in several organizations, and pop up at free events around town.
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Project Management. Department of Public Instruction license for K-8 classroom. Ethics in Disability Services. Motivational Interviewing as Community Health provider. Red Cross Lifeguard. Mental Health First Aid. Wisconsin Driver’s License.