About

I’m Jane, and for several years this was my pet project, blogging about life & decor and DIY for renters and homeowners. After the birth of my daughter in 2015, I left my day job in the defense industry and slowly turned my hobby business, handmade pet beds, into a full time “real” job.

I still love DIY and interior design, but no longer have time to blog about it as much as I’d like on this blog.

How it all began:

When I was a kid, my idea of a fun weekend morning was to wake up before dawn and rearrange the furniture in my bedroom while trying not to wake my parents.

Jump ahead 25  years to the present, and that hasn’t changed.  Except for the fact that I no longer live with my parents, and I now use power tools.

I’m impulsive, zany, overly enthusiastic, and absolutely obsessed with organizing things to make the most of any small space.  Organization is crucial when you can make a tornado-level mess in 5 seconds, like me.  I’m  shy when you first meet me, but once I get comfortable with you I’m bound to talk your ear off, especially if we’re lingering over a mug of good coffee, or glass of inky red wine.  I’m also silly and quick to laugh at even the corniest of jokes, because laughter really is the best medicine.

A few years ago I started reading home design blogs, and while I loved them, they all seemed to be written by and for homeowners.  What about those of us who rent,  I wondered?   Where are all the blogs for us?

With that, my idea for a rental home decor blog took root, some brainstorming ensued, and The Borrowed Abode was born in June 2009.  I got off to a slow start (sometimes I look back and am horrified by my first few months of blogging . . . ) but all the risks I took were worth it.

At my last condo I worked to inexpensively make it just as lovely as if I owned it, but without implementing renovations or other permanent fixes.  Then, before I was finished, it was time to pack up and move again – to a cute little ranch with Ryan – in the suburbs.   With that move I kicked my long commute for good, and re-started the process of making a rented house a home.

I launched my own handmade product business in spring 2011, and shared some of the trials and tribulations of that as I grow. Now you can find my pet bed and home decor lines at Janery.com as well as on the shelves of some stores across the country.

So welcome, and I hope you’ll have a look around.   You can virtually tour my rented home, (though it may be a bit outdated),  check out some of my favorite past projects, or visit my handmade products shop.   Got a question?  Drop me a line at jane@janery.com

Thanks so much for stopping by – I hope you’ll take a moment to say hello!