French Creek Fellowship #7: Exceeding Joy

I love vintage finds, and I have curated plenty of various collections over the years, but of all those collections, I never knew that one of them would result in a friendship. Yet, that’s exactly what happened.

A couple of years ago, I met my friend Shelby of Exceeding Joy through our shared love of old blue canning jars. I’d been collecting them for about ten years. We even used them liberally throughout our decor when we got married.

But Shelby’s collection was truly awe inspiring!

{Related: How to Date Ball Mason Jars}

And then, I got to know Shelby even more, and I saw what an amazingly good heart she has. So many people join social media to share their homes so that others will ‘like’ them or so that they can get a boost of serotonin and feel good. It’s mostly about what they can ‘get’.

Shelby, though, seems to be sharing her home with all of us so that others can feel good instead. For her, it’s pretty obviously about what she can give.

Shelby is one of the most supportive friends I’ve had the pleasure to meet, both in blogging and in life. She’s always there to give a compliment or kind word, and she inspires me in so many ways. Shelby is someone whose light shines brightly, but she uses it to illuminate others–such a rare quality these days!

A mom of four, married to her high school sweetheart, Shelby is working to revive and restore her 100 year old farmhouse in Ohio. And she’s doing a stunning job.

The way Shelby styles her vintage and antique pieces makes quite a statement. Her designs are simple, but exquisite; humble, yet elegant.

I could admire Shelby’s home for days, and I strongly encourage you to get to know her better online. This brief tour of her home only scratches the surface!

All photos courtesy of Shelby at Exceeding Joy.

French Creek Fellowship is a weekly series where I introduce you to some of the talented and inspiring friends I’ve made along the way of our fixer-upper-farmhouse journey. While their homes and design style are truly inspiring indeed, what strikes me the most about the friends I feature is their authenticity and character. They each have such pure and genuine hearts that they willingly and graciously share with others, and isn’t that just what the spirit of fellowship is really all about?