Grit & Grace Market

The maker space is a unique one. Grit & Grace Market will focus on the maker and the story behind all the things created, collected or repurposed because there is always a story…and isn’t that what we really connect with? The story…

What’s your story? Why do you create, collect or repurpose?

Happy Sunday Grit & Grace followers! We are moving along and cannot wait to share some opening updates very soon. In the meantime, meet The Charlton Artisanal! These products are AMAZING! And more importantly, the story behind the maker and the products. In an effort to produce skincare products that were safe and effective for her son, Tabatha has an incredible vision and mission sourcing only the best locally materials. Welcome to Grit and Grace Tabatha, we cannot wait to showcase these products and your story!

Good Morning Grit & Grace Market Followers! It has been some time since we posted an update. Things are movin' and groovin' and we are adding more small business owners to our Grit & Grace Market family every week.

It's finally time to start introducing our small business owners that will soon have a storefront in our space when we open. So get ready because we are about to set the maker world on FIRE! 🔥

Meet Patrick Mitchell, owner of Adirondack Upcycled. I met him at a weekend pop-up fair and I fell instantly in love with his furniture. I was blown away by his story of passion and commitment to his craft and when I told him about Grit & Grace Market, we both knew this was the right move. I purchased a coffee table on the spot and early teaser...we will be purchasing some of his furniture to create seating around the store!

Don't forget the Vintage Pick Up Truck Show this weekend! Truck Show will be from 11-3...all are welcome to bring their old truck to show off. Prizes for best trucks will be our own homegrown beef and pork! Admission is free for all. Dogs on leashes are welcome! The store will be open normal hours of 9-5. And we will treat dads to a free burger or brat, with the grill going for all who are hankering for some good grub!

Event details:
https://facebook.com/events/s/antique-pick-up-truck-show-fat/924214102042504/?mibextid=Gg3lNB

My girl crushing it!!!

Today, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Cassie Hudson with for her Off the Beaten Path series. Honored she chose us to highlight and look forward to seeing it air on Tuesday during the morning and evening news. Yay!!

Took a little break from planning and life to celebrate being a fabulous woman and ran the Freihofers Run for Women this morning with my dearest friend Danielle. And also to celebrate my birthday y’all!

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸

I like to bake. It calms me. The thrill of creating something so delicious from basic ingrediants. The look on my family’s face when they take that first bite. But today, it’s all about me and my own thoughts. The house is empty. It smells like honey and biscuits.

Here’s to happy thoughts and a relaxing weekend remembering my freedom and the people who fought for it.

Happy Memorial Day Friends!

Trying to decide what to do this weekend?

Happy Wednesday friends!

Another piece of my story…

My name is Jillian Bumpus, owner of the new small business marketplace, Grit & Grace Market opening up at the end of August. I am a mom, wife, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, friend and more than likely…someone’s enemy. But none of that matters because first and foremost, I am Jillian, Jill, Jilly or Jillybean.

Born and raised north of Boston, Massachusetts, I had a rollercoaster of a ride childhood. Some parts were amazing, some parts were not so amazing. I moved to New York about 25 years ago. (More to come on my childhood.)

My entire career has been in higher education, specifically career services. I’m a product of career and technical education. And I am a passionate advocate for education equality. I am known for “fixing” career service departments and changing the narrative around school to work transition. I help students find jobs post graduation, and everything in between, I’ve written career development curriculum, and I’ve written a resume writing book called “Who You Are”. I’ve made it my life’s work to study, research and create real change.

I have an Associates degree in Liberal Arts, a Bachelors degree in Organizational Management, a Masters in Business Administration and a Doctorate in Human and Organizational Psychology. Weird combination of degrees, I know. I promise there is a reason. Before COVID, my research had a book deal, publishing rights and I had an incredibly successful consulting company working with schools across New York and Massachusetts. I was changing the narrative, changing the entire game and the rules it played by.

This is me…or at least it was.

The last 3 years, I have been faced with the cold, hard, reality, that this entire career was NOT who I was. This is not who I am.

During COVID, I did what everyone else did. I created, I collected, I repurposed and anything that kept me from getting bored at home. I discovered something about myself. I was more than a mom, more than a wife, an educator, a researcher, a fixer. I found happiness in being all those things, but they didn’t make me happy. I went to Yarget, one of a few essential stores during quarantine. I bought Joanna Gaines cook books and I proceeded to cook everything in it. It took me months but with every recipe I cooked or baked, I learned what it meant to BE happy, not just FIND happiness. Creating something brought me joy, it infused me with peace and not just in a therapeutic way, but it made me crave this feeling of authenticity. I felt no obligation to an outcome, but rather rather a commitment to the process to get there. ANDNIT WAS ON MY TERMS, no one else’s.

This new found discovery sparked this permission I gave myself to be happy. Not find happiness. Do things that made me happy.

So, what happened after COVID? I went back to work, I dove back into what I do best, teach, fix teams, improve the student experience. And I discovered…I was miserable. So I quit.

I am now Vice President of Operations for a local small business and I feel more alive being in a space that I can see very clearly what makes me happy. Although I love creating, I want to help other people create, collect, repurpose, renovate and refinish things. Small business owners need support, trust, space to be authentic and grow. No one is doing that. No one is giving these business owners the things they need to be successful in their craft, to scale up, to be a part of a maker community.

Grit & Grace Market will be a safe, fun, positive place of growth, community, passion, commitment and authenticity. I’m so blessed to be on this journey and I hope if you’ve read this far….you’ll join me on this journey 🙂

Can’t wait to do all the things:)

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A part of my story...

I don't consider myself a DIY'er. I don't think of myself as creative. I build and make things I need and I want to enjoy the process, the thrill in the hunt for materials to make something from nothing.

This is a bench. And not just any bench, a counter height bench that I desperately NEEDED. Eating as a family is very important to me. We are an active sports family and sometimes dinner happens at 8pm, but no matter what, we eat together, whoever is home. This table is my dream table. I wanted a counter height table with 2 chairs and 3-4 benches. When I bought the table and chairs I couldn't afford to add the benches so I waited. As I saved to purchase them I couldn't help but think that it would cost me another $400 a bench to complete my dream dining room. So I did what any normal mom on a budget did...I watched YouTube videos and decided to build them :)

This was a labor of love, and honestly, one of my favorite things I have done in the house. Not because it's an incredible sturdy, beautiful piece and everyone who sees it, sits on it and compliments it. But because every time I see, I have a well-deserved moment with myself and say "damn Jill...you crushed it girl!". I truly love the bench because of the authentic and unapologetic, self-confidence booster I allowed it to give me.

The moments in your life should matter. Not for anyone else, but for yourself. Those moments are a part of YOUR story. No one tells that story better than you. What is YOUR "bench"? When did you have a deserving conversation with yourself that reminded you how awesome you truly are?

Grit & Grace Market is more than a vendor market. In fact, the more this becomes a reality, the more this picture gets into focus. This is about you and your story. Our small business owners and our customers. The products are a part of someone's story. The people who come to visit Grit & Grace, are coming to experience it.

So, there's only one thing left to say as we do this together...

Here's to all the things... 🥂

To everyone I’ve met so far and to the ones who will join us on this journey soon…I am truly thankful for you 🥰

Fun fact: I love chocolate ice cream, peanut butter anything and waffle cones. Stumbled across this yummy ice cream shop on our way home from the Washington County Antique Fair with my better half.

Good morning ☀️ ☕️

What an amazing human!! If you haven’t stopped by The Farm Store at Tiashoke you absolutely need to go and meet Jessica! Her energy is just as beautiful as her store. If you love all things antique, farm, homemade you MUST make the trip out! Check her out, go visit and make this a regular weekend stop.

What if people don’t buy my things? What if I don’t sell enough? What if my stuff isn’t good enough?

When we believe things that steal our joy, it seems impossible to take the risk.

Instead of “impossible”, add an apostrophe and start believing “I’M POSSIBLE”

You are meant to do great things, those are the truths that matter.

How beautiful is this?!

This week has been truly AMAZING! From planning out the space, talking to so many small business owners looking to scale up, I can’t tell you how excited I am! Wait till you see the products coming to Grit & Grace Market. And the stories behind the products are truly inspiring!

We have so much space still available! We are looking for and more !

Stay tuned for a special post this weekend!

Looking for all the things wood created, renovated and refinished. Wood crafters who make anything out of wood. Signs, furniture, refinishers, kitchen use and decor. Send them my way!

In the middle of the pain you didn't cause. The change you didn't want. Or the reality you didn't know was coming...your life can still be beautiful...with a little Grit & Grace