EP139: Using Power Tools To Become Empowered In Your Second Half with Shelly Leer

Shelly Leer has been taking apart furniture and rebuilding it for over 20 years. Her familiar voice and easy-to-follow projects have worked their way through the hands of creators from novice to professional. A graduate of Butler University, Shelly holds a B.S. in Education with a concentration in Textiles and Design. 

Today, HomeRoom is the studio home to her courses and workshops, and provides a creative space for an expansive student base who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and do satisfying work. And what she loves most now, at age 65, is helping midlife women learn skills and power tools to build a better 2nd half.

In this episode, Shelly openly talks about her major life transformations, including the devastating obstacles, from death to betrayal to divorce - they run the gamut - that she’s had to overcome to grow as a person, and how they’ve helped her become stronger and clearer with her intentions.

She also talks about how, earlier in her life, she departed from her creative side, got trained as a paralegal and worked at one of Indianapolis’ largest law firms before she returned to her true passion of furniture design and upholstery..

She's had projects featured in The Huffington Post and her upholstery classes have been featured in Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. She's been a DIY project contributor and writer for HOUZZ.com, as well as having projects featured in Country Living Magazine, BobVila.com and others. In the late 1990's, Shelly designed and created a line of children's furniture and accessories for one of the first online children's furniture websites, PoshTots.com. 

Shelly has also co-authored three books for Curbly.com; Make It: Mid Century Modern, Make It: Secondhand Chic and Make It: Hardware Store Chic AND her first book, “The Little Upholstery Book-A Beginner's Guide to Artisan Upholstery” was published by Schiffer Publishing.

Shelly’s spent time working for British furniture designer and upholsterer Paul A. Howard where she learned the nitty gritty of the custom upholstery business. She went on to become a trailblazer in the rescue, repurpose and rehab movement as she upcycled and flipped furniture before the market understood the value of saving old furniture. 

The idea to “teach what you know” led Shelly to teach sewing and design at a housing facility for women and children who had fled domestic abuse. She witnessed firsthand how the process of creative planning and expression can become a valuable tool in confidence building and healing.

Students travel from all over North America and Canada to participate in Shelly's monthly Upholstery Bootcamps. Beyond practical upholstery skills, her classes and workshops have provided a hands-on respite and refreshment for seekers of creative renewal. Her online classes were developed to meet the growing interest and demand for the diminishing upholstery programs across the United States and the world. She’s recently added workshops to teach women how to use power tools for DIY repairs, as well as to build their own small furnishings.

Click on any of the links below to learn more about Shelly, her programs and connect with her:

Website: https://thehomeroomshop.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upholstery_club 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/home_room_shop

Facebook Group: HomeRoom School of Upholstery and Handcrafts

If you'd like to connect or reach out to ME, you can find me at:

Website: https://www.notyouraveragegrandma.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurieColvinWright 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/not_your_average_grandma 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NotYourAverageGrandma 

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