I bounced through the first years of my life in a hippie gypsy wagon, hand-built by my father, wandering the back roads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. My family eventually settled into a tiny cabin in the woods on property that was once inhabited by Native American Indians. I was named Serena Melegra Ume De La Luz – Serena was the name of the daughter of my mom’s friend and mentor, a member of the Klamath River Indians Tribe. Melegra was chosen for its meaning which is miracle. And Ume was a name spontaneously chosen by my dad, moments after he delivered me in an abandoned dirt-floored cabin in the woods where they had temporarily parked our gypsy wagon. She’s part you, part me, he told my mom.

I spent my childhood days searching for arrowheads, teaching myself to sew on a treadle sewing machine and to bake in a wood-burning stove, with no running water, refrigeration, or electricity in our home. My family lived frugally and early on, inspired by my parent’s thriftiness and style, I gained a knack for thrifty creativity and turning ordinary objects into something useful. And I dreamed of the home I would create for my own family someday.

Now I’m married to my husband, Colin, we’ve raised four children, and my dreams have come true. Along the way, I founded The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair and have written two books. (You can find my books here and here!)  I document my life as an entrepreneur, wife, mom, author, and Contributing Editor for Country Living Magazine here on my website, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.  I share more about my life story from time to time, here on my blog.