Patina White

gone in 60 seconds!

hey all! this past weekend was glorious! the weather was sunny & the temps were moderate which meant a fun filled sunday @ shady hollow! nice days are an opportunity to create vignettes outside my cottage. as i brisked around setting up in anticipation of early shoppers, a gal stopped by & snapped up my favorite new creation! it never made it to showcase to all my shoppers! but she did allow me to nab a quick-like photo to show off here! i loved how the script letters popped off the chippy + glorious old door panel {below}!

and just like that...it was gone in 60 seconds! much like nicholas cage in the movie so appropriately titled! a few other items hung around a bit longer...but not much! like the fantastic "table" {below} which came about by flipping a giant fan shroud on-top a lonely frame! and those check out those chairs...ooooh...original colors faded just right. love those honies...

 

peace out! this recycled junk peace sign made it's way into another home. i do have some more "peace" to share this coming weekend! don't miss the bike too! i could happily hop on it & scoot around...flower basket and all!

 

when you have a shoppe a stone's throw from pelican lake...how can't you have a happy gathering of themed wares? the glass glitter anchor dangles from the weathered amish made barn star {below}...i love the unexpected! 

 

on the subject of goodies that found new homes...i have to give you a peek at a treasured find in my early sweep of the field vendors. these tiny toddler boots are so sweet i could kiss 'em! i can only imagine the sassy little one kicking around in them! now they will likely hold a bouquet of flowers & possibly make their way out to patinaWHITE in my upcoming cowboy feature! 

 

if you are in the neighborhood this coming holiday weekend i will have my shoppe open at shady hollow for {3} fun filled days of shopping starting this friday, july 2nd! i would love for you to swing by and see what you can snap up in 60 seconds. thanks for visiting...

...happy day to you!

porch perfect

hey everyone! i've been moving things around and "nesting" on our porch lately. can't let the finches have totally run of the house! thought i would show you a bit of what we love about our country home. (minus the mosquitoes!) 

maybe some citronella tea-lights would be in order per my last remark! this little wire caddy already had tiny pots lining it. so i added old glass insulators and tiny candles to provide a "glowing" accent!

 

porch perfect - long view {below}

 

& a short one featuring my favorite pair of aqua/white rockers. *sigh* love 'em...

 

i fancy this plant {below}. & of course the rusty pedal car...that goes without saying! (and yes...it is different than the one i showed a few posts ago @ the hollow...now you know why i had to part with that one!)

 

naps are good. and i like to take them on the settee {below} with my old faded red ticking. nothing like a cap-nap with the birds signing around you. even the scolding i get from the mama finch sounds wonderful!

snuggle into my vintage grain sack with original period stencil.

 

a castoff rescued from the dump {below}. that locker unit was the highlight of my day! worth the hike thru the muck to get it!

 

he's been hanging out for a LONG time {below}...

 

the fascination with powdery white antlers continues...mixed with starfish and aqua floats {below}.

 

a chair with an old burlap grainsack "runner" {below}. it's all about texture!

 

a little bit of whimsy...

 

and another "light"hearted touch...old tonka tires turned candle-holders.

 

paying homage to my nebraska rummage sale find...the victorian plantstand stately showcases my little windmill...tonka tire candle-holders + other nilly willy accents {below}.

lovely little iron implements gather below brilliant green/eggplant leaves.

 

now i'd like to think i am the queen of the house...but this little gal {below} stands near our entry. and she seems to have the bigger tiara of the two of us! i am perfectly happy residing as reigning princess for the time being. for now she is the queen of everything!

 

thank you so much for popping by my porch today! i think it is just the perfect place to hang out! birds, mosquitoes plus queenies alike!

make it a great day!

thrift store $ menu {got milk?}

hello everyone! i am highlighting a simple item that can be found in just about every thrift store. the other day i happened on a LARGE box full of clay pots & mingled in it were some nondescript milk-glass vases. at $4.95 for a whole slew of 'em i figure it was worth jumping on. and since there were so many it fits the criteria for my thrift store $ menu feature at an average of a quarter each! a fast...simple...and thrifty way to add some color & texture to your home. {below}

 

now i really am not "reinventing" this time...rather "enhancing" the simplicity of the clean lines of the milky vessels. a perfect opportunity to sprout a batch of wheatgrass! i filled up the various vases and a few clay pots (for contrast) with seed & about a week later ended up with a cheerful gathering on our table that looked liked this {below}.

 

so there you go! now be on your own "milky way" - scouring corners of thrift stores everywhere for your own thrifty repurposing! 

happy hunting!

happy father's day!

today is all about dads. i think the world of mine. he is a kindred spirit. he loves fishing. and ducks. plus has proven himself to be a most valuable "picker", scouring antique stores + auctions with his keen eye that knows a good piece of junk when he sees it. did i mention he is a fabulous cook? and can bake one mean pan of brownies. he used to race stock cars. and was in the navy as you can see in this shot {below}. he is & always will be someone i admire.

 

growing up i loved to draw. and dad was the recipient of many of my doodles. i don't know if these day i could top the work like that shown {below}...done when i was in kindergarten at the ripe ol' age of five.

i love hanging out with you, dad. i did back then (ahhh the weekends spent swimming @ the holiday inn) as well as now - enjoying every minute of our visits together. especially those times spent scouring around barns & junkyards in search of the rusty & crusty things i adore!

so to you, dad, a happy father's day. i wish i was there with ya in person...but know i am thinking of you. not just today but everyday! 

love you.

this little light of mine...i'm gonna let it shine!

hello show & tell friends! yesterday i happened to catch a glimpse of a photo op on our back porch...a fantastic pattern of light hitting my vintage watering can. it was created by the sun's rays passing thru the decorative back of my french "spring" chairs. (see those HERE). i am sure it has been cast there many times before, but then again, we haven't seen alot of sun lately so maybe i am just paying more attention! shine on!

 

well that sighting inspired me to cruise around the great outdoors and take a few more snapshots to share. everyday beauty at it's best. 

this crusty old european wall fountain (my hubby has another theory to what it might be) is propped in the same corner all year. i just swap out it's contents for the season which now happen to be cheerful annuals {below}.

 

recognize the little windmill {below}? yes...it's the find from my last post that created so much interest while on display @ patinaWHITE. i know...it's not nice to tease...but i really had to show off my prize! it now sits quietly on my porch. 

 

i like a "less than serious" approach to decorating. which is why i have mixed a collection of pitch forks with weathered gauges + a rusty car horn topped off with a glass fish float from alaska. all the above mentioned are showcased in a goat cart. who woulda thunk it?

i may have gotten a little too close for my own good...but luckily this busy bee {below} was docile in temperament and on a mission.

 

it wouldn't be a summer without the many wrens taking over my hanging porch plants as nesting headquarters. this mama bird is going to have her work cut out for her taking care of all these eggs {below}...then her soon to be young'uns.

 

last but not least...a pair of fence posts tops have been retired to lower ground in my flower bed. they are quite happy with their latest positions. although they might appreciate a winter somewhere away from a heavy blanket of snow!

there is great beauty in simple things...

if we only take the time to notice them.  

thanks for sharing this little light of mine...how will you let your's shine? 

some "shady" sightings!

happy monday everyone! incase you've been wondering what i've been up to these days...i have been in full swing @ shady hollow with the 3rd weekend open now under my belt. yesterday i actually found myself ready for action ahead of schedule allowing the opportunity to take some snapshots of my patinaWHITE shoppe before the crowds arrived! so enjoy these "shady" sightings...

you just never know what you might spy! here a junkyard rooster stands proud in a colorful gathering of goods for the home. {below}

 

on the farm subject - this little windmill {below} was a favorite find in my quick walk thru the flea market. unsure if i wanted to sell it i did set it out (unpriced)...which led to many inquiries about it...which led to me tucking it away to stop the temptation. i still have it. for now...

  

clouds blanketed the sky early in the day. but even the gray skies make a wonderful backdrop to something as fabulous as the "daddy" version windmill i also scored {below}. i didn't tag it until later in the day. and yes...it is still for sale. for now...

this cute shutter {below} now houses magazines. nothing better than something that was part of the outside of a home paving way to a new use inside a home! 

 

got stuff? then i've got solutions! i adore vessels that encourage a tidy table-scape. and look darn cute in the process. such as this STUFF divided basket {below}.

 

step inside my cottage for a minute won't you? & be entranced with the wide variety of artisan jewelry...bits & baubles to create a custom "cluster" charm necklace or a funky + chunky layered number. something for everyone. well...maybe not your guy...but he told me to tell you to buy an extra for yourself!

 

if not a necklace...how's about a ring with a whole lotta bling? i expanded my popular stretchy ring selection. and with most only being $10 you can get one for now and one for later. or if you are in the sharing mode they make a great gift - feel good...do good.

 

clip hangers mingle with my selection of authentic vintage typewriter jewelry. these creations have been a part of my business for over seven years. it was my first "toe in" to the start of my jewelry offerings! and look where it has taken me!

 

cheerful wheatgrass highlights a display {below} i sell both sprouted pots and/or a bag of seed to get you started with your own grassy goodness. you can juice it too. me...i'll stick to oranges. 

 

moving back outside...you will always find a fun selection of water themed wares. you can't live in land of 10,000 lakes and not have something beachy! this bright fish, vintage preserver and turtle {below} just so happen to fit the bill.

 

more function can be found in the many styles of coatracks i create. like the personalized number {below} or one of the many born from found objects recycled. come and "hang" out anytime!

 

and one more sighting @ my shady shoppe for today - a chance find of a rusty...crusty & glorious pedal car. oh i wanted to keep it. but i want to keep everything. which doesn't really make sense for a shoppe owner now does it? maybe i should run a museum. hm-mm...that's a thought. the detroit lakes museum of natural junk. kinda catchy. 

but anywho...back to the car. grand as it was standing alone...pop a colorful floral in it and it caught the attention of another discerning eye. that of a gal traveling with her girlfriend across the upper midwest. hitting nothing but flea markets. now that is a good time! i wish they would have had room for me! i would glady sit in the back bed of the truck. and i would be as happy as a bird with a french fry! especially if they really did toss a morsel or two my way now and then! so my beloved rusty lil four wheeled friend hit the road back to montana. oh yes...maybe you would like to see what all my rambling was even about! well wait no more...

so when can i expect to see you? i will be waiting...with more goodies to show   (i mean sell) for the summer season. thanks for popping by today. i hope you enjoyed the shady sightings! 

make it a great day...

thrift store $ menu {letter rip!}

hey all! a month ago today i featured a thrift store find reinvented. (click HERE to peek incase you missed it!) holy smokes how the time flies by! i never meant for it to be a month hiatus on this topic...but here goes with the latest!  

my goal in starting this segment was to find something for under a buck. thus the title thrift store $ menu! though it can be a bit of a challenge to hit that price point these days...this little guy {below} only set me back one shiny quarter. 

 

it was a canvas waiting to be transformed! the blank top begged for something artsy to top it off...and back @ the ranch there were some metal letter stamps just itching to make their "impression" on that naked blade.

so i dove into the depths of my cupboards in search of elements to make a cheery statement. here is what i gathered together {below} to do just that! paper flowers, a prized container of vintage watch faces plus some letter scrap with delicate handwriting.

a snip here...a blow of the hammer there...plus a sparkling rhinestone atop a watch face mixed with a little resin for a forever display and voila! a re-purposed letter opener ready to LETTER RIP!

just shows you that it doesn't have to be a BIG project lot to unleash your creative powers! all for the cost of some pocket change! 

and to quote my recent farewell to a pair of high-spirited gals inspired by a visit to my patinaWHITE cottage..."GO FORTH AND CREATE"! just be sure to use your powers for the good of all crafty chicks worldwide!

a bit of a late bloomer

greetings everyone! with the start of the shady hollow market season on it's way...i had a bit of opportunity to play catch-up this week. which involved finally accenting our home with the spring plantings that bring our house to life! with our early spring + warm weather lately, i feel as though i am a bit of a "late bloomer"! better late than never as the saying goes...

please join me for a few glimpses of the flowers and plants that cheerfully surround our house.

hello mr. peony! i have been waiting for you. i long for your visits each and every year...i wish you would learn to stick around longer though!

the early stage of my front window box {below}. i never have a plan for annuals. i just grab the prettiest white & pastel fleurs i spy then hope for the best!

a tidy little wire basket (a patinaWHITE favorite!) temporarily houses seedling geraniums {below} until i have another opportunity to plant. i think they look darn cute in the meantime...

baby tears wait patiently to be toted out to my shoppe in a vintage galvanized berry basket. i can't tell you which i adore more - the happy little greens or the fabulous vessel in which they sit! i won't play favorites today...love 'em all!

single white urn seeking single white plant. must be larger than life and ready for a whirlwind summer romance! i'd say this was a perfect pairing {below} from the plant "personals".

airy ferns frame our italian chandelier {below}. they are a subtle but welcome addition to our porch providing some much needed texture + a home for (3) nesting wrens! those feathered friends wait every year for the hanging of the porch plants to start their families!

i'm in love....the bleeding hearts are BEAUTIFUL as always. mother nature never ceases to amaze me!

 

and what would plantings be without an appropriate plant stand? well my friends...hold onto your hats because i stumbled on the ultimate solution on my recent travels to the cornhusker state of nebraska! 

long story short...garage sale sign w/ ANTIQUES added to it. ok...they got my attention. back to my dad's house i go to grab him and check it out. had to share the excitement! upon arrival to garage sale, the glint of rusty chippy wonderness catches my eye. i nearly tucked & rolled out of the moving vehicle to run to it! though this gal knew she had something special it was still a bargain & i wasn't leaving the state without it. now remember - i drive a mini cooper. this piece is definitely far from "mini" size! i pulled the "act now and think later" routine. on the drive home i can tell my dad isn't quite sure about his daughter and her excitement over this "find". also he is wondering where he is going to store it as there is NO CHANCE that thing is going into my car. well...where there is a will there is a way. a little work on some rusty bolts & we were able to break things down into a more manageable size. after some pushing, pulling & shoving (literally!) i won the battle. and lost the use of my front seat! good thing i didn't have a passenger on this trip. they would have been hoofing it to the nearest greyhound terminal! so there you go. chance DISCOVERY + DETERMINATION = GLORIOUS plantstand sitting in my yard {below}.

did i say long story short? i meant long story longer...no surprise if you are familiar with my ramblings though! and there you have it! it's ok to be a late bloomer...especially if the end prize is a victorian plant stand such as the one i am so very passionate about!

have a great weekend everyone...and don't forget...shady hollow is open this SUNDAY for your shopping enjoyment! there are so many goodies to peruse & i may have a story or two (or three..) to share!

shoppe 'til you drop!

did you hear that deep exhale? that would be me releasing a great big sigh of relief! the first weekend of shady hollow is under my belt & my shoppe is officially open for summer! there were moments of worry..."will it be fabulous enough?...will there be people out & about...and...will i be able to get a bag of kettle korn?" the answer to all {3} questions was "i do believe so...yes, by the boatful...& yum!"  

first off - i'd like to thank my web of wonderful peeps that made it happen....patient friends & family telling me everything would be great plus throwing in a helpful hand! and of course a BIG thank you to the crowds of cheerful faces stopping in to say hello & see what was new! your excitement truly feeds my fire. i wouldn't be where i am today without you all! wait...where was that again?? (still catching up on my sleep)! but really...from the bottom of my heart....THANK YOU!

so what exactly can you find @ my little cottage tucked among the trees at shady hollow? well i'd like to think i offer a mix of thoughtfully gathered +lovingly created wares that will bring a smile to your face. a combination of the old with the new for a balanced family of "less than serious goods for self, soul & surroundings". 

you'll be seeing stars...unique decor to enchant your home & garden!

 

be sure to step up to the counter and dig thru the treasure trove of jewelry baubles + trinkets...something for everyone!

 

cast-off what-nots come together to form an unique & artful statement...

 

silly...sassy & sentimental cards...magnets and 'lil gifts for all occasions!         how sweet it is!

 

the above is just a teeny-tiny scrape of the surface of what you may find! now i have to quick-like share with you some of the goodies i found....shady hollow is part artisan community - part flea market. you get the best of both worlds! plus don't forget mexican food fare and of course...ketttle korn, snow-cones and candied almonds. not to mention the plants, caricatures + occasional entertainment. OH MY! it truly is like a circus! more fun than you imagined!

there i go...off track already! can you tell i am passionate about my summer "home"? back to business...though i only scored a handful of treasure...i thought they were quite fun none the less!

this apron {below} caught my eye with it's blue graphics and rumpled cotton. i know...who else would be excited about an old penny nail pocket?! i snapped it up and wore it proudly all day as a catch-all for my pens + chicken scratch notes! i did not, however, wear the tulle skirt and bustle that my scantily clad manni has on!

 

a little color does a patinaWHITE girl some good. my solution was these softly faded bandanas {below}. and can you really have too many aqua blue ball jars? (not a question to be directed at my hubby please).

 

one word. FREE. yes...FREE. that was the price of my prized tractor {below}. i believe it's the thoughtfully recreated wood wheels that were the sinker for me. 

 

and talk about service! a vendor who just so happened to know what i adore brought a boxful of these brilliant, old crystals to my cottage to see. sometimes it's hard for me to sneak away and shop. so they have started bringing the goods to me. love that...love them & love these {below}!

 

are you ready to shoppe 'til you drop? well then click HERE for a calendar of the exact dates we are open! that will direct you to my website that is meant to be inspiring and informative! the summer is young and my mind is full of ideas to share! i hope you can pop by real soon if you are planning a trip to my neck of the woods! otherwise keep tagging along my show & tell for the next best thing to a visit!

happy day to you!