Patina White

needing an aqua intervention

happy monday everyone! i hope you all had a wonderful start to the holiday season & were able to enjoy time spent w/ friends + family...and of course feasting! i found myself enjoying some time shopping...not for tvs but good ol' relaxing junk. no crowds vying for the latest & greatest electronics. just me seeking out nothing in particular. until, of course, i viewed the "pile" on the check-out stand. everything had a seemingly similar quality. and that was color. i am very much aware of my tendency to gravitate to aqua. and you have probably picked up on it too. not to mention the comments from friends that my "bubba keg" of diet coke matches my jacket. both heavily laden in the hue.

time to "show" just what i am "telling" you about. it wouldn't be right passing by old ball jars that have irregular bubbles giving just the right amount of character. then i found a selection of fishnet floats in the exact same number of jars on the counter. i popped the floats on the jar tops to avoid them rolling away...only to discover i really like the look of them seen in my recreation @ home {below}

in recent years...i have pulled back the reigns on my ornament purchases. i am not lacking in this department in any shape or form. but this lil guy {below} fit my criteria....{palette, price, pattern} so i thought it would be the first newbie on my soon to be decorated tree!

moving along i spotted a tiny enamel pan. what's better than aqua you ask? mix in a another favorite color...white! that and being darn cute besides. and a $1. come on...how do you pass that one by? already put to use @ home holding a medley of typewriter keys {below}.

back to ball jars quick like. for my november event i offered for the 1st time these wonderful zinc lid conversions to make your standard canning jar into a soap dispenser. they were gone in a flash...but i am planning on stocking up again for next spring @ the hollow. of course i saved one for my very best customer {me} and put it to use by our sink {below}. next to a vessel of scrubbers. and yes, big surprise that i was able to find me an aqua one.

and even with patinaWHITE's event behind me...i am busy collecting + creating goodies, as mentioned, for next spring. this lovely {below}...case in point. from the burnished silver tone metal...turquoise like center & iconic cross dangles...she's got it going on! 

JUNK for JOY! and let the christmas decorating commence! a bulk find of rusty bedsprings reminded me of a project by a mastermind junk wiz...miss janet of the much missed junkdrawer. featured by another junkdrawer fan + blogger extraordinaire, mary @ vintage patina. i was so inspired by it to make my own version. one for me plus a few extras that found loving homes. i don't know how it happended that the pale shimmer of aqua all ended up on mine. {below}.

there are much worse vises i could suffer from i suppose. i am not aware of any support groups for lovers of aqua trinkets & diet coke. though the latter i have often wondered if i might benefit from! i still believe the world is a much prettier place with aqua. so i will continue to seek out the beautiful color in objects ranging from whimsical wares to workhorses. and you will likely hear about the best of 'em.

thanks for popping by & have a great day...

just b.

happy thanksgiving friends and family! i put together a little chalkboard w/ a collaged list of items i'd like to remember to "B". and though they seem obvious...i still like a visual tickler and wanted to share it today!

my lil "B" tells me that today i am especially grateful for the wonderful life i've been granted. the shortlist being those folks that love me unconditionally...a healthy body...a beautiful home filled w/ cozy surroundings...and that i just get to B me for a living! 

no time like the present to give thanks for all our blessings and remember those things you'd like to B. today...tomorrow...always...

sending heartfelt thanksgiving wishes your way...

easing into holiday decorating

hello hello! with the start of the holiday season well upon us our home is currently a mix of bountiful harvest with touches of winter magic. not wanting to bypass thanksgiving & all that we have to be thankful for...pumpkins mingle around our home with pinecones + evergreens. and with the exception of the frozen pumpks that remain outside...they "play" well together!

my dining table even has touches of seasons past with a lil chick feeder sprouting wheat grass. {below}. i never tire of a little green to brighten a gray winter day. but i am sure hubby would disagree...he has packed away the lawnmower and is ready to spring into snowblowing mode.

there's nothing quite as cheerful this time of the year than forcing paperwhites into bloom. and this is a process that takes some time...so my little vessels are lined with rocks & ready to do just that. a vintage ironstone compote below...

and on our mantle...some simple white mugs mingle among my matte white pottery collection. the green will add some contrast + texture providing some "BEAUTY FULL" holiday cheer!

i know the paperwhites look like onions now...but don't let 'em fool ya. in a few weeks time they should be clusters of fragrant glories something like these...

throw on your coat and follow me. on the carriage doors to my studio...an oversized evergreen wreath was brought to life with selected pieces of "junk". a rusty pulley with an always favorite star cutout was the perfect anchor to hold some skates. a saved sign letter in our namesake initial gives the whole thing some pop! and the rest is a mix of dried boxwood from last year and collected branches + berries. voila!

back inside again we go...where a glass implement houses some baby boos...i'm a huge fan of beakers, flasks & other lab vessels to accent our home with.

you may have picked up on this in the above photos...and if not here's a closer peek. our "tablerunner" is actually a vintage player piano music roll. it provides a quirky accent to my tone on tone white decorating.

so there you have some touches of my decorating for the season(s). i will be showing you some more of my transitions as they come about. i already am planning on hunting down the perfect blue spruce again this year. last year's search was like finding a unicorn...but i am determined! let's hope bill is up to the challenge of driving me to every corner of the upper midwest in that conquest!

thanks for stopping by today and i hope this finds you enjoying the start to the "most wonderful time of the year" as andy williams would say...

and i'd like to wish you a happy day!

what i wore...chilly minnesota day.

hey everyone...i needed something different to post about. and a recent conversation with a passionate customer led me to a website of an artsy gal who blogged about what she wore. sounds simple enough! so...i am taking cue from her & running with it. now...there will be days that i am more than certain i won't likely share the yoga pants + hats...but a recent addition to my coat collection {thanks 2 lisa...another fabulous customer} begged to be featured.

so here goes...what i wore. yesterday to be exact. no special occasion. just a chilly minnesota day, fabulous new jacket and loads of necklaces {wouldn't have it any other way}. 

and part deux here {below}

ok! so there you have it! really it is just a fun way to me to do a layout and maybe inspire you with some layering ideas...simple and short today. what will you be wearing next? 

have a great day all!

a LUCKY girl

greetings everyone! well the {2} weekends of the event are here & gone already! it was truly an amazing show! i may sound like a broken record but i just can't express enough my feeling of gratefulness for those of you who trekked out to shop...those of you who wish you could have & sent the warmest fuzzy notes ever...and the wonderful peeps near + dear to me that came back again & again to throw in a helping hand. {plus bowls of fresh salsa...thanks robin!} all of this makes me feel darn...

which got me thinking about just how many "signs" are tied to the word LUCK. one obvious icon would be that of a horseshoe as seen {above} in my signature JUNKDRAWER. and don't forget a personal fave...the star shape!

you know the old saying about finding a penny? well i took it to the next level...you don't have to scour anymore sidewalks with this number {below} around your neck! simply stamped on a vintage wheat penny...

maybe you find luck in numbers...which makes me laugh when i go to the post-office. my postbox number. think unlucky times two. yep...1313. oh well...guess i best keeping scouring those sidewalks.

i feel pretty lucky to have amassed a collection of sparkl'n baubles to use {or sometimes just keep...ok more keep for now} in jewelry creations. do you spot some signs of luck tucked in the box {below}?

not sure if this would be luck or a blessing. a random envelope that arrived one day when my "tank" was near empty. "can i really pull this whole shebang off" i was thinking walking to our mailbox? and look @ what was waiting. a sweet little card...just the inspiration i needed to shake me back to..."darn straight i can!" thank you mary...incase you read this! and i'm glad you liked your postcard!

the signs of "luck" continue....you can look for your lucky elephant {still wondering why on that one}. armwrestle siblings for that thanksgiving wishbone. maybe a rainbow? would lucky charm cereal count too? let's say they do for the sake of leprechauns + sweet toothed children {and me} everywhere! 

which leads me into a wealth of lucky charms i stumbled on. i've always loved vintage charm bracelets. but...i've never sprung for one. that is until yesterday. a day home relaxing i thought monday would be. no rest for the weary though...a spur of the moment road trip w/ hubby meant a stop @ a favorite antique haunt. i know...that is really a taxing day right? sitting in the car. junking. eating @ subway. but somebody had to do it! anywho...before i am distracted by the days "activities" any longer...this is what i found {below}.

what LUCK huh? and to think there is a clover and a horseshoe "spinner" to boot! tried to talk hubby into purchasing it for me for christmas. thought it would ease up on the pressure of what to get the girl who is "hard to buy for". {really?? just throw something rusty @ me!!} he declined. stating he already has a plan. this ought to be good. 

ok...the end on the signs of luck. i think it's enough just to believe you are lucky. and believe you me...i truly am! thank you everyone for making my passion to share & inspire a reality. i am {1} lucky girl!

happy day to you all!

the calm before the storm

hey everyone! one word....WoW! patinaWHITE's {1st} weekend was amazing! many of the details remain a bit of a blur! i really can't thank everyone enough for trekking out to visit...standing in crazy long lines + enduring the mad rush of excited shoppers each & every day!

it certainly has been a great topic of conversation! i had {1} gal come back not once or twice, but 3 times to tell me that she saw something new each visit! partly because she took the time to really peek each time, partly because i worked every evening & again in the morning restocking as many goodies as possible! and continue to do so this week for my 2nd weekend showing!

so enough chatter...thought i would share some photos of the "calm before the storm"! enjoy!

so there ya go! a little photo journey to wet your whistle! while some of the above goodies have made their way to new homes...many are still available for your perusing pleasure if you are planning a jaunt out my direction for the encore weekend starting this friday the 12th @ 10am. not to mention the items that have yet to make a premier appearance. you didn't think i was going to pull out the WHOLE dog & pony show the 1st weekend did you? 

so with that...consider this tuesday a day of less talk & more action. with the latter being what i will be springing into! here's a little tickler with more info too...just incase you want more details!

so again...a BIG thank you to everyone who visited! i look forward to seeing all the new faces & some repeat smiles again! 

make it a great day everyone!

it's almost time!

hey everyone! as my little composition {below} exclaims...TICK TOCK!

...it's almost time for my annual holiday studio event! the festivities commence on friday november 5th @ {5pm} for an evening soiree filled w/ so many fun goodies that i am giddy with excitement! so grab your girlfriends...

or maybe plan on meeting some new acquaintances that will be waiting...

 ...whatever the case may be...hop in your car...

...and make your way out to my country studio...located @ my home for a magical, one-of-a kind of shopping experience...

...because santa (or should i say mrs. claus??) & her elves have been very busy setting the stage with enchanting whimsies found + fabricated alike! 

you may just find the perfect gift for yourself + a special someone.

i should also mention that there will be some treats to tantilize your tastebuds (more like hot cider & sweet doughnut holes!)...

...which of course may thrill your children...who are always welcome! plus they can get ideas for their wishes to santa...

so get ready to see what all my hullabaloo is about! i can't wait! and even though i am a little lacking in the sleep dept these days...i do know that sugarplums are already dancing in my head!

thanks for peeking today...and i hope to see you all very soon! remember...i will be restocking + refreshening each & every day of my event. 2nd weekend included...because just like mary poppins...i want it to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious until the very end! 

happily your's...