Patina White

new beginnings

hello show & tell friends!

this time of the year finds me in the process of collecting + creating wares to showcase to all you fellow shady hollow shoppers! new season...new beginnings. what better way to talk about new beginnings than highlighting some butterflies. they are an excellent symbol of just that! 

you'll see {below} a close-up of a treasured artsy paper wreath that recently "fluttered" my way. one word. stunning. 

i have commented before how i am fortunate to work w/ a handful of skilled artisans to bring a variety of baubles to patinaWHITE's round-up. i started carrying actual butterfly wings encased in meticulously hand-cut glass. here's one {below} that is the single wing variety. the colors are breathtaking.

an always recognizable monarch wing {below} is accented with darkened metal trim. the wood sign it rests on will also premier this may! life is good.

for those of you wanting a statement necklace. look no further. this full set of "wings" {below} will do the trick. mother nature @ her finest! 

if you prefer something w/ a bit more sparkle...look no further! the selection of fashion forward accessories will be @ an all time high this spring. i have discovered some over the top trinkets for everyone's tastes...spread your wings & fly w/ this cutie {below}.

1 final "show" of the day. now let me "tell" you about it. old ceiling tin {below} is set forth into a 2nd lease on life w/ the addition of a mirror. i've made 'em in the past & wanted to bring back these tried & true accents. layered w/ the paper wreath from above...the grouping shouts new beginnings all the way around! 

to end today...an inspiring thought...

the butterfly counts not months but moments...and has time enough.

i look forward to the "moments" when i can share more wares to enchant your home & garden! thanks for popping by!

monkey see...monkey do! {nesting instincts}

happy monday everyone! another start to the week is here yet again! and though it still seems like a distant thought for us northern minnesotans...i couldn't help but show a little dash of hopefulness by bringing out my welcome spring collage box. {below}

there is another accent in the above photo that was result of a recent project i saw in country living magazine {april 2011 pg 53 to be exact}. and this crafty creation was also the inspiration behind a new category for my blog - monkey see..monkey do. with this new addition i hope to find projects that are put out there to spark our creative minds. and then share them with you! so...with that...

monkey see...

monkey do!

and "do" again. this time with aqua shred by my own hand. with the aid of rit dye. you want to get looks from your loved ones?? start dying newspaper...then "drying" it in a warm oven...followed up by a visit to the paper shredder. yep. they're gonna look. and probably whisper. but that's ok because it will be worth the result! {below}

also well worth it was the photo op for this post. which required me to fish out the tucked away stash of jelly belly cold stone creamery flavored jelly beans. of course a present photo would show way fewer in the bowl! ice cream flavored candy?? need i say more?

plus "do" one more time! the same aqua nest is stacked with a newspaper version {below} that i dyed in coffee. here's a hint. don't waste your time dying it! after the dip in the glue bath the color was nearly lost. oh well. the coffee smelled good "baking" @ least!

i hope you've enjoyed the little works this monkey "did". are you ready to run to the recycling bin & grab that sunday newspaper? or maybe you have a dip bath of your preferred rit dye color already brewing! you will be "do"ing your own nests before you know it! be sure to laugh off any naysayers. they will get it in the end. or @ the very least enjoy some treats from the new candy "dish"!

now i'm off to find me my banana...

{W.ork i.n P.rogress} still rolling

hey there! ok. where in the heck has {1} month gone? because that's how long it's been since i gave you a glimpse @ a project i was starting. you can click {HERE} if you need to review. that was then and this is now {below}.

gone is the orange interior...swapped out for a much more complimentary shade of charcoal. and for those of you wondering. it is dutch boy * purist collection * catalyst steel. my new favorite shade.

i am still rolling on the organization gig. though it may seem my "wheels" are a bit squared off at times. i do love organizing. it just takes me a bit to get inspired in the process. which is why i am finally making up binders {below} for the plethora of paper snippets...articles + photos that i have clipped & saved for years. now that is another W.i.P.!

famous last words....NOW*LATER*NEVER. i stamped up some little key tags to suspend from these storage boxes {below}. i have a feeling i may need to create more NEVER boxes!

and a glimpse of the entire composition {below}. the trolley roll sign that sparked my mind & got the ball rolling has to be the crowning glory. or maybe it's the giant sign letter S? gee. i even like the tiny zinc mossy pots. a chippy white cupboard doesn't hurt either! ok. i am thrilled with it all!

i intend on keeping things rolling in this room. with a desk...storage file + side chair project to keep me plenty busy. now....i hope to continue to show you more later. with never not being an option!

enjoy your day!

a toy story

hello show & tell friends! happy monday to you all! the other day on a quick cruise thru the local antique mall i spotted a pair of ponies {below} that took me back. and for a mere .75 each i couldn't resist scooping them up. a small price to pay to relive some moments of my youth!

these playmobil figures were dated on the bottom circa 1974. which made me think....i found these in an antique store....so does that make me antique? or maybe the more political correct term...vintage?! nah. age is a state of mind. some days i do feel my "mind" more than others though! 

another toy story happened my way this weekend. i ran into one of my favorite teachers...mr eisland - junior high art instructor to be exact...@ the grocery store. knowing my passion for art & also keen on the fact i am a fellow collector...he wanted to share with me one of his finds. so we set up a meeting that happened this morning at our favorite caffeine shoppe. (fancy way of saying gas station)!

he fished from his backseat a little basket full of thoughtfully hand-carved animals. primitive in nature yet full of charm...i smiled @ their silliness. he asked if i would consider selling them @ shady hollow this summer for him. i agreed & brought them home wanting to share them with you all! so here they are now {below}...just waiting for the right "ark" to take them home!

i have to say i am particularly found of the penguin {below}. hopefully he isn't mysteriously "separated" from the pack when the time comes to pass them on! though i wouldn't want to be the one to break up the happy family.

i'm pretty sure we all have toy stories that take us back to childhood. maybe this will get you thinking about the days when the biggest thing we had to worry about was how many trips up & down the sidewalk we could make on our bigwheels. and remember that to take time to play. it will do our "vintage / antique" hearts & minds some good!

yours forever young...

 

an irish blessing

happy st patty's day friends! 

even though i don't have a lick of irish in me i do find the ever present pops of green & happy irish spirit refreshing. {not to be confused with irish spirits...which i am sure many do find refreshing}. 

there will be no warranted pinches coming my way today...as i am outfitted in MANY shades of green! surplus army jacket anyone??

just the other day i picked up the most cheerful little pots of "green" you will see! though not pots filled with money....they still make me happy looking @ them. the variety incase you are wondering...selaginella. say that one fast three times over! and if you can wait a little bit i will be offering them @ shady hollow for the grand reopening weekend! here before you know it!

and to end for today...i am going to throw out a few of my favorite "lucky" charms and an irish proverb {below}.

irish blessings...from this "irish inspired" gal!

50¢ finds

hello all! here's a tale about some recent finds i made. every item was 50¢ in cost. quite a bargain by today's standards. just think...what can you really buy for 50¢? i think the play $$ {below} was even more than that!

50¢ might land you enough fuel to get you to the end of your driveway. hows about a 1/3 of a pack of gum? or 1/2 a candy bar...if your lucky. point is...you'd be hard pressed to find anything worth noting @ that price point. until now! 

a good place to score 50¢ finds is a thirftstore. i always pickup well worn baseballs + softballs when the opportunity arises and the price is right. {like the example below}. the ink doesn't lie...

not terribly thrilling sitting there all alone...i know. but there is strength in numbers. it may take a quite a few "fifty centers"...but a you can create a whimsical grouping like mine {below} that fill a vintage glass funnel.

on the same day i also found a stack of wonderfully colored metal trays {below}. now i may be cheat'n a little here...they were 50¢ each...but sold in a stack of 8. so ya got me on a technicality. still well worth it!

did you note {above} the little glass "soldiers" lined up in the corner of the tray pile? again...they were 50¢ a piece. i bought 4 one day & returned the next for the balance. {i know...big investment....had to sleep on it}. i put them into action immediately filling their empty voids with stashes of this-n-that {below}.

the final find of my outing was a little cross...made from square nails {below}. interestingly it was hanging from fishing line outfitted w/ some tackle. i thought it was quite a "catch".

that's alot of fun for a little investment! i challenge you to see what goodies you can turn up for a mere half dollar. and a half-eaten snickers bar doesn't count! thanks for peeking...

make it a great day!

bright eyes

greetings everyone! i am often asked where i draw my inspiration from. largely i am inspired by the excitement + energy of you all {and for that i thank you!} sometimes it might be something i saw out & about. and often it happens with items that surround me everyday. 

case in point. out and about. i felt the need for a pop of color. & since the flowers are still a distant thought for this minnesota girl...i decided a simple solution would be some new eye shadow. a H.I.P shade - short for HIGH INTENSITY PIGMENT...so you know i mean business! these hues reminded me of some peacock feathers i had tucked away. waiting. so i unearthed them to look @ them in a different light. here's a peek {below} @ the very "bright eyes".

now for the inspiration that was right under my nose. these are a part of my colorful seltzer bottle collection {below}. here again the coloring was like it was plucked right from the majestic bird's tail! 

i've been looking @ this vintage 5 & dime tote for days now as it's part of my office overhaul/organizing project. but on this occasion i took a 2nd glance at the swirling pattern & again...colors....that were reminiscent of my "feathery" deliberations. THEN as i plopped it down to do my photo shoot...it landed on yet another project in the making...THAT also sported some feathery texture {note the fabric}. funny how things just started clicking in the 'ol noggin.

i know...i know...where in the heck i am going with this right? well before i lose ya {if i haven't already} here is how the "eyes have it" now! a bauble created w/ that exact feather shown above. encased under a gleaming vintage chandelier prism. and check out that chain. yep. had it forever. again waiting for the perfect project. which i do believe it found!

so hopefully my inspirations continue today w/ inspiring you! you may just be surprised @ how you look at one of those "everyday" objects hanging out in your own surroundings! to which that would...

...color me happy! 

what i wore...military moment

hello hello show & tell friends! a day spent puttering on projects around the house calls for a casual & comfortable getup. in my book that would happen to be camouflage! i have no fewer than {3} pair of camo pants in my closet.

i love the juxtaposition of...

★ faded military inspired fabric

★ antiqued nailheads +

★ glitzy swarovski crystals on those shown here {below}.

care for more details? then read on my friends...

starting clockwise top left.

- the belt was a find years ago from abercrombie & fitch. a time when they still let me in the door.  i may have to brave the heavily perfumed surroundings and young'uns working there since i still adore their apparel. 

- the whole enchilada. that reminds me...it's getting close to lunch...moving on.

- glorious graphics. the back of the hoodie by 3J workshop is emblazoned with a colorful character...and squint your eyes for the details of the miss me cargos.

- if you are in the market for some comfortable yet ruggedly stylish boots...might i suggest checking out these crushed leather harness boots by x-element. they are already" broken-in" right "out of the box"!

- lastly on the list...but not least...the ever important "tangle" of necklaces. i must thank shelley in sc for this term. it's my favorite new reference to the abundance of baubles necessary to make my ensemble complete.

now before i start to get "fatigued"...i must find me that enchilada. and let the puttering continue. thanks for popping in!

wishing you a wonderful day!

sassy pup

hey everyone! i grew up a country girl on the farm & for as long as i can remember i've had a soft spot for animals. all but my arch nemesis, leonard, the naughty rooster that is. and even he was a grand bird. just darn grumpy. i learned to look twice before entering the barn or hen house when he was reigning king.

anywho...i think that's the big reason i still enjoy the company of {4} legged friends today. all my kids have had four feet. current girl included. she would be lucy {aka louie}. you all may have seen her in previous posts. i think she's pretty darn cute. but mom's always thinks their babies are the cutest!

when new frames arrive for patinaWHITE i like to add a complimentary photo for display. and such was the case when these amazing collage wood frames {below} came to my doorstep. lucy was the perfect model. {of course}!

since louie was a rescue hound....i like to continue to try & make a difference in an animal's life by contributing to our local humane society. so i stamp'd up a number of sassy charms {below} to be auctioned off @ a st patty's event to the lucky mom of a lucky pup!

like i mentioned above...goodies continue to flow in for patinaWHITE. the season kicks off this memorial weekend @ the shady hollow and i can't wait to have those of you who can visit stop by! i got in a couple "pup" hooks. they just "begged" to be spiffied up a bit so i adorned them with some vintage letters {surprise!}. now they are just right for your pooches neccesities. as you will see here lucy's leash and bucket of balls + treats are always close @ hand!

with that this sassy pup post is coming to a close. please take a moment to give your furry friends an extra pet today. and save a little affection for your {2} legged loved ones too. wouldn't want anyone to miss out on a good belly rub! thanks for stopping by!

peace ☆ love ☆ pets