Patina White

buying some time

hey friends! since i am a little short on it. and it flies by. i am going to buy some time with a post of tried and true photos of show & tell past.

for those of you that haven't seen 'em. enjoy! and to you wonderful folks who have been tagging along w/ me for awhile...well..there's no time like the present for a good re-run! no need for a snooze button. somethings just get better with time. though you may tire of my "theme" before i'm thru!

 

so. i'm a big fan of clocks. and this one i made {below} for our mantle was officially the 1st piece of decor i added to our home even before the building was complete. and i don't see it going anywhere anytime soon.

 

 

we built our home {7} years ago. oh boy how...

during the construction process...i had a book full of wishes + sketches. high on the list was a full functioning entryway. so i was tickled that one wall in said entry lent itself to a family coatrack {below}. a spot each for hubby & i + our sweet girl, louie, has a leash spot {though i admit it's seen it's share of purses...and not her's either}...there's even an overflow spot for guest coats. {more purses}.

 

 

moving on from our home...let's get down to business. my business actually. and who can forget an all time favorite patinaWHITE staple? my wire "junk" wreaths {below} never stick around long at my shows. don't wait to grab one. tick tock...tick tock...you may have to wait til the next time i have them on-hand! 

 

and because...

...i best get back to my many projects @ hand. 

today's post has me wondering what price tag one could put on buying time? chances are pretty good there isn't a banker out there willing to finance that one for me! 

until next time! make it a great day everyone!

 

art defined

hello and happy monday to you! i am often asked if i am an artist when i explain what it is that i do for a "living". to which i use to pause & say "i guess you could say that". because it seemed to me that to be an artist your work should be on a canvas or sketch pad. not that i haven't been drawing for years. in-fact an artist is exactly what i wanted to be when i "grew up". or a vet. in which case animals became my main subject matter. as seen in a very early drawing i found of mine. {below} 

i couldn't think anything would be more wonderful as a job if it meant doodling w/ crayons. obviously a young boy named "jack" felt the same when you peek @ the old crayon "art" {below| i happened to find years ago... 

but i have learned thru the years that art can be in the form of many things. case in point. this past weekend i was a contributor of wares to a couple wonderful fund raisers for our community. friday eve found hubby and i @ the historical society keeping history alive event. {my last post shows my creation}. i went wanting to show my support of my town's history. not with the intent of bidding on a single thing.

there were works by many artists. many of them were a fabrication of something other than painting or drawing. RAGGMOPP was one of them. {below}

i had admired her quickly when i dropped off my necklace earlier. she was brought to "life" @ the hands of a talented gal...becca mccollum. created from a recycled goatskin collar + mink cuffs. her bio card said "ain't she sweet"? to which i couldn't have agreed more. and decided to jump in on a whim with a bid. that ultimately made her mine!

so now that i owned this piece of "art" i wasn't even sure if she would translate into our decor. i didn't quite fancy myself a teddy bear girl @ this stage of my life. til i found this picture {below} while digging for media for this post. i did this drawing 20 years ago. and finding it made me appreciate raggmopp all the more as her new adoptive mom.

seems my hubby was struck by the work of another artist. a gal by the name of paula shaugnessy. a piece that, once again, i thought was spectacular upon seeing it. but not something that i considered buying.

then the bidding starts. and "marilyn in glass" was on the auction block. the bids were a little slow when he looked @ me and said "bid on her"!

now i am a deep deliberator and thinker. rarely acting on impulse. but i threw my bid number in the air. not even knowing where the bid was @ much less where to end. when she reached the max hubby had allowed...i found myself caught up in the moment. exceeding his set amount suddenly wanting to "win" her. to which i did. so now we were the unplanned, yet proud, owners of this one of kind creation of past objects reinterpreted into a modern piece of "art". {below}

here again...i didn't think this creation would work into our surroundings. but after reading the bio on how she came about and looking @ her in an entirely different light...i bonded with our friend, "marilyn". again once again proving that art can be so much more than something a brush or pencil created. 

so if you asked me today what i do for a living. i can proudly say i am an "artist". but i will tell you that i refuse to grow up. and still appreciate a good round with a box of crayons!

thanks for peeking today & sharing my definition of art!

 

keeping history alive

hey there everyone! i know! {2} days of bloggin' in a row! can you stand it!? wish i could say it would happen more often but as mentioned in yesterday's post i have been tooling away on some big projects...and, well...i really can't wait to show this one off to you!

i recently came into possession of a book w/ a fabulous recount thru the years of a little town in northwestern minnesota called DETROIT. over a 140 years + name-change later {LAKES was added to avoid confusion w/ another city already with the namesake detroit!}...i am learning fascinating facts about the town i have called home for 25 years! 

so you can imagine how delighted i was to be {1} of the artists selected to create a work to benefit our local historical society thru a fund-raising event... keeping history alive ... 

we were asked to select items from our town's past and reinterpret them into an artful item of present! i believe i was one of the first enthusiastic people to view the items availabe. {3} tables FULL of objects begging to have a second go @ life! where do i start...and where do i end?!

decisions...decisions...

 

i really had to contain myself. and keep my hands in my pockets. i told the director, amy, they might want to do a bag search on me....not to mention "pat down"! it was all i could do to leave a few trinkets behind for the other artists! but i curbed my normal junker/hoarder tendencies & opted for these bits {below} 

 

a skeleton key...handstamp'd parking token from "back in the day"...plus snippet of a 1971 centennial newspaper encased in a free form heart ... came together {below} as a wearable trinket of detroit lakes past for present + future enjoyment! i named it IMAGINE NEW THINGS as a homage to the words showcased in my hand hewn heart!

 

here's the little bio card {below} i prepared to explain exactly what it was that inspired me as well as how i got to the end result!

 

i even took a cabinet card folder + rusty gear and re-imagined them for a display {below} i hope will be enjoyed by it's new owner beyond the event! 

 so if your travels happen to find your way to the village of detroit lakes...be sure to pop by the event! slated to begin @ 7pm march 23rd @ our historic holmes theater. an evening that is sure to be a fun & history rich time! i know i will be there. but don't bother asking where i might be incase i am not within eyesight. something tells me there is a table a leftover bounty waiting. and i plan on carrying a much larger bag this time! 

thanks for sharing some of my local history! 

seeds 2 sow

hello hello show & tell! i have been been juggling some big projects lately. some tasks more exciting than others {hmmm...should i make a fun new piece of jewelry...or...sort receipts for taxes?} well you can about imagine where my efforts go first. with the "not so exciting" tasks looming...i was starting to feel a little bit overwhelmed.

then i saw a quote. that made me stop & re-access my way of thinking. and i wanted to see it right under my nose every day. what better spot than my kitchen. can't think of a day yet that doesn't pert near start & end there! so...my chalkboard is now a constant reminder...

now when i am faced with...

...i take a moment to prioritize & look @ what needs to be done. focusing on small accomplishments then enjoying those seeds i have "planted".  

 

looking @ all the seeds i have sown lately...

...it's going to be one heck of a wheat grass harvest. {not to be the "judge" or anything!} 

go forth & plant your seeds my friends...and feel good about as few or many as you sow!

   

feelin' my oats!

hey there friends! happy start 2 the week to you! with temps nearly 40* higher than average for our area...i feel a little spunky these days. or as we liked to say growing up raising horses...i am feelin' my oats! and the recent find of some vintage stock of brass stampings spurred {no pun intended} me to create a necklace that...well...plays into my business motto of less than serious goods for self, soul and surroundings. so for ones sassy "self"...i put the "donkey" variety to use {below}. because some days..you just want to be. or maybe you know one. ahem...

ok. my intention here is to make you giggle a little. so i am going to continue with the theme today and show you some magnets i got in for the less than serious "soul"...

i lost part of the bottom magnet w/ my addition of the polaroid treatment. so incase you were wondering what enough coffee will do for you...well...let's just say you will RULE THE WORLD! 

now...time for the last "tail" of my less than serious post. that would be those items for our "surroundings". and a couple new arrivals were the perfect fit! i think dog lovers will chuckle when they see this one {below}

and finally. i always look for ways to use a spin on my NOW LATER NEVER approach to organizing the always present paper trail. so when i came across this fabulous combination of a trio of vintage drawers whimsically connected w/ a wild handle {below}...i couldn't asked for a more perfect solution! 

i prefer a light-hearted approach to my wares. so please know i want to bring a less than serious touch to your day. so if there comes a time that you need your very own "smart" necklace...kick up your hooves...and visit me @ the grand reopening of my cottage this memorial day. i'll have the oats waiting!

smile. it's contagious!

  

now i know my ABC's

hey there everyone! seldom i am hit with a case of writer's block...many of you know my tendency to ramble on. and on. and on. {oops...there i go!} and...definitely there was no blockage of ideas on my recent encounter w/ another kind of block. that'd be the humble wood alphabet variety. 

i found me some inspiration recently that brought out my arsenal of collected ABC's. i had a wide assortment like the faded ones you see {above}...plus some very bright ones like those {below}

there were also some flat, contemporary jobbies that made their way into a bag full i scored ages ago. there were only a handful. but enough to recreate a project i found using a favorite medium....

chalkboard paint!

pretty cut and dry. and you could do the same yourself...either "borrow" some from an unsuspecting little one's toy box...or track down some blank varieties of blocks @ one of the many craft stores out there! you'll be having your own FUN before you know it! 

story is far from over folks. the block inspirations continue. i saw a brilliant use of alphabet blocks that were reinvented. i took my own spin on it working in a bit of patinaWHITE style...and ended up with two works of whimsy i will be offering @ my shady hollow summer cottage!

 

w.of w. #1. {below}

 

w. of w. #2. {below}

two sayings i never tire of using in my creations. and they always seem to warmly received so i keep using 'em. just always looking for a new way to do so and i think i succeeded here!

so...stay away writer's block...and bring on more block creations. i still have a bucket that is overflowing with ABC's. and a word of advice to youngster everywhere. lock your toy boxes...i have a feeling they will soon be raided by inspired moms everywhere! 

create FUN!

 

she sells seashells

hello there show & tell friends! so glad you popped by for a visit! with some tropical-like weather moving our direction {ok...50's...but for march in minnesota...that is nearly flip flop material!} plus the string of my friends who have taken tropical get-aways recently...i wanted my own sandy toes experience. and since i am not heading anywhere south anytime soon...and the city beach is more of a city snowbank...i had to settle with a little beach addition to our bathroom. 

enter in an old kerosene stove {below} that has sat happily for years with nothing but my collection of colorful seltzers to adorn it.

 

 

@ one time a shallow enamel pan was married w/ the stove-top covering the hole where the burners once sat. this brilliant solution created a surface that didn't lend itself to much "decorating" though. until i had an epiphany brought forth by the enviable pictures of my friends playing on tropical beaches. i remembered the bag of playbox sand sitting in hubby's shop that i bought long ago for another wishful project.

so i am now content with the addition of some sand...stones...a few favorite shells...and the aqua fragments that were once a glass fishing float that met an untimely demise with the concrete sidewalk. i was so saddened by that discovery & didn't have the heart to throw the bits and pieces away. sure glad that i didn't. because i now have a playful spot {below} to run my fingers thru the sand...and spell out messages to my one and only. guess i will have to figure out something for my toes later!

 

 

so on the subject of sand. shells. love. i have an appreciation of victorian shell art...often referred to a sailor's valentine. tales are told of sailors @ sea creating tokens of their love for their ladies in waiting. how romantic. i have a few shell encrusted trinkets...this box {below} is not from that era but still a charming piece of folk art despite it's pedigree.

 

 

i've had my hand @ some shell creations thru the years. and though i wasn't inspired but romance...i was prompted for a pretty means to cover the kleenex box in one of our bathrooms. i will say this still was a labor of love...countless hours and glue-gun burns later and this was the end result {below}.

 

 

another laborious project. one that i can not entirely take credit for...is a shell specimen collection mounted to the nooks of an old printers drawer. {below}

 

 

i bought it as a work in progress that someone gave up on. and with so many blanks i decided to add my own little twist to it with the addition of vintage letters on one side...see close {below}

 

 

i wonder what half started {or should i say half complete?...half empty or half full?} projects of mine some lucky person will be blogging about picking up the pieces of down the road!? goodness knows i have my share of 'em! 

but not today's creation. nope. she's now a done deal. because w/ the intent of my sandy toes post in-mind...i wanted a pretty jewelry design to show ya all as well. that and beach baubles are always a favorite @ my shady hollow cottage. so i put together this lil' cluster {below} as a tribute to beach babies everywhere!

 

 

***UPDATE JANUARY 2013***  

greetings beach babies! 

i am glad that you thought enough of my exclusive design {sandyTOES} to hop over & take a peek here at my blog.

here's a little info on how i offer her outside my local business. i continue to make "her" in small batches as i can and offer them in my etsy shoppe thru releases. my etsy shoppe is NOT stocked until a release happens...but incase you'd like to follow my shoppe...please click the banner below. {as mentioned...no wares in it...but you can see my designs by viewing sold items. 

anywho...i will contineu to MAKE up my goodies & do invite you to pop by & LIKE my FACEBOOK page as that is where i will update w/ {sandyTOES} releases + others as well! you can find my facebook page by clicking  {HERE}.

again...many many thanks for sharing the love of sandy toes and happy day to you!

beth  

 

 

wishing you a wonderful day...wherever you may be!

the lucky leapster is...

time for my mid-week announcement of the PRIZE winner. i have to first off let you know that you all are number one in my book. i was thrilled to receive each & EVERY comment you all took the time to shoot my way. thank you for sharing the excitement and taking the "LEAP". sure wish i had an army of necklaces to send out there to you all. 

so...with that...  Joanie Myers is my lucky leapster! joanie...if you'd please shoot me an email w/ your mailing address {click on email "blocks" in the right column} i will hop on over to the post office and get your prize on the way!

again...thanks everyone for your visits and taking the time to enter. i hope that you all were inspired a bit to LEAP INTO LIFE...

until next time...happily yours...

free {4} all!

hello and happy monday to you! who doesn't love something that is free?? or nearly free in the case of my discovery this past weekend. i found myself meandering thru the aisles of our local antique mall. when a small table of merchandise topped w/ this sign {below} caught my eye.

i had to smile first off @ the idea of nearly free goods. then secondly @ the use of the miller beer sign holder. perhaps that was a "free" find as well?? anywho...i proceeded to sift thru the stacks of photos, books, cards and just about every + anything paper you could imagine.

and since i could challenge their collection with my ever growing assortment of my own "paper"....i refrained from grabbing the whole shebang & running for the counter. instead i opted for the muted old hardcover books. selection based mainly on colorways {below}

except for the shorthand book. not only was i initially attracted to the color...but when i cracked her open i seemingly had a way to finally break the code "script" that my hubby likes to call his "hand writing". he makes the scrawling of any doctor appear neat & exact! i thought eventually some of the pages would be charming on clipboards...or framed...but until then i will use it as my cipher.

i did immediately enlist the use of the other books. i like to use them for height, color + texture in displays - both in my home & shoppe. a couple made their way to a standing locker basket with a tiny set of wood bowling pins {below}. also known to some as "skittles". 

the rest of them went straight to my bathroom. i placed one in a giant metal clip...and used the remainder to raise the bouquet of tulips. everything is happily in place on a vintage hospital table when the next soak in the tub calls out to me! not too bad for nearly free!

hey! did you take note of the zinc lid flower "frog" i used for the tulips {above}?? that reminds me of another free {4} all. or at least a chance for {1} lucky gal! sure wish i had a necklace cluster to gift to each and everyone of you who commented on the leap year prize! which is STILL going thru the end of tuesday the 6th! so hop on over to that post...leave me a comment and you are entered into the mix! 

many many thanks for the wonderful comments and stories thus far! i look forward to those of you who would still like to share and also the reveal of the random "leapster" on wednesday the 7th!

til then...make it a great day!

what i wore...tickled pink!

greetings! with the onset of spring i couldn't help but introduce a bit of color into my attire the day i was gathering up potato baskets for my recent "lampshade". so here's a little peek @ what i wore...and then a bit of my usual wordiness to follow!

this occasion found me in a shirt by my always favorite...3J workshop. it was more of a pop of color than i normally wear. but once in awhile i like to break out of my usual earthy inspired palette. miss me jeans provide some interest w/ the heavy white stitching thoughout. with my potato basket fistfuls...i feel like i should be ready for the next easter egg hunt!

something else that tickles me pink is the fresh flowers i treat myself to this time of the year. these baby rosebuds were a mere five dollar investment. i have enjoyed their happy addition to our bedroom for days!

a found pocket watch was the focal point of today's baubles...i have a little story on that...but will revisit another day when the timing {no pun intended!} is right.

and finally. boots. big surprise right?! old gringo. another shocker. by now if you follow my what i wore segment you have probably figured out there are about {3} brands i am forever loyal to & this company is one of them. i thought the wine colored leather on the cactus style was a perfect compliment to my pinky ensemble! bring on the easter bunny! me & my baskets are ready!

* NOTE * NOTE * NOTE *

it would tickle me if you'd LEAP to my previous post...and enter for a chance to win a lil' prize i'm giving away! you have til march 6th so there is still time! good luck!