Patina White

dear john...

hello hello show & tell! i am writing a dear john letter today...because i have put away my tool box, paint brushes + cleaning supplies and am happy to report that my "master disaster" is finally finished! that disaster was the vanity in our master bathroom that turned into a much bigger project than i had dreamed it would be. 

right about now you'd think i would show you the finished project. but there's a reason i'm holding out. and though i can't say why or what...just know that you all will get to enjoy the fruits of my labor...guess i can't even share a when with you either! remember that absence makes the heart grow fonder. ok...i've said too much already. moving on...

i would like to share with you a view of our toilet though! or some would say "john"..."biffy"..."commode"...you get the picture. i know...i know. show you my toilet?! really...is that the best you can give us, beth? well...i'd like to think the porcelain "throne" can be quite decorative.  the addition of a partial piece of a windmill tail + metal alliums {below} really made this "work zone" industrial fabulous!

 

 

next...i am highlighting another bathroom necessity! yep. toilet paper. there's something you won't see on every decorating blog or magazine. infact i am willing to bet there is little homage paid to this staple! well in my corner of the world if you've got to see it...it better be eye pleasing. i continued on with the industrial flavor w/ an expandable pipe apparatus for lack of a better term. and when i discovered that giant tissue rolls stack perfectly inside it's walls....i was ready to squeeze the charmin!  i think even mr. whipple would be impressed!

 

 

i'm pretty sure you could add a little vessel of fresh flowers to any ordinary object and make a statement! which is what i happended to do here {below} with a ball jar and assortment of happy blooms! and before i forget...the metal "cage" around the rock filled glass vase is really a former rodent trap. yes...you can officially say i have lost my mind @ this point. but it's really quite cool! {and clean thanks to a good power washing!}

 

oh what the heck...since i'm on a roll..how about a repeat of all the above features with the main floor powder room the area of focus?  well then...if you're still with me...here we go again! this time a gathering of dark oil paintings takes stage. a bit more "girly" if you will...than upstairs.

 

and in an effort to do mr. whipple proud with my very public display of t.p. ...this time i have piled up rolls in a locker basket. {below} there has never once been a scuffle in our household about replacing the roll of toilet paper! now landing back where it belongs...that's another story...

 

not to deviate from today's "format"...i put some cheerful stems in a glass vintage cottage cheese jar {below}. i bet the milkman didn't see that one coming!

 

 

well i guess that brings me to the end of this dear john letter. since usually they are intended to bid someone farwell that is exactly what i will do! but i will not be "gone" for long! just until the next time the moment is right. or there is a roll of toilet paper worth mentioning!

make it a great day everyone!

office ree-doo re-vealed!

happy monday everyone! ok...i know it's late in the day but it's still monday! and i said i would reveal my office redo so here we go! are you ready? i am! because i am talking a project that has been put on the back burner for many moons. so it's with great excitement i present my office with a "shady" past...and a now bright looking future!

come on in!

have a seat if you like!

there's a big {smile}on my face right now...

..brought forth by all the little details that have finally come together...

i am sitting in this very spot right here {below} clicking away on my keyboard...

and i've got my week figured out. or @ least the highlights {below}!

as seen from my perch {below}...i kept the "window treatment" simple. i felt it was "key" to not block the view.

a grouping of loved ones {below} keep me company...

and incase i feel the urge to procrastinate on my filing...{which i am doing by the way}...i can always scribble on my "slate" canvas {below}

i set my standards high...

or should i say the STANDARD brand stamp holder is now high on my custom created cubby unit {below}. you might remember the re-purposed window now hard @ work!

open sesame. my second computer {AND printer} i can't let go of has a hidden home now!

last year 'bout this time i showed you this cabinet {below}.

where i painted the orange interior and started the process of sorting + organizing that still continues today. and tomorrow. and so on...

incase you missed it...here's the belly of the beast {below}

and another collage of this-n-that {below}. the crowning glory of the room would have to be the globe light encased in chicken wire. just right for my little hen house! thanks rejuvenation hardware!

2 days. 2 cans of "fast acting stripper" {they lied} + 2 bags of steel wool later and i FINALLY got the black, yellow & drab olive paint off my steel rolling cart. with the added element of vintage yardsticks & office implements....it rolls out from it's hiding spot under my desk to lend a hand when i need a bit more work surface! a real labor...now love!

have you picked up on my fondness for vintage office supplies? old staplers, wire bins, paper punches...the list goes on...love 'em all! not to mention the many metal containers {like this one below}!

is that the phone i hear??

good thing this space is right around the corner from our bedroom. 'cause i have been working on this reveal post since the early hours of the day! i may very well crawl on over there for a nap!

with that being said...i hope this was all worth your time! now i will let the retired time card holder & old school flashcards finish out this post! 

got some feedback? would love to hear it! becuse your comments make my day! according to my DON'T FORGET list on my corkboard...i have plans of blogging later in the week. now i best be on my way to figuring out exactly what that might be! thanks so much show & tell friends for sharing this special space with me!

honey...where do you want the cabbage?

hey everyone! i have to chuckle @ the post title. because i can still hear the innocent inquiry my hubby directed at me a few weeks ago. an outing to the greenhouse yielded some fabulous foliage to do a little fall decorating with. the name of said specimens...kale...but i must say they do bear a strong resemblance to cabbage!

besides that little snafu...i absolutely love that my other half knows exactly what i mean when i say i am cold & need my eiderdown...he faithfully will fetch it from the closet. or that we can pass a cool old farmhouse w/ period details to which he exclaims "look @ the corbels on that place"! and of course when i say i want an apple...thus begins a city wide search for honeycrisp, jazz or my new favorite sweet tango...cause no ordinary red apple will do!  

that being said...those "cabbage" worked their way into my harvest decorating recently. so i thought i would share a little "corner of my world". harvest style! here is our window box {below} that i transitioned from summer flowers to fall delights...

and my fall touches here and there wouldn't be complete without a cluster of corn stalks highlighting an urn of off-beat colored pumpkins. {below}

now is the time to be a baby. baby boo that is! i love these little white wonders...they are sitting atop little clay pots in an old tool tray {below}.

more of the cabbage..um kale...line the steps of our porch {below}. with a fun little {pump}kin #1 sign tucked in the gathering.

our harvest home {below}...the colors are already amazing in our neck of the woods. autumn is such a beautiful time of year up north here in minnesota!

a sampling of the colorful maple leaves {below} i plucked out of our backyard....

i love the flesh hue of this pumpkin {below}...accented with the bumpy texture of the white gourds. the 75 sign is actually an old auction paddle. might come in handy if anyone thinks of being naughty around here.

this guy is just haning out amongst colorful vines...

another pumpkin full of texture rests on a rusty urn {below}...it evokes the feeling of being @ the circus as it looks like it's covered in peanuts! now all i need is some popcorn! and maybe my very own elephant!

so there you have it! the beautiful weather we have seen recently has been such a pleasure to work & play in. with that note of work i best be scooting back to it! because i will soon be transitioning the harvest home to the holiday home with the onset of my annual studio event! 

i hope i have inspired your day with a taste of our minnesota fall @ it's finest!

happy harvest to you!

 

junk in bloom

greetings show & tell friends! have you ever noticed that you can take a rusty + crusty piece of "junk" & mingle in a little flower power w/ fabulous results? well around my gardens i did just that and thought i would show ya today! 

not nearly @ it's weight capacity...this old scale {below} turned podium provides a bit of texture to the showy pink petunias.

you best have your current tetanus shot {i sure as heck do} if you are going to be poking around my flower box. or should i say you could be the one who is poked? a gathering of rusty pitchfork tines {below} plus an iron relic add a little visual interest to the petal display hanging on our homefront.

i will be sharing a little combo w/ the folks @ shady hollow this weekend. i love the pairing of the wire basket w/ an old clay pot nestled in {below}...ready for your instant gratification already planted + accented w/ an appropriate FLEURS tag!

you can be the queen of bloomin' everything if you pick up one of these lovelies that i just snapped up from the UPS man...i can hardly stand it when a shipment of baubles arrives...dropping everything in it's tracks to snoop. so glad i did because i know you are gonna love these {below}.

the summer is in full swing and you will be in "hog heaven" @ some of the goodies i have created this week to fill in the "holes" generated last weekend @ the flea. me? i am in "hog heaven" on the homefront w/ my concrete hog feeder w/ abundant purple accents. oink oink...

and since we are on the topic of animals...there is never a shortage of "flower frogs" @ patinaWHITE. their beauty and function are like no other this time of the year. i'm lovin' the new wire cage version {aqua of course!} shown here {below} w/ a simple spattering of branches. 

so dig out some treasures...head to your local greenhouse and whip up some of your very own junk in bloom. or...stop by shady hollow this sunday and see me. i am always happy to fix ya up! thanks for peeking today!

hope you have a wonderful weekend...

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!

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!

the start of something good...{finished!}

hey all! well i mentioned i would reveal our quaint basement bathroom project today so here goes! if you recall...or if you'd like to click HERE to see where we started...it was a blank slate! the weathered sign above the door says it all! {below} welcome to our BATH...

 

here is a glimpse at more of the cute little space (if i do say so myself!)

 

a happy gathering of casual loose pages + tidy framed lithos {below} showcases my fondness for eggs! it's for the birds in here...

the sink {below} was a bargain home improvement store purchase...($30)! i married it with a pair of victorian era cast iron legs that likely graced a large farmhouse kitchen sink. they were one of those "must haves" that i picked up years ago waiting for the right project...and this was it! 

i think my handy man & plumber were wondering when i was going to...GASP!...paint them! silly boys...they are fabulous as is!

 

usually when i start a room i like to have the elements handy to pull it together. call it instant gratification if you will - i like to see results when i start. (sometimes it's the starting that takes me awhile) but i digress...anwho, i didn't have the perfectly "imperfect" mirror for the space. 

that is until i set out one day on a "reflective" journey. lo & behold the basement of a favorite junk haunt yielded a metal framed, beveled beauty that the owner stated was from a school bath. sold i say! here it is {below} 

it was a little lonely sitting there all by itself, so i added a rusty chain + antique wall receipt hook {close below} with it's sharp stake removed to accommodate the nail.

 

yes...another collection...this time being vintage flasks i have gathered thru the years accent the mirror grouping. one of them filled with real hen eggs in original muted earthy tones. NATURAL BEAUTIES!

moving right along a sweet scalloped edge coat rack {below} is recommissioned to air dry towels, hold extra cloths + a bathmat. a workhorse indeed!

 

a vintage grain bag dangles from one of the hooks as a home for a back sponge. the graphics are fantastic! just see up close for yourself {below}

phew! funny how showing you the smallest room in our house seemed to be one of my longest posts to date! well - if i haven't lost you yet...thanks for tagging along. as always i love to show & tell...& tell...you all about it! enjoy the start to your weekend & make it a great one!

the start of something good...{phase 1 complete}

it's friday everyone! & i am excited to show you how a recent project i have been plugging away on has transformed! a month ago i posted "the start of something good" which showed a couple rooms in our basement that we were finishing. (click HERE if you'd like to see the before)! well a visit from the plumber this week put the final touches on my laundry room! here it is...drum-roll please...

i added a burlap skirt to the wood counter to provide a rustic cover & create a storage nook. the ship-lap counter was stained ebony which made for a rich mocha hue on the former new pine. and i am so tickled to have the commercial sprayer faucet for stubborn stains + rinsing! now...do you remember the peek at the weathered bleach sign? well you can now see it in it's full glory above my folding station! let me tell you...it is quite a luxury to have a spot to fold clothes! (other than the random tables and beds around our home!) 

and speaking of stations...there is a spot to serve a purpose for every aspect of laundry...here an old galvanized bin {below} houses an array of cleaning supplies. WASH away...

 

and ontop of the washer/dryer is a giant old metal basket (with multiple coats of sealer) for all the CLEAN items. {below}

and of course we all need a spot to hang DRY those delicates! so vintage flashcards mark the spot & a well used radiator belt rack steps up to the plate to provide the hooks!

 

it's a small space packed full of function! no more hauling loads to the laundromat! i'll share one more picture {below} of my pride and joy! 

phase 1 - COMPLETE! now the second phase of the "start of something" (otherwise known as the bathroom) is near completion. just a little fluffing & that will be ready to show you all very soon! thanks for stopping today - have a wonderful weekend! i think i will be off to tackle some dirty work...or in this case...a pleasurable jaunt with a hamper full of dingies to my laundry room!

happy day everyone!

a corner of my world {make room}

why hello all! happy wednesday! oops! i mean thursday! my mind is telling me it's only wednesday due to the extended holiday weekend so we are going to pretend it is so and take the last peek at a "corner of my world"!

i wish it could continue as i have had such a great response to it but i'm afraid i have run out of interesting corners to share! that is unless you consider the closets and cupboards exciting! as projects are completed in our home...laundry room, office, downstairs bath...i will share those {W.I.P.} (better know in our home as "work in progress") with ya all!

in the meantime...please join me for the last official wednesday "tour" featuring my basement "make" room. i have shown this space in a previous post when it was near completion but thought i would highlight it again for those of you new to patinaWHITE and my show & tell. 

my "make" room {below} is where i like to tinker away on creative ventures...it is off our basement gathering room and is painted in ball jar inspired blue-green. a custom work table designed by me then brought to life by my talented friend terry is the hub of the room providing a sound spot for everything from hammering away on jewelry to stamping signs for patinaWHITE.

it has always been a dream to have a spot for everything and have everything in it's place. i am still and will forever be working on grouping items + sorting a plethora of gathered goodies from across the years! 

the metal boxes {below} are part of the ongoing process...

i'm a sucker for old sign maker kits & stopped counting how many i have accumulated...but my favorite to this day is the set shown {below}. a treasured gift from my dear friend, kami. she picked a winner here! i use it in nearly all my stamping projects!

give 'em the boot...in this case a perfect spot {below} for catching scissors + writing utensils! i collaged the thrift store metal tray in the background with some inspiring words...

i just loved the color plus idea of this adjustable paper mannequin {below} she currently serves no purpose other than sitting pretty.

 

this form {below} unlike miss cutie above is actually put to hard work. she is draped with jewels and chains waiting for the right project to come along. these "girls" are part of a large family of dress forms that i employ for various tasks!

the cupboard {below} couldn't have been one inch taller and fit into this space! it was quite the challenge to maneuver downstairs! one challenge that i observed rather than participate. even i know when to stay out of the way of men at work! especially ones hauling a crazy heavy old piece of "junk" for your's truly!

and just what is housed in those stacks of weathered cigar boxes? well, just have a little looksee below...

a garden of pins above and sea of sparkle below...i could go on & on...but we'll explore more another day!

the curtains on my closet {the interior being another W.I.P} were created from white burlap i washed to get a rumpled look! yes, you CAN wash burlap...however...be ready to do some serious cleaning of your dryer's lint trap! a quick makeshift "door" that is simply wonderful!

this time tested butcher wrap + stand has the most fabulous faded green striped paper. i admire it more than i use it but am working on getting there...sometimes it is hard for me to use vintage resources but it is nice to share!

and to end the {make room} journey is a piece of folk artsy whimsy. i picked this piece up years back and haven't really had a good spot to showcase. until my need for a doorstop called to me! so there you go...a door stopping display!

thank you over and over again for your nice comments + feedback on the tours! i am tickled to hear from each and every one of you! i appreciate you taking time to tag along and wish you a wonderful day!

a corner of my world {care to powder your nose?}

hey all! i have a couple more "corners" that i'd like to share with you on the continuing tour of our home! for those of you new to SHOW & TELL...the journey started here and continues on wednesdays! so join me for a little jaunt into the main floor "powder room".

when we built our home, this room originally was barely the size of a shoe box in the authentic farmhouse plans. i decided to expand it a bit + add a shower. now i know as a rule powder rooms don't call for showers, but i thought it was a good idea at the time. well, five years later & we have yet to once hop into that lovely addition of mine! doesn't call for alot of scrubbing of soap scum though! 

the "shower curtain" {below} is actually a french linen monogrammed sheet! i had to also give a glimpse of the vintage barber shop cabinet i happened on at an auction years back.

 

when i got the cabinet home i discovered a business card {below} hidden in the back of a tiny drawer. how cool is that?! ya gotta love a little bit of history...oh, and the color is pretty great too!

and this is a shot of the cabinet's sterilizer glass fronted door {below}. that detail sealed the deal for me...i wasn't going home without it!

above the pedestal sink hangs a charming mirror draped with rosary relics. they add a bit of sparkle to the room!

and here {below} you will appreciate the chippy grandness of old italian tole sconces topped with tatty silk shades - they flank above mentioned mirror.

you will find a garden of time worn oil paintings in my make-shift gallery...plus a biffy to boot! this room is multipurpose to say the least!

this is a close up {below} of the victorian yardlong that rests atop my barber cabinet. flaking paint and crazing galore...love it! i actually prefer paintings that are perfectly "imperfect"!

not always my friend but definitely a favorite is my old scale in shades of greenish aquas with a hint of rust. i'd like to blame those extra pounds that appear now & then on it's ability to funciton correctly - but i have to admit it is usually spot on!

a true labor of love would have to be the tissue box shown {below}. i hot glued each & every one of those ridiculously tiny pearl shells to a blank box form. a thousand hours (so it seemed) & few blisters later - this is what appeared! i don't think i will be going to production with those anytime soon! but boy is it fabulous!

here's a glimpse at my treasured european inspired plumbing. doesn't look like it has ever been used...wait!...it hasn't! :)

i thought i would "top off" today's post with a picture of my happy little light fixture {below}. a twisted cloth cord & antique "ruffled" milkglass shade make the socket light radiate charm and a warm glow! 

so! there you have it! powder room, shower in waiting + a mini art gallery all wrapped up in one tiny package! i hope you continue to enjoy the {corners of my world}. we will see you next week as we wind down on the tours! have a wonderful mid-week and beyond!