Patina White

it's only natural!

hey there friends! with just a handful of hours between me and a day full of prep for a houseful of family...it's only natural that i am fretting a bit about what all that i'd like to get accomplished! knowing full well that everything will be just fine...actually terrific!

something else that's "only natural" is how i embellished our home-front for the occasion. not only does it have a cozy holiday feeling...but many of the elements will remain well after the last scraps of leftovers have vanished! winter can be L * O * N * G in this neck of the woods so i like to embrace the decor as long as possible!

i have piled together some of my favorite snapshots of our holiday home for your viewing enjoyment. hope you enjoy yet another collage {below}.

here's a few other peeks that i couldn't quite squeeze in above...

...our mantel is quite simple this year...{below}.

importantly our socks are hanging and ready for santa! i tacked them up using some...natural of course...old wooden + feather darts! {below}

our spare bedroom {below} also sports an extra set of stockings created from vintage chenilles...just incase santa thinks we've all been extra good this year!

here's my crafty trees again {below} holding down fort on our dining table....

this year's tablescape is all about texture! brought to life w/ a thrift store bag of white on white yarn balls + a handful of clear glass ornaments that i filled w/ artificial snow since our outdoor landscape is lacking the usual white stuff.

which reminds me...i just remembered that interestingly enough my tub of white stuff...aka...cool whip...has gone missing. perhaps santa made an early visit. leave it to me to blame poor 'ol saint nick for what really was my snack. darn it! so much for the extra stocking full of treats for beth!

with that...i must hop in my truck...which is not nearly as charming as the one on our coffee table {below}

and get myself to the store...

...where i will grab my last minute necessities. which includes not one but two tubs of whipped topping. because remember...santa {ahem} loves it. naturally!

i have one more "tidings of the season" post to share with you this weekend...but incase i miss you...

sending much holiday cheer your way!

  

a tree by me...{how lovely are your branches}

happy monday everyone! thought i better start doing some show'n & tell'n if i am to get my holiday posts in! or @ least in on time! i very well could be talking trees well after christmas! 

so today's "tree by me" is actually THE tree. the big kahuna...the top dog...the numero uno! that's right...she's the beauty that graces our homefront this year. and before i rattle on any further...i will stop myself and just throw it out there! drum roll please...

wanted to show you a little bit of what's going on her "lovely" branches up close...so i put together a collage {below} to do just that! join me below that if you'd like a breakdown of the photos!

one doesn't start building a house without a foundation. and i don't start building my tree without one as well. and it happens to be a treasured victorian era urn. it's crusty + fabulous. now i know "crusty" may not be desirable on many surfaces...but here it's all good! contents of mystery tupperware in back of fridge...not good! movin' on...

old ornaments...glass glitter stars....salvaged chandelier crystals...tarnished tinsel. that tongue twister pretty well sums up the rest of the story! please take note in the upper right corner photo - what once graced trees from days past...silvery candle clips...now hold a glinty & safe alternative...spear-like chandi prisms. LOVE 'em

ok. i am going to be a bit more on the brief side today. because in typical beth-like form...i have been procrastinating a bit on some projects. or should i say saving the best for last. yes...that's it...the best for last. last minute that is! 

so this elf must get to making...creating + pulling the holiday magic together for gatherings w/ friends & family this week. but you all are always on my mind as well...so i will be intouch! and if you have a minute to do the same i sure love it when you toss a comment my way!

wishing you a happy start to a happy holiday week!

 

a tree by me...{have a cup of joe}

happy monday everyone! thought i'd start the week with another feature of a tree by me! where i show a season appropriate creation i came up with. today's highlights were brought to life over a large pot of coffee and a plethora of paper cups exactly one year ago.

the photo {below} is from my table-scape last holiday season & shows my white on white forest mixed in w/ a medley of a collected objects...a lil bit of this and a lil bit of that. exactly what i love about my mixed up style!

though i "brewed" up these cuties last year...what was new + exciting to me was that my works caught the eye of the creative forces @ somerset studios! they contacted me to do a blurp about them in their winter issue of somerset studio GALLERY which showcases a fabulous mix of paper crafts. if you are not familiar with {s.s}...might i suggest you visit their website {HERE} for a host of magical publications surely to spark your imagination. their magazines are also available @ many of the mainstream bookstores as well!

here's a peek @ the cover {below}

 

 

 

 

 

simple display courtesy of stampington & co.

 

read on for a peek @ the article...with the inside scoop on how to recreate your very own set should you be so inclined! coffee anyone??

so there ya have it! not only a little gander @ the trees by me but also a tutorial on how to make your very own grove! now grab your cup of joe and get busy! and make sure you have enough extra onhand to keep you fired up! it's a tedious project but very much worth it in the end!

a merry day to you!

junk 4 joy!

hey there! many many thanks everyone for all the wonderful comments on my last post...funnel vision! i sure appreciate all of you who have been tagging along with me for awhile now...and welcome those of you new to my little corner of the world! read on my friends...

i owe much of this chatter to a friend of mine...the uber talented donna of funky junk interiors. her ideas + blog will blow you away! i kid you not. this gal is amazing...i just nabbed a picture of one of my favorite projects of hers...a staircase {below} painted to replicate old crates. A*M*A*Z*I*N*G! 

if you click {HERE}...you will magically be whisked to donna's blog...but you first might want to finish my ramblings if you dare...cause i am sure you won't be leaving her site anytime soon!

all the excitment makes me want to junk 4 joy! translation...keep on with my constant collecting + creating to keep ya all inspired! you might remember this window {below} from my "rainbow" friday post...i nabbed it @ buggy wheel antiques while doing my form of black friday shopping.

the JOY letters were scraps of chicken wire i couldn't bear to toss after i used up the larger portions on projects. a twist here & bend there formed the letters you see {above}! the poinsettias were also a black friday score...i love their tiny size. i lined the top of the pots w/ small silver glass ornaments for a bit of glint.

another recent "junk find" was the giant deer head {below}. it had some scrawling words on it...SALE TODAY to be exact...along with an address. usually i don't alter old signage but this time wanted to tone it down a bit. so i sanded off the too specific message & added our namesake initial in the the form of a vintage sign letter. popped it in my wreath that spans nearly 4 ft and added a tractor implement in lieu of a bow!

i will leave you today with a snapshot of...well..let's say a hodge podge. when planning outdoor displays in minnesota one must take into consideration that the weather can turn on a dime. one minute you are enjoying your masterpiece...the next minute a blizzard blows in and your display is buried til march {if we're lucky...we've seen snow in may!}

anywho...back to hodge podge. a victorian plant stand {below} is covered in an array of "stuff". trike wheel...why not?! pressure gauges...you bet! rusty farm relics...got it! giant wood star created from snow fence lathe...check! {though i may regret not keeping the fence intact when that snow blows in}!   

please excuse me as i get back to jumping right into any heaps & piles that i happen on. let's just hope it's not piles of snow. because {above} mentioned star may have cost us our barrier. good thing march...um...may isn't THAT far away!

JUNK 4 JOY!

a tree by me...{funnel vision}

happy holidays! 

this time of the year evokes memories of me sitting @ my grandma's making felt ornaments + other crafty crafts. here i am some 30 years later still donning my elf cap and creating! grandma kroeger would be so proud! or perhaps perplexed @ today's project! 

enter my love of trees. the smell of fresh cut pine. twiggy towers lining my drive in lights. with that notion...i am going to start a lil' christmas category of some trees that came about by my own hand. fittingly dubbed...a tree by me.

i had to chuckle @ hubby's greeting when he saw me "playing" last night. exact words..."whatcha doing tin man?" and the pile of "rubbish" leading up to that remark?? {see below}

i have collected funnels for quite awhile. not really intending on a specific use. just fond of metal + rust. so while scouring for some items for my event...the stack of funnels caught my eye. "that looks just like a tree" i thought...and for those of you wondering...the ruffly "implement" {above} is part of a cast-off tree stand!

ok. so now i have a tree...well a tree needs a stump, no?? not a problem in my land. where boxes of salvage wood bits {below} sit quietly waiting to be enlisted into action. time to get a "leg up"...

and what christmas tree would be complete without a tree top? surely an opportunity to make a star will not get passed by me! off to another corner {this time hubby's shop} where a pile 'o tin is tucked between snowmobiles & harley parts. {share & share alike...no space on our property isn't touched by an influx of "treasure"}. 

back to the project...a few fell cuts with the tin snips and a length of wire glued to the back landed me a quirky + cute lil topper {below}.

saving the best for last...funnels and salvage and tin...OH MY! i hope i did the tin man proud with my creation {below}! 

now i am off...not to see the wizard but to continue on with projects*orders*decorating* that await. sure could use me a pair of those sparklin' ruby slippers. i guess my cowgirl boots will do...probably better for kicking up dust on the yellow brick road anyway!

thanks for stopping * make it a great day!

the labor of love...

i am really excited to show ya all a project that...initially when i started...my first instinct was to table it for another day, which in my world, could mean never. but...i loved the effect & wanted a fun new addition to our table scape so while visiting my dad & stepmom in nebraska i had the much needed time to create. so this labor of love came together after hours of coffee staining & gluing. 

this is the where the first signs of labor began a few weeks ago....{below}

this was the process of being in "labor"...no lamaze necessary!

and finally the result of all my "labor"...by the end of the process & countless hot glue burns...i am not sure if i really could say it was a labor of love...however i love the result of said labor! and it resulted in not one but a happy gathering of triplet trees that now sit proudly on our dining room table {seen below}!

being the proud parent i am of these creations...i'll share {1} more up close photo of the triplets {here below}. adorable, huh? i think so too!

well there you go! the trees of chritmas "future" are now very much a part of our christmas present! i am so glad i stuck with it and saw the project thru. i have always said that i think of my handiworks as my children. admiring them & wanting to show + tell everyone w/ a half interested ear about them! hopefully you have enjoyed seeing them "come to life"! 

may you also enjoy all the fruits of your labor!

oh christmas tree...oh christmas tree...

...how lovely are thy branches! if you follow my posts you may have noted that i mentioned a peek @ our christmas tree this past weekend. well...alas...those days are here & gone...but! i discovered a magical little trick for my ramblings. it's called the strikethrough button...and with {1} little click...i can change my mind...not once, or twice...but as many times as need be! so i went back to my last posting & updated my promise to "soon"! what i a novel idea...being able to add a strikethrough to any slip of the tongue! imagine the possibilities! 

no time like the present to make good on "soon". i did happen on the perfect blue spruce once again this year. on a day when i was even looking! nor did it require us to hike around a snowy field. my normal long deliberation was cut short by the cold minnesota morning & an even colder hubby holding up prickly specimens for my review. the winner please?! {below}

i can only describe this tree as short & squatty...got a lot of body...due to the fact that it is very "full figured". weighty issues aside...it looks glorious in my victorian garden urn. i accesorized with layer upon layer of tarnished tinsel, mercury bead garland and dozens of collected ornaments. such as the only dated ornie in my collection {below}...

and the shapely bell {here}...

i'm a sucker for all things star related. and the holidays are abundant in my favorite shape. the crowning glory this year just "radiates" charm {below}

german glass glitter stars are sprinkled around all the branches....here is one that made it's way to another corner of our home...clipped to a salvaged fan shroud {below}. time has given them a fabulous, darkened patina.

all wrapped up! i like to find {1} really "special" ornie to add to my collection each year. oh heck...they are all special to me ~ but this one caught my eye in my recent journey to nebraska. it was hanging in an antique mall in south dakota. delicate as it is...i made certain to carefully tuck it in my car for the trip down & back. i love all the tinsel wrapped details...

on the topic of treasures that are wrapped up...you may notice above that are tree is void of any gifts. well...santa doesn't make his appearance around our neck of the woods for a few more days...but i did cut out the giant roll of kraft paper {menard's anyone??}, snippets of vintage wallpaper + party streamers to wrap up my hubby's gift. {below}

you'd get a kick out of the fact...that enclosed in this pretty casing...is a box of shop rags. i know...touching right!? how thoughtful of me to see to it he keeps his hands free of the grease & oil that sneaks from his shop to my kitchen sink. i am sure he is going to like cherish this gift from the heart! 

ok! i'm almost done w/ strikethroughs for the time being! and i'm glad i was able to share our tree with you sooner than later. check back "soon" as there is another tree i will be showing you all! the tree of christmas "future" from a few posts back! click HERE for a refresher. that's right! i finished that project. one might say it was a real labor of love. you get the point...

happy holly days!

trees of christmas {past*present*future}

hello hello! besides our good ol' fashioned tannenbaum...i like to mingle in little accent trees into our home for the holidays. so i thought i would do a recap, reveal & teaser for those lil trees of christmas past, present & future!

{christmas past}...last year i loaded up the branches of my worn & wonderful german feather tree. i was so tickled with how it turned out! and like the snowflake topper states...i think it is...

here is how it looked from afar...

{christmas present}. not so long ago i happened on hidden treasure in an antique mall. my eye caught sight of a white object. with rust. and made of metal. stopped me dead in my tracks. besides having all that going for it...it was just the right shape to be an impromptu "tree". read on...

once home i hung, strung & dangled various sizes of silver ornies on it. not quite satisfied {never can leave well enough alone}...i proceeded to toss on some glittery snowflakes + icicles. then i remembered a box of white "emergency" candles tucked away. just the right size for the holders! only thing was...i was short {3} candles. now that's a real emergency! not wanting to stop half mast...a trip to the dollar store saved the day. or @ least let me finish my little project you'll see {below}. oh yes...topped it off with a glass glitter star!

incase you want to get a bit more up close & personal...

{christmas future}. after starting this project i began to wonder just what i got myself into. hot glue = burned fingers. and way more time intensive than i initially planned. i tabled it last week to address @ a later date. after all...i'm no quitter. just a well seasoned procrastinator. my vision of the finished project is lovely. but since it is mostly still a vision, all i am going to give ya is a peek. because that's all there currently is! do you see what i see {below}?

well stayed tuned for that continuation. it could be the near future. or maybe much distant. never quite told you how soon or long it would be! i hope you like surprises. heck...i hope i surprise myself & complete it for this year! i am also looking forward to sharing our full on tree with you very soon. i'm lovin' it's fresh scent & glinty twinkle of clear lights. i can provide the visual. i'll leave it up to you to get yourself a pine scented air freshener for the full effect!

as always...thank you for popping by!

oh christmas tree...oh christmas tree...

festive...fast!

hey everyone! nothing like a gathering of friends to kick the holiday decorating in overdrive! for the last {5} years i have rounded up a group of friends...dubbed the "wild wimen" for a fun filled evening of laughter, games, dining & some spirits. by which i mean wine! as the clock drew closer to the "wimen" arriving...i came up with some fast + festive accents to add some holiday cheer to our home. thought i would share some with you today!

a greeting on a chalkboard makes everyone feel welcome {below}...then toss in some shiny wrapped candy to generate even more warm fuzzies.

not @ all a "fast" project but one i had to show...i make an annual bauble/glass marker for the wimen to remember our evening. this year i stamped up their names...jauntily...on silver tags. they love'd 'em. and i love making 'em. 

finally a justification for saving everything! these "spent" bulbs {below} gathered together to make a colorful accent on my counter when collected in an old jar. not an option to toss them out...being aqua & white you know! {check out my previous post...you'll get it then}.

isn't it sweet? a bowl full of treats that is! some season appropriate snowflakes & most yummy peppermint malt balls w/ a few candy sticks provides a decorating solution plus an option to satisfy those sweet tooths. luckily for me there was plenty left @ the night's end to allow me to keep on snackin'.

without the time to decorate all my trees...i decided to fill a beloved boot w/ some evergreens & berries {below}. kept fresh by means of a drinking glass tucked away inside. i am quite fond of how the inlays in the leather accent the colors of nature! now i just have to remember to empty any rogue needles before donning them again! 

the existing window-sill full of bottles got the fast & festive treatment too. just pop in some random vintage shiney brites & you are in business! check out the little orbs {below}.

again...taking advantage of decor that already resides in our home...i filled a tiny urn with some of my most treasured ornies {below}.

so there you have it! i am one of these people that tends to make more work for myself than sometimes needed. but as i strive to make the holidays simpler...there are a couple projects {as of press time} that are so beyond "fast" that i will have to share with you later. maybe MUCH later! 

until then...i hope you all find the time to enjoy & celebrate the season! 

happy holidays!

 

we wish you a....

a very merry christmas to all of you! christmas eve is held at our home and is a small gathering of loved ones. it was full of food, music, children's laughter and fun! the stage was set below for the "big" people...

 

and the very

little ones as seen {below}

 

a vintage game tile affixed to some corrugated cardboard scrap {below} directed everyone to their "place".

 

while photos & cards of those close to us in spirit were clipped to a vintage chip display nearby!

 

did i mention santa remembered to fill my stocking??? and i must have been very good to get this box of homemade caramels. note the already empty spaces on the top level by photo time! yummmmm...

 

i will let the cards of christmas past {below}...

and art of christmas present...(thank you jessi...love it!)...do the talking.

 

wishing you much love, hope, joy & peace this holiday season...i am glad i could send this message + a little bit of our home out to all of you this special day!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!