Patina White

christmas {GREETINGS}!

hello there friends!  i wanted to pop by & extend a quick holiday greeting your way! i know this will find many of you traveling & deep in preparation for gatherings of friends & family. so...from our home to yours...

 

 

i hope you have yourself a WONDERFUL holiday in the company of your loved ones...and (2) those of mine that i can't be with @ this time. love & miss you much!

 

as we are hosting CHRISTMAS*eve @ our home...i best get busy. though i have to be honest when i say i am taking the easy route this year. i was tickled when the family put in requests for simple comfort foods. i was happy to oblige w/ a visit to our local take & bake pizza shoppe where i stocked up on our favorite pies + tubs of cookie dough to prepare for the grand finale!

and upon arriving home i found in my mailbox yet another AMAZING gift that arrived just intime for the holiday. the envelope was so beautifully detailed i had to snap a pic of it...w/ what looks like our chrismtas color-coordinated pizza {below}! :)

 

 

wishing you these next days to be full of sweet surprises & happiness! 

 

so again...a very HAPPY*HOLIDAY to you...

 

it's {TREE} time!

hey there everyone! i am excited to say that this past weekend found me taking in a little holiday decorating...so it's TIME to share my tree of the season w/ you all! 

it's been ages since i've enlisted my collection of pocketWATCHES {below} (simply strung w/ jute) as quirky ornaments. i thought in my effort to simplify decking our "halls" this year i would use them once again! i love the array of colors and their vintage goodness!

 

 

now. i have ODDLES of vintage glass ornies collected thru the years. some are fancy. some are plain. they all fit within my palette of silvers, icy blue + faded aquas. but i only pulled out a handful of my collection. grabbing a couple boxes of simple small...and another few of simple large. and i also included two sizes of my silver beaded glass garlands. very clean "colors" + lines {seen below}

 

 

no tree is complete without an "anchor". and ours is a victorian era chippy urn {see him below}. "he" is not a new kid on the block...but a necessary one that looks GREAT while shouldering the weight of our fresh cut blue spruce.

i am often asked what i use to secure our tree in this "stand"...and it's an easy answer! rocks! straight from our driveway. ours are called "creek rock". they are rough & nice size in nature and it settles tightly to firmly "root" the tree in place! just don't forget to keep the water level high!

 

 

here's a peek again @ her "before" {below}. she has sat with nothing more than our trusty C7 clear lights and my newly "gifted" star topper for {2} weeks. still pretty even while she was "plain".

 

 

i showed ya the base...so know i am going to shoot to the top next. as i mentioned the star topper was a gift from a thoughtful friend who is keen to the fact that i {LOVE} all things in that shape. and it's earthy + organic feel was the inspiration for me to pull back the reigns oh*so*slightly on my embellishments this year. i did add a pointy tipped vintage clock face {see it below} to tie in the multiple pocketwatches that were hanging from her branches. 

 

 

 

well i've covered the base...touched on the top...now i will just highlight some of the other MERRY adornments! pretty glittered pinecones add one other touch of natural to her basic branches. tarnished tinsel gives just a glint of gold and even though they were not enlisted this year...i had to show you a gathering of some of my favorite "fancier" ornies {in the collage below}

 

 

and before i get too caught up in my ramblin' rant today...i better remember that it is {tree} time! so here she is in her simple glory {below}. i love how this year the "light-handed" decorating really let's the beauty of her old fashioned shape shine thru! 

 

 

i hope you have found some {HOLIDAY} inspiration by popping by today! i sure appreciate you doing so! and i look forward to sharing some other quick decorating touches i have used this year to give evoke a season of {simple} joy!

 

until next {TIME}...be MERRY!

the lady of the {DECORATION}

hello there show&tell friends! as i prepare for patinaWHITE's {miniEVENT}... what's that you ask?? - please click {HERE} 4 info ...there has been a great deal of "decorating" going on the exterior our home. one of my favorite things is to go all out w/ seasonal accents to evoke an inviting holiday feel to our homestead. 

i started the other day by packing my bundled-up self, saw + determination into our little truck & driving into the depths of the woods. not exactly where i preferred to be w/ deer hunting going on. but i was hoping with my lime vest on i wouldn't be mistaken for a well fed doe. i kept going back for just "one more" branch & ended up with a truck full of evergreens, bright berries +  red dogwood branches. as seen {below}

 

 

we also rounded up our garlands from the always accommodating {BERGEN'S} greenhouse. they are so very good to me no matter what the season! we {hubby & i} got a nice start on a pleasant day. and worked into the eve due {2} shorter hours w/ the winter solstice rolling in. 

here was a peek @ the start of the annual garland hanging. which can be a challenge {for hubby that is putting up w/ his perfectionist wife asking for 1 tweak there & a tuck there}. 

 

 

the next day when i should have been back on task hitting the decorating detail...i made a stop on the way home from my cream & coffee run {yes. THAT order} @ our thrift. this is otherwise known as procrastination in my land. someone was sending me a message when i whisked by the book section and saw this {below}

 

 

"hey! that's me!" i thought. then i remembered where i should be & decided to go back home. not before i sprung the $1 for the book! it was just too appropriate. and had some fun inserts i thought i could use down the road. 

the garland came together beautifully on our home & studio {you can see the studio decked out in my last post}. and one very gorgeous blue skied day shortly after our first snowfall of the season....my childhood "friend", mr roger's, cheerful song of it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood rang thru my mind as i snapped the picture {below}.

 

 

last night. with the snow all but gone ...{hello nearly 50 degrees!}... i finally finished up being the "lady of the decoration {outside anyway} when i hung up my trusty not-as-glittered-as-before S and decked out the porch tree. it was quite magical to sit back and take in the full light spectacle. here's a little peek of my charlie brown tree {below}.

 

 

can't forget to show my window planter*box in it's winter cloak of the local greens & twigs. also popped in some GIANT sugar cones among the medley of junk. the final touch is my vintage star decor that i have treasured for years. 

 

 

so this "lady of the decoration" is onto the next order of business. and that is fluffing the inside of the studio for my miniEVENT. i hope those of you who are planning on popping by will enjoy perusing around this smallerSCALE, but bigFUN environment! i look oh*so*forward to seeing you of and i am tickled that things are coming together for me to be able to open up "shoppe" for a couple days on DECEMBER 1st & 2nd.

wishing you all a happy start to the holiday season! 

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!