greetingsFRIENDS! just wanted to stop in & wish you a happyTHANKSGIVING...
now let's take some time to giveTHANKS!
enjoy moments of simple pleasures...
so as we spend our days GATHERING together...
...in the company of those we love...
...that in everything give THANKS!
warmest wishes for a wonderFULL thanks*giving plus the start to the holiday season. my heart is GRATEFUL for life's many blessings.
thankYOU for being a part of that!...thanks for EVERYTHING!
it's official! spring has begun! or at least that is what the calendar tells us! because in our neighborhood as i type this the temp is a big ol' doughnut. and not the yummy kind w/ fun sprinkles!
but what WAS fun was my annual visit to bergen's greenhouse. so happy to take in the fresh air and rows of little plants growing...while we patiently {or impatiently} await the season to arrive outdoors.
i was greeted by some {CHEERFUL} gerbera daisies {below}.
and what appears to be a field of grasses {below} was actually oodles of accent "spikes" with the canopy of hanging ferns growin' away.
there were pops of color forming around...
...in addition to natural neutrals + lush foliage contributing to the freshAIR feelin'.
even spied some cool characters hanging out...like the junkART pig {below}
i was so inspired that when i got home i decided it would be a good time to add some junkART of my own to a special {ONLY*1} jewelry release i will be doing on THURSDAY march 21st into my etsy shoppe!
these ONE*of*a*KIND creations are a patinaWHITE exclusive design. i have thoughtfully gathered old LICENSE plates in a rainbow of hues to make the unique necklaces you see below. and i use a 1930's royal typewriter to create coordinating messages on the reverse of each pendant. if you look close {below} you will see the background on BOTH sides is that of VINTAGE road maps!
and like the succulents i spied at bergen's....
...all the pieces featured on this special release are UNIQUE. what i'd like to consider artful little "works of whimsy" that i created w/ my own two hands.
if you click the collage below...you will be whisked to my {itsyBITSYetsy} shoppe. currently empty...i will be stocking it up w/ O.O.A.K {one of a kind} pieces w/ the likes of those shown. they will be available at the times broke down by zone {below}.
so...i best SPRING into action pulling it all together to make this RELEASE a reality. hope you have some SPRING in your step & perhaps we will see you on the etsy side of things THURSDAY evening! always appreciate your visits to my corner of the world here + kind comments you share!
happy*SPRING!
alright friends. here we are again. after yesterday's alleged "quick" post...i got my act together and am excited to announce that today...sept 14th...officially marks my...
...year of me sharing my interests & passions thru patinaWHITE! yep. a decade. that always sounds like more of a milestone when you can say a DECADE don't you think??
i remember the day well. i had planned & prepped all summer gathering up special wares w/ this little "business" plan in mind. i was working full time in product/line development with a progressive apparel company in my town. loved the job & the experiences + knowledge i gained. not to mention the fabulous people i got to work with. but my heart longed to share my personal interests of decor & flea marketing.
so i gathered. and gathered. til my tiny garage could hold no more {and forget housing the car. that was banned to the driveway LONG before}. i then rented a storage unit that oh so conveniently was only a couple blocks away. picked the fall to showcase my collection for the first time. and this was the invite {below} i sent out.
after the first show i thought long & hard...deciding shortly thereafter to leave the security of my "day job" to pursue patinaWHITE as a "business". that was then and here we are today. can't even recall how many events i have had to date. had a cottage @ shady hollow for 8 years now. met amazing people. grew from a list of 75 interested folks to over 2000. started a website. then a blog. these days find me quietly growing my new FACEBOOK page. {more on that later}. been honored to be a part of a few well know publications. learned many new skills. {everything i do is self taught. the only schooling i had was a short stint with accounting. and that was to please those who loved me & feared the "starving artist" fate i would surely encounter if i took the creative path in life}. well i am happy to report that i am far from starving {i never miss a chance to eat}...thankfully!
and i owe that to you. yes. you. if you're reading this...you are a big reason i am who i am today. because you are taking the time to share w/ me the excitement & commitment i made long ago. that treasure hunting is my passion...but my customers are my priority.
now...remember those skills i said i learned along the way?? well...jewelry bits and baubles were not even a part of the first patinaWHITE experience! but i've always prided myself on unique offerings. and i started making typewriter bracelets {9} years ago before it was even a trend. and still do to this day. i never tire of these relics and it's a core part of what i did...and continue to do!
so that being said...my jewelry making has evolved thru the years. and i love to make it. sometimes my schedule doesn't allow for it as much as i like. but i was inspired by today's special meaning in my world. and made a one of a kind piece to share w/ one lucky patinaWHITE fan! i stamped up a disc with the tree of LIFE to represent the growth & change my business has brought forth. the other disc is a reminder to choose joy...because it's the "KEY" to happiness. i am proud to present her {below}.
so. are you wondering when i am going to just stop gushing and get to business on how this {PRIZE} giveaway works?! alrighty then. here goes...
i just ask that you leave a comment here...at this post. with a story you might share about patinaWHITE. whether you were @ my first show...last year's event...any of 'em inbetween. maybe you visit my shady hollow cottage. or like to follow my "ramblings" here on my blog...show & tell. perhaps you just jumped aboard and recently found me by way of the fleaMARKETstyle article. or...you may very well just be here to get a cool necklace! whatever the case may be....i look forward to hearing from you. your comments and notes are always the fuel for my fire. i love 'em all.
it's easy to leave a comment...no special skills required! but i understand if you have trouble and would really just rather shoot me an email...please do so to the address below..
i will randomly throw your names in a hat and pick a winner on THURSDAY september 20th. to give you all a little time to see this. and announce the winner shortly thereafter...good luck!
now of course i only have the one necklace to share this time. i wish i could give one to you all who take the time to send a shout out my way.
but what i do hope to keep sharing with everyone is the love of what i do. i aspire to inspire. and if i can do that a little everyday...i can't think of a "job" i'd rather have!
thank you for the first decade...i'm looking forward to many more!
hello there! just a little blip today to wish you all a very...
hope your holiday is full of much funness!
hey there everyone! wishing you all a...
a sometimes forgotten celebration that occurs on...
may day is an astronomical holiday, one of the year’s four cross-quarter days. or day that falls more or less midway between an equinox and solstice – in this case the march equinox and june solstice. {ok...i'm sure you're thinking WHAT is she talking 'bout? well...that little factoid is compliments of earthsky.org....not my usual lingo but seemed easier than me rambling on about the origins. not that i'm not rambling currently!}
nowadays it is a good reason to justify a sweet treat. personal fav of mine.. salt water taffy....
and the use of flowers is considered to be another form of may day expression...my baskets will house seed packets {below} to point the recipients in that direction.
so the goods came together in my paper sacs {HOW2 make these was my last post if you recall!} with the addition of a candy swizzle and sprig of fern...add in a little shredded paper + a stamp detail & doorknobs are suddenly looking much more lively in our home!
and since i can't possibly eat another piece of taffy. {well...maybe ONE more...} i best get these cuties to their destination. because MAY day is slipping by @ a quick rate! but i guess there are 30 more "may days" if you want to catch me on a technicality! that means i really should make another trip to the candy store just to be stocked and ready!
happy {MAY} day to you all!
i'd like to send a special birthday greeting today to my ma. she is often seen in the hub-bub of activity @ patinaWHITE - whether it's on the porch of my summer cottage or navigating the floor of my event. this lady makes it possible for me to put on my dog & pony shows! thanks ma for being the driving force behind me {aka - person bearing the cattle prod}. whatever it takes to get me in "gear".
she is known by many of my customers simply as "beth's mom". to which she has grown very used to. and her we are {below}.
25 years ago we moved to minnesota & she joked it was her & i against the world. judging by a VERY early drawing {below} i did of us...i must have felt the same! somewhere over the rainbow...or in this case...under!
and even though you currently are miles away from me...i'm going to send a big kiss your way...just like the olden days {here below}
so happy birthday, ma. love ya lots! oh. and to those of you wondering "who's that lady"? her name is marian. but you can just call her beth's mom. she's quicker to answer to that anyway!
thanks for sharing this special day w/ us!
hey everyone! a happy may day to you all! don't you just love spring? and all the wonderful garden goodies that come out @ the stores? i have always been fascinated with lil peat pots. so i picked me up a bunch of them to use for everything but their original purpose! this variety is lightweight and more grassy like. {the traditional resembling papier-machie}. so i will start the reinvention showing ya my super sweet may day baskets {below}!
i made them w/ peat pots lined with a coffee filter. then added a homemade curly wire handle...not forgetting to fill them w/ some tasty treats! then i finished them off with some snippets from my vast vintage {scrap} book collection.
tradition calls for them to be left on someone's doorstep...with the basket giver running off before the recipient can catch them. if caught they are to exchange a kiss. well...i don't mind a little smooch from my recipient {below}...but is seems he is nowhere in sight to even give chase! not that he would likely do so anyway!
about a week or so ago i seeded some of them with wheat grass. not thinking ahead about the roots soon popping thru...i placed them in ironstone mugs and scattered them in our bathroom...{by our tub}
and on the "biffy" {below}
final project to show ya {which was actually the 1st one i did} is where i added some flower suckers ...shred...vintage paper "bands" and game tiles to create unique easter treats {below} for my nieces + nephew. not your traditional pot of fleurs but sure cute nonetheless!
now for the love of peat...run out and grab yourself some of these cheapy containers to get crafting! and be sure to catch that may day basket yielding bandit @ your doorstep. in-case you needed an excuse to give someone a big ol' kiss!
and 1 more time...happy {may} day!
hello everyone...just a quick note to tell you happy easter!
wishing you a day filled with faith,family & friends...
happy halloween everyone! wishing you a day filled with laughter + many many treats! maybe something like the little sacs i put together {below}.
using pouches created from vintage newspapers, black shred + my vintage stamps...they are what i'd like to think i will be handing out this evening. the reality is that we haven't had a trick or treater in {3} years. but i will be ready if & when it happens. and if not then i am sure it won't be a hard sell to find homes for my goodie bags! probably to the hands of myself & hubby!
do you have your costume ready? today i will be perfectly content wearing my recent acquisition...a pair of "BOGS" built not only to take on the worst of weather but look darn snazzy while doing so! if the boot fits...
ok, maybe i'll add my larger than life belt buckle to my ensemble. i picked it up years ago from an artist who made it with fabulous upcycled orange rhinestones plus other bits & pieces. at over 4" across it could double as a shield if ever a time finds me engaged in a sword fight! en garde!
now go forth into this festive day & enjoy whatever "treats" tickle your fancy. maybe it's a sac full of the sweet stuff or maybe just some quality time spent in the good company of friends & family. "treat" can mean different things to different people. so heavy on the TREATS...and toss in a few TRICKS here and there to keep 'em on their toes!
hope you have a spooktacular day!
hello everyone! i am so blessed to have a number of wonderful mothers in my life. of course i wouldn't be here without my fabulous mom. she has been a super-parent, my life-long best friend + a shoulder to lean on...oh, yes! i can't forget - my LEFT*hand gal (we are the only 2 lefties in the family) @ patinaWHITE. she trucks out there, without fail, to be my little worker bee & biggest darn cheerleader you ever did see. a big kiss coming your way!
i also would like to mention that i have the kindest mom-in-law you'd ever find + a fun step-mom who shares similar passions in "collecting". + i have had the pleasure of watching my sisters raise a couple spectacular daughters all the while being darn good role models themselves. (most of the time...or when it counts...not to rehash childhood here!) AND the countless friends in my life that never cease to amaze me with their super-mom like powers. (do ya all sleep?!)
this card {below} is an all time favorite and top seller at my shoppe...a few short words that pretty well say it all! and is oh so true!
so to all you moms out there...wishing you a day filled with much love, laughter and happiness! today and always! you make the world a better place!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
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