Patina White

{W.ork I.n P.rogress} behind the scenes

hey everyone! happy monday to you! i have to be completely honest. been wanting to share items of beauty and interest with you. but with projects started here....tinkering on baubles there....it seems i can't quite pull one great thing together to throw out there. then. i remembered a quote my friend donna @ funky junk interiors posted to her facebook wall. it really hit home and jogged my memory of a great photo of some movie reels i snapped. added said quote by steven furtick and we have what you see {below}

so all inhibition aside. i am going to show my behind the scenes of an office project that's been in the making for more time that i like to admit. hint. we have lived in our home over 6 years. so here's what i saw sunday at about noon. {below} yikes! i know...

of course every january you can't glance @ a home magazine that doesn't spout on the topic of organization. which usually leaves me feeling a tinge of guilt. knowing that while i have the best of intentions...i have piles of paperwork...catalogs and two computers without tidy, permanent resting spots. 

so out came my home folder {which by the way was only easily located due in part it's our "mouse pad"}...

and in came the desk that i had our talented friend construct from my sketches to which i just now painted. have to yet again admit it's been tucked in our garage since september. i'm going all out on this behind-the-scenes mantra. no holding back today! so now the corner in the above right photo currently looks like this {below}

starting to look a little more like an edited highlight reel! but again...the reality is that our hallway & spare bedroom now house those darn stacks of "media" waiting to be sorted + filed. oh well. rome wasn't built in a day. i wonder if they worked on it more than six years? gee..maybe i'm ahead of the game!?

so with that i suppose i should stop talking about what needs to be done and pay heed to my last posting and pull myself up by my own bootstraps. or give myself a good swift kick in the "pants". i'll let you know how that all goes. check back again for more edits and tidbits. i have firm intentions that this colosseum will be standing tall and proud soon. minus the "pillars" of forgotten magazines!

have yourself a wonderful day! and thanks for the opportunity to share a bit of my {W.I.P}

goldilocks & the {3} chairs

hey everyone! check off another W.i.P on the list! a rustic burlap bag + chair i showed ya awhile back have finally come together...making this goldilocks giddy w/ delight! read on for more of the fairytale.

{too much}. ok. i have to admit that this chair with it's quirky fabrics & play on patterns had me somewhat intrigued as is. i looked @ it on two separate occasions at our local thrift shop before springing the whole $7 asking price. 

*   *   *   *   *   * 

{too little}. i decided that the fabrics must go. i wasn't warming up to the idea of keeping them + had a vision that included something a bit more updated. a burlap postal bag i found awhile back seemed like an appropriate contemporary option. so i thought i would strip her to the bones & start over. i discovered that the original muslin back was pretty darn cool as is. and i was also tickled to find under all the layers of fabric, straw + batting a fantastic old grain-sack base!

 *   *   *   *   *   * 

{just right}. like i said...i saw no need to do a thing to the back.{score!} the rustic tacks + tatty nature of the raw edges were perfectly imperfect. after salvaging the grain-sack for another project, i wrapped the original batting w/ the burlap bag. quick, easy & didn't require 1 stitch. just some duct tape. every handy-girl's reliable stand-by. 

 

i think mama, papa & baby bear would give me their paw's up on this one! for now...this fairytale ends with my "just right" chair tucked into the corner of another, larger W.i.P. otherwise known as my office. hopefully i will be living happily ever after in that room very soon. the fairytale will continue so be sure to check back again for more of this story!

onto the next bowl of porridge!

{W.ork i.n P.rogress} still rolling

hey there! ok. where in the heck has {1} month gone? because that's how long it's been since i gave you a glimpse @ a project i was starting. you can click {HERE} if you need to review. that was then and this is now {below}.

gone is the orange interior...swapped out for a much more complimentary shade of charcoal. and for those of you wondering. it is dutch boy * purist collection * catalyst steel. my new favorite shade.

i am still rolling on the organization gig. though it may seem my "wheels" are a bit squared off at times. i do love organizing. it just takes me a bit to get inspired in the process. which is why i am finally making up binders {below} for the plethora of paper snippets...articles + photos that i have clipped & saved for years. now that is another W.i.P.!

famous last words....NOW*LATER*NEVER. i stamped up some little key tags to suspend from these storage boxes {below}. i have a feeling i may need to create more NEVER boxes!

and a glimpse of the entire composition {below}. the trolley roll sign that sparked my mind & got the ball rolling has to be the crowning glory. or maybe it's the giant sign letter S? gee. i even like the tiny zinc mossy pots. a chippy white cupboard doesn't hurt either! ok. i am thrilled with it all!

i intend on keeping things rolling in this room. with a desk...storage file + side chair project to keep me plenty busy. now....i hope to continue to show you more later. with never not being an option!

enjoy your day!

{W.ork i.n P.rogress} on a roll

hello everyone! let me tell you a little bit about my office. it's the place we spend a great deal of time. and probably have spent the least amount of time decorating. ok. honestly. i have done absolutely nothing to it. boxes on the floor. piles of paper scattered about. more dustbunnies than peta would approve of.

i used to say it was controlled chaos. now it's simply chaos. so it's time to spring into action. no excuses. no procrastinating. i am on it. well...sort of. because as of the moment i would rather take pictures & talk about my plans when i should be working on them. 

but plans i have! & they were inspired by a discovery i made last year. a pair of trolley "roll signs". otherwise known as a destination sign or subway sign...they have grown wildly popular in decorating. not to mention price. which is why i haven't been able to land my hot lil' hands on {1}. but as luck would have it i discovered {2} when i wasn't even looking! here's a peek {below} at what all my babble is about. all w/ a perfectly aged patina as well. love.

if that discovery wasn't enough...the fellow who sold them to me actually had images {below} of the trolley they came from. so i got the goods. and the look. PLUS the history. how could i not be inspired? 

faced with this cupboard {below} i needed the inspiration! now don't get me wrong. orange has it's place in my world. like on a pumpkin. or accenting our harleys. maybe my car interior. {hint...more later}. but not in my super fabulous chippy white work horse. so...take in the before...

...and be on the lookout for the after to follow. hopefully sooner than later. heck...i'd be happy with later...just as long as it doesn't turn into never. but i sense my mom...aka...cattle prod wielding enforcer... will not give me the option. she's been known to have me "running scared" i believe my hubby once said. with good reason. no one wants to let down the folks. especially those with means of "motivation". 

so...on that note i best get my "paint face" on. or maybe it's good enough to just have traces of paint on my face. whatever it takes to keep the progress on a roll...and "enforcer" @ bay!

stayed tuned. i won't keep ya waiting...forever!

this week's challenge {closet monster}

hello and happy monday! if you know me...you're aware of the fact that i work better under deadlines. so today i am committing myself to a project & telling you all about it so i will be obligated to finish in a timely matter for a reveal! 

did you have a fear of a "closet monster" growing up? hiding...lurking in the shadows...waiting. well, i have a closet monster that i have been wanting to face for a LONG time but find it easy to close the curtains and pretend it doesn't exist. my monster is actually a void. a void of organization when i have been blessed with this wonderful MAKE room {click HERE for more a peek} and a large closet to contain my treasures. so i intend on making good use of it now!

i have assembled a little photo collage of what i am up against...so please follow along below won't you? let the numbers lead the way!

#1. i have a vision for a way to hang ribbons so they are not in tippy-toppy piles everywhere in my home. you will just have to check back to see it come to life.

#2. with all good intentions i've amassed a collection of containers + started labeling the contents within. problem is that said containers are scattered between the {3} levels of our home. after up & down all those stairs i usually forget what it was exactly i started out looking for! who needs a stairmaster?

#3. here is my "closet monster". a sad use of space not to mention dark...unorganized...and just not that inspiring. so dark in-fact i even had to use a floor lamp to show ya! with my tool boxes on the floor i have no more excuses!

#4. i bought some inexpensive pine shelves LAST year and painted them white. they have been sitting patiently on the floor since. now where is that motivation to go with that power drill? the motivation now lies within this post! 

#5. utter chaos. and not even "controlled" as i like to think some of my hidden stashes are. i really don't even know what has been hiding in this cupboard in my living room. guess i will be surprised all over again!

#6. this innocent looking chest of drawers has a secret. i wish i knew what it was...as again...i have it full of trinkets and supplies, but alas, no labels. i usually end up opening nearly all of them when trying to find what it is that i am sure it contains (or often times doesn't contain)!

so there you have it. the word is out and now i must provide some inspiring AFTER shots. i accept the challenge that i have set upon myself. my mom always tells me to have a plan. plan for today...i will start it first thing tomorrow! :) but she also will tell you to "look out" once i get going! 

we will be seeing you soon with some progress...thanks for stopping! (and providing a much needed push to get this project rolling)!

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!

the start of something good...

happy monday everyone! today's post doesn't feature my usual "finished" product...but rather a little behind the scenes look at some projects currently underway in our home! i like to think of them as {W.I.P} W.ork I.n P.rogress!  so put on your hardhat! here's a peek at the "start of something good" going on!

our laundry room {below} has remained {W.I.P} for sometime now! years ago i was inspired by a wall color i spotted in a magazine. that room belonged to sue whitney of junkmarket style. the project got rolling again with the aid of a handy fellow carpenter! his magic brought to life my visions of a spot to fold clothes! 

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT...ok...LET THERE BE COLOR! i just unearthed this sign {below} from a fellow junk collector's stash! i think it will be perfect addition above the folding counter. it has been fun working outside my usual calm & neutral palette to add a little vibrance to this lower level space!

 

next in line or a little finish work is that of our basement bath {below}. yet another clean slate waits for more detail work to be completed as we progress thru my clipboard full of sketches + notes. you'll see that lucy is investigating the placement of the tub!

 

i hope to incorporate these vintage classroom alphabet cards somehow, somewhere into one of these mentioned projects! they have been tucked away anticipating the right time to put them back to use! letter rip!

 

and there you have a little glimpse at good things happening in our home! be sure to check back for progress as i continue to design & construct these tiny spaces into rooms of beauty + function! 

happy day to you!

a "room" with a view...

greetings all! i am plugging away on merchandising my studio for patinaWHITE's upcoming novmeber event {click here for info} and thought i would give a little glimpse at the early stages of my "room with a view"! 

for those of you who are new to patinaWHITE ~ i host an annual "event" from a building adjacent to our home. it was built specifically with the notion of my shows in mind. not only is it spacious + bright with light...it is an easy commute for me! literally a hop, skip & jump away!

so onward we go for a little peek...

here a pair of well loved ice skates {below} become support brackets for birch branches! i love using ordinary items in new ways!

the dynamic duo {below} are ready to delight with jewelry baubles and holiday glitz! i believe i have mentioned my penchant for these vintage lovelies...you'll find them scattered between my home & studio! sorry, but these gals remain part of the permanent patinaWHITE collection! can't break up the happy family now can we?

i was inspired by a beautiful display i saw last year at the siver bella event in nebraska to create this mannequin bedeckled with an umbrella, lights & mini glitter stars! she will be the focal point of my jewelry counter! i can hardly wait to glam her up with layers of jewels! and i can't forget to mention a regular at my cottage and shows...the patina white garland created by my talented friend...miss cari kraft!

i stage the studio in "sections"...creating different themes within each area. {below} is a start to the neutral territory. architectual delights + my favorite "chippy white" wonders will make their appearance here.

a fresh shipment of necklaces arrived while i was snapping up photos to share...so, hot off the press is this wooden peace sign {below}. accented with rhinestones, beads + turq. nuggets **sigh**...it really can't get any better than this combination of textures!

tucked under the back staircase is this very cheerful showing of happy goods {below}.  you may recognize a pink buddy in the background from a previous post. you'll see an italian flower chandelier gets a touch of whimsy with antique glass ornaments dangling from curly wire! this nook is sure to bring a smile to your face...

and to end this little sneak peek of GREAT things to come...another twist on holiday traditions...a vignette {below} with more colors than the rainbow. even i, the forever "white is right" girl, am enamored with it's pop! and of course a sprinkling of sign letters doesn't hurt either!

well...there you have it! my room with many "views". mark your calendars for the first two weekends in november! i hope you can swing by and see the fabulous array of goods for yourself! i appreciate you stopping by! have a wonderful day!

wednesday's {W.I.P}

greetings! it would seem summer has gotten a second wind in our neck of the woods, so i seized the opportunity to put some touches on one of my {W.I.P} - otherwise know as "work in progress"! 

we all have projects waiting to be tackled and sometimes my list grows longer than my accomplishments! a visit from my always motivated mom (a million thanks as always!) made sure this wasn't the case in point on a little area next to my studio!

i'd like to send a BIG thank you to jo - a fabulous customer who was kind enough to give me the GIANT old gate! have you ever laid your eyes on such a marvel!? i have been collecting gates for sometime now and this is the granpappy of them all! just take a peek {below} for yourself!

i'd like to think the S on the seat {below} was put there to celebrate our surname but i suspect it has more to do with the maker of the bike...schwinn! regardless, the color works just brilliant in my little gathering!

here a catawampus plant stand {below} has the beginings of a harvest geared display. it's a WIP as i said so there are more touches to be made! but it is on the right track!

more seasonal accents are found in the unusual peanut & jarradale pumpkins! i'm always on the look-out for the "beyond ordinary"! plus these uniquely hued squash provide some color to the landscape!

this old ironwork {below} has been hanging around for a few years now. at one time i offered it for sale & when it didn't find the right "new" home it came back to mine! and i do think i have finally found it's resting spot for the time being here in my shade garden!

so there you have one of my {W.I.P}! a day spent in the dirt + unearthing existing treasures...highlighted this fine summer-like wednesday! maybe i will make this an ongoing wednesday theme and start checking more off the "list"! thanks for stopping today and make it a great day!