Patina's Shop Makeover

With the advent of my friend Anne retiring from Patina,

 I find myself with an 

additional amount of display space. 

 Like any change, this presents a challenge. 

1)  I could spread out my existing merchandise for a better look, 

2) I could bring in more pieces from my storage space,

or,

3) I can do a total makeover of my shop.

Hmmmm . . . 

You know me, 

I generally go for the choice that will

 create the most havoc and brain stress,

and

present the biggest possible

fresh look.

So . . . 

Thursday afternoon, after Anne leaves us,

I will begin a total makeover.

There will be ladders and paint and man hours, coffee and wire and fabrics and furniture involved.

There will be a trailer, coffee, shelving, inventory and floorplans.

There will dedicated friends and family members with tools,

and coffee.

(There will, no doubt, be stress and wailing and wondering why I ever gave myself 12 hours to makeover so many square feet involving tons of merchandise.)

Hopefully, when the sun comes up, there will still be team members alive and speaking to me.

Kellie will be photographing the entire process and we'll get it blogged,

complete with "before" and "after" shots.

We want to present

  a

 DIY

 workshop for you.

This is just a teaser to engage you . . .

I hope you'll be curious

and

follow the progress

and see just what 

Joy is up 

to.

Then,

I move on to prepping for the

 Old Glory Antiques Fair,

happening two weeks later.

So, watch the blog at

http://antiquesbyjoy.blogspot.com

which is accessible by facebook as well.

I'll be pulling the curtains, 

but you can have a private look inside!

Memorial Day Blessings!

Here's to my dad, my uncles, my brother

 and to all of those who fought in wartime 

and served in non-war time,

to protect, liberate or defend 

our country

 or other countries

  who needed America.

Whether we are in favor of war

is not really the question.

In a perfect world,

 war

 might not ever be necessary,

but,

I believe those who were

proud, brave, strong, willing and able

have given us the nation

we enjoy today.

I come from a family of folks

 who may not have dreamed they'd ever have to go to war,

 but, who did it anyway when they were called.

It wasn't their career choice

as with some,

but they made themselves available,

answered the call

and

fought bravely

and

 were wounded

for America.

I'm saying thank you today

to all of you,

past, present and future.

God bless you!

Things are happening around here

and

I'm running out the door 

very early

this morning

coffee in hand

to meet a photographer

and

a designer

and I'll keep you posted!

Stay tuned to the blog for the next clue.

3 SIMPLE STYLE TIPS

What's the freshest and newest decorating trend?

What can I do to update my home that's cost effective and quick?

These are questions I hear

every day

as customers enter the shop and begin to peruse the displays

at

PATINA.

There are some economic and simple changes you can make to quickly bring your home 

up to the minute.

1. DECLUTTER!

Remove items from your counter tops, table surfaces and shelves.

Refresh those surfaces with a quick cleaning 

and replace no more than 1/3 of the items you previously stored or displayed there.

The items you re-display should be big, bold and clean lined.

Discard or store dried or silk flower arrangements.

Contain small items inside an attractive box.

Remove most of the photos.

Big impact!

TRUST ME ON THIS.

2. THINK IN THREES!

If you're learning about display techniques, 

one simple theory is to display in multiples of three.

Whether it's your coffee table, mantle or a entertainment center shelf,

group three items and the symmetry is sweet.

On a mantle: lean a large mirror, and place a huge, shapely apothecary jar or vase slightly to the side.

In front of the mirror add a stack of beautiful antique leather bound books as a pedestal and feature a cherished memento atop the books, ( the giant seashell from your beach vacation or your grandfather's silver golfing trophy . . .)

3. CONTRAST TEXTURES!

Layer an assortment of textures: Begin your table top display with the table itself.

If it's glass, add a wooden bowl.  If it's wood, add a metal tray.  If it's metal, add a soft, nubby textile.

Think of a surface layered with beautiful opposites.

Then, on the second layer, contrast a third texture.

Wood, metal, fiber.

Metal, wood, ceramic.

Glass, wood, metal.

And so on.

The hottest textures are currently: a.) galvanized metal, (think mop bucket gray tone);

                 b.) mellow patinas of wood - old cutting board or wood bowl

c.) "raw" fibers such as burlap, canvas, nubby knits and chunky wools

d.) silverplate, (your mother's wedding present tray that's been stored away for 40 yrs.)

Have fun, and remember we're always in at PATINA to assist you in your quest!

Reinventing Joy

Every so often in life we come to a place where we decide to

 re-invent ourselves.

I'm there.

I'm rethinking a variety of areas in my life

and

wondering if the reasons I've stayed where I am

have any firm foundation or unshakable conviction,

or

whether I've simply been comfortable with the

 amount of effort I need

 to

expend

in order to 

tread

 water.

Stay tuned  . . . 

Off to Buy

Off on a roadtrip today 

with my ingenious daughter Kellie

to

buy, buy, buy!

We'll be out prowling

 through some awesome secret places

 to choose the 

best treats 

for you.

Oneof these days you might have the

 opportunity

 to ride along with me

 on a 

PICKING TRIP!

Hope you're reading along

and

will know all about the exciting things that are happening

with

Antiques By Joy

this summer!

Don't get left out!

Delightful old photos

 show up in antiques shops all the time.

I search for a particular style as a matter of historical reference - 

to study context of antiques, clothing and settings.

There is an innocent beauty to photos of children, 

newly married couples,

and

 families proudly posed

 before their hard-won house on the prairie.

We poke fun at the severe expressions

 on the faces of staid matrons and patriarchs,

without pausing to think that the act of photographing

 in those days required the subjects

 to remain

 frozen in their pose - completely still, 

for as long as two minutes.

It was a wonder

in the earliest days of photography

that

 Sunday School classes

 and

 families with babies and small children

 ever achieved a photo at all!

The question is often posed,

"how did these photos in the shop

ever get away from their families?"

Why do they end up in antiques shops?

Sadly, I have seen cases where the last remaining family member has passed away,

leaving boxes and albums of photos that nobody wants.

There is no longer anyone to identify the posers,

no interest in the collection of precious family history,

no survivors.

The photos cannot be passed down,

the stories can no longer be heard,

the family history is lost.

If

 someone had simply tucked some information, 

names, dates,

a little history about the photos,

into the album,

 we could post them online at appropriate sites 

for another branch of the family to locate and claim.

It's a good idea!

Isn't there something

 wonderfully attractive and exciting about 

the graphic nature of

typography?

The simplicity of black and white,

 or shades thereof . . . 

with numbers, letters, symbols . . . 

I'm drawn to these . . . 

Old Glory Antiques Show

Just about time for the 

Old Glory Antiques Show

again,

and I'm gearing up!

My warehouse is filled to the

 roofline 

with the choicest pieces I've been collecting all spring.

Hope you're planning to attend, 

June 15th and 16th

at Clement Park,

(in the Columbine neighborhood).

Be early on Friday,

 because the very most delicious pieces

 will fly out of the dealers booths when the gates open!

These dealers are the

 best of the best . . . 

(Several years ago,

COUNTRY LIVING MAGAZINE

called this show one of the TOP 10 in the nation!)

Shop owners from all across the country will come to buy for their stores!!

Don't miss it!

Put it on your calendar,

schedule the day off from  work,

get a baby sitter,

pack your straw hat and your little shopping cart,

grab a friend with a pick up truck

and get there!

You'll be glad you did!

Paris Street Weekend at Patina

Ir's time again for the 

Paris Street Market at Aspen Grove!

Saturday will be the 1st Market of the season,

and

PATINA ANTIQUES

is

stocking up on

AWESOME

new items 

to

entice you!

So,

after you shop 

at

Paris Street,

come on over and see

what's

fresh

and

exciting

at

the

shop!!

We're located at the intersection of University and Orchard

in the

Cherry Crest Shopping Center.

(South west corner of the intersection)

303-795-0816

You'll love our style

and our prices!