It's Fall Y'ALL!

It is the third day of Fall here in mountains of North Carolina and we had another gorgeous day of the bright sunshine that only happens this time of the year.  About the only problem with this kind of weather is what to wear.  We spent some time languishing in a downtown coffee shop this afternoon and indulged in a few wry smiles as we watched the tourists come and go in their best-guess-for-the-day-in-unknown-territory garb.  Some were comfortable.  Some were not.  It is tricky and we natives don't do a bit better although we like to think we have it down.  Wardrobe is not the focus of this post.  Sometimes I just get going in the wrong direction and can't get back until I run into the wall.

Fall brings out the decorator in most of us.  Whether we decorate for Halloween, harvest up the decor around Thanksgiving time or begin now thinking about the Christmas tree and all it brings, it is decorating time.  I spent a little time on the 'net looking at Fall ideas and here are some I found.

While I doubt I will carve the pumpkin as nicely as this, I might try plopping one into the top of a flower pot. 

This takes the idea a giant step further. 

Striped and checked pumkpins?  Table decor? 

Wow!

While I was searching the 'net for ideas I came across this color chart that was billed as Fall color trends.  I see some I like.  I'd rather decorate a room in "moccasin", "khaki" and "scallop shell" with a little "parisian green" than carve a pumpkin!!  I'm in love with an already carved and highly glazed painted tin one in a store window downtown but the price is formidable.  I may just be happy with the usual mums and the wreath I bought on a whim after I learned the price of the tin pumpkin. 



 

 

Let's Talk Patina..

Having been with eBay since very early, I have watched, suffered might be a better term, as several words that once had definitive meaning in the antiques and design world lose their identity.  Lose their definition. 

The first to go was "antique".  An antique is, technically, one hundred years old as defined by our government on imports.  Right away, the disclaimer must be made that does not apply to automobiles.  First waver.  Second waver, they loosened up and changed it to eighty years.  That still is the stable and simple definition of an antique.  It has not much to do with any other characteristic of an object.  I'm sure any of you who have shopped eBay know how misused the term has become.

Then there is "vintage".  I could cry.  Vintage means nothing more than when something was created.  Vintage means when, not old.  For example, a poodle skirt is vintage 1950's.  I would guess a poodle skirt is the one thing from that age that hasn't been labeled either Eames or Knoll Era.  Pah!  If it is Eames, great!  If it is Knoll, wonderful!  But the era produced a lot of crappy stuff that should not be put off on the quality of those two designers. 

I wrote a while ago on "Chinoiserie".  The term has a more specific meaning than just an item with Oriental influence.  It is a particular style of painted decoration involving ladies with parasols, pagodas, wriggly trees, birds and an occasional dragon often painted in gold on furniture that is lacquered.  If you scroll, the complete post appears just a few down. 

And today's topic: "patina".  Patina is that coating on bronze or copper that is produced by oxidation over years of wear and exposure.  The word may also be used to describe a sheen on wood furniture produced my years of polishing.  Not the best use, but fair.  There is a Wiki dictionary definition that goes further saying "any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure".  Here we debate and keep in mind that a Wiki definition can be written by anyone willing to take the time.  Is tarnish on silver, patina?  Hardly, though I have seen it defined as just such in an online description of an item for sale that the current owner had chosen not to polish.  No, it is tarnish and tarnish and patina are only distant cousins.  Patina being royalty and tarnish the poor relation in the country.   

It takes many years for a true copper or bronze patina to develop and it is sacrilege to remove it or discount it.    

This is patina..

 

This is not!!

Athough it is billed so by the seller likely because patina sells for more than rust.   

As an avid proponent of saving the English language, it is important to me that these terms maintain some credibility.  We are in danger of losing them to ridiculous. 

As always, the opinions expressed are the view from Pontifical.s Porch.  Perhaps one day we will discuss the period that replaces the apostrophe. 

Note:  Although I am a fan of their blog http://brookegianetti.typepad.com/velvet_and_linen I didn't realize when I composed this entry that Brooke and Steve Gianetti have published a book called Patina Style.  I searched the blog and found the introduction where they explain that their definition of "patina" relates to aging gracefully.  I think their style has a patina of grace. 

STICKS!

Sticks are in.  In the house.  They have been for a while.  Over the last year I have run across and saved some  photos of sticks used in decorating.  I was not surprised to find them since I've been collecting sticks and twigs and bird's nests and buckeyes and rocks for decorating for a long time.  Here are some of my stick photos. 

Sticks mounted in a footed container with moss and stones in an elegant setting. 

A few sticks in a big jar...great for a corner. 

Awesome!  A plant would do nicely in this spot but why not a mass of twigs that don't have to be tended.  Imaginative and carefree. 

In my own world I have a fantastic scrap - a fallen twiggy branch - mounted on the rail near my bird feeder on Pontifical.s Porch. 

Birds love it and use it as a way station to take turns at the feeder.  Small birds like Carolina wrens, black capped chickadees, a few orioles and the little sparrows who have God's eye have all enjoyed the easy access from twig to feeder.  They are polite and take turns. No matter how hard I tried with the photo, the twig always looked ghostly because it is weathered.  It is fastened to the railing with flexible lengths of vine.  If I were staging, I would pressure wash the rail, fill the bird feeder and trim the hedge.  The hedge will get its fall haircut later this month. 

Another of my sticks.. 

This one is in the corner of my living room.  The container is a Billy Ray Hussey jug.  The prints are of antique tapestry, lacework and ribbon fragments.  The chair is an authentic antique as is the table.  In a later post I will share how I use the antique English chest just peeking in on the right. 

Sticks are in.  Inside and outside. 

PICKER SISTERS.

It is raining on my end of North Carolina.  Raining and raining and raining.  Molly, my pocket beagle,  and I walked in the rain earlier.  She wasn't interested in my story about how much fun it was for Gene Kelly. 

Stuck.  Bored.  TV on while I play on the computer.  Lifetime.  I don't watch the channel often and can't remember why it was on.  In other words, whatever was on I wasn't paying attention.  I did look up when the Picker Sisters showed up.  What?  Who?  Aw, come on. 

There they are.  The photo doesn't show what I guess is part of the appeal of this show.  They wear short shorts while shopping in what seems to be a man's world.  Prowling through barns, attics, knee high weeds and old industrial plants...in short shorts.  Aw, come on.

I'm still watching as they cajole people into accepting their offers and then use their charm to get someone to move the bigger items for them.  Yeah, short shorts.

They have some fellow on retainer back in Los Angeles who is willing to cut up radiators and create chairs for them!!!

I don't think I'd like to sit and read in that chair.  In fact, I don't think I want to sit in that chair at all.
The wire shelves aren't bad.  They like wire...

They're actually moving these themselves...in short shorts.  Here's the result after the carts visited Alan.

Maybe this is what's selling in LA.  I know we've seen a run on industrial and then there's shabby still hanging around, but I don't know.  I like comfort and I don't see much here.  The light fixture created from an old pipe is neat.  There is a similar one in a new restaurant over in Asheville. 

Those of us who have been around for a while smile and say how Antiques Roadshow has ruined the antiques business. That's about the good stuff and now everyone believes they have the good stuff.  Look out!  Now even the rust and rot is going to escalate.

These gals payed 1,000 bucks for a termite riddled tree trunk and some copper wire.  Aw, come on.

They did make this coffee table, or Allen did, using old chain.

I might use it in an office.  They consider the lighted arrow and bull, art.  No bull!   

As I write, they are buying a silo that they plan to cut up.  Moving a silo?  Yeah, the fellow who sold it to them has a neighbor with a tractor and the phone calls begin to find a truck.  Pay the farmer's price, the freight to LA, factor in travel expense and a paid invoice to Allen who is really the one with talent and still make a profit??  Aw, come on.  

I don't have many followers at this point, but I would appreciate opinions.