Patina General

The Month of May: Always a Blur!

Getting to Memorial Day weekend feels like an accomplishment. The month of May is chocked full of end of the year concerts, recitals, tournaments, class parties, etc. etc. Plus the beginning of the year yardwork, getting the garden started, and filling those pots with pretty flowers. As I look back through my May pictures since we opened Patina General, I realized that in addition to all this (and spring junking), every year I had something else big going on...

Where to Begin... that was my question this morning???

This is one of those "life as it happens" posts. I'm feeling a little over whelmed this morning, where to begin is the question to ponder?

Sentimental Journey

These past few days have reminded me that this business is not about the junk...it's about the people. The junk will come and go, and the pretty will be made and then ripped apart and remade, but the relationships we've made will endure...and that's what we're celebrating.

Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

I think there's no better way to learn about our nation's history than to experience it in the places where it actually occcurred. The details stick in the grey matter of the brain so much more than reading them in a textbook. So whenever we can, we take our kids to historical places to encourage our family dialog about history and the pivotal characters that shaped our world. As the Hermitage brochure said, "Knowing where we come from is essential to understanding who we are now...and how to get where we want to go next."

Need My Mondays...

Thank goodness it's cloudy today. I can start the day slowly with a good book on the deck, while listening to the mourning doves croon. "For the Love" by Jen Hatmaker will make me laugh as I nurse my very-busy-weekend hangover while ignoring the piles of stuff all around my home that need to be dealt with.

Beautiful Belmont

As I sift through the mound of college brochures, I realize many of them claim to have "one of the most beautiful campuses" in the U.S. But after visiting Belmont University in Nashville, they've got my vote. The architecture of the historic buildings and how they've built the new buildings to harmonize with the old, along with the classic gardens, fountains, courtyards and spring in full bloom had me wishing I could do it all over. Whether or not Happy Girl decides this is the one, my beauty tank got filled with this southern gem's charms!

Nashville: Sights and Sounds

You know what you do on spring break when you have a junior? Yep...look at colleges. This year was the year for a road trip, checking out Belmont University in Nashville Tennessee, a city we'd never visited before. And it was a blast!

R House the Week Before Occasional... Lots of Color & Lots of Piles

Many of our customers that enjoy the look of the store often say, "your homes must be so adorable". Well... truth be told the week before Occasional, you can't see the cuteness without first noticing the piles in the Jarl household.

"Littles" Day: A Change of Pace

On my non-Occasional weeks, I get the pleasure of taking care of my sister's kids one day a week. I call it my day with "the littles". It's my day to put Patina General projects aside, and just have fun (well, I maybe throw some laundry in). Having the littles over forces me to slow down my pace, and enjoy the little things in life again.

Valentine's Love & Love Languages

The stores are bursting with flowers, candy, cards with sweet sentiments and jewelry for this upcoming Valentine's Day. I had so much fun looking at all the beautiful blooms when I was out and about yesterday.