Patty Van Dorin

vintage beachcomber

I love color!
A picture in my studio, it is a framed piece of spray paint graffiti that I did a few years back. I think it's fun in the vintage turn of the century walnut frame.

An all white and neutral color scheme would never work for me, under the cover of the night I would be sneaking in color.
 
When decorating, I have to have white crisp trim and neutral color walls but then I layer on the color.  My studio is painted a light steel grey. The color works well with the industrial cabinets, vintage finds and supports all the color that I crave but it doesn't photograph well.

The crazy level of humidity today forced me to set up an impromptu drying pole for bangles. Hanging from the door is a favorite vintage 60's long shift dress.

I adore vintage clothes.

Love this vintage dress in a rainbow shock of bright colors. Someone asked me why neon bright colors are popular right now; my response is that they have always been popular. Case in point this hip 60's cocktail dress. For every decade since the 60's, I can recall neon color being popular in some aspect.
Neon Rainbow bangle stack
available on etsy

catchin' some sun

sticky buns

Sticky buns made from the brioche recipe from Ciril Hitz "Baking Artisan Bread".

As I bake my way through Ciril Hitz book, I return to several of the bread formulas, the brioche is one of my favorites.  This weekend I used the brioche dough to make these incredible sticky buns.

So good and easy.  The brioche dough was made ahead of time and since it has to go in the freezer to rest, then sit in the refrig overnight, this made it easy to make up a small pan of sticky buns in the morning.

The only recipe I used with Ciril's brioche dough that I rolled out like a jelly roll, sprinkled cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans and dotted with cold butter. Rolled, sliced and placed into a 8 inch cake pan that had the sticky on the bottom.  The "sticky" that goes on the bottom of the pan is a mix of honey, corn syrup, brown sugar and pecans that I brought to a boil, then poured into the cake pan.

Baked at 350 for around 23 minutes.

easy and tasty

Next time around, I may leave the lemon out of the brioche dough and divide the dough in quarters, that way I can make just a small pan of sticky buns for two. You just know that these are too good to not gobble up the entire pan.

And I am thinking about some not so sticky sweet variations that may include apples or figs, if I can still outwit the squirrels this coming week.

There is a "Baking Artisan Pastries" by Ciril Hitz but I am trying my best to ignore the existence of that book due to waistline concerns. Bread and pastries are my weak point.

 

unsurpassed in my cleverness

The first fig of the season.

I have been keeping a close watch on the figs as they ripen.

There has also been a squirrel who has been keeping an even
closer watch.

It is so rewarding when once in awhile, I can outwitt a squirrel. To the watchful belongs the figs.

dark or bright

dark
 

Midnight Guadalupe Bangle Stack
available on etsy


bright

Guadalupe Circus
available on etsy

luminous orange with a bit of sparkle

this bangle stack has me wildly excited

Bangle Stack 22dg
available on etsy

A retro futuristic stack in luminous bold orange, edgy, a bit grungy, and urban these bangle really pack a slap of color.

While this may not be for everyone, I am head over heads in love with this color.

Quilt Club bracelet

Vintage Sewing triple wrap bracelet
available on etsy

one side of the studio

in my tiny cottage the rooms are small

The largest bedroom is where I have my studio.

My storage units have to be effective and sturdy. I love these shop pieces.  I also have a large wall unit and a rolling cart.

It's nearly impossible to get pictures because the room is so small but I could have tried for better focus....next time.

Below are some sweet spots

an old wall box that holds small vintage journals, notebooks and camel kuchi

lamp with a charm shade

a tin box that holds old lace, I added the cute little hand print paper to the inside of the box lid

a little blue bird that holds a vintage sewing machine light bulb

a favorite white metal parts cabinet
some of the my personal jewelry and bangles hang on the side
behind them are a couple of altered books

bright hot color

It seems that after the massive studio clean up, I have been inspired by color.

It started with sorting my spray paint stencils,

Then it appeared again in bead organization.

Bright bold hot color has always been a favorite of mine.
I found many pieces when looking around my studio yesterday. From the vintage yellow metal box, spray paint graffiti paper, inspiration books, and it is plentiful in the scrapodex cards.

In keeping with the color theme, this is the bracelet that I made yesterday and have on etsy

Butterfly Circus
available on etsy

I love this bracelet right down to the little glass butterfly dangle.

a sweet spot

a "Ril-Sweet" spot in the corner of my studio
slowly, it is turning into a shire for unfinished projects

I love the vintage store display and it has always found a place in my studio.  Pink is a hard to find color in vintage signage, plus it's a nice small size.