Our drive into Jaipur. Elephants as a mode of transportation!
Along side the car, the camel is another mode of transportation.
This is a very nice textile factory, where we ordered scarves and curtains.
A sample of bright, bold Indian textiles.
Jewelry, beads and more beads….
Some semi-precious and gold plated rings.
We hand selected each one!
Puff out your chest with pride! Make a statement with the perfect lawn ornament to spring-ify your yard and show your personality. Turtles, wiener dogs, grasshoppers, roosters, wading birds, bull dogs and peacocks are all “flocking” to our store locations in a variety of bright colors. Animals are constructed of wrought iron.
Sassy Knitwear is here and we’re eager to show our fans! Sassy Knitwear is owned and operated by two Minneapolis women, Molly O’Brien Black and Sarah Grudem. All Sassy creations are made from hand-dyed organic cotton and recycled materials to make unique, comfortable, versatile and affordable clothing and accessories for people of all ages. And we’re proud to support this local and sustainable small business. Find Sassy Knitwear at Patina stores in the Twin Cities.
After a tragic fire burned down our flagship store and neighboring restaurants at 50th & Bryant on February 18th, 2010, we are elated to announce that we are back in business in South Minneapolis! We greatly appreciate all of the letters, calls and emails of encouragement during the rebuilding process. We’re so thankful to be a part of such a wonderful community!
And to double the excitement, we’ve also opened our newest location in Golden Valley! This is our first venture into the suburbs and we’re thrilled to have been met with overwhelming support from our customers, friends and neighbors. Thank you to all! Though the building exterior is still awaiting finishing touches, the doors are open and we welcome you to stop in and shop!
“I’ve been thinking a lot about gnomes.” Patina’s seasoned gift buyer, Molly, volunteered a random statement the other day at the water cooler. Gnomes were popping their cute little heads up all over the recent Atlanta Gift Show: garden gnomes, kitschy gnomes, travel gnomes, big gnomes and small gnomes. Molly is oddly keen to family of gnomes that her mother hand-painted in the ’70s. They are currently residing next to her plants.
Funny how gnomes tend to be timeless and nostalgic, while usually looking unusual, unexpected and frankly, creepy. Keep an eye on them because you know they are watching you!
Our buyers are back from Atlanta, and were they ever happy to escape the Minnesota heat in Hot-lanta! They saw lots of great new releases from some of our favorite lines as well as exciting new concepts that we’ll be implementing at Patina stores soon. And we can’t resist sharing this celeb sighting: Sal from Mad Men, spotted wearing a fancy pair of saddle shoes!
Patina’s Buyers are so good at their jobs and so good at finding exactly what our customers want before they know they want it! But, where do they get their inspiration from? We asked Molly, Julie and Germaine what it is about summer that inspires them. Get to know our buyers through their answers and you can see for yourself why we love what they do for Patina!
From left to right: Germaine, Julie, and Molly
Germaine, Jewelry & Accessories Buyer, had this to say: “The summer is all about the movers and shakers of the world. The sun is out, the air is warm, and people are out on the streets. Walking, biking, or jogging, the great thing about summer is that we can see people! The gardeners, the dog walkers, the couples arguing in the streets, the smokers hanging out by the entrance of my apartment building—each of these individuals is strutting their stuff and whether they are aware of it or not, they have style. Call me the Bill Cuningham of Uptown Minneapolis, but I can’t help but be inspired by the tricked out messenger bag that the hipster biker is toting. And I love your sunglasses and what a cute purse. You get the picture…”
Julie, Paper, Toys & Beauty Buyer: “I love the change of all seasons in MN, but summer is by far my favorite! The extended sunlight throughout the day keeps me on the go. Being outside with family and friends – at the park, on a walk, in the yard or at the family farm makes me happy and keeps me rejuvenated. The bright colors from flowers, veggies, the garden, toys in the sandbox, the green trees against a bright, blue sky are all inspirations for me during this time of year. I tend to gravitate towards bright and happy in my buying.”
Molly, our Home, Seasonal and Candle Buyer, said this: “Going to India in March this year to attend their furniture show was such an eye opener for me. Seeing all the beautiful color compared to snow covered MN was such an uplifting experience. It was like a blast of endorphins—so much so that it was hard to settle back in once I returned home. I continually surround myself with color and patterns (anything that looks like candy and bright flowers makes me happy!) to inspire my every day and work life.”
“The smell of dirt and water from the garden hose are two big summer indicators for my senses. A few things that scream Summer to me and what get me inspired are: sitting on patios with friends, the smell of a charcoal grill, good, cold beer (Surly please!), tomatoes and basil, summer cotton skirts that twirl, sandals and bright red toenails, going to the lake cabin and drinking gin and tonics, driving in the car on long road trips with the windows down, blaring music and drinking iced lattes, and going to the zoo with my niece, of course!”
“As I’m sure most of you have noticed, incorporating feathers into your daily style and your home decor is the latest trend. Patina has jumped aboard the feather train and is taking the look to the next level. A recent Kare11 segment drew attention to a couple of our feathered items. I’m really excited about a new jewelry line called Serefina that we expect to have in stores by mid-July. Handmade in San Francisco, Serefina feather necklaces are fun and flirty, but also edgy. The long feather earrings with overlapping thin, long gold chains are my favorite for this reason. They are on my wish list!” Germaine, Jewelry Buyer
Here is a sneak peek at just a few of the new Indian Furniture that we’ve recently added to our inventory. We’ve recently placed a large order directly from India. The majority of the items are vintage, hand-made, and very unique!
Each piece was hand selected by our buyers, Rick and Molly in their recent trip to Jodhpur. They have literally traveled half way around the world to bring you these one of a kind pieces! Many are available in our stores now, and remember that each item is unique, so visit a few of Patina’s locations to find that exotic new addition to your home decor!
