Fresh Picks: Delicious Decor

Decorating with vintage fruit motifs is a terrific way to bring bold color to a bland kitchen. Midcentury fruit designs abound in vintage linens, housewares and pottery/porcelain, making it a fun and easy project. Repurposing tip: If you’re stuck with an obtrusive soffit over your kitchen cabinets, hang a row of vintage plates and change them with the seasons.

Vintage Blue Ridge Hand Pain... ATasteForVinta... $20.00	Oranges Jam Jar / Arabia of ... scoutandrescue $38.00	Funky Fruit Vintage Tableclo... FineVintageLin... $19.00
1940s Painted Embroidery, Pe... chameleonCMC $10.00	Vintage Frosted Fruit Patter... tippleandsnack $24.99	SET Hazel Atlas Flower Pot A... beppiebags $19.00

Treasury tool by whalesharkwebsites

FOODIE FRIDAY -- R Is For RADICCHIO

It's interesting how our tastes change over time, or having something prepared in a new way can change your perception. I used to dislike radicchio, even picking it out of salads. I found it to be bitter. A couple of years ago, I had GRILLED radicchio as a side dish at a local eatery. It was amazing!!! I immediately tried to replicate the recipe, and it turned out quite well. Grilling it tames the bitterness, and actually imparts an almost nutty flavor.

(photo courtesy of marthastewart.com)


Here's some information on this tasty green, from epicurious.com:

radicchio
[rah-DEE-kee-oh]
This red-leafed Italian CHICORY is most often used as a salad green. There are several varieties of radicchio, but the two most widely available in the United States are Verona and Treviso . The radicchio di Verona has burgundy-red leaves with white ribs. It grows in a small, loose head similar to BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE. The leaves of radicchio di Treviso are narrow and pointed and form tighter, more tapered heads. They also have white ribs but can range in color from pink to dark red. Other radicchio varieties have variegated or speckled leaves in beautiful shades of pink, red and green. All radicchios have tender but firm leaves with a slightly bitter flavor. Radicchio is available year-round, with a peak season from midwinter to early spring. Choose heads that have crisp, full-colored leaves with no sign of browning. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. Besides being used in salads, radicchio may also be cooked by grilling, sautéing or baking.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/entry/?id=4169#ixzz1QtkZBXb8

RECIPE: GRILLED BALSAMIC RADICCHIO


INGREDIENTS:

* 3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
* 2 TBS orange Juice
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
* 1 teaspoon orange zest
* 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
* 2 large heads of radicchio, each quartered through core end
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1/4 - 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese shavings (parmesan will do in a pinch)

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk oil, vinegar, orange juice, garlic, rosemary, zest, and crushed red pepper in large bowl. Add radicchio and toss to coat. Marinate 15 minutes.

Prepare barbecue or stovetop grill pan (medium heat). Drain marinade into small bowl. Place radicchio on grill or in pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill radicchio until edges are crisp and slightly charred, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer radicchio to serving platter. Drizzle with reserved marinade and sprinkle with cheese shavings.

****************

Serve it up on a nice vintage platter:

The Nuts & Bolts of Owning a Business

Is selling on Etsy just a hobby or is it your business? Do you do it for enjoyment with little regard to year end profits or are you concerned about boosting revenue? Are you keeping records that will help out in case of an audit? 

15 Quart Pyrex Bowl by beppiebags

These questions matter, especially at tax time. Unless you're trying to keep your business under the table and operate on a cash only basis (Which I highly discourage), you'll need to keep records. Keep in mind that Paypal will report their records if you're audited. 

1970s Hummingbirds Dress by PersonalPursuits

The first question is hobby or business? It's an important distinction. If you are planning on calling your Etsy shop a hobby, read up on the restrictions. Let's assume for the sake of this discussion that you're a business. 

The Skin of Our Teeth offered by TheOldBarnDoor

Are you keeping track of your expenses? Are you keeping records? Here's a few of things I keep track of: 


A. Receipts from thrift stores, estate sales, etc. 
B. Mileage to estates, thrift stores, etc. 
C. Excel Spreadsheets of what it is, what it cost, where I got it, what it sold for, and any shipping losses. 
D. Excel Spreadsheets of all my consignment sales.
E. Costs of business insurance.


That's all I worry about. I could get into deducting costs associated with my home office, but I've heard those kind of gray area deductions can trigger further investigations. 

Vintage Wall Mirror by moxiethrift

Some ways in which I practice sound business management: 


I keep a separate bank account for my business. It's a business account, not a personal one. 


I keep records about each consignment client and keep them up to date on their sales for their own tax records.


I keep detailed inventory lists to stay organized, to know who owns what and in order to find things quickly once they've sold. 


I keep track of all my in state customers for sales tax. Check with your state and see what your requirements are. 


I keep track of the rules surrounding Self Employment tax & Social Security and pay accordingly. 

Victorian German Silver Purse by justbecauseshecan

While I'd prefer to just focus on finding the next cool item, I've found that taking a little time each day to maintain records saves me a lot of wailing and gnashing later on. Now while this is what I do, please know I'm not a tax expert, I don't claim to be and I'm just sharing my personal experience. 

Welcome New Members: beppiebags, Houdini House and The Old Barn Door

If you adore vintage kitchens, you must visit Beth's shop, beppiebags. From the great Midwest, she offers a wonderful array of midcentury dinnerware and serving pieces, plus older china like this stunning Art Deco coffee pot by W.S. George in the Shortcake pattern. You will also find sweet figurines and other home decor from the fun to the fine!

Houdini House brings you antiques from Manchester, England. Al is a musician and teacher with a passion for one-of-a-kind treasures for you and your home, including decor, jewelry and more. Just one fine example is this fascinating WWI era field binoculars set with leather case. Al celebrates his shop's one year anniversary on Etsy this month.

The Old Barn Door is the Etsy shop of Patricia, an organic farmer from Ontario, Canada. She specializes in gorgeous old postcards and other ephemera from around the world. Her current inventory includes nearly 800 items! In anticipation of the approaching holiday, Patricia has dozens of vintage Easter postcards, including this adorable 1909 greeting.

As our membership grows worldwide, we're thrilled to include these wonderful shops in the Etsy Vintage Team. Welcome!