Fresh Picks: Mellow Metals

The cool, clean look of industrial style decor takes on a more serene dimension if you choose true vintage relics like these. When form follows function, these delightful finds are equally suited to organizing your work space or adding an artful touch to your living space.

Industrial Desk Lamp. Vintag... CheekyChicVint... $125.00	Vintage Kwik File Industrial... calloohcallay $52.00	Vintage Stenciled Metal Supe... TheFancyLamb $42.00
Vintage metal wire basket - ... moxiethrift $21.50	19th Century Bicycle Head La... Nachokitty $175.00	Vintage Student School Desk ... glasspanic $125.00

Treasury tool by whalesharkwebsites

Foodie Friday: P is for PINEAPPLE

Pineapple: tropical vacation in a fruit form! So many ways to enjoy it----by itself, in fruit salads, smoothies, upside down cake, pina coladas............or one of my favorites: a salsa (relish) that is GREAT on grilled fish, chicken or pork.

Pineapple Salsa

* 1 C pineapple, chopped (fresh is best, but canned will do in a pinch)
* 1/2 C red onion, in diced fine
* 1- 2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, and minced
* 1 TBS cilantro or mint, minced
* 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1/2 - 1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce
* juice of 1 lime
* brown sugar or honey, to taste


In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple, red onion, jalapenos and cilantro. Stir well to mix and season with salt, pepper, and the hot saucer. Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and toss well to combine. Taste, and adjust salt, pepper and sugar or honey to your liking Chill until ready to serve, then toss again before serving.

Makes 1 1/2 C of salsa.

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If the task of cutting up a fresh pineapple seems daunting to you, just google HOW TO CIT UP a PINEAPPLE for many helpful articles and videos!

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Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality and welcome throughout the world. You can find many artistic renditions on everything from earrings to tablecloths to dishes. Here are a few fun pineapple motif items from EVT shops:

Humor: Feels Good, Draws Attention & Helps Sell!

I've noticed something about my shopping experience lately. I'll be browsing Etsy and realize I'm giggling out loud. I do this when I happen upon a clever photo taken with a bit of humor and whimsy in mind. Sharp wit is always a way to get attention and if you have a clever thumbnail photo, those browsers will turn into shoppers quickly.

Take this great photograph by TippleandSnack. When I spotted it, it was in the middle of the page. It caught my eye immediately because of the color contrast. Then I cracked up when I saw those little chicks peeping out of an egg cup. What a great way to sell egg cups! It not only draws the potential customer in, but it also shows them that egg cups can be display objects in their own right.

Vintage Egg Cups by TippleandSnack

There are lots of vintage clothing sellers on Etsy with fashion must haves. I know many people use their daughters as models, which is practical. The key to a successful live model is their facial expression. I find a lot of models have the "I'd never be caught dead in this" look on their face, which is odd. Have the model ham it up. Show them having fun in it. Sell it! This photo by Unionmadebride illustrates my point perfectly:

1960's Full Length Slip by Unionmadebride

The item itself doesn't have to be funny. Humor can be added by the angle you take the photo from, the way you position your item, or the lighting. This photo by TheFancyLamb shows this point. Most of us take a shot of a doll sitting down-at least I do. This shot taken up close really captures the dolls whimsical expression and draws my eye to it.

Vintage Poland Heidi Doll by TheFancyLamb

Props can really help bring a whimsical element to your otherwise rather practical item. As long as you're clear that the prop isn't for sale, use them to your advantage. People tend to be rather opinionated about them, so I don't recommend them for every item, just those that could benefit from a substantial visual boost. Take this shot from Calloohcallay for example. Without the horse, the cup would be rather lost. It adds just enough whimsy to make a viewer ask "what is horse doing next to a coffee cup?"

Vintage Fire King Cup by calloohcallay

Sometimes, the front isn't always the best angle. The playful motion used in this dress photo by Alexsandras is really eye catching! It doesn't just grab attention though. It also tells me about the fabric and how it hangs. Perfect way to convey elements of the item without using words. In addition, it shows the model having fun and that makes the viewer smile!

Vintage 1960's Tennis Dress by alexsandras

The more we think out of the box with our photos, the more we will stand out from other sellers. When a sea of small thumbnails is staring a shopper in the face, you want your photo to pop. Once they click on the next page, it's too late. So grab their attention. Humor, whimsy and just plain fun are a great way to do it!

Foodie Friday: K Is For KITCHEN GADGET

Kitchenware lot from tparty

When it comes to kitchen prep, I am a "less is more" kinda gal. I generally get by with a sharp knife, cutting board, and maybe a manual can opener. Hubby, however, is "Inspector Gadget". Bring on any widget, thing-a-ma-bob or do-hickey, and he is happy to help in the kitchen!!

Here are some "gadgets" from days past that are too cool to forget:

Sifter from ReBopShop

Masher from calloohcallay

Kitchen scale from TheFancyLamb

What are your favorite "can't live without" gadgets???

How to Jump Vintage Hurdles

The Psychology of selling is a fascinating thing. We've all experienced it in one form or another. The trick is how to master it and get ahead. Take for example, lots. If you were to see 3 pieces of Metlox Poppytrail china in a sale for the right price, you'd snap it up. But if you ran across an estate with 150 pieces, would you? Maybe you would. But I'll bet once you got it home and stared at it awhile, it would lose its luster.

Lot of Victorian Ephemera by tparty

Another example are items that you can't find anything out about. You list it for a price that suits the unique nature of it and it just sits there. You lower the price. Nada. You try to price it so it's a give away. Nothing. You decide you hate it and pack it away for another day. Days, weeks or years later, you discover that the widget you have is a blankety blank and worth bucks! You unpack it lovingly and list it again with total enthusiasm.

Antique Aurora Dater Machine by jenzee09

What about boring items? I mean items that sound good in theory but end up looking very intimidating. Piles of postcards. Boxes of linens. Photographs. You get the idea. Buying those 500 postcards seemed like such a great idea at the time! But now they look daunting as you consider scanning every single one.

Lot of Antique Photographs by FancysVintageStore

So we like what's new and different. We like selling to be interesting. The best days are those when the items in the box are all different, unique & easy to photograph. But that isn't the way it works most of the time.

Vintage Street Sign by TheFancyLamb

I've suffered from these maladies in various guises over the years. All that red and white enamelware was so adorable at the flea market. Now I know why the dealer had such a gleam in her eye!

Antique Folk Art Primitive by birdie1

There are a few ways to master it. One: develop a will of iron and overcome any petty mental issues like fear of boredom, monotony and ironing. I admire you greatly if you can do this. I know some of you are doing it-I've seen your shops. Kudos to you.

Vintage Cow Milk Kitchen Towel by in2vintagecloths

Two: ignore your instincts. Meaning, it makes total sense to want to list like items at the same time. If a buyer comes in that likes one piece of enamelware, chances are they'll buy two! But if you have a pile of thingamabobs staring you down, ignore that instinct. Parse the items out. Tell yourself you'll list x number of them every day, or every other day. Do a little bit at a time and you'll get a great sense of achievement. And you'll also make more progress than you would have.

Vintage Red & White Enamelware by calloohcallay

Three: sell it in different ways. Put the ten best on Etsy, a lot of them on Craigslist and a lot on an auction site. Sell some of it locally. Do whatever you can to break the mental lock.

Vintage Tablecloth by DoadandStelley

Now that I've written all this down, I'm motivated. This week I have committed to washing, ironing and listing my gazillions of vintage linens. If I've inspired you at all, join me. Let's see what we can accomplish!

Before and After: From Vintage to Handmade

In these days of repurposing and recycling vintage objects, the beauty of the newly created art is just an extension of the marvelous items that went into it. Vintage jewelry, buttons, books, furniture, china, and knick-knacks—marvelous in their own right—can take on a new, rich beauty when combined creatively.

Which is better? That’s like asking whether you like peaches or peach pie—both can be absolutely delicious. Just for fun, here are a few examples of Before and After.

Pot metal dress clips from GeneralWhimsy2 and Wedding hair pin from OhFaro

Dragon ware teacup from ThreeChicksVintage and Soy candle in 1950s Seyei teacup from ReBopShop

Computer circuit board from preciousplaytime and Recycled circuit board clock from DebbyAremDesigns

1938 Of Mice and Men book by YesterdaysSilhouette and Vintage book journal by TheFancyLamb

Moonglow plastic buttons from TheVintageRecycler and Vintage button brooch by calloohcallay

Knowing What That Thingamajig Is!

You're driving to an errand and spot an estate sale sign. Not one to pass up some fun, you go in. You spot some unusual looking pieces that you recall seeing once before and the price is right. Now you have to figure out what they are and what they're worth. I've included photos today of items that could be quite a challenge to properly identify. Most people would check eBay and let that be their deal maker or breaker. I suggest you use it as a rough guideline only. eBay is inconsistent. Times of day, year, location in the world, photograph quality, etc can all affect the final auction price radically. I generally use eBay for identification purposes. It can be quite helpful to find enough information to then go pop into google.

Vintage Art Object by marybethhale

If you still don't know what you have, that's not a problem. Someone else out there doesn't know either and they can help you! I find that by giving a general description of the item's physical attributes, other similar items usually turn up. I use Google for this, but Bing has been useful too. For example, this antique lamp from India puzzled me for months. At first, I couldn't even tell it was an oil lamp; I thought it was for candles. It was so far removed from the mid century modern estate that I found it in, and my brain couldn't quite comprehend it. I kept typing in variations of brass stand, birds, hollow, etc. Finally! I found a website (only one!) selling 3 of these. Then I was enlightened. (okay, bad pun)

Vintage Tie Display Stand by Birdie1

The other tool that is tremendously helpful is Google Images. It's fairly hit and miss in some cases, but it also can be Whammo! Spot on. I've found many helpful websites by linking to them from images. I find the search to be most helpful when I'm in the dark and just describing things blindly. 9 times out of 10, someone else is doing the same thing. They usually have just enough extra info to aim me in the proper direction.

Antique Victorian Needlepoint by HouseofLinens

Another site that I find helpful is Worthpoint. Not from the angle of accurate pricing-they, like eBay that they pull from, are wildly all over the map. Worthpoint helps aggregate information about the history of items by pulling descriptions. I pay for it, and I generally use it up every month-but I'm also dealing with thousands of items that I have to identify for my business. I suggest sharing a membership with another seller or two if you won't use it up. (It gives you a set number of searches each month for a flat rate.)

Vintage Scottish Rite Hat by calloohcallay

Collector websites are a treasure trove of information. So many people love to compile all the information they can about their passions and share them. I find sites where every item by a maker is catalogued with history, marks and photographs. I bookmark these sites and refer to them often. Let the homework someone elso has done help you.

Vintage Granny Shoes by kowkirlkitsch

And of course, Etsy and Google Shopping can both be informative. Since Etsy doesn't reveal sold prices, I've found it helpful to email sellers asking if they'll share that info. So far, all have. I've also helped people emailing me. Again, I just use it as a guideline since many people just price within their own personal comfort zone. Google Shopping aggregates info from a few different places, including Etsy. It's cool to accidentally run across your own items being sold!

1970's Ikebana Vase by mascarajones

I can't stress enough how vital it is to gather proper information and identification. I've learned this the hard way. Once long ago, I gave up on researching on an item just to get the cash. Found it later online for 150 times what I'd sold it for, in the high thousands. I'm more patient now!

Is There Really a Season For Selling?

I did a post on my Facebook page the other day, asking my group why they bought vintage. Was it for gifts, events, or just for their own personal collecting? Several people responded and several emailed me directly. Overwhelmingly I was told they bought to collect for themselves. If this is true, then we should cater to that mentality. Collectors don't buy seasonally. They look all year round.

Bottlebrush trees by VintageJunkInMyTrunk

I collect old Halloween & Christmas. I'm always searching, especially during the off season. Why? Because that's when I can find things easily. The market isn't flooded with reproductions, there isn't a lot of just "clutter" listings that don't apply, there is less competition and things cost less, often much less.

Vintage button upcycled necklace by calloohcallay

Don't fall into this trap. A vintage paper Halloween horn from the 1940's isn't worth any less in May. But I notice sellers discounting these types of items over and over. Collectors will find it and pay the right price-as long as the condition warrants it of course. (which brings up the point-know your prices!)

1950's Bombshell Swimsuit by hautecountryvintage

This same logic applies to items like swimsuits and other seasonal clothing that appeals to everyone, not just collectors. That client who marks it as a favorite in October is planning to fit in it by January. She'll come back for it! I've had this happen several times in my shop-things get marked as a fav and then when the buyer is motivated, they buy.

FOODIE FRIDAY--F is also for FUDGE

Making fudge has never been my forte, I actually prefer BAKING--cookies, cakes, pies and the like. But, during the busy holiday season, I have prepared this fudge several times when I needed something FESTIVE in a hurry. It always turns out perfectly, and looks great. Even more important—it's spot on EASY, and tastes scrumptious!

Vintage Kitchen Scale from calloocallay

Rachael Ray's 5 MINUTE FUDGE WREATH

Ingredients

• 
  
  1 bag semisweet chocolate morsels (12 ounces)


• 
  
  9 ounces butterscotch morsels (3/4 of a 12 ounce bag)


• 
  
  1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)


• 
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 
  
  1 package of walnut pieces (8 ounces)


• 
  
  1/2 cup currants (a couple handfuls)


• 
  
  8-inch cake pan, lightly greased with softened butter


• Candied red and green cherries, for garnish (optional)

Preparation: Place a heavy pot on the stove and pre-heat it over low heat. Add chocolate and butterscotch morsels and milk and stir until morsels are melted and milk is combined. Save the empty condensed milk can. Stir in the vanilla and remove the fudge from heat. Add the nuts and currants and stir in immediately. Cover the empty condensed milk can with plastic wrap and center it in the greased cake pan. Spoon fudge into pan around can, making sure to center the can if it drifts. The fudge will set up almost immediately. Garnish can only be added in the first minute or two that the fudge is in the pan, so work quickly. Decorate your wreath with "holly" made from cut candied red and green cherries, if desired---or a wreath left plain can be garnished with a pretty fabric bow when serving. Chill covered in the refrigerator. Slice the fudge very thin when ready to serve – a little goes a long way!

Holiday Wreath Brooch from TRUECOLORSFORYOU

Vintage Buzz: Red Hot Metal

Fabulous Christmas Red Vintage Bundt Cake & Jello Mold from Moon Over Marilyn 

Vintage metal doesn't have to be rusty, dinged and dented (although some of us LOVE it that way too!) - if you are patient, you can find well-cared for pieces still adorned in their original bright paint and enamel. Whether you make a jello mold, serve homemade goodies, create a powerful brew or just hang it on the wall for good looks, vintage metal is a RED HOT commodity both for home decor and vintage inspired home cooking.

These vintage Danish Metal Trays With Rosewood Handles from Kitsch Cafe make a cheerful statement, whether serving friends or set around the house as little catch-alls. 

Make a potent brew or a savory sauce in this vintage Red Enamel Turkish Coffee and Sauce Pot from Dandelion Girl.

This gorgeous Tin  Toleware Tray from Callooh Callay is the perfect touch of vintage for a shabby chic decor.

Fall Into Vintage Fashion

I love the look of ecclectic vintage fashion!

I found a few fun pieces from some of the great shops on Etsy (specifically from our Etsy Vintage Team!)! 

My all time favorite accessory is pearls!  Dress them up, dress them down!  They're not only great for your basic black dress, but so fun with your favorite soft t-shirt and comfy jeans!

This classic pair of vintage pearls is from http://www.moddities.etsy.com/  You just can't go wrong with a great pair of vintage pearls!



Classic pearls from Moddities

For a bit of flair I would add this fun fun vintage sweater from http://www.runzwithvintage.etsy.com/ (gotta love that name!).  I see a lot of the 80's style coming back (my 17 year old daughter absolutely loves it!).








80s cool from runswithvintage


Of course you need shoes!  I love this vintage classic pair from http://www.betaboutique.etsy.com/ !

classic shoes for fall from BetaBoutique

and...keep your head warm in style from http://www.calloohcallay.etsy.com/

Vintage Fedor from Calloohcallay

Now spice things up a bit! I love vintage slips! I use them as slips, nightgowns, and even under a suit for a sexy touch!

Sexy from http://www.thedabara.etsy.com/

So have fun with vintage fashion!  Be unique!