Foodie Friday: U is for UMBRELLA DRINKS

Umbrella Drinks, aka Boat Drinks...those fruity, fun cocktails with the ubiquitous paper umbrella!!! What's not to love? Sipping one will always conjure up thoughts of a leisurely summer day on the water.

No need to head to a fancy watering hole--it's easy to make a fabulously fancy cocktail (just leave out the libation, and call it a "mocktail" if you avoid alcohol). Here are a few recipes to get you started. Just be sure to have a fancy glass AND a paper umbrella on hand.

CLASSIC CUBAN MOJITO

Ingredients:

* 10 fresh mint leaves
* 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
* 2 tablespoons white sugar, or simple syrup (or to taste)
* 1 cup ice cubes
* 1 1/2 fluid ounces white rum
* 1/2 cup club soda

Directions:

Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge in a sturdy glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar or simple syrup, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and fill the glass with carbonated water. Stir, taste, and add more sugar/simple syrup if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge.

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TEQUILA SUNRISE


Ingredients:

* 1.5 oz good quality tequila
* 3/4 cup orange juice
* ice cubes
* good pour of grenadine syrup
* 1 slice orange, for garnish
* 1 maraschino cherry for garnish

Directions:

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in tequila. Add orange juice. Slowly pour in the grenadine, and allow it to settle to the bottom of the glass (be patient). Garnish with a slice of orange, and a maraschino cherry.

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CHI CHI

Ingredients:

2 oz canned Crème de Coconut
4 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Vodka
1 Cup Ice
1 oz Half and Half or Milk (For a creamier version. Optional)

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a blender or mix well and enjoy on the rocks. Garnish with a cherry and a slice of pineapple.

Of course, etsyvintageteam shops have some GREAT vintage barware available! Here are just a few examples, search etsyvintageteam: bar for more choices.

Fresh Picks: Scandi Style

A pure white kitchen is the perfect backdrop for Scandinavian style décor, a perennial trend made hot hot hot with the rise of a certain big blue retail empire. You can soften the look with vintage folk elements that emphasize home, hearth and harmony in cheery primary colors. Here I have expanded the theme to include Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), Finland, Switzerland (originator of fondue) and even their American cousin: Pennsylvania Dutch (Germanic and Swiss).

vintage scandinavian style e... thecreekhouse $24.00	Oiva Toikka for Nuutajarvi B... mascarajones $295.00	Fab 1960s Striped Kitchen To... in2vintageclot... $20.00
Vintage Anodized Aluminum Tr... AllTheRageRetr... $23.00	vintage hex sign BLESS THIS ... stuartroadvint... $12.00	1975 M. Kamenstein 2 Quart P... jenzee09 $44.00

Treasury tool by whalesharkwebsites.

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!