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.

FOODIE FRIDAY -- M is for MINETRONE

It's spring--at least according to the calender. The weather, however, is still stuck at STORMY. And in my house, the best remedy for stormy weather is SOUP!! Nothing like a pot of old-fashioned, made from scratch soup to warm and comfort you from the inside out! One of our favorites is a fresh take on MINESTRONE. Here is the definition of MINESTRONE from one of my favorite web sources: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Glossary/M.htmminestrone (mih-nest-ROE-nay) - Means "big soup." It is a thick vegetable soup that generally contains pasta. Pretty broad. In our house, the MINESTRONE is usually vegan, unless we add a touch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top. It varies each time I make it, but here is a good basic recipe: Ingredients: * 2 tablespoons olive oil * 1 medium onion, chopped * 2 stalks celery, diced * 2 carrots, peeled and diced * 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed * 1 medium zucchini squash, sliced * ½ teaspoon dried oregano and/or basil * 1 pinch hot pepper flakes (optional) * 1 bay leaf * 2 tsp branches of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried * 1 LG can CRUSHED tomatoes * 1 can white (cannelliini), garbanzo OR kidney beans, drained and rinsed * 1c. frozen green beans * ½ bunch kale or ½ head of cabbage, cut into bite sized pieces * 2 cups cooked small whole wheat pasta (optional) * Sea salt and freshly ground pepper * To serve: * Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Preparation: Warm olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add squash, oregano, hot pepper, bay leaf and thyme, and cook 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans of choice, 6 cups of water and two generous pinches of sea salt; bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add green beans and kale, and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in pasta. Discard thyme branches (if fresh was used) and bay leaf, adjust seasoning and serve, with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4-6

glasbake soup mugs from jenzee09 on etsy

Customer Impressions

Packing up items, shipping them, getting them to the post office and finding shipping supplies. Probably not your most favorite part of selling online. Interestingly though, it is to your customer. Receiving their etsy package in the mail is a moment filled with anticipation and hopefully happiness. How you handle it on your end can greatly affect their perception of your item and service.

Set of Wedgwood Pimpernel China by HamiltonBay

To start with: shipping supplies. Are you using old Corona boxes that have Sharpie marker scratched all over them? Are you using old newspapers, plastic bags from Target and other such sundries? I'm all for being green and recycling, but don't take it to extremes. Remember that moment when your customer opens the package. Looking professional is vital.

1940's Lamps by justbecauseshecan

You can get almost all of your shipping supplies for free (I get tape off Amazon through their Subscribe & Save program). I put ads up on my local freecycle group and I get flooded. Insist on boxes being in good shape, no big wrinkles or dents, no major Sharpie attacks, and no major logos (except for the Amazon.com swoop). It's not hard to find good boxes, bubble and peanuts these days.

Herman Miller Chair by TheFancyLamb

How you package your item is critical. A while ago I bought a figurine set on Etsy with plans to resell it. I bought it for $35 and it was worth $400+. I failed to note the seller was new. When the package arrived, the box was a tight fit and my beautiful set was smashed into millions of pieces. The seller had wrapped each large bisque figurine in one single sheet of newspaper (never mind that newspaper stains bisque!).

Huge Bread Sign by marybethhale

It's important to allow for space around your items. Machines are handling your packages most of the time now-not people. Fragile stickers don't mean squat to a giant conveyor belt. Wrap in bubble. If your item has a door/lid, wrap the door separate and leave it open so it doesn't rattle and break. Bury items in peanuts to protect them from impact falls (crashing 10 feet down into a pile of other packages). I make sure everything is secure and attach a business card with a future discount to the top of the bubbled item.

Dressmaker Class Sewing Machine by SurrenderDorothy

I ship generally USPS and if it's really heavy UPS. My local post office has a quick fingered worker that has hit me a few times. I've learned-if I insure an item, it's likely to go missing. If I don't insure, it'll get there. With the insurance printed right on the outside, I can see how this happens. I'm a big fan of insurance and do require it for my major sales-but then I ship those things UPS just to be sure. I want the items to arrive-that will definitely keep the customer happy!

Pink Lamps w/ Fiberglass Shades by jenzee09

The more care you take to use great looking and feeling supplies, the more professional you'll appear. You likely already do this-but this is a good reminder to stick to it. Look at your feedback-good shipping is almost always mentioned. How you package and ship will also greatly affect if your new customer becomes a repeat customer. Have fun wrapping!

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!

Blenko Glass Love

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series of articles by guest writers, which we plan to run more or less weekly on various topics of interest to vintage lovers. Thanks to Jennifer of jenzee09 for sharing her love of Blenko Glass.

It all happened about 5 years ago. I was looking online at random pieces of Art Glass, when I stumbled on a piece of glass called Blenko. This was by far one of the most beautiful pieces of hand-blown glass I had ever seen. After further online investigation, I was in love! I had no idea all this beautiful glass was being manufactured right here in the good ol’ USA for more than 100 years.

Winslow 920-L from jenzee09

William J. Blenko founded the Blenko Glass Company in 1893. Originally located in Kokomo, Indiana, Blenko manufactured mouth blown (antique) sheet glass for stained glass windows. In the late 1930s Blenko began producing tableware. The Depression had ruined the stained glass market, forcing Blenko to expand and broaden its horizons.

In 1947 Blenko hired its first design director, Winslow Anderson. Mr. Anderson was given full creative freedom. His ideas changed Blenko Glass forever. New, creative, and unique pieces were manufactured. Vases and decanters were designed with sleek style and beautiful curves. Newer, brighter, bolder colors were used.

Blenko 6138

Through the years Blenko continued to work with design directors, most notably Winslow Anderson, Wayne Husted, Joel Philip Myers, and John Nickerson. These brilliant artists evolved Blenko’s designs even further, including designing monumental architectural scale pieces, standing 3 feet tall! 

Blenko glass has been a growing collectible since the 1960s and is easily distinguished by its shapes and colors (for reference, follow this link).

Blenko has used foil labels over the years, except for a short time, from 1958 to 1961, when a sandblasted mark reading BLENKO was used. The best way to identify authentic pieces is by referencing one of the catalogs produced by the company. Catalogs have been reproduced in hardcover books by Leslie Pina and are available online and in many local libraries.

Blenko #6527 from mascarajones

1977 Blue Top Mountain Line, from Modnique

 

Once I began to familiarize myself with the Blenko designs, I realized that Blenko Glass is everywhere. I’ve even spotted pieces on sets of old and new television shows!
 

Throughout the years, the company has remained in the family and has been passed down from father to son to grandson. Today, Blenko is still designing and selling beautiful tableware and art glass. They are located in Milton, WV, where they have been since 1921. They offer factory tours, a visitor’s center, and a gift shop filled with their newest pieces.

As for me, I now own nearly 40 pieces of Blenko in all shapes, sizes and colors. It sure is a lot of dusting, but boy does my apartment look pretty!

Foodie Friday: Don't Clean & Throw a Dinner Party Anyway

Hello, Nachokitty here. I'm stepping in to guest blog today.

I love to cook. I have over 100 cookbooks that I read for fun and inspiration. That said, I never follow the recipes. I like to see what base ingredients are necessary and then mess with them to see if I can improve upon the dish. I love serving these creations to those willing to risk all with me.

Get courageous! Throw a dinner party & send invites by bontonvintage

Sauces and soups are easy to play with and add to. The new thing I've decided to conquer is fondue. Style be damned. I don't care if it's trendy-it's delicious. And it's flexible and easy to do. I found an amazing recipe that was fairly simple to do from the Melting Pot restaurant. This link goes to Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Fondue. Yum. It can be doctored quite easily.

A great way to get out of your winter rut (admit it, we all fall into one or two ruts!) is to have friends over. I know, the house is messy, you're busy, you see dust bunnies the size of a VW bug under your table. Ignore it. Dim the lights, light some candles, uncork some wine and cook fondue. Your friends will love you for it and you'll have a great time. What better way to chase away the Old Man Winter blues?

Hip Vintage Fondue pot by jenscloset

Fondue set by jenzee09

Avocado green Fondue pot by moxiethrift

Retro Fondue pot by kitschcafe

Get stylish about it. The kitsch factor of a vintage fondue pot will only add to the charm and whimsy of the event. Have a wonderful weekend!

Welcome New Member: 201 Treasures

Whether you seek the sublime or the quirky, you just might find it at 201 Treasures, the shop of Jenzee09 from New Jersey. She offers a wonderful selection of housewares, home decor and barware, but her fine collection of vintage art glass is not to be missed!

Jen is a collector herself, and her love of beautiful glassware is evident throughout her shop, which includes this stunning Blenko Amberina 1950s pitcher.

If you know someone who shares Jen's passion, you are sure to find the perfect gift at 201 Treasures. Welcome!

FOODIE FRIDAY--D is also for DESSERT

from kitschcafe

 
As we head into the holiday season, the evil D word -- DIET-- gets put aside in favor of the happier D word--DESSERT!!!  Ahh, I love this time of year!

Desserts can be anything from fruit and cheese, to fancy cakes, to pies, to rich puddings.  Chocolate is never a bad idea!  LOL!

A FAB retro classic is CHOCOLATE FONDUE.  What could be more awesome than a vintage fondue pot, bubbling with chocolate goodness, and surrounded by various yummies ready to be dipped into the CHOCOLATE???

Easy CHOCOLATE FONDUE RECIPE, courtesy of Rachael Ray:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
• 4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons Frangelico, Gran Mariner, or Amaretto liqueur, optional
• 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Suggested Dippables, choose 3 or 4 selections of the following:

• Hazelnut or almond biscotti
• Salted pretzel sticks
• Cubed pound cake
• Sliced bananas
• Stem strawberries
• Sectioned navel oranges
• Ripe fresh diced pineapple

Directions

Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency. Arrange your favorite dippables in piles on a platter along side chocolate fondue with fondue forks, bamboo skewers or seafood forks, as utensils, for dipping.

 

from jenzee09

 

Foodie Friday -- C is for CHEESE

Say CHEESE!!!  Cheese can come from cow's, goat's or even sheep's milk.  So many incarnations, so many possibilities.  A classic grilled cheese, as is -- on a platter with ubiquitous crackers (and maybe some fruit), melted and gooey in nachos, grated into lasagna or atop your Pizza.  AAAHHHH, bless, thee CHEESE.

Everything you ever wanted to know about CHEESE (or not)

No recipe this week, as I am sure you all have many favorite ways to say CHEESE!  :~)  Do check out these cool vintage CHEESE RELATED finds....courtesy of the etsyvintageteam!

AWESOME vintage fondue set

1. 

Retro Vintage CHEESE TRAY

MOD Glass Covered Cheese Server