Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Tiny Treasures

Hi everyone!
So, you may be wondering why I've been slack on posts... Well, with the Big Flea and then a subsequent trip to PA, I've been a tired little antique hunter. But the trip up was successful and I found some really great charms and goodies for my trunk show in November. Why don't we take a look and see what treasures I discovered!

I was specifically looking for small eclectic curiosities to be used as accents for jewelry and other crafty items. One of the best buys was a miniature harmonica that you can still play! I also uncovered a large assortment of Victorian buttons along with some abalone cameos. Colored tear drop crystals are also a find.
Pictured here are 2 of my more expensive buys- A Victorian strawberry pin cushion and a bullion styled purse. These two pieces will be listed on Rubylane, my online boutique.
Another adorable find was this vintage "Kewpie" perfume bottle. When you turn the crown topper, you dab a bit on your wrist and neck. Isn't this little guy great? This item is also for Rubylane.

Other finds include Catholic charms, fun rhinestone rings, postcards for my ephemera collection, old railroad tokens, Indian coins, coral Asian miniature figures, antique spectacles, and mother of pearl buckles.

So, you've taken a look at my latest goodies- Now let me know about your recent finds!

Monday, September 21, 2009

New Adventures

I'm excited to say that the Big Flea was a successful venture for my little business. Flotsam and Jetsam's sales were strong, so much so that I'm planning on participating in the January show! This experience was my first in terms of a larger, more official venue. It was so encouraging to hear positive feedback on both my merchandise and my displays.

Overall Booth
Random Goodies including an Eleanor Roosevelt signature, a low brow penny doll and some silver spoons.This little display was my romantic section where a Victorian pincushion and a French porcelain shoe add elegance to my booth.Funky mannequin with frame display- Something to catch a customer's eye when passing.
Old trophy and marching band hat
Bits and bobbles including die cuts, buttons and charms
The Halloween merchandise did exceptionally well and was a great return on investment.
Another overall shot of the "frou-frou" table

I tried to create miniature vignettes to entice buyers to stop and take a look around. The rug helped to make the booth look more homey and inviting (that is until it sold!).

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and encouragement. This event was a fantastic experience to both learn from and be invigorated by ...

Other News: I've finally found a booth! I'm excited to be joining Antique Crossroads in Hagerstown, MD. Even though it's about an hour and 15 minutes away, it's by far one of the best antique malls I've ever visited. The dealers have great displays and wonderful items. The workers are also considerate and more than willing to help customers. What a great way to kick off the Fall season!

Rubylane sales are also increasing; I've found that the trick is to add things weekly. Let's just hope I can keep it up~!

I'm really looking forward to visiting PA this week for a buying trip. I'm going especially for the Kutztown Renningers Extravaganza. This "new adventure" is very exciting for me. 3 days of collecting odds and ends for Flotsam & Jetsam... I'll be sure to take some photos to share with everyone. Let's hope I can find some treasures!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Big Flea

Just wanted to let everyone know my booth # for the Big Flea. I'm at 489 in the South Building... Hope to see you there!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Glitter and Lace

Tiara Day: Where Vintage Glamour Meets Paris Romance with a Twist of Gothic Beauty


Parisian treasures abound in Frederick MD at Tiara Day - A must see stop when visiting the fabulous boutiques of Market Street. Filled to the brim with vintage clothing, lush body products, and unusual antiques, Tiara Day is simply heaven for the glamour girl.
Proprietress Maria Peck is no stranger to the antique world. Her grandmother and mother were avid collectors and clued little Maria in on this vintage world full of glitter and lace. Tiara Day prides itself on a fine collection of pre-1960 clothing- Victorian, Edwardian, Deco are just some of the styles available. The largest emphasis is on the 1920's through the 1940's. Each piece is hand selected for the shop - Cherry picked from the best of the best. Hats and handbags are selected for their unique shapes and form. When I asked Maria what her favorite items in the store were, she immediately said the wonderful doll heads that sport little rhinestone tiaras. Also, she is fond of dress forms and old display cases. Vintage holiday items are also on her fav list. As for best sellers, look no further than the jewelry - I guess diamonds are a girl's best friend. So, where does Maria find such glorious items? With help from specific buyers to a friend who makes frequent jaunts to Paris, there seems to be a never ending supply of these glorious pieces.

If you're ever in the DC Metropolitan Area, be sure to put Tiara Day on your must see list. I promise you won't be disappointed. In fact, like me, you're sure to find it quite delightful. Visit Maria's blog for upcoming news concerning her grand opening and other fun events!

Hours:
Thurs. 11-5

Friday and Saturday 11-7

and Sunday 12-5

other times by appointment or chance!

We are located at 153 N. Market St.

historic downtown Frederick, MD 21701

301-694-4911




Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Random Musings...

I thought I'd chat a little bit about what's going on in my life right now (at least the parts of it that are semi-interesting that is). I'm very excited about the Big Flea coming up as it will be my first major show. I've had smaller trunk shows at the fabulous Ornamentea but I've never exhibited at a major antique venue such as the Big Flea. So, we're going to try it out and see what sells. My lovely sister Shannon is coming up to help so that I'll be able to take bathroom breaks as well as do a little shopping.

Other things... Well, I'm on the waiting list for Antique Crossroads in Hagerstown, MD. By the fact that I'm #6 shows what an excellent antique mall it is. Let's just hope I get in before the big holiday season. Additionally, I'm still consigning to Ornamentea and hope to do another trunk show there in November. Also, Rubylane and Etsy are keeping me a little busy what with listing and a few sales here and there. Other news is my up and coming position at the Pink Poet. The Pink Poet is a fabulous vintage "romantic" store filled to the brim with exciting treasures. I'll be working 2 days a week there starting in October. What fun!

We've finally gotten the house together and are hosting a Halloween party - Ben and I are big fans of the holiday and can't wait to use our new house to entertain. I promise to soon show pictures of my "organized" craft space. I've just got to figure out what to do with the walls. I really need something to pop and right now it just isn't here.

So, enough chatting on my part- What about you? Let me know what exciting and new things are going on in your life. Comments are welcome and encouraged- It lets me know I have readers out there.

**Sign ups for the Masked Fete have officially closed. I'll be assigning partners tomorrow and getting out the info to everyone sometime soon. After that, our deadline is the 2nd of October to have everything mailed out.**

***The images used are copyright free so be sure to use them in future projects- they're just the right tones for the up and coming fall season.***




Thursday, September 3, 2009

Halloween is a magical time of year when it seems that anything can happen. You can be anything you want (that is at least for a few hours)- A beautiful queen, a swash buckling pirate, even a cackling witch- Whatever your heart desires... Which brings us to the art of figuring out what exactly is in our destinies. The above card touches on divination (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means) a popular past time for Halloween parties.

"Unmarried women were frequently told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before marriage, a skull would appear. The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on greeting cards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. " -- Wikipedia, Halloween traditions

Certainly, if magic were to happen, it would be on a night like Halloween - Who knows? Maybe your future will appear in a mirror during the twilight of the evening...

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

With this great fall-like weather, I thought something to celebrate the up-coming season would be a welcome piece of ephemera. I just love owls and this particular image came from a Victorian scrapbook filled with trade cards and the "flotsam and jetsam" of that time. "Whooo" knows -- Maybe this fabulous weather will stay for a while!
Don't forget about the Masquerade- Sign ups are still open until the 7th of this month. Check out this post for more info...