Restocking the shop!

Now that the holidays are over, decorations are put away,

I'm well on my way with year-end and income tax paperwork,

and I have a new camera to photograph with,

I am ready to list new items in my Etsy shop once again.

Sets of beautiful silverplate flatware to reuse patina and all, 

or polish up and put to use at your dining room table.

Couple of real kitschy pieces, including this Moo-Cow Creamer.

I remember one just like it in my Grandma Johnson's hutch.

Vintage curtains and drapes are some of my best sellers.

Two new sets coming, both with a classic 70s color scheme.

This heavy wool blanket has been given

a new lease on life with a colorful rosy border.

I have dozens of plain blankets to give a similar treatment.

Another best seller -- floral sheets from the era my childhood.

Put them to use in your daughter's bedroom

or reuse in all sorts of home and fashion projects.

Beautiful Art Nouveau desktop calendar from 1911.

Such stunning graphic elementss and text!!!

I haven't decided if all pages will go together

or if it will be split up into multiple listings.

More paper ephemera will be coming soon too.

I've also decided to part with some of the charming

illustrated children's books from my own library,

including this famous one by Patten Beard from 1924.

Have fun shopping!

Vintage linen goodness with handmade details

I've had a very success fall garage sale season,

including a huge box of handmade linens.

Most are now available in my Etsy shop.
Here is a sneak peek! (click for larger images)

Like my new "model?"

She is a bisque penny doll and so adorable.

Many pieces of waffle weave and damask tea towels in all white.

A few are embroidered and monogrammed like this one.

A lot of doilies with a variety of needlework techniques.

Not in perfect condition but still very usable.

Just fell in love with these sweet tatted pansies.
Other pieces have just as gorgeous trim.

Two of these beauties available!

And many other embroidered table runners there too.

Large round embroidered tablecloth with lacy trim.

Lot of hand-crocheted doily "seconds."

Slight imperfections, still perfect for use or reuse.

Plenty of filet crochet furniture sets for the backs and arms of chairs.

Two "kittens in a basket" sets available.

Boxed set of unsed Irish linen tablecloth and napkins.

Come back to see the other home decor goodies I will be adding soon!

Restocking my Etsy library

All summer long I was negligent in restocking my Etsy shop.
Much too busy with kids, their activities, travel
and getting the shop up to date with tagging for relevancy.

So, now that the boys have started school,
I'm back on the thrifting trail, plus
organizing the stash of goodies I already have
and photographing/listing new items.

I started with renewing my shop's library of books

with loads of 60's vintage Peanut paperbacks,
a 1973 edition of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,"
history books from the first half of the last century
and literature like the one by Poe on the bottom.

Making the most on Etsy

 

You know the saying: "A watched pot never boils."

I feel that way about my Etsy shop lately.

A few times this summer I have gone out of town

with family bagpipe band commitments

only to come home to loads of sales. I love it!

Another old adage is true, at least in the Etsy world.

Renew or list new items every day.

That's truly where the traffic and sales come from.

If you are an Etsy seller and haven't checked out 

the new "Sales Stats" feature, what are you waiting for?

I just found out most of my top search terms

are for linens and curtains.

Time to list more, that's for sure!

Filling up the shop

I accidentally discovered how to adjust
the white balance in portrait mode on my camera
and now have lots of photos for Etsy listings.

Some of them have already been listed
and others will soon be added in the next few days.

This bright orange metal holder will prevent napkins
from blowing away at your next picnic.
Look for it, as well as the next two items,
in my Vintage Kitchen section.

Mint condition, one-quart Icy-Hot Thermos

in bright cherry red with a mod pattern.

Two older and shabbier insulated beverage holders

from different manufacturers also available.

Large, two-tone, rolling pin with nice patina.
Great addition to a primitive or farmhouse decor.

Six electric clocks will be in my Vintage Household section,
Besides this classy mid-century Art Deco style,
there are kitchen models and small bedside alarm clocks.

Sweet little hand-painted girlish piggy bank

was made in Japan by Lefton

and can also be found in my Vintage Household section.

Quite a few classic adult titles have recently

been added to my Vintage Books section but

my favorite is this child's illustrated book of numbers.

Dozens of knitting needles -- straight, DPNs and circulars --

will soon call my Vintage Supplies section home.

Some of my favorite finds lately have been

all the vintage 1970s-era floral sheets like this one.

Many more in my Vintage Linens/Fabrics section soon.

Lastly, I can't list these on Etsy as they aren't necessarily vintage.

 Six Homer Loughlin Fiesta cups and saucers in Sea Mist Green

are now available on my Facebook Fan Page.

Happy shopping!

Falling in love with English chintz transferware

Either you love this set or you hate it.

My friend's aunt was going to toss it out

but gave it to her to sell instead.

This brown English chintz transferware pattern

called "Bermuda," made by Myott & Sons in the 30s,

is very rare due to a 1949 fire that destroyed

the company's records and pattern books.

I have multiple listings for the pieces on my Etsy site
but also have permission to offer the whole lot,
9 pieces in total, for a lower cost of $400.00.
Let me know if you are interested.

Teapot with Trivet $120

Mini Cream and Sugar $30

Teacup and Saucer $20

Three-piece Set $40

Luncheon Plate $24

Tab-handled Cake Plate $85

Little bits of nature around my neck

I keep seeing cute little glass vials with cork stoppers

and eye hooks hanging on plain chains,

filled with everything from fairy dust to tiny beads,

beach glass to live moss, butterfly wings to dandelion seeds.

I knew exactly what I wanted to put in a few of them --
tiny bits of garnet collected locally this past summer.

After finding a source for the supplies on Etsy,

I ordered some and only had to wait a few days for them.

We try to go to Barton Garnet Mines

in North River, NY at least once every summer.

The boys love to go hunt for huge chunks with 

flecks of garnet embedded in dark granite.

I prefer the scenery, to take photographs and

to collect perfect little pieces of ruby red garnet.

Just right for filling the vials so I can wear

a reminder of our summer outings all year round.

Making Etsy easier

One of my sales, but there is another one available.

Whoa! Not only did I not know about Craftcount
but was totally shocked to see that I am #135 of the
Top 200 Etsy vintage sellers with 1,355 sales currently.

I'd like to make use of the many Etsy applications available
but I often get so overwhelmed looking at them.
I know once I learn more, my job will get easier though.
Time to make the time to do it.

One site I regularly use is Heart-o-matic on Craft Cult.

There I can easily find out about my shop and items hearts,
single item views and total views per page.
With The Vault, find out if you have been on Etsy's front page
or even scroll back through all the past FPs.

I am signed up to receive email notification from Statsy Featurator
whenever one of my items is featured on the front page.
Another of the many tools available there is the Biggest Fan.
In seconds, you can find out who has given you the most hearts.

And finally, while doing research, I just came across Etsy - Apps
right on the Etsy site itself. Can't wait to see what I can learn now!

Please share links of the sites that help you with Etsy.

Cardigans for spring

Oh how I wish these cardies fit me. I'd keep them all!

But, alas, I have shoulders like a linebacker

and these will only fit petite-framed girls.

How pretty will the four hand-crocheted ones

look cinched with a belt or closed with a brooch?

And the last one from Vogue and made in Italy

is so adorable all on its own.

All five are now available in my Etsy shop, 

just click the link below each picture

to go directly to its listing.

Lilac

Cream

Turquoise

Lemon

Italian Vogue

Three sheets to the wind

I just adore vintage sheets and

while I loved creating things from my finds

-- like this dress and this apron --

I'm listing many sweet prints on Etsy

as part of my recent destash.

Pretty pillowcase pairs.

Striped and floral zippered cases.

And a quartet of mismatched prints.

Plus many individual flat sheets.

Check out my Etsy linens and  fabric section
for these pieces and many others I listed earlier.
Will you use them as bedding or create something new?