“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label collectible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label collectible. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Now All Our Neighbors' Chimneys Smoke

OK, so it serves me right for not driving my car for a week during the bitter cold. The battery is dead. Dead as a door-nail, whatever that means. Anyway just dead, it makes that awful clicking sound, but won't start.

I'm stuck here in the house until this afternoon when my hubby gets back from a business meeting and can drive me to the store. Our polar plunge in temperatures has finally ended and I thought I could get out on my own to do some shopping. Instead I have to be driven around by my beloved!

I hadn't been housebound that entire time, mind you, my dear hubby had been around and so I had been hitching a ride with him. But honestly, I think I had only been out of the house a couple of times during our extreme cold spell.  Since most of you that read this blog are also introverts, I don't think I need to explain myself! I would make a perfect hermit!

Getting on with it now, I decided to share some insights about my Etsy shop and selling online.  It's been a real learning experience for me that past couple of years. I am not particularly advanced when it comes to technical skills, but I am pretty good with writing and design, so I think that's what has saved me.  I have seen quite a few shops/blogs that started when I did fail and just disappear.

One thing I've learned is that you never stop learning! If you do, you fail. Simple as that!  I do tons of research online about how to make things better. How to handle social media, how to take photos, where to spend my time etc. That's just the marketing part, I also spend lots of time researching my vintage items and finding out accurate information about them. It takes a lot of time and am I making any money at this? I would say no, I am breaking even.  But I love what I am doing. I love that it is my business and I run it myself and I have figured all this out by myself. 

Another thing I figured out after lots of reading and research, is to "tag" and "title" my shop listings the correct way. I won't bore you with the details, but who knew that for the first two years I was doing it wrong!? Well, I certainly didn't and I'm surprised I made any sales at all!  The competition is fierce and about a bazillion more people are selling on Etsy and other venues now compared to just a few years ago.

After I changed my listings to show up better in Google searches, I have seen an increase in my sales. Suddenly my books are selling better than anything else. For example I've noticed an increase in the sales of my cookbooks, especially Public Service Cookbooks. These are the quirky ones put out by local utility companies as a thank you to their customers.  This was the type of thing that was quite typical back in the 1940's - 1970's. The only thing I get from my utility company now is a bill.

Now for the good stuff! Check out some of these fun images from a few of the books I recently sold.

This first one is my favorite! The book was sent out to customers by the Wisconsin Public Service Company during the 1960's. The deer in the Chefs' Hat cooking the holiday meal is just fantastic. Unfortunately, no illustrator was given any credit.


My blog post title was taken from this cookbook. Across the front of the book it says,

"Now all our neighbors' chimneys smoke, 
and Christmas logs are burning;
Their ovens they with baked meats choke,
and all their spits are turning..." 


Quote by George Wither








The deer in the illustration above has obviously become an omnivore! The illustration below shows our Chef Deer stirring up a stew perhaps?









Here are a couple of the recipes from the books. There were three in the collection that I sold.















Another favorite image of mine! I think I will be using this one again in the future! The dishes look like my house after a party!! Notice how in each picture the candle has burned down to almost nothing! I love those little details.

So here I am housebound and freezing to death in my office downstairs because my space heater also died. Another thing on my shopping list...
now where is my dear hubby?? 

Hope you're having a great day! See you all soon! ~ Diane






Friday, September 5, 2014

Tim and Tina ~ A Love Story


Today I would like to introduce you to fellow blogger Mary, a wonderful writer of whimsical poetry. Some of you may already be following her fun and magical world at Lemonade on My Patio.
Mary describes herself and invites you to her blog...
"Just myself, Mary, thinking about this world of ours, our history, things we like, things we do. I love to tell stories and I'd love to hear yours!"

Why thank you Mary! I was happy to join your blog
and hear your fantastic stories!
Oh, yes, Mary tells wonderful stories! She tells stories about cute little animals like Marcia the kitty who bakes pies or Alex and Avery the reading rabbits! You may also find a poem to fire up those brain cells on Haiku Friday!


Mary was quite gracious when I asked her to write a poem for my two sweet little friends Tim and Tina Turtle! So let's begin our journey with them now....




Tim and Tina in their backyard.


Tim and Tina

Tim and Tina live beside Listening Lake
They're wonderful turtles who loving friends make!
They take slow walks in the rain...
Down lovely Lily Lane.
They only eat veggies, and never eat cake!


Walking through the rain.


Tina has developed a crush on Tim...
He's very intelligent; not at all dim!
When Tim looks at Tina... what does he see?
And Tina wonders, 'Can Tim see the real me?'
Soon Tina will confess her feelings, and go out on a limb.

Friday Tim and Tina are going out for lunch...
Tim picked her some daisies... a whole big bunch!
Tina will wear a little blue bow...
It was a special gift, from her friend, Turtle Moe!
Tina loves Tim... about this, he has a hunch!

Tina never used to be shy around Tim...
But the last couple of months... she's been shy around him.
Tina has such sweet turtle eyes...
Tim sees this; her beauty he spies!
When they're together, they're anything but grim.

Picnic at Listening Lake.


Tim and Tina lunch by Listening Lake....
It's a summer picnic, so their sweet time they take!
There's a legend around that the beautiful lake listens...
It shines and sparkles, and deep blue it glistens!
And Tim's a true gentleman; after all, he's no rake!




A stroll by the lake.


Tina tells Tim how she truly feels.
And Tim is so happy, his mind really reels!
He tells sweet Tina that he loves her too...
And he asks her, 'Tina, please marry me, do!'
Tina says yes, and the trees around them sing!
The lake has listened, and is happy... wedding bells will ring!

by Mary Raynes


Wedding Day for Tim and Tina.


Thank you Mary for turning my little idea into a magical memory where Tim and Tina will live happily ever after! Please visit Mary at her blog and say hello! Tim and Tina have returned to everyday life and are available in my shop! The photos above have been enhanced and edited for your enjoyment!

I hope you have all enjoyed your time here. 
Have a magical weekend! ~~ Diane


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Tale of a Wee Old Woman and Her Wee Cat


Minnesota has their "Grumpy Old Men", (filmed partially in Wabasha MN) and apparently Sweden had their Grumpy Old Women!

This has to be one of the more unusual children's books I've come across in a while. It is not exactly a warm and cuddly book by today's standards. Elsa Beskow (1874-1953), a Swedish author, wrote "The Tale of the Wee Little Old Woman" in 1897.  The book above was translated to English and published in 1958. Her book pages and whimsical paintings are often surrounded by decorative framework of the Art Nouveau style, as you see in this book.

This book is collectible because of its unusual theme and the lovely lithographed images. There are about ten pages and each image is blank on the back, so they are perfect for framing if someone would want to display it in such a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed her lively artwork and her depiction of the cranky, Wee Little Old Woman! I haven't given away all of the illustrations or the story though! If you would like this book for your very own it is available here. 

Below you may read the text on the images and then my version of what happened after the wee cat drove the poor wee old woman to distraction!










Buy the book Here at my Etsy Shop!





The wee little woman put a wee little bit of milk in a wee little bowl and set it on a little wee table...

Just then the wee little cat came in....




My version...
 And then the wee little old woman went a wee little crazy and chased the poor wee cat about with her wee little broom all the while hollering wee little bad names at him...


So the wee cat ran away to the woods and NEVER came back again, because it found a new and loving family on the other side of the woods!!


And the Wee Woman Lived Happily Every After... and so did the cat! The End.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this book!

Until next time.. ~~ Diane



Sunday, August 25, 2013

Summer Sizzle Winter Wonderland Mashup

It's Hot, Hot, Hot!

Why is it so hot? Because the State Fair just started and it's always hot this time of year. I'm hoping to go, but I'm not sure I can stand the heat and the crowds and the heat...   Anyway, I found some cute how hot is it quotes for you off the internet. Take a look at some of these.


It's hotter than....

a pig on a flapjack.

a firecracker lit on both ends.

the Devil's armpit.



It's so hot.....

you could fry an egg on an ice cube.

the trees are whistling for dogs.

you could roast marshmallows on your belly.

you could eat hot peppers to cool off your mouth.

you can make Instant Sun Tea.

the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs.


It's so hot and humid....

it's like walking through butter.

the mosquitoes are wearing snorkels.

I've been taking showers to dry off.

I had to cover the fish tank to keep the fish in.





Remember when it was like this??? I would love to have just a 
bit of this coolness right now!








Maybe these snow scenes will help get you in the mood for a few fun Winter/Christmas things I picked up at some estate sales a few weeks ago. Here is a little sneak peak at what I found. These pictures are not the greatest quality but just a little preview.  My husband was holding up some of my finds, those are his fingers in a few of the photos.







Most of the books and art posters where picked from an estate of an elderly man who had been a Pastor. He and his wife had traveled to Sweden and Norway several times and had an 
enormous collection of items.


These are poster prints of Swedish artists such as Jenny Nystrom, Erik Forsman and others. I am still researching these. They were purchased between 1955 and 1990. I like to get background information from the estate sellers as it always helps to authenticate items. I think we picked up about 18 of these posters!








I found a few more punch out books and other unusual children's books.











Neat sheet music with fabulous graphics!





At a different sale I found a sweet little salt shaker reindeer 
and a darling pink sleigh!





Hope you enjoyed my hot summer sizzle/winter wonderland mashup! As always thanks for visiting!



Have a wonderful and hopefully cool week! I will be inside enjoying my air conditioning until this heat moves on! ~~~ Diane



Tuesday, July 9, 2013

I'm Surrounded

I'm surrounded by cute things and I wouldn't have it any other way.






Who doesn't love looking at these sweet items I picked up a few weeks ago at the local flea market?
Just look what I found! 

Two wood items, the darling Kitty match holder and the Rooster decorated Woodpecker wooden ware knife holder. A sweet little pig pitcher, an adorable green squirrel planter, a gorgeous pink fan McCoy planter and some darling vintage birthday cards.













All these things bring a smile to my face and my heart. Many things in our lives are beyond our control.  Since I can control my immediate environment, I have decided that surrounding myself with cute things and making them available to others is what I will do with the second part of my life.   This way I get to enjoy these darling treasures for awhile and then share them all with you the reader or collector.










I also found the pixie planter, a yellow cat cactus planter, a Scotty dog cookie cutter 
and a bunch of vintage Valentines.




After watching a couple of episodes of hoarders, I want to make sure I keep on track with moving these items from my home to yours!! It's a winning formula, I get the enjoyment of searching and finding these little treasures and sharing with other people who will also appreciate their fun, cute or quirky appearance.  Maybe you can't or don't want to get up at 5am to go to the flea market or estate sale, but I really don't mind it. In fact my husband and I both love going and we have a great time together! So on Saturday and Sunday mornings, you sleep in and I will get up early and go out and find more of these lovely little gems just for you.



Right now I am enjoying their sweet little smiling faces and pretty long lashes and bright little eyes.


 Yes I am surrounded.... 




surrounded by some of the things I love!

If you crave cute things as much as I do, then check out my shop CraveCute on Etsy. Maybe you will find something there that you will love too!


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pixie Dust


This Pixie Boot Planter is as cute as can be! Made between 1934-1957 in Culver City California at the Gilner Pottery Company. Check out my shop CraveCute on Etsy for more cute things! I found a couple of quotes to go with my Pixie post, hope you enjoy them.  ~~ Diane


All the world is made of faith, and trust, 
and pixie dust. 
                                                  ~~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan





To Be A Child

Know you what it is to be a child? ... 
It is to believe in love, 
to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief;
it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear,
it is to turn pumpkins into coaches, and mice into horses,
lowness into loftiness, and nothing into everything,
for each child has its fairy godmother in its soul.
~~ Francis Thompson



Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Whimsical Art of Bjorn Wiinblad

These decorative wall plaques were designed by the Danish Art Deco artist Bjorn Wiinblad. The images are designed to tell the story of a young couple. Each month represents a different stage in the couple’s life. They start by falling in love in January and end with a new baby in December. These whimsical pieces were manufactured by Nymolle of Denmark in the 1970’s.

This plaque is for March or “Marts” and is titled “Victoire” or Victory. This whimsical image depicts the victorious groom carrying off his new bride. They are accompanied by two angels who hold garlands of roses to celebrate the young newlyweds’ bliss. The image is in red and white. The plaque measures approximately 6” in diameter. There is a hole at the top for hanging. There is some crazing but there are no chips or cracks. Most of these plaques are available in black and white, the red is a bit more rare.



"Victory"






 

This plaque is for April and is titled “ Konflikt” or “Conflict”.  Rain and dark skies symbolize the turmoil of young love. This is a red and white image. The plaque measures approximately 6” in diameter. There is a hole at the top for hanging. There is some crazing but there are no chips or cracks. Both are now available at CraveCute on Etsy.

These wall plaques would make wonderful housewarming or hostess gifts for a young couple or just fun pieces for anyone who loves the whimsical art of Bjorn Wiinblad.

 
"Conflict"



bjorn wiinblad portrait
via Dwell






Bjorn Wiinblad
1918 - 2006

 "Wiinblad's style is marked by bright colors, playful design, and a sense of joyfulness. Often incorporating human figures into his work, Wiinblad's characters were usually round-faced and charming. Some of his better known professional associations include porcelain work for Rosenthal, illustration for Hans Christian Andersen, and textiles for Nymolle Fajance Fabrik."  from Dwell





Thursday, April 26, 2012

Shawnee Pottery Collecting

Here are a few of my favorite Shawnee Pottery Company pieces. These items have been collected over the past twenty years. One piece I inherited and didn't even know it was Shawnee. These items did not actually start my collection though, it was a single teapot found in California. Then it was another, and another and well you know how it goes!

In April and October I do a complete cleaning of the top of the cabinets in my kitchen where my collections reside. In between I do a little bit of dusting, but twice a year I haul out the ladder and climb up there to remove everything from the top of my cabinets. I run them through the glass cycle on my dishwasher and they come out beautifully clean. My pottery has all the paint under the glaze so I don't worry about hurting it. I also do not use the heat cycle on the dishwasher. Since they were all so clean and shiny, I thought it was the perfect time for them to get their pictures taken.





These are the Puss-N-Boots cats. The two little ones are creamers and the large one is a cookie jar. They are probably the most valuable  pieces I own.  My husband and I found them over 15 years ago in Missouri. I took the color from the pottery for my kitchen cabinets and I hand mixed the blue paint for the trim to match the blue in the teapots and kitties. I just love the colors of the pottery and their cute little kitty faces!



The Little Chef cookie jar belonged to my mom. She had it on her kitchen counter for forty some years and it was always filled with homemade cookies!  Only after she passed away and I inherited it did I look at the bottom and realize that it was a Shawnee piece.


Teapots started the collection over 20 years ago in California.












This teapot has gold trim and gold decals.


Shawnee Pottery was started in Zanesville, Ohio in 1937.  The company closed in 1961.  Most pieces had paper labels to denote their origin, however most of those have long since disappeared. Many pieces have USA incised into the bottom of the pottery.  Shawnee Pottery was sold at the local Five and Dime store very inexpensively.  Pieces are becoming more collectible over time, especially the cookie jars and gold trimmed items.




The kitty on the right is wearing a pink straw hat, just because!

I have three teapots that have a blue and pink flower on them.

I have four teapots with blue flowers.


Notice the different handles on the teapots. Also the styles of the base are different, some have a scalloped border and others are plain or have a horizontal border.


The top of the wall between the kitchen and living room is open. It's the perfect place for my teapots! I have a total of twelve teapots, plus one without a lid that I use as a pen/pencil holder. I also have several Shawnee salt and pepper shaker sets, but I will save them for another time!





I am happy with the size of my collection and don't plan on adding anymore teapots or Puss-N-Boots. Sometimes it's just good to enjoy what you have and be satisfied.

Hope  you enjoyed my collection. Until next time!
Diane