Vintage Feature # 11- Vintageholicfrog

"I'm addicted to vintage and if you like my shop, chances are, you are too :)"
This quote comes straight from Vintageholicfrog's shop profile and it is so true!

I asked Maria to tell us a little about herself and this was her response:

"I grew up going to thrift stores and flea markets with my mom. I have a deep love for vintage items and since I live in a tiny apartment, I can't keep all of my finds. My Etsy shop, The Vintageholic Frog, allows me to indulge an purchase all of the awesome things I find and knowing someone will purchase them and give them a special place in their home truly makes me happy."

The Vintageholicfrog carries so many vintage treasures! From vintage books to awesome collectibles! I found many very unique items while browsing her shop. The Unieboek Gnome music box is so adorable. It features a gnome couple on a patch of grass. It is in working order and spins as it plays a tune. The frog salt and pepper shakers are a must for any shaker collector! These are a different style than a lot I have seen. They are such a great pair! Lastly, is a lovely Austrian Folk art apron for children- it ties at the waist and has a front center pocket.I have to agree with Maria, this beautiful and colorful apron would look great displayed in a kitchen. These are just a few of many vintage items featured in Vintageholicfrog's shop. Stop by and take a look!

http://vintageholicfrog.etsy.com

Vintage Feature #10 - MrFilthyRotten

Don't let the name fool you, there is nothing rotten about Tony. He loves life and I just love his shop! Once you get to know him and his shop, I know you will too!

To get more about him, I have included his own description of himself from his shop profile. "I'm a wild and crazy person. I love old things. I like oddball things. Kitschy stuff. Fun stuff. I try to prove there's a buyer for everything lol! I love to make things and hope to put up some of my off-the-wall creations soon.

I love to cook. Italian food! I love my panini maker. I couldn't live without it. I love everything and everyone! I love bananas. I drive people bananas at times. Especially my brother. I love him too. Check out my items. Check out his items. He's MrFilthyRich. No kidding.

I've decided to add some of my favorite things. Just like Oprah. Only you don't get one of each lol! Hope you enjoy my list. Items are in no particular order, but as they come to mind. I'll add more and probably subtract some if it starts getting too long. Who knows? We may have something in common! Smoochies for everyone who stops by!

My favorite things:

linguine with white clam sauce
the smell of freshly printed paper
greta van susteren
michael buble
norah jones
spinach pizza
late nights
freshly laundered sheets
flip flops
the animal channel
google
murder mysteries
mozart
my country
Bob Grant
my tricolator
1010 wins ny radio
scrabble
crossword puzzles
jersey tomatoes
dried lavender
101.1 cbs fm ny radio
red pepper flakes
fruit habitrol nicotine gum
o-cel-o scrubs
seltzer water"

Mr Filthy Rotten also included this quote from an item he had (It has sold). I choose to include it becasue these are truly words to live by!

"Live in such a way, that if anyone should
speak badly of you no one will believe it!"

He has so many fun vintage things in his shop! I had a hard time deciding on favorites! The first thing I choose was a bell. It is a 1984 Hallmark Elfin. It was the 6th and final bell in the series and comes with the original box. It is a white bell with red writing with an adorable elf climbing the side. Next is a 1912 Framed Trompe L'Oeil Embroidery Sampler. It is a print that is simply beautiful , a definite must have! Lastly there was a groovy Retro 1969 Resin Mushroom wall decoration. The colors are so vivid on this piece! Definitely different from the other mushroom pieces from this era!

Don't miss this shop, http://MrFilthyRotten.etsy.com
It is awesome!

Vintage Feature #9 - Angrykitty

First let's get to know a little more about Angrykitty. I asked about her background and a little more info on her shop and this was her response:

I came from a long line of hoarders. I obsessively collect. I love the hunt of yard sales and thrift stores and finding those buried treasures. I should have been a pirate. I see something I like and think "Oh I can do something with that", and then it goes in a box into the attic for years never to be seen again. I also love the look of vintage clothing. I've never been one to look like everyone else, and vintage clothing definitely has that look of not looking like everything else. And let's not overlook the quality of vintage that you just don't find in todays disposable world. Unfortunately, I'm not vintage sized most of the time. I would be so sad at the great find I would have to walk away from. When I moved about a year ago, I had to somehow fit a 3 bedroom house with attic storage into a one bedroom apartment. I was at wits end on what to do with all my stuff. That's when I decided I would share my treasures and send them off to good homes that will love them as much as I do.

I recently had my first child at 34. Selling on Etsy has provided me with the opportunity to quit my job and have a nice extended maternity leave. I can't retire on my Etsy sales, but it helps keep the bills paid and one of us home with her. We're about to become a non traditional family, he's going to be the stay at home dad and take over the shipping and photography part of Etsy.

When I'm not scouring my rural town for vintage finds, I enjoy embroidery (I love Sublime Stitching), cooking, and gardening. I also enjoy painting with oils. Very abstract and minimalistic stuff. I've been told I should list my paintings and sell them, but what can I say, I'm an artist. I'm never completely satisfied. Plus, it's more my therapy than for money.

I'm a tattooed, pierced farm girl in rural Tennessee, who had purple hair, and enjoys punk music, raising chickens, gardening, and not being part of the crowd."

Angrykitty is a great person with a wonderful shop. She has a vast selection of all kinds of vintage items. From jewelry and clothing to jewelry and household items, she has it. It was hard to pick just three favorite items. First I choose a small but very charming item: 1975 set of Owl playing cards with case. The colors on these cards date them to the 1970's alone in my opinion. Great to use in an art project or to just add to your collection. A beautiful Rogers nightgown really caught my attention. Pale in color, it features a very feminine embroidered flower detail on the bodice with delicate white lace accents. Lastly, I found this wonderful and unique planter. It is a 1959 Holt Howard figural lady head vase planter. This is something that I had never seen before. The planter is a lady's head decked out with holiday decor. This is very whimsical planter that is a must see!

There is so much more to see at http://angrykitty.etsy.com

Vintage Feature #8 - Vintageonthemake

" A place for guys, for people buying for guys, and people who wish they were guys, to find vintage heavy in the man department.

Of course women can buy it and call it their own, but the over-all feel of the shop is geared toward what manly men do; eat, drink, smoke and work."

I think this is a great concept for a shop. I love the idea of being able to visit a shop and find something vintage my husband would love. As soon as I started browsing, I saw two things that my husband would love! First was the Old Chicago Lager Bar Mirror. It is great condition and is a great piece of Brewery memorabilia. Next was the Chicago 1983 Old Style Beer Stein. It is limited edition handcrafted for for the G. Heileman Brewing Company. The stein is in perfect conditon and is a person favorite of the shop owner, Morgan. The last item I choose just happened to sell from the shop yesterday but I decided to mention it anyway. It was a 1970's mint condition with original packaging FM/AM clock radio. The fact that the packaging was still with it is astounding!

I asked Morgan for a little background on him and his shop, this was his response:

"I wouldn't say I got into vintage at any point, secondhand stores, garage sales, garbage picking are just what I did growing up in Chicago and I haven't strayed much from that.

My wife has an Etsy shop(CrankHeartPony.etsy.com) and I would bring something home from where ever and a couple days later she would sell it. I figured with her selling all my stuff I should just open my own shop. It took about another year before that actually happened.

My largest collection of vintage goods is children books that I started hoarding after we had our first daughter. We have two daughters now and will most likely never sell any books."

Visit this great shop at http://vintageonthemake.etsy.com. Also don't miss his wife's shop at http://CrankHeartPony.etsy.com.

Monday Special Feature - Newhopebeading

To get to know Caroline a little better I took an excerpt from her shop profile

"Hi, my name is Caroline. Welcome and thank you for visiting my shop. Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted for you with great care and attention to detail. I carefully pick gemstones from across the globe to create very limited edition, often one-of-a-kind, jewelry. Much of my silver comes directly from Bali or the Karen Hill Tribe in Thailand. Hill tribe silver is 97.5% to 99% pure* and is absolutely beautiful. I seek out Keishi and other freshwater pearls for their luster and color. I enjoy incorporating Venetian glass, Czech fire-polished glass, Swarovski crystals, and lampwork beads into these thoughtfully chosen natural materials.

Newhopebeading proudly donates 5% of the price of each item purchased to the Epilepsy Foundation of NJ as thanks for the wonderful support they have given our family following our daughter’s diagnosis of epilepsy.

Newhopebeading started shortly after my daughter, Samantha, was diagnosed with epilepsy. In the early days following her diagnosis, making jewelry kept me from worrying about her. She had been injured during her first seizure, which happened at school. I found that it is impossible to make jewelry and worry at the same time, because you need to focus on what you are doing. Soon, more and more people started asking me to make them jewelry. My husband started to kid with me that I should start a company."

The jewelry from Newhopebeading is stunning. You can find Newhopebeading on Etsy, Artfire, and 1000markets. Her shops feature mothers bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and wine glass charms. There are a few pieces that I am particularly fond of. Red is my favorite color, so I couldn't resist the Carnelian and Bali Sterling Silver Earrings. The swirl of the chandelier feature is such an eye catcher. The Australian Chrysoprase and Hill Tribe Silver Seashell Necklace is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Not only is it a gorgeous necklace but made of the best quality materials. Lastly, there is the Tourmaline, Bali Silver and Swarovski Crystal Post earrings. The black and silver make these a classic look.

Right now, Caroline has a special offer in her Artfire shop. Free shipping on all earring purchases on August 10 and 11.

To find all her great shops, follow these links
Artfire - http://artfire.com/users/newhopebeading
Etsy - http://newhopebeading.etsy.com
1000markets - http://www.1000markets.com/users/wwwnewhopebeading

I also recommend reading Newhopebeading's profile on Etsy and 1000markets. Also visit http://www.epilepsyadvocate.com/ to learn more about the condition that affects Caroline's family daily.

Sweet Weekend Surprise!

I got a wonderful surprise when I checked my mail this weekend!
There was a package from Inkredible Creations. I had entered Beths' Blog Candy giveaway a couple of weeks ago and to my shock I was the winner of the giveaway!

My prize arrived in an nice bubble mailer. As I opened the mailer I discovered an adorable fabric gift bag! These are sold in Beth's store and the picture doesn't do it justice! Also enclosed was a wonderful handmade thank you note.

Inside the fabric gift bag was one of Inkredible Creations awesome mini scrapbooks! The book is made very well. Great vivid colors and truly special adornments to each page!

Beth is a stay at home mom and has been doing scrapbooking and paper crafts for a number of years. Her shop features great scrapbooks, handmade cards and gift bags and a number of other special items.

Check her shop out at http://bjacobs150.etsy.com

Vintage Feature #7 - MFVintage

Getting to know Marie, right at the start we had two things in common:vintage and a family history of the name Marie. I got to know a lot more about her and her wonderful shop and I think you should too!

I asked Marie for a little history on how she got into Vintage. Here is her response:
"Vintage is fairly new to me. It began in January to help my parents to sell some of their collections. Seems that they saved everything from both of my grandparents' houses in addition to everything that they had. Found every card we ever sent them, even ones as kids...
Since they both recently passed away, we're trying to find new homes for everything. Dad had over 100 pieces of brass. Many of the items listed in the shop so far were my grandmother's or great grandmothers.

We just opened a steamer trunk that had been stored with my Great grandmother's clothing, wigs, hairpieces, and children's toys in it. Along with some letters. Finding lots of interesting things as we go through the house. Can't keep it all, so trying to find others to adopt the treasures."

There are so many unique items waiting to be "adopted" from MFVintage. I already have a few favorites. First is the silk Vera scarf. The green trim and the red floral are beautiful. My paternal grandmother collected bells so the vintage Brass Lady Bell was an item close to my heart. This is a pretty lady with a full skirt bell. She's holding a basket of flowers and her three-tiered layer skirt is imprinted with a flower pattern. So unique! MFVintage has a great selection of vintage jewelry. My favorite piece is the Purple and Green Rhinestone Flower clip earrings. There are purple rhinestones in the center of purple flowers, surrounded with smaller Aurora Borealis rhinestone flowers with small purple centers, and accented with green rhinestones, all on a green painted leafy base.

To see all these beautiful item visit http://MFvintage.etsy.com. Also for quality handmade knitted items visit Marie's other shop http://MFcrafts.etsy.com.