Sunday, November 28, 2010
Luv2LuvAntiques Luvs The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guides!
Thank you Mitzi for featuring my items in your Holiday Gift Guide! :O)
Please visit The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guide for Gifts For Him, Gifts For Her, Gifts For Cooks, and much more to come!
Gifts For Him - The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guide
Gifts For Her - The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guide
Gifts For Cooks - The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guide
Gifts For Kids - The Vintage List Holiday Gift Guide
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Vintage Oriental Hand Fans...Great For 'Hot Flashes' or Old Fashioned Flirting!
Vintage Floral Hand Painted Oriental Hand Fan
Let's face it...vintage is coming back! One such item is the Vintage Oriental Hand Fan. Whether you are at work, or at play, a vintage hand fan will come in handy!
It is very difficult to 'lug' a plug-in fan to work, and sometimes it can get very uncomfortable due to the weather, or the A/C not working! A little folding vintage fan will circulate the air in front of your face, plus give you some much needed exercise! Also, if you're like me...in the menopausal stages...you may need your little fan, as your own internal thermostat is malfunctioning!
Let's not forget the younger gals...you may find your little hand fan helps you flirt with that great looking man sitting a short distance away! You can pretend to use your hand fan for the heat, but can peer over at him demurely, inbetween waves of the fan! Take lessons from Miss Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone With The Wind'!
Vintage Cherry Blossoms Chinese Floral Hand Fan
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Favorite Vintage Jewelry Doesn't Have To Match...
Two of these pieces may be from the 1920's, as they sure look old enough to be from a 'flapper'...the brass / bakelite bangle, and the long green beaded necklace. The green / blue beaded earrings, I am guessing to be from the 1940's, but this 'set' of three that I have put together is fun to wear! They complement each other!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Benefits of Owning a Jewelers Loupe...
Since then I have used it constantly at estate sales, collectible malls, and rechecking my own collection of vintage costume jewelry. The print on top of the jewelers loupe is wearing off...I have used it so often! I'm pretty sure it was 10x magnification. The shopkeeper had said that was the strongest I would need for my 'treasure hunting'.
Just recently I have found designer names on some of my vintage costume jewelry, and I found a very tiny STG with a hallmark, for sterling silver, on the backings of a pair of rhinestone earrings! I'm so glad I finally bought my jewelers loupe! :O)
Vintage Sterling Silver Rhinestone Dangling Earrings at BlackRain4's Etsy Shop
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Fine Line Between 'Vintage Picker With A Passion' or 'Vintage Hoarder'!
As I was watching an episode of the 'American Pickers', on the History channel, it showed a man who let Mike and Frank come to his place with the expectation to buy, and it was like 'prying teeth' for them to make any purchases. The man was asking very high retail prices for his antiques and vintage!
That show can be a great lesson for all of us 'vintage and antique lovers'. Continue the 'hunt' for your all time vintage treasure, but part with some of the ones you have...share your finds with others!
Here is a great example of a costume jewelry find, that I will never part with...at least I don't think so! LOL It is a 1930s Coral Floral Necklace, that came in the original company box. But..I had to put a piece of jewelry in my 'selling' pile....
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Come Join A Vintage Picker With A Passion On IAntiqueOnline.ning.com !
I am not a poet but a 'picker' be,
I cannot rhyme for the life of me,
But let an estate open it's doors,
Or a dusty garage lay the 'old' on it's floors,
And I will be scrounging around in a whirl,
The 'Vintage Picker' will run like a squirrel!
Enough said of my sad condition,
My own truly state of perdition,
I need your help in my eternal quest,
In seeking knowledge I will never rest,
So I join with friends at IAntiqueOnline,
To search for the ultimate 'treasure' divine.
Visit I Antique Online
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Interesting Vintage Linen Stories...
I recently sold a southwest / Mexican Missions tablecloth at www.blackrain4.etsy.com , that is going to be in a new Mexican restaurant in Africa! A lady who is over there for 3 months of the year, with a a non-profit organization that works with street children and orphans in the small town of Kitale, Kenya, purchased it. She said she will open a Mexican restaurant for workers, and the residents there. Also, she said that the native foods there have much the same ingredients, as Mexican food, but are prepared differently.
Does anyone else have an interesting story about a vintage linen they bought or sold? I'd luv to hear them!
Linen / Textile Designers of the Past!
Many textile designers of the past are famous for their colorful tea towel and tablecloth designs.
One of my favorite designers is Luther Travis! I especially luv his bright fruit and floral tablecloths!
He is well known for many designs of the 1960s.
One that is most familiar to vintage tablecloth collectors is his grape vine pattern on linen.
I did an online search for Luther Travis, and found an article from 2001, about his cultivation of 2,000 orchids in Manhattan. He is an active member, and supporter, of the Manhattan Orchid Society, as he is listed as a member on their website.
I found it very interesting to know that his luv of floral continues!
I think it is so cool to find out how one of my favorite vintage textile designers is doing! That really 'dates' me doesn't it? LOL
You can see it at my etsy shop: Luther Travis Grape Vine Tablecloth
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Those Estate Sales Are Calling Me!!!
Not that I need to procure more vintage / antique items, as the ones I have are too great to count, especially with all the jewelry pieces!
It's the 'vintage picker' in me that is crying out...my collecting addiction...my search for the next special 'treasure' that pops up now and then! For now, I am attempting to update my social networks, list a few things, and advertise on facebook and twitter. Now, all I have to do is beg my hubby to drive me to the next estate sale!!! LOL
For now, here is a gorgeous 1950s tablecloth, to tempt you, that I've listed at Vintage Floral Baskets Tablecloth :
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Mini Vacation and Car Buying!
I have to be practical, especially in this 'day and age', and I've traded in my truck for a small car. Now we are driving a slightly used 2010 Chevy HHR, that only had a little over 10,100 miles, when we bought it! With it's fold down back seats, and added storage room at the back of the wagon, when you remove the hide-a-way cover, you can probably fit a small piece of furniture in the back! It's supposed to get 32 miles on the highway, and it will keep track of the miles...so 'it' will let us know! LOL
The HHR is very roomy inside for seating, rides really well, and has great 'pick up' for a little car!
It's modeled after the 1938 Chevy Suburban, so it reminds me of a prohibition 'gangster' car! A vintage looking car for a vintage couple! I luv it! We'll drive it for awhile and let you know what we think!
It does have plenty of room for my estate sale finds in the back, and a friend to accompany me in the front! And it will sure save me miles on the road! My car is a cool looking charcoal grey with running boards! :O)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Luv2LuvAntiques A Vintage 'Picker' With A Passion!
I thought I would change the headlining banner here, so it won't be so confusing with my Luv2LuvAntiques.com blog.
This will continue to be my personal blog, and will definitely contain the 'rantings' and 'ravings' of an 'obscessed' vintage and antiques 'picker'!
I have a coworker, and friend, who luvs to accompany me on 'treasure hunts'!
We make the rounds at garage sales, and thrift shops, and stand in line for 'numbers' early in the morning before estate sales! 'Such is the 'life'!
The only difference is that she collects 'almost new' items for use in her home, and vintage gifts for her family. This is her way of 'going green'!
I'm a 'certifiable' vintage and antique 'picker', who luvs to resell my finds on Etsy, Bonanzle, and my websites...those I can part with, that is! LOL
I Luv2LuvAntiques...I'm a vintage 'picker' with a passion!
Vintage Cotton Floral Pink Roses Flanelette Blanket at www.blackrain4.etsy.com
this lovely blanket is listed at my Etsy Shop, and is on Sale right now! It would be perfect for your Country Cottage, Romantic, or Eclectic Decor!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Old Fashioned Charm.Com's Blog Has Antique Treasure
and see how a 'picker' got lucky and found antique treasure!
A Frustrated Antiques / Vintage Picker 'On Hold' !!!
I also haven't been able to list very much at my selling sights, or participate much at the ning sites, and vintage club I belong to.
This all sounds like 'much boo hooing', but I have faith that all things will pass!
The good thing is that I have some time to watch a few more antique / vintage info television shows, which I know I'll continue to learn from! I will also be able to list more during my 'recoup' time after surgery.
In the mean time...please take a look at my Etsy shop for some great items, and sales!
www.blackrain4.etsy.com
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Our Pets Are Part of Our Family!
We had taken Sandy in years ago, as a runaway and abused dog, and she had heartworms, and was pregnant to boot! (We think Sandy had run away with her friend Angel, our son's dog, from a trailor park in our area.)
After Sandy had eight puppies she was treated for the heartworms. We kept two of her pups, and a friend from work took one, but it broke my heart to take 5 of her puppies in to the Humane Society! I could only hope they found good loving homes! Sandy's crying when the pups had been taken away from her, broke my heart! My poor hubby had to deal with a blubbering idiot, when we dropped the 5 puppies off!
Both my husband and I had been nursemaids for Sandy and her puppies! She had a large box, that my hubby had constructed, to help keep the pups with her, in our bedroom. That was a 'fun' time, especially the pups running all over the place as they grew!
We also helped her through the heartworm treatment, and spaying. She has been the most loving, and sweet dog! She's also been the best watch dog we've ever had! She could hear someone way down the street, and our other dogs would be sleeping! LOL
Now she's older and going deaf, but still very full of life!
I had thought she was about 12 now, but I'd forgotten that the vet guessed her age to be about 3-4 years old, when she first found our home! She is 13-14 years old now, and acts much younger!
The evening after this recent surgery, she was jumping up and down wanting her supper and cookie...almost giving me a heart attack! LOL
To say I love Sandy is definitely an understatement!
Sandy at the beach!
Sandy and Angel at the beach dragging my hubby by the leash! LOL
Friday, January 8, 2010
Computer Problems Sure Can Cause Stress!
Maybe that is how I felt when we 'lost' our internet access. It was as bad as being without a telephone for communication! Even 10 years ago, my feelings would have been much different. Internet access was not so important to me. Besides the personal aspect of emailing friends and family around the globe, surfing the web, and joining ning social networks, and blogging, I have ventured into the business world online.
Selling on Etsy, Bonanzle, and occasionally Ebay, encouraged me to try on my own.
Designing and starting my own interlinking websites, for vintage and antique sales, learning as I went along, was challenging. The unique idea of the websites, gave me great satisfaction...the more I could accomplish! You can 'teach an old dog new tricks'! LOL
Then came the terror of the crashing computer! Luckily, my son was able to transfer my files from the old hard drive onto our new PC, after he had set it up.
This was after waiting for everyone in our household to recover from the flu over the holiday season, and my son to return from an out of town trip.
I know I'm not the most patient person in the world...in fact...I'd like things done 'yesterday'! LOL Now I'm waiting with 'bated breath' for my son to put a program for uploading, and a better Paint Shop, on our PC, so 'I' will be at full operating mode! LOL But please God grant me patience in this New Year!