Trash To Treasures Valentines

Do we have to make all of our valentines from heart shaped pieces of paper? Well, I agree that they are sentimental and cute. But, how about taking a jaunt to your local thrift shop and rescuing a few small tins or boxes? Take them home and turn them into amazing one of a kind valentines. Then gather together old buttons, rhinestones, stickers, old cards, broken jewelry and glitter. Next use an adhesive to assemble them onto the tin or box. Once you are finished you can fill this treasured container with candies, a poem, a piece of jewelry or concert tickets.....the possibilities are endless when you get creative. The pictures above are of some tins that I embellished. I found some old Lucky Strikes Cigarrettes tins and some old, vintage valentines....and voila!

Happy Valentines Day! To see more of my work please visit my etsy shop at http://www.heatheralexander.etsy.com/

Granny Chic

There is nothing warmer and more comforting than the granny-chic style. Grany chic marries "something old" with "something new". It is wearing your brand new cocktail dress with the stunning rhinestone choker that your grandmother gave you. It is a modern kitchen counter decorated with 1950's tin canisters. It is moving into a fresh space and filling it with heritage. No two styles are alike for we each fashion our own.

Giving Vintage Jewels A New Life

I love vintage jewelry. There is nothing better than a mint condition, 1940's, signed rhinestone choker necklace. However, all to often we find pieces of jewelry that have not survived the test of time in tact...missing stones, broken clasps, greening, etc. Instead of shaking our heads sadly with a pitying sigh, we can view these imperfect baubles as treasures of opportunity. There is so much fashion and unique style potential lieing within these jewels. The motto is: RECYCLE, REPURPOSE, REUSE!!!!! The "living green" movement promotes this effort in so many facets of society, but vintage jewelry offers an artistic spin on the concept.

So, here are my creative ideas for rescuing damaged jewels. I encourage my readers to add their ideas to the list.

- almost every pair of earrings can be turned into a charm...charms can dress up bracelets, key chains, bookmarks, zipper pulls, assemblage necklaces and probable a dozen other creations

-clip on earrings can be reborn in snap clip embellishment or on fun cocktail rings.....do up a dozen as party favors for New Years Eve

-Broken rhinestone necklaces or link bracelets can be adhered to barrettes to add a dash of unique bling to one's ensemble

- Jewels that are missing stones in their settings can be revived with the incorporation of new ones.....it does not have to match....it only has to compliment the look of the piece

Those are some of my thoughts on how to recue and cherish all vintage jewels.

What is a Vintage Treasure?

If a person is nostalgic about an item, then it is collectible. Collectibles are treasures. Hence, YOUR treasures are what you collect. What do you collect?
For example, I love jewelry and décor from the 1940s and I think it is because the colors, styles and textures remind me of my grandparents and their warm home.

Jewelry
-Post World War I and II costume jewelry is very collectible. After the war the middle class was thriving, so most people could not afford expensive jewelry. As a result, there was an explosion in the costume jewelry market. Most people’s parents and grandparents have a drawer of costume jewelry in their home. This is not junk, in fact some of it is quite valuable. Look at the back of pieces and on the pins of brooches to see signatures and hallmarks. Look for names like Trifari or Monet. There are websites to help you research value. A new and successful vintage jewelry site is http://www.rubylane.com/

Toys and Dolls
-To qualify as vintage an item must be at least 20 years old. SO, our toys are collectible. Star Wars action figures and Smurfs are collectible. The astronaut Smurf in good condition has been valued at $50.00. Look on the backs of toys and dolls for dates and brand names to authenticate them. BEWARE because there are many faked look-alikes out there. A doll will have the designer name on the top of her back. A Smurf will usually have a date on the bottom of it’s foot. The older the more valuable. Condition affects value too. To find the value of dolls and toys you can log onto http://www.ebay.com/ and look under the completed listings section. You will need to be registered with EBay to use the site in this capacity and it is free.


Fine Art
- The value of fine art follows the stock market….art follows wealth. French Impressionist Art, historically, has been the art that sells best, (Van Gogh and Renoir). Yet, recently, modern art is what is at the selling high, (Picasso to Warhol). This is subject to change over time. Determining art value is tricky and ever changing. Similar to the toys, there are many fakes. If the piece has been inherited from your grandparents and you know it was in their home then you are probably safe. Otherwise, look for a signature in a bottom corner of the piece and then get an appraiser to verify that it is authentic. Peruse http://www.artfact.com/ to research more about art and art value; (this is not a free site). Before going to artfact.com you may want to google the artist first.

Silver and Precious Metals (From Flatware to Jewelry)
-Understand Hallmarks:
EPNS- electroplate on nickel silver (silver plate)
925- American sterling silver
800- European sterling silver
PLAT or PT -Platinum
10K, 12K, 14K, 22K - gold (whetehr it is silver colored or gold colored)
-Most recent sterling silver pieces are stamped “STERLING”
-Some sterling is not stamped at all, such as mid 20th century Native American turquoise and silver jewelry.
-Like Gold and Platinum, Silver is fluctuating in value. You can determine current value at the following site: http://www.dendritics.com/scales/metal-calc.asp You will need a special scale to use this site. A jeweler or appraiser can help you with this. I advise avoiding Gold Parties because there is a middle man getting a cut in the value. It is best to go directly to the middle man’s buyer, which is either a jeweler or a collector. There are many jewelers that will give you a current market value because they are using the raw material to create with and not brokering it to someone else.

China
-China is signed on the bottom: turn over the plate or cup. Anything signed “JAPAN” is now very collectible. If it is signed “OCUPPIED JAPAN” then it is even more collectible. These items are from the 1940’s and 50’s. We do not commission Japan for assistance in production as much as we do China, so these items have gone up in value. To see some of the “kitschy” things that are signed JAPAN and selling quite well, peruse http://www.etsy.com/ You will see anything from bisque puppy dog planters to lusterware salt and pepper shakers being collected and the collectors are mainly our generation

Books and Ephemera
-Books are often very popular because of their illustrations. If a book does not have a copyright date then it is, most likely, a first edition publication of the book. This makes it valuable. Also, many first edition books will print, “First Edition” in the copyright section.
-Old cards and postcards are very collectible. Again, the illustrations are the big draw. Among the most collectible types of books are vintage and antique children’s books. Older versions of Alice In Wonderland, Raggedy Ann or The Oz series from the 1940s and 1930s are popular.
-Older magazines are very collectible too. A 1940 issue of Vogue can sell for up to $30.00.

Glass
-Depression Glass has a similar story as the costume jewelry. During the depression people could not afford crystal and expensive décor, so colorful and interesting glassware was created and sold at reasonable prices. There are many collectors of depression glass today.
-Cut Glass Crystal verses Pressed Glass (crystal vs. glass) – Cut Crystal is sharp and heavier. Also, crystal has a longer ring to it if you tap it lightly with a spoon.
-Waterford is a popular glass designer. Older Waterford is more valuable because the company was based in America and the quality of the manufacturing has been determined as better. Waterford has since sold their company to a buyer in China, therefor the Waterford glass vase you buy at Macy’s today is not the same quality as what you see in your mom or grandmother’s dining room.

It is my hope that this post has been a helpful resource for collectors, sellers and wonderers in general. I invite you to comment on this post and add to the knowledge. Thank you for viewing.

Assemblage Jewelry For Valentines Day

Top Five Reasons to Wear Assemblage Statement Necklaces:

1. Every design is unique....no two are alike.

2. Living Green.....the necklaces are made from the recycled components of cast off and forgotten jewelry.

3. Most of the components used are vintage...truelly timeless.

4. It is more than jewelry...it is art. You are wearing a miniature gallery complete with a theme and poetry.....how about that for a conversation starter?

5. Customize your personal style...much like the charm bracelet of the 1960's....these assembled statement necklaces are often custom made to match you and what you cherish.

Visit http://www.heatheralexander.etsy.com/ to see more designs

Find Your Vintage Style

Have you ever been curious about vintage stuff, but have no idea where to begin? Do you want to know your vintage style?

I can help. Having grown up in a family run auction and estate sale business, I have been surrounded by things of the past my entire life.

The first thing you need to do is decide what era or time period from the past resonates with you. Personally, I love the 1940's, but feel a bit overwhelmed and turned off by leftovers from the 1980's. You may feel the exact opposite.

Here is a run down of vintage style:

Victorian, fancy, bakelite plastic, marcasite and silver, ornate, cut glass crystal, gold gilded and hand painted china, cameos on velvet chokers, this was a time when people dined every meal with about 7 different eating utensils in front of them; and a person could not eat a type of food without a special type of plate. I think people were starting to get bored and, without realizing it, yearned for an industrial revolution. Search for Charlotte Bronte in Wikipedia and you will see and learn of a wonderful Victorian woman.
30's (prohibition, flapper, the great depression):
Think of long cigarette holders, bobbed hair, Edwardian flapper hats, crystal chandeliers, top hats, platinum wedding rings and depression glass. A time for rebellion. Think of Greta Garbo.

1940's and 1950's (won the wars, American golden years):
Romantic Bling! Women loved costume jewelry with rhinestones and faux pearls...especially brooches and cardigan pins. Look for names like TRIFARI on pieces of costume jewelry to find a mid century treasure. The 1940s were full of color. Homes were wall papered and ladies of leisure decorated with beautiful linen tablecloths for the Friday night Bridge game. Kitchens welcomed cherry red linoleum. Think of Lucille Ball and June Cleaver.

Love your mini skirts, lucite bangle bracelets, big and gaudy choker necklaces, enameled butterfly pins, psychedelic flowers. Do you remember Gidget? This was such a funny decade. People went from peace - loving, long haired hippies to appearance obsessed disco - dancing - queens. I was born in the early 1970s and still remember my dad's goatee, my mom's thick - rimmed glasses and everyones strange obsession with cheese fondue and the color rust. Honestly, brides would actually dress their bridesmaids in high necked, rust - orange colored gowns, ( which were polyester none the less). And don't forget the bell bottoms...I believe we call them "flare pants" nowadays. When you are thinking of 1970s vintage style, just picture Charlies Angels and Miss Farah Fawcett herself.

1980's (the ugly era): Sorry...it is just my opinion. I mean Molly Ringwald was as cute as a button, but what was her character thinking when she made over that cute 1960's prom dress in the movie Pretty In Pink? Oh, and the 1980s loved PINK! Pink bridesmaids, pink leg warmers, pink and gray sweater dresses with a belt of course. But Molly and her pink was the "good girl" side to the 80's. Let's not leave out our naughty girls. How about Madonna with her jelly bracelets and mini dresses. Or Cindy Lauper with her florescent, mod-punk look. The 1980s rebelled against bell bottoms and went the tapered leg route: not a great look for the curvy ladies. In fact, I think all my friends that are fans of the 80's are,(coincidentally), my skinny friends. And let us not forget shoulder pads! AH, the 80's.


So, now that you have a little view of style through the different vintage eras, think about what your personal style already entails. Do you love pop art, skinny jeans and lots of bangle bracelets? If so, you may need to be on the hunt for 1980's vintage items. Do you love Audrey Hepburn? Well, then maybe you are a 1960's gal.

Once you know which era or eras are your favorite you can begin collecting. Start with a collection of jewelry or create a theme decorated dinner party from a certain era. Have fun!

If you want to start shopping check out my vintage shop at

http://www.blogger.com/www.theatticshop.etsy.com

In Honor of Fairies

I am a believer of the fairy realm and love to build fairy houses with my kids. Whenever my son and I go on hikes we look for fairy houses in the tangled roots of tree stumps or in the velvet moss growing on the forest floor. Making a fairy house is an easy and fun nature activity to do with your own children during any season and in any location: be it at the sea shore, deep in the woods during a camping trip or in your own backyard. You can get instruction and creative ideas at the following website: http://www.fairyhouses.com/home.html

Here is a link to my favorite fairy promoting etsy shop: http://www.fairydreams67124.etsy.com