Christmas in July Sale 2013

Hello, readers! Just popping over here to tell you that I've set up a Christmas in July sale on Etsy. Just use the coupon code CIJ to take 10% off orders over $10 until July 21st.

That means that this pair of 50s Morgantown "Federal" leaded glass is now $112.50 until the end of the sale...

And this great piano book from the early 50s is now $9. 90.


Lots to choose from, and lots of great savings! Hope to see you soon. :)

Power Outages and Other Stuff

Since last time I posted here, I've hardly had more than a few days of "normal routine" at a time, which is something I hope to change this month. The second week of May was pleasantly disrupted with my sister's graduation, but the third and fourth weeks were shut down with prolonged power outages following tornadoes that swept through my area on May 20th and May 31st.

Some of the May 20th tornado debris, found in my yard

It was a helpless feeling, not being able to contact anyone or know what was going on in the outside world. I missed you, my fans and readers, as well. I can't complain, though. I still have my house and friends and family are still with me. I've been blessed.

People keep asking me how they can help with the disaster efforts. I would say that first, prayers are extremely welcome and needed. The worst scars from a situation like this are the emotional and spiritual ones.  There is also still a great need for donations to charities like the Oklahoma Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Convoy of Hope, and even the Oklahoma Humane Society.  It will be a long time before things get back to normal for thousands of displaced people, but I fear they will be forgotten by the public long before they are back on their feet. 

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, because like so many others, I've been a little shell-shocked since all of this happened. I plan to go back to listing new merchandise as soon as possible, so keep an eye out on my stores. Thanks for reading!

Spring Cleaning...More for Shoppers

It's that time of year again, when people take stock of what they want to accomplish during the summer months, and declutter, reorganize, and redecorate their spaces.

I've been going through my vintage stock and my craft room and making a lot of plans for some changes in my stores--the first being a plan to dramatically increase my inventory in all of my stores by the end of the summer.

I was recently inspired by an article someone sent me to read, that spoke of turning loose of craft supplies that I'm not using, so that someone else can enjoy them.  I'm one of those people who tries a lot of different kinds of crafts, but sometimes gives up on them after I've bought the supplies.  Yeah, I bet a lot of people are thinking, "I must be that kind of person, too."  Not a problem! Now you know you're normal, right?

Anyway, once I've bought the supplies, I feel guilty about quitting. I end up hanging on to them, when I could be making another crafter happy instead. In order to keep good stuff from languishing any longer, I've gathered some of it up and I've started listing it, today. It seemed like a good time, since people will likely be thinking ahead to "Christmas in July" craft bazaar sales and craft shows during the summer, and they might even be stocking up for projects for the holidays.  If you do those sorts of things, stop by. I've already got a bit of crochet and embroidery stock available in my Etsy store.

Taking stock of my craft supplies caused me to rediscover my jewelry making supplies, and I've made several pieces of jewelry this week.  I'm listing what I've made on Artfire.  Hope you'll take a look.  It's a small selection, so far, but I am adding more to the store as I go.

Reorganizing my craft area made me think about how many other great vintage things I have, but have not listed yet.  Recent customers have told me how they had combed the internet for days until they finally discovered what I had. It is time to make those treasures available to all of you! I've listed vintage glass and pottery, and even some cool home decor like this music box, which plays the "Laura" theme song from Dr. Zhivago while the flowers rotate under the glass dome. If you are looking for something specifically, I hope you'll let me know. The worst I could tell you is "no, I don't have it."  I won't be mean about it.

So, do you have the spring cleaning bug this time of year? If so, please share tips. I'd love to read them!

Vintage Scarves for Spring, and How to Care For Them

Washable acetate scarf now available on Etsy.

Scarves have been a rising trend in women's apparel over the past few years.  It's no wonder, either.  Besides being a wonderful way to draw the eye up to your face, they are a colorful way to shrink your clothes budget by transforming those boring old outfits you've had hanging in your closet for years.

If you are worried about the potential dry-cleaning bill associated with vintage silks, there are plenty of washable alternative fabrics, including rayon, nylon, polyester, and cotton.  I've even found specially treated acetates and silks that are designed to be hand-washed at home!

If luxury is still what you prefer, there are "dry cleaning at home" kits like the ones produced by Dryel brand (and no, no one is paying for that endorsement).

Chinese Medallion Print Scarf on Etsy

When it comes to caring for a vintage scarf, there are only a few rules to remember:

•  Too much wringing and vigorous scrubbing can stretch a scarf out of shape or even tear the fibers.  The lighter the fabric, the higher the likelihood of this happening. Wash them in a delicates bag if you are putting them in your machine, and be careful when hand-washing.
• Never use bleach or harsh chemicals when laundering (I usually use Woolite).  This is especially important for older scarves or scarves made with natural dyes.  The dyes in these scarves are often less "fixed," and the wrong chemical can make dyes run and ruin the fibers in the scarf, as well. Some acetate and silk cannot be washed at all without being completely ruined.

  

  Tan Chiffon with Violets Scarf

•  Iron most scarves on low temperatures to avoid overheating the delicate fibers and causing them to become breakable over time.
• Never pin a scarf in place. Each time you pin it, it makes a tiny hole.  Many of the scarves I list have endured this treatment (I always note it when I see it).  Too much of that, and the fabric gets snagged and ruined.
• Don't knot the scarf too vigorously, as well. I've found that in the gauziest fabrics, like chiffon, this makes ripples and vertical "slit" patterns in the fabric, like stretch marks, where the very fibers of the cloth have been scooted closer together.  This opens them up for snags and runs, as well.
• Store natural fabrics like silk and cotton in a closed drawer or some place where insects can't get to them, because moth babies see them as a delicacy (and if you wanted holes, you would have bought lace, right?).

Since the demand for scarves has been pretty high this week in my stores, I've risen to the challenge. I prepped nearly a dozen vintage scarves and started listing them over the weekend.  They have already begun to sell, so don't wait to check them out!  I picked out a variety of colors, fabrics, and price ranges, to try to have something for everyone. Here's a centralized link to all my stores, through Pinterest. Otherwise, just use the tabs at the top of the screen on this blog.

This post is loaded with pictures of what I have listed (or am listing this week).  There is also one vintage scarf I am reserving, just in case it wins in my "Fan's Choice" Giveaway Contest.  If that's what you'd like to see me give away, you should go vote in the poll I am running on my Facebook fan page.  If you vote, you will be entered to win in the final drawing. Hope to see you there!