Besides Antiques

What? Could there be anything else besides antiques?

Well, how about vintage cars?

Beep beep! It's that time of year again... our church is having their 3rd annual car show. Dear Hubs went way way wayyyyyyyy overboard when he told the crew I could do some of the advertising.

So, using the photos I took at the last two car shows, I put together a little video to help spread the word.

Between that and Dear Bebe getting sick I haven't had much time to load my latest finds on the website. Tonight I am going to edit the photos and see if I can get them on...plus I have a Pink Saturday post to do. Too bad there wasn't a pink antique car from last year's show!

Either way, I'll be back with some "new" goodies... just trying to get to everything when I can. Think I need to jumpstart my engine....feeling low on gas!

Gettin' Crafty About Patriotic Stuff

I love 'em... patriotic things, especially vintage. Maybe that's why I really enjoyed a Country Living article a few years ago. They reprised it again last year online and I printed out the instructions.

Last week I started making a rosette banner.

This is as far as I got:

I was really excited to be able to use my vintage streamers from my shop's FOR CRAFTERS category ... I have a box of them and am selling 3 sets of 3. (Well, that's all that's left after my craft binge!)

This was the Country Living staff's final product. They get paid big bucks to make this stuff, don't they? I shouldn't feel so bad.

Mine turned out better than I expected... and since I'm not a crafter as of late...I was pleased!

Last year I tried to make these. It was tougher than I thought but I ended up with:

This little guy.

Hey, its a process! No seriously, I was about ready to pull my hair out trying to duplicate those darn ribbons... there were no instructions to follow so I made up my own thing. I think it needs some pizazz...like glitter!

This year I'm hoping to get a jump start on the season... anyone want to join me? I'd love to do a swap.

Let me know!

"....three cheers for the red, white, and blue..."

Keeping Up with Gramma

Having a toddler means Mommy is usually running around a lot.

But I have to say it was really hard to keep up with Gramma!

We all went to the park for fun playtime with Dear Bebe...

Look at her coming down that slide at only 19 months! No fear! (Where did THAT come from?)

Picking "flowers" (dandelions) for Gramma...

Then after Dear Bebe went to bed... instead of relaxing we decided it was time to get "crafty."

I enlisted Gramma (Ms. Daisy of the Daisy Chain by the way in case you don't know she is my Mother) to make these lovely boxes for my website.

I just love them! She just used scrapbook paper.

I finally got back to my patriotic projects I was excited about last year here ... and made five rosettes for a banner. More on those later.

Then the next day we had a tea party! My neighbor came over for tea and cookies. We really enjoyed having a "girl's afternoon."




The partying continued later that night with strawberry shortcake and ice cream while researching and pricing antiques for the booth the next day.

I'm completely wiped out but am hoping to recover soon...

Pink Saturday

Pinks I found while antiquing last weekend...

For more pink "fans" check out Beverly's blog at How Sweet the Sound!

GREASE is the Word! And the lyrics and the singing... Shush Please!

Dear Hubs and I went out for an early anniversary present the other night. We went to see GREASE!



American Idol's Taylor Hicks starred as the Teen Angel, just like Frankie Avalon in the movie.

He did a great job and surprised me at how well he hammed it up!

The whole play was lots of fun, full of energy and dancing.

Of course I knew all of the songs. Didn't we all sing to that album back in 1978? I played it over and over and over again.

Obviously so did the 40 something year old woman sitting in the aisle across from me. She sung and clapped and hand jived the entire show! Cute maybe if she was lets say, TEN! But, no she was my age. It was kind of embarassing.

Despite her noise and annoying zest for all things GREASE, we had a great time! I'd have to give it four popcorns! I'd have given it my top rating of 5 but the sets were the only thing I wanted to see more of and there were mostly backdrop curtains instead.

I would definitely recommend it!

Suddenly though I have the urge to go get my GREASE DVD and album and relive my earlier years!

"We go to together like sha na na na...."

Crafter's Delight! Vintage PINK Ribbon, Pastel Postcards, Millinery Trim, Rosettes, Baubles n Beads PLUS Wedding Cake Topper!

Lots of great finds this week including some crafty supplies:

There are two choices in pastel postcards this week. Both sets are from the early 1900's. This particular set I call "Sweet Sentiments"... one reads "Think of Me" and the other "Fond Remembrance."

Okay, most of you know I love pink. I also love ribbon. Parting with this one was really tough! It is available for purchase, can you believe I let it go?

Wedding cake toppers can make all the difference. This one has a faux "icing base"... not plastic.

This pretty Sweetheart fan is a greeting card! Comes with the orignal pink lace box, too. Vintage Valentine from 1948.

I saved my best baubles & beads for this silver compote.

These are so much fun to place around... I fell in love with NYC the first time I went there in my early twenties. If you've been there you know the feeling!

And speaking of falling in love.... these little Indian bead slippers are ADORABLE in person. It is hard to see their sweet size so I put a skeleton key there to give you an idea. Too cute.

All available now on Bella Rosa Antiques in the JUST LISTED category.

Have a Bella day! I'll be back soon with photos from my last antique hunt...

Engaged

Milestones. They're what mark big achievements in our lives. Getting your first car is one of them.

Getting engaged is another.

Yesterday we received the big news that my eldest Step-Daughter is engaged!

Congratulations!

There is a lot of pressure that comes with being engaged. And most of it lies on the bride. What to wear for the big day, planning the wedding, who to invite, bridesmaids, what to serve, decorations, favors, and so on.

I just did it six years ago so it is still pretty fresh in my mind!

But for now, lets just relish in the moment of young love and a whole lifetime ahead of them.

And welcoming a son-in-law into the family!

Tell Me What You Want ~ I Might Find it!

Running your own website is a lot of fun. As much work as it is to find the right antiques, bring them home, clean them up, take pictures of them, list them on the site, wrap them up and ship them off to customers.... it is equally rewarding.

One of my favorite things (among many) is finding out what my customers collect or are interested in buying.

Maybe you will find their requests interesting, too:

French Items

Pink Heart Candy Boxes

Calling Cards

Pink Kitchen Stuff

Nursery Jars/Wicker Tray

Old shakers (for glitter/crafts)

Vintage Needlepoints

Teacup Stand

Antique cups/mugs with sweet sentiments written on them

Vintage Rose Cotton Throw

Dress Form

Aqua Jars

Some are easier to find than others.

I have come across more vintage French items than I thought I would! Some of my favorites have been a silk apron marked souvenir of France from the World War II era, a late 1800's French Dictionary from the Frick Museum in NYC (I joke with my Mother that Degas or Renoir probably used it and here I sold it!), a French souvenir stationery holder, and a souvenir bracelet from Paris.

The dress forms I've run into but I'd have to sell them at outrageous prices because they are so expensive to purchase. Plus, shipping from the East Coast is incredibly high. You just never know though when you'll see a great deal so I'm not giving up.

After coming across one pink heart candy box I received a few requests to find more. I thought it would be no problem but most of them are red. Still looking...

If there's something you'd like us to look for, feel free to leave a comment, I LOVE to read them!

An Interesting Note From Kovels: American Glass Companies Losing Government Bids to Foreign Companies

The following is an article pulled from one of the writers or owners of Kovel's Newsletter... your thoughts welcome at the end!

US State Department to Replace Goblets

A dealer just asked me if I had read the latest issue of Glass Shards, the newsletter of the National American Glass Club. There is an article about Steuben Glass, the company's problems and need to lay off workers because they have lost so much business in the economic down turn. On the next page is an article about Orrefors, the Swedish glass company. They were chosen for a $5.4 million contract from the

U. S. State Department to make glasses for 400 American Embassies. Each glass will be engraved with the seal of the United States. Critics are furious that the government did not keep the jobs at home with a company founded in 1903. We just learned that the U.S. Senator from New York has asked that the glass contract be rebid so that a U.S. company will be considered. But there is also another reason to have U.S. made products used. Our embassies, as representatives of our country, should be furnished with the best the United States can produce--a way to brag about the quality of U.S. products.

Yes, it looks like even the antiques and collectibles industry can be affected by politics.

As an American I wonder where our pride has gone. As an antique dealer I am saddened by the thought of a long running, exceptional glass company going out of business due to our lack of support, even by our government.

When we have nothing left to manufacture here will we notice?

It is fun to collect things from the past but what about our future?

Something to think about.

Latest Finds: Shabby Sugar Canister, German Rose Pitcher, Victorian Dresser Box, Tri-Fold Vanity Mirror

While working on my own booth this weekend I discovered a few treasures I just had to have for the Bella Rosa store:

Perfectly shabby and well, so sweet at the same time! A little sugar for la cucina....

A lovely rose transfer teapot from Sadler, made in England.

Victorian era milk glass vanity/dresser box. Love the handpainted design.

Rose transfer pitcher, made in Germany

A pretty pair of modern post earrings in a vintage style... couldn't resist the pink!

Antique Chatterbox book plates of children. Gorgeous detail. Circa late 1800's.

A vintage Baby Ben alarm clock. This brought back so many memories for me when I heard it ticking! My Grandmother had one just like it.

This is my favorite find of the week. A vintage tri-fold vanity mirror. Will make any dressing table or bureau into an instant femine retreat. In SUPER condition. Because of its size, it will have to ship separately so I included the shipping into the price.

Everything above is now available in the Bella Rosa shop...under the JUST LISTED category.

Have a Bella day!