It's a Small World

Most collectors love tiny treasures - trinkets that can be placed in a home to add personality and flavor... I am one such antiquer!

Continuing the theme of virtual browsing at Gresham Lake, this post includes some adorable shots of miniature objects just waiting for a new home. The exotic fabric dolls are in Gayle's booth - Aren't they precious? What a great way to bring culture in to a child's room!

The cute painted white furniture is available at Tracy's booth- She has several room set-ups for your doll houses and tiny vignettes - She even has a retro TV "playing" Get Smart!

Traveling to another exotic locale are Laura and Darby with their precious Asian figurines... Wonderful accents for a kitchen ledge or over the fireplace.

The next image takes a look at a hot new collectible - Vegetable people! A recent article in Antiques and Collectibles spot lighted this trend and showed some adorable images of fruit and veggie postcards, tea towels, and kitchen ware. I love these guys and have considered bringing them home with me!

The last picture shows Molly's wonderful taste in holiday smalls ... Great for adding some vintage flavor to your seasonal decor.

So- after all this window shopping, you must be tired and ready for a little relaxation! Well, I've got you covered. Over the next few posts, I plan to highlight some great books ranging from research material to general fiction- You don't want to miss out on these reviews ... I'm a very selective reader!

"Fall" in Love with Antiques!

Ok- So, I know it's a little early to be talking about Fall ... But since it's my favorite season, I must be given a little mercy!

Antiques are a wonderful way to bring seasonal change into your home. For instance, this cool shoe "planter" (found at Mary's booth at Gresham Lake) is an accent piece just waiting to happen. Imagine tall black glittery sticks coming from the center - All draped in moss and leaves... Elegantly gothic for the upcoming All Hallow's Eve!

Continuing on the theme of color and seasons, let's look at a few other pieces at Gresham. The vintage Pekingese(?) dog bookends are so cute- And great for adding some brown and gold tones to your home. These darlings are in Laura and Darby's booth. Be sure to browse their other wares for wonderful books and jewelry - Both great for adding color to your home and your wardrobe!

As you can tell, I have a real "hoot" working:) And so do these precious owl figures! Owls are a favorite collectible ... I myself have a few tucked around the house. Just think how cute these little guys would be in a child's room holding school books and urging a little scholar on! A great gift item for a budding naturalist!

While on the subject of winged creatures, I thought I'd show off my newest splurge ... A vintage metal bird cage! I can't wait to make vignettes using this beauty as a centerpiece. For Fall, I'll have a stuffed owl with some spooky bits and pieces ... For Winter, an assortment of tiny colored birds floating all around with glitter and sparkles- Maybe some fairy lights! For Spring... Well, you'll just have to come over and see!

I'm off this weekend to DC - Again you say? Yes- Again! My friend Beth is unfortunately closing up her wonderful shop (but thankfully she will still be online- I'll post her venue once I get the info). I'll be returning to Raleigh with tons of her items - books, library furniture, and some great odds and ends... I just don't know where I'll put it all! (But isn't that half the fun?)... I'll also be attending the Baltimore Antique Show. I missed it last year but did go in 2006 and had a wonderful time ... Beautiful items. Not a place to go for bargains but def a time to learn and view quality merchandise. I'll take as many pics as I can and share them with you! Have a blessed Labor Day weekend ... And do a little antiquing while you're out and about!

Trinkets and Treasures!

As a vendor at Gresham Lake Mall, I am often there sprucing things up... And finding some incredible deals and wonderful items from my fellow dealers. For the next few posts, I plan on spotlighting some of the beautiful displays and vignettes my coworkers lovingly create.

First up, we have Tina, a fabulous all around dealer. She specializes in vintage clothing, jewelry, and items with a nostalgic feminine touch. Just today I purchased 2 chandeliers!

Then we have a cute image from one of the closet spaces. Just look at those bunnies! I believe these ladies have entitled their business "Gifted Memories."

Next is a little display courtesy of Sherry, our Retro Diva. She has great taste and knowledge in reference to mid century memorabilia. If you look at an earlier post, you'll see the most adorable button jar which was kindly found by Ms. Sherry.

Not to be excluded from having some simply fabulous oddities is Gloria. The ceramic toilet set is just one of many doll house furnishings she currently has available. And did I mention lamps? The woman saved my booth from darkness with her wonderful tall floor lamp - How can I ever thank her?

Last but not least is a little glimpse of the abounding bibelots available in Tracy's little nook. I can't recall all the wonderful items I've found in her stash- Anything ranging from 19th c. books to tiny toys are her niche.

I've got plenty more eye candy for next time so stop back to see more Gresham goodies!

She's Wearing Her Best!

Welcome to Flotsam & Jetsam, the new and improved boutique of treasures! I've consolidated into 1 space at the Gresham Lake Antique Mall - I worked all this week primping and grooming the booth... And she is now ready for the ball! I love the way it looks, and I hope you will too:)

For all of you far and wide readers, if there's an item you notice in these photographs that you'd like to have, please leave a comment or send me an email and I'll try my best to deliver the item right to your very doorstep - Now that's service!

Pleasant Playthings

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Angela Peterson Doll and Miniature Museum in High Point, NC is a fantastic collection of antique dolls and toys. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the numerous figures; the Museum has a broad field of doll types including ethnic, Shirley Temple, early American, creche, Madame Alexander, Victorian porcelain, celluloid ... The list goes on!
The traveling exhibits are also excellent. The current show on view is focused on American Cloth Dolls. The previous exhibit was French Porcelain Dolls.

These images show some of my favorite items, from the wonderful Colonial dolls to the beautiful Santo head. Also pictured is a Joel Ellis doll - Here's a little information on it courtesy of Memorial Hall Museum online: "A man by the name Joel Ellis formed The Vermont Novelty Works in the 1850s in Springfield, Vermont. The company invented and patented jointed dolls and doll carriages." The Ellis form is stunning and in perfect condition for this type of figure.

I encourage you to venture out and visit your local museums, whether they be focused on dolls, local lore, or even Egyptian mummies (this last item is in reference to the mummy at the Charleston Museum)! Support these treasure troves - You never know what you might discover!

Peace"ing" It All Together

I Peter 5:7
" ... casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."

Blessings to you readers out there! I wanted to post a little bit here about feeling anxious and overwhelmed ... Often times, I worry about doing enough for my business and being productive with my time. I also fret over spending enough time with my family and friends. These concerns, while positive in some aspect, can lead to an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

With that said, I just thought I'd let Flotsam and Jetsam readers and clients know that I am going to be focusing on three aspects of my business: Gresham Lake Antique Mall, SuzAnna's Antiques, and the newly created Rubylane Shop (http://www.rubylane.com/shops/flotsam-jetsam). I have decided to no longer sell items on Etsy; additionally, I will not be consigning items at Catchpenny's (although I'll definitely be visiting for the fabulous merchandise!). While both of these venues are great, they are not the best place for my focus to be at right now.

The growths and changes in my business are going to allow better customer service and contact as well as more committed attention to my booths' appearance and offerings. I hope these revisions will be inspirational to my clients. I entitled this post "Peace"ing" It All Together" because as a new business owner, the concerns and challenges I face are different than those I have dealt with previously. But these new issues are not unsurmountable and certainly only add to my strength as a woman entrepreneur. I look forward to the upcoming months and the positive reaction these changes will bring about!

On a side note, I wanted to mention a guest post I did for the blog Ephemera. Please check it out at: http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/. My post was the feature for today, August 15th.

Finding the Fabulous!

What great treasures these pictures show! Don't you just love the party going doll head? I believe this piece is actually a lamp!

Thought I would share some images from a talented vendor at the Big Flea this past July (Chantilly, VA). Stephanie George Hirschberg is an artist specializing in "one of a kind collage art, antiques, collectibles, lamps and gifts." Be sure to visit her blog at www.doojies.blogspot.com

I love the idea of using the old aquarium as a display case for nautical treasures - I can't wait to find one for my shop!

Fanciful Beauties of Yesteryear

Greetings friends:) Things have been quite busy over the last couple of days - I'm now an official vendor at Rubylane antiques! View my offerings at http://www.rubylane.com/shops/flotsam-jetsam. I'll be adding new items frequently so be sure to visit regularly... Hopefully you'll find something you just can't live without!

Other news includes my guest post with fellow blogger Marty Weil at http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/. Marty contacted me and asked if I would do a post for his blog on how I find and market ephemera as an antique dealer. I was so excited to work with Marty and have finally finished the post. It should be up sometime this week - I'll make sure to let you all know when to make a visit to his blog!

So, on to the beautiful girls and boys featured in this post. I recently visited the Angela Peterson Doll and Miniature Museum in High Point, NC. What a treat this little spot is! So many wonderful treasures just waiting to be found! I encourage you to visit this museum whenever you are in the area. Living in the Cary, NC area, it was only an hour and a half jaunt to the location. I learned a great deal about a variety of dolls and miniatures. I'll be posting pictures from the museum for the next several weeks - Everything was so delightful I wanted to share it!

The May Pole vignette is adorable and I plan to collect enough of these little dolls to create my own scene. I already have 3 that will be great for the project - Now I just need to collect a few more!

Expanding My Horizons

Just a sneak peak at what's in store for Flotsam and Jetsam ... The angelic faces are on a 19th century French figurine that will soon be available on my Rubylane site. The shop will be open within the next week (I am currently being reviewed by the Rubylane board for appropriate content - every new dealer on the site has to go through this process). Let's hope I pass:) I'll let you guys know when this online venue is opened!

Additional online growth is through the Etsy site. I will be listing completely different items on this fabulous artist venue. Buttons, laces, and other curious bibelots (such as the beautiful Czech buttons seen below) will be available on this site. I've already updated my Etsy venue so please stop by and browse a bit! I will continually be adding various goods to the Etsy site (www.sweettea16.etsy.com).
Thanks so much for your continued support. The growth of my business is an exciting adventure for me!