Everything Old is New Again in Some of Etsy's Most Unique Vintage Shops

 We all know that there are 1,000s of unique specialty craft shops on Etsy.  This also holds true for vintage shops.  Below is just a sample of some of the unique shops I have recently found. These kinds of shops are a treasure trove for crafters and collectors alike.
 I could spend hours searching though all the vintage shops out there in Etsyland! Feel free to post a link to any unique vintage specialty shops you find.

1. vintagewindowpanes

https://www.etsy.com/shop/vintagewindowpanes

Specializes in vintage window panes, sashes, locks, weights, and pulleys for use at home in decor, arts, crafts, etc.

2. FiniRibbon

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FiniRibbon

Specializes in vintage french ribbons from the 1900's +.

3. ImAButtonGlutton

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ImAButtonGlutton

Specializes in buttons manufactured in the 1940's and before.  Many Mother of Pearl buttons and new old stock.

4.  togei (also known as Folding Cranes)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/togei

Specializes in selling vintage Japanese clothing such as kimonos, obis, etc.  Located in Japan.

5.  THEPOSTCARDSHOP

https://www.etsy.com/shop/THEPOSTCARDSHOP

Specializes in vintage postcards of Edwardian actresses, children, holidays, shipping boats, etc.

Following YOUR Path...

Commencement is over, at least for me. Working
for a local college; the past few weeks have been
a very busy time. In order to end we must begin.

Just a little play on words there of course.

Now that the seniors have begun (I mean commenced) I can now work on the blog again.
This is just an excuse for missing last week's entry - weak,  I know.

Apologies to all.

Next week will bring the latest update on Alison Kurek of SilentMyloStudio. The following week we'll check-in on Sarah Trumpp of Wonderstrumpet.

If you haven't been following these two amazing shop owners you should - there is a lot to learn from their journey as full-timers. You can read their previous articles here:

Sarah - March 21, 2013 , April 11, 2013 , May 2, 2013

Alison - April 6, 2013 , April 25, 2013

Until then, enjoy the weekend and remember the real reason for Memorial Day.

Written by Al Pilato of harvestwoods

Monday Interview with GlassArtbyVicki

 This week we have Vicki from GlassArtbyVicki !

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?

I am a full time glass artist, studio owner, and instructor. I was raised on the Jersey Shore and started my professional life as an English teacher in the Bronx. (That feels like several lifetimes ago.) I’ve been living in WNY since 1980.

 

For the past 7 years,  I’ve been “turning hot glass into cool stuff!" I own Expressive Glass, a 9-torch studio on Route 5 in Buffalo (Woodlawn). Think of it as “a little bit of Corning in Buffalo's backyard.” I started out making glass beads by wrapping molten glass around steel mandrels (rods). Over the past few years, my work has evolved into sculptures. I have been gaining international attention for my miniature life-like portraits of dog heads. I love pushing myself and exploring the limits of my medium.

 

How do you promote your work to the world?

I wish I were better at this, but like most artists I know, I'd rather be creating than promoting. One of the best things I've done is contacting Kevin O'Neill from WGRZ TV. He came to the studio and interviewed me really early in the morning. Five of my students joined us at 5:30 am and were at their torches. It was fun and good exposure.

 

I send out newsletters from time to time using Constant Contact. I had a TV commercial running for 3 months as part of a "Western New York Works for Women" campaign. (Not sure I'd recommend that.) I've invited the local press to my studio and have gotten a few articles in the Hamburg Sun. I was also featured in an article in Business First and selected as Artist of the Month by BeadingTimes.com. I've joined the Canine Art Guild and gave a presentation to the Centennial Art Center in Hamburg on my art. I am constantly looking for opportunities to promote myself and my art. Unfortunately, it's very time consuming and there is no magic bullet.

 

What is the hardest part about selling online?

There are several challenges in selling online. I think the hardest and most critical are: 1) getting found by your target market, 2) taking photos that make the buyer feel like they have actually seen and experienced your work in person, and 3)regularly adding enough items to keep your presence interesting.

Where can your work be found locally?

My work is in several local stores and galleries, including Ashwood Artisans Gallery (East Aurora, NY), Corning Museum of Glass (​Corning, NY), Enjoy the Journey Art Gallery (West Seneca, NY), Expressive Glass (Woodlawn), NY), Kazoo Boutique Gift Shop (Eden, NY), Memorial Art Gallery (Rochester, NY), Thin Ice (Buffalo, NY), and Village Artisans (Williamsville, NY). I’m looking to expand more into galleries and museum stores as I think they may be a better venue for me. We’ll see.

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?

I will be participating in the Roycroft Summer Show at the Parkdale School in East Aurora on June 29-30, 2013.

 

Do you do this full or part time? If full time how did you get yourself to that status?

I’m a full time artist. In 2009 I bought the old Dickies Donuts in Woodlawn and turned it into a teaching studio with 9 torch stations. At that time, I was still traveling all over the Us and Canada speaking to executives on how to collaboratively improve people performance in their organizations. I got REALLY tired of the traveling and decided that I could afford not to do that anymore. I quit cold turkey and became a full-time artist and instructor in January, 2012. I’ve never regretted it.

Have you had any formal training in what you do?

I began my journey in glass in 2006 when I took a weekend class in beadmaking at the Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass. Since that time I have studied with some of the world's most respected artists, including Loren Stump, Emilio Santini, Wesley Fleming, and Bronwen Heilman. Even though I learned a lot from each of them, it's really been the hours and hours and hours at the torch that have made the difference.  There’s no substitute for experience and tenacity.

Do you teach any classes in what you do?

Yes, I teach 3 levels of lampworking from making beads on a mandrel (steel rod) to off mandrel work. I also host an international instructor once a year at my studio.  

Where do your ideas come from?

I’m not really sure. They just seem to bubble up. Not being a trained artist (in anything but glass), I don’t typically sketch out my ideas. Sometimes I wake up with an idea I want to explore, sometimes it happens when I’m sitting at the torch. Sometimes I’ll get an idea looking at someone else’s work. As I continue to learn and practice new techniques, the ideas flow.

 

Where can you be found online?

In addition to my Etsy shop, GlassArtbyVicki,  I have a website, www.expressiveglass.com that I just redesigned and am working to optimize, a Facebook page, VickiSchneider3, and fanpage ExpressiveGlass. I have a Twitter account, but I hardly use it. I’m planning to start a blog. I afraid of the time suck. I think it would be easy to spend all day every day online if I’m not careful.

  Thanks Vicki for sharing your experience with us! If you are from Buffalo and would like to be featured on the blog please contact me for more information!!

Accepting May Creative Challenge Submissions

Beach Wedding Starfish Earrings by Fast|crawl

It's time! What time?? Time to submit your entries for our May Creative Challenge!

The theme this month is "sea creatures / sea life", as chosen by April's winner, Jessica from Fast|crawl. For those who are new to these challenges or need a refresher, here's what you do:

Leave a link to your item in the comments of this post. The link can be to your Etsy shop, your Facebook page, or to a post on your own blog; just make sure it's a link directly to your entry and that it is publicly accessible.

We are accepting submissions until 11:59pm Friday, May 24, so you still have time to create something inspired by this month's theme. We will begin voting on Sunday, May 26.

I look forward to seeing the creatures you've made!

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters Vol. 9: How to handle discount seekers, clueless festival goers and artist wannabes

             

     Volume 9:

How to handle discount seekers, clueless festival goers and artist wannabes

“What do you want for that?” $50?! I’ll give you five bucks, take it or leave it!”

Artists and craftsmen who have done even a small number of shows are painfully familiar with those words -- or at least the sentiment behind them.

The clueless, sometimes rude, comments that are made to show artists and craftsmen never cease to amaze me. Right behind the low-ball discount seeking comments are phrases like:

“Look at this stuff. My kid can make that!”

“Do you know who makes all of this stuff?”

“How did you do that? Exactly?” Like, say I would want to make one.....”

And the list goes on and on........... because, when you are dealing with the public, you are bound to run across a jack-ass or two :-)

So, how do you respond to questions and comments of this sort? Do you give in to the discount seekers and sell your new, beautiful work for a fraction of your asking price? Do you angrily snap at the “would-be” customers and commenters and tell them to get out of your booth?

The answer to both questions is NO! But you should have a plan to deal with situations like these. While I can’t tell you how to set your pricing policies, or give you canned responses to all of the ridiculous comments and questions you may receive, I CAN tell you that it’s really not worth blowing your top at the festival goer who has asked you the 100th stupid question of the season. It may feel good for about a minute, but it’ll make you look bad to anyone within earshot -- and you really don’t want to lose a sale to a non-discount-seeking customer because you were a jerk to the person standing in front of them in line.

Think about and formulate a discount policy BEFORE you go to your show. While it’s absolutely fine to NOT offer discounts of any sort, there may be situations in which you do want to offer one. You may want to establish a “Friends and Family Discount Policy” -- something like a standard 10%- 20% off your asking price.You can also choose to extend that discount to repeat customers and people buying large amounts of work at one time if you’d like. Establishing a policy, (even if it’s just written in your head :-) will do two things. First, it will make you really think about your pricing and profit margin. Second, with a policy in place , you won’t be caught off guard when a complete stranger asks for a discount. Do you need to give a complete stranger the same discount you would give to Aunt Sally? Hell No! But you’ll at least have done the math and decided on the maximum discount you’re willing to give. 

As for the insulting low-ball “I’ll give you five bucks for that” comments, just grit your teeth and say “No” -- with a smile, albeit a fake one. I’ve found that it’s just not worth your breath to explain that all of the items in your booth are hand-made and they are not flea market items; or taking the time to remind the offending asker that he does not bargain for purchases at supermarkets or gas stations; or stating that your art work is a means of making a living, not a hobby. While that may all be true, it’s not going to change the mindset of Mr/Mrs. Five Bucks, but it will frustrate you and waste your time.

As for the myriad of other strange, weird, funny, insulting and unbelievable comments you may receive, take the high road and answer as politely as possible. Keep in mind that many people attending festivals and shows just don’t understand what we do. We want to believe that each and every person who walks into our booth knows the hours upon hours of time we spend creating out work, and the time and energy we spend getting ready for the show, and the jury processes we go through to be accepted into shows, but they don’t! Many of them are well meaning individuals who truly think we are selling someone else’s work and are given free spaces to do so; and some of them just don’t take the time to think about how their questions will be interpreted by us. Not that I'm saying we're over-sensitive, but are we? :-)

At the end of the day, get together with other show artists. Share and trade your stories. Laugh about them. If all else fails, blog about them. I do : http://alisonekurek.com/?p=617

Until next time -- keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

Everything Old is New Again......in Sarah Coventry jewelry

Sarah Coventry jewelry is the oldest direct selling jewelry company in the world that sold brooches, earrings, sets, and bracelets.  This line of jewelry is highly collectible but still affordable and attainable. My grandmother always enjoyed collecting and wearing it.  She inspired a love of vintage jewelry in me. I enjoy collecting this jewelry myself because it is of really great quality.  I have several pieces I have collected for sale in my Etsy shop.  You can find the links below.

Who is Sarah Coventry?
Sarah Coventry was named after the granddaughter of Charles H. Stuart, founder of the company.
Her name was Sarah Ann.
How was it sold?
Sarah Coventry jewelry was sold through home jewelry parties and the Sarah Coventry International Department store.
When was it made?
Sarah Coventry was established in 1949.  The company closed it's doors in 1984.  It opened for six months in 1994.  In 2002 some jewelry was sold on HSN parties and home parties in 2003.  This ceased in October 2008.
What are the marks?
SC- after 1953
Sarah Cov.
Sarah
SaC
Coventry
Sarah Cov with copyright 2002-2003


Some examples of Sarah Coventry Jewelry-

https://www.etsy.com/listing/83849065/sarah-coventry-necklace-green-gemstone

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95038809/vintage-sarah-coventry-leaf-brooch-with

https://www.etsy.com/listing/98159745/large-sarah-coventry-swirl-pearl

https://www.etsy.com/listing/89312598/sarah-coventry-1960s-spring-bouquet

https://www.etsy.com/listing/108682050/silvertone-vintage-sarah-coventry-shiny


Sources:

Carroll, Julia C. Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry 1935-1980 : Identification and Value Guide. Paducah, KY: Collector, 2007. Print.

"Sarah Coventry." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Coventry>.

Monday Interview with Buffalovely

 This week we have Amanda from Buffalovely!

 

Please tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Amanda Valentine and I was born and raised in North Buffalo. I originally went to school at SUNY Fredonia and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. After three years in the classroom, I discovered that I would much rather be doing my own thing. I started making anything that came to mind (felt board sets, hair bows, etc) and stumbled upon the idea to create pillows that were funky and unique. It didn't hurt that I had just purchased my first house and wanted decor that wasn't what everyone else had. I figured others would feel the same so I decided to give it a shot. Buffalovely was born.
 

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?
I create pillows that celebrate the city of Buffalo. My most popular product being my street sign pillows. All are customizable and made completely by hand. I have been building my business for about 2 1/2 years now and have been having a blast getting it off the ground. 

How did you come up with your store name?
I used the word Buffalovely a few times before, just in passing, and when it came time to decide on a name for my Buffalo-based business I knew that had to be it. I'm so in love with it now, and I feel so lucky that no one else thought of it first!

How does Buffalo influence your work?
My love for my hometown inspires all of the work that I do for Buffalovely. I have found that there is so much in our city to celebrate. I love creating work that people can put in their homes to reflect their love of Buffalo, whether they are local or an ex-pat. Our love of Buffalo endures.

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
I wouldn't be able to do what I've been doing with Buffalovely without Etsy. Having an outlet where you can showcase your work so inexpensively has been invaluable to someone just starting out. Being able to connect with other artists and gain advice from their experiences has made my business what it is today, and I am so grateful for that.
 

 Where can your work be found locally?
My work can be found at Thin Ice on Elmwood Ave, Home Roots in Cheektowaga, Reeds Jenss (both locations), Village Artisans, Homeward Bound, Tis the Season Gift Shop, Buffalo Adore in South Buffalo and Floral Explorations on Hertel Ave.

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?
I will be participating in a Mom and Pop Show at the Tri-Main Center from 10-4, at the Gay Pride parade the first weekend in June and the Southgate Plaza craft show at the end of June. Other shows I have applied to are still up in the air, but I'm excited for the Summer season and Christmas to come!

 Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?
Ask for advice from those who have the experience. The community on Etsy has been so warm and welcoming, and I have gained so much knowledge from so many sellers that have been willing to help me.

do you do this full or part time? If full time how did you get yourself to that status?
I do some work on the side, but Buffalovely is my full-time focus. I am always working on making it grow in any way I can and am always thinking of new products that I think might be popular.

 Have you had any formal training in what you do?
None. Up until 2 1/2 years ago, I had never sewn a thing in my life! I decided that if I wanted to make pillows, I better learn to sew. Youtube has been a huge asset for me. There are endless videos on any topic or technique and have taught me all I have needed to know along the way.

 Where can you be found online?
I can be found on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, all under Buffalovely.

 You can find me on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop

Thanks Amanda for sharing your experience with us!

If you are from Buffalo and would like to be featured on the blog please contact me for more information!!