We love our Blenko ...

On the way home from dropping off our grandchildren, the Charming Husband decided I needed a stop at our favorite place in West Virginia:  Blenko Glass. We love their glass, and have a large collection of their signature water bottles, including several in long retired colors. We picked up a new bottle in Kiwi, and a vase in this season's Patriotic Red, White & Blue colors.

I could spend hours watching the glass blowers, and I have. We only had a short amount of time this visit, so we couldn't stay long. This visit we found them making cobalt blue vases with a clear flat base and two clear handles on the necks. Loved watching them do the pulled handles.

Here's the last picture we took of our water bottle collection ... we've since added 8 additional colors!

If you ever find yourself near Milton, West Virginia, I highly recommend a visit to Blenko's visitor center.

Here are some other sites devoted to Blenko Glass:

The Blenko Archive

The Blenko Four and Friends

The Blenko Project

and, finally, Hillary Homburg's Blog about Blenko Glass.

The return to my real life ...

Summer vacation is over ... the grandkids have been returned to their homes. I always love to see them come visit, have a wonderful time while they're here, and love to see them go home to their parents! This Gramma isn't as young as she used to be, and it shows.

And why do I always forget that July in Florida is really hot? Really. Hot. The kids were healthily covered in sunscreen. Guess who got sunburned ... c'mon. Guess. Yup. Gramma. The hotel pool was superb, as was the beach. We love staying at The Hampton Inn & Suites at Vilano Beach.

I wasn't able to visit with my most favorite jewelry friend, Ali Mama at Bayard Antique Village. She was in the hospital during our visit !!!  It just wasn't the same without a day with Ali Mama and her sparklies!  Get well soon, my friend!

We tried a new restaurant for dinner, and had some great food. If you're in Vilano, try out Beaches on Vilano. Their blackened Tilapia was yummo. The Granddaughter loved their Shrimp Augustino.

The BEST meal we always have in St. Augustine is our annual visit to La Cocina Mexican restaurant. The Grandson declared their Ceviche "the best fish in the entire world". At 9, his world is a little small, but the Ceviche is one reason we go back year after year.

From Florida, we travelled to Atlanta for an evening visit with our Son and the Bride to Be. Dinner was at Rosebud ... great food ... better company.

We hit the road early, and drove to St. Louis. Dinner with family at Mama's on the Hill (Mama Campisi's). When Mama was alive, it was my all-time-favorite Italian restuarant. While the food was good, it just isn't the same without Mama in her white apron, waving her wooden spoon.

The next morning we headed to Indiana to visit even more family, and had Mom's marvelous lasagna. We love visiting the family there ... Mom & Dad are THE BEST. Ok, so they're not really "Mom & Dad", but that's what we like to call them. Their hearts always have room for everyone, and their hugs are so warm. I haven't had anyone to call "Mom" in a long time, and it feels good to have someone in my life who lets me (even encourages me!) call her "Mom". Cousins, who are more like the Charming Husband's siblings than cousins ... and their kids ... and now grandkids. Baby Riley kept us entertained with her antics.

We ended the trip with a 12 hour day of driving, arriving home exhausted but happy to be here.

Today was recovery day for me ... tomorrow it's back to my real life, and some more Charmed Living!

How I spent my Summer Vacation ...

Every year we try to plan an adventure for the grandkids who come visit us. Last year it was a camping trip to Maine, fresh lobsters, Vermont and Ben & Jerry's.

We asked the 9 year old what he would like to do this summer ... and he requested a trip to Philadelphia. What did he want to do in Philadelphia?  Two things:  run up the stairs that "Rocky" ran up, and see the Liberty Bell. We're an easy day trip away from Philadelphia, so we made plans.

A Saturday morning drive up, a hotel downtown. We chose the Fourth of July weekend, which wasn't crowded in Philadelphia, surprisingly. First stop: The Philadelphia Art Museum and the "Rocky Stairs". A picture with the "Rocky Statue". Philly Cheesesteaks for dinner. A walk over to the Liberty Bell. Walked down to the riverfront, and listened to the Army Band for a bit. A quick vote:  Fireworks or back to the hotel for an evening swim in the pool ... swimming won!  The next morning we visited the Carpenter's Hall. The grandson was excited to think that Benajamin Franklin and George Washington could have stood on the very spot he was standing ... a little awestruck. Another meal of Philly Cheesesteaks.

The drive home took us by the Outlet Malls to do some school clothes shopping, and we found some great sales. Imagine buying a sweater for .24 -- yup, that's 24 cents.

Met friends at Stoney's Kingfishers in Solomon's, Maryland. Some baby ducks swimming around in the water, good food and better company. Crab cakes were yummy, as was the Cream of Crab soup. Our first meal there -- we'll definitely make a return visit.

Notice the "Rocky Shirt" on the young man!

It's always amazing to me how quickly the time passes when the Charming Grandkids are with us. Seems like they just got here and it's time for them to go home. We'll make our annual trip to Florida for the Charming Husband's training class ... then zoom up to Missouri, drop off the kids and zip back home.

Wonder what adventures we'll find along the way?

Never a Dull Moment ...

The whirlwind that is my life continues. Last weekend was a Sidewalk Sale at The Grapevine. We have these periodically, and have a lot of fun! We set up our Charmed Life in front, with lots of jewels and treasures galore.

 

The store was busy ... the day was lovely ... a good time was had by all !!!

The Charming Husband helped some friends move into their new home while I was at the shop, and unfortunately zigged when he should have zagged. His back said OUCH, and he's been having a tough week. He's on the mend, but it's taking its sweet time.

We've jazzed up the booth at the shop. The Charming Granddaughter is a tremendous help, and is learning the ropes of running a booth in an antique shop. She's doing a grand job, and learning quickly.

Our latest find is an awesome 1940s white metal kitchen cabinet ... glass sliding doors, textured metal shelf, cup hooks, lighted interior. Ready to go at The Grapevine !!

It's nearly the end of the month! I know! How did it get here so quickly? Are there Gremlins changing the clocks while we sleep? The end of the month means shopkeeping on Ruby Lane and Ruby Plaza. Tidying things up, spiffing up the inventory, putting up some new sales. Worked on a few new listings, including a wonderful Wedgwood Queen's Ware (or is it Queensware?) covered dish and Anna Van Briggle drip-glazed candle holders.

Tomorrow we pick up 20 pounds of blueberries, fresh from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania.

The Charming Granddaughter is working with the owner at The Grapevine tomorrow ... so it's just the Charming Grandson and me, and I wonder what mischief we can concoct?

Wedgwood Majolica ... Who Knew ?

One of our Charming Daughters collects Wedgwood. She loves the Jasperware, in all colors. She has some lovely older pieces, and some newer pieces. Her library includes several volumes devoted to Wedgwood collecting. We’re always finding pieces to add to her ever-growing collection. Some we find are rare, some are newer. No matter, she’s always thrilled to receive a gift of Wedgwood.

She now has a set of Queensware dinner dishes in lilac with white trim. She also has a Queensware tea set.

At a recent estate auction, we ran across a piece of Wedgwood majolica. Literally stumbled upon it. The auctioneer called out “Majolica !!” and the ringperson held it aloft and peered at the back. He barked “Wedgwood, Wedgwood !!!” Since we frequent this particular auction house, the auctioneer pointed at me and said “Can I get a $10 start?”  Of course! And the bidding began.

I had never seen, nor heard of, Wedgwood majolica. I was bidding on the name Wedgwood, and our daughter’s love of Wedgwood. We won the auction, and brought it carefully home. Snapped a couple pictures on my handy-dandy camera phone and shared them with my daughter.

“Hmmm.” She said. “Interesting. Not really my cup of tea, but thanks for thinking of me.” So, now I have a piece of Wedgwood majolica and it was in need of a home.

It was time to fire up the computer and put my research skills to good use. I learned that Minton began producing majolica around 1850, and Wedgwood did not begin until 1860, 10 years after Minton. From Wikipedia, I learned that “Wedgwood's majolica included cachepots, pitchers, candlesticks, cheese bells, umbrella stands, sardine boxes, plates in naturalistic patterns, bread trays, etc. In Wedgwood's familiar "greenware" the green glaze emphasizes the low relief patterning, typically of basketwork and foliage.” At Antique Central, I learned that “but by the early 1870's the Wedgwood Majolica outstripped production of all other ornamental wares.”

The marking on the reverse of my piece is simply WEDGWOOD, with a three letter code of STK, which my research shows dates this piece to September of 1882. The letter F and the letter W are also incised. What appears to be the number 5 is handwritten in red. This makes my piece about 128 years old, as of this writing.

The use of cherry blossoms

and the whimsical use of a butterfly

and dragonfly

hints subtly at the Japanese influence in the Victorian era. The basketweave border is a common design element in Wedgwood’s majolica.

Now I know just a little bit about Wedgwood’s foray into Majolica production.

If any of our Charming followers has more to share, I’d love to hear from you!

If you're interested in adding this rare find to your Wedgwood and/or Majolica collection, you can find it in our shop :  Wedgwood Majolica on Ruby Lane

If you'd like to read online about Wedgwood majolica, here are some links to give you a place to start:

http://www.myantiquemall.com/AQstories/majolica/Majolica.html

http://www.majolicasociety.com/majolica_by_karmason.htm

http://karmason.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=25

http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/w/wedgwood-date.html

http://www.myantiquemall.com/AQstories/majolica/Majolica.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_majolica

http://www.antique-central.com/antique-wedgwood-earthenware.shtml

So, you think you wanna sell online?

We travel frequently, and are always meeting new friends. Many of them have approached me about selling online– it seems so effortless and so easy ... just have a widget, take a picture of it, put it on an online selling site ... then sit back and wait for someone to buy it.

"It’s simple, right? Tell me what you think! Should I sell online?"

Here are some things I recommend they ask themselves when trying to decide if selling online is right for them:

• What will you sell?
• Do you have an area of expertise? Something you are passionate about, that you collect?
• Is there something that you have ready access to in large enough quantity to keep a viable online presence in your “shop”?
• Do you have an inventory of items built up so you can keep your online presence strong?
• How much time are you willing and/or able to devote to building your online business? Are you available every day to answer questions from potential buyers?
• How much time will it take to acquire items to sell? Do you have a local source for items to sell?
• How much time will it take to: research your items, clean them, repair them if necessary, photograph them, upload and edit your photographs, write your item listing, and post it on the selling site.
• Where will you sell your item? Research online selling venues.  What kinds of items are sold on those sites? What are their rules for selling?   What are their selling fees?   Can you sell your item for a profit based on their fee structure?   Does your selling philosophy align with theirs?
• Where will you store your items?  Do you have space in your home to store the items you are offering for sale? Do you have space to keep that inventory for an extended period of time while you wait for it to sell? Do you have space to store “seasonal” and “holiday” items (such as Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day) to reserve them for the appropriate time to sell?
• Do you have an area to photograph your items? If your items are large, do you have a well-lighted area to photograph your item? Look at the photographs of other sellers on the site you have chosen. What do their photographs look like? Can you produce high-quality photographs of your item? Photographs need to be clear, in focus, and show your item at its best. 
• Online sellers have to be prepared to ship their items. Do you have an area to store shipping supplies? (Boxes, bubble wrap, envelopes, packing peanuts, wrapping paper) Do you have a good printer?  A reliable scale to weigh your items? Do you have a space to safely package items for shipping? Do you have easy and regular access to your local post office?
• How are your computer skills? In today's marketplace, an serious online presence is required. Online sellers need to understand search engine optimization, tagging, analytics, etc. Social networking is the next big thing. Are you comfortable with sites like Facebook, Twitter, Kaboodle ... sites where you can effectively market your shop and your items?

As an online seller, I work every day. Every single day. Days off reduce my income. Every day I check my email, and respond to any requests for information. If a purchase is made from my online selling sites, then I prepare items for shipping. I visit all my social networking sites. I work on this blog. I try to list at least a few items every day, or at least tweak existing listings to keep them fresh and current.

While it may look easy from the outside, it feels rather like the scene from the Wizard of Oz ... "pay no attention to the (wo)man behind the curtain" ... because behind every online shop you frequent, there is a hard-working person pulling all the levers and turning all the dials.

Safe at Home ...

Our trips are always whirlwinds. The Charming Husband always likes to pack as much into every day as he possibly can ... and we're always adjusting the schedule to adapt to changes.

Atlanta was h.o.t., as Atlanta always is in June. Our Charming Son and his Charming Bride-to-Be were the perfect hosts. We stayed downtown at Centennial Park, with an awesome view. The Moms and the Charming Bride spent Friday looking at gowns. Our first stop was Etain Bridal Boutique. If you're in the greater Atlanta area, you won't find a more delightful boutique and staff.

Our second stop wasn't quite so Charming. We visited the "largest bridal boutique in the south." They'll be filming "Say Yes to The Dress" there ... Bridals by Lori .  We all felt "herded" around by condescending sales staff who had not one moment to spend with us. We all commented that we felt like sheep being herded. Nobody really seemed to care if the Charming Bride found a dress to her liking or not. We wouldn't recommend this shop to anyone.

We toured the reception site at The Wimbish House. We sampled the food from the caterer at Aqua Blue. The catering manager is a delight to work with, we'd recommend her to anyone! Did a quick drive to the church, but weren't able to get inside. Lots of stained glass.

Had a great meal at No Mas! Hacienda and Cantina. What scrumptious food and great service. We don't have any good Mexican dining establishments, and the Charming Husband and I love good Mexican food.

A visit to the AmericasMart Atlanta rounded out the visit. Found a new jewelry designer we loved. We'll be carrying some of her pieces in our shop at The Grapevine.

Phew. A busy 3 days.

We were thrilled to have convertible weather for our drive to St. Louis. The sunshine felt good, and the fresh air kept us going.

Unfortunately, our visit to St. Louis was just as busy at Atlanta, but not nearly as much fun. Our Charming Son-in-Law was in the hospital while we were there, so we spent a good deal of time in hospital waiting rooms with our Charming Daughter. We dashed between houses and visits, barely stopping to catch our breath. We were only able to squeeze in a few minutes with two of our Charming Grandchildren, much to our dismay. The Charming Husband used his skills to repair a broken sink ... the usual things Charming Dads do for their Charming Children. A short 72 hours to spend with our Charming Kids and Grandkids just isn't long enough ... and we only get these visits once a year. If we're lucky, twice. We brought two of the Charming Grandkids home with us for a visit ... let the fun begin!

Time to get back to reality ... and back to work.
Who is ready to join me?