You May Be Calling the Wrong Thing a Ginger Jar…
For years anything that was a porcelain blue and white jar that had an Asian motif was simply a ginger jar to me. I had no idea until I opened my Etsy shop that there were differences. AND that there all kinds of differences in ginger jars.
Here, my friends, is your Asian Porcelain Jar Tutorial….
How to Find the Good Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
To effectively use Facebook Marketplace, I use broad search terms, expand your location radius, train the algorithm by saving items, and join relevant Facebook groups for vintage finds. This will help you discover unique treasures for your home!
A Guide to Vintage Decanters: How to Clean Them, Use Them and Decorate with Them
I was recently having a conversation with a dear friend who asked me to keep my eye out for some vintage decanters for her bar. There really isn't anything quite as vintage and cool as a bunch of decanters, right? I don't know about you but I immediately think about Don Draper and smoking jackets and super cool things like Vintage Jags and the Dos Equis man.
Today I thought we'd explore what alcohol goes in what kind of decanter along with how to clean them and other uses for decanters besides alcohol.
Introduction to Collecting Milk Glass
Milk Glass. You've heard the term but do you really know what it is? Today we are going to briefly explore what it is and how to determine if it is older or a reproduction piece.
The Best 5 Things to Buy at a Thrift Store
There are some really off-the-wall things I have found and brought home from thrifting. I can't help it. When I find old vintage decorative birds, I have to purchase and put them aside...you never know when I may want to hot glue one to a wreath or add one to a Christmas tree.
My husband doesn’t even bat an eye anymore when I come in with these random items.
While I love the random items, there are 5 things I will never leave behind when I am thrifting:
How to Tell the Difference between Glass and Crystal
I used to get so tripped up trying to figure this out. (Don't get me wrong, I still run across things that make me have to second guess myself). But here are a few tips to help you know the difference between crystal and glass.
How to tell the Difference between a Handmade and Machine Made Rug
You are out at a flea market and you glance over and see it. It is perfect. It has that one hard to find color you have been lusting after. You go over and they quote you a price that you aren't so sure about. Is it fair? Is it overpriced?
One of the best ways to tell if you are getting a good price on a rug is to know if it is handmade or machine made. Obviously, if the rug is handmade, the value (and price) is more because of the skill, time and talent.
There are four types of rugs…
What is Elegant Glass?
Elegant glass is a relatively new term coined to the glass of this period that had to be touched by human hands. But, it does get a little complicated. Sometimes companies used the same molds as their “regular ole” depression glass and then manipulated it. Because of this, it is helpful to know some of the manufacturers and pattern names of the popular Elegant Glass of the time!
Introduction to Depression Glass and Patterns
Can you even imagining opening up your box of Cheerios or whatever and finding a piece of shinny colored glass in there? That might actually be enough to get my lazy ass out of bed in the morning.
Who is Milo Baughman?
Born in Kansas, this modern furniture designer moved with his family at an early age to Long Beach, California. It is there that he grew up and eventually found himself in the Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war, he returned home and studied architectural design at The California Institute of the Arts.
Baughman designed for many different companies but he is most known for his long term partnership with Thayer Coggin Inc in High Point, NC. This association began in 1953 and lasted until his death in 2003.
What are Shiny Brite Ornaments?
Oh, Shiny Brites....you really are the grand daddy of all the Vintage Christmas decor, aren't you, you little devil!?!?
The popularity of these have exploded again. And thank God for that. They are stunning. I am absolutely loving all the creative things that folks have been doing with them.
Vintage Ceramic Christmas Trees
Now having a family of my own, I have been giving a lot of thought to our Christmas decorations. I am sure this isn't going to come as a shock to you but I am incredibly sentimental. And while I now have a healthy dose of Melissa and Doug Christmas items in my house, I am thinking a lot about what types of items I am going to have in my home for my son to have an attachment to his childhood memories.
For me, personally. It is our Christmas stockings. I have loved them since I was a little girl. They are all hand-made by my mom and are just so special to me. I love that she's been working herself crazy to try and finish new ones this year for our growing family.
This got me thinking about what are some classic Christmas decorations that are instantly vintage Christmas. And without even finishing that thought, the Ceramic Christmas tree popped into my head. This is, in my opinion, quintessential vintage Christmas.
How to identify marks on silver
We recently went through and talked about the different types of silver and their marks. Now we are going to learn how to read these marks and go into more details on some of these terms.
As we saw in the first post, there are often all sorts of little designs, numbers and letters on the bottom of a piece of silver. It is a very complicated system that often changes per country and region. The information below is the tip of the iceburg but should at least give you a good place to understand what all the designs represent.
Flatware Finds: What Are Sugar Spoons and How Do You Use Them?
Like any good Southern woman, I love my initials and monogram. I have an EBay saved search for "Vintage SH Initials" and squeal when I get the alert on my phone that something has been listed.
One of my most recent purchases is this adorable Sugar Spoon with "SH" on the handle. (This one got a BIG squeal). I don't even use sugar in my coffee or tea but I have a soft spot in my heart for this piece.
What are the different types of silver and how do you identify them?
One of the first things I learned when I started doing my hard core thrifting and flea gig was the various types of silver. While I am still no expert, I have learned how to better interpret all those crazy stamps on the back of pieces. I thought it would be helpful to go through and really dive in so you can, hopefully, start identifying what you are holding. Let me just say right here that most of this information was collected from Martha Stewart. (Obvs).
Using Vintage Silhouettes in Your Decor
If you follow me on Instagram (@capitolvintagecharm) you know that I was discussing my love for silhouettes recently. I have several and always scatter them around gallery walls. (See picture above - this is my son’s nursery from many years ago.) Now I'm thinking of fresh ways to display these.
Dating, Cleaning and Decorating With Vintage Globes
When I was younger, I loved twirling my globe around and "filling in the blank" with a location. Where will I get married? Tanzania (far cry from my actual wedding in Charlottesville, VA). Where will I love when I am older? Antarctica (God. Help. Me).
Globes helped us learn and entertained us as kids. Since they're not as necessary as they had been in the past thanks to, you know, Google Maps...they have made a real comeback as a vintage décor item for the home.
Here is what you need to know about the Vintage Globes you encounter….
How to Score Great Finds at Flea Markets
I sure do love a manicure or lunch with friends. I love my morning latte. And I love a good documentary. But nothing...absolutely nothing makes me as happy as Flea Market. I love every single thing about them. I love the sense of community. I love the energy in the air. I love the smell of the concession stand. And I crave the hunt.
How to Clean a Vintage Painting
One of my most favorite things to find at Flea Markets is vintage artwork. The living room wall above my couch is an ode to my love of old artwork with character.
But many times, the condition you find them in is anything but great. And unless I am uncovering a Picasso, I highly doubt I am going to be getting anything professionally restored.
Instead, I use bread to give it a good cleaning.
What are Asparagus Servers?
Asparagus Servers and Forks come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. I am always so intrigued by how the times change and what is considered to be so in fashion.
According to The Silver Lining, the first Asparagus servers were tongs that were "scissor like" and appeared in the 18th Century.