Even as a young girl, I was enamored by the complexity of faces. From the pictures I drew to the images I collaged, countenances played a vital part in my compositions. So, I guess it's no surprise that as an adult one of my favorite collectible genres is early photographic jewelry. Like many of my pieces, I stumbled upon two small photograph pins by happenstance. And, it was truly love at first site.

Undoubtedly if you have an online shop, you have established a base of repeat customers. Perhaps they adore your unique artisan style, your prices are fair, they received excellent service, or all of the above!

Everyone who collects has their own favorites. Whether they collect for the color, or the style or the Era! I have found that the “things” to the 1950’s have been growing in popularity.

One thing I love about old glass is the history. I recently acquired a punch bowl that was made over 100 years ago in Philadelphia. So, how did it wind up hundreds of miles away here in Maine? And who owned it along the way?

"Restaurantware" is the collective term for dining items purchased by commercial companies for customers’ or employees’ use, including china. Most restaurant china was heavyweight, commercial ware designed to withstand long, hard use, although fine porcelain examples can be found.

WHY COLLECT?

My earliest memories are of staying at Granny's house as a very young child. Each visit would start the same. After a brief greeting, I would drag a chair from the kitchen table over to the counter. Climbing carefully up, I stretched to open the cabinet above the fridge. Looking inside – yes, the green glasses were still there.

To remain successful during these economic times, one must be able to allow oneself to branch out into unfamiliar territory. If demand for your specialty is waning, introducing items to your shop from other collecting areas may be the spark you need to stimulate sales.

As the cold winds of winter rattled my house yesterday I found myself drifting off into a daydream of warm summer days, the smell of freshly mowed lawns, and the joy of visiting flea markets in search of buried treasure at the bottom of an old cardboard box.

I love the Blue Willow pattern. My kitchen theme revolves around my Blue Willow canister set. The set is most probably from the 1940’s or 1950’s and from Japan, though it is not marked. My everyday dishes are a supermarket premium Blue Willow pattern, most probably made in China within the last 15 years.

A great and inexpensive collecting hobby to begin is sewing notions. Vintage buttons are fun to look at and useful in so many different ways. There are Bakelite buttons, celluloid buttons, ceramics, black glass, mother of Pearl, Metals, Plastic and paperweights. The older plastic buttons called realistics or goofies are great fun. There are Disney buttons, flowers, vegetables and fruit, animals, accessories like hats, pocketbooks, gloves, boots, suitcases and bows.