Monday, February 28, 2011

Treasury Challenge #24... Party

Welcome to the Vintage Market Team's newest Treasury Challenge! Challenges are great because they not only allow us to promote on another, but it also allows us to stretch our creativity a bit and have some fun!

The theme for this challenge will be "Party".

Last week's winner was:

by ThreeOldKeys Include this item in your submission.


The rules:

1- Follow our blog!

2- Link back this blog post in your treasury comments. This helps others find the challenge and enter.

3- Add the link to your treasury in the "comments" section below.

4- Your treasury must contain the winning item shown above, in one of the first three slots.

5- Your treasury must contain the tags "vmteamchallenge", "vmteamchallengeparty" and "etsyteamtreasury".

6- When tweeting your treasury, use the hashtags #EtsyTeamTreasury and #VMTEAM .

7- You must include at least 8 Vintage Market Team members' items (found using the search term "vmteam" under the vintage tab).

8- Your treasury must contain a mix of handmade and vintage items - AND NOT ONE OF YOUR ITEMS

Have fun making these treasuries! And feel free to be as creative as you want with the theme!
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Time to Vote: VMTEAM Sunshine Challenge!

We have three great treasuries to choose from this week- vote for your fave in the sidebar poll to the right:


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Let's Peek into the Shops of VMTEAM Members... BeansterGoods


Springy and super sporty... what's not to love about this retro shirt from BeansterGoods? Great photo contrast too. Be sure to check out this great shop!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Treasury Challenge #23... sunshine!

Hi Everyone! Sorry this post is a day late- there were some technical issues yesterday.

Welcome to the Vintage Market Team's newest Treasury Challenge! Challenges are great because they not only allow us to promote on another, but it also allows us to stretch our creativity a bit and have some fun!

The theme for this challenge will be "Sunshine". Make a cheerful treasury this week!

Normally, the winner of the previous weeks' treasury challenge has one of their items picked to be included in this week's treasuries! Last week's love winner was by Amy'sOldSchool. However, Amy is out of town getting some sun and her shop is currently in vacation mode. So for this week, there is no required item inclusion! Great job Amy- hope you guys are having an awesome time in Arizona!
The rules:

1- Follow our blog!

2- Link back this blog post in your treasury comments. This helps others find the challenge and enter.

3- Add the link to your treasury in the "comments" section below.

4- Tour treasury must contain the tags "vmteamchallenge", "vmteamchallengesunshine" and "etsyteamtreasury".

5- When tweeting your treasury, use the hashtags #EtsyTeamTreasury and #VMTEAM .

6- You must include at least 8 Vintage Market Team members' items (found using the search term "vmteam" under the vintage tab).

7- Your treasury must contain a mix of handmade and vintage items - AND NOT ONE OF YOUR ITEMS

Have fun making these treasuries! And feel free to be as creative as you want with the theme!
---------------------------------------------------

Time to Vote: VMTEAM Love Challenge!

We have three great treasuries to choose from this week- vote for your fave in the sidebar poll to the right:




Tuesday Tip 2011, Week 6

Chenille Stems - A Gentle Twist on Cleaning

Our happy Tuesday Tip Woman is always writing her list.   Maybe she's planning to add chenille stems to her cleaning supplies.

These flexible, fuzzy twists are handy for cleaning all kinds of hard-to-reach places.  Like that vintage teapot spout.  The tiny bud vase.  The crusty flower frog.  The gummy colander. 

To avoid scratching with the sharp wire inside, bend the stem in half and use the rounded end.  Find chenille stems and the smaller pipe cleaners in your local craft store. 

We're always looking for ways to care for our precious vintage objects.  Share your methods for cleaning, stain removal, storage, protection, etc.  Submit your tips to ThreeOldKeys, and we'll use them in future Tuesday Tips.
 
VMTeam cannot be responsible for any damage caused by suggestions shared here.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Photography Friday

Planning Ahead for Spring
Oh my gosh! It is already almost March! I took a look into the trends on the merchandising desk last week for February and thought it would be best to look ahead and see what is up for March so we can plan accordingly! 

Here are some VMTeam members who have already been planning ahead and who hit on great combinations of theme for what will be hot this March. They also have taken well lit, interestingly angled or uniquely displayed images! 

Gardening/Orange
 Child's Orange Gardening Set 

by: Ismoyo

Animal Prints/ Pink

Natural History/ Safari

Spring Cleaning/Yellow

Aquamarine/Diamonds

Now is the time to plan ahead with thoughts towards spring focusing on:

  • Bold colors
  • Spring fashions including  opened toed shoes, safari and animal prints, linens, canvas, cotton knits
  • Spring cleaning and DIY projects
  • Lockets and secret hiding places
  • Aquamarine is March's birthstone
  • Farm house references
  • Industrial decor
As we cruise our favorite thrift spots keep your eyes open for these hot items! If your store is loaded with these you are sure to get noticed! Remember to make sure your items are well lit. This will increase the likelihood of getting into a treasury, reaching front page and ultimately SALES!  


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tuesday Tip 2011, Week 5

Pizza Boxes for Storage

Next time you're enjoying a pepperoni special at your local pizza place, ask for several extra boxes.  They'll either give them to you with a quizzical smile, or charge a few cents for them.  Get a combination of large and small sizes.

Now take those clean boxes home, and open up the cabinets where you store your seldom-used round platters.  Aunt Nell's relish trays.  Grandma's deviled egg dish.  Those almost-flat dishes that just don't stack right. 

Start boxing!  Layer a cloth napkin or other fabric between plates.  Label the box fronts.  Arrange the boxes on the shelf.  Step back.  Smile.  No more teetering treasures, scraping against each other while they wait to be used on Thanksgiving.

We're always looking for ways to care for our precious vintage objects.  Share your methods for cleaning, stain removal, storage, protection, etc.  Submit your tips to ThreeOldKeys, and we'll use them in future Tuesday Tips.
VMTeam cannot be responsible for any damage caused by suggestions shared here.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Treasury Challenge # 22 . Happiness, Voter, Winner Announced

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Vintage Market Team's newest Treasury Challenge! Challenges are great because they not only allow us to promote on another, but it also allows us to stretch our creativity a bit and have some fun!

The theme for this challenge will be "Happiness".  Make a cheerful treasury this week!

AND THE RULES HAVE CHANGED A BIT!

Now the winner of the previous weeks' treasury challenge will have one of their items picked to be included in this week's treasuries! Last week's love winner was Vintage Romance by VintageMarbles  All entries must include this white linen hankie  from VintageMarbles
 



                                                            
The rules:
1- Follow our blog!

2- Link back this blog post in your treasury comments. This helps others find the challenge and enter.

3- Add the link to your treasury in the "comments" section below.

4- Your treasury must contain the item shown above, in one of the first three rows.

5- Tour treasury must contain the tags "vmteamchallenge", "vmteamchallengehappy" and "etsyteamtreasury".

6- When tweeting your treasury, use the hashtags #EtsyTeamTreasury and #VMTEAM .

7- You must include at least 8 Vintage Market Team members' items (found using the search term "vmteam" under the vintage tab).

8- Your treasury must contain a mix of handmade and vintage items - AND NOT ONE OF YOUR ITEMS

9- NO MORE LINKY TOOLS - JUST ADD YOUR TREASURY IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!

Have fun making these treasuries! And feel free to be as creative as you want with the theme!
---------------------------------------------------
Time to Vote: VMTEAM Love Challenge!

We have three great treasuries to choose from this week

Don'tcha Just Love Etsy by VintageMarbles
I Heart You by AmysOldSchool
Pink and Red and Hearts by VirgosVintage

Friday, February 11, 2011

Photography Friday

Lets Get Creative! 
With the thousands of vintage items listed on Etsy, adding a creative touch to your photos will help your items be clicked on, featured in treasuries, make the front page, and ultimately be purchased! Let's take a peek at the February Merchandising Desk on Etsy, where we can discover what is being promoted as popular this month. If you have these type of items in your shop, it may help you get more hits to your site since this is what people will be searching for. Here are some VMTEAM mates who are putting that extra bit of creativity into their photography and that hit on some of the trends for the month. 

Letters/Text

 4 wooden drawers boxes 

by: Austin Modern

Vintage children's blocks are a great way to add a graphic punch to a photo. Letters are popular on Etsy and they can be arranged into words or names. Stacking the drawers at an  angle with the letters gives a great geometric feel. Unique storage options are also ever popular. 

Nature

Justin Boots  

by:Now Vintage

What a fun way to bring nature into a photo of boots! Setting up a still life with twigs as in a "vase" looks fabulous and creates a natural, woodland theme indoors!

Nautical

Echo Nautical Scarf 

by: Sempre Vintage

It is time for Nautical items to make their appearance again! A vintage suitcase makes a fun and eye catching backdrop for any number of items. I know everyone has come by them in their vintage searches- they give an aged look to the photograph. Keep an array of suitcases in different colors to match your item, or just keep a neutral toned one to go with everything! 

PINK

Pink Luggage 

by:Cheeky Vintage Closet


Pink is HOT right now and these cases look fabulous stacked on top of each other!  Try stacking things in a unique way for an added interest! Other hot colors right now include turquoise, yellow, avocado, peach and oranges. Earth tones with a focus on rusts, deep greens and brown are also hot! 

Checking out the Merchandising Desk letter can help get the spark created for ideas for what Etsy will be focusing on! Having items in your shop that are hot right now will help your items be picked for more treasuries which will in turn lead to more customers and then lead to what we all like, SALES!  So, lets get creative! I want to see the VMTeam all over the front page! 

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Let's Peek into the Shops of VMTEAM Members... AzaleaTrail


Don't you just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the bold zig-zag pattern on this afghan from Meg of AzaleaTrail? Perfect for keeping on the back of your favorite chair, to snuggle under while reading or watching TV. Her shop is chock- full of vintage items for you and your home.

P.S.- VMTEAMLOVE runs through 2/14. Over 1,100 items for you, or your loved ones. Have a wonderful week!- XOXO, retrotrend

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Tuesday Tip 2011, Week 4

Plastic Protectors for Paper Ephemera

Got vintage postcards?    Photographs?  Old family letters?  Are they in a box under the bed, or in Grandma's old album?

When paper treasures have been stored for decades in plastic sleeves, it's time to make a change.

Choose new plastic protectors labeled "archival" and "PVC-free".  Throw out old sleeves and album pages, because PolyVinyl Chloride's softening compounds eventually break down.  When they do, those chemicals will act on the ink and paper in your ephemera collection.

Some of the safe plastic products use mylar (polyester), polyethylene or polypropylene.   Buy packaged sleeves and album protectors, so you can read the manufacturer's information.

We're always looking for ways to care for our precious vintage objects.  Share your methods for cleaning, stain removal, storage, protection, etc.  Submit your tips to ThreeOldKeys, and we'll use them in future Tuesday Tips.
VMTeam cannot be responsible for any damage caused by cleaning suggestions shared here.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Treasury Challenge # 21 . Love, Voter, Winner Announced

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Vintage Market Team's newest Treasury Challenge! Challenges are great because they not only allow us to promote on another, but it also allows us to stretch our creativity a bit and have some fun!

The theme for this challenge will be "Old Fashion Romance".  Love is in the air!

AND THE RULES HAVE CHANGED A BIT!

Now the winner of the previous weeks' treasury challenge will have one of their items picked to be included in this week's treasuries! Last week's soldes winner was All on Sale and Beautiful by ThreeOldKeys  All entries must include this destash of rubber stamp hearts  from ThreeOldKeys


                                                             

The rules:
1- Follow our blog!

2- Link back this blog post in your treasury comments. This helps others find the challenge and enter.

3- Add the link to your treasury in the "comments" section below.
4- Your treasury must contain the item shown above, in one of the first three rows.

5- Tour treasury must contain the tags "vmteamchallenge", "vmteamchallengelove" and "etsyteamtreasury".

6- When tweeting your treasury, use the hashtags #EtsyTeamTreasury and #VMTEAM .

7- You must include at least 8 Vintage Market Team members' items (found using the search term "vmteam" under the vintage tab).

8- Your treasury must contain a mix of handmade and vintage items - AND NOT ONE OF YOUR ITEMS

Have fun making these treasuries! And feel free to be as creative as you want with the theme!
---------------------------------------------------
Time to Vote: VMTEAM Old Fashioned Romance Challenge!

We have three great treasuries to choose from this week

Four Stages of Love by JojosRetroandVintage
Pretty vs Evil by RetroTrend
Vintage Romance by VintageMarbles

Friday, February 4, 2011

Friday Photo Tips from Amy'sOldSchool

Bowling Pins for Sale! 




The first thing I think of when I see this photo is "bowling pins". I imagine all these wonderful vases crashing to the ground and breaking! This isn't a good impression to give to a customer! With a few simple steps this vase collection can go from bowling to beautiful! 

If you don't have a Photoshop type program where you can crop your photo and edit the background it is especially important that you take a moment while you look through your camera viewfinder to notice what is going on in the background of your image. 

Have your shot ready and then look to the corners of your frame, are there any odd items sneaking into the image? Look under your item and see if the surface it is resting on dirty or dusty?
If you are using a digital camera turn off your date feature. Leaving the date on the image makes this feel dated- literally, as the image was apparently taken in 2009!
And what a missed opportunity to show a wonderful vase collection!
It is hard to tell a real from a fake flower in small online photos. With a small investment in fake flowers this seller could have put a flower in one vase, or a bunch throughout to show off their beauty and functionality!
And finally, notice the background of the vase image. There is some stuff to the top of the frame that is distracting.
As EnnaDoolf mentioned in her comments on last weeks' Lighting post, "Using carpet for your background can be a challenge as every piece of dust and dirt shows up.". 

When photographing smaller items, take an extra few minutes to set up your shoot. An easy and inexpensive way to improve your background is to get a roll of wrapping paper; brown mailing paper would create a nice rustic feel while a white paper would create a crisp feel.
Get a folding table or hard surface and unroll the paper and pin it to a wall at least a few feet above your item. Then let the paper roll over a hard, raised surface. This will create a smooth transition from your wall to your surface. Set your item on the paper and then position your lighting, as discussed last week.
Now you have a clean, uncluttered background that isn't the dirty carpet! Experiment with different colored paper or even try a pattern for a funky look! 

Here are some great examples from VMTEAM sellers who pay attention to their backgrounds! 




Vintage 60S Reel to Reel with Canisters Bright Colors by:
Chic Vintage Wear


Great use of lighting and shadow to show the fabulous colors of the reels! 



Etsy Printers Blocks by: Jill Ruth


I love the rustic feel with the rusty metal in the background! 




Vintage Diamond Cut Pour spout Jar by:


This That Other Things


Crisp and crystal clear! A good example of a white paper background! 

Another awesome post from Amy'sOldSchool! You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to check out her blog.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Let's Peek into the Shops of VMTEAM Members... AustinModern

Pull up a stool and take a seat- there's loads of amazing industrial and salvage finds, as well as props and eyeglasses to scroll through at AustinModern. Did I mention cocktail rings?

Don't forget, VMTEAMLOVE is going strong, with over 900 items to choose from (check shop announcements for details). XOXO- retrotrend

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tuesday Tip 2011, Week 3

Erasing Pencil Marks

Keep a white plastic eraser handy.  When you come across pencil marks in an old book, this is the type to use.  They are non-abrasive and smooth, usually with a  cardboard sleeve to keep them clean.  Brands include Pentel, Faber-Castell and Staedtler Mars. 

These erasers work well on light graphite pencil. Rub one way only, slowly and gently.  Most of the mark will come off and you won't tear the page or change its color.  Don't try it on shiny or unusual paper, as it can alter the gloss.

We're always looking for ways to care for our precious vintage objects.  Share your methods for cleaning, stain removal, storage, protection, etc.  Submit your tips to ThreeOldKeys, and we'll use them in future Tuesday Tips.

VMTeam cannot be responsible for any damage caused by cleaning suggestions    shared here.

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