Amy's Old School 3 Is a Magic Number

Take two of something and add one more and you go from a pair to a collection. In interior design a collection of things should be placed as a group, not sporadically around a room. This gives the collection weight and is much more visually interesting. A collection or arrangement is also more dynamic if it is an odd number of items, stick to 3,5,7 etc. and a variety of sizes. This can translate to our Etsy shops by offering items as a "instant collection". This takes the thought work out of the equation showing customers just how this item could be a feature in their design.

7 Architectural Cast Iron Stars 

By: World Vintage

If you have multiples of one kind of item but intend to sell them separately you can include a photo of them as a collection with links to the other items in that photo. This will help people visualize as well as continue shopping!

Trio Collection of Three Vintage 

Funnels Enamelware Metal 

By: Three Old Keys

I love the idea of a collection of things that are also graphic and functional. I think that is why I like tins and boxes so much. They can be stacked for an architectural effect as well as filled with trinkets, stamps, paper clips, band aids etc. I want all of these small tins to make my junk drawer go from a big mess to fabulous!

Klean Write Frankel Carbon & Ribbon 

Company Tin 

By: Sarah Anntiques

IDEAL split shot sinkers tin box  

By: Sweet Cindy Lou Who

Antique M and R Licorice Wafers Tin MR 

By: Vintage Jewels And More

A collection of lunch boxes would look cool on a shelf in a study, laundry, craft room or kitchen. Medium size items could be stored in them and they would look great with labels attached as well! As a side note, I used a vintage black lunch box as a purse back in the 80's when I was a punker in high school! 

Vintage Blue Lunch Box Metal Dome Top SPUNKY 

By: Swoon Antiques

Decoupage Purse or Lunch Box 

By: Bit of Butter

Vintage Metal Basket 

By: J Hermann

Hat boxes, suitcases, wooden crates and jewelry boxes are all great items for a collection. They are perfect to stack and put in high places for storage.

Large Green Gift Box from 

Simpsons Department Store 

By: Vintage And Such

 

In your description of an item suggest ways in which your item could be used that are unique. Give them ideas for what could be stored in them or how they could be stacked or displayed. Add the tag "storage" to tins, boxes, luggage and crates. Create a collection of items to list as a single item for sale and use the rule for odd number groupings. 

Happy Vintage Lifestyle! 

Let me know if you have any blog ideas or questions just send me a email at Amy's Old School

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

Looking for the perfect piece of jewelry to make you stand out in a crowd?

How about this 1930s brass bib necklace from CapricornOneVintage? Perfect with an open neck dress or with casual attire.

You'll always be prepared with this bra and panty set- perfect for a quick overnight- assuming you could find the willpower to take it out of the hilarious original package.

Great finds at great prices abound at her lovely shop- do stop in and check it out!

Remember to shop and save with our VTGSPRING sale- running through May 2nd. Click here to find over 2,000 items at discounted prices. XOXO, retrotrend

Treasury Challenge #31 Prom

This challenge runs Sunday April 24 - Friday 29th

We voted for one of Four fun 70s treasuries last week and  Soul Rust won with this 70's Grooven Treasury:




Now it's your opportunity to have one of your items featured in a number of treasuries.  Participate in the Treasury Challenge, by creating a treasury from this weeks PROM theme and Include this dress in  one of the first three spaces and interpret the theme any way you see fit! If you get the most views and the most votes one of your items will be featured next week! 

50s Green Tulle Prom Dress 

Treasury Challenge 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", "vmteamchallengeProm" 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!

VOTE For the Best House Calls Treasury

We had a great treasury competition last week with 7 excellent treasury participants.  There was a tie, yet again, for two of the top treasuries! As a result we have 4 to vote from! Take a look and then vote for your favorite in the top right corner of the page!

Good luck everyone!  

Amy's Old School Tips - May Merchandising

The Etsy May Merchandising Blog is out and you can read it in it's entirety if you like while I will cover some of the main points. The focus for May is going to be Mothers Day, Graduation and upcoming Fathers Day, in June. With this in mind I have picked some Vintage Market Team (VMTeam) members items that are perfect for these upcoming events.

MOTHERS DAY 

Add "Mothers Day" as a tag to items that would make a great gift for mom!

Alligator Kelly Style Purse Mayer New York 

By: Hip and Vintage

Taylor & Kent Bone China Floral Teacups and Saucers

 By: The China Girl

Warner Cherry Brooch By: Tootsys Treasures

GRADUATION 

Add "Graduation", "Keepsake" ,"Gift" and "Teacher"  tags to appropriate items. Pearls have always been a popular graduation item. Think outside the box when adding tags, the toast book below would make a fabulous congratulations gift! 

Coro Family Album Locket Pearls Amethyst 

By: General Whimsy 2

 

1907 Toasts and After-Dinner Stories  

By: Heritage General Store

Desk Set with Perpetual Calendar By: J Herrmann

FATHERS DAY

Add "Fathers Day" as a tag along with "Man" and "Men". Think about tech gear, office items, outdoor items, sports gear and mens fashion to name a few. 

 

Mens Gray Tweed Wool Fedora By: Vital Vintage

Card Shuffler By: Reminders Of The Past

Manly Luster Beer Stein By: Jens Closet

Look through your shop and see if you already have any items that would make a wonderful gift for Mothers Day, Graduation, Teachers or Fathers and add new tags to freshen the listing. 

A new item in this merchandising blog was to look for items that are a 

"Throwback to the Speakeasy: Barware, beverages, nightlife, live music, and secret passwords."  You could add the tag "Speakeasy" to items that apply to this new  trend. 

mid century cocktail glasses By:Hazel Home

Summer is just around the corner so be thinking about summer fashion, travel, gardening and weddings when you are searching through your favorite vintage spots. 

"Vintage carnival, circus, sideshow, animals, and bright colors."  are also something that will be trending for the summer season. 

Jack

sonville Beach Ferris Wheel Postcard 

By: World Vintage Books

Create Treasuries, blogs, posts, tweets etc.  that relate to this months merchandising themes. Using these trends will help the chances of your items being searched for and purchased! Update tags, add new items! Good luck my fellow Vintage Sellers! 

VMTEAM + VETT = Spring Fling!

Today is the first day of our Spring Fling promotion!

The Vintage Market Team is partnering with  the Vintage Etsy Twitter Team for our first Spring Fling!

The sale runs from Thursday, April 21st, 2011 through Monday, May 2nd, 2011.

How do you find sale items? Search under the "vintage" drop down for "vtgspring" items (or click here).

Each participating seller sets their own shop terms, so please refer to their shop announcements for details.

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

Feeling playful? Check out buppins. From bingo...

To bowling- and so much more. Game on!

Be on the lookout for a huge announcement coming Thursday! You'll love what we've got up our sleeves. Until then- XOXO, retrotrend

Treasury Challenge #30 House Calls

This challenge runs Sunday April 17 - Friday 22

WOW! What a competition last week, what a turn out! With 154 people voting it was neck and neck for a while then Beguiling Vintage pulled ahead with 70 votes on this fabulous treasury:





Now it's your opportunity to have one of your items featured in a number of treasuries next week.  Participate in the Treasury Challenge, by creating a treasury from this weeks theme, House Calls, Include this House Calls Dr Bag in  one of the first three spaces and interpret the theme any way you see fit! If you get the most views and the most votes one of your items will be featured next week! 

Leather Doctor Bag

Treasury Challenge 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", "vmteamchallengehousecalls" 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!

VOTE For the Best 70's Treasury

We had a great treasury competition last week with 5 excellent treasury participants.  There was a tie, yet again, for two of the top treasuries! As a result we have 4 to vote from! Take a look and then vote for your favorite in the top right corner of the page!

Thanks for voting and good luck winning next week!