Genuinely Gregarious

"I’m probably the only artist on Etsy that doesn’t sell their own work!"

Here we'd like to share with you a little about one of our Vintage Vertigo Teammates and Etsy Shop owner...

Emily

of

Queens Park Vintage

Tell us a little about the person behind the scenes at Queens Park Vintage.

"I am Emily Taylor, the person behind Queens Park Vintage. I live on the south coast of England, not far from the sea and the New Forest National Park. It is a lovely place to live and also rather convenient when it comes to buying vintage goodies. There are plenty of car boot sales, markets and auctions to attend. I live with my three boys and teach part time at my local school. When I find time for a social life after work, family and Etsy, I can often be found at Jive dance nights. I love partner dancing; it’s sociable and great exercise!"

***

What does vintage mean to you?

"My rule of thumb when it comes to selling vintage is that if it is old and in good condition, someone, somewhere, will buy it. It doesn’t matter if I like it or not. Someone will. It took a while to get used to this concept as it is only natural to buy and sell items you find pleasing."

***

How did you come to name your shop?

"I wanted a regal and very English name for my Etsy shop. I am a huge fan of the British monarchy and I believe they have a universal appeal. As the majority of my stock is English it made sense to incorporate it into my name. Queens Park is also a suburb in the seaside town of Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, near to where I live."

***

What do you find most challenging in your hunt for vintage goods?

"The weather!"

"I do most of my buying at car boot sales, which involves trudging around muddy fields at dawn. If it’s raining, no one will be there! Another challenge which is also an appeal is that you never know what you are going to find. I jokingly refer to it as treasure hunting – what booty will I return home with? I have no idea before I go outside!"

***

Your shop offers a nice variety of items, Do you have a favorite?

"I do favor artwork and paintings. I have a combined Art and Education degree and qualified as an Art specialist teacher. I’m probably the only artist on Etsy that doesn’t sell their own work!"

***

Where else can one go to find and see more about Queens Park Vintage?

"You can find Queens Park Vintage at the following:"

Queens Park Vintage

Queens Park Vintage

QP Vintage

EmilyTaylor75 

***

On the lighter side...

One word that describes you best?

"Hmmm tricky, I know - gregarious!"

Social huh? Teehee :o)

***

Have you ever "prank" phone called anyone?

"No but when I was a child on holiday, we used to knock on beach hut doors and run away. We called this game ‘Knock Knock Ginger’. We thought it was hilarious but I doubt the residents did!"

***

Yes or no to the "5 second" food on the floor rule? Why?

"Yes because I have three boys who eat like giants. Plus they’re always on the go. I’d end up throwing too much food away if abided by that rule! And no one enjoys the company of hungry children!"

***

Living or deceased, what famous person would you like to have lunch with?

"Jane Austen who wrote my favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. She wrote it in 1813 and it became the formula for modern romance novels – the whole, will they/won’t they thing. So many romance stories follow her plots, just look at Bridget Jones’s Diary. And of course, I have to admit to being secretly in love with Mr Darcy...

 Not so secretly now though!"

***

If Guiness asked you to set a world record, what category would it be and why?

"Hmm, something to do with dancing. Music is always played in my home and I am always dancing to places rather than walking: dance to kitchen, back to the lounge, out to the garden, to bed... Maybe I could set a world record for length of time dancing, rather than walking!"

***

We hope you've enjoyed getting to know a little about Emily and please be sure to visit her Etsy shop...

Queens Park Vintage

for some truly unique and one of a kind vintage treasures!

Top Ten Tips for Collecting Teacups

As an avid collector of all things ceramic, I can’t help but love china teacups, trios and tea services. I have a romantic notion of impressing friends and family with pretty tea sets that no-one can help but admire. Afternoon tea is a social pastime in England which is as popular as ever. The epitome of which is afternoon tea at the Ritz, a high-end London hotel for those of you not in the know! From personal experience I can tell you, it is just divine!

There is much to think about when collecting: does one collect a particular pattern, maker, colour scheme or do we buy just what we love the most? Whatever your motivation, there are a few things to keep in mind…

1. CONDITION is quite probably the most important aspect of collecting china. It is very easy to think something is in good condition when sometimes it is not. Try to look at each piece in natural sunlight, cracks and hairlines can be hard to spot in dim light. Run your fingers over the rims and edges to see if there are any chips. Crazing (a network of fine cracks on the surface) is more acceptable, especially in antique pieces but do check it is not stained.

2. If you have a BUDGET, stick to it! This is particularly true if you are buying at an auction. It is very easy to get swept up in the moment and spend more than you can afford and more than an item is worth.

3. INVESTMENT is an option for those of us who can purchase things and put them in storage. This is almost impossible for me but how wonderful to buy an antique now and put it away for another ten, twenty, fifty years. This is how family heirlooms are created. You may want to research specific makers/designers whose work carries a high price, such as Clarice Cliff.

4. RESEARCH again is another factor which is highly important. You need to know about what it is you are collecting. This knowledge is empowering as well as inspiring. You can tell your friends all about who made the teacup, and when and where.

5. PATIENCE is a virtue and it is so true. If you have decided to collect a particular pattern by a particular maker it can take quite some time to build up a collection. Never lose faith, if you are patient you will always find pieces to buy. You will need to consider a range of sources from local auctions, antique shops and the internet.

6. CARE is very important. I recently received a message from a potential buyer asking me if she could put an eighty year old teapot in the dish washer. The answer is no! Any antique needs to be treated with the utmost care.

7. USE is another point which requires consideration. Antique glazes often contained lead which can be fatal. It is very important that the glaze is not compromised in any way before you use it.

8. Collecting teacups by PERIOD can be an interesting way to build a collection. Certain times in history have specific styles, such as the Art Nouveau period of the 1910s; beautiful swags and elegant lines. Or why not go retro with the bold colour choices and geometric patterns of the 1960s?

9. Maybe I over think things and sometimes we should keep things simple. If your home has a particular scheme, why not build a collection based on COLOUR? Or a combination of colours: duck egg blue and cream, blue and white, blush ivory… Your collection does not need to match exactly, it just needs a cohesive element and colour fits the bill perfectly. This is the easiest and quickest way to build a collection.

10. Finally, FORGET my tips and go with your gut, buy what you love and most of all have fun doing it!

Emily Taylor

Queens Park Vintage

Betty Crocker Through the Years

Betty Crocker! Her name conjures up cookbooks, chocolate chip cookie recipes, cooking tips, and our moms and grandmothers, busy in the kitchen, whipping up something wonderfully homemade for after school snacks or evening meals when everyone sat around the table to discuss their day.

Mid century hostesses always turned to Betty when hosting a party,

 
         Betty Crocker's Dinner Party Cookbook

               from the Etsy shop, FreeLiving

We've known this woman all our lives, she's lived in our homes and has guided many a home cook for generations, yet how did she get to be such an icon and who is the real Betty Crocker?

Betty started out as an idea born from the advertising department of the Washburn Crosby Company in the early 1920s as a way to personalize responses when they would receive questions about their products. She was not a real person, but was a character who was meant to be knowledgeable and caring to symbolize the American housewife.

Her first name, Betty, was chosen because it sounded friendly and folksy and her last name, Crocker, was to honor William G. Crocker, a retired director of the company. A contest was held among Washburn Crosby Company to find the "right" Betty signature, which was won by a company secretary, of which a variation of that signature is still used today.

Washburn Crosby Company eventually merged with 5 other milling companies to become General Mills and Betty was on her way straight into the future!

* In 1924 Betty had her own radio show titled The Betty Crocker Cooking School Of The Air.

* Beginning in 1930, softbound Betty Crocker cookbooks were published.

* In 1945 Fortune Magazine named Betty the second most important woman in America after Eleanor Roosevelt.

* In 1949 Betty moved to television where she appeared in the first color commercial produced by CBS.

*At the height of her popularity in the 1940s,  Betty received approximately 5,000 letters daily of which she provided money saving recipes, rationing tips and messages of hope during the Great Depression and World War II.

* In 1950 Betty's Picture Cookbook known as "Big Red" was published and her influence continued to grow with each passing year.  She now has over 200 products that bear her name, thousands of recipe booklets and cookbooks, a website and newspaper column.



 Always a good idea to keep a recipe handy:

1975 Betty Crocker Recipe File

from the Etsy shop, Elkestreasurechest

Through the years Betty's look has changed very little and is meant to be the combination of 75 real women of different ages and backgrounds.

Although much has changed since Betty began her stint in the kitchen, still much as stayed the same as good recipes, helpful kitchen tips and quality products never go out of style. But of course, Betty always knew that!



(Should you be interested in more Betty history, I would recommend the book,

 Finding Betty Crocker, The Secret Life Of America's First Lady Of Food by Susan Marks).

written by Amy owner of the Etsyshops DottieDigsVintage & MrDottieDigsVintage

Container Gardening - or I have the small yard blues

When we sold our home, we got almost everything we wanted in our new home, except the yard of my dreams. Our old home had almost an acre of land and raised beds, tiered levels where I could plant almost everything I loved.

We moved in November, so the small yard was really not an issue until this spring, when I realized that no longer was I going to be spending weeks in the gardens, cutting down perennials, weeding and planning my summer garden. So after a day of despair (gardening is therapy to me), I got busy planning what I could do with the space I had, in the most efficient and captivating way.

We purchased a grow light system and used it in our basement to grow vegetables from seed. My husband set a timer for it to come on and off for several hours a day. I examined the containers that I had for planting some of my favorite plants. One (or two) had to hold a honeysuckle.

My antique wash tub has always been a favorite of mine, I easily filled it with a large hanging basket of bright colors and added an old wash board for a special touch. I began to dig holes through the rocks in the yard to plant a peony and some pansies.

An old bird bath was utilized by drilling holes in the bottom and adding a few flowers and succulents – along with a sweet bluebird and some sea shells.

Years ago I purchased a metal window box style planter at a garage sale. I lined it with coco fiber and dirt and filled it with annuals and a pineapple mint, that I love for the fragrance.

My old rusty leaky watering can I filled with million bells and hung at an angle.

For some early vegetables, I took some planters that were at the house when we purchased and planted lettuce and snow peas. After a slow start (late snows etc.) they took off and are on target for their crop in a couple weeks.

So I realized after it doesn't matter what size your yard, you can plant, you can grow, and no weed is safe from a gardener with a small yard.

Written by Tanjla of the Etsy shop rhinestonesrock

Please check out the shops of our team Vintage Vertigo - wonderful vintage for your garden or your life.

The History of Mother's Day

Although the US and many other countries celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, it was not always an observed holiday.

When the Puritans came to the colonies, they came to escape religious persecution and Mother's Day was one of the traditions they left behind. Some say it was because they wanted to focus on less secular holidays and others say that the conditions in the New World were so harsh, they didn't have time for holidays.

Mother's Day in Europe has been in existence since the 16^th century when it was begun to honor the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus and the Mother Church. In the 17^th century, it was expanded to include all mothers and was looked forward to as a break from Lent for a big feast. It is still celebrated today and is called Mothering Day.

The US version of Mothering Day was created many centuries later. In 1870 Julia Howe declared a Mother's Day to rally all the mothers to come together to protest the carnage that the Civil War caused through the deaths of their sons. She originally wanted the Fourth of July to be the date, but finally settled on June 2^nd.

This Mother's Day was celebrated for a few years before dying out when Howe's group stop funding the Mother's Day parades. The rally was then taken up by Anne M Jarvis in 1908 after the death of her own mother.

In 1908 Congress tried to declare it a holiday but it was defeated. However by 1909, 46 states held Mother's Day celebrations which were also celebrated in Canada and Mexico.

In 1914, Woodrow Wilson declared a national observance that the second Sunday in May be recognized as Mother's Day.

Mother's Day is a special time for every one to pay homage to that special person who you cherish as your role model, your hero – your mother whether she be a blood relative or someone who inspires you and is always there for you.

Vintage Vertigo is a wonderful place to find that special unique gift for that person.

Antique Mother of Pearl Brooch

from the shop:

Antiques In PA

Elkes Treasure Chest

has this 

1980s Avon Tin

or how about these from

 Mamabirds Vintage

Nora Fenton Pink & Blue Vases

 

and this shop

VaryUs

Sterling Silver Cameo Bracelet

Vintage Boho Cascade Necklace

from 

Grapenut Glitz Jewelry

 

Karity This and That

has this wonderful 

Ceramic Wall Pocket Vase

Navajo Sterling Owl Cuff Bracelet

from 

DerBayz Vintage

Nostalgic Rose

has this

Royal Winton Chintz Teacup Set

Japanese Brocade Purse

from

RSRenew Vintage

Fine Old Things

has this darling

Mother & Daughter - Sunday Stroll Figurine

Just a few of the many listings that Team Vintage Vertigo has - come check us and our member's shops for all your vintage wants and needs.  Link to our team,

Team Vintage Vertigo on Etsy

Written by Tanjla of the Etsy shop - rhinestonesrock