Pyrex madness

Happy days in my Oldyworldy land.

I have been in Pyrex heaven over the last couple of months. A wonderful repeat customer has inspired me to go on a Carnaby Tempo and Matchmaker treasure hunt. She has bought all of the items I've found for her and I've endured a steep learning curve working out how best to wrap and pack them in boxes that weigh less than 2kg. Royal Mail is not the best solution for a ceramic-dealer it seems!

At the end of my last search I found my pot of gold......

42 pieces of retro heaven

 

Fabulous Steak Plates - 9 in total

Immaculate retro Carnaby pieces that my 'Crazy Pyrex Lady from America' (as she's known in my house) could not resist.

Gravy Boat to die for

 

This has led me to take the leap into using an International Delivery Service. The company I've found will even come and pick up the parcels from my home. Because I'm wanting to keep the postage costs down for my Crazy Lady, I've not taken them up on this offer - £15 is a big ask when the postage is already in excess of £100.

At last I've been able to bubble wrap and polystyrene peanut my way into filling large boxes with Pyrex, instead of painstakingly splitting items up between smaller boxes to keep the weight under the golden 2kg. How liberating!

After a few other sales in my Etsy shop I'm much more motivated. With more courage in my taste I've gone out and bought retro treasures that I'd like to buy myself. In fact, I'm going to have to keep a few - oops, that's not good business sense.

Watch this space for some gorgeous Poole Pottery and more Coffee Pots: www.etsy.com/shop/Oldyworldy


Not sure if my vintage tweed jackets will make it into my shop. And as for the mohair vintage headwear? Well I'm not sure.

I could do with a Thelma and Louise trip........

Busy busy bee

Here is just an idea of some of the things I've been experimenting with.  In and amongst working 24-hour around the clock at my 'proper' job and creeping around the plumbers and builder we've had in over the last week, I've managed very little!

 I just love my vintage, musical 'Wishing On A Star' cards.  The mulberry and green look fantastic on an ivory base.

I made the cards with original vintage sheet music and beautiful old lace.  They are very classy and girly and I have a few designs to work with, so will be making more over the coming weeks.

I made this whimsical love-heart design picture using felt, retro-inspired craft cards and lovely charms and buttons.

I learned this week that photographing pictures is practically impossible as you can see.... any hints would be gratefully appreciated.












For those of you a little bit more jazzy and needing some strong colour for inspiration, my Paris Match cards could just be right up your street.

 

Inspired by one of my favourite bands The Style Council, I made these cards after looking at some retro home design magazine

I've made a few of these beauties with a variation on the same theme. I would love to receive one!  On my birthday, anniversary, valentines day or just on a day when my beloved felt the need to tell me he loves me (he is looking over my shoulder as I write this blog - what more hint can a woman give?!?!?).

How busy am I buzzing around?

Not a moment to stop and think.

But I did take some time out.

And made a card in pink.....

Tee hee.... Now for some more bright and colourful cards, 

my attempt to put some sunshine into such grey and drab days. 

Chirpy, chirpy, cheep cheep!

These cards were made using retro bird craft papers, the same design I used in my framed picture

Well that's enough for now as I'm tired looking at my creations and frustrated that a lot of my others aren't on here as I'm too jiggered to upload the photographs the right way round!!!

Be back soon!  Hopefully no buzzing around next week so I'll have more time to experiment and create something to be proud of. Ta Ta for now x

  

Lavender Lumps Of Love

Ahhh the relaxing aroma of lavender...

Who'd have thought this uptight lass would succumb to deep breathing and meditation?

All thanks to this bunch.

My sprigs of luscious, lavender, lullaby-inducing love. Very slowly becoming pots of lavender buds.  Even slowly-er becoming lavender hearts, bags, pillows AKA my craft inventions!

Any tips?!?!?!?!?
Must admit it's hard to keep focused I'm so relaxed.

Adieu, Just Ailsa x

Good week on Etsy!

Well what a week last week was...

I had a lot of non-Oldyworldy work to do.  DIY (yawn), 48-hr non-stop on-call for my client plus a busy Friday in his office.  Not a lot of time for my Oldyworldy shop on Etsy but EEEEEEE (high pitched Geordie screech) I sold two items in two days!

The retro beauties in question are one fabulous Danish butter dish:

and a fabulous geometric-design tealy green planter - a Sylvac possibly.....

I was overjoyed to say the least!  Not having enough time to develop my craft ideas AND listings to my shop this has inspired me to continue the hard work.

Undecided about where to sell my crafty cards and Christmas fabric crafts still.  Do I add them to my Etsy shop www.etsy.com.shop/Oldyworldy or do I open another one?  If I open another one I'm stuck on the shop name, but if I add to my current shop it'll confuse my audience so what to do.....?

Do I open a shop in Folksy, notonthehighstreet, ebay or open my own online shop?

Still need advice on the financial side of the business and how I split my freelance work with my vintage & craft emporium.  A lot to reflect on methinks!

Here's to a profitable week looking forward though, profitable not only financially, but in terms of ideas turning into action.

Au boulot as they say in France (Back to work)!

A toute a l'heure, Just Ailsa x