Spring Please Come Soon

 I live for Spring and flowers and the baby swallows returning. I do not like the snow and the cold. I went to the local Garden show this past weekend and I am really wanting warmer weather and Spring.
If it has remotely a flower or a Spring design I am now completely drawn to it. Why I am listing floral vintage items currently. Not only that but Easter is fast approaching. Who is ready for this so early this year?
Easter is renewal. New beginnings, baby birds, bunnies, calves, colts and more.
I love it so much.
As a Christian it is a very special time to me and as a human it gives me hope and a fresh perspective.
I have been a collector forever and an antiques and vintage dealer since 1996. It is hard work but especially so for me personally during long cold weather with dreary skies.
So come on sunshine and Spring. I welcome you with open arms.
Graceful Antiques and Vintage Collectibles

Evening Wear to Sparkle

I have a thing about evening wear that sparkles. I think it is because I was a tomboy as a child.
I had alot of brothers and always wanted to be with them outside.
Then the older I got the more feminine I wanted to be and dress.
If it has a ruffle or sequin or bead I am instantly drawn to it.
Here are some presently available on my shop page. Many more are available. Night on the town?
http://www.gracefulantiques.com

Wishing all a very Blessed Christmas. What a beautiful time of year to reflect on our blessings. 
2012 has been a trying year for me personally and a good year as well. If we do not experience the bad with the good we do not sometimes truly appreciate the good times I feel. 

The mall I was on selling newer items is closing at the end of the year so I closed my shop there a little earlier. A great deal of work and some sadness. 

Currently I am selling exclusively at my shop Graceful Antiques on Ruby Lane. 
One can easily find the photos to the right to take you to my shop. 

Hopefully in 2013 as I will have only one shop I will be able to do this blog a bit more.  

Priorities in my life seem to take away time from doing the best I could do with public relations or promoting my shop.

I have been selling online since 2002 and one has to adjust constantly. There has been a bunch of adjusting to things out of my control this last year. 

Vintage and Antiques is more than a fad for me. It has become my passion on so many levels. It is becoming harder and harder to not only find good items in nice condition due to many factors but also harder to determine the markets wants or needs. 

I love, love, love what I do and it makes me happy. Finding treasures still brings me much joy. 

I would love to believe and am seeing some indication that not only are the younger discovering vintage but truly starting to learn about it and appreciate it. 
This is what it will take for the continuation of preserving our past. 

Please visit me and take a look at my treasures. Consider them and please give me feedback here and at my Graceful Antiques on Facebook page. I am always on the hunt and love to fulfill if I may past memories for others. I love working with and for my new customers as well as repeat ones. 

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to one and all. http://www.gracefulantiques.com

Years ago I picked this lovely filigree perfume bottle up at an estatesale. I put this on my Ruby Lane shop and it has been on for a bit.

http://www.rubylane.com/item/615897-5743RLL/Perfume-Iris-Filigree-

Gresco-Bottle

Many lookers and some have put this on wish lists. I could not  believeno one had purchased it but now I think I know why.

Today I found a perfect little glass bowl with the same lilies aroundthe edge in ormolu.The perfume did not have a name so I could not identify it exactly.

The bottle fits down into the small bowl I found today. It has  lettersand a copyright of Gresco.

I have never seen this name of all the vanity I have acquired orstudied.

I like to think it was waiting to be joined back together. So here it is. Isn't it just lovely.As a dealer since 1996 I unabashedly state my inventory talks to me.

I have over 1800 items with many not listed but I will suddenly thinkabout an item and it will sell within a day or so. Sometimes it willnot be listed but after the talk I will add it to my shop and it willsell immediately.

I have been at sales and things keep calling me back to purchase  them.

I have even gone home and then had to go back the next day as they  arepretty much screaming at me.

So I rush back and pick them back up.

As a human being I would like to think it is because these treasures

have a past owner and somehow they know I love the history and valueand respect these items.

I like to think I find good homes for them and many times aftercleaning them up and finding them in very odd places. I have evenfound paperwork and tracked the owners down for genealogy purposes.

Recently this perfume bottle came back together but at the same timesomething even more interesting happened.

I started in business in 1996 but in the 1980s I was not a dealer but a collector of dolls. I had many and still have some. It started with my mom talking me into buying 2 dolls at a sale.

This was in 1984 and she passed away suddenly right after. Turns outone of the dolls was a Madame Alexander Lady Hamilton Cissy in a ballgown.

I was seriously going to list her this month after I had her that long when I went to a sale  and sure enough found another Cissy in a red satin dress. I could not  pass her up as I had never seen another one at a sale ever.

So this Cissy doll starts chatting to me to take her home. So what doI do but take her home and of course she had to have a hat and pursethat I ran across on Ruby Lane that was perfect.I have 2 granddaughters so now they each get one. I just know Mama  hada say in all of this.

So if you happen to be browsing Ruby Lane and things start to callyour name do not be surprised. Put it on a wish list and just see if it calls you back.

Fathers Day is June 17th.

Father, Daddy, Dad, Papa, Pop, and many more names to celebrate this special man.

A Father will:

1. Love the Mother of the Child. Take responsibility for the child.
2. Spend time with the child and love and show affection to the child.
3. Teach the child and guide them by word and example and discipline them.

The role of Father has changed over the years but still stays the same as well in importance.
I personally adored my Father though he was not perfect as no one is. He passed away in 1987 and I took a big role in the care of him the last months of his life. I miss him every day but I still draw strength from him.

Tell your Father or Dad or even Father figure this year how much they mean to you.
A nice card or a token gift is appreciated.
My shop Graceful Antiques has special vintage or antique items that one may consider.

Trying out this new blog page.
My items are on the right of the screen and it will take you to those.
Learning curve here so please bear with me.

http://www.gracefulantiques.com

Merry Christmas From Graceful Shops

Facebook Page Graceful ShopsGraceful Shops is my Twitter and Facebook pages.
Graceful Antiques is my Ruby Lane shop.
Graceful Vintage Now is my Ruby Plaza shop.
aka foofoogal that used to be Foo Foo Vintage and Sandy's Fancy Pants Antiques and Collectibles.

So whichever shop or name you know or knew me I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

I am a collector first and foremost so want to share a few photos of  my decorations with the vintage Christmas figurines I collect and sell.

On the right of the screen are items available on my exclusive Ruby Lane shop and Ruby Plaza Flagship shops currently.