Happy New Year 2010!!

Wow-can you believe it!!? 2010!?

Hope the new year has started out fantastic for you!

I'm going to try to add pics to this post of magazines that both of my shops have been featured in!! I'm so excited! I've known about this for awhile, but didn't know when they'd start running my stuff!

One is a wedding feature in Connecticut Brides Magazine. I had shipped some of my pretty china out to Connecticut for a photo shoot, so that is very exciting!

At about the same time, the Etsy press had contacted me to let me know that Brides Magazine wanted to do a photo shoot with a pair of my milk glass candleholders (which I actually just sold)! So, of course, I shipped them out right away to New York City! So...those are, so far, featured in several of the local Brides Magazines, and I think they'll be showing up in more of the local Brides Magazines!

I was just contacted again by the Etsy press for another possible feature...I'll keep you up to date with that as I learn more!

Yes-my vintage items travel more than I do and I consider them to by supermodels! (They are quite finicky now-they've let this whole thing go to their heads!)

I wanted to thank Allison Beaon, the Editorial Assistant at Brides.com and Brides Local Magazine! She's been great at keeping me informed on what's going on!

Be sure to check out the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of "Brides Local Magazines" and "Brides Connecticut"!

Also-thanks to Candice Dowling of Jubilee Catering in Connecticut! We found each other throught Twitter!

Happy New Year everyone!!

I wish you the best!!

Jen

p.s.-need help figuring out how to get the pdf files that Allison set me, with my features, so that will hopefully be coming soon! In the meantime--enjoy my pretty milk glass cake stand!! PINK!

Wonderful Christmas Gifts!

If you haven't check out my daughter's blog yet and you love knitting, sewing, fashion, and more, you must check it out http://www.linques.typepad.com/ . In this case, the apple did far from the tree-I really do not possess much in the way of crafting talent! That is not to say I don't try-but my daughter Lindsey (and Katherine as well) really did get their talents from my Mom and not me! My Mom even owned a needlepoint shop called the "Nasty Needles"!

Lindsey made this gorgeous green shawlette for me. I love the rich greens and hints of aqua in this, and it can be worn several ways!

One of my all time favorite colors is pink and this bright pink scarf is perfect with so many of my outfits, or just tucked in to my winter coat for a hint of color!

Lindsey also made these great washcloths for me-always handy, economical, and earth-friendly!

Where oh where did my reading glasses go? Oh, why of course, they're in this cute cute canvas glasses holder she also made me!

So be sure to check out her blog to see what she's been up to lately! I almost forgot to mention a few other things Lindsey has made! I have amazing quilts she has made me. She also made knitted/felted socks for my husband Bob and my son Mark!

If you were thinking of starting a project of your own maybe this will be the motivation you need!

Happy New Year!

Jen

New Years Resolution

Okay-I'm rushing things a bit! I should still be enjoying Christmas Day! But I can't help myself! My sister Susan bought me the cutest gift! Check out these oh-so-cute-spools of ribbon! It really makes me want to try try try to get organized this new year-2010!! Aren't these just the cutest!? If I can bear to part with these, I will use them to wrap orders. The good thing is, I can add new ribbon to the spools, so it will still look as cute as this! How many times have I used the word cute!?

Back to the new years resolution. You see, since I've started my two shops http://www.jenscloset.etsy.com/ and http://www.mymilkglassshop.etsy.com/ I'm always shopping (what's new!) for cool new (old) vintage items for my shops. My husband, Bob, has been sooooo understanding and patient-and keeps building me more shelves! I still never have enough shelves and it's overflowing into every room!

So I received this set of 6 spools of ribbon in all sorts of fabulous colors and prints and that is, I'm sure, going to be the start of a fresh new year where I get organized and my poor family doesn't have to tip-toe around fragile vintage glass!

Tell me what your new years resolution is and we can motivate each other to follow through!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Jen

p.s. my next post will be pics of the "cutest" (I had to use the word just one more time) scarves my daughter, Lindsey, knitted/crocheted for me!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is able to slow down by now and really enjoy this wonderful holiday season!!

I try to avoid the shopping centers and malls when it gets this close to Christmas, but there is always something that you just need to get at the last minute! I really find that people are actually kinder to each other-they try a little harder! I just went into a Convenient Store this afternoon to get some lottery tickets (I'm sure I will win the mega million tonight), and there was already a lady in line, and a gentleman; but the gentleman, insisted that I or the other lady go before him, and the lady insisted I go before her! It was all pretty funny-but still nice! Well, I did go first, and thanked them, and will thank them again after I learn later tonight that I did win the mega million!

So what was I saying? Oh-Merry Christmas to everyone! I want to thank all of my followers and would like to wish you the most wonderful New Year ever! If you think of anything you would like me to blog about, please let me know! If you haven't noticed yet, I do love to talk!

Have a magical Christmas!

Jen

Been Busy!

I was hoping to blog more and get some more Christmas vintage decorating ideas here, but I've been so busy with my shops these days! I've never been busier and never been happier! I get up by 6:30 am every weekday morning. One reason is to be there when my high school daughter leaves for school. Another reason is to check in on both of my shops and get orders ready ASAP!

I offer free gift wrapping and I can send directly to a recipient, so that can make it easier for you! I had several of those orders during this holiday season, and I know this may sound crazy, but I LOVE to wrap gifts! I even add a note card and will add a personal note that the gift-giver wants written!

I'm going to write another blog update this weekend-if there's anything you would like me to blog about-just let me know-within reason! I do want to write a blog soon about my Etsy experience and what I've learned! I also need to update my "beauty" blog http://www.fabfortyandbeyond.blogspot.com/ so if you have any questions, ideas, etc. I would love to hear about them!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Jen

Be Specific

I cannot say that enough. Twitter reminded me of this favorite quote of mine!

Be specific!

What do you want?

You're not sure!?

Start a journal. Start a scrapbook. Rip out pictures in magazines of whatever you love-fashion, cars, room designs, it's okay! It's not an awul thing to focus on material things! As long as you are balancing it with the core values of who you are and what you really want-besides all that "stuff"!! The stuff is great-but not without all that really matters! If all that "stuff" is gone-what's still there?

Answer: it's the "stuff" -the real stuff that matters! You!! Your family! Your values!

So go ahead-make your scrap book-add the car you want-the interior design stuf you love (I happen to love everything in "Traditional Home" magazine! Add all of it! Do not be ashamed! As long as your only focus is not on these "things"-you'll do okay!

So go ahead-make your list-check it twice-it doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice-

just

be

specific

and

be

careful

what you

wish for!

Dreams to come true!!

Jen

Milk Glass Christmas Arrangement

Busy Busy Season! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and now ready for the Christmas season!

I've been busy listing in both of my shops and thinking of more ideas to show you so you can create your own one of a kind vintage decorations!

Here I took one of my thumbprint milk glass vase (you can find them at http://www.mymilkglassshop.etsy.com/ ) . I started with some of that florist foam tucked inside the vase. I added some moss for filler and plenty of shiny pretty glass ornaments. I also tucked in several different colors of ribbon. I did glue gun most of the items just so they were securely on there! The only tools I needed were scissors and a glue gun! Glue guns are very inexpensive (you can get the smaller ones for about $7.00!). I need to do a little "tweaking" to this arrangement, the glue strands seem to be never ending, so I need to get rid of a few more of those random threads.

I may be putting this one up for sale in my milk glass shop soon!

So get your glue gun, a vase (doesn't have to be milk glass of course!), moss, ornaments, pretty ribbons (there are so many varieties out there)...and start creating!

Happy Holidays!!

Jen

Vintage Christmas Ideas

Been a little busy and haven't had a chance to get going on my Christmas vintage ideas. Here's a few though!

I just took milk glass vases and tied pretty bows around the top and hot glued some bright miniature Christmas balls on them!

Another idea for gift wrapping that special vintage gift, add a vintage brooch to the package (for a little hint of what's inside the gift!).

Enjoy your weekend!

Jen

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've been busy and haven't updated my blog in awhile! Tonight seems like a good time to do that!

It's Thanksgiving Day and what better day to think of all the things we're thankful for, the things we often take for granted.

Today I ran my 2nd 5k, First, I need to say it was a fundraiser for cancer research. That brings me to to a reason to be thankful; my health-and my familys health (please place the apostrophe in the proper position (familys', families, none of those look right- I've totally forgotten all the things I was taught in school-it's been a few years).

Okay I do digress as usual.

Oh-yes-the 5k! That was so much fun, I am so addicted to 5k's now, I must enter another soon! Here's what I'm thankful for....being older! Yes, I found a positive about being older! You see, when you're in a 5k, female especially, in the "upper categories", you have more of a chance at getting a medal! So I glanced around to see what my competition might be. Not too many of "my kind" there! Guess what!? I won a silver medal...yep! I placed in the top three for my "age category"!! I haven't found out my time yet, but am curious to see what I ran. I should mention, my first 5k! I placed first in my "age category" (I won't mention the part about there only being one other woman in my age category, and she walked, and the fact that there were only about 45 runners all together!).

It goes without saying that I am thankful for my family. I am so lucky! My husband, Bob, is the best! In fact, after dinner, we were sitting around the table just chatting, all but Bob that is! He was cleaning up everything! At one point my friend Lori stopped and said "I feel like we should leave a tip for Bob since he's doing all this work!". (She actually did leave a great tip-a 6 pk of Christmas Ale~!).

I have three fantastic kids! Bob and I still can't figure out how the got so darn smart! We do know where they got their looks! (from me of course (hehe)

I am always thankful for the armed forces...and their families! What a sacrifice they are making for us! Can you imagine? These men and women are far away from their families during the holidays; their children are without one or two of their parents. Thank you so much for all you do for our country!

There are the simple pleasures in my life that I am also thankful for! I can't do a blog about being thankful without mentioning twitter! Non-twitter people can skip this part because you just won't understand! All of my twitter friends will understand! Thanks for cheering me on when I post about my 5k or when I tell you about a resent sale in one of my shops! Thanks for the RT's and for always viewing my new listings when I post them on twitter!

I could go on and on, but I won't; oh, except one more thing! I am thankful for my blog followers~! Thanks for reading my blog!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! As promised, I will be posting some vintage holiday decorating ideas very soon!!

My best to you,

Jen

1000th

My 1000th sale came today and I owe it all to twitter!! I told you twitter is fantastic! My twitter friend saw these cute tea towels I had just listed when I put a link on twitter to show the new listing (I usually let twitter know first!)...and she bought them within minutes--and I had them shipped out within that same hour!

I have since gone on to my 1001st sale (I thought it would be 1000 "th", but my smart son, Mark, tells me it's 1000st!)....oh yeah-that makes sense!! (silly me)

So-thanks http://www.twitter.com/ (if you haven't signed up for twitter, well...why haven't you!? It's not only a great marketing tool, but also a great place to meet knew friends with your same interests!

My best to all!

Jen