Hop on the Bus Gus- shipping updates.

Greyhound shipping updates.

Shipping on the bus can be a big drag for the ones doing the shipping. (sure, there is a bit of a hassle on the pick up end of things too, but it is worth it to save some money….in many cases ALOT of money…over hiring a legit shipper. You always have to be willing to roll with the punches. I have had a few shipments go in the last few weeks and here are the latest quirks with the bus.

My closest station (about 1/2 hour away) is Allentown. They were removed from the Greyhound computer as a shipping station because we recently had a local bus company go out of business. I cannot order a label on Greyhound’s website originating out of this station. I can, however, drop off there and pay cash for shipping. This means in order to ship with a courier on your end, I need to drive it to Philadelphia to ship. I do not mind doing this but in most cases, but I will be implementing a flat charge to cover that expense. If I need to go to Philadelphia at your request, I will tack that on your shipping price. I recently shipped to a small station in Idaho and spent 2 days driving it around to get shipped. Needless to say it’s well on it’s way, but just another dose of bus shipping reality. I see lots of folks on fb groups telling people to have the seller bus ship. I think these folks think it magically packs itself and drives itself to the station? Not sure but there is a lot of work involved and for those of us not in a major metropolitan area, it is a big expense. This shipping option is a SERVICE and in most cases, will save you a bit of money over hiring a USHIP driver. Believe me when I tell you finding cheap shipping is not an easy task and sometimes my hands are tied. If you are in California and need a large item shipped, we are at the mercy of uship unless we can fit it under the bus safely. If you are shopping for something that might be a candidate for bus shipping and want to know more, please reach out. I can explain how the process will work. We are not insured for damages going this route but I do my best to pack the item well and usually am including new moving blankets I buy from harbor freight. I also take responsibility for calling and tracking items or dealing with Greyhound Corporate. This could be a day of time if an issue arises but I take my position very seriously and this for me is part of exceptional customer service. Don’t by shy, reach out if you are looking for a larger item and I will get to work trying to calculate your best options! This is another reason to shop with a PROFESSIONAL SELLER! Hobbyists don’t really care about you or your budget.

NEW ITEMS

I just picked up some great new items from Primitives by Kathy! Camping themed kitchen towels, restocked Indian kantha placemats and grabbed a few kantha buntings (pennants) which are totally awesome for your camper or van awning! I listed 2 on etsy and dropped one off at my booth. The new towels are also at my booth and I will be adding the others to my eBay I guess. I have other towels on there right now as well. I also grabbed more of the pillowcases with the vintage camper. I had one left out at the mall but had sold a bunch on eBay. I will relist there in the coming days.

New item! Kantha bunting (pennant) for home or camp!  2 in my Etsy shop, 1 in my local retail space. So fun!  So bohemian! 

HOLY MOLY!

So my last day at the tax office is tomorrow. I will be working on some classes over the summer (unpaid) but otherwise, I am done until January. That said, thanks to all who bought from me in the last month or so! I am so thrilled as I plan on trying to make it without a legit job until next tax season! Your support has floored me and I think if I can keep this up for a while, I may be able to do it. I have lots more things to list and will be working on that in the coming weeks as I reorganize my office and storage and pack to do some flea markets and the big extravaganza coming up in a few weeks. I will announce where I will be set up and mainly plan on packing items I want to blow out. Basically, the more you buy the better the deal and I will be priced for resellers in most cases. I have a lot of stale or bulk items I bought over the last year and just want to clear out and start fresh. Thanks for shopping with me and please the best compliment you can pay me is sharing your favorite (I hope!) vintage seller with your friends. Don’t worry, it’s not a competition and I will find more so don’t keep me as a secret!!! <3 I need all the help I can get right now!

Have a great week and I will post more soon!

xo Malissa

Fun kitchen towels! I could not resist the vintage ones!  In my retail space and will be adding to my eBay soon. 

Restocked colorful Kantha placemats! These are a consistent seller on Etsy and I have given some sets out recently as gifts and they are loved! I have 3 sets (of 4) available and listed on Etsy.   

Just stating to list the fencing swords or foils on Etsy. I have a few more to list this week. Makes Great Wall decor but all appear to be in usable condition.  We were unaware if the now 97 year old participated in the sport, or just collected them! There are examples of French grip, Italian grip and a pistol grip in this lot.  These pieces probably date to the 1970s based on what I have seen.  

Today is my last day of Tax Season work!  Thanks for your continued support as I enter a new phase of my life and business!  

XO MALISSA

The Couch of Dreams

Last week I accompanied a friend to pick up some auction winnings and fell in love with a little couch there.  I know I focus on Mid Century Modern, but I shop with an estate company that pulls from NYC metro and they offer many high end furnishings and décor that are not in my normal sourcing realm.  This said, if you are looking for anything more traditional or ornate, please know I may be able to help you out with this.  So back to the couch of dreams....what stole the show is that it's blush velvet upholstery was in relatively decent shape, only in need of a cleaning.  The cushion has a down insert in it!  So posh!  The style is classic Chippendale but features a very elaborately carved eagle with his talon in his mouth at each arm and of course, the paw feet.  I have found no other couches like this online and it is most definitely the best of it's kind.  They told me it was from the 1920's but I will be picking it up tomorrow so cannot wait to see if there are any more clues.  If you follow my facebook, you may have seen when I posted the picture last Friday with a 'does anyone love this as much as me???' post?  Well, in fact someone does and reached out.  At this point, she is first in line to claim this beauty.  In case she turns it down, it will get listed in my markets.  I will be picking it up tomorrow along with some auction winnings I picked up.  If you want me to have a look at anything while I am on the road, shoot me a message!  I would be more than happy to shoot you pics of items that are for sale and keep an eye open at auction.  The preview for the next week's auction is usually available which is always good to get a look at.  The smalls I am bringing home will probably get listed over the weekend.

Amazing 1920s Camelback Chippendale style couch.  Beautifully carved arms and legs featuring eagles.  This color is so hot right now in decorating trends.  Paired with navy or neutrals, it is sure to look fabulous in an eclectic or traditional space! I am hoping to reveal more clues as to the dating of this piece when I get it home. This is new territory for me so I have a lot to learn and look forward to delving into another era and style!

The eagle is so dreamy! Rolled arms are a common element to a Chippendale style couch.  The elaborate carvings in the arms do not seem to be common, according to my searches! Most later reproductions (the original English Chippendales date to the 1700s) seem to lack the arm carved details to this extent.  

This foot is known as a lion's paw foot. Another popular foot style on Chippendale furniture is the Ball and Claw, which is literally an eagle claw holding a ball.   A note on the shell referring to early 1900s Chippendale reproductions:  Shell motifs carrying over from the Queen Anne period may be present, but are not as prevalent in this style as they were earlier in the 1700s.

So couches may be the thing for me!  The orange couch just sold.  So I will be couchless if the pink beauty gets claimed right away.  One thing I do still have is the beautifully restored day bed.  I would love to find this thing a home.  It is amazing.  I do realize it is more of a specialty piece which makes it a little harder to place.  My home would not be able to accommodate it until I kick a kid out.  :)  If you have any interest in it let me know.  All brand new cushions with just the right detailing.  Super neutral navy fabric from Joybird's pet and kid friendly line.  Make great seating and can accommodate overnight guests.  I would love to see it go to new parents as it would be a great addition to a nursery where you can catch some Zs and lounge comfortably with a baby.  Wish I had something as nice when my kids were babies.....I slept on the floor more than once!  ;)  Of course, great for a den, spare room and more.  All the details have been taken care of!  Delivery in my region no extra charge.  Get an instant shipping quote on my chairish.com listing. 

For my birthday, I found a great little Eames fiberglass side chair featuring an H base.  It was painted so I spent a lot of time stripping it down.  It is so cute and dated 1959.  I believe it to be an early Zenith production and the black finish on the base is original.  Super cute and worth the work to add it to my collection!  Here is a look at the project.  Stripping it took some physical work, but the product did not ruin the original shine at all!  I even got the labels free of paint!  I worked quickly in sections and was careful not to let the stripper sit too long as there were disclaimers on the product not to use on fiberglass.  It had no ill effect! 

There were 4 layers of paint on this chair!  It took some elbow grease and was not the most pleasant job.  I have a full day into it.

NEW ENGLAND SHOPPERS!  I have a delivery scheduled in April to Rye, NH.  I will be staying in Nashua for 2 days and then making a stop in Rhode Island on the way back.  If you are looking at something larger and I can fit it in the car with the set I am delivering, I would gladly bring along for you to pick up or I can meet you.  I am tag teaming the trip with a friend.  Please reach out!  I can hold your item with a deposit until the delivery.  This is a rare opportunity to save some shipping! 

ETSY SHOP IS 10% OFF until the end of the month.  MOST ITEMS included but there are a few I left off.  Please stop by and grab some awesome items while they are on sale!  Leaving you with a few new items to check out!  Have a great weekend!  xo Malissa

JUST LISTED: beautiful 21" diameter faceted mirror.  Great for a hall, foyer or smaller wall.  Mirrored glass is mounted on a heavy wood piece and features black painted wood with gold painting trim. 

Picking these auction winnings up Friday as well!  Not sure which items I will be keeping but will be evaluating this weekend and getting them listed.  I love having access to some very eclectic pieces and I welcome you to request weird stuff!  The fun of shopping out of my area is finding higher end pieces!  Reach out if you see something you love as I will let you have first shot! 

Flokati- it's a rug, it's a throw, Vietnamese silk lanterns.

Last week, I headed out with my friend Laurie for yet another urban picking adventure. We make a day of it with the goal of heading to our favorite estate company and then thrifting and shopping the whole way home.  This trip did not disappoint and although I would say I am not really in spending mode right now, I got some great items at a relatively low cost which always is good!  The highlight of the trip is always a great view of Manhattan from NJ.  I find that shopping in this area gets me a different selection of goods that are not readily available in the more country area I typically shop.  

My favorite picks are the two Flokati rugs I bought home.  I already have one of my own, so both of these are listed for sale.  The Flokati is of Greek origin and is made of wool.  The pile is left long and it has a great shag.  They are used as a throw over a couch, bed or bench and as a rug.  They have some weight to them too.  These are both in excellent condition and have no stains or issues.  One is a larger rectangle size and the other is smaller and almost square.  Take a look and see if you can accommodate one.  They are great for MCM purists, boho and eclectic decors and more.  They add a real nice texture to a space and are a great neutral cream (natural wool) color. Both are listed in my etsy and chairish shops. Great holiday gift!

WIKI: A flokati rug is a handmade shag wool rug. Making flokatis is a long-time tradition of the Vlachs in the Pindus mountains. The natural color of a flokati rug is off-white, but they may be dyed different colors. The entire rug is wool, including the backing from which the tapered shag emerges. After the rug is woven, it is placed in the cold water of a river to fluff the shag. They continue to be handmade in the mountains of Greece and are regarded as desirable in American modern decor and children's rooms.

Next up, to go along with my recent Asian kick, which, by the way, is TRENDING right now!  I buy what I love, but so many times I come home with stuff and start poking around or get an email and whammo, there is my new found style, already being marketed and discussed in one of my markets!  I just got a mailing from F Schumacher, fine purveyor of fabrics, wallpaper and accessories that I have a trade account with and they are launching a fabulous fabric panel line all with beautiful Asian designs.  I do pay attention to current trends in the design world as that is how I stay relevant.   So I found some beautiful Vietnamese Silk Lanterns.  In Hoi An, they celebrate every full moon with a beautiful lantern festival in which thousands of silk lanterns are hung about town all aglow.  I picked up 3 of these lanterns, all with an inner bamboo frame system that collapse for easier storage and shipping.  They are VERY large and I find them very attractive in a grouping but am pricing individually.  The smallest one needs some glue and I have not repaired it yet so have not listed it.  You can find them on etsy.  

I get lost in this beautiful painting. The black background is actually green foliage and pink accents. It was amazingly done! 

I have worked through the art and ming tables I picked up the other week and most everything is live on etsy and chairish.  I hung the paintings in my living room for safe keeping while they wait for a home and I am in love with them.  The details are lovely and it really classes up my space.  I know whomever takes them in will love them just as much.  I added everything I know about the artist, which sadly, is not much.  Most of it from observation of being in her home and not necessarily facts about her art career.  

I just accepted an offer on the Adrian Pearsall Jacks end tables.  The kidney shaped cocktail table is still available.  I will hopefully be looking to bring some of the upholstered items from this lot home shortly.  I keep going round in my head about them.  For as much as I'd love to restore them and then list them for sale or even coordinate the restoration for the buyer, I really do not have the kind of budget to invest into them without having someone lined up to fund it.  I may just offer them as is for the buyer to do their own coordination.  I have a house full of items I have a lot of money invested into and they just do not seem to find homes fast.  It makes me sad but it is what it is.  I cannot tie more money up into things that sit for a year or more.  That said, if you really love them and want me to help you get them done, I will gladly and enthusiastically take on the project.  

As the push to the holiday season approaches, I will be trying to get through some back stock to list and may even thin some of my personal collections.  I did just list an amazing tension pole lamp that I was planning on keeping but decided since I have another to restore that can replace it, I will let it go.  Keep checking my Facebook and instagram for latest additions to the inventory as I usually post it there first.  

Heading out for the weekend so any sales that come in will be shipped Monday.  Have a great weekend!  xo Malissa