PresentPast Collection

Spring Feature & New Sale

I was so fortunate to be featured in current Spring 2008 issue of Somerset Life. I know that many of you read this wonderful publication which is always chock full of incredible ways to embellish your life.

The article talks about how and why I started this blog and the amazing friends I've met along my path. I receive lots of emails asking advice on how to begin blogging and I usually respond by telling them to just jump in! It's the best way to learn and grow. Plus you will have lots of support from this community while you are on your own journey. I am truly blessed by all the wonderful readers who stop by to say hello, leave a kind word and share in my little spot of cyberspace. As they say, it wouldn't be the same without you my friends!

My website has had a little spruce up. Just a simple, fresh new look. You can click here if you'd like to take a peek. The Heart Fleur de Lis Charms are back in stock. Thanks to those of you who have waited patiently for them. There is also a new Sale going on at The Present Past Collection. Some of the t-shirts designs are being retired to make way for new ones coming soon!

The Flourish Bird T-Shirt and the Crown Logo T-Shirt have all been marked down to $15.00 each. If you've been thinking of getting one, now is the time. It's a savings of nine bucks and with gas prices these days we could all use a little deal now and then. Happy shopping, gas free.

Creative Touches for Mothers Day

With that special day right around the corner I thought I'd share a few creative ideas to make your gift unique. It's fun to think outside the box in terms of your gift giving and here I put together a gift inside a box. I used a small antique wooden box found at the flea market and tied a hand crocheted ribbon around it then secured a vintage pin and old millinery flower.

Tucked inside are small treasures like an antique cup and saucer, an old prize ribbon and a small rhinestone crown. These are all things that are on my hunt list when I'm out shopping the antique stores and flea markets. It would also be great to add a gift certificate to a tea room or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Nestle in a petite bouquet of home grown roses. These are my personal favorite Abraham Darby. You can keep the flowers fresh by using a small vase or flower vial available at craft stores. The netting under the flowers is actually an old Barbie doll skirt.

I know a few moms who would love to receive such a thoughtful gift. To add a whimsical touch use an antique cabinet card instead of a new store bought one. It will be completely unexpected and she can frame it later or tuck it inside a mirror frame.

Here's a few other ideas to spark your imagination.

• Fill a vintage locker basket with sea shells, a classic book like this one or a beautiful one like this and a gift certificate to a restaurant with a gorgeous ocean view. You could use an old photograph of some bathing beauties as a card.
• For the mom that loves to read, fill a basket or crate with shredded old book pages. Just use your home shredder to create long streams or you can cut them with decorative scissors. It might be good to make sure the books aren't highly valuable before starting this. Add in a few of her favorite reads or some new ones she might not have thought about. And a gift card to enjoy some coffee.
• Use a vintage hat box to fill with scrumptious beauty products and nestle in a vintage compact or hand mirror or even some beautiful perfume bottles to dress up her vanity. You could also tuck in a gift certificate for a mani-pedi.

I hope that some of these ideas will encourage you to find ways to add a few special touches that show how much you care. With our busy schedules I know how convenient it is to just give a gift card or send flowers but every now and then creating something by hand with thought and love can be more precious than the gift. Appreciation can't be bought, another lesson learned as I get older.

Flea Market Tips

With flea market season in full bloom in most parts of the country, I thought I'd give you some of my tips on how to shop like a pro. These are just a few things I've learned along the way. No one's claiming to be an expert here, just a very well seasoned veteran. I hope it might encourage some of you newbies to give flea marketing a try. So, here's a few of my basic tips:

1. Cash is king. It's accepted by all dealers. Don't worry, they'll take it and there's no need for that pesky credit approval. Some may take a check but I would never count on it. And bring some small bills, they usually don't like breaking hundreds at 6am.

2. Dress in layers. Mornings may be cool but the sun gets up early and it's easy to loose track of time while you're on the hunt. Also remember your sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat.

3. Pack water and snacks. Because shopping makes you thirsty and hungry and you never really know what's in the food they sell. Although I have been known to buy a pretzel and I'm still kickin'.

4. Bring your tools. Things like a tape measure and magnet can come in handy especially if you really want to bring home something like this:

or this:

and you're not quite sure they will fit in your dining room let alone your front door. Magnets are great if you're collecting silver because if it's sterling silver the magnet won't stick. Good to know when bargaining.

5. Keep a small notebook. Just a nice purse sized notebook will do. Use it to make a list of pieces you're looking for, what you paid for an item, a dealers name or perhaps another place they might sell such as a storefront or antique show.

6. Buy what you love. Figure out where you'll put it when you get it home. If you really love an item, pick it up because the chances are it won't be there if you come back for it. I've learned this one the hard way. Trust me, die hard flea marketers always talk about the ones that got away.

7. Be polite because nice matters. When negotiating a price for an item, my friend Shelly usually asks the dealer, "Is this your friendliest price"? I've seen her in action and believe me, the dealers always smile! Don't be afraid to ask questions, I've learned so much over the years just by striking up a conversation.

8. Educate yourself. If you're wanting to start collecting specific items such as Limoges demitasse cups, antique French linens or English ironstone learning about them can save you lots of money. Ebay is a great place to check prices or you can do an internet search to find more information about a specific piece.

9. Prepare your vehicle. Toss in a blanket or two, some newspapers and a box or crate to help wrap and secure small items. And make sure you have a full tank of gas and a map or navigation. Another one of those lessons learned!  And last but certainly not least,

10. Bring a cart. This has saved me countless times and even if you don't shop often, lugging a giant mirror or shelf to your car isn't any fun. If you only plan to shop for small items a nice tote with a long strap helps because it keeps your hands free.

Most of all enjoy yourself. Remember it's suppose to be fun. Remember there's plenty for everyone and you're helping the environment by going vintage. Remember that it's not the end of the world if you don't get that piece you really wanted. There will be more incredible bargains just around the corner. And when you're out there in the flea market trenches remember to keep your eye out for me, I'd love to say Hello!

Bring on the Bling

Who knew that making jewelry would be so much fun? Why didn't you guys tell me? I think this might be a craft I could actually finish! I've been hoarding collecting piles of vintage rhinestone pieces for years and have been wanting to try my hand at remaking some of them into everyday favorites.

Of course, I decided a good time to start my new craft addiction would be about 10:45pm on my office floor, in bad light, without the proper tools or having my stash organized. After realizing how much fun I was having I then proceeded to do what all compulsive people do, search the internet for more stash and findings. Again, why didn't you guys tell me?

Here's my first semi-finished piece on the left. I just need to add a clasp to it. I can't wait to wear it! No plans to turn this into a cottage industry but I can see myself making these for birthdays for my loved ones. And I don't think I'll feel so bad anymore about not being gifted in the sewing, knitting, crocheting, decoupaging, painting or embroidering departments because hey, this girl can make something! Hello my name is Heather and I am a crafter.

Another Gorgeous Shop

Apparently I've single handedly managed to turn this into a shopping blog. It appears as though all I've done for weeks on end is shop, shop, shop. Trust me, it's not all I do. I've been working. Promise. And I do have plans to show you some things I've been doing that don't involve retail therapy. But for now, here's another incredible place to give away your hard earned dollars. It's called Vignettes located in the Ocean Beach District of San Diego.

The selection of gorgeous antiques are amazing. Just look at this tiara display case!

The beautiful displays are everywhere you turn. Seashells are scattered among the velvet chairs, chippy tables and French inspired antiques.

I wanted to bring this home in a bad way to put in my office for lounging. Because someday I'm going to do that...lounge...in my office. Sounds so professional doesn't it? Or maybe this would entice visitors to come and join me in my work lounging?

Of course, I came to my senses when I remembered that this would require knocking out a wall and that sounded a lot like work which would totally defeat the purpose of buying it. Moving on....

This is my friend Joy's space. It's such a wonderful spot filled with her handmade treasures, stationery, seashells and vintage goods. She called this her Mermaid Grotto, so cute!

Her petite French themed flags would be perfect on a birthday cake or cupcakes.

They have dozens upon dozens of beautiful mirrors to choose from. My shopping pal Jolee Jane bought one to take home along with a rhinestone clock and some other fantastic treasures.

I bought an antique humidor, a crown jewelry box, lots of rhinestone buttons, stationery, religious medallions and a dresser with a mirror top. Ummmm, yeah. I really should be working right now. Do you want to see all the loot I've been lugging home lately? I should stop shopping and show you some of my finds. It would be much more cost effective.

If you want to go see all this beauty for yourself they are located at: 4828 Newport Avenue, San Diego and their number is 619-222-9244. Tell them Heather sent you but don't blame me for what happens to your wallet! Smiles, H

Uncommon Objects

While in Texas we were able to squeeze in a quick trip to Uncommon Objects in Austin. The name alone is the perfect description of the wares offered by their dealers. Let's browse through and take a look. Please excuse the photo quality, I didn't want to use a flash and draw attention. If you know what I mean. Kind of like how I didn't want to draw attention during this shopping trip.

The small booths were packed with unique and unusual vintage goods. It's easy to see why this place is so popular.  Their selections are so varied, from industrial and medical to romantic and feminine.

Their jewelry counter was enormous. I'm sure a girl could spend lots of time scouring every display case.

I doubt anyone leaves this shop empty handed and I bet even the husbands don't mind going here. If you're ever in the area be sure to make this one of your stops. I promise you'll love it!

New Shop Goods

I've updated the shop today with some new items. First off are these gorgeous Antique Inspired Crowns. I have several of these scattered throughout my home and always love looking at them.

And there are three new mercury glass pieces and lots more to come in the future. I love the champagne color of these Fleur de Lis Votives they blend with just about everything and the size of this votive makes a nice little vase.

There are two colors of mercury glass star votives. You can choose from the Champagne

or the Pink. I think both are just as beautiful. I'll soon be adding the timeless and classic silver mercury glass as well.

And last but not least, are the Antique Ledger Papers. These parcels are larger than the first ones I offered and come with a variety of paper sizes and writing styles. The ledgers dated from the late 1800's to the early 1900's and were in wonderful condition.

It's so much fun finding products I adore and I hope that you enjoy browsing through these new selections. Thanks so much for your continued business, it's truly appreciated!

More Please

Alright my vintage friends, here's a few more photos as requested. These willow baskets were incredible. I wonder what they were originally used for? They were very tall, perhaps displays from an old French boulangerie?

I really liked the old French metal numbers too but they were $39...each! That's high even for this So Cal girl. Let's just say I heard a lot of dealers complaining that the prices were a bit steep.

There were loads of beautiful linens and textiles all thoughtfully displayed. I did manage to buy dozen or so European shams. And I also bought these charming baby shoe molds from Theresa Smith.

Oh, and these vintage grain sacks to use as pillow covers for my outdoor swing.

This booth had tons of chandeliers, vintage chalk ware and beautiful tole painted pieces. I really liked the booths that covered the floors with straw. It gave them such a nice feel when you walked on it instead of the dirt or grass. Small detail but I noticed.

Shelley of Sweet Pea put together this wonderful post office inspired booth. She had a fantastic selection of vintage goods to choose from and came all the way from Florida to be a vendor.

This cabinet display was from Judy of J. Hill Designs. She also hosts a local show on her property and if you live in the area it would sure be worth the trip. Check her website for details on the upcoming dates and times.

These next three photos are from the opening night party at Leftovers Antiques Destination. We heard that the morning of the party a dealer came in and bought 90+ pieces of furniture/antiques and they had to redo the entire store before the event! Can you imagine?

Here's a few highlights of the fabulous people we met along the way!

This is Sharon Bright out shopping the fields. We ran into her several times during our stay and she was always dressed so adorable. I told her she was Rockin' It, Texas Retro Style! She owns Sack Lunch which is located next to Clutter. They serve yummy sandwiches and sweets. Look how cute this place is.

This is Frances Bailey, Senior Design & Lifestyle Editor for Country Living Magazine. I've had the opportunity to meet her several times and she is always so incredibly gracious. We chatted about the antique show, magazines, upcoming events and she complimented me on my work and wanted to keep in touch. So exciting! More so for me than for her, I'm sure!

Here I am with Deb of Curious Sofa and my faithful road warrior Carol. We had lots of fun discussing various booths, styles, places to shop and "what's hot". Both have posted great photos and stories on their blogs, be sure to check them out. After our day of non-stop Marburger shopping we went to Royer's Cafe for dinner.

And a trip to Round Top wouldn't be complete without having a meal here. It's an experience in itself. And was the perfect way to spend our final night in Texas!

Marburger & Warrenton Vignettes

Isn't this wreath gorgeous? I wanted to buy this in a bad way but knew it would probably get destroyed shipping it home. Maybe I'll have time to make one some day. Loved it!!

Since my days are now running together these photos are all snippets from days 4, 5 and 6. There are so many great vignettes to enjoy from all the shows. I hope they spur some creative energy for you. You know how much I love chairs, aren't these cool?

These chairs were from the Texas Rose Show across the street from the famous Marburger event. If you ever have the chance to visit, you don't want to miss this one. The owner Vickie was full of Texas hospitality and invited us into her home so I could take some photos. I'll have to do another post just on her incredible place. But in the meantime, here are a few her displays at the show.

And I know how much you all love vintage pink prom dresses! There were plenty available to choose from and I found one to bring home. I'll have to take a picture of mine when it arrives.

This display is from Theresa Canto's booth. She had lots of creative touches here. I'm saving most of the photos from her booth for something special but wanted to share her talents with you. Check out her blog for some of her photos too!

I really love the contrast of this rustic barn and dozens upon dozens of crystal chandeliers. This is the epitome of rustic elegance.

Well gals, I have over 1200 shots from my Texas Junkin' trip. Let me know if you're sick of seeing them. I still have pictures of Robin of Magnolia Pearl and her booth, the Country Living editors, our fun night at Royer's Cafe with Deb of Curious Sofa, a trip to Uncommon Objects in Austin, and too many more to count!

I'm back home now and were getting ready to take the boat to Catalina Island tomorrow. It's Spring Break time!

Zapp Hall Blog Party

We started off Day Three of our Texas Junkin' Trip with the Blog Party. Here's my sweet friend Carol and her awesome niece Shelly Sparks. Things wouldn't have been the same without these two gals!

And these blonde beauties I lovingly named the Texas Trio. From the left we have Cindy Richmond, Roxanne Spradlin and Jana Thacker. They came from Abilene to shop the antique shows and it was so much fun meeting them and running into each other while shopping. We got to watch Roxanne test drive the super cool vintage turquoise bike she bought. Their friend Dalia couldn't make it but gets a shout out "Hey Dalia, you've got some great friends"!

This is Theresa Cano, the most wonderful gal in the state of Texas. She is incredibly gracious and made us feel like part of the family from the minute we met her. She had a fabulous booth and I'll share some photos of it in my next post.

This is Debe Leone who came in from Houston to come to the party and do some antiquing. She gave us some tips on a few "can't miss" booths. Another truly delightful Texan I'm so glad I got to meet. Debe doesn't have a blog but perhaps we inspired her to start one? Keep us posted Debe!

Here is the most talented jewelry designer Kim Chiasson and her adorable daughter. Her shadow box necklaces are miniature works of art. Each piece is unlike anything I've seen before, truly unique. My friend Shelly bought one of her necklaces and we were so delighted to meet her at the blog party!

Warrenton veterans Cheryl Schulke and Chris Brown were working on their collaborative zine project featuring highlights of the whole junkin' experience. I'm sure it will be chocked full of cool photos and incredible insight from these two road warriors. Keep an eye on Chris' blog for the upcoming publish date.

We were also joined by two incredible vendors who each have had their share of national attention. Linda Marcov on the left in white and Theresa Smith sitting next to her. You may remember Theresa's beautiful home featured in Country Living magazine, it's just stunning!

And I don't want to leave out the darling Amy Botkin pictured in the red floral top. She's close friends with the Texas Trio and another friendly Texan who stopped by the party before shopping. Thank you all for coming to the Blog Party. It was so much fun getting to know each of you in person. The world of blogging opens up so many doors of opportunity for people all over the world to connect and share in their common interests. And I'm so thankful to have had the chance to visit with each of you!

My next post will be lots of photos from the shows. I can't believe how many I took but I promise they will not disappoint. The booths were fantastic, creative and filled to the brim with vintage goods!