No matter how much your Mother or Grandmother used her crystal, it probably still looks like new, especially since she washed it by hand and stored it away very carefully! If you are lucky enough to inherit some of this beautiful sparkling crystal, count yourself lucky.
I know many of the younger generation is not interested in fancy glassware - they are more "into" pottery items that can be used every day and they prefer casual entertaining. But still it is good to add some sparkle to your table at the holidays! And one pattern that just keeps on being the most popular is Fostoria Glass Company American pattern!
It was made between 1914 and 1986 and in various colors including clear, amber, blue, green, yellow, pink and even purple. The most popular is the clear - it is heavy and durable and because of the block pattern it reflects the light whether it be sunlight, a chandelier, or candle light!
It is being recycled and recollected even today! Many people who got it for wedding gifts back in the 1940's and 50's are aging and not entertaining anymore, or they are downsizing and need to get rid of it. They would give it to their children, but some are not interested.
There are new collectors made up of mostly people who have inherited the pattern and wish to add to their collection! If you have never owned any crystal or are interested in purchasing some for your home, this would be a very good choice of vintage crystal. The pricing is fairly reasonable, and certainly less than most "new" quality crystal you could find - and it is good to recycle for so many reasons! It also would make wonderful gifts and perhaps get someone interested in starting their own collection!
Be careful when you buy that you know that it is indeed Fostoria - there are some reproductions that are not the same quality. In general, you can look for three seams (where the molds come together) rather than two - and generally the base is ground instead of formed in the mold - and check the glass for clarity. Most dealers will be sure to have any reproductions clearly marked.
Close your eyes and imagine your Christmas table set with a beautiful deep red tablecloth, your favorite Christmas china, and sparkling American Fostoria crystal water goblets, iced tea glasses, juice glasses, sherbets, and all the beautiful sparkling serving pieces available! Now get ready, go out looking, and start your collection of sparkling American Fostoria today!
Think of your favorite antique store as a matchmaker - helping someone find a new owner for their "treasures"! At Memories, we are full to the brim with treasures, including over 150 pieces of American Fostoria! We can help you put together a beautiful holiday table, all from vintage treasures in our store! Your Mother and/or Grandmother would smile if she saw you using vintage items on your table!
You can take a peek inside our store no matter where you live at http://www.hendersonmemories.com/
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Recycle Old Christmas Cards!
If you are like me, I never like to throw beautiful cards away - especially Christmas cards! They are so colorful and meaningful to me, I want to find a project to use them in sometime in the future. So there they are, all piled up in a drawer ......... waiting for my inspiration! Well, here's just a few ideas off the top of my head that maybe you will find useful!
First off, they could be used again for new cards - just cut the front off and glue to nice index paper folded in half and write your own personal message inside! This would be great for a Christmas note to a friend or relative!
Another idea would be to decorate a Christmas tree with them. Just use your hole punch and punch a hole in the top left corner - tie on a pretty ribbon - and hang on your tree - add a little tinsel for sparkle and it will be beautiful. This is a very inexpensive and creative way to decorate a tree for your family room or guest bedroom. The cards will remind you of all your friends each year who have remembered you at Christmas!
Under the tree they can be used as gift tags - again cut off the front and punch a hole in it and tie it on your package for a beautiful decoration with the TO and FROM written on the back side.
If you like to create your own cards on the computer and you are equipped with a scanner, you can also use the beautiful artwork on the cover or inside the card to scan and print your own individually created card! The art can be saved on your computer and used time and again!
If you have a coffee table with a glass tray top, they can be placed under the glass and maybe paired with some lace doilies or family pictures for a beautiful addition to your Christmas decorations in your living room or family room. Also think of framing them with a background of a solid color or wall paper print! This could be used as a framed picture to hang on the wall during the Christmas season, or better yet, use it as a tray to serve tea on! Or just stand up the cards in a display cabinet where you have your sparkling crystal to add some Christmas cheer!
I know these ideas have sparked some ideas of your own - so get out those old Christmas cards and start making plans of how to use them this year! What's old can be new again - with just a touch of creativity! Please feel free to share any additional ideas you have here on this blog! Merry Christmas!
First off, they could be used again for new cards - just cut the front off and glue to nice index paper folded in half and write your own personal message inside! This would be great for a Christmas note to a friend or relative!
Another idea would be to decorate a Christmas tree with them. Just use your hole punch and punch a hole in the top left corner - tie on a pretty ribbon - and hang on your tree - add a little tinsel for sparkle and it will be beautiful. This is a very inexpensive and creative way to decorate a tree for your family room or guest bedroom. The cards will remind you of all your friends each year who have remembered you at Christmas!
Under the tree they can be used as gift tags - again cut off the front and punch a hole in it and tie it on your package for a beautiful decoration with the TO and FROM written on the back side.
If you like to create your own cards on the computer and you are equipped with a scanner, you can also use the beautiful artwork on the cover or inside the card to scan and print your own individually created card! The art can be saved on your computer and used time and again!
If you have a coffee table with a glass tray top, they can be placed under the glass and maybe paired with some lace doilies or family pictures for a beautiful addition to your Christmas decorations in your living room or family room. Also think of framing them with a background of a solid color or wall paper print! This could be used as a framed picture to hang on the wall during the Christmas season, or better yet, use it as a tray to serve tea on! Or just stand up the cards in a display cabinet where you have your sparkling crystal to add some Christmas cheer!
I know these ideas have sparked some ideas of your own - so get out those old Christmas cards and start making plans of how to use them this year! What's old can be new again - with just a touch of creativity! Please feel free to share any additional ideas you have here on this blog! Merry Christmas!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Selecting Vintage Wedding Gifts
Many people can't imagine giving something that is not "new" for a wedding gift, but we have a lot of experience here at Memories with people who are looking for exactly that! They don't want to buy the regular, off the shelf gift that just anybody can buy.
It's easy, really! If you know anything at all about the couple or even their parents, you can come up with an idea whether it be a certain color scheme, pattern of old glassware, or anything that might "bring back memories". I recently had two sisters in my store who spotted a large pressed glass bowl that they remembered their Mother having one like. Well, they each wanted one so we went in search of others. It ended up that they found four different bowls that reminded them of their Mother's bowl, so they bought all four! One for each of them, and one for each of their children for future wedding gifts so that their children would remember their Grandmother and use the bowl for fruit salad like she did! How thoughtful of a gift - unlike any other they will receive.
Another idea is to buy a particular item for its collectible value - such as a piece of Fenton art glass, American Fostoria crystal, antique lamp, vintage crystal stemware, EAPG compotes, antique china, vintage hand crocheted bedspread, discontinued collectibles, etc. These items can encourage a lifetime of collecting that can bring much joy! We have sold vintage crystal stemware instead of "new" simply because it is uniquely beautiful and not something that will be duplicated among the wedding gifts.
I have been told that many brides are now electing to have a Victorian wedding! Everything was so elegant and formal back then! In the day of jeans and T Shirts, it is exciting to think of getting dressed up in fancy vintage dress and jewelry. From the antique china used to serve at the reception to the sparkling crystal punch bowl - all of these items can be found in antique stores all across the nation.
One of my customers said once "A gift from Memories is a gift they will always remember!" Think outside the norm and shop in antique stores for your next wedding gift - at Memories we can help you pick the perfect item that the couple will always treasure!
It's easy, really! If you know anything at all about the couple or even their parents, you can come up with an idea whether it be a certain color scheme, pattern of old glassware, or anything that might "bring back memories". I recently had two sisters in my store who spotted a large pressed glass bowl that they remembered their Mother having one like. Well, they each wanted one so we went in search of others. It ended up that they found four different bowls that reminded them of their Mother's bowl, so they bought all four! One for each of them, and one for each of their children for future wedding gifts so that their children would remember their Grandmother and use the bowl for fruit salad like she did! How thoughtful of a gift - unlike any other they will receive.
Another idea is to buy a particular item for its collectible value - such as a piece of Fenton art glass, American Fostoria crystal, antique lamp, vintage crystal stemware, EAPG compotes, antique china, vintage hand crocheted bedspread, discontinued collectibles, etc. These items can encourage a lifetime of collecting that can bring much joy! We have sold vintage crystal stemware instead of "new" simply because it is uniquely beautiful and not something that will be duplicated among the wedding gifts.
I have been told that many brides are now electing to have a Victorian wedding! Everything was so elegant and formal back then! In the day of jeans and T Shirts, it is exciting to think of getting dressed up in fancy vintage dress and jewelry. From the antique china used to serve at the reception to the sparkling crystal punch bowl - all of these items can be found in antique stores all across the nation.
One of my customers said once "A gift from Memories is a gift they will always remember!" Think outside the norm and shop in antique stores for your next wedding gift - at Memories we can help you pick the perfect item that the couple will always treasure!
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