Sold! : A Look Back at Some of Last Years Firsts and Favorites

So, basically my business is to find things I like...and then sell them to other people. Yes, it can be hard not to keep everything you find! So many precious things come and go. I like everything I buy but I love some things! Here's a look back at some of my firsts and favorite items that sold in 2014.

First creepy composition doll : I stock a good amount of creepy dolls in the shop. This little guy was my first composition doll acquired. He was so fabulous!

Favorite little case : I love boxes of any kind ; crates, tool boxes, jewelry boxes, anything that can hold things. This little metal tool box was perfect for an artist case and the yellow color secured it as my favorite!

Rusty scale : This vintage scale was so special! So perfect in photos. Between the rust, dirt, and perfect green color, she vogued like no one else. Great base to hold so many things. Loved using it at shows! So sad to see it go.

First Typewriter : This Smith Corona Zenith travel typewriter was my first bought and quickly sold. Started an obsession that continues today!

First Globe : So, globes have been hot this year for sure. This is the first one bought and sold. Love the simple style and bright colors!

This industrial medicine cabinet just happened to be from one of my favorite picks. It came from an 1800s house in Easley, SC, owned by a doctor who practiced out of his house. Who knows what this cabinet held?

Favorite Hardware : Another thing I love and keep in the shop and at shows is vintage hardware. These french provincial pulls were just gorgeous!

Favorite Suitcase : My love of vintage suit cases knows no bounds. I use them for traveling to shows, displaying at shows, and selling. This lovely little lady in white stole my heart! She was sold and became a table.

Favorite "someone gets it" item : Sometimes I buy some weird stuff that I know I'm taking a chance on and I'm not sure if it will sell. This miniature garden set, rusty and broken, was one of those things. It sold shortly after posting to someone who had just the place for it!

Favorite "as seen on TV" : I liked these Cera Mid Century glasses when I saw them on the counter at an estate sale. I LOVED these Cera Mid Century glasses when I saw them on Mad Men. So glad they went to one of my local customers that collects vintage glassware. At least they're nearby!

Favorite Guy Item : OMG This. This silver and turquoise bolo tie was unbelievable. I make it my business to have lots of guy items and this one was my favorites! It takes a special person to rock this bad ass piece and it found that person.

Favorite Oddity : I love oddities. If I'm going to keep anything, it's going to be something in this category and I did keep one of these doll heads. This lot of doll parts was probably my find of the year from a local flea market. People couldn't get enough of them!

Favorite General Decor Items : So many awesome decor items. So here are a couple of my favorites. You will see the white version of this deviled egg dish in every booth of every antique store. This was the only blue one I have ever come across. Surprisingly, I loved the mix of blue and gold! So interesting.

Amazing brass candelabras! I hardly got to give these a second look before they were in a box and out the door.

Brass animals figures were also quite popular this year. This gorgeous one was a peacock and nice and big. Great statement piece!

Favorite Item of the Year : This Burwood Peacock was a last minute grab, thrown on the pile at a pick. It was looking rough. After spending a good amount of time in my garage, I pulled it out and painted it. After researching, I found there were not many available. So this item ended up being a valuable item that I even got to add my artistic touch to!

I hope you have enjoyed looking back at some of my firsts and favorites from the year. After over 500 online sales, it sure was hard to pick!

Did you miss out on something you would have loved forever? Be sure to check Maliasmark to find a special pick of your own! Follow on Facebook and Instagram to see fresh picks before they're even listed. Can't wait to see what a look back at 2015 will find!

Vintage Into Art : Creepy Doll Vogues for JRD Photography

Strike a pose, vogue, vogue, vogue. You're singing it now, aren't you? You're even doing the hands. It's ok, I won't tell anyone.

I sell vintage but I started out buying vintage items to repurpose into art. So everything I buy is through the eyes of an artist and much of it is with the intention of possibly creating something with it in the future. Sometimes, that can be in the near future, most of the time it is in the distant future. In the meantime, I can't just let these wonderful items stay hidden away so I give my customers first crack at creating something amazing. I am happy when an item goes to a loving home of any kind but I always secretly hope it will be repurposed into something cool.

One day last month, someone bought one of my creepy dolls. After having used some previous dolls in a photography shoot, I think these dolls make great subjects for expressing a number of emotions through their emotionless stares. You can just imagine my delight when Jace Delgado of JRD Photography shared with me some pictures of how he used the doll he purchased from me on Etsy.

Maybe you can't imagine so let me help you. Ecstatic, mind blown, love it are a few words and phrases that come to mind. So awesome to see the potential of this doll fully realized through the eyes of this amazing artist! His photos are a feast for the eyes, rich in texture and subject, visual and implied. 

Take a moment. Compose yourself. Prepare yourself for razzle dazzle. Ok, check out a few of them...

I know, it's easy to get lost in them but bring it back. Focus. I'm talking here. Could you ask for a better re-imagining of this vintage piece? I think not.

Thank you so much to Jace for sharing his work with me! What a range on this guy. From your portraits, landscapes, sports shots, weddings, and boudoir, to his haunting steampunk work (my personal favorite), this guy does it all. Check out his website at http://500px.com/JRD_PHOTOGRAPHY and be sure to like him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JRDPhotographyOHIO to keep up with and be inspired by his latest and greatest. Warning : Clear your schedule, you're not going to want to stop looking until you've seen it all. 

Find your own treasures and be inspired at Maliasmark.

Homage De Cabin Trip : A Feast for the Eyes

Well, I just booked our second annual March cabin trip into the Nantahala Mountains of Western North Carolina. And I am psyched! 

Last year, as I was booking our first annual March cabin trip, it was all for my better half to get the peace and serenity he desperately deserves but I was skeptical. How great could it be? No beach, no wifi, no room service...come on. I am here to tell you, it is pretty awesome! 

Cabin trip holds amazing relaxation and experiences. 

• We read books. I can never read unless I'm on vacation because there is always something else to do. Last year I stocked up on dark, ominous, and terrifying apocalyptic novels. Perfect for being alone in the middle of the woods. I read World War Z, I am Legend, and Never Let Me Go all in a three day time span. Love!
• We crank up the crock pot meals. I am on the Pinterest crock pot freezer meal band wagon and I am not afraid to admit it. Who wants to take a million ingredients but what's the alternative? Sandwiches? Uh, no. Meals in a bag, that's what! I made meals from here http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html, and here http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html, with these super easy two cookie chocolate chip batches http://www.pinterest.com/pin/114138171778349840/. Let's just say we did not go hungry or want for a restaurant.
• No wifi. My better half likes to joke about how happy he is when I can't check my phone but he is on his just as much. Sounds like it sucks but it is nice not to even check your phone. You don't need to. No one can reach you. No bothers. No stress. You don't even realize how much a phone intrudes on your daily life until it doesn't. 
• We enjoyed the scenery. What an amazing area! First of all, our cabin was perched on a mountain with an amazing view. During the day, mountains. At night, no city light polution equals amazing night sky. With a cabin fully equipped with shuffle board, air hockey, pool, a fire pit, and hot tub, we had plenty of entertainment. When we ventured out, the Nantahala River, known for it's white water rafting, was just down the road and we discovered Nantahala Brewing Company in Bryson, NC. Fantastic little brewery, brewing up amazing brews, including my personal favorite, Chocolate Cherry Stout. Check them out at http://www.nantahalabrewing.com/. If you don't live in North or South Carolina, I'm sorry. It's unassumingly amazing. I book our trips thru http://www.carolinamountainvacations.com/.
• We get to take the dogs! When we leave, it's always hard to leave our babies and it's hard for them too. Or at least I like to think so. After a harrowing couple hours of pacing, panting, and whining in the car, we arrive and they make themselves at home. It's nice to have the whole family together.
• We had a near death experience and lived to tell about it. Not really but kinda. I decided it would be a great idea to take a midnight ghost hike in the Smoky Mountains. Sounds fun. What could happen with a group of 20 people walking through the woods at night. Well, it wasn't 20 people. It was just us and the tour guide. I'm sure you can see that this is less human shields and less people that I have a chance of out running. It is pretty spooky alone, in the woods, in the dark where bears and mountain lions live, let me tell you. I almost took an unsolicited piggy back ride on the tour guide on the way down the mountain. If you feel the need to value your life just a little bit more, check them out at http://www.paddlefishbasecamp.com/. Of course, I am kidding. The only real danger I was in was of a heart attack because of my own anxiety and terrible night blindness. Whose idea was that?!

I'm sure you can just envision the rustic bliss we encountered. So here we go again and I can't wait! 

If you've ever been to a cabin, you know the horrific interior design that often times assaults your eyes. Mountain lions aren't the scariest things in the mountains, this decor is. So in anticipation of our trip, I put together my idea of cabin decor. Sometimes rustic, sometimes quirky, it's more about coziness and the outdoors to me. So without further adieu, I give you...Homage De Cabin.

It's a lot to take in. I'll give you a moment.

So yeah, as previously mentioned, cabin trip includes books, reading, and also movies. We got our luggage, a lantern, and a deer jaw as a nod to our wildlife friends.

Here we have a lot of random masculine stuff because I do what I want. But there is an Old Ezra Whiskey box because, obviously, drinking is happening and my praying hands salt and pepper shakers because if I come across a mountain lion, Imma do some prayin.

Ok, we got all our thermoses for delicious coffee and lots of it. And a typewriter, because if I was a writer, what better place to write? I guess I am writing now. Maybe I should blog up there...

All this on a Native American Wool Table Runner, since the Nantahala Mountains were found by the Cherokee Indians. 

One last look!

So, are you feeling it? While on my cabin trip I will be sure to keep my eyes out for coveted mountain junk spots and try to bring back some fabulous new items. All items pictured (except my typewriter) are available for purchase to decorate your own cabin or create a cabin feel at www.maliasmark.etsy.com. Plan your own cabin trip soon! You won't be sorry. Unless you take the midnight ghost hike. Then you might be sorry. Just kidding (not really.)

It's Christmas : Time for the 4th Annual Family Homemade Gifts and Painting

It's that time of year again! We have cards, we have decorations, we have the tree, we have gifts, we have wrapping, we have baking. Lots to do. So why not add something else on top of that?

What do you give to the family that has everything? It is still fun to shop and get them gifts but I wanted to do something special. So, I started making homemade gifts to give as well, with a little help from Pinterest. Because what the heck, why not take this thing up a notch to total pressure cooker of insanity! In years past, I have made cranberry lime vodka, peppermint vodka, coffee bbq rub, and cheddar herb bread mix. Big fan of flavored vodkas. I highly suggest you try them. So easy and so good!

Now that we are all grown, we don't all live close. So I wanted to do something to symbolize that even though we are apart, we are our own people, and we have our own families, we are still part of a bigger family. So I decided to painting. I took smaller canvases, put them together into one large canvas, and painted one large painting. Then each person gets a piece of the whole.

Here is what I did this year and how this years painting turned out.

• First I made hot chocolate packets with marshmallows. I attached homemade Irish Cream. Perfect for opening presents Christmas Eve!

• Next I made homemade vanilla extract that has been brewing away for months. It smells divine!I want to guzzle it but I know it would taste awful by itself. I added fixings for my favorite cookie recipe and opened the super secret vault to includ a copy of my super secret best cookie ever recipe. 

• Finally, the painting. This year I used 6x6 canvases and painted 15 into one large painting. I was inspired by this little steampunk gears stencil I found a couple months ago and I think it works nicely with the family idea, all parts working together as one. Added some gears and rusty metal parts.

This is how they went out. 

I always have even more fun making these than shopping for the other gifts. And I hope the paintings mean more to my family than just something they have to hang when I come over. :)

Merry Christmas from the Maliasmark family! 

P.S. : The cat had to be photo-shopped in because she would not cooperate for the family picture. So for that she gets a Grinch hat in honor of my favorite Christmas movie!

My Walls : Original Art and Vintage Oddities

So after looking at my shop, you may wonder what the heck my decorating style is. You might be scared to see. A lot like my shop, my walls are covered with vintage oddities, some quotes, and lots of ORIGINAL ART. I frequently encourage people to support local artists and I try to do so by promoting other artists through social media and by purchasing their one of a kind pieces. Basically, I would cover every square inch of wall space if I could and with twenty foot ceilings, I have a lot of it.

Here's a little peek into what I have collected and the artists that created these amazing pieces...

• First, my house features the photography work of my better half, the ones I'm allowed to. For an analyst, he definitely has an artists personality.

• Left : I always see this artist's work at The Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock, NC when I go to Flat Rock Bakery for the most amazing brick oven pizza and delicious scones. They do a lot of farm and country type stuff which is not my style but this one, this one was me. Love the dark theme, love the painting, love the quote. It's mine. Artist is Sandy Erickson-Wright. Find her stuff at http://www.ericksonwright.com/.
• Right : Both of these are the same artist. Yes, I have two. Because they are amazing. Printed on wood, dark, eery, they draw you in. This artist usually has a booth at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. Artist is Brenda Marks. Find her stuff at http://brendamarks.zenfolio.com/.

• Top Left : This piece features a million little multi-colored dots raining down behind the stark white tree. It's one of my larger pieces and it was hard to choose one because I love all her stuff. This artist usually has a booth at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. Artist is Jennifer Barrineau. Find her stuff at http://jenniferbarrineauart.com/.
• Middle Left : Love the wood, love the re purposing that this artist does. Artist is Kevin Stinehart. Art can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/KevinStinehart.
• Bottom Left : What can I say, this little owl spoke to us. A little happy for my taste but had to have him.:)Found this at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC as well. Artist is Heather Shirin. Art can be found at http://www.heathershirin.com/
• Right : This piece is hard core. Effects of industrialism, loss of innocence. It speaks volumes. Found this at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. In case you haven't guessed, you need to check this place out! Artist is Brian Mashburn. Art can be found at http://brianmashburnart.com/. Check it out!

• Both of these are by the one and only Tim TV, a man of many talents including performance artist. We saw both of these pieces at the first performance we caught of Tim TV and his circus. Mark had to have the Tom Waits piece, I had to have the piano piece for above my piano. Favorite status. Catch Tim's work at http://www.timstvs.com/. If you have a chance, catch a show. He performs regularly impromptu downtown so take a lot of cash for a tip, it's worth it!

                                    

• Of course, got to have my quotes. Love them. A little less subtle than art but sometimes you need it loud and clear.

• Then my oddities. Top left : I have two corbels that I will never sell. They don't match, the paint is badly chipped, they barely stay together, they were burned in a fire, they are mine, I love them.
• Bottom left : Love wood. Love wood grain. And a little extra nature thrown in.
• Top right : Tobacco basket. Another one of those pieces that made my shopping companions of the day worry for my sanity. But I was vindicated once it rested on my wall. And I never remove my vintage dust. It's all there, dirt, dust and all.
• Bottom Right : My brother Josh made me this super awesome floor lamp out of a vintage surveyors tripod. Who knew? Restoration Hardware sells these for thousands of dollars.

I said in my last post, a piece of original art is so much more than a pretty picture. Not only is it beautiful, special, and could become valuable, it is a piece of the artist, their time, their experience, their passion. Get you some.

So there's a peek into a sampling of what decorates my home. Yes, I am the person who hung a horse bridle and reigns on my wall. No, I don't ride horses. But I like it, and I do what I like. That pretty much sums it up.

The Timeline Of An Art Piece : Let Yourself Out

Does art happen overnight? Sometimes, but not likely. Art is the culmination of months of material gathering, hours of creation time, and a lifetime of the artist's experiences and inspiration.

So, you know that feeling when you have a word on the tip of your tongue and can't get it out? Yeah, I experienced that creatively this week. I felt like I had some inspiration and all the pieces but I just couldn't put them together. It's all very manic. So, here is how it came together and the timeline of this piece.

Well, now that I put it in a timeline, it looks so planned and organized. Let me assure you it is anything but. It's mostly random acts sprinkled with a lot of self doubt.

• First, along time ago in a galaxy far far away, we start with a teenage girl. Angst, one of the great creative motivators.
• Then I found some skeleton keys at an antique store. Who doesn't like skeleton keys? Am I right or am I right? I'll take them.
• Listening to my dance cardio Pandora station doing some cleaning, doing some dancing, liking "Until the End" by Dirty South. Lyrics "But don't you see you're holding all the keys to all the dungeons let yourself out just let you be found" stand out because I think most people are their own worst enemy and are the only ones holding themselves back.
• Found a new junk store on Craigslist. Love it! Find some vintage door knob backers which I love because they are metal and rusty.
• Had been wanting to go to this salvage place for a year or so. No time like the present! Got some nice sun baked barn wood.
• Found another new junk place on Craigslist. The best junk places are always in old buildings that could be considered a little scary, much to my better half's chagrin. Little frame could work in an art collage, I'll pick it up.
• Bought a collection of creepy dolls at my first auction. Better half is not excited about having them take up residence in our bonus room.
• Better half has a photography project. Why not use said creepy dolls? 
• Listening to Lana Del Ray's "Young and Beautiful" and thinking of how it applies to all my old rusty things. And the answer is yes! I do love you even more. :)

So, this is what ensued...

Whew! That's exhausting just thinking about it. Let Yourself Out could mean a lot of things to a lot of people. To me the piece means that each of us has the keys to all the dungeons that we keep ourselves locked in and it's as simple as taking that key and letting ourselves out. We don't have to wait on someone else to let us out. Someone else isn't keeping us in there. Take that key. Simple is a generous word. It could take some work but this piece is an awesome reminder that YOU can do it! Let yourself out.

Let Yourself Out can be found for sale at Maliasmark on Etsy.

Junk...uh...what is it good for absolutely everything.

I absolutely love anything old, odd, mechanical, metal, wood, and rust.

Some people wonder what I do with all my junk. Some people think I'm crazy for paying money for it. 
And I buy a lot of it. Let me tell you, I have the best of intentions. Each piece is lovingly selected with a fabulous art application in mind but who has the time. So I decided to share. A lot of what is posted on https://www.etsy.com/shop/maliasmark is just that, items that I intend to fuse together into an art piece...at some point. But in the meantime, if someone else has an idea for it, I will begrudgingly pass it along. :)
So stay tuned for new junk, old junk, junk that finally got a new lease on life, and the story of how it all happened.