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!

Creepy, Spooky, Unexpected : Vintage Halloween

Halloween is a most sacred of holidays at our house. Maybe it's the cooler weather. Maybe it's all the fall goodness. Maybe it's the time of year we met. Maybe we both have a dark side. Either way, it's our absolute favorite and we do it up right!

Vintage items just lend themselves to great Halloween decor. A darker time gone by, a sense of decay, a hidden history...all these things and more make them perfect for your festive fall furnishings. What I also love is using items that do double duty around the house and throughout the year. Many folks don't want to put a lot of money out for what they see as a lesser holiday. So make your money go far! Here are some ways I use vintage to decorate for my favorite month of the year.

First, let's start with the basic things I use to compile my Halloween vignettes.

Bell Jars or cloches make wonderful places to keep creepy things, whether for ambiance or to keep them from a certain mischievous cat. The rest of the year, they make great displays or terrariums.

Spanish moss is a great bed for all your spooky items. It goes forever. I bought this bag three years ago and it is still half full. Also works great for fall and spring decor.

Every year, I look forward to the Dollar Tree's Halloween stock coming out. It's like a national holiday. They have amazing stuff, all for $1; skeletons, pumpkins, organs, body parts, insects, and more! Never ceases to amaze and delight for next to nothing. It may look cheesy in the store but once mixed with the authenticity of your vintage stuff, it's legit.

Last, my stock of vintage goodies to add to the mix. As you will see, I love a theme and vintage offers a variety of directions to go.

Mirror, mirror : I know that Disney has made the story of Snow White seem cute but The Brothers Grimm actually wrote some dark stuff! This simple vignette alludes to the story of that wicked queen and her poison apples. Just in time for apple season!

Mad Mixologist : Create a spooky vintage bar with these vintage decanters, mid century glasses, a mirrored tray, and some creepy dollar store goodies. Add some vintage poison labels to the decanters and fill with red colored water or liquor!

Wicked Writing Nook : Create a dark and disturbed writing space befitting the likes of Edgar Allen Poe. His chilling tale, The Raven, was the inspiration for this grouping. And you know you want an excuse to buy a fabulous vintage typewriter!

Set a Spooky Table : Create a Hannibal inspired spread. Lots of gross things to eat and a great way to use your vintage silver! Use your imagination. Lots of fun to be had. Great place to use old bottles and china!

Dark Doctor : Compile a ghastly collection reminiscent of Dr Moreau's laboratory. Apothecary jars holding potions, canisters of body parts, and vintage medical books complete the display.

Cabin in the Woods : It doesn't have to be obviously Halloween. This vignette has nary a skull. Different things are disturbing to different people. Look to your favorite horror movie for inspiration! This grouping was conjured from ideas from Cabin in the Woods and Saw. Rusty old tools, a vintage hikers map, and woodsy charm turn ominous!

So, have some fun this Halloween! Look around at what you have and think of how you could use it. Add some vintage pieces that can be used all year round. Check out the Halloween section of the shop for all your decor needs. From vintage china, silver, tools, and dolls to creepy art, tin types, and festive banners, there is lots to browse for purchase or inspiration!

Rust and Ruin...On the Road! : A Guide To Shows and Markets

Whew! June has passed us by with only one little blog post. Here's why...we're freakin' busy! In the online retail world, summer is a bit of a dud. Everybody's out and doing. No one is inside shopping. So to compensate, I highly recommend getting involved in any and every show you can get your hands on.

After a couple months of doing shows every weekend, here are my tips for those of you thinking about doing one yourself or for anyone interested in a behind the scenes sneak peek of what we put ourselves through!

• Places : Finding venues. First thing we gotta do is find where we're going to haul this stuff to sell. 

• First, obvi, Google is your friend. This will not tell you if shows are any good. Check out reviews. The smaller ones might not be online but if they're not, do you want to be in them? 
• Check out your local area tourism sites. They are usually going to have their finger on the pulse of the larger and more established shows.
• Network with other artists. Find out what shows they are doing. This is the best way to not only find shows but also get first hand information on how they have gone in the past.
• If you are on Etsy, explore there. You should be part of local teams. They all will have a thread for people to list local show info. Check out www.etsy.com/local where you will find shows that other Etsy users in your area are participating in.

• Promote :  Do not assume that the venue will do all the promoting for the event. Create your own buzz! If they do great promoting, share their promotions and promote other vendors.

• Product : Have enough product. Have more than enough product. People like selection and you can't sell what you don't have.

• Practice : One thing I did the first several shows is practice. I set my whole booth up in my garage. This helped me gauge how much product I needed to fill the space. It helped me decide how I wanted to set things up so I wasn't trying to do it that day on the fly. And I had pictures to post for social media. If you are using a tent, you will absolutely want to try it out before the day of. Those things are fun anyway but I opened my brand new tent to find it was missing some pieces. Better to find out a couple days early than the day of the show!

• Price : While you have everything out, price it. I am bad about this so this is to myself. It is the last thing I do. Not everyone feels comfortable asking about a price or you might be too busy the day of to catch everyone with a question.

• Prepare : Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. (Thanks Dad) I am all for positive thinking but while you're thinking positively, plan for everything, including the worst.
• Office Type Supplies : Tape, paper, pens, scissors, bags, packing supplies for delicate items.
• Tools : A few small tools doesn't hurt. Assess what tools your tent might need, including a mallet for anchoring those tent spikes really well.
• Promotional Materials : Whether it be business cards or flyers, make sure you have plenty of it.
• Outdoor Shows : Sunscreen, bug spray, and water. And the big outdoor buzz kill, rain. If you don't have one of those fancy tents with the sides, Home Depot sells these super cheap clear plastic drop cloths that are great for keeping in your emergency show preparedness kit to throw over a table or clip on the sides of your tent.

• Pack : The danger of doing shows is that every time an item leaves the safety of your home, it is at risk for being ruined. Take the time to pack everything carefully. Also, pack in things that can do double duty. I pack everything in vintage suitcases which I can then sell or use in my displays.

• Performance : Here it is. The day you've been working so hard towards. You're probably so tired, you're over it. Don't mess it up. No pressure...
• Smile, have fun. Smiling should be your favorite and fun is contagious. Not everyone will smile back. Ain't nothin but a thang.
• Engage everyone that comes in your booth. Most of us appreciate being noticed and like to know who we're buying from. Some people don't and may even go so far as to pretend they didn't hear you. Gaze in silent amusement. Customer interaction is the best part of doing a show. I promise, they will remind you why you are doing what you do.
• Make sure everyone takes a business card. Put one in every bag, in every hand. Make it rain a business card confetti on that mofo.
• Steel yourself for that inevitable delightful person that walks into your booth and says "Do people really buy this junk?". Every. Show. Maybe it's because I actually sell stuff that might be considered junk but you know what I mean. Someone will say something less than nice. And when they do smile, take a moment to imagine yourself doing some amazing ninja move culminating in a drop kick to their head, and simply say, "Yes, they do". 
• Stay positive. I hope every show you do is amazing. But chances are, there may be some you would consider duds. Turn your downsides into upsides. Show day is not just about that day's sales, it's about future sales. It's about building relationships, networking, and promoting.

• Post show : Pat yourself on the back, you did it! Once you get over the exhaustion, take some time to reflect. Would you do the show again? What would you do differently? What product did you need more of? What could you have used but didn't have? You now have great insight to make your next show even better!

So there you have it. It's draining just writing it down. Now you know why I am looking forward to Fall! Just kidding. I truly love getting the opportunity to do these shows. Nothing compares to a day of sharing the passion of what you do with other people and hearing what they're passionate about! 

This in no way is an exhaustive list and I am in no way an expert. And sometimes, I don't even follow my own advice. So naughty. I welcome additional tips in the comments!

Check Maliasmark on Facebook for a list of where you can find me every weekend to see me in action!

Farm Life : My Visit To The Farm At Rabon Creek in Simpsonville, SC

Whoa, I know. Three blog posts in a month. This is huge. I'll give you a moment.

So, today is cloudy. I thought it would be nice to think back to a beautiful day a couple weeks ago when me and Pappy went to meet Lisa of The Farm at Rabon Creek in Simpsonville, SC.

Such a beautiful location, tucked away right off Fairview Road. We were driving down the road and then boom, picturesque farm country and a feast for the eyes.

First thing I saw, was true love. Lot's of rustic junk, collected right here on the property from centuries gone by.

Then we step into wide open spaces and a rustic setting for great events!

And of course, animals!

So by now you're wondering, how can I get some farm time? I know! Who doesn't want to get out in this beautiful, peaceful setting? 

Lucky for you, The Farm at Rabon Creek hosts all kinds of great events. They have partnered with Tupelo Honey and Mill Village Farms to host The Tupelo Honey Farm Dinner. Eat great, fresh, local food and support a great cause!

They also host Farm Fresh Fair every year, hosting local, handmade, upcycled, and vintage treasures and farm fresh produce along with entertainment and food trucks for a wonderful day on the farm. Benefiting a great cause, you're not going to want to miss it!

If that's not enough, book them for your own event! You could not find a better setting for your next party or wedding. Great covered areas, lots of green space, easy to get to, and it has a fantastic fire pit. What more do you need? Keep up with them on their Facebook page!

So, I'm sure you can see why my mind is on such a place on a day like today. A place where the sun shines, time stands still, and good things are being done for the community. Amazing place. You're going to want to visit!

As always, follow Maliasmark on Instagram to get pics, tips, and sneak peeks immediately. That way you don't have to wait until I finally blog. ;)