Showing posts with label TheRicharmedLife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TheRicharmedLife. Show all posts

My First Vintage Market

Photo courtesy of Josie Allen

This Sunday, October 13th, I participated in my first vintage market at the Shabby Chic show in Safety Harbor, Florida.  It was  my first market as a vintage vendor.  Since I haven’t done one before, I’m not really sure what qualifies as a success, but I made back all my booth and preparation fees and then some and that feels like a win.  
Photo courtesy of Jason Richarme

I think I definitely picked the right market to be my first. It’s been around for a few years and the planners have a good following and a lot of experience. There wasn’t a lot of communication, but there was enough so that when we got there we weren’t entirely clueless. They had adequate staff on hand for unloading and directing as people came in. I would definitely do another show with this group.

I want to end on a high note so I’ll just get the complaints out of the way. October in Florida is still insanely hot.  My tent is old and crappy and hard to open. It takes a long freaking time to clean and price and wrap breakable old things. I can go eight hours without peeing but I would rather not. People who don’t know the difference between “antique” and “vintage” sometimes think vintage sellers are shady and trying to pull one over on them.  Vintage dealers are expected to haggle a little bit and I did not price my items with that expectation.. “Vintage” markets are about 30% MLM businesses, 30% crafts, 10% food, 15% new purchased items imported from China, 15% vintage and/or antiques. (Which actually might’ve been a good thing for me as people expressed  delight at finding a booth that actually embodied what they thought the event was all about.)
Photo courtesy of Heather Randall

I did love a lot of things about this event. Despite the heat, there were so many cute dogs! It was an endless parade of adorableness. There was also a steady stream of shoppers and this made the day pass very quickly. I had several friends stop by and see me. The vendors on both sides of me and even down further were very nice and it was interesting to talk to them about different events and ideas. Sales were decent, and just as valuable to me, were connections made. I was approached by two different antique stores that will have openings after the holidays and that “preapproved“ me for a booth if I’m interested (I am!). I also met a lady who has had booths in several different establishments and was able to share which ones worked out for her and which ones to avoid. This info could potentially save me a lot of time and money! I’m also somewhat on the hunt for an established vintage store that I could gain experience working at and possibly one day take over. I met an older couple who have had their business open for 20+ years and that could potentially turn into the sort of situation I am looking for.  

My goal in doing these markets is not so much financial as it is getting familiar with the vintage industry locally. This experience was definitely a success in that way.
Photo courtesy of Heather Randall

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Go Workout, Mom! (And Don’t Feel Bad About It)

Fun Halloween themed Zumba night

There are a lot of things that there is mommy guilt over, but working out should not be one of those things. I’ve had people question me about my gym schedule and how I get away for that much time and I just laugh and say I carve and guard that time out vigilantly and it’s been good for me and my family. These are the reasons why.

First of all they don’t see their dad until he gets home from work. The nights that I am at the gym gives them time with him. It lets them know that their needs can be met by more than just mommy. My kids are used to it, but kids will come up with a lot of things that they want mommy to do and a lot of reasons why you should stay with them. The reasons are often valid and sweet, but at the end of the day, someone else can do those things as just well. I think it’s good for dads to share responsibility for the children and our routine is that when I’m gone, dad does bedtime. It’s a good thing. It’s a great example for my boy and my girl that marriage is teamwork. That includes kid duties, house duties, work, etc..

My biggest reason is that a healthy mom is a happier mom. I had some pretty big bouts of depression in the past. At one point my son was playing “mommy“ and he laid on the couch and wrapped his head in a blanket and that just floored me. Kids pick up on these things. I have a lot more patience and a lot less down days when I get those exercise endorphins. And physically being able to keep up with them and have more energy for family time is no doubt a benefit.

I also want to set a good example for the kids. A lifestyle that includes physical fitness is something that I hope they will follow in their lives. The mental health benefits as well as the physical health benefits of routine exercise are undeniable. My kids have not hit puberty yet, but I have struggled with weight issues since I did and working out has helped so much to keep that in check. Since both of them are so young, I’m not sure what their metabolism and genes will do, but I like to think that the expectation that exercise is part of life will help them with whatever that ends up being.

One of the biggest benefits that I’ve seen, especially when I was doing the stay at home mom thing, was that it gave me an outlet for meeting other adults. I craved adult conversation and just meeting people that also made working out a priority. I’ve made so many friends and people I never would have met otherwise. Many of these people have become good friends and so many fun social opportunities have opened up. Some people prefer to run or do more solo activities, but even if you are not doing group classes like I do, you can still find a supportive community amongst others who do the same.

There are lots of other reasons, but I’m going to end it by with saying that carving out time for myself has allowed me to maintain my personhood. I like being a wife and mom, but I am still a whole person apart from that. That’s another example I want to give the kids. I can still be a partner and parent without completely sacrificing the things that I enjoy. Too many moms make themselves martyrs and think that they’re giving their family a magical experience by doing so when in fact it just leads to a stressed out, thankless serfdom. And what is left when the kids do grow up and move away? Claiming time now and having them acknowledge that mom is also a human being teaches them how to treat people and themselves when they are grown. 


I’d love to hear thoughts from you on this topic as well!

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Do You Like Me? Check Yes or No



Have a friend that you like so much but you’re never quite sure how you stand with them? It’s the sort of thing that keeps you up late at night. It’s the sort of thing that makes you read into the smallest of gestures. It’s a thing that amplifies your doubts about who you are as a person and your worthiness of being their friend. But it’s not the sort of thing that you can express to that friend without sounding needy or like a junior higher asking Do you like me? Check yes or no. And so you  hang back, maybe, or you do everything you can to express the depth of your devotion to them. Maybe you talk about it to other friends. They may offer reassurance but deep down you still doubt. It’s amazing how long these “complicated“ relationships can draw out. 

At some point though, you have to leave the decision up to them. You have to stop letting your insecurities control your thoughts and actions. Instead give your time and thoughts to improving your own life and being good to those who you know are there for you. 

I think of this mental picture often when friendships are struggling, or just coming together, or falling apart. It’s the difference of trying to hold water in your hand with a clenched fist and a cupped hand. In a fist, it just slides through your fingers and is gone. An open, cupped hand will hold the water steady and gently. In times of abundance- we’ll call it rain- a closed hand receives nothing while an open hand may overflow with fullness. Friendship is the same- squeeze it too much and it’s gone and in trying to to hold on, we close ourselves to good things in other relationships. Be more open and, not only do we keep our friendships, but they become more- more fulfilling, deeper, more secure.


So back to that person that you so desire to be friends with- no matter how bad you want that friendship, if it doesn’t come about organically, you will never be at peace with where you stand with them. Be friendly, be present, but don’t be obsessed! Let them get to know you over time and let it play out naturally- and be at peace knowing that whatever happens, you are worthy of good friends and the right ones will want and include you and nurture you. Yes, that is what you deserve!

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Strange Currencies, Story 1

I’ve really gotten into podcast lately as I can listen at work. I love the spooky story ones the best. Now I am a skeptic- ask my coworkers because when we listen together I’m always debating the side of “it could be their imagination“ or trying to find ways to explain away the supernatural. I don’t know why I do this, especially when I myself have had some interesting supernatural happenings. I actually question my own experiences, but it’s fun to share, so if you’re a little skeptical too, I can’t blame you or take offense.
I’m going to share something that happened to me that was very meaningful. I actually have three or four stories that I’m going to share over time but I just really want to start with this one because it was so sweet and timely. Also, it’s not very spooky or scary which also makes it a nice one to start with.
My grandmother died around my birthday. I was involved in a theatrical production at the time and could not leave that or afford to go up to her funeral. I felt terrible about not being there to support my mother or to be able to say a final goodbye. I thought about it a lot and was very emotional about that.
About a month after she passed I had an incredibly lucid dream. I was at her house up in Missouri. It was the house that my mom and her siblings grew up in, that they ran the family business out of it. I was just sort of wandering around and I happened into a room where there was a TV. The TV was turned on but just had static on it. I stood there for a minute wondering why it was on and then I distinctly heard my grandmother’s voice. She told me that she felt so good now, that she was so happy to be rid of her horrible migraines. I was speechless, but she continued that it was fine that I wasn’t at her funeral. She’s then said she just wanted me to know and that she had a few more things to do before she went but that she just wanted me to not beat myself up about not going. That was the end of the voice. 
I went back to the next room and my grandfather was sitting on the couch and I smiled at him. And he said to me, She came to you too? I was so overwhelmed that I wasn’t the only one that I could only smile at him and we just shared a moment.

When I woke up I had such a feeling of peace and comfort. Since that dream I’ve never felt a moment of sadness or regret when I think about her passing or funeral. Maybe a dream is just a dream, but this was so real- it really felt like a message to me. I don’t know if it was from her or God or my subconscious but I needed it so badly. It was truly a gift, however it came about. 

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Brand Ambassador: Great Gig or Scam?

So this topic has really come about organically. My friends and I took an awesome trip to Las Vegas and took some super cool shots and that’s led to one friend becoming a brand ambassador for a sunglass company.
The first question everybody ask is what’s the catch? With a reputable company, it is a win-win situation. I’ve had the pleasure of representing a couple companies now and thoroughly enjoyed it and even made a few bucks. Here are some tips and some warnings as well.

How to get found:
Hashtags! A lot of these companies look on Instagram and, utilizing vague but appropriate hashtags, this can go a long way as far as being found. You do you want to make sure that the company makes a product that you actually use or have interest in. If there’s a specific company that you already like and would like to rep, look at their pictures and see if they use brand ambassadors. Don’t be afraid to directly contact them and mention your interest. You also want to make sure that if you already own some of their product, that you tag them in photos that feature the product (and make sure your pictures are nice!).

Making sure it’s legit:
If you are approached, the first thing you want to do is ask them the details. If a company ask you to buy in or make a purchase and spend your own money, walk away. I also advise searching that company and the Better Business Bureau online and see what comes up. Sometimes you can find a wolf in sheep‘s clothing that way. Also look at what they’ve already posted and see if they’re pushing just a lot of random stuff or if they have good brand identity and most of their posts are similar in nature. (Never give out credit card information and I would actually insist that they go about paying you, if it’s a paid opportunity, through PayPal or Venmo or some sort of agency where you have a little protection.) Some companies will just give you free products, others will have opportunity for you to get paid for your promoting.

Being a good ambassador :
Once you have the product in hand, you want to make sure you inspect it and make sure it’s in good and as advertised. If all is well there, start snapping! This is advertisement for them so you want to make sure the pictures are good, clear and pay attention to little details like backgrounds. Shows the best to you in a way that shows the best of their product as well. You want to make sure you utilize any tags and hashtags they request. Make sure that your post is public. A couple of the companies that I’ve worked for have offered discounts to my followers, so you may have to come up with a coupon code. You want to make it something easy like the brand name and your first name or profile name. Usually that coupon code is how they track sales to you and if it’s a commission opportunity, that is how you’ll get paid so make sure to promote that heavily on all your social media. Remember, they are the ones paying you or giving you product so be sure to follow their guidelines and hold up your end of the bargain.


Feel free to post in the comments if you have other questions or suggestions. I’d love to hear other brand ambassadors’ experiences as well!

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Support, Not Competition

 Originally posted on Facebook on February 2, 2019:

If you view life through a competitive lens, prepare to feel like people don’t support you. Because it’s hard to be supportive of someone who is always looking for angles and ways to show everyone that they are The Best. I have always loved the verse “When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.” (Romans 12:15 CEV) Competition strips away compassion and empathy- and what are relationships devoid of those things? If we adjust our thinking away from competitiveness to wanting the people around us to thrive and be their best selves, it becomes a beautiful system of support. Rooting for each other becomes second nature. And couldn’t we all use a cheering section?

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Revival


Well, here we go! I am reviving the blog and supplementing it with short YouTube videos and Instagram tie ins. To what end? I’m not sure entirely. Part of me would like to write a book and I know that takes discipline and I think short blog posts and just trying to write and put out content frequently would be good practice for that. The other reason is that my son really wants an online presence and identity so I feel like I need to wade those waters and just experience what that is like these days. 
See the intro to my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/c_umxXbjjkM Subscribe if you like! You can find me on Instagram @thericharmedlife. 

I’ll say upfront, I am opinionated. But you should also know that I am open minded and I don’t expect everyone to arrive at the same conclusions as I have. To be upfront, I’m not looking to spend all my time online (especially not arguing and defending myself) so I free myself of the expectations of responding to comments. Now,  I know myself and I probably will respond, but if it’s something that I feel is just baiting an argument or is openly hostile, it’s probably going to get ignored. 

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National Pet Day: Meet Syd

Happy National Pet Day! This is the first time this day has been happy for me for awhile. The reason for the joy: Syd. I'm thrilled to announce this new family member and wanted to write about the path it took for him to come to us. 

Photo cred: Leia Anderson

 When my fur baby of eighteen years passed away, both Jason and I agreed that we didn't want to jump right into having another dog. About a year ago though, I started missing having a dog and just really felt an emptiness in not having a pet. Jason wasn't quite there though and for many good reasons. Dogs can be expensive and it's another thing to add to our routine, and life with an older dog hadn't been much fun the last few years. 

 Last fall, I had really bad doggo blues so I started doing some pet sitting and that helped. I also started just looking into puppies and different breeders. I knew I wanted another Pekingese or similar like a Shih Tzu or Japanese Chin or something small and just a good companion animal. We had a nightmare experience with a rescued Peke that I got from a shelter in Miami so I was very hesitant to do that again. However, the Peke puppies I was finding ranged in price from about $800-$2,500. That's a bit steep- and over and over I kept seeing friends with puppies bemoaning how hard housebreaking is and just how much chaos they bring with them. I also couldn't find a reputable breeder in the state of Florida and I was wary to go after an expensive dog sight unseen. When my buddy Jerry got a fabulous Shih Tzu from a shelter, that really opened me up to the idea of possibly attempting that route again.

 I began stalking Petfinder.com and PetTango.com and joined several rescue groups on Facebook. For months I saw nothing that fit my list of "must haves". I knew the only way to get Jason onboard and also just have a good experience for us and the dog was for the adopted animal to match the following criteria: adult 4-5 years old, good with children, under 15 lbs, must have a calm demeanor, must not have health issues, prefer Pekingese but open to other small dogs. It seems like a doable list, but among the rescues, I struck out over and over again. 

 Finally in January, Jason began to come around to the idea of adopting another dog and gave his support to my looking. I joined yet another Facebook rescue page, this one dedicated to Pekingeses internationally. The end of February, a cute little white Peke's profile popped up on the page. He hit everything on my list, but was way up in the panhandle, a 7 hour drive. It felt a little like the mishap that had happened before, but this dog's face just wouldn't get out of my head. I had to inquire and it took a few days and many emails but they approved my application and we started planning my trip up.
The picture from the rescue website
Yep, he's coming home with me!

For most of the seven hour ride, he either slept or sat and smiled at me.

 Easter weekend, I made the 14 hour round trip up to meet and check out Syd. Jason made me promise that if he seemed sickly or something was just off, that I would walk away. Thankfully, everything seemed legit and I was able to bring Syd home that day. What a delightful Easter morning surprise he was!

The Easter Doggy

 To wrap this up, I have been shy of rescues because of what happened with Einstein and the deception on that "rescue"'s part and the sorrow of having to put that dear old fellow down after just two weeks.  My interaction with the SaveUnderdogs.com organization was so very different and positive. Syd is everything we wanted in a pet and more. He is sweetness personified and even cuter than his pictures. I'm so glad we ended up going the rescue route and I would encourage anyone considering a pet to do the same. It may take a little longer and even be a little frustrating, but it is very worth it!

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Repurposing Vintage Ashtrays

 Vintage ashtrays… beautiful, uniquely shaped, abundant and affordable in most thrift shops- it's a smoker's dream!  But what if you are not a smoker? Do you sadly put it down and walk away? I know if the piece is absolutely stunning, there's no way I'm leaving it. Once home though, what's to be done with an old ashtray?  I have thought long and hard about this and experimented and I've come up with a few ideas.


 • Succulent planter
• Holder for buttons, baubles and curiosities
• Kitchen sponge holder
• Catchall for change or keys
• Jewelry keeper


 • Soap dish
 • Candle holder
 • Barrette and hair clip keeper
 • Desk holder for paper clips, thumb tacks, stamps, etc.
 • Taller trays can hold cosmetics tubes or brushes


  The one thing you do not want to do though, is use it  with any sort of food. These are not made out of products intended to be used for food and can have lead and other hazardous products that can leech into food.

If you've used a vintage ashtray for something unique, please share!

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Returning to Port

Trying to get back into the swing of blogging. It's hard to come up with words when I've gotten Insta-lazy- that is, I post a few pictures a day on my Instagram, come up with a sentence or two, some hashtags and I'm finished. So maybe I start back small... I've been listing nautical things in my Etsy shop recently. Here's the last two listings, you can click on the caption to go to the listing.

Old Captain mug

Ceramic ship box
Just for fun, I put together a treasury of nautical goodies. I took a little more of a literal approach and was surprised how much I was able to find on Etsy. It would be fun to decorate a little beach-side cottage with this motif.

(To view individual items, click here.)

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Posting to Post

Hi... Hello... Yes, I still blog... occasionally. I'm just totally in love with Instagram at the moment so my attention has been over there more. If you want to follow me, I'm also TheRiCharmedLife on there. I have to warn you though, I break all the rules of what a good Instagram should be. I post pictures of my kids, my dog, selfies, my food, my art and stuff I'd like to sell. I should really tidy it up, but I don't really care to. Take me or leave me! The crazy thing is I'm almost to five hundred followers, even after the great spam account clean up of January. 

We celebrated our 12th anniversary earlier this month.

 In other news- my baby brother is getting married!!! I leave at the crack of dawn (ugh...) Thursday morning to fly up to the big MO for the festivities. It's going to be a very small wedding, but I'm staying almost a whole week, so I'm hoping to see lots of family during that time. And get this, I'm going all by myself. I'm entrusting my darling babies to Jason and God. Hopefully all will go well. I'm not expecting much- alive and in good health works for me.

My bro & I back in the Y2K days...

 Hope you all have a lovely spring break. Remember to protect your skin and hydrate! That is all.

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What to do with all those pins!

I've got a fairly decent amount of vintage pins. Some I inherited, some are lucky thrift finds and a few were hard won on eBay. I hardly ever think to use them though. When I do remember though, I don't always want to put a hole in my clothing and sometimes I just can't figure out where to put it so it looks right. Occasionally I'll get it right, but mostly I just don't have the time to mess with it. 

My hair is super long right now and I find myself "bunning" it a lot. It's not my best look, but it's easy and cool and surprisingly in style this summer. I get a little bored with this look though, so I've been utilizing my pin collection to add a little interest to the look. 

Photo from my Instagram account, follow at http://instagram.com/thericharmedlife

So what do you think? Is this something you'd try out? If so, my only advice is to make sure the brooch is attached to both a pinch of hair and the hair tie, otherwise, it can slide out.

 Here are some of my favorite pins on Etsy that I think would work well for this. All are under $50! (Just click the shop name in the caption and it will take you to the shop each brooch is in.)

Available at Neatstuff Antiques

Available at Moddities

Available at Lorenzo Mele

Available at Richarme

Available at The Vintage Curve

Available at Zeppola

Available at Sanibelsands Jewelry
Available at Jeanies Place

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Nice Oyster

That is, nice SPINY oyster! What are you visualizing? If it's a clam type shell covered in long spikes, you correct. Here's one I have in my collection of shells.


Can you imagine stepping on one of these at the beach? Fortunately in modern times they inhabit the waters of the Pacific Ocean and not the Gulf of Mexico. These are actually in the scallop family and are sometimes called Spondylus, which is Latin for "spines on it's back".  Historically, these were used as currency in the early Andean culture. Now they are mainly found in southwestern, Native American type jewelries. Let's end this natural history lesson with a fun little fact. These often are born male and then change to female when they are older! 

 I put together a treasury on Etsy that shows the range in jewelry that is currently available. View it here. Below are some of my favorites from it. 
From Navajo master silversmith Albert Jake, available at the Bugz Store

By Ecuadorian artists, La Perla, available at Organic Jewelry by Allie

Scott Grady ring available at Classic Southwest Jewelry Design
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.htmlS
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html
Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html

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Souvenirs

Souvenirs... Maybe it's where I live (Clearwater, FL), but when I think of souvenirs, I think of one of those tacky, neon-lit shops that can be found in any big beach town in the US. Vintage mementos are just so much cooler. When I travel, I usually ignore the obvious tourist traps and look for something that's useful and beautiful to me. I would guess that a third of my Etsy shop listings feature items that were brought back to the US as a souvenirs. 
Here are a few of my current offerings- no bad t-shirts or bored sales clerks! Click on the captions if you're interested in more information.

"Roma Basilica de S Pietro"
"Cape Cod"

"Atlantic City, NJ"

"Florida"
"Innsbruck, Austria"
"Karlovy Vary"
"Florida"
"Lancashire, England"
One last "Florida" one!

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Vintage Virgin Mary Religious Art

Just listed a pair of Madonnas in my Etsy shop. I love how patient and peaceful Mary looks- definitely not my mindset these days! So here's my listings and few other favorites from around Etsy.

The Kitchen Madonna from TheRicharmedLife

Chalk ware bust from Brimfieldfinds

Italian bakelite statue from 1EyedJacks
Mother Mary planter from TheRicharmedLife
Italian white Madonna from OurShabbyCottage

Virgin Mary Kokeshi/Japanese style from Benerita
Chalk ware wall hanging from HoneyLocustHills

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