Ringing in a New Year!

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     Like most of you,  I have New Year's Resolutions, oodles of them.  It's the typical stuff .... exercise more, eat less, save money, travel, be a nice person.  On that list, I also included my Etsy shop and blog, whether to continue or throw in the towel.  But just not yet....  

My husband and I will be traveling to Spain and France this October.  I'll be on the hunt for some vintage treasures
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     Ooh La La, Maui! on Etsy has done fairly well the past 5 months since I have opened the store.  I actually sell more merchandise on Ebay (under Mauimusee) but I like Etsy and it's community of sellers.  Etsy gives me a chance to be creative in my photography and the writing of my listings. Ebay although profitable, seems overrun by new merchandise and mega stores.  Etsy sellers have the starving artist syndrome....relying on buyers who are looking for that unique and special handcrafted or vintage item....which makes selling tougher.  What to do, what to do.  Well, I will let you in on a few changes ~ nothing drastic ~ I will be making this year concerning my store and shop blog.   First, I would like to show you some of my personal goals which will result in a Happier Me, a Richer Reading Blog and a More Exciting Etsy Store.

Brightening Up the Home Front

I want to revamp the interior of my home and get those creative juices flowing through my brain.  Most of my furniture is made of dark woods which are accented with white walls.  I was looking for that French Provencal vibe.  BUT, what I would love to do is incorporate creams and whites in my furniture and home decor.  Grouping books with light colors, adds to the mellowness of shabby charm. 

I visualize having everything in fresh whites and latte creams with hints sterling silver brightly polished or tarnished with age. ~ Rachel Ashwell Sofa~

There is something about sterling silver and silver plated that adds elegance to any spot in your home.   I display my vintage pearls and rhinestones in this scalloped shell, silver plated dish with a hinged cover.

These last two photos I took at the Remnants of the Past Vintage Show.  One of my goals is to start a collection of white ironstone to soften up my kitchen decor.....this photo inspires me.

Who would have thought rusty iron would be desirable.  I asked my husband if we could put our iron bed outside to soak up some salt air.  He laughed but I was serious.

This is my mom, Delores.  She has been collecting antiques, refinishing and reselling them since I was a young girl.  Her grin is huge and so is mine as I look at this photo.  Not only do I love my mother, I love vintage oil paintings.   Another one of my goals, and it may be a lofty one, it to collect vintage oil paintings .....portraits and seascapes and European villages.

There is a crafty person itching to get out!  

I gather lots of gift's from the sea when I walk on the beach.  Drift wood for decorating is beautiful all on it's own, single pieces displayed on a shelve or bunches in a basket or terra cotta pot.  Because of it's ruggedness and earthy colors drift wood is stylish in making frames, candle holders and even containers for plants.    Sounds like a project?

Sea glass I can use for giving mirrors and picture frames, even boring signage some "bling"

Shells for jewelry, beach themed wreaths and other home decor

So, my goal here is to get in the studio and create for the beach-y person and their home.  A combination of cone shell jewelry ... pieces by Talia Gangini, Ivy Nickens and several of my own            
     
I want to sprinkle the world with sparkle and glitter.......


I have been collecting vintage jewelry since the 1980's when my mother gave me a fabulous set of matching rhinestone earrings and a necklace.  I have been inspired to create some unique jewelry most recently by a local designer, Jorie Spencer.  However, the enlightenment occurred after seeing Amy Hana's jewelry at the Remnants of the Past Vintage Show.  Check out Amy's blog @ www.amyhana.typepad.com

Oh!  The potential in this collection of mine.  Brooches that could be fashioned into necklaces, earrings into bracelets or sell them on their own.

California based Amy Hana and local girl, Jorie Spencer, have inspired me to try my hand at creating statement pieces with vintage jewelry.  I purchased these two necklaces from Jorie, buying both because I couldn't decided.  The rhinestone piece has a dangling mustard seed charm and the bottom piece is moonstone surrounded by rhinestones.  

My Secret Garden .....

The island flower for Maui is the Rose, or Lokelani.  My mother grows beautiful roses in California where the conditions are right. In Kihei, my home spot on Maui, you can grow a rose bush that will bloom.  We have nice cool evenings because of the frigid air that blows down from the slopes of Haleakala.  But because of our warm and sometimes hot days, 365 days a year, roses tend to get leggy and the blooms are small.  I will battle on to keep my roses vibrant....deep sigh.  In the meantime, I have grown to enjoy the stark beauty of a succulent.  I enjoy finding unusual containers for these hardy and fast growing plants.  My goal is to start planting succulents in the garden ....

A grouping of succulents I purchased at Walmart for $10...what a bargain.  I place the pot in a vintage French bucket I purchased at at Remnants of the Past Vintage Fair from French vendors who happen to be brothers.

Bird Baths in Kihei equal a breeding ground for mosquitos so I use them as planters.  This grouping is still growing.  Until it has filled in, I placed recycled plastic that looks like gems in the bare spots. You can find these at Whispering Pines Nursery in Orcutt, California....for those on the Central Coast.

I used this old mixing bowl for eons until an existing crack meant impending danger when whipping up some batter.   It has a new life as a plant container.

Sew Special ........

My sewing skills are so minuet, they're almost non-exsitant.  I want to learn to sew which may require some lessons.  My goals are simple .... I want to create pillows, curtains, tea towels and sachet pouches and possibly slip covers.  

Check out this beautiful grain sack pillow from Willow Decor 

I have burlap, ribbons, stencils and transfer art all ready to be used.

To jazz up my store and shop blog........

I'd need to take some photo classes.  I love taking pictures especially for my store. With today's technology, it's pretty simple.... my iPhone takes amazing photos.  But, I would like to learn about lightening and compostition.

And this is the reason why.... just look at this photo.  It's so dark.  These are the tools of my trade, my Nikon DX and the iPad I use for viewing the photos.

Batter Up!

 Okay, so I know baking doesn't fall into the Vintage category but I would be happier if I knew how to bake a decent cake. Dense cakes made with apples or pumpkin are easy for me.  But when it comes to a cake with a delicate nature, I fall flat and so does my cake.  Don't we love Julia Child?

Raspberries with Cream Frosting ..... Yum!

What does one do after a day of hard work?  Eats a piece of the most delightful cake and then she lounges.  Some one is dreaming.......In my case, I don't get enough of "lounging".  I need to start taking in more leisure time, to soak up the beauty of my home, garden and this beautiful island I live on.  I need to  linger in bed at times with a nice fluffly washcloth scented with lavender over my forehead and ignore my yellow lab, Ricki, who wants to play fetch no matter the time, day or night.  

How does one ignore a beautiful face like that?

Lastly.....

 Movies.......Maui Film Festival has two events a year.  Recently, my husband and I saw War Horse, The Descendants and The Iron Lady, all excellent movies.  But, I miss the romantic comedies that were innocent, not raunchy.  I miss Merchant Ivory films, rich and lush and magical films that seem unlikely but come across believable.  So, my goal is to start watching older films and ones I have at home.  By the way, two movies to look out for this year .... the remake of "The Great Gatsby" and "The Hobbit".

So, out with the Old and in with the New!  To make my blog more enjoyable to read, I will be posting once or twice a month instead of weekly.  This way, I can fine tune my postings and be certain my research, facts and spelling are correct.  As for Ooh La La, Maui! on Etsy .... the store will remain open.  Occasionally, I will move merchandise over to Ebay if it has been sitting too long.  If you are a Face Book follower ~ Ooh La La, Maui ~ you will receive notice when I do this.  The nice thing about Ebay is I start my merchandise at a lower "auction" price than the selling price on Etsy.  So, there is a very good chance something you like will cost you less on Ebay.  I love doing the contests but "less" may be "more" in this case.  And so my dear followers, one very last thing.....I appreciate your support here on my blog and also on Face Book.  A wonderful 2012 to all of you!