Collectibles Are Cool & So Are You!

Collectibles are cool… and so are you!

We are getting into a big travel season and the BIG gift giving season and so marrying those two can mean disaster or triumph! The way to triumph is always give with the person in mind.

So let’s say you have a big time collector on your list- what do they collect and how do you give this person a great addition to their collection. One way is to not be a mass market giver especially if you will be out of the region or area on a vacation. Vacations are big business for shoppers and can mean great deals and unique buying opportunities but only if you are wise and go into it with a game plan.

Things to think about are:

1. What does this person collect?

2. What is your price point?

3. Is this item truly unique?

For instance, if you are going to Mexico and the person you are thinking of buying for is a snow globe fanatic, this may not be the best buying opportunity to shop for this individual. But if you are going to Colorado instead, find that unique, vintage, or branded snow globes to add to this person’s collection. Try to stay away from the resort shops as they are stocked with mass market or resort-branded items as a high mark-up. If the person collects pins, Mexico may be a great place to find a one-of-a-kind handmade pin for the person on your list!

If you know you want to do something different this year, try making a list of people you want to buy for and if they have a collection so you won’t forget.

Also if you have little ones on your list, this could be a great tradition to start a collection. Do they have something they love or an interest you both share? This could be a great bonding experience and the both of you! Collecting can be fun and interesting but only if you have a game plan and you shop with the person in mind.


Happy Treasure Hunting!

If you have a story about collections and why they are cool, share them here. I’d love to hear from you!

So if you have a great collection of collectibles and now you need help displaying them for maximum value, check out this great information.

If you are looking for unique gifts and novelties... look no further! Check it out here! You won't be disappointed.

Love My Bedroom: Flower Edition

My second installment of “I Love My Bedroom” edition has to do with flowers. Don’t be afraid to add flowers and plants to your bedroom. One reason is they add beauty, life and personality to any space but flowers and plants are also good for your health; both mentally and physically. Flowers and plants are known for their air cleaning properties and for enriching environments with oxygen but additionally they can help add relief to mild depression and anxiety symptoms. So my advice is- go ahead... add flowers and plants to your décor.


It’s always good to add what you like, visually but how about seeing if certain plants exude certain moods and symbols and if that may help you decide which flowers and plants are best to add. Below is a short list of my top 5 favorites in no particular order. I’ll add more in upcoming posts.

Bamboo

The bamboo is the most popular plant in China and represents the spirit of summer. The bamboo is considered a gentleman with perfect virtues. The bamboo combines upright integrity with accommodating flexibility. It has the perfect balance of grace and strength, or the Yin and the Yang. When a storm comes, the bamboo bends with the wind. When the storm ceases, it resumes its upright position. Bamboo also symbolizes longevity, immortality and youth. Its ability to cope with adversity and still stand firmly without losing its original ground is inspirational.

Tulip
The flower symbolism associated with tulips is fame and perfect love. The symbolic meanings also change with the color of the tulips. Red tulips mean "believe me" and are a declaration of love. Variegated tulips mean "you have beautiful eyes." Yellow tulips mean "there's sunshine in your smile." And cream colored tulips mean "I will love you forever."

Calla Lily
The flower symbolism associated with the calla lily is magnificent beauty. Calla lilies are native to southern Africa. Associated with the sixth wedding anniversary. Calla lily is popular with painters because of its appealing and elegant shape. Home designers love its simplicity. A single calla lily placed in a long stem vase is a favorite of home decor. (This is my most favorite flower!)

Daffodil
The flower symbolism associated with the daffodil is regard, unrequited love, chivalry, sunshine, respect and the sun shines when I'm with you. Though the traditional daffodil of folklore, poetry, and field may have a yellow to golden-yellow color all over, both in the wild species and due to breeding, the daffodil may be variously colored

Sunflower
The flower symbolism associated with sunflowers is adoration. Sunflowers turn their heads to the sun, which is the origin of their common name. Sunflowers belong to the genus helianthus, a reference to Helios, the sun god. Cultivated sunflowers can reach an incredible twenty feet in height. Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants in the world, increasing in height up to one foot a day. These lofty heights have resulted in the sunflower being symbolic of haughtiness as well as adoration.

For those of you who have experimented with Flowers and Plants in the boudoir, comment and let us know know all about it.

For more information on more flowers not seen here, go to: http://livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowersymbolism.htm

Make mine SEXY!

Simple Sketch

This keepsake blog post is dedicated to the “I Love My Bedroom” edition because I do Love My Bedroom so I wanted to share ways to incorporate keepsakes into this highly revered space. So that got me to thinking… what kinds of really cool keepsakes can you keep in a bedroom and would want to keep in a bedroom? Well… that then got me to thinking of what are some of the creative things I’ve seen on tv or the internet that I could share with my readers and I’ve come up with some great ideas- One in which I am excited to share here with you all.



Stephen Colbert



Self-Portraits

Yeah, you heard me! Why not spruce up your space with a gaudy, over-the-top self-portrait and hang it somewhere unexpected (or totally expected- depending on your outlook). The idea came to me as I thought about Samantha’s nude self-portrait or Stephen Colbert’s self-portrait and how we could tame that beast and in the process create a great keepsake.

Andy Warhol Style Pets

My grandmother has a hand-painted self-portrait that was done by a cousin of mine for an exhibit he did on Black women in Cincinnati and I love that painting and I am sure I will have to fight my cousins to see who will get it after she passes- but as for now, I just admire it every time I am over there. Now, I wouldn’t keep a big painting of my grand ole grandma in the boudoir as it could do damage to the mood (wink, wink) but as a spark of genius- it would do fine in her bedroom.

So besides a painting, there are some cool ideas available to make this idea a reality and one you will treasure and your loved ones will treasure long after you are gone!

Cartoon or Caricature

• Sketch (black and white, pencil, really artsy and classic)

• Wood carving (gritty and skilled craftsmanship, long-lasting)

• DNA Imprint ( kinda weird but unique and a classic conversation piece)

• Andy Warhol Style (electric and vibrant, really fun and makes you smile)

• Cartoon or Caricature (if done tastefully, can be a fun addition to a fun décor)


These are just a few ideas. Get creative and make some memories. I know you can do it. If you create a great self-portrait, please share- I’d love to see what you’ve done!



DNA Imprints


Some links to help get your creative juices flowing- I got the pics used in this blog posts here as well.

http://michelleburnettart.blogspot.com/2010/11/self-sketch.html

http://cartoonpictures.ularsawah.com/2010/12/cartoon-photo-of-america-ferrera.html

http://www.dnaimprints.com/wall-art/portrait

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61257242/custom-andy-warhol-style-pet-portrait

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

This is a bit off topic, but I don't care. If I can be a part of saving a life, then I am happy that a random post make it on my site.

I was listening to talk radio here in my home town when the 2 guests from the hospital explained why they was on today. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and so I wanted to share with you, my readers what I learned today. Although I am not at risk for prostate cancer (being a woman and all), what I heard was alarming expecially as it relates to the Black community.

Prostate Cancer does not exhibit any early warning symptoms!!!! By the time a man exhibits symptoms, its about too late for any non-evasive treatment options to both save his life and preserve his "natural" sexual function! Fellas, yes- you read that right!

Men, please go get screened. It is a simple blood test and/or rectal exam. Trying to avoid the rectal exam is not worth killing yourself over.  Am I right, ladies? Who likes the pap smear? Its uncomfortable, embarrassing but necessary and so is the rectal exam. So stop being a big baby and bend over! take it like a man- save your life. Get screened today!

For more information, go to the Prostate Cancer Foundations website at http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5699537/k.BEF4/Home.htm

Thanks for the slight departure in topic!

Make a Mosaic as a Keepsake!

I am a big ole softy. I cry at sad commercials, emotional greeting cards and am a sucker for a gift given from the heart. Not all keepsakes are hand-made and as much as I treasure hand-made, I also treasure store bought. I am an equal opportunity giver and taker! This however is about something hand-made that should be totally reflective of the person to whom the gift will be given. We are talking mosaic artwork.

Don’t get scared, it is not as hard and time consuming as you think. It is quite simple buy makes a huge impact, IF DONE RIGHT! It should not only reflect the person who will receive the gift but should also reflect the occasion which is a great and important tie-in for a keepsake.

So reflect on not only the” who” but the “why”. Is this a house-warming gift or for a baby shower, or it is a birthday or anniversary gift? What does this person like; what is their ascetic, color palette or favorite thing? Where do you see this piece of art hanging; Kitchen, Living room, Bedroom, Office, Baby room??? Answering these questions will help you pick the perfect image to mosaic.

Is this the right gift for you to give? Only you can answer this question. But if you want a stunning, one-of-a kind, visual piece that can stand out as truly memorable art made by hand- you can’t go wrong with a modern mosaic. It is not too time consuming and not very expensive. For a quick how-to guide, check out http://bit.ly/qsxlJx.

If you make this for someone special, we would love to hear your story and their reaction- even share see a pic of your art work. You can share it here as a comment or on facebook (wow keepsakes) or via twitter (@wowkeepsake). We would love to see your amazing project!

Different Reasons Why We Collect Antiques

People have different motive for collecting collectibles and some can even turn into keepsakes or become a great gift idea for a loved one.


Some individuals collect antiques simply because of the sentimental value they place on the item. For example, my son owns a collection of baseball cards given to him by his grandfather, who has sense passed away. He doesn't watch baseball but will keep the as a reminder of his pa-pa. Sometimes, someone may own an antique business and as a by-product, they were able to collect many items which some many have been kept for themselves, making them a treasure trove vessel for fascinating and interesting items. These kinds of people will enjoy the restoration process involved but not just to sell but from the sheer satisfaction of the process.


Do you enjoy collecting vintage video games or used books, maybe even old vinyl records? This is a favorite of many. You could even get creative and collect them from all over the globe thanks for sites like ebay and paypal, which makes the online global marketplace accessible to everyone. Antique buffs enjoy the chase above all else. They enjoy searching by way of stores and old-fashioned shops all over the country seeking that specific as well as unusual item that they have been searching for.

Whereas, for a few adventurous souls the search is most important, as simply a pastime but they very rarely buy anything. He/she "window-shopping" and learning the back stories for them is all they need. It's really a lot of fun looking through antique retailers. Try it. You will be amazed if you don't believe me. But there are individuals who want to furnish their homes with antiques. Antiques of different time periods will usually work well together to make a beautiful home. So don't fret that part. Find stuff that you like.


There are other people however who deal in the commerce side antiques, buying and selling, which can be exciting. Some are pretty hard-core and aware of the value of pretty much everything. Their goal is to try to buy low and then sell high.


Collecting collectibles can be a wonderful experience and provide enjoyment for those of all ages.







 

Do you like a good treasure hunt?

Do you have some great memorabilia or treasured antique keepsake and are looking for companion pieces or want to make a set? Looking for a companion or complimentary piece for your treasured item can be a worthwhile undertaking. Finding such pieces can often result in an increase of value monetarily or personally.

There is not a centralized database or archive that is available for searchers to find searched or requested items. This poses a problem… take for example Princess Diana memorabilia. There were selected magazines that were in such demand after her ex death that they virtually were not even available for the company to reissue the issue and originally prints became highly valuable. Another example would be the initial print of Playboy in1953. Any issue in that year are now valued well over $12,000, even more if it's in mint-condition.

I say all this to say that what is really enjoyable is finding that great companion piece that adds value, and cohesiveness to your collected keepsake. It also tends to make a wonderful presentation and completion by adding it to, for example… an autograph that you cherish. Finding partner pieces can be as simple as going to a flee marketplace while on vacation, an area garage sale, an property auction or even a used book store. Keep in mind the particular special piece which you have and start searching for items which compliment or relate with it.

Here are some more examples… a just recently acquired pair of signed playing cards by Seated Bull and Anne Oakley which came from Buffalo Expenses Wild West Shows. They are complete with the necessary authenticated stamps and properly dated. They are valuable separately but given the history they shared and the connected to the shooting competitions they both competed in, together the monetary value grows along with the personal satisfaction from having such a collection.
So think about your treasured item and go looking for companion pieces. They are out there waiting to be discovered.

 

Intro to Scrapbooking...

Do you like to keep track of important events in your life? Would you like a way to capture those great times in your life in a centralized location?. You can do so by looking into making your own scrapbooking souvenir. It's so much fun and easy to do on your own some time and a fulfilling hobby to begin with on.

Don't know where to start… You won't need to get too anxious about making your very first scrapbooking keepsake. I am here to provide a lot of useful information on how to start. I'm going to give you ideas with regards to scrapbooking supplies as well as where to get them, processes on how to make styles, colors, and routines. First, you must decide on how you want your current scrapbook to look.

It's a depiction of you, very personal place where your memories are kept. Choose a colorful layout and/or cover. A good color choice is whatever color you are drawn to. These colors would usually be happy colors.

Start with a Good Intro! How about a title, maybe a cool poem that can connect to your current theme, some phrases of wisdom, popular quotation or even lyrics from your favorite song… It is also great to share personal feelings to make this keepsake even more special.

What to put in as part of your scrapbooking keepsake? The scrapbooking album should include items and momentos like your baby photos, childhood memories, holiday pictures of family members and/or trips, or paper items from specific occasions like wedding ceremonies, graduations, anniversaries and a lot more. The more images you put the better when helping to recording memories captured on film.

But stay within your theme, so it s better organized. Your pictures tell a story so place within the keepsake with high regard. Add significant wording and phrases beside the pictures to bring out important points.

You can make generic family scrapbook keepsakes so focus on themes, events, occasions or people. This can be done like:

• Create a separate scrapbooking recording in each stage of your life like your baby years, high school, etc…
• One could be an additional one for family trips
• Special occasions is a great suggestion for creating a keepsake
• You may make another one featuring your professional and/or personal achievements

You'd certainly have more occasions you'll want to remember than this list. These are just a short list to get you started thinking.

At some point you may want to capture memories of sad instances, so you can decide on your personal preferences if you want to keep this period as part of your scrapbooking experience. It is just a basic fact that not all reminiscences are about the pleasurable ones; there may also be sad and negative times and these are nevertheless part of your thoughts. Nonetheless, you may want to recall these sad at some point during your life after you have grieved. Suffice to state, your scrapbooking keepsakes can represents bits and pieces in your life that you have experienced as well as those precious moments luckily captured in images.

These are your beloved memories that would usually remind you of these unique times in your life. You'd recall beautiful reminiscences and think of those with affection of days long past. This is the purpose of your own scrapbooking keepsake. This keeps wonderful thoughts alive in your heart and mind.

Special Types of Keepsake Books

If you're searching for a keepsake that is unique and will be highly treasured well in to the future by friends and loved ones, then a keepsake book might be what you're looking for. Similar to scrapbook, keepsake books are filled with your thoughts, ideas, feelings, photos and personal thoughts. You are not limited to what you can develop and the finished reward will also be a one of a kind. The following tips should get you started on your journey to creating a unique and special keepsake for you and/or your loved ones.

• A child keepsake book.

These kinds of gifts make an excellent present for expectant mothers and for newborn babies. Even better, in case you are having a baby yourself. You can develop a baby keepsake book to jot down all your emotions, capturing the wide range of inner thoughts and emotions that lead up to the actual birth and there right after. Add clippings of the hair and hand/foot images to give it that exclusive personal touch. It is a special time for all expectant mothers and their family and friends, therefore ask your family and friends to put in writing some of their own feelings and thoughts.
By adding pictures, it is possible to create something of your time capsule that you could flick through in the many years ahead. As your baby grows up, start to add other momentos to it; such as their own first day at kindergarten as well as pictures of them playing with a first pet.

• A prom keepsake book

Whether it be for yourself or child, prom is a particular time for all which is somewhat of a passageway into adulthood. The prom is a highly regarded, special event that all high-schoolers (and their parents) look forward to. We all look back again fondly on our very own prom night and also think about how interesting it was. A record or album along with pictures of yourself, your date as well as the friends you made gives you something that will be cherished for the rest of your life. Have friends write down their own well wishes and you all move forward toward the next chapter in your life- adulthood!

• A relationship album keepsake book.

Having met someone special, this can an exciting time in your life. You can write about your emotions towards your mate, the dates you and them go on and express how it's meant to experience. Imagine the fun you can have by flipping through your keepsake album on your first or perhaps fiftieth anniversary as you look back to see how your connection started out. Taking into account, creating a keepsake album that will hold a unique place in both your own hearts is a very special way to remember those important touching moments.

I've shared with you 3 ideas to get you starting creating. Use them as they are or develop some ideas of your own by embellishing of expanding the ones I gave. There is no right or wrong ways to cherish and hold scared special memories. Regardless of whether keepsake books are generally for yourself or others, they are a gift that is sure to become cherished through the years.

Give Hand Crafted Gifts

Offering handmade gifts is one thing that should not be consumed lightly. Giving a thing that is handmade or even made special through an artist is a great encounter for both the recipient along with the giver.

• A gift that you just created yourself is truly extra-special!
• Hand-crafted presents can be totally different and totally unusual. 
• It's very improbable that you'd see any handmade things that you've received store of any popular big box store.

Handmade products have individuality along with originality causing them to be absolutely personal. This is what can make this type a gift any keepsake.


Often, men and women believe that it is a inconvenience to get presents coming from crafters, but with all the development in technology, it is all totally made easier for fascinated buyers. There are tons of sites where one can check distinct information and products about different types of projects. One of my preferred sites is Etsy.


In addition to this, you can find craft fairs throughout almost every city which showcases the abilities of local crafters. There's also local crafters clubs or perhaps organizations who more often than not hold fundraising and also other activities which can assist them to promote crafters and their particular goods.


Unfortunately, men and women sometimes reconsider acquiring hand-crafted items is that they are perceived as expensive. You can find talented craftspeople who are completely competitive with their price ranges. In order to compete with additional crafters, some artists will have lowered their costs to build and maintain patrons. Another good thing with regards to getting handmade gifts is the interaction using the crafters.


If you are into Going Green… This is definitely a vital when making your decision to get a handcrafted surprise item. There are also several studies and analysis showing that handmade gifts and projects are actually more environment friendly, since they were built using more traditional as well as natural methods. Handicrafts usually are manufactured in less quantity when compared to mass produced gifts. Mass produced items are usually made in factories which might be emitting large amounts regarding carbon monoxide and also have bad working conditions.


And finally, handmade crafts usually are top quality (choose your current crafter or crafted product carefully) and can actually transferred from one technology to another. This again is important when trying to produce a lasting keepsake memory. Handicrafts and handmade products are recognized as items with heartfelt meaning, which equates to the added benefit of creating a keepsake opportunity for your loved one.