I am thrilled to have Holly from The Pink Rose Cottage join us here today. Holly has a beautiful website, and she is also the founding member and current President of the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club.
Holly is a an avid collector of vintage tablecloths. She loves the colorful designs and the material, as they stand the test of time more then anything produced today. “Even though they’re homey”, says Holly, “Everyday pieces are my favorites. I also love fine linens, from Irish damask to Madeira to beautiful hand made embroidered pieces”.
Holly’s newest love is vintage silver. “I love how you can have two different looks from on fine piece” says Holly. “Shiny for special occasions, Christmas for a more formal look, and tarnished. The beautiful dark patina is warm and cozy, and delightfully shabby chic”.
Here’s a little Q & A session I had with Holly recently:
When did you begin your website?
I began my website about 2 years ago. Before then I sold on eBay for about 10 years.
What types of items do you sell?
I sell mostly vintage and antique items. I sell only things that I would be happy to use and display in my own home. My taste is eclectic. I love things from the Victorian Era through the 1950’s. I do my best to blend the styles and make appealing vignettes. It’s my goal to offer interesting selections of items that appeal to a variety of tastes and styles. Sometimes this is easily done with the same piece, like vintage and antique silver.
The majority of silver I sell I polish before listing. It brings back the classic, formal design and sparkling look that is very appealing. In addition, it allows me to see any flaws and occasionally I find a little treat, like a monogram or hidden makers mark. Of course there are many that prefer the shabby, cozy look of tarnished silver. It’s an understated touch of elegance. So items that have a gorgeous, even patina are usually left as is. Silver is wonderfully diverse as it is interchangeable. Just takes either time or elbow grease to achieve that different look, letting the designer choose between shabby or shiny.
Also offered at The Pink Rose Cottage is hand painted china ~ delicate and beautiful little extras that add a softness to any room. There are teacups and teapots for that relaxing time of your day. Vanity items such as powder compacts, vanity jars, and vanity trays are useable and beautiful too. Kitchen items bring memories of grandma. There are cookie cutters, Post 86 Fiestaware, potholders and more. Holiday items from Easter to Christmas are always special and invoke memories.
I also sell one of my great loves, vintage linens! There is something so inviting and warm about linens. While some are formal and some are homey, they just bring charisma to any home and in any setting. Unless otherwise stated, my linens are soaked and hand washed before being offered on my site. They come to you fresh and ready to use. I take great care in preparing my linens. I used only the most careful method of cleaning and stain removal. No bleach or starch is ever used, so these wonderful pieces of history can last a long time.
I’m always looking for something different and unique to offer on my site. It’s the little extras that people add to there homes that make it so cottage cozy!
Where do you find your items?
My favorite way to spend a weekend is treasure hunting. I love estate sales, yard sales, rummage sales and thrift stores. I love older items because charm and history is intertwined. I’ve made lots of contacts and friends during all my years of collecting and selling. This makes the “hunt” all the more fun!
What inspires you?
Each item I find is a treasure. I’m inspired when I hold an older, previously owned and used piece. I think about the women who have used it before, what their daily life was like, how they decorated their home, and if the piece made them smile as much as it does me.
While I love finding mint items, the used pieces have more of an essence, a history, a story we may never know. Not only is it a gift to our homes, it’s a gift to our imaginations!
..Vintage Tablecloths Lovers Club..
Holly is also the founding member and current President of the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club, and here’s how she describes it…
We have the only searchable tablecloth database for tablecloth id. We have bi-weekly reports of current selling trends (both vintage tablecloths and vintage tea towels), an active chat board, and themed tables cape contests. It's a great group of collectors! Something about people who love to have beautiful linens and set an attractive table...Just the nicest, warmest, homey people! In the summer of 2002, a group of linen obsessed ladies formed The Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club. Each had been drawn together by their mutual love and appreciation for the vintage printed tablecloths of the 1930's-1960's. As they shared their collections, they also shared their knowledge and realized that if they pooled their resources an important part of American history would be preserved. And thus the club was born!
After eight years we are still going strong. Promoting the education and appreciation of these textile treasures, we have a vibrant thriving membership that has fun sharing our unusual hobby and making friends that will last a lifetime. The VTLC provides numerous resources benefiting all types - from the casual hobbyist to the rabid collector.
We share everything from pictures of our collections to sales trends in the marketplace to articles researched and written by members. A source of great pride for the club is our Tablecloth Identification Database (the only one of its kind on the web!) featuring over 500 tablecloths and counting! Compiled for members, by members, this invaluable resource is great for identifying a new cloth or just for paging through with a cup of tea! The club is non-profit.....and all fun! Our current membership is between 130 - 150 members.
Holly recently purchased many, many estate items that she’s still working on getting sorted and organized. There are lots of beautiful English teacups, vanity items, vintage jewelry, hand painted china, silver pieces, and linens of all kinds. You’ll want to keep an eye on her website for these treasures!
Plus, Holly offers great tips on how to clean silver on her website.
I hope you’ll take a moment to visit Holly’s website, The Pink Rose Cottage, as well as her Blog.
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