The “Hot” New CollectiblesWritten by Laura Thykeson - Owner of "Ice Originals II - Vintage Collectibles, Music and Jewelry"
A few months ago I wrote an article named “Signed vs. Unsigned - Buying Art, Pottery and Collectibles”. The basic premise of article was my own opinion about “Should you pay price for signed jewelry, art and collectibles, as opposed to buying what you love, whether signed or unsigned?”. Since writing that article, I have read in one of my many collectible newsletters and magazines that “hot” new collectible trend is buying unsigned and unknown artist and artisan items. I personally think this is great! Not only does it help collectibles market, in several different areas such as unsigned jewelry, studio art pottery and original artworks, who is to say what that “unknown artist” or unsigned item will someday be worth? Picasso received hardly any recognition while alive, but after his death, we all know where prices went on his works, straight through roof! If you are a collector, this is perfect time to start turning your buying trends towards unsigned items, or as yet, unknown makers. The prices are much lower than normal collectible names, as well as fact that no matter what market you are buying in - BUY WHAT YOU LOVE! This way, you don’t end up spending a fortune on an item that in five years may not even be considered a good collectible investment. Remember “Beanie Baby”© craze? Well, now there are tons of folks out there with mountains of “beanies” that they may have paid a small fortune for, and I sure hope they love them because that market is pretty much dead! The difference between paying $150.00 for a Beanie Baby© during insanity of craze feels much worse when bottom drops out of market, than spending $150.00 for a couple of beautiful art pottery bowls or vases, especially if you love look of items anyway. When you look at items that you purchased, ones that could possibly become not only valuable collectibles based on development of artist during their creating lifetime or at very least, loved heirlooms that are passed on in a family, this all begins to make a lot of sense. If you buy what appeals to you, you can never go wrong. It is my philosophy to by what is aesthetically and artistically appealing to me, is unique, and I could care less whether artist or maker is “known and listed” or not! Five years from now, I will not be crying over my purchase and money I spent, I will still be loving item as much when I purchased it, if not more! If it goes up in value, so much better. That is just a wonderful side fact that doesn’t even enter my mind at time of purchase. I buy because I like what I see, hear, feel, etc. Perhaps this is why so many are turning to unsigned and unmarked items, without quite as much emphasis on signatures or hallmarks. Sure it’s nice to own a full parure of Miriam Haskell jewelry. But, I am more content with an unsigned, unique sterling pin for a fraction of price, that I can actually wear and show off for a fraction of price I would have paid for Haskell name.
| | Scrapbooking the Dizzying Movies of ToddlersWritten by Fion Lim
Toddlers are highly energetic life forces. Between infancy and kindergarten school days, your toddler is often fully involved in massive actions and activities. Sometimes, your kid hardly let you slow down enough to take a deep breath before he or she is off to another "movie" stunt. One moment, your toddler is angelic little kid with great innocence, and within seconds he or she has morphed into a bundle of horror! Such spirited and tireless days are mixed up with endless explorations, comical episodes and crazy chaos. It's all these exasperating, frustrating, endearing in-between moments, that make their ways into your scrapbook pages as little movies starring your precious toddler. Would you swap such unforgettable moments with any other? Probably not. Hence, scrapbook these experiences before they're gone in a flash. One minute your toddler is two, next is four, and before you know it, you'll be asking yourself, "Where has my little girl/boy gone to?" Besides letting photos take center stage in your scrapbook, don't miss out all-important aspect of journaling. With just right caption, star-quality of a page will shine forth even with very little embellishments. Quick, grab your ever-ready camera and capture as many amazing scenes as you could of your little hero or heroine in lastest escapade! Camera 1,2,3! The camera has started rolling... A) "A Day in Life of Toddler" Dedicate a page to a typical day of your kid's life. Toddlers are busy human beings. Document their daily activities by chronicling their routine for a day. If you faithfully scrapbook such a theme over years, you can even spot changes that have transformed over years. B) "Can't Live Without Bedtime Stories" Toddlers can be such devoted lovers of stories. You've probably lost count of number of times you recited same stories over and over again. But to your toddler, it's as if he or she is listening to story for very first time. When a bedtime story seized your child's heart, there's no letting matter rest until he or she gets her way. Take pictures of your boy or girl flipping through storybooks, staring intently at pages, or together with daddy reading a story to your kid. A page recording your toddler's enthralling and favorite bedtime stories deserves a place in your scrapbook. C) "Scary Eating Episodes" Eating is usually a messy, messy affair when it involves toddlers, especially when left on their own. There's basically no sense of etiquette to speak of. It's a case of dunking their dirty faces into bowls or plates, with sauces smearing all over their faces, and food scraps scattered all over tables and floors. Yet, way your kid eats make a dish appeared to totally delicious. Consider doing a page on your boy’s step-by-step process of devouring a plate of spaghetti, or your girl curiously sampling different food or snacks as a food critic. D) "Mini Home Destroyer" To satisfy their innate curiosity of their worlds, toddler left behind home wrecks in their trails. Toppling over a box of cereals and scattering hundreds of pieces on kitchen floor, scribbling markers crazily on chairs and walls, strewing books and toys all over place without a care in world, Toddlers are capable of so much more. And when they partnered up with their sibling in crimes, it triples destruction. Of course, you rather cry than laugh at that point in time. But these will turn into funny stories on hindsight. So yes, put down mischievous exploits of your toddler too.
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