I was first introduced to Anita from Rolling Hills Vintage in an Etsy article. I was blown away and so inspired by her! It was only natural to want to get her know her better. Read on to learn more about her vintage addition.

Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?

A: I work full-time as a nurse in a surgery center. Due to the economy, our center is only open 4 days a week. My hours are from 6am to 2:30 pm, Mon – Thurs. Once I get home from work and do the daily things that need to be done around the house, I take pictures, answer convos and browse through Etsy. Hopefully, I have a sale and I get it packaged up for the Post Office. Friday and Saturday mornings are spent going to estate sales and my favorite thrift shops. Once I’m home, more picture taking and research.

I have always loved vintage. My earliest memories are going through my Gramma’s
treasures and having her tell me about them. Fortunately, I married a man who also appreciates the perfect vintage item. We treasure the way things were made in the past. From pottery to furniture. No plastic for us!

My husband is an only child and when his mother passed away in 1997, she left an attic, a basement and the main floor of her house filled with the most wonderful items! She saved everything. We spent months sorting through it all. Not having room for everything in our home, we rented a space at an antique mall and started selling at vintage and antique fairs in the area.

I eventually discovered Etsy and opened two shops. My husband was ill and we could no longer keep up with going to the antique fairs or mall.

Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?

A: My favorite places to treasure hunt are estate sales. We live in a rural area, lots of old farm houses full of wonderful items! I have a favorite shop in our nearest town. The shop is called Yoshi Now. It is a huge warehouse in Fresno, CA, filled to the brim with everything you can imagine. The owner is Yoshi and he travels all over the area going to yard and estate sales. He brings everything back to the warehouse and sells at fabulous prices. He loves to bargain. He doesn’t clean anything up before it goes into the store. So, wear old clothes if you’re planning on visiting Yoshi.

Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting? How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?

A: I usually go through phases as to what I am looking for. Right now, I am hooked on vintage sewing items and antique tin toys. I have a passion for pottery and never pass up a good piece of Pyrex. Remember my motto, “No Plastic For Us.”

Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?

A: I keep some of my finds for awhile and eventually sell them. My family swears my house looks like an antique store. I’m usually sad when I sell something I really love but, I can’t keep everything and if I know my item is going to a good home, I’m a happy camper! I collect Fiesta and Bauer. I do sell the Bauer but, I don’t think I can ever sell a piece of Fiesta.

Q: Are there any items you’ve regretted selling and wish you would have kept for yourself?

A: I don’t like to go through my “sold” items in my shop. I remember where and when I found a great piece of vintage and think “Maybe I should have kept it.”

Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?

A: My best find…the one I am most proud of…last year my husband and I went to an estate sale. It was the second day and most everything was picked over. I saw a large hat box from Dobbs & Co. The person running the sale said it was $5.00. OK by me! When I went to purchase all of my items, she lowered the price of the hatbox to $3.00. I told my husband to take it to the car, don’t stop and don’t open it until you get it in the car. And…walk fast!!! Inside the box were 6 antique hats from the early 1900′s. I sold every one of them and regret not keeping two of them that I absolutely adored!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Anita in this special Tuesday edition in the Addicted To series. I hope everyone had an excellent Memorial Day holiday yesterday. And happy summer!

Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.

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