After a long hiatus, the Addicted To series is BACK in action! I’ve got some fabulous interviews lined up and I do hope you’ll tag along.

We’re going to kick off the series’ return with an interview with the lovely Anna from Etsy shop Revolving Styles!

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: My name is Anna and I’m a loud, outgoing, 28 year old with one son and a daughter due in mid-May. I received a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and a M.A. in teaching from UC Irvine (yes, I am a UC product) and taught seventh grade for 4 years before my son was born. My husband and I decided that having me stay at home and raise our son would be more important and beneficial to our family than me teaching, so about 10 months after my son was born, I decided to start my vintage Etsy shop and it has been a blast! I’ve always loved clothes and old Elvis and Audrey Hepburn movies, so this has definitely been fun! The best part is I get to work from home and raise my amazing son. I definitely feel blessed, but don’t be fooled! I have never been more tired in my life!

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

A: I definitely have a handful of spots that never let me down. I don’t mind sharing 2 of them — the Long Beach flea market and the Alameda Antiques Fair. I live close to Long Beach so I try to make a trip every month. As for the Alameda antiques fair, that’s about 6 hours north of me, but my family lives by there, so I plan trips every 2-3 months or so revolving around when the antique fair occurs. Great daughter, huh? The other treasure hunting spots are my little secret!

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 realized a couple of months ago that my shop picks were becoming quite one dimensional — 1950s dresses, which are my favorite. Since then, I decided to broaden my picks to items that are flattering to a woman’s body and can be incorporated with pieces from today because in the end, I do have a business to run and I want to reach as many viewers as possible, while staying true to what I like. (hope that makes sense) But, I still have a weak spot for the 1950s :)

Also, I don’t mind picking items that need a little TLC, especially from the flea market because those items’ prices are more negotiable and such a better deal and I love restoring vintage pieces!

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: Wow, this question makes me feel like I’m in an interrogation room. haha. Honestly, when I wasn’t pregnant, I would keep more finds and not tell my husband, because he sees this as strictly business, but I see it as pleasure and business! Yikes, hope he doesn’t read this. I have built up quite a collection of 1950s, 60s dresses and 70s button up shirts that I’m afraid I will not be able to fit into for a while, or forever!

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

A: There are actually 2 little black dresses that I sold in February that I look back on very often and just wonder! But, because I was pregnant at the time and the dress sizes were small, I let them go, but never got to try them on. My big regrets! Here and here.

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

A: This question has me stumped! I can’t say I have any weird ones (except for some jumpsuits I modeled when I opened my shop, but let’s not go there) so I am going to describe my most satisfying find. It was this 1920s white lace wedding dress because the previous owner sold it to me at such a low price because it was damaged and she had no idea how to fix it. After a little soaking and restoring, the lace came out remarkably and I sold it to someone who wore it as their wedding dress! I definitely was smiling a lot that day!

Thanks so much to Anna, for letting us get to know you a bit better. And make sure to check back next Monday for the next installment of the Addicted To series!

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.

Today’s interview subject, Sarah from Mouse Trap Vintage, offers up an eclectic group of vintage clothing, housewares, and oddities. But perhaps some of my favorite treasures in her shop are the City and Country Mouse Pins which are frequently made out of vintage and recycled fabric. If you’d like to learn more about Sarah (and I’m quite certain you do!), read on:

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 have been selling on Etsy part-time for about 2 years. I also work full-time as an Admissions Counselor at Moore College of Art & Design, my alma mater, and am a member of the Midwives Collective & Gallery, an art collective and cooperative gallery for women. I am a busy lady who is about to free up her schedule to make room for more vintage and my budding textile and home design company, SquidWhale Designs, when I go part-time at Moore in September. Woot!

I began working in my family-owned record shop when I was 11. The record store was in a “dirt mall” and behind that “dirt mall” was a true flea market with cardboard boxes full of dusty old treasures to rifle through. I started buying young, decorating my bedroom and myself. The rest is history.

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

A: I am a flea market girl. My favorite is The Golden Nugget in Lambersville, NJ. It’s an outdoor market open year round. I love going in the middle of the winter, very early in the morning. You have the whole place to yourself.

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 love very old, one-of-a-kind handmade objects or clothing and folk art. The more amateur the maker, the better. I am currently planning my Depression-era hobo-themed wedding, so items from the late 1920s and 1930s are of particular interest to me right now. I am also very attracted to the color red. It’s becoming the unofficial theme of my shop.

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: My apartment is pretty full, but I do keep very select items. My most realized collection is of 1930s and 1940s dresses, but I have many, many starts to collections. Yesterday I was shooting a pair of figurines for the shop, an elephant and a mouse, from 1940s Japan with matching red bowties. Just before listing I decided that animal figurines with red bowties will be my new collection. My last short-lived obsession was hand-sewn humpty dumpty stuffed dolls. I have three so far. Someday I will commit to something, but for now there’s too many things to love!

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

A: A handmade leather horse brooch with straw hair and wooden bead legs. I wear a lot of brooches, but this one I would have displayed.

I have come to love the process of photographing objects and clothing. It’s almost as satisfying capturing them this way and filing them away in my digital archives than it is to own them. It also takes up less space.

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

A: I think the weirdest thing I have ever found is this jar of dental implants. I found it at a flea market that happens monthly in my neighborhood and all you readers can buy it right now in my shop. I like things that are gross, but fascinating. Fortunately, there’s other people out there who do, too.

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.

Etsy’s Vintage Market Team is having a sale through May 8th! “Saving the world from mundane design, one vintage item at a time.” Just search Etsy under the “vintage” drop down tab for “vmteamspring” and “vmteam” for Vintage Market Team items and members and visit their event page for a list of some of the participating shops. See individual shops for specific sale terms and conditions.

[Photo of jhermann's Vintage Framed Silhoutee for sale via the VMteam]

Beth’s vintage addiction runs deep. In fact, her Etsy shop Gypsy Fish Studio is just a small part of her addiction — she also runs a monthly vintage market, and even used to own a vintage B&M shop! She’s found her calling in life and ain’t stoppin’ any time soon. Read on…

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 think what best describes me is a creative and artistic soul with a passion for vintage. I’ve always been a collector of cool things, mostly family pieces that no one wanted but I couldn’t bare to throw away. Then I began “junkin’.” Mostly out of necessity when I first moved out on my own. I started with pots, pans and all the staples one needs. Then evolved into the furnishing for my very own place. My first apartment was a small studio in a 100 yr old house. There’s just something about old “stuff,” even old houses. Originally I only picked for myself. I love to design my rooms around my vintage pieces using different styles and eras. Just mixing it all up and making it work. Fast forward several apartments, college, a husband, kids, house, 20 or so years and a few thousand junkin’ excursions later, I decided to start selling my wares and share my eclectic style. I opened a few booths in local co-ops then eventually graduated to my very own store. It had always been my dream, It was the most amazing and educational experience of my life. It was a huge pivotal part of bringing me to where I am today. It helped to wake up my soul and face it in the right direction. Due to time constraints, eventually I closed the brick and mortar shop and moved the goods home selling mostly online. It’s finally all in place and balance, now I can really concentrate on what I love, making art, displays, and picking. As well as my online store, I run a monthly Gypsy Barn Market with my close friend Jill and travel with my wares to shows incorporating all the things I adore. As for making this my full-time gig, I would love to say that yes, this is full-time for me, however, there is the necessary job (I am a teaching assistant for a local school) but on the off months…it’s all about the hunt for treasures!

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

A: Where do I shop…well, in the beginning nothing could stop me and my “BFF” from waking at the crack of dawn and sneaking out before out kids and hubbies woke up to search down the perfect yard sale. Then we would hit all the local thrift shops on the way home. I have to say yard sales are the ultimate treasure hunt. Exploring new neighborhoods and meeting new people is very inspiring to me. But, nothing can beat a good hot, sticky, grungy day at the flea market. Now, that is heaven to me. Not only the finds but the cast of characters and the thrill of haggling down to a great price. I have a few that I haunt regularly but basically I’m up for attacking any field of treasures armed with my granny cart, measuring tape, sunglasses and bottled water.

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: Now, when it comes to decisions on what to buy….I’m not quite sure how it happens. Maybe it’s psychometry, maybe it’s just the feel of old worn patina that gets my imagination whirring and wondering, who used this, how long was this passed down until it was discarded, why didn’t anybody else want it? But, for some reason they do speak to me, screaming pick me pick me!

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: Well, honestly I used to keep just about everything, before I started selling but now I mostly sell it all……ha! Who am I kidding, I still have to keep at least one thing from just about every excursion. I am becoming a bit more selective though (although my husband will disagree). I’ve also found if there’s two or more of something, buy them both, then you can keep one for yourself and you won’t ever regret selling it. As for collections, hmmm just about everything I have is a collection of sorts. I do have a strange affinity for “things to put things in.” I love finding strange vessels to put odds and ends in….the funkier the better. I also have gathered a huge collection of jewelry findings, funky, rusty keys, and architectural salvage…which now feeds my new passion for making art jewelry pieces. Thanks to an awesome soldering class I took this past summer.

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

A: I don’t know if this is the strangest thing I ever purchased but I can tell you it’s the dumbest thing I ever purchased…and I didn’t even mean to do it. I was at a very fast paced outdoor auction. The caller was going a mile a minute, it was crowded, there were big burly guys holding up each piece when it went up for sale, and more big burly guys tossing it to the side after it sold. So , I had my eye on this amazing white iron bench. I spied it right through the crowd. I’m only 5ft tall on a good day, so I zipped right through to check it out. It was divine! A white, chippy, scrolly, vintage iron garden piece. A big guy was holding it. Oooooh that meant it was next! I kept my eyes focused on it, I had to have it. Then I heard the auctioneer start. No one was bidding except one other guy, so I jumped right in and bammmm $17.50! “Can you believe it I got it for only 17.50?” I said to my friend. She said, “no you idiot you got that broken office chair!” Ugh! Then I realized the other burly guys were holding that piece and now I knew why no one else was bidding…..DUNCE! Needless to say the bench went super high and I didn’t get it!

Things are ever evolving for me, I just run with it and know that I will always get where I’m going. I just have to buckle up for the ride.

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.

I’m so pleased to bring you another Addicted To interview based on your nominations! Delia is the almost-namesake behind Ameelia Bedelia. Just like Delia, I also abide by the motto “the dirtier the better” when it comes to estate sales, so I identify with her vintage inclinations 100%. Read on to learn more about her vintage addiction.

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’ve always been a treasure hunter. Since I could shop on my own, I was sifting through thrift stores looking for that perfect velvet blazer or vintage blouse. I think my dad’s love of old movies may have influenced my obsession with mid century décor and style. I’ve also been a bibliophile my entire life and there’s just something about turning the pages of a nineteenth century novel that gives me butterflies in my stomach. I think what I love the most is being able to hold a little piece of history. About a year ago I somehow stumbled upon Etsy and realized that I could take something I already do and make it into something I could share with other people. I barely have enough time to sneeze at the moment, as I am trying to finish a full-time graduate degree; so my shop remains a hobby. A hobby, nonetheless, that keeps me sane when the nights are long and the papers are due the next morning.

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

A: I think I get the most pleasure out of estate sales. I’m a die-hard thrifter, but there’s just something different about digging through a dark, musty attic or basement and finding something you would absolutely never see on a shelf in a regular store. Quite honestly, the dirtier the sale, the better, if that makes any sense. When you’ve found something at the bottom of a box that is covered in decades of grime, it just makes it that much more satisfying when you take it home and clean it up and it turns out to be a simply amazing treasure! I’ve also been known to frequent garage sales here and there, which I’ve been doing since I was little; my grandma and I would circle the ones we wanted to go to in the local paper and spend the mornings hitting each one. Visiting thrift shops outside your normal comfort zone is always a good idea too. Rural areas, for example, often have a very different selection than your local thrift store down the block. Taking the time to drive a few hours out of town can sometimes yield the best finds.

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 have a pretty good idea of what I want and what I am looking for wherever I go. I’ve gotten pretty good at scanning. Whether you’re at a thrift store or an estate sale, if you pass something up the first time, it may not be there when you circle back around. I mostly try to stock my shop with items from the 1940’s-60’s. I have a weakness for mid century dishes, restaurant ware especially, and vintage fabric, sheets, pillowcases, etc. I love the happiness of the pastel colors from this era and am drawn to anything blue or green. I generally don’t buy items that are damaged, unless they are extremely unique. I sell things in my shop that I would be proud to use in my own home, so I try to stay away from objects with cracks or stains. I don’t look for items that I think will sell, I look for items that I love.

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: Heh….let’s just say that my house is filled with things I have kept. Since I have an alter ego who is crazy about organizing, I generally try to recycle things through my shop as I find new treasures. I try to keep my house simple, which is often hard to do when it’s overflowing with pyrex and doilies. My decorating style incorporates vintage pieces everywhere you look, mostly functional. As my organizing side would attest, I have a penchant for canisters, or any sort of antique storage device that can hold and/or organize my stuff in style. Collection? Hmm….I have a budding collection of: Homer Laughlin dinnerware that I am always looking to add to, volumes of 19th century children’s books with amazing illustrations, old fashioned star-printed ball juice glasses which I use for wine and grab every time I see, blue mason jars, antique refrigerator dishes, old hand-embroidered flour sack towels….those are just a few that come to mind.

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

A: Actually, no. I’ve only ever put up an item for sale once that I was unsure of, and ended up deactivating it and keeping it for myself before anyone bought it. I take a lot of pleasure in being able to help someone add to their collection or find that perfect piece to make their home a happier place. I probably keep at least one thing from every hunting trip I make, so I try to live with no regrets.

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

A: Most satisfying find has to be my gorgeous, leather bound English-Italian dictionary published in 1820. It has perfectly worn gold scrollwork on the binding, delicately faded pages and stunning print. Each page you turn makes you think about the person who used it almost 200 years ago…

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.

[Photo courtesy of MyVintageVogue]

We want to know, what’s your favorite Etsy vintage shop…other than your own? Here’s your chance to pimp your pals and share the wealth with your fellow vintage addicts. Your favorite Etsy vintage shop may become a future-featured Fave Shop of the week right here at My Vintage Addiction!

Time to spill folks! Tell us who they are & why you love ‘em in the comments, below.

[Follow my blog with bloglovin]

Drama, passion, and glamour…those words describe the atmosphere of FabGabs Vintage on Etsy. Julie from Fab Gabs is vintage through-and-through. Read on to learn more about her business and her life.

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: Vintage is full-time for me. As a life-style and a business, actually. I used to sell vintage and out of print children’s books, and then somehow transitioned and found myself selling vintage clothing instead! I’d dabbled in it before, done a show or two with other vintage partners-in-crime, but sometime around early 2008 I realized that there were no books on the shelves and all my racks were full to bursting. It makes sense – I’ve been wearing vintage one way or another since high school, and it is what I know and love best.

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

A: I have a few places in town that I know I can go to and find at least two or three fantastic things. Not thrift stores, and not the best secret in Portland, either, but I do tend to be a bit closed mouthed about where I shop. Of course, I prefer private purchase when I can arrange it!

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: My own personal tastes run to WWII era sophistication and sassy rockabilly wear, and if I’m having to sift a pile for keepers, those styles take precedence. But anything that is flattering, fun, sexy or sweet from the 30’s to early 60’s is likely to grab my eye. If an item is outside my normal style or the mood of the shop, then yes, it HAS to speak to me.

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 a lot of what I find. Unless an item is truly valuable, or I invested more heavily than average in it, there’s no reason I shouldn’t get first dibs on the stuff I love! My personal clothing controls all the closets a three-bedroom house and some storage area besides. In particular, I adore my selection of smart late 30’s and early 40’s tilt and topper hats. ALL of my clothing is vintage so really, it is less a collection and more simply my wardrobe!

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

A: Oh, what seller can’t say that! There’s a chartreuse and purple sheer seersucker dress owned by a regular customer that I still smart over, and that’s been two years or so now! And this amazing black sequined wiggle dress with a jagged neckline – 1950s, absolutely couture quality. I still can’t believe I parted with it.

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

A: Pick one? Do I have to? Okay, well, valuable then – although the estate on the whole was the most satisfying purchase I’ve made yet. I helped clean out an estate of a very elderly woman who used to sell vintage in Southern California. In her very crowded, dilapidated house was a chest with her finest pieces, one of those being a transitional piece between Edwardian and 1920’s flapper fashion. The black silk underdress was fitted, and features a gathered side drape almost like a 50’s cocktail gown. It had bouquets of handmade silk and metallic roses at the shoulders. The cream tambour lace overlay was straight and almost shapeless with a dropped waist. It had matching handmade flowers as well. Absolutely out of sight. When it sold, it sold on (ugh, ebay) for something in the range of $900. (Luckily, to a clothes collector, as I learned later that the runner up takes apart antique garments to refashion them into these fairly ugly and very expensive woven scarves.) Several times I’ve wished I had it to put on my pretty model. It would have fit her perfectly and the photos would be such treasures to keep, to remind me of it!

I hope you enjoyed reading all about Julie of Fab Gabs and her vintage addiction. And it’s great to be able to put a face with a name, right? Well, Julie is the dark-haired model in the first two photos above!

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.

Recently, I was lucky enough to interview Jared, one half of the dynamic duo that runs Topsy Design on Etsy. I really enjoyed this interview because Topsy was a bit of a mystery to me beforehand: the shop always had amazing finds, but I didn’t know much about who was behind them.  Well, this interview blew the doors right off the mystery and now I feel like I have wonderful insight into the lives and vintage philosophy of Jared and Sam. Won’t you read on, and get to know them like I have…

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: We are a young couple who moved from Brooklyn to LA one year ago.  Samantha is an actress.  I am a filmmaker.  In fact, we’ve made three commercials for Topsy, such as What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body? which stars Sam.

It’s hard to say how we got started, first we bought vintage clothes and furniture for ourselves.  Then our friends started asking us to dress them or style a photo shoot – like this one: Freckles.  So opening a store just seemed like a logical next step.  At first we wanted to rent a storefront and live in the back.  But zoning, legal, and budgetary issues got in the way.  So we decided to be online only, which is so much better.  It gives us a much larger platform to communicate from.  We sell to people all over the globe, not just in Southern California.  And we keep our costs down.

One thing I love about Etsy is that people don’t just go there to buy.  They also go to make treasuries, heart objects, and browse the stores.  I don’t want to just sell items, I want to communicate with an audience who’s as interested in objects as I am.  Not everyone can afford our pieces, but everyone can enjoy looking at our finds and hopefully find inspiration for their own style.  That’s why we have a blog, videos, a flickr, and a facebook page.  We don’t just want to sell, we want to communicate.

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

A: We really don’t have any favorite spots for buying stuff.  We do have a theory though.  You have to find an area that has a strong cultural and economic heritage but is now depressed.  Areas where the youngest generation isn’t interested in grandma and grandpas’ clothes and furniture.  In these places, you’ll often find great charity shops.  We love knowing that our purchases go to charity.  And when someone buys from us, they should know that we funnel that money back into our art.  So there’s no corporate profit motive at any place in our food chain.  It’s just about finding cast off treasures, and then elevating them, so that people can see how wonderful they are.

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: We definitely have an aesthetic and a philosophy.  We are interested in outsider design: vernacular, folk, and accidental design as well as early-industrial American made goods.  We don’t care about high-end design, high-end fashion, famous brand names, or the mainstream history of design.  We care about homemade goods, accidental art, and rugged industrial American-made goods that are built to last.  We find kitsch and camp to be distractions from the real world.  Nor do we like fashionable style or objects meant to make the owner look rich and cool.  We hope that our objects are an antidote to the cool new thing.  They should be a reminder that some things last forever and are not designed by fashionable elites but by the people who need them.  We find beauty in modesty and craftsmanship.  An Indian blanket or a wool shirt doesn’t come from fashion, it comes from tradition and necessity.  Greil Marcus described the Anthology of American Folk Music as showing us: The Old Weird America.  I think that is what we are on the hunt for.

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: Everything in our house, except the electronics, is vintage.  All our clothes, all our furniture, even most of our kitchen.  So yes we do keep things.  Luckily for me, I’m 5 feet 7 so most of the men’s stuff is too big for me.  Everything looks good on Sam, so that can sometimes be a problem.  But she’s very good at knowing when too much is too much.  We are not hoarders or collectors and we don’t want to own a lot of stuff.  We just want to own good stuff.

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

A: There are things that I regret selling.  Right now, I miss this monkey the most, probably because it has a face.

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

A: My favorite find, right now?  This leather mask.  I’d love to know who made it and why.  Or maybe this elephant’s foot.  Man, sometimes you really hope that certain items don’t sell.  But in the end, paying the rent’s gotta come first.

Thank you, Jared, for sharing what vintage is all about to you! Readers, stop by Topsy Design on Etsy or their blog to browse their treasures!

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.

We have gorgeous vintage clothing and accessories to lust over this week, my dear friends! Say an advance apology to your checking accounts, and read on to learn about how Desirée, the shop owner behind Prance And Swagger, found herself selling vintage clothing full-time on Etsy.

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: Hello lovely readers!!! My name is Desirée and I am a full time vintage clothing seller. It started as a hobby and a way to supplement my income in my early 20′s. In 2004, when I was 24, I spent a summer working a very demanding, unfulfilling waitressing job in Grand Teton National Park. I was worn out when I came back to Portland. I didn’t want to work for anyone ever again. I started wondering if I could make selling vintage clothing into my full time job….. and I haven’t worked for anyone but myself ever since. I tried so many different avenues for selling vintage clothing in the six years since I made the decision to work for myself…. Etsy has been the best outlet yet.

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

A: Top secret of course! And I’m sure any vintage clothing seller will tell you the same. It’s a very competitive and secretive business. I’m not really the competitive type, but a girl’s always got to have her secrets!! My not-so-top-secret favorite spots are Value Villages. So much better than Goodwills and still very well priced. They also give you a 20% off coupon when you make a donation.

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 want to maintain a certain level of quality in my shop that my customers can rely on. There’s a ton of vintage out there, but only a small percentage of it is well made and lovingly, thoughtfully designed. That small percentage is what I want. I’ll generally pass on anything that seems cheap or just plain ordinary. I don’t want to fill my shop with things that anyone can go into a thrift store any day of the week and find for their selves. That is my job. That is why people come to my store. I spend a huge amount of my life in thrift stores sifting through all the garbage to find those rare, extraordinary pieces so that they don’t have to!

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 really don’t keep much of what I find. I used to, but at some point my closet and house reached maximum overload. Now I only keep things that are really nice quality, perfect condition, and fit me perfectly. As far as collections go, I definitely have a huge collection of records and shoes!

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

A: Oh, SO many. A lot from when I was younger and had much less money. I’d sell really amazing stuff just to make rent. And the real crime is that Etsy wasn’t around back then, so I was selling to vintage resale stores who gave me very little money for some of the most valuable stuff I had…… and because I was young, dumb, and broke, I had to accept it! One sweet story I have is from when I was 22…. I was really REALLY into the early Who albums at the time and I found a really amazing Who concert shirt with this incredible graphic on the front of it of the 4 boys all asleep under a Union Jack flag. Again, because I was broke, I sold it for rent money because I knew it was pretty valuable. I regretted it (and regretted it, and regretted it) so bad. I wouldn’t shut up about it. On my birthday I opened up a present from my best friend… it was the shirt! She had gone back to the store and bought it for me. So sweet. I never wear it anymore, but I will keep that one forever.

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

A: I once turned a $1 pair of vintage 1942 Levis into $1,200! That was years ago… I wish that would happen again! One really amazing find was a pair of Peter Max tennis shoes from the early 60′s. I had no idea Peter Max had been commissioned to design shoes back then. They were really incredible, just totally covered in Peter Max’s signature psychedelic paintings.

Thanks, Desirée! I think we’re all going to be dreaming about turning $1 into $1,200 now! Stop by Prance and Swagger to check out some of Desirée’s latest finds.

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.

We love it when our fellow Vintage Addicts share their finds with us! After hearing the buzz on Retrivertigo‘s major score, I asked her to give our readers a sneak peek. Read on to learn more about this amazing set of pink Samsonite luggage.

Name that find. What is it?
Two extremely rare, spotless vintage PINK Samsonite suitcases in their original boxes circa 1949. Manufactured by Shwayder Bros., Inc.

SPECS:
* No. 5221 Fashiontone “Ladies’ O’Nite (Regular)” in Pink Copper — aprx 12 1/4″ x 21″ x 7 1/2″
* No. 5251 Fashiontone “Ladies’ Wardrobe” in Pink Copper — aprx 17 1/2″ x 21″ x 7 1/2″
* original Samsonite key on vintage keychain
* original packaging

NITTY GRITTY: The interior of both cases feature identical shimmery, pristine, bronze-colored fabric. The larger of the two cases features some fabulous wardrobe accessories! The interior lid of the wardrobe features a retractable wood and brass clothing rack that holds its three original brass convertible hangers. The hangers fold and stow, with or without garments on them, within an ingenious tiny rack hidden just beneath the surface. In addition to a hooked tie-down cord, this lid also features a shirred curtain which securely hooks at the fold via metal eyelets.

On the bottom half of the clam shell are two shirred elastic pockets running up the length of both sides and two tie-down ribbons running parallel up the center. The smaller case is identical to the larger, just without the additional garment accessories. One Samsonite key (on the most adorable keyring from the original owner) is included and works perfectly in both locks. Absolutely incredible condition! The interiors of both cases are as clean as a whistle, without any major tears (a thread pull here and there), and free of offensive odors. Some visible signs of age are present (ex. scuffing on bottom from years of travel) but nothing terribly severe or out of the ordinary. All of the hinges, locks, and accessories are in perfect working order. [ORIGINAL PRINT AD]

Where was it found?
A friend of mine found them in the local classifieds. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

What makes this find special?
The combination of the color in this particular style is insanely scarce. Especially in such pampered condition. The genius design of the wardrobe’s interior was so progressive and thoughtful. Although the cases were meant to be ultra-practical, this line in particular featured uncommonly bright colors with a more fashion-forward feel. A fascinating thing considering they were manufactured in a time that marketing to women meant targeting housewives and not the more independent, free spirited females.

Introduce Yourself
My name is Sarah and I currently reside in Minneapolis, MN. I’ve a passion for oddity, obsolescence, dissonance, ugly beauty, thrifty kitsch, absurdity, adornment, world cultures, truth, fiction, and pretty much every facet of creativity. Aside from my Etsy endeavors, I’m an artist, a former gallery director, an event coordinator, a clown/monkey/Mommy, a fluent Spanglish-speaker, a relentless dabbler, a professional smart alec, proud nerd, and apparently an award-winning run-on-sentence-and-overly-wordy-list-maker.

Here are some of my links, MTV Cribs style…
Where I make my millions…
Where the magic happens.
Tweet Tweet! I’m an avid tweeter with a healthy dose of typos, misquotes, and good ole, fun-lovin’, lighthearted, potentially offensive snark. All welcome to join me — but please do consider yourself warned.
Bloggity. Please, please forgive the dust…and tumbleweed.
My fan *cough* club.

To share your finds, send them to finds [at] myvintageaddiction [dot] com or add the photographic proof to our Flickr group.