Posts Tagged ‘collection’

We were happy to deliver a load of stuffed animals to Sonjia Philpart of the Victim Assistance Program.  We didn’t count them, but it took three large trash bags to transport.  Thank you, everyone, who contributed.  You’ve made a difference in a child’s life.

 A Hug . . . isn’t that appropriate?  Lucky Bears Limited is a UK company, understandable since England’s manufacturers of collectible Teddy Bears outnumbered many other countries.  Although Lucky Bears offers a few new bears for children, they specialize in vintage and antique bears for the collector and new collectible bears are available from selected manufacturers.

Steiff is probably the most well-known maker of Teddy Bears and auction prices confirm its collectibility.  But there are several other companies that produced (some still in business) high quality bears.  As part of their Encyclopaedia, Lucky Bears gives us the history, popular bears, and means of identification for companies spanning five countries.  While many may think ‘one size fits all,’ the characteristics of each company’s bears shows just how unique these creations are.

Browsing the antique and vintage bears for sale, one is struck by the personality of each.  Many were created to commemorate events and people.  Paddington Bear is a classic example of bears who were born from storybooks.  And who doesn’t remember Smokey telling us “Only YOU can prevent forest fires”?

Lucky Bears tells you how to care for your bears – storage, cleaning, pests, etc.  Especially important when adding a vintage bear to your Hug.  Not just for antique bears, this is applicable to the numerous bears your children have been given over the years.  The glossary is well done and includes ‘when’ and ‘why’ explanations.  Vastly more understandable than just a quickie definition, which often leaves one no wiser than before.  If you’ve come across a Teddy Bear term not mentioned, Lucky Bears encourages you to email them and they’ll add it to the glossary.

Just as we have a diversified group of friends, Teddy’s circle includes dogs, frogs, rabbits, beavers and more.  Collectible on their own, Teddy would invite them all to a party.  And don’t forget to dress appropriately; from a casual backyard barbecue to the president’s inauguration, the well-dressed bear is ready for any occasion.  You can find accessories here or inspiration to make your own.

How much is your bear worth?  Lucky Bears gives us an in-depth look at what makes a bear valuable.  Condition is primary for any collectible, manufacturer is important, but size, color and other factors also contribute to value.  Take a close look at your Teddy Bear while reading “How Much is MY Antique Bear Worth?” and you may move him from your bed to a glass case.

Lucky Bears Limited <http://luckybears.com> is a friendly, informative, easy-to-navigate site.  They gladly share their considerable knowledge and have superb photos.  And don’t forget to check out the Links page for clubs, current manufacturers, magazines, and more.

Tell ‘em I sent ya’
Victoria

P.S. For those not familiar with the metric system an easy, one-step conversion is http://www.worldwidemetric.com/measurements.html

Animal collectibles!  Ok, maybe the collectibles don’t, but their real life counterparts do.  From the earliest cave drawings to our modern world, mankind has always been fascinated by animals.  Whether it’s fuzzy and huggable or wild and dangerous, we’re captivated and want to surround ourselves with our favorites.  Since having a hundred dogs, or even a single tiger, isn’t really practical (or safe!), collectibles fulfill that desire.

Some of the most popular animals collected are: dogs and cats – often a specific breed; farm animals such as cows, pigs, chickens; butterflies, bees and birds land on our tabletops; horses, zebras and deer trot across our mantles; dolphins, whales, frogs and turtles grace out desks; while skunks, rabbits and squirrels find a home in our curio cabinets.  Whichever creature of land, sea or air bewitches you, that first acquisition can lead to a lifetime hobby.

Figurines are most often collected.  Usually small, you can add to your collection for years before you need to buy a bigger home.  Prices can be absurdly cheap or set you back nearly as much as that bigger home.  But figurines just scratch the surface of the many available collectibles.

Vintage books – fact or fiction – especially children’s books, that focus on an animal are a wonderful way to expand your collection.  For horse lovers, the Black Stallion series by Walter Farley comes to mind.  Paintings and prints, jewelry, salt and pepper shakers, ornaments, paperweights, plates and mugs can all reflect your preference.

The United States Postal Service has issued several sets of animal stamps highlighting endangered species, pet adoption and favorite children’s book animals, to name a few.  Something you may not have considered is the many hundreds of coins from around the world that feature animals.

So start a collection – for yourself or a friend.  Whether your favorite sound is a growl or a chirp, the satisfaction you’ll feel when you place that first one on the shelf never fades.

The TJS Labs Gallery of Graphic Design (http://gogd.tjs-labs.com/) is amazing.  Whether you’re trying to date a specific product, or just taking a stroll down memory lane – with 10,414 advertisement images – you’ll want to visit for a while.

No commentary to wade through – zip, zilch – just the image and the essential facts.  For instance the Geo. A. Hormel & Co. ad shown here is one of 37 ads for Spam.  It appeared on the back cover of the November 1, 1939 issue of Woman’s Day.

5,187 products advertised in 17 magazines from 3,127 different advertisers from 1930 through 1969.  Awesome, huh?  But that’s not the best part.  You’re going to love how this is set up.  There’s a simple search and an advanced search, but you hardly need them.  Completely cross-referenced; if it’s in this collection, you can find it with a few clicks.

Want to find ads by Norman Rockwell?  Select him from the 251 illustrators listed and ads on file are available to view with publication information.  Want to see all the ads from 1941?  Click on the year.  Looking for a product, can’t remember the exact name, but sure it had the word ‘zoom’?  1032 keywords are at your disposal.

The ability to search by Magazine, Advertiser, Product, Illustrator, Keyword, Year, or Issue makes this site a joy to navigate and downright fun to explore.  Continually updated with new images (as I write this, the newest batch was added just two hours ago!).

The Gallery of Graphic Design is also on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Gallery-of-Graphic-Design/108023629232681#!/pages/The-Gallery-of-Graphic-Design/108023629232681?v=wall) where you can view images and share your comments.  Also keeps you up-to-date on new additions.

Go to http://gogd.tjs-labs.com/ and then visit the facebook page.

Tell ‘em I sent ya’ ~ Victoria

And we’re goingto need your help!

At Laura’s Emporium, we know our customers are the most important part of the business.  The interactions we have with shoppers have taught us that not only are you the foundation for our success, but that you’re fun and friendly people.  That’s why we’d like to take the time to get to know you better.

Many times a customer has left the Emporium with a special item that has earned a spot in our hearts, and we often wonder where those items end up.  Since we believe that our clients are talented and creative, we decided to learn more about both you and those wonderful items you bought in one fell swoop.

So we’re inviting you to show off your creativity.  When you took home an item from Laura’s Emporium – what did you do with it?  Did it earn a place in your interior decor?  Is it a new garden feature?  Have you added it to an existing collection?

If you’ve created a great display for your collectibles, or used an item in an imaginative way ~ we’d like to not only see it, but to share it with visitors to our website.  We want everyone to know what we already do – how amazing our customers are.  So take a few minutes to show off what you’ve created and inspire others!

Its easy to participate- simply compose an email with the subject:  SHOW OFF.  Write a description of the item you purchased, how you’ve used it and don’t forget to add a little bit about yourself.  Attach a photo or two and send to newsletter@lauras-emporium.com.

We’d like to remind you that no matter what information you put in your email, we would NEVER make public your last name, email or mailing address, or phone number.  Your information is safe with us!