How to Use Pinterest

My name is Annie Lema, and I am a Pinterest addict! :) This is a true story, as many of you have already discovered, if you are a Pinterest user. If not, here are some helpful hints that might get you on your way.

According to Pinterest "Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard. Pinterest lets you organize and share all of the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

"A pin is an image added to Pinterest. A pin can be added from a website using the Pin It button, or you can upload images from your computer. Each pin added using the Pin It button links back to the site it came from."

HOW IN THE HECK DO I GET STARTED, WHAT IS PINTEREST FOR, AND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?

{diy project} book page jars

This is an adorable DIY project that I came across while doing research for my other blog, {quirks' kisses} inspired weddings, and decided that it was one I personally wanted to do so therefore wanted to share as well.

The original inspiration for this project came from the oh-so-talented couple, Joshua and Sarah Rhodes of Arrow & Apple. I have been planning on doing a DIY decoupage lampshade using either vintage book pages, vintage sheet music, or old newspaper clippings {so many choices}. So this project would be an excellent compliment to that one.

Vintage Window Custom Orders

I have started getting more and more custom orders as of late for my vintage windows | which I adore! As a favor to some of my customers and to simplify things for me I thought I would create this post to outline some of the many options available when placing a custom order. I really could go on and on with this one, so I will attempt to reel myself in if I find that I'm dragging it out. :)

Option One: Matted Photo Frame 

1. What approximate size window frame?
2. How many panes? 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9
3. Color preference?
4. Existing Paint or Repainted?
5. If repainted, would you like it distressed or antiqued?
6. What color matting?
7. What size photos are you framing?
8. Would you like the frame to hang vertically or horizontally?
9. Would you like hanging hardware included?

Vintage Wedding ✿ Inspired DIY Ideas No. 1

So now that I have shared with you some of my favorite vintage inspired wedding ideas, I thought I could expand the idea and create some DIY posts. Of course, for the most part, I offer these services but I just figure that you are either going to hire someone to do it for you or you are the type of person to do it yourself and if I don't share then you can find the inspiration somewhere else. I rather be a one-stop-shop for your vintage wedding needs.

Do You Take Me...

I'm IN LOVE with vintage...I admit it. And during the course of my courtship with it I have fallen deeply in love with the vintage inspired wedding theme, so much so that I am most of the way committed to expanding my business to wedding planning. Now this is coming from someone who has been married for 16 years, was married in Las Vegas, and has NEVER EVER had that twinge of "ohhhhhh I wish I had had a big wedding". I am completely content with the fact that I got married with short notice and little hoopla...just fits my personality. But now that I have had the opportunity to work with some brides in helping them create their seating charts, menus, photo frame with my antique and vintage windows I have begun to see the allure of planning A wedding, anyone's wedding other than mine or one that requires MY money! hahaha

CUSTOM MADE Authentic Antique & Vintage Windows

CUSTOM MADE Authentic Antique & Vintage Windows by Quirks By Annie

Quirks By Annie has launched into yet another new endeavor! Perhaps, you read my post about Antique Restoration and Contemporary Antiques. So you've already seen that we are expanding from the normal hunt + acquire = sell, aspect of Antique & Vintage Collectibles, but have found another outlet for some really great pieces ♥ antique and vintage window frames. We have come across these windows ever since we moved to North Carolina in 2006. (I'll save that story for another post.) Since discovering these awesome artifacts of the past my husband has created a few different pieces for my/our personal use. He had made a Mirror, a Matted Photo Frame, and a Menu/To-Do List Board. They are all wonderful, and well used!!!

It wasn't until we realized how many of these windows were out there; just sitting, waiting for a new purpose in life, that the bells and whistles started going off...HEY I CAN DO THAT AND SELL THEM, even take custom orders!!! So, here I am, with windows galore and anxious to make you that perfect piece. All you have to do is click this link: CUSTOM MADE Authentic Antique & Vintage Windows, and you will be taken to the listing in my Etsy Shop, where you can see what is available and order the PERFECT PIECE FOR YOU!!!

TOP SECRET: A SMIDGEN OF ADVICE (Tip No. 1)

NEW WAVE OF INFO COMING AT YOU...

I have decided to start posting tips about random, but useful information that I come across during my day to day research and exploration of the antique and vintage collectibles gig. So far my main focus on this blog has been on glassware, in particularly Depression Glass, but that is not my sole interest or the only topic I plan on covering here. So to kick off my "TOP SECRET: A SMIDGEN OF ADVICE" collection I will start with cast iron.

TOP SECRET: A SMIDGEN OF ADVICE ON CAST IRON COOKWARE...

Cast Iron is an excellent oven and stove-top cooking material. And starting a collection of cast iron cookware can be fairly inexpensive if you know where to look, what to look for, and what to do with that mess once you have found it.

Lodge Cast Iron Chicken Skillet Prior to Cleaning & Seasoning

Honestly, you can get online and go shopping at one of the many auction sites or antique/vintage collectibles sites, such as Quirks By Annie, and occasionally you'll find fantastic deals. But quite often, what you'll find is these sites have already taken the steps to properly clean and season their cast iron prior to listing it for sale. To many of these sellers it does not matter whether the piece is highly desirable or rare, they feel that they can charge outrageous prices, just because they are 'in the know'. Well isn't it time that you were 'in the know'?