Crazy 4 my collectables

Hello Spring

March 20, 2019 By: Fan

Yasmina Greco Heart of Haute Spring Woodland Daisy Estelle — Yasmina Greco wearing Heart of Haute Woodland Daisy Skirt Estelle Blouse

Hello, Spring is calling!! I am sharing my lovely Spring outfit from Heart of Haute, a brand known as the voluptuous gals best friend when it comes to clothing that perfectly fits curves.

I love bright colors and pastels and this twirl skirt from Heart of Haute is everything!! Skirt is so comfortable and made from high quality cotton so it holds its shape beautifully while being lightweight. Also, this skirt has nice deep pockets and I was able to easily add my iPhone Xs Max and lipstick with room to spare! The skirt print is called Woodland Daisy and it’s so bright and cheerful and I love the colorful flowers which makes it a breeze to mix and match tops and cardigans. The skirt has princess seams, sits right at your waist and zips up the back. I am wearing my standard 2XL skirt size and it is so comfortable.

Crazy4Me Yasmina Greco Heart of Haute Estelle — Yasmina Greco wearing Heart of Haute Estelle Blouse Twirl Skirt

I styled the Woodland Daisy skirt with this light as air pastel blue polka dot Estelle blouse. If you have not yet tried a Heart of Haute Estelle blouse you are missing out on a wardrobe staple. The Estelle has so much classic style, is incredibly figure flattering, a dream to wear for busty gals (we can actually button this blouse without gaping or popping) has feminine flutter sleeves and a gorgeous pussy bow. I wear this blouse to work as it is very office appropriate (you can read my post here about office attire). Heart of Haute makes blouses in many styles and some of my favorites are the Betsy, Mollie, and Ella. All the blouses I am telling you about are very figure flattering and work on us girls who have big boobs. My standard size in all these blouses is a 2XL and they all fit my GG bust with no popping or gaping and I have only experienced this fabulousness with Heart of Haute.

Yasmina Greco Crazy4Me Collectiff Dolores Heart of Haute — Yasmina Greco wearing Heart of Haute & Collectif Clothin

Yasmina Greco wearing Heart of Haute & Collectif Clothing

For my second look I styled my pretty Woodland Daisy skirt with a solid green colored top. The flower colors in the skirt make it super easy to mix and match tops and when it is a little cooler you can add a cardigan and you are ready for your day. I am so excited about Heart of Haute’s Spring collection and their gorgeous new dresses that also fit us big boob girls beautifully!! Hope you all enjoy the first day of Spring.

All pics by my sweet hubby Gary Greco

Collecting Lefton Vintage Bluebirds

March 14, 2019 By: Fan

Yasmina Greco Lefton Bluebirds Topline Import Bluebirds — Yasmina Greco Lefton Bluebirds and Topline Import Bluebirds

Today on the blog I am sharing some of my very favorite vintage bluebird collectibles with you all. Back when eBay and Etsy were all the rage for antiques and collectibles I was a PowerSeller (a rating eBay had for their PowerSeller program where sellers needed to consistently sell a significant volume of items and provide a high level of service to their buyers to achieve this rating) and I sold many vintage bluebirds to collectors all over the world. It wasn’t until I came across a bluebird sugar jar from the Topline Imports company that I actually had an emotional reaction. I had listed the sugar jar and it sold within minutes and after a few days I found that I could not stop looking at the pictures I had of the item and that lil’ birdies cute face. I was so sad I sold her. I didn’t start collecting these adorable blue birds till years later and now they are the pride and joy of my collection.

Topline Import Bluebirds Collection — Topline Imports Bluebirds Collection

Many collectors are drawn to vintage bluebirds because of the cheerfulness they exude. These adorable figurines and dining sets can really brighten your day. Although not much information exists about the Topline Imports company, we do know that they manufactured high quality items in Japan in the 1950s-1960s. My Topline Imports bluebird set is stamped with the numbers 50/154 and they retain their gold foil “Topline Imports, Inc. Japan” tags. It was this set’s sugar jar that stole my heart all those years ago. The set includes a cookie jar, teapot, sugar jar, creamer, salt and pepper shakers, snack plate, and set of 3 wall plaques (mama bird and two babies). I am now on the hunt for the teacup that fits the snack plate and my collection will be complete. The Topline Imports bluebird is my all time favorite.

The most recognizable vintage bluebird manufacturer is Lefton. Lefton bluebirds are high quality and beautiful. George Zolton Lefton who was a Hungarian sportswear designer founded the Lefton Company. The Lefton China Company was started in 1939 in Chicago, Illinois and produced so many items from dinnerware sets to Christmas decorations and everything in between. It’s the items from about 1945 -1960 that are very collectible today and range in many themes from bluebirds to cats, poodles, to rose patterned dinnerware and giftware and figurines and more. Lefton also contracted with companies to produce these items like dinnerware and giftware in Japan so it is not uncommon to find collectibles today with the Geo Z Lefton stamp and foil label that says Made in Japan. Today, the Made in Japan label is highly desirable by collectors.

Lefton Bluebirds – Everyday Dining Collection (pic is from Pinterest)

Other vintage bluebird manufactures include Norcrest, ESD, Relpo, Artmark, Ucagco, Napco, and PY, and then there are ones that are not marked but usually made in the same time period of the 1950s-1960s in Japan. You can find these cuties as teapots, bowls, figurines, teabag holders, wall plaques, eggcups, cookie jars, coin banks, planters, sugar jars, jam jars, creamers, and more. As with any collectibles, price varies on condition, demand and scarcity. Today these are a very sought after collectible so be prepared to pay top dollar. A pair of Lefton Bluebird Salt and Pepper shakers can go between $125-$200, a Lefton bluebird butter dish can fetch $250-$275, Bluebird wall plaques complete set can easily go for $275-$325 depending on scarcity and condition. eBay and Etsy are still the best places to buy these cuties as the selection tends to be vast because of sellers from around the world. It is not often you will find Bluebirds at antique shops or flea markets but if you do then snap them up!!

Yasmina Greco with her vintage Bluebird Collection

Tips for Collecting Vintage Bluebirds:

Damage usually occurs to the bird’s beaks so look for chips, and paintware.
Damage usually occurs to the inside rims, undersides, and lids of teapots and sugar/jam jars.
Wings can also be dinged so check for damage.
Figurines usually contain damage to the bird necks (cracks) and tails, as well as if the figurines are birds on branches look for dings, chips, and fleabites to the branch, leaves, and flowers (make sure all the petals are intact)
Look items over to ensure dings/fleabites have not been painted over and that rhinestones are intact if your bird is embellished like some of the Norcrest bluebird shakers and Lefton bluebird coin banks

Many of you ask if I still sell collectibles and I do, you can find some rare bluebirds listed for sale in my Etsy store – Etsy Crazy4Me

A big thank you to my sweet husband Gary for a fun photoshoot

Eloquii Petal Pusher Wrap Dress Review

March 10, 2019 By: Fan

Being a “wrap dress” expert, today I am introducing you to a brand new brand here at Crazy4Me and they are called Eloquii. As most of my longtime readers know my favorite dress style is the wrap. I love wrap style dresses because they are a curvy and busty gals best friend. They enhance your waist and flatter your figure. Today I am going to tell you all about the Petal Pusher Wrap Dress with Layered Skirt from Eloquii.

Eloquii is a brand that carries stylish clothing in sizes 14-28. Having seen a beautiful polka dot dress on social media I went to the Eloquii website and that is when I started to see so many wonderful prints and colors and styles of clothing. Everything from dresses, skirts, blazers, slacks, tops, casual, business wear and more was on this site. I then saw this glorious shade of green and it turned out to be a wrap dress and the print is Petal Pusher. The dress has a layered skirt with ruffled sleeves and skirt. The style looked so feminine and vibrant and I knew I needed it to start Spring with.

I looked over the Eloquii size chart and wanted to make sure the dress would fit my bust so I ordered the size 18. It arrived within just a couple days and it looked even prettier in person with the green color so bright and fresh!! I could not wait to style it and shoot it for you all.

It has been pouring rain for weeks now here in Northern California. The moment we got a break I put my new dress on and hubby and I got to business shooting pics. I kept the styling simple but with my retro flair, only wearing vintage style green heels, a green beaded necklace and some earrings. The dress as you can see fits perfectly. The tie belt is a nice long length so it can wrap all the way around you. My bust is covered nicely with only a hint of cleavage. I especially love the fluttery sleeves and hem. The fabric really does not wrinkle and could easily go from office to dinner to a outdoor function. I would add a dainty brooch to the front to keep it a bit more modest if wearing to the office and add a pretty cardigan. I did add a pop of color with my vintage pink poodle bag as Spring is full of bright pops of color!!

I am very happy with my pretty Eloquii dress and will be ordering many more styles and prints. Hurry and snap up your Petal Pusher Wrap Dress before they sell out. All pics by my sweet hubby Gary.

Collecting 1950s Vintage Spaghetti Poodle Figurines

March 4, 2019 By: Fan

Today I am sharing one of my passions with you all and it has to do with collecting vintage spaghetti Poodles. The poodles in these pictures are all part of my personal collection and I adore their kitschy cuteness and how they make me smile. These vintage poodles also fit my Pinup and Mid-Century Modern vibe perfectly. My favorite spaghetti poodles are the three on the tray that have glasses and bows and are made by Norcrest in Japan in the 1950s and the little Christmas poodles that spell out ‘NOEL’ made by Lipper & Mann in the 50s. My collection includes poodle lipstick holders, poodle planters and vases.

This post is all about going back to the 1950s of yesteryear when kitschy cute Poodles were all the rage. Poodle motifs came in a variety of items from poodle skirts and sweaters to table linens and decorative collectible figurines like the spaghetti poodle. Ceramic artists in the late 40s-50s came up with a new technique to mimic the poodle’s fur known as “spaghetti art ware” and it ignited a frenzy for spaghetti poodles.

Spaghetti art wear is made from clay, porcelain, and ceramic which is applied as “fur” to form various textures of a poodle’s hairdo. To accomplish the spaghetti look, ceramicists and designers would have different techniques like using tea strainers to push the material through to form strands that were then attached to the poodle giving it a pom-pom look or they would swirl it onto to the poodle for a curly look. The spaghetti is very fragile and tends to break or chip over the years.

Vintage spaghetti poodle dogs have once again become quite collectible and it has sparked a new collecting theme for many. These vintage poodles have so much charm and character. They come in a many colors and styles and can be found highly decorated with rhinestones, bows, glasses, hats, and come in a variety of poses like playing sports, with chain leashes and puppies, depicted as fireman, graduating students, band musicians, snooty, wearing high fashion, smoking, brides and more.

Seems everywhere one looks we are returning to the nostalgia of yesteryear in some ways. Prices for poodles 4” inches – 5” inches tall and depending on condition and decoration can sell for $25.00 – $50.00. Prices go up and you can expect to pay more for decorated poodles with rhinestones and embellishments as well as the larger the poodle size is the higher the price will be. Christmas themed poodles can go for $85-$125 for the Norcrest 3”-4” inch figurines. Noel poodles can go as high as $275 as they are very hard to find and do not come up for sale often.

When you are out searching for your poodle collectibles be sure to give the item(s) a thorough once-over by making sure rhinestones are all intact and match, spaghetti is intact, paint is not too worn, chained groups are still chained together with their original chains and items that have parasols still retain their parasols. Flea markets and antique shops are good sources for spaghettig poodles but the internet is your best source today so regularly searching eBay, Etsy as well as Instagram because many sellers are on Instagram and post their collectibles for sale so searching for target hashtags should yield you good results.

Tips for Collecting Vintage 1950s Spaghetti Poodle Figurines

Damage: Make sure the tail is intact, as this tends to crack or break off over the years. If you are at an antique store and the price tag is around the poodles neck or tail, look under it as sometimes sellers try to hide cracks
Details: Are all the rhinestones intact, is the paint and color in good condition, are their any chips, cracks, dings, fleabites or crazing to the poodle
Chained Groups: Make sure the chains are attached and are original and have not been replaced
Manufacturers: Poodle manufacturer brands to look for are Norcrest, Napco, Lefton, Kreiss and Company, Thames, Wales Japan, Classica, Lipper & Mann, and Relco. Poodles that retain their original foil tags and Made in Japan tags or have a stamped number or makers mark, you can expect to pay more for and are highly desirable by collectors.
Colors: Poodles that are blue are very rare so snap them up if you come across them. Pink poodles are very desirable and fetch top dollar.

Without a doubt my most favorite poodle of all time is my fluffy snowball Luna who isn’t a poodle at all, but is a Bichon Frise!! A big thank you to my sweet hubby Gary for all the pics and a super fun photoshoot.

San Francisco Antiques and Mid-Century Modern at STUFF

February 26, 2019 By: Fan

I am excited to tell you all about a super neat antique and collectible shop in San Francisco called STUFF. The shop is 2 stories and filled with the best mid-century modern, retro, kitschy and fun stuff!!

Walking into Stuff you notice a vast selection of mid-century modern furniture from desks, credenzas, tables, chairs and cabinets to some of the best lighting like Sputnik chandeliers and fiberglass shades, chromes chandelier, moss lamps, table lamps and more. Artwork, kitchenware, Pyrex and glassware are also available. Stuff is a multi dealer space so each booth is filled with unique and fabulous items.

There is a section in the middle of the store filled with glass cases and inside are the most incredible art deco sterling silver tea sets, cups, saucers, clocks, and so much more!! If you are an art deco lover it is worth a trip to Stuff just to admire theses cases. Also, Andy Warhol fans will find a nice selection of artwork and vintage cameras. Stuff is filled with vintage clothing, books, art, ephemera, costume jewelry, and goodies abound in all nooks and crannies so search high and low as you never know what treasures you will find!!

The staff at Stuff is one of the nicest and will assist you with pulling down lamps, moving furniture around to see if it goes with other pieces, take things down to the counter for you so your hands are free to find more treasures and even help haul your treasures out to your car.

When in San Francisco you must make a stop at Stuff!!

I love to look fashionable while antiquing. For our visit to Stuff I am wearing this fabulous pinup swing skirt from the My Barbie Collection by Unique Vintage and it comes in sizes Small-4X. I am a polka dot lover and my top is from Collectif UK and it is the Dolores top and comes in many prints.

All pics by my sweet hubby Gary

Review: Whistle Stop Antiques in Santa Rosa

February 18, 2019 By: Fan

It was a beautiful sunny weekend but windy and cold. Dressing in layers is always a good idea when antiquing as well as bringing a great tote bag to carry your treasures home in. I had a comfy warm coat on; my favorite new tote bag and my Hell Bunny pinup dress so I was feeling fantastic for a day of antiquing.

I am so excited to tell you about a fabulous multi-dealer antique mall located in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square called Whistle Stop Antiques. Visiting Railroad Square would make for a great day trip if you are looking to spend the day in wine country as you drive up from San Francisco. Whistle Stop is located on trendy 4th street next to restaurants and shops and has nice spots for lunch or dinner and wine tasting.

Whistle Stop Antiques is located in a 2-story brick building that has so much charm and was built after the 1906 San Fancisco earthquake. Whistle Stop is a multi-dealer mall (my fave) and has a variety of treasures because no two booths are ever alike. Whistle Stop Antiques is very clean and well lit and the staff is super friendly and helpful so you do not have to wait, and wait, for someone to come by and offer to open up a glass case. You will find a vast selection of vintage ephemera and vinyl, antique furniture and toys, fun retro kitschy kitchen goodies, lots and lots of costume jewelry from the 40s-60s, vintage cameras, vintage sports memorabilia, and mid-century modern furniture and lighting.

This past weekend my husband and I scored some great finds at Whistle Stop and I was so thrilled to find this vintage Dean Martin record. Some of our favorite scores have been a Philco Predicta TV, Pyrex, 1950s mermaid wall plaques and Carlo of Hollywood paintings. If you are a collector, are into antiques or love the flea market then Whistle Stop Antiques is a place you won’t want to miss.

All pictures by my sweet hubby Gary