retro | Crazy4Me - The Modern Bombshell Lifestyle by: Yasmina Greco

Tips for Scoring Antiques & Collectible Bargains

May 13, 2022 By: Fan

Follow these tips to score some amazing deals from antique malls to flea markets and beyond

For vintage buffs, antique malls, flea markets, and thrift stores are like Disneyland. It’s a place where dreams of finding hidden gems come true. While it may seem overwhelming at first, with a little know-how you can score some serious treasures without breaking the bank. Here are my top tips for scoring treasures at antique malls, thrift stores, and vintage festivals. Happy hunting!

Buyers and sellers are all looking for the same thing in the end and that is a “bargain”. The buyer is looking for a bargain item to add to their collection and the seller is looking for a bargain item that they can re-sell for a profit. Many people today still ask “Are there any bargains out there left to be had”? My answer is YES, you just need to know how to spot the bargain and have patience.

Shopping Antique Malls

Treasure Hunting – as I like to call it requires lots of careful hunting, seeking, and searching to locate that bargain item. Also, you have a lot of competition as you are not the only one out treasure hunting. With the popularity of online auction sites, antique & collectibles shops, more and more flea markets popping up regularly and shows like Antiques Roadshow, there are a lot of treasure hunters indeed. But, with that being said, all these venues for seeking treasure may actually make it easier to find a bargain…..that’s right, I said easier.

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Weekend Getaway – Healdsburg, CA

February 22, 2022 By: Fan

Hubby and I headed out for a lovely weekend getaway to Healdsburg, CA. We were excited to enjoy the perfect weather that we have been having in California. I love how Northern California is dotted with little towns that all have a charm and personality. My favorite are the wine country towns and soon the vineyards will be blooming and turning a lush green and then the grapes will start to grow. For our adventure today we headed to Healdsburg, CA, a delightful town that is always popular with tourists that come up from San Francisco to tour the multiple wineries, experience wine tasting’s, renowned spas, restaurants, and shopping. I wore my new Veronica Atomica dress by Sourpuss Clothing. The print on this dress is fantastic with bright turquoise blue starbursts against a stretchy, and twirly skirt, and it also has pockets. I love how figure-flattering this dress with the classic 1950s silhouette is sand, it is so comfortable. I added my blue cardigan, blue petticoat, and my blue purse and shoes for pops of color. I received so many compliments, it really made my day.

As the late afternoon approached the weather cooled off (we are still in February I keep reminding myself) and I put on my Mid-Century Retro Coffee Time turquoise blue cozy sweatshirt from Crazy4 Me Style (also available in t-shirts) that matched the dress perfectly as we headed to the coffee shop. Lots of folks asked about my sweatshirt and dress and wanted to know where they could get one. Wearing vintage-inspired designs matches my aesthetic perfectly and it is so nice when people respond to it and like it too!!

Pinup 1950s, 1960s, Rockabilly Hot Rod Style T-Shirt - Crazy4MeStyle

You can see a what our little adventure was like on my Instagram as I had so much fun putting a little day-in-the-life video together.

Merry Christmas Everyone

December 19, 2021 By: Fan

Yasmina Greco Pretty Retro Christmas Girl Pinup

Christmas time is here and that means a visit to one of our favorite places today, Grandma Buddies Christmas Tree Farm. This Christmas tree farm not only has loads of amazing trees, but they have a magical holiday barn decorated with gingerbread, flocked trees and wreaths, and lots and lots of decorations and special holiday touches. You can sip hot cocoa from their cocoa cart and walk around the farm to pick out your holiday tree.

On our visit today the sun came out for a little bit on this chilly December day, and we made the most of it by not only picking out our tree but also doing one last photo shoot of the year.

The theme for my outfit today was a mix of holiday cheer and half wonderland because my accessories are brooches from the Erstwilder Christmas collection and their brand-new Kitschy Witch collab for the Alice in Wonderland collection. I wore my crimson red holiday top and matched it up with my Alice in Wonderland vintage-inspired Pinup circle skirt and my turquoise blue coat added the much-needed warmth that day.

Christmas Holiday Pinup Retor Girl — Yasmina Greco at Grandma Buddies Christmas Tree Farm

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Thrifting Vintage Christmas Decorations: NOEL Sets from the 1950s-1960s

November 26, 2021 By: Fan

Forget about the new and what everyone else is doing. If you’re a true vintage lover then these old time Christmas decorations are just what you need to create that classic feel in your home this holiday season. Stock up now because most of these items will be gone by the end of November!

Hurry, don’t miss out on all the nostalgia!

Today’s post in our 2021 Vintage Christmas Collecting Series features some of my favorite vintage Noel sets that date to the 1950s-1960s and feature candle holders, bells, and figurines. Some of these sets were featured in last year’s Vintage Christmas Collecting Series of 2020 but have been updated with current pricing and colorways. When it comes to vintage Noel collectibles there are so many varieties and themes from Santa Claus, Elves, Poodles, Snowmen, Angels, Candy Canes, and even Pixies that there really is something for everyone and you can easily have a theme each year for your holiday decorating too!!

Note: Blog post has a lot of photos and pricing source is recent Ebay, Etsy, Worthpoint, and my own personal sales data.

One sure way to any collector’s heart is items that come with their original boxes. For me, the box can also be used as part of your vintage holiday decor as they usually have timeless graphics that add so much charm to your displays. Since these vintage items are usually 70 yrs old, if you do find an original box it will probably have some wear and tear or even water damage from being stored in basements and attics and that is completely okay and in my opinion, adds that much more to the story and history of the item.

Here are some of my very favorite Noel sets from my personal collection and I think they are just dynamite. Each set is so unique and has loads and loads of vintage Christmas charm. I actually have them up year-round in my cabinet and they always make me smile when I stop and admire them.

Stacked Santa’s NOEL Totem Pole Candle Holders

Vintage Christmas NOEL Santa Candleholders Napco Brinns

Near-and-dear to my heart are these vintage Santa Claus stacked NOEL totem pole candle holders. These have such fun, witty, retro charm. Pictured are two matching pair made by Tilso in Japan in the 1950s. The Santa’s have gold little curly-q’s in their beards, have expressive eyes, and each hold a letter to spell NOEL. Tilso sets (sometimes referred to as Brinns) tend to fetch $225-$300 each, having the original box really can impact the price.

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Pumpkin Carving and Vintage Halloween Fashion

October 21, 2021 By: Fan

We’re well into fall and pumpkin carving season, so I wanted to share a few of my favorite Halloween vintage fashion finds. These vintage-inspired t-shirts and dresses will have you looking adorable for Halloween!

Vintage Halloween Pinup Girl — Glamorous Halloween Pinup Witch Orange T-Shirt – Crazy4MeStyle

I enjoy Halloween and vintage-inspired Halloween fashions. These t-shirt designs are by my label Crazy4Me Style and we had so much fun creating them this year. Designs are based on our love of 1950s Pinup, Mid-Century Modern, and Kitsch. Our wonderful customers really enjoy them too and it is always amazing to see happy customers all over the world wearing your designs. Our designs are available in sizes Small-5XL. It is such a delight!!

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Kitschy-Cute Vintage Collectibles

August 8, 2021 By: Fan

Find out what kitschy-cute vintage collectibles are and why they’re so popular and sell for so much money these days. Also, learn about the history of the merchandise and some tips for buying them!

My heart gets so happy looking at these adorable little faces with those big eyes, long eyelashes, and sweet expressions…… welcome to the kitschy-cute world of today’s vintage collectibles.

Vintage Pixieware Kitschy-Cute Menschik Goldman Dolly Girl Collection Set

Kitsch is a term that’s been around for quite some time. It can be described as art or items that are considered to be in poor taste, corny, or overly sentimental. For many people, kitsch has become an insult with negative connotations, and they avoid it at all costs. But there are some who enjoy the warmth and nostalgia of kitschy things from their childhoods. These vintage collectors know what they’re looking for when browsing through flea markets and antique malls. Kitschy collectibles and prices for these items has even spurred a new term in the market referred to as “kitschy-cute”!!

Vintage Kitschy-Cute Enesco Lil Bear Collection Set

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