RefinedVintage's Blog

Welcome to my Refined world for vintage lovers,decorating advice,helpful tips and other amusements
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Organizing My Artfire Merchandise, or ( How to get ready for Holiday guests)

Published: 12-06-2011 07:40am
Posted In: Art Fire Tips
  I have been using my guest room to store my ArtFire merchandise, shipping supplies,just about everything for my Refined Vintage Studio at Artfire. It is a small room to begin with.A fold out sofa, a vintage cedar armoire,a rattan lounge chair some small end tables & lamps a Bookcase and a vintage floor model television. I almost forgot, there is a big sailfish on the wall, that my husband caught on a vacation a few years back. This room is filled.   Now can you imagine it also filled with boxes against the walls, in front of the bookcase and armoire and T.V.? Vintage items sittin... » Read More

Why I love ArtFire or (Where is the best place to sell online?)

Published: 11-30-2011 08:28am
Posted In: Art Fire Tips
Artfire is the best deal around!  Where else can you pay one flat rate to sell any amount of merchandise? How about one flat rate and no insertion fees, no final fees,no percentage of your sale, no extra fees of any kind?  The only  venue I know that gives you all this and so much more is ArtFire! ArtFire is  a sellers dream. You have tools to promote your studio, including a blog, & a Facebook application, that is included in your monthly rate. It's up to you to use them or not. With Artfire I have learned so much about selling on the internet. I have learned from their  help guides and staff forums that prov... » Read More

Amazon Wish List and Artfire and Me

Published: 11-27-2011 05:07pm
Posted In: Vintage Loves
I have been trying to fill my Refined Vintage studio with lovely vintage items, but Amazon is making it difficult for me. As a vintage seller at Artfire, I like to know everything I can about what I am selling. I don't specialize in just one area, so it goes with out saying that I have to do quite a bit of research. So My problem is the fun and free and completely wonderful Amazon Wish list button! I added it to my tool bar. It was very easy to do at Amazon: 1,2,3 your done. I told my daughters to add it too, so that I can easily find things they actually want this year for Christmas. You can make your list pu... » Read More

Silk Florals a Simply Beautiful way to Seasonally Decorate

Published: 11-18-2011 11:00am
Posted In: Design & Home Decor
I have always loved flowers! As a child I loved playing in the backyard surrounded by my mother's flower gardens. With my sister's help we would gather rose petals to make perfume. Other times we made houses under blanket tents that I would then fill with just picked flowers. It is not surprising to people who know me that I ended up being a floral designer. I have been designing for over 30 years, and I still love to surround myself with flowers. But if you live in colder climates you can’t always have fresh cut flowers from your garden in your home.Yes, I do buy fresh flowers for myself when ever I can, but financially not as often as I wo... » Read More

Free Vintage Labels!

Published: 11-16-2011 12:27pm
Posted In: Art Fire Tips
Previously Published 4-16-2011My sister Sheila once again has brought to my attention another great creative source! She seems to discover the best websites that inspire creativity.  The latest one being a source for vintage style labels! Free labels!  My sister is creative, very,very creative. Sheila has a craft room that is inspiring, everything is organized  and stored in beautiful displays, boxes, jars etc. that hold supplies, special trims & whatnot, so much to look at & discover. It is like a candy store for crafters & artists. I visited her in California last month and I just wanted to spend hours in that room and make things.  I will... » Read More

How do you decorate with Vintage?

Published: 11-14-2011 11:19am
Posted In: Design & Home Decor
 Vintage Hummel chimney sweep with vintage candlesticks,fall berries and vintage Indiana Glass covered candy dish. (Originally posted on April 1,2011- revised Nov.14,2011) It's easier than you think; look for vintage items that you love! I will be focusing on using vintage accessories, the little extra touch that adds so much.  It helps to go through decorating magazines or blogs to see what inspires you. Find rooms that you like. Why did you pick these? Is it the colors, the furniture, or the accessories? Most often it is a combination of all three, but you may see a pattern emerge that will help you to define what style you really li... » Read More

Who Else Loves Pinterest?

Published: 11-11-2011 11:00am
Posted In: Design & Home Decor
I don't know how long Pinterest has been around, but I recently discovered it this past August through designsponge.com  (This is one of my favorite blogs).    Let me tell you a little bit about Pinterest and why I love Pinterest. You can save images you find almost anywhere on the web to your Pinterest account, It is like stumble upon in that respect, but I never got caught up in that site like I have in this one! I love creating "boards" whatever theme you choose or use some of the standards to get started.   I love those stacked suitcases as a bedside table + hidden storage! The thing about Pinterest ... » Read More

Has Mad Men Influenced a VintageTrend?

Published: 11-09-2011 01:29pm
Posted In: Vintage Loves
Have you wondered recently why there is such an interest in the Mad Men era? Were the 1960’s really more fashionable and cool, more exciting? I too have wondered about this. Has the popularity of Mad Men influenced an interest in Vintage? Maybe it started with Don Draper and his executive office on Madison Ave. The setting for this show portrays the sleek modern Eames Era in all its glory, kidney shaped tables, tapered legs, geometric influences. And of course the ever present cocktail hour which at Sterling Cooper was any time of day. Or maybe it is the beautiful clothing worn by Betty, Joan, Roger St... » Read More

How to post a Collection-This is the Easiest way to post a collection in the Artfire Forums!

Published: 11-09-2011 01:21pm
Posted In: Art Fire Tips
I have been trying to post collections in the forums since I joined Artfire. Yes, i found the how to instructions from the Artfire Staff. But it did not work for me! I tried using the advanced reply, and making a widget, I followed all the directions step by step, and still it didn't work. I figured it must be something with my operating system, I use Internet explorer, Or google chrome on a desk top using Windows XP proffesional. But others were using the same sytsems, so why doesnt it work?  Good question, but  I have no answer.What I do know is that I learned a shortcut. A simple way to post a collection in the Artfire forums, from Barleecre... » Read More
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