Welcome to my introduction for, "Nestbox Vintage"!
l started selling my nested collection of items in 2009. Unfortunately, I have moved several times, since opening my shop. The downside is that I have used various methods to keep listing my items, (sometimes having to put my shop on vacation to fly south). I am a bird that flutters about; perhaps a perpetual wandering bird, making my nests; my offspring being my finds available at Nestbox Vintage.
Visit my friends at their Etsy shops, (truly gifted artisans), as they are the artists that got me started on Etsy. Their main website, for John & Marcia's willow furniture shop and handmade home artisan and fiber accessories, is the Bent Tree Gallery, www.thebentreegallery.com. Their shop features many other items, (along with Marcia's exquisite master crafted basketry and fiber art pieces, which really are too many to list). Their daughter Stacy Leigh, designs and makes her master artisan leather handbags, clutches and accessories by hand. (They have recieved many awards and recognition for their outstanding talents.)
Their Etsy shops are at: http://www.stacyleigh.etsy.com, http://www.thebenttreegallery.etsy.com. They are featured at their main website: www.thebenttreegallery.com.
Further into my excessive storytelling, I have always liked things that have a sense of history. (A found piece of fabric, such as lace, as birds do when gathering items for nest-making.)
I have collected vintage pieces since I was a kid, even finding stuff on the ground. My found collections have included small rocks, marbles, leaves, and nests. My more vintage type finds, include clothing, doll clothes, rusted toys from small to large, cameras, compasses, old quilts, stuffed toys, gilted frames and boxes from Italy, old stools, small doll or children's chairs and vintage sewing items, such as lace and buttons.
My items come and go with each move. I tend not to get too attached. (With reflection, things are simply material things.) The more interesting part is perhaps, why it is rusted, perhaps left behind, or how it was patched or worn.
My favorite items to collect for several years were the Baby Ben, (1950's era) alarm clocks. It wasn't that I collected many, but I adored them. And, Country Living deemed them, as "hot collectibles".
Years ago, I painted designs on old furniture pieces, adding many various distressing techniques under the name, "To . a . t". I like everything from early period pieces to mid-century antiques. Once you get inspired, you can turn that passion into making things, or re-styling items, with collecting along the way, (which is how I have learned to decorate each new little nest.) I am a collector, designer and perhaps an excellent nester, "of sorts", since I move so often; with my passion being one of designing my spaces.
Oftentimes; the pieces are the odd pieces, ones that are worn, with just enough patina or chippy-paint appeal, that catches your eye. It feels like there's a connection when an item has wear to it; or even with just a little wear, giving it that feel of connectedness. (This must be a common trait of vintage and art collectors; that connectedness to whatever catches your eye, with each piece having some history.)
My special companion became my, "shop overseer", "Cody", a little black and white terrier pictured above. (She is still the shop overseer; even though she is no longer with me.)