Vintage 20th Wedding Anniversary Gifts in my Etsy Shop

The traditional gift for the 20th wedding anniversary is china, and in my vintage Etsy shop I have a large selection of beautiful teacups from England, France, Germany, and other countries.  By such makers as Aynsley, Tressemann and Vogt, Paragon, Royal Stafford, RWK and many others.

Among some of the beautiful vintage china teacups and saucers I have for sale include this beautiful 1950's pink and gold bone china teacup by Coalport.  It is the Anniversary pattern:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/261252470/vintage-1950s-coalport-anniversary?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_33

And a 1920's Star Paragon peach and gold teacup and saucer:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/263494775/vintage-1920s-star-paragon-teacup-and?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_20

A bright Royal Standard teacup and saucer:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/151529833/vintage-20th-anniversary-gift-for-wife?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_26

A perfect 20th anniversary gift would be the beautiful Royal Stafford Roses to Remember teacup and saucer:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/484527883/vintage-royal-stafford-roses-to-remember?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_10

A rare Aynsley bone china teacup is the gold fleur de lis pattern in black:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/190771086/antique-1930s-aynsley-black-tea-cup-and?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_12

One of my favorites is the daisy pattern in pink by also Aynsley:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/255898016/vintage-white-daisies-teacup-and-saucer?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_30

And another bright china teacup and saucer in gold and yellow produced by Royal Stafford:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/280946506/vintage-bone-china-teacup-and-saucer?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_18

Another one of my favorites is this Hammersley china gold roses teacup and saucer:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110895037/vintage-gold-teacup-hammersley-tea-cup?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_5

Royal Grafton produced a very pretty mid century teacup in blue, gold and white with a pink rose:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/243280660/vintage-20th-anniversary-gift-for-wife?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_6

And another Mid Century teacup in pink and gold by Paragon:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/253994300/vintage-20th-anniversary-gift-paragon?ga_search_query=20th%2Banniversary&ref=shop_items_search_1

For a traditional 20th wedding anniversary gift of china, a beautiful vintage teacup would make a perfect gift.
And I have more than 700 china and porcelain teacups from which to choose in my vintage shop on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShoponSherman?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=7698939

A vintage teacup and saucer, a perfect gift for that special someone.

My Vintage Bavaria Fragonard Love Story Teapot

One of the more popular themes for teacups and china is the Fragonard image.

Vintage china with images from this famous French painter listed for sale online are very commonly called "Victorian couple" images, but he lived from 1732 to 1836.  And the Victorian image is from the reign of Queen Victoria which was from 1837 to 1901.

I acquired this beautiful piece in the love story theme from a lady who had it in her family since her mother bought it in 1960:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/274395176/vintage-love-story-teapot-bavaria-teapot?ref=shop_home_active_25

It was only used for display, and it shows.

All of the gold is in exceptional condition.  The transfer images are still in beautiful condition.  There are no chips.  No cracks.  No crazing.  And the inside is clean & white.

It is a very popular teapot in my vintage Etsy shop.  I am always on the lookout for more Fragonard and Love Story theme items.

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My Vintage 1960's Adrian Pearsall Style Chairs on Etsy

In my thrift store shopping for my vintage Etsy shop I have had a lot of luck at the local Goodwills.  I have been able to great deals on Mid Century Modern furniture, lighting, pottery and kitchen items. And in particular I have had success in finding great deals on Mid Century chairs.

2 such deals are my vintage high back Adrian Pearsall style chairs.

Adrian Pearsall designed furniture during the 1950's and 1960's.  After studying architectural engineering at the University of Illinois he then opened his furniture store, Craft Associates, in Pennsylvania in 1952.

My vintage mid century chairs are not by Craft Associates, but do have the signature Pearsall style high backs.

I actually was able to acquire 2 blue velvet high back chairs, and they are both still in beautiful condition:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/286403671/vintage-1960s-blue-velvet-chair-mid?ref=shop_home_active_17

And on another adventure to a local Goodwill I was lucky enough to acquire a great 1960's orange velvet high back chair by Fairfield Furniture Co of North Carolina:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/198606543/vintage-1960s-adrian-pearsall-style-mid?ref=shop_home_active_27

    One of my favorite furniture sites is 1stDibs.  An interior designer friend of mine turned me on to the site.

They have beautiful furniture by any designer you can think of.  And they have some great Adrian Pearsall chairs.  Including this pair:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/pair-of-tall-back-adrian-pearsall-armchairs-craft-associates/id-f_5602993/

            And they have this beautiful blue vintage Adrian Pearsall chair:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/adrian-pearsall-lounge-chair/id-f_5390513/                                                                                                                                                       

                            

            And they have this cool Adrian Pearsall swivel chair:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/fun-adrian-pearsall-high-back-swivel-lounge-chair/id-f_5492693/

                                                                                                                                                         

                             One lady who was interested in my orange velvet chair had asked me about the bottom             and whether it had a solid bottom.  She wanted to add a swivel bottom to it.  It does not.  So she passed.

Well, we can see my prices are BARGAINS compared to 1stDibs asking prices for the real deals.  But a lot of those dealers on that site are in Miami,  New York City and Los Angeles.  So that is expected. 

I have had a lot of fun searching for vintage furniture and loved finding the Mid Century bargains for my vintage Etsy shop.

The adventures continue.

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100 Etsy Search Views Right after 1:30PM

So I just checked my stats as I am packing an order and I see i have already reached 100 views from Etsy search at 1:34 PM.  That is the earliest in WEEKS.

AND it is a Wed.  The middle of the week.  My highest view days have been Sat-Mon for a while now.

I could see early in the morning that search views were high today.

So this is encouraging.

And I also had 64 direct Google views on Sunday.  The highest also in Weeks.

Back to work.

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184 Search Views in My Vintage Etsy Shop Yesterday

I just finished the Saturday, Oct 22nd, with 184 views from Etsy search.

I checked and last year on the same date I had 368 views from Etsy search!

Wow.  How discouraging.

But then on Oct 23, 2015 I had only 200 views from Etsy search.

Almost time for bed.

Only 143 Search Views Yesterday

There were at least 2 disruptions in Etsy service yesterday because of the cyber attacks.  So views were affected I am sure.

Still, for the Friday, Oct 21, 2016:  143 views from Etsy search          
                                           2015:  334
                                           2014:  394

Wow.  How sad.  How disappointing.

Back to work packing orders.  Then take the rest of the weekend off.

Comparing the Past 11 Days

So after my big teacup sale on the 10th, the month has not been good at all.
Not only for orders and revenue, but for views from Etsy search and direct Google views.

Here is another comparison for Oct 11th-21st for this year and last year:

Orders:                            Down 65%
Revenue:                         Down 58%
Etsy Search views:           Down 22%
Direct Google views:       Down 41%
Google Shopping views:  Down 35%
Pinterest views:               Up 13%

The first 10 days of the month were decent.  Especially with the big teacup order.
Thought things had improved for the rest of the year.
I was wrong.

Oh well.

I have decisions to make.

Zero "Tea Cup" Views this AM

So with the recent drop in views from Etsy search I see, again, that my views for my top key words "tea cup" are down a lot.

I checked here right before 10 AM and I have ZERO views for those keywords.

I have to go to page FOUR of my keywords, out of 5 pages, to see my FIRST teacup keyword and it is ONE view for "teacup".  And further down I see one for "tea leaf reading tea cup" and further down on page 4 to "rose tea cup".

Wow.

I am not getting views for "tea cup" for some reason????

And that is with nearly SEVEN HUNDRED tea cups listed in my shop.

Yesterday my top keywords were "antique tea cups" with 15 views.
And 2nd was "tea cup" with ONLY 4.

Oh well.

I must have Missed the Leak

I don't think it is leaking as bad.  I might have been close.

But it's leaking.

I have to go back up.

If I fall off, I fall off.
That's life.

Back to bed.

Only 162 Search Views Yesterday

So disappointing.  And discouraging.

I finished the Thurs with only 162 views from Etsy search and only 871 total views.

On Christmas eve I had 144 views from Etsy search.
And on Christmas day I had 214.

Time to close up???

Get orders packed & shipped and close??

At least stop renewing expired listings.  And stop listing anything new.

I had 1 good day this month when I made 54% of my revenue.
It's been 8 of 20 days with gross revenue of more than $100.

12 of 20 days with gross revenue of $0-84.
7 of the 12 with revenue of $9-84.
5 of the 12 with zero revenue.

After nearly 11 years of selling.
So it's time to close.

Oh well..

Back to bed.

I Have to Go Back Up onto My Roof

It has been raining this evening and my roof is still leaking.  Not as bad though.  I was close.

Not even sure where the leak is.

It will be scary, but I have to do it.  Probably Monday when it warms up.  And the roof will have been dry for a few days and had sun shining on it.

I will see if I can put up the ladder on the side of the house at the back where the roof is flat and the roof line is level.  Not sure if there is enough room in the walkway.  The ladder might be too steep there.

Oh well.

Only 171 Search Views Yesterday

I finished the Wed with less than 200 views from Etsy search AGAIN.

This is the new normal. A big drop in search views.

Because of the increased competition and Etsy's "declumping".

By this time of year I'd easily be in the 200's and 300's.  Not any more.

Last year I had 246 views from Etsy search on Oct 19th.

And for the first 19 days of this month I have nearly 800 FEWER views from Etsy search than last year.
With hundreds fewer direct Google views also.

No wonder orders and revenue are down.

For 8 of the last 9 days I am averaging about $31/day in revenue.
And 4 of those 9 days being ZERO revenue.
Holy heck.

The one big teacup sale about 2 weeks ago saved my shop.  Made this month worthwhile.  Made staying open worthwhile.

Oh well.

"I am here"

I just got off my roof a few minutes ago.

I've had a leak for a while.  I hired a roofer, and then my neighbor 4 times and it was still leaking.

I had to go do it myself.

I had never been on any roof before.

I bought shingles and a couple cans of tar.

I have my friends 30 foot ladder.

The weather is nice and warm and I had to get it done today before the change in the weather over the next couple days.  Starting tonight.

I got the shingles this morning.  I wheeled a pack home on my dolly this morning.

I set up the ladder on the front of my house earlier and got my supplies ready.  And put on the correct shoes.

I took all my supplies up and set them on the edge of the roof without leaving the ladder. I made 4 or 5 trips.

I wrote to my angels and asked for their help and protection.

I kept procrastinating.

Then, I had to go up.

I stepped back in my house inside the front door and asked God to protect me and help me and gave thanks for some things.  Like this house.  The weather, my health, the supplies, the ladder, my freedom and other things.

I went back out and I put my hammer and things in my cargo shorts pockets.

I walked up the ladder and took the step onto the roof.  It was steep and concerning.

I walked up to the leak area and did not see any holes.  BUT, I did see a white vent pipe.
I looked around it and there was no flashing!  And the shingles that were there creating a lip/edge.

It was scary up there.  The roof is steep and I felt I could slide off.

I covered the edge of the vent pipe with tar.  And an edge of shingles from the neighbors new roof job.

I was scared.

I was scared as I worked.  I felt I could slide off. And I didn't want to move much.  As little as I had to.

There was areas of exposed tar paper I should have put some shingles over, but I did not want to. I did not want to move around much.

At one point I touched the toe of my boot in some tar.  Oh no.  That made it slick.
I walked up and stood against the chimney and cleaned it off and kept rubbing it on the shingles until I felt it had traction.

Spots of my side gutter need patched too.  I bought some spray sealant for it.  But there was no way I was going near the edge.

I tarred and got what I think is it and then headed for the ladder.

It was scary as I moved to the edge.

I said out loud, "God help me."

In my heard I heard subtly, "I am here".

I felt confident as I made my move to the ladder.  It was strong and stable.  I got on easily and started throwing the supplies I had placed on the edge down into the yard.

I should have put shingles on the exposed tar paper.  And even covered it with some tar.But I was too scared.  I didn't want to walk around up there.

I hope I got it.

That was a clear issue the roofer or my neighbor should have seen!!
My neighbor even told me that he had been a roofer for 15 years!  LIAR!

I made it.  I am here at the computer.  And I hope I got it.

Thank you again, God.

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No Improvement in Sight

So my vintage Etsy shop is not improving.  The downward direction is continuing.

 I check my stats regularly and compare them to last year and the previous year and there is only less revenue and orders for all the different time periods.

And what is playing a part in feeling this way about my shop is that views from Etsy search and direct Google views are also down considerably.

Etsy search views are down about 1/3 each day.
Even with probably 400+ listings this year than last year.

And direct Google views are down about 1/3-1/2.

The drop in both is partly the fault of Etsy I believe.

I will have a good day here and there.  It's been 1-3 good days/month.

With all the time spent each and every day, with inventor and listings increasing, I am not seeing the benefit in revenue or sales.  Only the downward path.

Right before 6pm today I have spent about 9 hours on my shop.
For 2 orders and $72 in gross revenue.

I have decisions to make.

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