Lefty.Lou Headquarters

tap, tap Hi, Blogger? I'm back.

2011-07-30T03:59:00.006-04:00

Well, well-- a day late and a dollar short of exactly one year ago-- Forgive me, whoever, for I have sinned. This year was tough-- not gonna lie. It was a whirlwind of radical changes, big changes. Now I am taking baby steps and getting my butt in gear to focus solely on LeftyLouVintage, hooray! Stay tuned, ladies and germs, many magical things come to those who wait. *wink*

Oh, yeah, and use the code: BACK15 to receive 15% off your next purchase. :) ...limited time only!

Multiple personali... err, posts in one!

2010-07-29T01:09:00.006-04:00

OK, so I just have to brag for a moment about this spectacular Patricia Fields rhinestone "paperweight" *wink* that my cousin bought me as a very belated birthday gift. I've been lusting after them for about 5 years now, so FINALLY these bad boys are mine all mine! [insert huge grin here]
/end brag.

↑Oh, yeah... I also cut my hair about 2 weeks ago.

♥LEFTYLOUVINTAGE Shop Announcement:
Just fyi, I'll be in Richmond, VA from Friday evening until Monday, August 2nd. As a special treat to anyone (which is hardly anyone at all, haha) that follows or checks out this bloggy blog, I'm offering a 10% discount on ALL items in my shop. Items must be purchased in the time frame I'm away. All items will ship either Tuesday, August 3rd or Wednesday, August 4th. The 10% discount will be refunded via Paypal when I return. Just enter "HQS10" in the notes to seller section to receive your discount. Click the link to visit my shop → leftylouvintage.etsy.com Happy treasure hunting!

On a totally unrelated note, I am seriously digging these handmade "Hitchcock" moccasins or more appropriately titled "The Hitchmocc" by fellow Etsian, darlingtonia! I MUST SAVE MY PENNIES! I need these incorporated into my Fall wardrobe. :)

Let's talk about...

2010-06-29T12:52:00.004-04:00

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, shall we?

First at bat is, HarlowNoirVintage. I purchased a darling pair of high waisted shorts from her on 5/25/10. After waiting patiently for them to arrive in the mail, I contacted her. It took 2 messages before she could be bothered to respond, stating that they had been shipped that day--uh huh, sure. *eye roll* Ten days later and still no sign of the shorts, I contacted her again & again & again--no response. Naturally, I filed dispute via Etsy and Paypal. Etsy literally just emailed me stating after several attempts at contacting Ms. Harlow-terriblecustomerservice-Vintage and no response from her, that they had permanently suspended her from selling on Etsy.

Here's part of Etsy's email copy/pasted:

Update on Your Non-Delivery Case
==========================================
Dear trasee,

We are sorry to report that after many attempts, Etsy has not
received an update that indicates the seller has or will settle
your transaction. Consequently, we have banned them from using
Etsy or operating a shop on the site.

Which smoothly transcends into my next gripe.....

Second at bat is, Etsy. Shame on you, Etsy. I just went to HarlowNoirVintage and could not believe my eyes. The shop is not only open, it is newly revamped, complete with new banner and new stock. WOW, just WOW.

GOODBYE, TRUST.

Sadly, this has been happening to me quite frequently on Etsy. Customer service must be a low priority for some folks. What a shame, it ruins it for the rest of us honest sellers that take pride in customer service.

Behold the "Eyes of the Tiger"

2010-05-11T09:26:00.009-04:00

This amazing bookmark was originally a pastel done by my talented Uncle Lew. These bookmarks are glossy, professionally done and unique. To say he has it down to a science capturing the allure and primal gaze of each animal would be an understatement. His work is incredible! And as an appreciator of all things artsy, I am proud to stand on this virtual soapbox and yell out "WE'RE RELATED!" To top it off, he has a great human interest story: Click here to read his bio.

You can find the bookmark shown in the picture above for sale on Etsy in his shop newartprints. He sells mixed bundles of 5 for $5.50--how can you go wrong!? You can't. Trust me! He also sells prints of his original pastels, postcards, thank-you cards, etc..

"Howling at the Moon" is yet another example of his talents. You can purchase a limited edition 11x14 print of this pastel for a mere $50, not too bad, eh?

So, what are you waiting for?! Stop reading and go check him out at NEWARTPRINTS.ETSY.COM! You can thank me later. ;) *wink

Oh, Happy Day!

2010-05-09T09:26:00.004-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you fabulous hardworking mother's out there! It's YOUR day and you deserve it!

I wish I was in Miami spending quality time with mine, but today will be spent with other loved ones instead. It's a nice way to end the weekend. :) Wouldn't you agree?

Prairieoats Praise!

2010-05-08T10:30:00.008-04:00

First of all, if you aren't familiar with fellow Etsian prairieoats, what are you waiting for?! Check her out! She makes unique vintage assemblage jewelry at reasonable prices. To say I am quite fond of her work is an understatement!

I was lucky enough to stumble upon her shop randomly searching for "earrings" on Etsy. Immediately upon entering, I knew wouldn't x-out of the screen empty handed! I ended up buying a darling pair of brass bullet shell earrings with a dangling moonstone. My first purchase arrived in a timely fashion and came wrapped in the most lovely packaging I have ever seen to date. You can really tell the extra love and effort she puts into detail, which I think is important. Not only that, but she is extremely friendly and great with communication. After that, I was hooked!

I made my way back to her shop a few weeks later and contacted her asking for a custom pair of the "Grapes of Wrath" earrings.* I was over the moon when she responded and was MORE than happy to work with me on my request. She kept me updated each step of the way and even threw in complimentary shipping! What more could you ask of a crafty gal?!

*Custom earrings can be seen worn by me in the "thank-you" photo and to the left. Photo to the left was taken directly from her "Grapes of Wrath- Silver Salvaged Bullet Shell Assemblage Earrings" listing.

Lucky for you, Prairieoats now has the silver version for sale in her shop, ready for purchase. And at $24, they're a steal! Snatch 'em up while you can--trust me, they're amazing! I get tons of compliments whenever I wear mine. ;)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW "GRAPES" LISTING!

I just made my third purchase and I don't expect it to be my last! :)

2010-02-18T10:45:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile, hasn't it, fellow bloggers!?

Things have been going quite well for me on etsy the past couple of months. I'm very pleased with my flow of sales and feedback. It's nice to see results after all the hard work I have put into maintaining it. I'm not tooting my own horn, just allowing myself to be happy for what I have accomplished thus far. I also have to give credit where credit is due--I am extremely pleased with my boyfriend's ever-improving photography to showcase my items. If it weren't for him, my store may not have gotten off to a running start. So, thank you, Jason. Your photographs make me proud. If anyone actually reads this and is interested, he has his very own etsy shop now. His work is exceptional. You won't be disappointed, I promise! Please visit jasonbeckerphoto.etsy.com :)

On another note, I turned 29 on the 11th of this month. Hello, 29, I embrace you! Haha... :p

Here's a recent fortune I got from a cookie:

Best EVER!

Happy family! <3

2009-10-27T09:14:00.004-04:00

Blogspot, I'd like to introduce you to the newest addition to my family, Piggy!

We got her about a month ago, maybe a little more. She's quite the pisser! She definitely holds her own with Lefty!

I feel complete now. :)

Vintage Costume-spiration!

2009-10-01T10:45:00.007-04:00

I am so inspired lately by all things Autumn and Halloween. It's my absolute favorite time of year! The air is crisp and clean, the leaves are ever-changing and beautiful, and I love getting the chance to play dress-up on Halloween. I recently came across etsy seller dirtybirdvintage while browsing. I love how dirtybird matches vintage pieces with new handmade touches and transforms them into a one-of-a-kind Halloween costume! What a brilliant yet simple idea! Wish I would have thought of that, but alas I did not and would never dream steal anyone's thunder by trying to duplicate their idea. So, hats off to you, dirtybirdvintage!

Here are a few of my favorites from her shop that are currently up for grabs. Maybe they'll inspire you?

Miss Carn-evil

The Pantomime

Dia de los Muertos

P.S. What are YOU planning to be this Halloween? ;p

12*345!

2009-08-17T22:24:00.010-04:00

"How to Neglect a Blog" by Traci [insert last name here]
Haha, jk! But, I have been neglecting my poor bloggy blog lately. *dusts off hands* Well, time to get cracking--onto my FIVE FAVES for this week:

I'm smitten with these little darlings! They're bird beads by creative fellow etsyer, Carol. Check her out ingeniouslycreative.etsy.com

I NEED THESE lace-up boots in my life! They're made by Seychelles and you can find them on urbanoutfitters.com

I find this ring so interesting. It's made of sea bamboo and the bright color makes this ring >POP!< tibetshining.com

What a fabulous way to welcome Fall '09 with this blouse created by the lovely & talented, Yana. As soon as I saw it I knew it had to be mine, mine, mine--luckily for you, there's another one available! ;) You can find it on supayana.etsy.com

And last but certainly not least, my bf, Jason. He's a real stand-up guy and knows how to cut the mustard! Fortunately for me he's not for sale on any website, but you can check out his photography and camera knowledge right here on blogspot. NotAnotherLens.

*Many, many more goodies are coming my shop's way. Hoping to take some photos tomorrow and get the ball rolling. I can't wait to post some of these fab finds! :)

P.S. I have no idea why my faves are all jumbled. I tried correcting it twice, but it's late and my patience has run out. G'night!

The faves are back in town! *****

2009-07-31T14:32:00.010-04:00

"Tea for two and two for tea!" Kudos, fredflare for carrying this bunny carafe & mug set. Awwww, the cuteness is killing me!

I
LOVE
THESE
WEDGES!
Enough said.

La la love this 70's suitcase! Too bad it's sold. Boo!

It's raining cats & dogs, ahhhhhh! This umbrella is too cute. You can find it on modcloth

PIZZA WALLET! This is deliciously adorable, but unfortunately not edible. :p This item is also on modcloth.

P.S. I've added more vintage gems on leftylouvintage! Check it out, people!

.canon.shot.self.centered.mirrors.

2009-07-28T23:22:00.003-04:00

This is a recent self portrait taken in Philly. It's 1 of 2. Stay tuned for my next fave five list coming soon. ;) hugs and hearts!

mini lifedate & 5s:

2009-07-06T21:03:00.011-04:00

*dusts off keyboard*

It's been awhile since my last blog update. Things have been well in the land of leftylouvintage on etsy. I'm up to 9 sales now--wahoo! I need to get cracking and list more vintage gems! ;p

Been planning a road trip for the end of summer, from NY to Montreal and everywhere in between! I want to stop at all the quirky roadside attractions, thrift stores, etc.. Excitement is in the air!

Enough small talk, here are my current fave fives:

Label of Hope recycled wolf tee featuring a duo-tone cowl neck. *howls, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Actually, all her creations are amazing. Check it out: hopee.etsy.com

Zodiac Zuma Platforms. I've been drooling over these shoes for a couple of months now. Dear Nordstrom, Please put them on sale soon. Thanks, Traci ;)

Pledge fabric sweeper. Without this wonderful product, my purple dining room chairs would still be covered in fur. *ahem* Tokyo! >^..^<

Amy's All American burger. Mmmm! So good on an Arnold's whole grain thin sandwich bun w/ketchup, mustard, & pickles! I had one for dinner this evening. :p

Multi-colored confetti mixing bowls made of recycled melamine.

Two is my favorite number...

2009-06-16T19:49:00.002-04:00

I was up late last night photographing & listing some newly acquired vintage goodies in my etsy shop, so I slept in a bit more than expected this morning. When I finally got out of bed and hopped on the computer, I noticed I had two emails pertaining to etsy. I opened up the first one and almost did a cartwheel--I made my 2nd sale!! [insert fist pump here] I had listed this fabulous 50's sculptured style gold leaf hat less than 9 hours prior and it had already sold!! WAHOO! Score.

Then I checked my second message. It was a convo sent from a fellow etsyer asking me to please reserve the hat (that had sold) until the end of the week. Oh, dear. I felt awful, despite nothing being my fault. I replied to the email apologizing for not getting the convo in time. As a consolation, I offered emailing her pics of three other vintage hats I have and giving her 1st dibs before listing. No response, yet. :( Being a new shop keeper, the last thing I want to do is upset potential customers. *shrug* I just want everyone to be happy. :)

smiles

2009-06-15T11:46:00.003-04:00

Check it out...
My shop was featured in a fellow etsyer's blog! Jason stumbled across it while googling leftylouvintage. :) Needless to say, it put a HUGE goofy smile on my face!

fashionableetsy.blogspot.com

5ive Faves:

2009-06-14T18:41:00.011-04:00

Hi Blogspotters! Here's my fave five for this week:

Magic Fry wallet!

Stila hair refresher in Creme Bouquet. MmMm! This stiff really helps on days you don't have time to wash those locks, trust me. ;)

This hip "Petal Skirt" by a fave etsyer nenee

Catnip eyeballs by etsyer hannapt (My cat, Tokyo, would go crazy for these!)

Sally Hansen Nail Art pens--so much fun! I polka dotted my nails yesterday, in pink.

Alright, I'm off to see The Hangover and pig out on candy & popcorn. :D

Five Faves & Store Update:

2009-06-06T09:15:00.010-04:00

1) Yellow Nail Polish = So FUN!

2) Moroccan Hair Oil. I love this stuff and it smells amazing! A little on the ends really helps!

3) Swimming piglets!! Could they be any cuter?! I think not. *squeeee*

4) My compass necklace. <3 Points me in the right direction.

5) Terrariums<3 I may have to snatch this one up from fellow etsyer: Greenbriar

My store is FINALLY up & running. And to top it off, I made my 1st sale yesterday! Yahoo! Check it out: leftylouvintage.etsy.com
Feedback would be much appreciated. :)

It's all happening...

2009-05-25T17:44:00.005-04:00

I'm proud to announce I finally put my hang-ups on a brief pause and dove into my etsy pictures! Luckily I had some help from my cousin Alexa, who graciously modeled some vintage gems for me. Jason shot us all yesterday morning until early evening and this morning as well. I have to admit, though, towards the end I was getting a little huffy over how I came out in some of the shots. Oops? I'm only human.

Now I just have to weed through all the pictures, take clothing measurements, and note all flaws, if any--AND THEN LIST! Almost there..almost.

Smiles all around! :) :) :)

Five Favorites for the week of 5/17

2009-05-16T17:36:00.001-04:00

*Just for $h*ts & giggles, I decided to start doing a fave 5 list-- hopefully on a weekly basis. :)

1) Lucky Spirit brand Karma candle by purplesuncandles

2) M.A.C. Hello Kitty Lipglass in Mimmy <33

3) Hot Tamales candy. I've been eating a box a day, no joke. *oink oink*

4) Zebra print athletic shorts from Forever21

5) Aveeno Continuous Protection SPF70 spray <-- 70 may seem a bit dramatic to some, but I get burned so easily. 70SPF is my bff in the Spring & Summer!

Oh, hello, blogspot! Meet my insecurities!

2009-05-13T11:56:00.000-04:00

I've been an even mix of anxious & excited for my up and coming shop, LeftyLouVintage, to finally be up & running on etsy. I have to admit, though, at the same time I've also been holding myself and the store back due to silly insecurities. Let me explain, I will be "modeling" (for lack of a better word) most of the vintage clothing I list on etsy. I noticed that the sellers that are the most successful are the ones with great shadow-free photos in their listings. It's almost as if there is an unspoken format for said photographs. Pretty girls/sellers prancing around in stylish duds with a plain colored, shadow-free background. It seems that not only are you selling your product, but you're also selling yourself, in a way. Oh, boy--so many racing thoughts upon that realization. What if the darling interwebs doesn't fancy me? What if I come off as a joke? What if? What if? What if, till I'm blue in the face!

I find that I am quite awkward in front of the camera. I freeze up, don't know what to do with my hands, fake smile, etc.. It's like I just cannot completely let loose and be free. *sigh* Luckily for me, my boyfriend Jason is a bona fide camera ace--that being said, he has volunteered to take all my etsy photographs. Even still, I feel ridiculously stupid and self conscious posing in front of him. Somehow I need to get over my hang-ups and get over myself if I'm ever going to make this shop work. I've invested too much time and money not to. I realize that this is probably so trivial, but to me it's e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. For now, I'll be crossing my fingers and dotting my "i"s for the courage to get over this mental hump! Viva la Vintage!

So, with all of this out in the open and off my chest, come watch me blossom at: leftylouvintage.etsy.com