Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Oops! Or: There Goes Another Etsy Sale...

Well, it had to happen sooner or later.

That morning I'd gone out into the garden and found that the bleeding hearts, narcissus, and purple lilacs were in full bloom. And I thought: what a perfect time to photograph a bunch of my vintage glass bottles and put those up in my shop!

So I picked an armload of flowers, stuck them in a pot of water, retrieved the bottles from my storage shed out behind our house, and went up to the stair landing that I use as my photography studio. I've got a small table there, which I cover with a piece of white poster board, and put another white poster board behind it. I got out my camera and started shooting, doing the cobalt blue bottles first with a few stalks of bleeding hearts and narcissus:

Nice!  Then I put some lilacs in the blue bitters bottle shaped like a fish, and for contrast added a yellow vintage paddle fan that I'd just put up for sale:

Afterwards I stuck in the bleeding hearts:


So far so good. I set my camera down on the table and lowered myself onto one of the stairs to take a break, but just as I reached behind me to sit down, I brushed against one of the cobalt blue bottles and suddenly it tipped sideways and fell against the stairs:

Oh no--I was going to sell those two as a set! Not being one to cry over spilt milk or broken bottles (they're just "things" after all), I picked up the bottle that hadn't broken and began photographing that one with my yellow fan, which looks pretty great as a backdrop for any blue shades (should I really sell this when it's such a great prop?):

And put in a sprig of lilac:
It was still a pretty colored bottle, even all by itself. And who knows: I might just keep it for myself!



10 comments:

  1. Omgosh, frustrating! I love the deep blues too, its so pretty I would have a hard time selling it, it also made a beautiful photo :)

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  2. What is with my teamies & the blue bottles? :) These are all gorgeous and beautifully photographed, even the broken one! Now it has even more character.....

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  3. Your broken bottle reminds me of an old Phillips Milk of Magnesia bottle.
    I broke an antique Limoges tea cup. It lived a long happy life until I picked it up to wrap (I'd sold it!), my hand wobbled, the cup fell off the saucer, and broke. I was so frustrated!

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  4. Debbra, many thanks for the photo compliment--especially nice coming from you, oh great photographer!

    AntiqueShopGirl Pamela, the Etsy Pickers and Sellers team seems to be united in blue love! and yes, it does have more character now (I actually glued it together and will keep that one--the glueing worked, but is no longer salable)

    PastPiecesVintage: Oh yikes, that's so much worse cuz it was Limoges and you'd sold it (ouch!) ~ mega frustration! I said in this piece that I didn't cry over spilt milk or broken bottles, but a broken Limoges SOLD cup might have brought me to tears! yes, it would have... :(

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  5. Hi Kris! Thanks for visiting my blog - now I'm here with you! Very lovely! You are a real pro at this - I am just a rube - learning as I go. There's so much to explore here - I can't wait to check out a passion for vintage textiles cause I surely have one! Nice to make your acquaintance, Kris!
    Best, Mickey - Etsy Shop: Glass Paper Scizzors :)

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    1. Mickey, great to meet you, too, and I love your blog (now listed here)!

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  6. It is a great prop, and so is the fan. Fabulous pictures!

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    1. Jennifer, many thanks--I am getting nervous about losing that fan prop if it sells. meanwhile, that fish bottle just sold today to a woman in London who's getting married and wants a collection of different "posy" vases--I'm going to blog about that today

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  7. Love the blue!

    I found your blog via the Leaders of Vintage team :)

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    1. L. A., thanks, so glad you found me on Leaders of Vintage! :)

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