Stacey Nguyen

When I first embarked on my vintage reselling journey, I found myself drawn towards classic porcelain pieces. The thing was, these pieces are incredibly delicate, prone to chipping and crazing no matter the quality. Glass, at the start of my business endeavor, was completely off my radar. With time, however, and a growing desire to … Read more

Did you know that Christmas tree brooches are a thing? Like a thing with serious collectors. When I first started selling brooches, they weren’t really on my radar — rather than vintage chic, Christmas brooches honestly seemed old-fashioned in a cheesy way, especially when compared to their showy floral rhinestone and gold tone starburst counterparts. … Read more

When I first set out to sell vintage costume jewelry, I gravitated towards brooches. I liked the singularity of brooches, and honestly, they’re still one of my main offerings as a vintage reseller. Eventually, however, all those days spent at my local thrift stores’ jewelry counters piqued my curiosity for vintage costume earrings.  I’m a … Read more

Late last year, I decided that I wanted to sell costume brooches on Etsy after getting my vintage reselling sea legs on eBay. Costume jewelry is something that I’m naturally drawn to as someone who never quite trusted herself with fine jewelry. I also appreciate how gaudy and outlandish it can be. You could show … Read more

After publishing a piece about cleaning vintage brass a few weeks ago, I wanted to take a step back and write up a quickie companion blog about finding vintage brass.  I suspect that the reason why brass is so highly coveted as home decor is because it’s very versatile. Art Deco, Hollywood Regency, and mid-century … Read more

Polishing off the patina on brass is somewhat controversial—a patina can look unpleasantly grody, but sometimes the buildup is desirable on older pieces. I’ll usually leave the patina on for antique brass pieces (like this hamsa bird finial) and go in with a good scrub for more modern figurines and statues. Personally, I love that … Read more

The vintage costume brooch is a small luxury like lipstick, affordable and accessible even when it’s high end. It’s incredibly versatile as an accessory, since you can stick it on a collar, scarf, belt, or coat lapel—really anywhere if you let your imagination run wild. It can be a simple embellishment that ties an outfit … Read more

You’d think there wouldn’t be much going on in a city named after lard, but Manteca knows how to put on an event. This sleepy town throws a couple of fun festivals and markets throughout the year, including a watermelon festival, Christmas parade, and book fest. A while back, I inadvertently came across the Manteca … Read more

As a singleton over the last few years, I haven’t given Valentine’s Day much thought. But lately, I’ve been finding myself getting a little gooey over the hearts and reds that have been permeating store displays in January. It’s my Venus in Libra calling to me, I think. I simply adore the cutesy, frilly symbols … Read more