VINTAGE MERMAIDS - VINTAGE MERMAID COLLECTIBLES

Vintage mermaids on my brain. I have opened a couple of stores. One store (www.mermaidtales.webs.com)has 5 mermaids - a few are vintage and the others are my vintage mermaid reproductions for sale. I do differentiate for you. The other is not stocked yet. I am so very busy with all the blogging and creating custom mermaids. I sell some to a local boutique.

Have to run for now. Stay tuned. There will be much more coming to ya' from Toni's Voice.

MERMAIDS: Pictures of Vintage & My Reproductions

Hope you enjoy these pictures. I will be adding often. Feel free to ask questions or just leave a comment.

Are Mermaids Real - Do They Exist

I know mermaids are real. I create them from ceramic vintage molds and chalkware. As I hold each one in my hand and with strokes of a brush their gorgeous eyes begin to sparkle, ruby red lips seem to smile a beautiful smile. Their cheeks blush and yes, as I hold each one in my hand completed and created by me, she is real. The babies you just want to hold forever. Painted with an innocent baby doll look, they have sweet little cherubic faces.

My adult mermaids have expensive tastes. They love vintage jewelry in their hair and pearls, crushed shells and lots of bling baby bling! I enjoy creating them as Divas - movie star eyes, sexy, pouty lips. Not to mention all the fancy embellishments my girls like - crushed shells, Swarovski rhinestones, glitter, porcelain flowers, and of course vintage jewelry. Then shey swim away to new homes where they are displayed on walls - they are all exhibitionists:) But, they prefer powder rooms to be near the water.

Collecting Vintage Mermaids

When I first started collecting mermaids, I had no clue what I was doing. I began searching auction sites and I was a little gullible. If they said vintage, then I thought it was vintage. After getting ripped off a few times, I stumbled across an invaluable book: Ceramic Fish, Mermaids & Seahorses: Bathroom Decorations of the 1940's and 1950's. I refer to this as my Vintage Mermaid Bible!

After studying this book, I learned quite a bit and also the value of these collectibles. Many of them are wall plaques like grandmas used to have on their bathroom walls that came from the local five and dime. Well, you can't get them for those prices anymore. I find some of mine at estate sales and have even found a few at yard sales. I also scour flea markets.

The condition varies as to how they were taken care of in the first place. I do have a very few that are in mint condition. Really gorgeous and some that I own still have the original stickers on the backs. I have Norcrest, Made in Japan, Freeman McFarlin, Bradley, Py, and many others.

While I enjoy collecting them, I especially enjoy molding and reproducing them. This is not illegal as the companies are long long ago out of business. I have had an attorney check this all out for me. ANd to tell you the truth, my reproductions are far prettier than the originals and of much greater quality - non of the usual crazing, factory blemishes, sloppy paint jobs, chips, cracks and so forth.

You have to decide. Do you want only vintage or a mixture? My reproductions fit in nicely with my originals. I add personality to mine and embellish them to the nines - bling baby bling! I use crushed shells, Swarovski rhinestones, porcelain flowers, glitter, pearls and even vintage jewelry. The thing is, you can get mine for half the cost of the original vintage ones. As they are becoming more rare to get, they are also becoming so pricey. It is all a matter of preference.

I would like to hear from collectors and swap information and stories.

Tropical Coconut Cake Recipe

1 can cream of coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 box yellow cake mix
1 small bowl Cool Whip
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
Bake cake as directed. Mix cream of coconut and Eagle Brand milk together. As soon as cake is done, punch a lot of holes in cake. Slowly pour cream of coconut mixture into holes and all over cake. Pour pineapple, juice and all, over cake. Refrigerate until cold. Mix Cool Whip and shredded coconut together and spread over cake. Keep refrigerated. Must be cold to taste good.

You Are My Sunshine

I never thought much about this song until the month of June, '08. Caylee Anthony. I think of that song often and see her sweet little face singing away as she flips through a book. A precious life swept away and for what reason? Trashed like garbage, literally. In that garbage bag where she lay - she was not alone. There with her were all of her dreams and her future. Rotting away, unnoticed, silently, as if she had never existed. She has been in my home since June. I feel that Caylee is a part of my family. I hurt everytime I see her face on Nancy Grace. I am a better person for knowing her - how sad that but for her death, I would not even know her name. Caylee, I will never forget you. Goodbye and may you rest in peace.

Vintage Mermaids on the Brain

Well, it has been awhile. The mouth has been a busy gal. There just isn't enough of me to go around. Perhaps I should xerox myself - how many copies? This will be short. We have a blanket of beautiful snow on the ground, there is hot chocolate to drink, and vintage mermaids to mold. Yep, I am going to paint those girls and put them up for auction. I have vintage mermaids on the brain - my passion as usual. Til next time, don't forget to stop and smell the roses.....