I attended my first free seminar sponsored by the Small Business Enterprise Centre in Richmond Hill this evening. The full title was 'Growing Your Network With Social Media'. The presenter was Justin Popovic, a Success Coach and Online Marketer from Orangeville, ON.
The two hours were packed full of informative tips & tricks to help any business owner craft & implement strategies to leverage the power of social media to grow their brand. Justin is very knowledgeable and is able to impart information in a fun & engaging manner.
The major topics of discussion were:
- Social media myths
- How to make time for social media interactions
- What to avoid when participating in social networks
- Tools to help your social media initiatives
- Social media success stories
I discovered that I'm already on the right track, utilizing a lot of the strategies he discussed. I just have to do more of it, as well as, try a few avenues that I have not previously considered. All in all, a successful evening, worth the time invested. Thanks, Justin!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Button Collecting: My New/Old Obsession
My interest in buttons has recently be re-awakened after finding a box of vintage buttons I acquired many years ago. I also found my button jewelry books and have spent some pleasant moments this week leafing through them again.
I always intended to try out a few of the design ideas but never found the time. I'd like to think that I will do that now, but I'm afraid to make committments that I may not be able to keep. *smile* It may end up being another one of my retirement projects.
Several button manufacturing plants were opened up in the 1800's in Berlin, ON (now Kitchener). There were so many of them that the town became known as 'Buttonville' by the early 20th century. By 1964, most of those plants had closed their doors though; gone out of business due to the emergence of new raw materials & technologies, along with greater competition from foreign manufacturers.
Just for fun, I've embarked on an online quest to see what I can find about some of those long gone companies. Information seems quite sparse so the thrill of the hunt has me intrigued now. I'd sure like to know where & when some of my vintage/antique carded buttons were made. Aside from 'Made in Canada', many have no other identifying information on them.
I've sent in my membership request to the Pioneer Button Club, based out of Oshawa. I won't be able to attend their meetings because they take place in the morning during the week but I'm hoping that I will be able to connect with other button enthusiasts to assist my research. There's a Google Group called Buttonbytes that I've joined also.
There are more vintage buttons lurking around this house, I know there is. I clearly remember a bin or a box of them I packed away a few years back. More incentive to continue my de-cluttering project, I'd say. Wouldn't you?
I always intended to try out a few of the design ideas but never found the time. I'd like to think that I will do that now, but I'm afraid to make committments that I may not be able to keep. *smile* It may end up being another one of my retirement projects.
Several button manufacturing plants were opened up in the 1800's in Berlin, ON (now Kitchener). There were so many of them that the town became known as 'Buttonville' by the early 20th century. By 1964, most of those plants had closed their doors though; gone out of business due to the emergence of new raw materials & technologies, along with greater competition from foreign manufacturers.
Just for fun, I've embarked on an online quest to see what I can find about some of those long gone companies. Information seems quite sparse so the thrill of the hunt has me intrigued now. I'd sure like to know where & when some of my vintage/antique carded buttons were made. Aside from 'Made in Canada', many have no other identifying information on them.
I've sent in my membership request to the Pioneer Button Club, based out of Oshawa. I won't be able to attend their meetings because they take place in the morning during the week but I'm hoping that I will be able to connect with other button enthusiasts to assist my research. There's a Google Group called Buttonbytes that I've joined also.
There are more vintage buttons lurking around this house, I know there is. I clearly remember a bin or a box of them I packed away a few years back. More incentive to continue my de-cluttering project, I'd say. Wouldn't you?
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Secondary Market for Modern Collectibles
The manufacture of contemporary collectibles was at its height from the 1960s through to the 1990s. Some people purchased these to enjoy and use but many purchased them as investments. Although many collectibles were labeled as 'limited editions' the actual number of items produced was very large. The result of this is that there is very little demand for many items produced during this time period, which means their secondary market values are often low.
The retail price of a new modern collectible is valid only at the time it was purchased. Once the collectible comes into the buyer’s possession most of the costs associated with the retail price (i.e. advertising, production cost, shipping cost, etc.) must be deducted from that to determine the object’s immediate value on the secondary market. There is no secondary market for an item at all unless someone is willing to buy it, and an object's value is whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it.
That certainly explains why the dolls I purchased during my heydey of doll collecting won't sell for the price I originally paid for them, not even half of their original cost in most cases. Not that I bought them as investments per se, I bought them to enjoy, to display and to share with others. But the novelty wore off, my focus changed and many of them have been packed away in boxes in my storage room for so many years that I'm not even sure what is there anymore.
I've pulled some out over the last few years and tried to sell them on ebay or through online doll groups with very little success. Seems like every other doll collector is in the same boat. So I ended up donating a significant portion to charity auctions. People seem more willing to buy them when the money they spend is going to a good cause and it gets them a charitable donation receipt for their taxes.
I try not to think about how much money I initially spent on all those dolls. At this point, I'm just happy to have them find a new home where they will be appreciated as they once were in my house.
The retail price of a new modern collectible is valid only at the time it was purchased. Once the collectible comes into the buyer’s possession most of the costs associated with the retail price (i.e. advertising, production cost, shipping cost, etc.) must be deducted from that to determine the object’s immediate value on the secondary market. There is no secondary market for an item at all unless someone is willing to buy it, and an object's value is whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it.
That certainly explains why the dolls I purchased during my heydey of doll collecting won't sell for the price I originally paid for them, not even half of their original cost in most cases. Not that I bought them as investments per se, I bought them to enjoy, to display and to share with others. But the novelty wore off, my focus changed and many of them have been packed away in boxes in my storage room for so many years that I'm not even sure what is there anymore.
I've pulled some out over the last few years and tried to sell them on ebay or through online doll groups with very little success. Seems like every other doll collector is in the same boat. So I ended up donating a significant portion to charity auctions. People seem more willing to buy them when the money they spend is going to a good cause and it gets them a charitable donation receipt for their taxes.
I try not to think about how much money I initially spent on all those dolls. At this point, I'm just happy to have them find a new home where they will be appreciated as they once were in my house.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
The obligatory family dinner this weekend led me to this quick and easy recipe. We are typically assigned the responsibility of bringing dessert but this time we were surprised when we learned that we had to bring corn. Thinking that plain corn was boring, I went searching for an interesting way to prepare it that would impress them all.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Original Recipe Yield 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients:
560 g frozen corn kernels
224 g cream cheese
115 g butter
120 ml milk
10 g white sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1.In a slow cooker, combine corn, cream cheese, butter, milk, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.Cook on High for 2 to 4 hours, or on Low for 4 to 6 hours.
That's it! Quick and easy to prepare. All the ingredients go into the crock pot, and aside from stirring it occasionally, there is nothing else to do. And it is SO delicious! Try it, you'll like it. Oh, in case you were wondering, it was a big hit with everyone too. *smile*
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Original Recipe Yield 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients:
560 g frozen corn kernels
224 g cream cheese
115 g butter
120 ml milk
10 g white sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1.In a slow cooker, combine corn, cream cheese, butter, milk, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.Cook on High for 2 to 4 hours, or on Low for 4 to 6 hours.
That's it! Quick and easy to prepare. All the ingredients go into the crock pot, and aside from stirring it occasionally, there is nothing else to do. And it is SO delicious! Try it, you'll like it. Oh, in case you were wondering, it was a big hit with everyone too. *smile*
Book Review: Kitschy Crafts - A Celebration of Overlooked 20th-Century Crafts
Retro is back in style and this book gives a broad overview of the range of kitschy crafts from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's. The vintage drawings add to the visual appeal of the book. Leafing through the pages was a walk down memory lane. Many of the crafts featured are ones that I had dabbled in myself.
I had to smile when I saw the Days of the Week hand embroidered tea towels. Yes, I made several sets of them, one for myself and a few that were given as wedding shower gifts. My set is long gone, worn out by use. I hope that the sets I gifted were equally used and appreciated. I also hand embroidered pillowcases for myself that were finished off with hand crocheted lace made by my grandmother.
Remember crocheted toilet paper covers, knitted tea cosies, sock monkeys and tie-dye t-shirts? What about macramed handbags and plant hangers? Of course, the anthology would not be complete without strands of love beads, string art pictures, bed dolls with crocheted or knitted gowns and bottle cap trivets, would it? And do you recall the latch-hook wall hangings? *smile*
There are instructions for some, but not all, of the projects pictured. It's a good coffee table book and conversation starter for people who grew up in those eras. Found for $5.00 at a second hand book store, it was a real bargain too.
I had to smile when I saw the Days of the Week hand embroidered tea towels. Yes, I made several sets of them, one for myself and a few that were given as wedding shower gifts. My set is long gone, worn out by use. I hope that the sets I gifted were equally used and appreciated. I also hand embroidered pillowcases for myself that were finished off with hand crocheted lace made by my grandmother.
Remember crocheted toilet paper covers, knitted tea cosies, sock monkeys and tie-dye t-shirts? What about macramed handbags and plant hangers? Of course, the anthology would not be complete without strands of love beads, string art pictures, bed dolls with crocheted or knitted gowns and bottle cap trivets, would it? And do you recall the latch-hook wall hangings? *smile*
There are instructions for some, but not all, of the projects pictured. It's a good coffee table book and conversation starter for people who grew up in those eras. Found for $5.00 at a second hand book store, it was a real bargain too.
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