Thursday, January 10, 2013

New Years Resolutions


HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Here we are in the new year, it is hard to believe but 2012 has come and gone in what seems like a flash yet leaving us with memories for the rest of our lives. I say welcome 2013 and let the fun begin!

The last two weeks of the year are a buzz of activity as we try to attend holiday parties, create the perfect holiday celebration and accomplish all of this while the dreaded New Years Resolution looms in the back of our minds. As we meet with our friends and family the over achiever always seems hunts you down to ask you the dreaded question.... "What's Your New Years Resolution" full well knowing he/she is the only person that has thought it through, picked their outstanding stellar resolution and is now ready to share it with anyone that will lend an ear.

I am proud to say I am normally a procrastinator and leave things like New Years Resolutions usually until 11:59pm on December 31st at which time I choose something that I normally would never do to give up. Through the years my split second resolutions have included things such as dressing like a clown, making TV dinners a staple in my diet and spending more time at the mall. As you can see these are all things that are easy to achieve and makes for a successful resolution while providing a false sense of accomplishment.

This year is different in the sense that I have a real New Years Resolution.... starting a Blog and sticking with it! Over the past year I have been fortunate in meeting many interesting and unique individuals and so many have asked if I have a website or a blog about my Vintage Etsy shop (Circa810), treasure hunts as I like to call them and what seems to be hot and trendy. Eyes pointed to the ground almost as though I was ashamed I would answer no, but that is on my list of things to do. I made a conscious decision that I would start at the beginning of the new year and tackle it head on ... so here we are Welcome 2013, let the fun begin!

So to get the ball rolling or maybe I should say to get this Blog rolling here is a little about me and what I am all about

First off my name is Thom and I operate a shop on Etsy.com along with doing a variety of vintage shows through out the upper midwest. I like to call them shows even though I am sure others would refer to them as flea markets. As though this is not enough to keep me busy I partner with a lovely lady and together we run an estate sale business in our area.

Why is my Etsy shop and Blog called Circa 810? Ironically my last name is Aten pronounced like the numbers Eight Ten, sort of quirky but I use it to the best of my ability. Every year I remind my friends that August 10th (8/10) is my holiday and it should be a day spent not worrying about the small things but instead enjoying life and those around them. This is how I try to live my life; appreciating the things others pass by and feeling fortunate for having the experiences that I have had. Of course there is 8:10am and 8:10pm those are just special minutes of everyday.

Some of my most vivid memories as a child are being allowed to explore the back of my Great Aunt Ema’s curio cabinet. There were little old trinkets from Germany all covered in dust and residue from years of heavy smoking relatives. Then there was my mother’s china cabinet and the mysterious doors at the bottom that were only opened to remove the unseen treasures for their yearly spring cleaning or holiday use. Many years have passed since those days but the memories still come back whenever I am out shopping for vintage items to stock my shop. My Aunt Ema with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth telling me in a thick German accent only touch what is on the bottom shelf and my mother saying someday I am going to clean this and throw it all away. Thank God the depression generation saved things instead of tossing them out in the trash. Now these treasures are being unearthed by people like myself and others in the Etsy community bringing back memories and the great styles of years gone by.

Another fond memory I have from my childhood and most likely a contributing factor to my addiction of hunting through any thrift store I come across is time spent with my father. Although he was an Electrician by trade I can remember time spent rummaging through Salvation Army and Saint Vincent Depaul looking for parts to something he drug home to fix. Honestly there was nothing he could not repair once he put his mind to it. While he searched for his parts I prayed that no one would see me there... thrift stores in those days were not "en vogue" and being seen going in or coming out of one could ruin a young school boys reputation. Even though I would keep one eye open for anyone I may know I still would nose around at everything that caught my eye and usually would go home with a little trinket that I had no use at all but loved very much.

If you visit my Etsy shop you will see my taste and collections to this day are eclectic. I scour the upper Midwest searching for distinctive items to fill my home and to share with others. I honestly can say I do not have a favorite period of vintage, I like it all! Everything from the sleek lines of Art Deco, the simplicity of Mid Century Modern and who doesn’t love the bright colors and craziness of the 1960’s and 70’s. You’ll find an assorted mix of it all in my shop, everything from the useful to the quirky things that were in the back of your Grandparents closets.

Just to clue you in I am not a professional writer by any means but I am going to do my best to share with you my thoughts and experiences and hopefully give you motivation to seek out the things that make you happy and content. Although I love vintage I am also pretty experienced in furniture restoration, gardening, cooking, travel and a good dose of sarcasm from time to time. My mother would have called me a "Jack of all trades and a master of none" .... I miss her sarcasm sometimes but I know where mine came from.

So here the journey begins into a new venture of sharing not only a part of myself but the things that make me happy and hopefully make others happy as well. I will do my best not only to tell a little about myself in each post but also share with you other great places to visit both online and off. Hopefully you can find new experiences to try.

Until the next post just remember ..... There's Always Room For Vintage!

FEEL LIKE SHOPPING?  
www.Etsy.com/shop/circa810


WHAT'S CATCHING MY EYE....
www.pinterest.com/circa810


Please leave your comments and request to what you would like to see or learn about.

4 comments:

  1. I look forward to the journey, Thom.

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  2. Awesome read Thom! Welcome to the blog world. Love the representation of the "construction" of your blog with the ladder there! Can't wait to read the next one, happy 2013 to you!

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  3. Love your Blog Thom, much success in 2013.

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  4. Yay! I can follow Thom's (aka Walt) journey through his world of vintage. One of my best days that I ever spent, shopping for vintage, was with Thom in Chicago.

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