From GEMS.

A powerful statement was released by GEMS from their found Rachel Lloyd. We wished to share it with you.

"There's a war going on outside no man (woman/girl) is safe from". So angry at men who purchase women and girls, at men who hit, men who rape, men who feel like women are their property. Angry at the man who disposed of a girl I loved like she was nothing more than garbage. Angry that he just walked back into his life like nothing had happened the night he took hers. Angry thatwe're not angry enough that we live in a world where women and girls are victims of violence every minute. Angry that women and girls in the life aren't even seen as human. Angry that this could of been me and so many, many people I love. Angry that somewhere in the world, soon, this will happen again to a girl or a woman. Angry that while I've been writing this women are being beaten, sexually assaulted, and some killed - often at the hands of a man they love. Mobb Deep was half right - there is a war going on - but for women and girls its not just happening outside, its happening inside our homes, behind closed doors, on city streets, in hotels, in cars, in workplaces, in bedrooms and kitchens, in front of our children, in war zones and refugee camps, in prisons and colleges,- there is no safe zone. And no woman or girl, especially those in the life, are safe from it. I'm so tired of nursing girls wounds, of supporting female friends through their sexual abuse trauma, of hearing about one woman after another being hit, punched, kicked, choked by a man they are intimate with, tired of complaining about the constant degradation of women and girls in the media, tired of trying to explain to people how its all connected, how its all part of the continuum of women and girls being dehumanized. You start with sexism, misogyny, male privilege and acceptance of violence towards women and girls in our culture, in all cultures, and eventually you are left with a young woman's body dumped like garbage in some woods by a highway. And you're left with only a mention of an unidentified female body in the news, that doesn't even raise an eyebrow. Just one of the many faceless, nameless women and girls who are casualties of the war against them everyday. I'm so tired of crying, I just want to know when it ends. When do we all get angry and tired and disgusted enough to fight back? Don't our daughters, mothers, sisters, nieces, girlfriends, friends deserve to be safe? Don't the women and girls who aren't related to us, who might not look like us, who aren't seen as 'good' girls or 'real' victims deserve to be safe too? We didn't sign up for this war simply by virtue of being born female. We didn't enlist, we don't want to be soldiers. We just want to be safe and free. That's not asking a lot."

-Rachel Lloyd, GEMS founder

For more information about GEMS, visit their site. 

Safe Harbor Laws

At an organization called change.org, they are petitioning to enact Safe Harbor Laws to protect underage children who have been commercially exploited.

"Safe Harbor laws are that better option. These laws define these sexually exploited children as victims of abuse, help them find protection and support, and grant them immunity from prosecution for prostitution while they are under 18 years of age.

Safe Harbor laws also can increase funding for specialized services like long-term housing, mental health care, educational support, and job training to help these children recover. Thirty-nine states lack these basic Safe Harbor protections – including Texas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Louisiana. Every state can do more to increase services for child victims of sex trafficking." 

-Carolina De Los Rios, PhD
Apart of Polaris Project

To find out more and how you can sign and promote this petition visit HERE.

Thank you for supporting this cause!

Supporting Moms

As many of you know, we, as a vintage business, support GEMS and their organization. This summer, they have put together a registry to help some amazing women who have children and need baby supplies. Below is instructions from their site! 

"Summer is here and our GEMS’ babies are ready to enjoy some fun in the sun! Their lovely moms could really use your support to keep their munchkins happy and healthy this summer with basic items such as diapers, formula, and bottles. YOU can help our young women fulfill their children’s basic needs by purchasing items on our wish list! Start your week off right and check it out today!!"

Here’s how to use the My Registry wish list:
1. Visit the registry at http://bit.ly/I2VWH8 (use Firefox; Internet Explorer isn’t really compatible with this website.
2. Click on the item you want to purchase. A pop-up window will say that you will be directed to the Target or Walmart website.
3. Click “Continue to View or Buy This Gift” on the pop-up window.
4. Wait while you are connected to the Target or Walmart website.
5. Click “Add to Cart” and then “Proceed to Checkout.”
6. Insert the shipping address that “My Registry” is showing at the top of the page.
7. Fill out your billing address—and then you should be set!
If you have any trouble with the wish list, please email Zuleika Muñoz at zuleika@gems-girls.org! And thank you for supporting our family!!

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

A New Act, A New Hope

As a vintage shop, we want to provide the most unique and beautiful items to our customers. We also want to do more than just sell vintage which is why we donate 10% of every purchase to G.E.M.S, Girls Educational Mentoring Service. This organization was founded in New York City in 1998 by Rachel Lloyd who as a teenager was commercially sexually exploited. 

G.E.M.S strives to make known the issues of domestic trafficking and sexual exploitation in New York and the states. They are committed to ending sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of women and children by changing individual lives, transforming public perception, and revolutionizing the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited youth. A great step toward this goal was taken yesterday with the renewing of an political act. 

President Obama signing act. 

It was a day of excitement and celebration as a new act was signed by President Obama, The Violence Against Women Act. This act was originally put forth in 1994 but in 2011 fell by the wayside and was not renewed until yesterday. This act empowers victims of sexual and domestic violence across the United States. It gives them rights in the law as well as access to programs and victim assistant services. 

This is the beginning of a long road towards empowering victims of domestic and sexual violence and to one day end sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking in the United States.

For more information on G.E.M.S. and to support their movement click HERE. 
For more facts about the Violence Against Women Act, click HERE.

What Disneyland Can Teach Us About Branding

Let me start with a disclaimer. I am by no means an expert in branding. I am only a student and in kindergarten at that, but I have always been detail oriented, and it seems to me detail is at the heart of branding. 

When it comes to opening a shop on Etsy, anyone can doodle a banner, create a product and open a shop. What seems to be forgotten, however, is the details. The realization that your virtual store is a representation of what a physical store should be. What should your Twitter bio say or what should your Facebook profile picture be? What about these small but important details? 

My wife and I are proud Disneyland annual passport holders. Sometimes we go just for the Gibson Girl out-of-this-world ice cream or explore areas of the park one-day park-hopper passes don’t allow time for. The amount of detail Disney puts into every square inch of their attractions is astounding! Their attractions are, after all, what the theme park is known for. Their entrance is their Etsy banner, and their attractions are their products. It goes without saying that everything is detailed and cohesive, but what about  small, forgotten areas like first aid? 

On our recent visit, the tiniest toe on my left foot suffered a sudden blister. I needed a band aid and fast. My wife directed me to the nurses office hidden in a section of Main Street, USA that I was unaware of. The first thing I noticed were these beautiful frosted glass windows. They were soft and welcoming as if a doctor from a Norman Rockwell painting was waiting for me on the other side. 

Once inside, I immediately noticed the illustrations of famous Disney characters as doctors and nurses, assisting other Disney characters who were patients. The atmosphere was similar to a doctor’s office but this extra touch kept the fantasy alive, even in a place where Advil and Pepto-Bismol call home. 

I was so impressed with these details, I almost forgot why I was there, until a kind nurse asked me “Good afternoon, sir. Is there anything I can do for you?” I explained the predicament of my tiny toe. She took the matter very seriously and began to display a series of bandaids in various sizes, unsure of the girth of my tiny toe. She made sure that we knew there were extra bandages we could take just to be sure that my little toe would remain safe. I took the smallest one, thanked her and sat down on a bench with my wife while she performed the operation. 

She opened the bandaid and placed it gently on my wounded appendage. I look down and what do you think was staring back at me? Mickey Mouse! He had a big smile on his face as if he was saying “All better now.” 

This tiny detail made me feel like a little boy going to Disneyland for the first time. In Etsy, tiny details such as status updates, bios, or even pictures can be forgotten or put aside. Disney is an example of how even the smallest attention to detail can bring people and keep people in their world. They understand something as simple as a Mickey Mouse printed on a bandaid designed to rescue a little hurt toe could make their customer feel special. They understand the heart of branding is in the details. 

So let us take a lesson from Disney. In our Etsy shops, let us pay attention to the details of our branding, treat every customer like they are the first customer, and create cohesive beautiful shops that display our talent and finds. 

Zucchini Banana Bread Recipe

Lovely recipe from a fellow blogger! Looks delicious! We will definitely be trying this out!

Oh So Lovely Vintage: Zucchini banana bread recipe.: Ingredients: * 3 Very ripe bananas * 2 Small zucchinis, approximately 1 Cup shredded * 1/2 C Sugar * 3 Tbsp honey or Agave syru...

What's Your Favorite Thrift Store Find?

I began my obsession with thrift shopping at a young age. My grandma, the original bargain master, used to take me to every Goodwill in Los Angeles County. I used to rummage through the men’s suit collection, hoping to find a beautiful three piece pinstriped suit. It didn’t matter if the lapels could double for airplane wings or even if it was made of polyester, if it fit me I wanted it. 

It took several years of growing before I finally found that suit. It fit me like it was made for me. It had a tag in the interior pocket dated 1936 (my favorite year) and it was adorned with the most beautiful pinstripes this boy had ever seen. 

It was, by far, the greatest thing I ever found at a thrift store, until eight years later... 

My wife and I are on a routine hunt for new products for our Etsy shop. We stop in a bargain store we’ve never visited before. For those of you who have hypoglycemia you can understand the sensation we experienced the moment our eyes rested on this store’s bounty. It was a Hipster’s paradise. Our paradise. 

I couldn’t believe the amazing things I was finding. Every find seemed to outdo the next, but all fell silent and bowed in reverence the moment my wife tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the greatest thrift shop find of all eternity; a Universal Studios E.T. piggy bank! Copyright 1982! Four times a day every day, I watched this masterpiece. It made me become a filmmaker! This was my childhood. This was my life!   My life for only $4. Sorry grandma, my wife is the new bargain master. 

That was my favorite thrift shop of all time! What is yours? 

Please share your favorite find story in the comments below!

Not for sale!

This is mine!

                             

Simple Leaves of Paper

We take pride in the items we have from our shop. From swap meets to local thrift shops, we search for unique, lost items and bring them to you. We take our time with the pictures, but we also take our time with packaging. Every purchase is important to us, and we show this with our simple but personal wrapping.

Item ready for shipping.

Remember the days when brown paper packages would come in the mail? Every time you buy from us, you will to be taken back to simple times of brown paper and carefully made products. Every item we post is cleaned as best as it can be without ruining the product. If it is breakable or needs cushioning, we encase the item in soft cotton for shipping. A simple brown tag with our name and a thank you for supporting GEMS is then placed around your purchase. The item is finally wrapped in recycled brown paper and tied with jute cord. This gives a simple but personal feel to this item. 

Autumn leaves added to every package.

When you receive your package, we want you to be excited and delighted with your beautiful products. As you open it, you will see that paper autumn leaves have been sprinkled around your items. 

Our favorite stamp.

 We hope you love it and continue to support GEMS as they fight to end human trafficking in the United States.

Very Young Girls

As a new shop, we would normally display our products and finds. We will in future posts, but for this first post, we would like to share this video from the documentary Very Young Girls. This documentary was produced by GEMS and is a must see for anyone who wants to understand more about sex trafficking in the United States. We were inspired by this documentary to connect with GEMS and support their mission to end human trafficking.

Redeeming Vintage. Restoring Lives.

I saw a picture of a girl. She was standing outside with an adult who was forcing her into prostitution. She was four, one of many women and children forced into the sex industry. I was devastated. It drove me to research human trafficking, and I discovered the documentary Very Young Girls created by GEMS.

GEMS is an organization located in New York city and founded by survivor Rachel Lloyd. They do not just combat sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking but work to empower survivors through education, housing, and counseling.

My husband and I wanted to find a way to support GEMS. We love vintage and fell in love with the Etsy community. It became clear starting an Etsy vintage business was the solution. We chose the name Autumn House because it represents change and the coming of new things. For us, our vintage items are the start of something new for the survivors we are helping. Every item in the store has been redeemed from thrift stores, flea markets and storage units and made beautiful.

Our mission with Autumn House is to make all things new. We want to see Autumn House grow and blossom beyond capacity, so that we can support GEMS and their goal to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children.


Find out more about GEMS here.