The face behind the networking RC Antiques revealed

I have been on the Internet since 1997.

In those days, I listed items on ebay that were from our collections and the estates we would buy.

I was simply, rcantiques. It was only natural to have my email under that name and so forth.

Eventually , I also used RC Linda when signing some emails etc.

I am not college educated, just the average Joe..or, should I just refer to myself as the average person since I am a lady, not a Joe.

I've come a long ways.

Not due to survival in these hard economic times, but, due to

my unquenchable thirst to surf the net.

And therefore , as the years went by, and as I became more comfortable with the net, I began to use my face as my trademark.

It was a bold move.

But, I wanted be become human, instead of a name or market or commercial.

This move has worked well for my on line shops, RC Antiques on Ruby Lane and RC Antiques Too on Ruby Plaza, because it's nice to see who one is buying from.

I also think it has helped my blog and my videos.

My most hit videos are the ones that have myself as host, instead of the ones I enjoy creating with OneTrueMedia.

Now, let's look at today's world on the net, compared to let's say, 2 years ago.

My hard work has actually created a barrier when I want to just enjoy myself on the net.

When I join a site, due to my name, RC Antiques, or Linda Caricofe, some sites either wonder why I joined, or , some think perhaps I am lurking, trying to learn things from the site...and if I am not extremely careful, and I should underline the word careful, my name can sound like spam.

Sites that are not vintage or antiques related, are fabulous if one such as myself can fit in...even FaceBook has become sensitive to net workers or business names.

Remember the old saying, " darned if I do, darned if I don't ", yep, that seems to be my predicament.

I have come up with the idea of creating different avatars using my image, to fit whatever site I want to join.

So, when you are surfing the net, and see various different images of ole RC, believe me, it's not for vanity's sake...it's ole RC trying to remind the public, this RC is just the average person, not a company.

The Internet, fascinating how something so advanced, can actually be so difficult to get around.

So, time to get downstairs and stand in front of that mean camera and take some more photos. The older one gets, the meaner the camera is , and at this point, I am about ready to name one of my mannequins, RC :-)

Youtube videos connect to vintage and antiques what's it all about

Youtube has been around a long time.

Now, antique to vintage sellers are beginning to realize they can use youtube to their advantage.

Ruby Lane was the first site to offer a talking person video titled Linda's Shop Talk. This talk gives tips to help improve sales.

That's only the beginning.

It's time to show your faces, connect with the Internet world face to face.

In the old days, 7-11 convenience stores were on every corner. Along comes a super looking , I got to go there , Sheetz stores and 7-11 has become a blur.

Target stores has become the super store they are because of their fabulous advertising graphics. The store itself is set up the same as other stores, but those fabulous TV ads...that's the draw.

Don't get lost in the shuffle.

If you are an on line vendor, writer or whatever, go the extra step.

Do a video. Go beyond the photos of items set to music, get in front of that camera and talk.

Vintage shop owners are the best type of shop owners. They are survivors , they are what America has preached always, that you are free to be the best you can be.

Vintage shop owners were actually the first to say, quit throwing good things away, recycle. Reuse,  vintage is not only better made, but has stood the test of time.

Don't let your site or shop continue to run as vintage, perk it, do that video.

After finally learning how to do a one on one video, I promise you will be hooked, you will love it. Here's the latest Linda's Shop Talk video, see, I am finally enjoying it because I finally know how to relax and just talk to you, one on one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXL7UGF-N0Y

If the people on youtube become famous for doing weird unusual stuff, you can become the shop to visit because you do the youtube :-)

The best is yet to come.

From me to you, now, that's a cut :-)

Mrs Smith's Family Treasures

A long time ago, I had a call to see a lady down in W Va.
If I recall right, her home place was in N.H. When her husband retired, he insisted on moving to the country.
And that they did. It took a long drive through many winding roads to finally find their new home. It was a sleek modern home, so, I really did not expect any treasures to be found.
She was actually the best treasure. The fist call found me haggling prices with her all day. We enjoyed it tremendously.
We made the arrangement that she would travel to the home place and bring as much down to the new home as possible for me to buy.
The first load was wonderful, but the second load is my fondest memory. She had a box of buttons and wanted a fortune for them. I joked with her about the amount and since we had become buddies at that point, I told her no way could those buttons bring such a price.
She looked at me in such surprise that I was worried that I offended her, and chastised myself for not remembering my house call rules I had always set for myself...But, no, instead, she looked at me and said, " oh my, you do not know buttons ? "
I looked back at her and said.., " Buttons ? No, not really ". She made me promise to buy a button book ( the Internet was not born yet ). We put the box of buttons aside, and after I brought just about everything she had brought down from the home place, she reach over , patted me on the hand, and told me she would sell me the buttons for a very low price..and promised once I knew buttons, I would be delighted with this treasure. Well, to her , the price was low..but to me, at that time, it was high, really high..but, I brought them anyway.
And when I got home, I went to the book store and brought a button reference book.
My eyes were opened to a whole new world. Do you know buttons ? If not, you need to buy a button book and loose yourself in the fabulous world of buttons.
I still have that box of buttons.
Mrs Smith, my dear friend, died before she could finish bringing the rest of her treasures down for me to buy..it was a sudden un expected illness..she had Cancer of the Pancreas and was gone in 2 months.
By the time I found out, it was too late to say good bye.
No need to. She will always be in my heart. And whenever I see buttons, a bell rings in my head, and I remember our visits together haggling out prices of things I was to buy.
This is the first story of this blog, and it is dedicated to her.