I have often spoke about expanding the site and now the time has come to do so. Ty will ALWAYS be a main feature but I will also be adding the following:

Hobbies
Scrap Booking
Stamping
And more!

Toys
New and old.
Look for articles to appear on antique toys and new releases.

Tea Sets
This section will feature antique collectible tea sets. Prussia and Limoge are two of my favorite tea pieces and will be featured first.

John's World
A view of the collectible world seen through the eyes from John in Germany

The table on my site has been redesigned to include these categories and pages should start appearing soon.

Other features, which will continue to be updated, include gems, bears, miniatures and crystal.

Ms. Janie's Collectibles Studio has been designed for collectors, please feel free to join in and share your favorite toy, hobby and collectible and be part of the site.
http://www.msjanie.com - please e-ami me at MsJanie@comcast.net

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Approx. 60% of retailers across the county reported slow sales for the month of December. Many were disappointed from gift show wares that were expected to be favorites for the holiday season, but instead turned out to be undesirable or simply unaffordable.

Many retailers are considering purchasing less from retail shows until there is an improvement in the economy. Although no one can predict the future, it does appear that we might be in for a slow year! Be ready for manufactures to pull out all the stops and wow you with everything they have in their arsenal.

I suspect retailers will focus more on displaying merchandise in unique fashionable ways, in order to entice sales. They should also focus on customer service, which in many cases has lacked over the years.

With stock rooms jammed to the ceiling, bargain tables, flashing lights and clearance isles are bound to be a staple into the summer, to clear merchandise. Visit your favorite retailer and check out what may be hot and reasonably priced.

Most retailers I spoke with are hoping for Mother's Day to be a big seller this year. Although Valentines Day is just around the corner, retailers do not feel sales will be a strong enough to pull them through the winter.

Gift show attendance and order placement is down for many strong manufactures. Surely an indication that everyone is being affected by the economy. Plush still remains strong and companies such as Ty, Gund, Russ and Boyds continue to crank out desirable styles. Ty fell into first place for items $5.00 or less and took third place for reorders.

For some strange reason jewelry sales continue to climb! Italian charms are hot, hot, hot and their designs offer something for everyone. Stretch bracelets with multi colored beads are also very popular with the teens. Antique and estate jewelry also command attention these days! One would wonder how a gloomy economy could attract such expensive pieces? Could it be that we have finally grown-up and are no longer playing with toys? NAW, toys will always be a staple item, no matter what age of the collector. But we are changing our desires more and more each day to include more practical pieces. Items that will more than likely become heirlooms and demand attention and value in the future. With family being the main focus these days, our selections are geared towards their needs.

Happy Collecting,
Ms. Janie