Capiz Candle Holders - At Home in Many Settings

Capiz Candle Holders have been a favorite at Cultural Intrigue for a long time. Why is that? Because they evoke an atmosphere of exotic, far-away places, and bring to mind sea, sand and palms. At the same time, the smooth sleekness of their iridescent surface is elegant and timeless. This makes them one of the most versatile products we offer. 

Offering expanded options for designers and planners, our new Silver-Edged Capiz Candle Holders join the gold-edged version in our product line-up. Silver is a lovely accent for cool colors, such as our Turquoise, Grass Green, and White.

Silver edging on warm, jewel tones like Purple, Red, and Mango, makes these colors pop.

So, how does our new Silver-Edged Capiz compare with the popular Gold-Edged? In terms of price they are the same. However, we do have some candle holder shapes that are only available with a gold edge - the Cube design, and the Full Bloom design.

Gold-Edged Capiz Candle Holders with White Gilded fan from Cultural Intrigue
Photo: Deborah Dempsey

Great for weddings, events, and home decorating, the Capiz Candle Holder truly works best in a casual seaside setting. In the dream-inspiring tropical location below Fuchsia Capiz would  be perfectly at home, picking up the color of the blooms.

We have such a large selection of candle holders, shop around on our online store and you are bound to find ones that add to an exotic, tropical setting. Let me make it easier for you! These embellished votive holders from India are just right! Here is the page for silver-accented candle holders.  Go here for the votive or embellished with henna-like patterns. Go here for the elephant design.

  

Writing to you from land-locked Vermont, this is the Cultural Intrigue team passing on our message to you:

Decorate and Celebrate!

Depression Glass: Still Delighting After All These Years

From the Wholesale Depression Glass collection of Cultural Intrigue. A new
take on an old favorite.

  At some point in time, on a visit to Aunt Edna's or Grandma Mimi's, you may have seen a plate or candy dish made of pink or amber glass. If so, you were probably looking at Depression Glass. This easily recognizable glassware was manufactured during the Depression in a variety of colors including Coke bottle green, deep red, and cobalt blue, light blue, and clear.

My great-aunt had a candy dish just like this one on the coffee
table in her the sitting room. It was always filled with pepper-
mint and butterscotch candies.

  The Great Depression was a time of such economic stagnation, that companies were giving away glassware to encourage people to buy their products.  Gas stations, furniture stores, and Quaker Oats were among those who took part in the giveaway.  Quaker Oats would hide a piece of glassware at the bottom of the box of oats, like a prize in a Cracker Jack box. In fact, another name for Depression Glass is "Oatmeal Glass".

Why would anyone buy any other kind of oatmeal when
you could find a glassware "prize" at the bottom of a
Quaker Oats box?

To get customers to continue buying their product, companies created sets of dishes that could be accumulated over time. Movie theatres started having weekly "Dish Nights" in which a cup, saucer, or plate was given to anyone who bought a ticket for the picture show. Few people could afford going to the movies, and households were cutting back on luxuries like new dishes, so "Dish Nights" were a big hit. Customers kept going back in order to complete the set.

It would take a lot of trips to the movies to collect this set of Depression Glass.

 How could businesses afford to give away this attractive glassware? It was actually very inexpensive to manufacture. Almost all Depression Glass was mass-produced in the Midwestern United States, where raw materials were readily accessible, and the cost of power was low.

The Capstan Glass factory in Connelsville, PA which later became Anchor Hocking,
a major manufacturer of Depression Glass.

 The quality of the glass itself was low. For example, it could not be compared with fine leaded crystal. The glass was poured into a mold, and oftentimes there were rough edges or extra glass where the sides of the mold came together. With finer glassware, the rough edges are smoothed by hand after the glass cools. There was no additional hand work on Depression Glass, This made it even more economical to produce.

The ornate patterns of Depression Glass are raised, not etched.

How do you identify Depression Glass?

• It is translucent glass, with the exceptions of Milk Glass, Jadeite, and Black, which are opaque.
• It will be one of these colors: clear, pink, Coke bottle green, emerald green, topaz yellow, amber, cobalt blue, light blue, deep red, amethyst. The rarest color is orange.
• It is ornately patterned.
• The pattern is raised - you can feel the pattern on the surface of the glass.
• The glass is pressed in a mold, not hand-cut or etched.

At Cultural Intrigue we have located makers of new glass that closely resembles the Depression Glass of the 20's, 30's and 40's. Depression-style candle holders and bud vases from Cultural Intrigue come in pink and Coke bottle green, the most popular colors of the era. These pieces are also created by pouring glass into a mold, and the patterns are raised. Our selection ranges from small, 3-inch votives to 6-inch bud vases. Get the complete view here:
Cultural Intrigue Wholesale Depression Glass Collection

We are very excited about adding Depression-style Glass to our already extensive selection of vintage-inspired glass candle holders and vases. We invite you to browse through these vintage glass designs in our online store:

Mercury Glass




 

Glass Bauble Place Card Holders

Iridescent Glass Candle Holders and Candlesticks

Recycled Glass Candle Holders (coming soon)

Gilded Glass Votives






Please note: Cultural Intrigue sells only to businesses who register their company tax ID with us. We do not offer our low, wholesale prices to the general public.
If you are not a registered company visit our retail store www.lunabazaar.com.

Happy shopping!

Forget Winter and Bring a Little Spring Inside with Brightly Colored Parasols

I walked outside this morning and I was hit with the icy realization that winter has arrived! The change of season is here in full force. It may be bone chilling outside, but why not invite Spring in a bit early at your next party? Paper parasols in red and yellow send an unmistakable message of "Spring"!

I found inspiring Spring wake-up colors at Hostess With the Mostest. Her "Sunshine & Love Bridal Shower" party colors melt the winter freeze. I won't begin to try to describe all of the DIY ideas in Jennifer Sbranti's post - it is too choc full! You must see for yourself at Hostess With the Mostest. I'm just going to tell you about the parasol centerpiece she cleverly put together.

I had gotten a request from one of our customers for an example of a parasol centerpiece and I immediately fell in love with what Hostess with the Mostess did for this photo shoot.

Two vases glued together make a perfect base for this parasol centerpiece!

A 28" paper parasol has the perfect handle size for holding the parasol overhead at indoor or outdoor weddings. However, it is not long enough to work as a table centerpiece. To get around this dilemma, Jennifer glued 2 vases together, one right-side-up, the other upside-down, and wrapped decorative paper around the middle.

Vase Gems can be purchased at most crafts stores.

To keep the parasol and vase from tipping over, our Hostess drops vase gems into the top vase.

The Spring color theme is continued above the table by hanging paper lanterns. Jennifer uses red and yellow lanterns with parallel ribbing, and a white eyelet lace lantern.

You can check out these colors at the Cultural Intrigue store. No need to limit yourself - we have more than 60 exclusive designer colors!

A Spring Palette: basic red, orange, and yellow...
Plus our exclusive Cultural Intrigue designer colors!
Begonia and Lemonade.
Eyelet paper lanterns are available in a variety of styles and colors.

So until Spring returns again, get a few of our paper parasols and lanterns in bright yellows and reds to liven up your next event, and forget about the cold!

Decorate and Celebrate!

- Bethany

The LED Light Alternative to Candles - Here to stay.

Tired of candle light at the table?

I know that sometimes it isn’t feasible to have a lit candle at the table. It may be left unattended, or get knocked over by little ones.  We have found a few alternatives to allow you to celebrate fire-free, but keep the same ambiance.

Add LED lights and make your centerpieces glow!

We have several LED light options to help you do this.  I found this centerpiece of silk flowers done by Linda Sawyer to be a great example of something to jazz up the table flame-free.  We have similar LED Garlands available that are battery powered.  Therefore if you use one of these strands, all you have to do is hide the battery pack. Linda commented on her photo that “you could use real hydrangeas if you make sure the battery pack is hidden in the flowers and ABOVE the waterline. You can also put the hydrangea stems in their own water vials before building the centerpiece.” I am very happy to find her posts on FLICKR.

LED Garlands from Cultural Intrigue

Another item that you could use instead of the LED Garlands would be our LED Accent Lights in White, Blue, or Amber.  I find these fun and fantastic. The lights are attached to a copper wire that is very thin. You can find ways to position it so the wire is virtually invisible. The lights themselves are really tiny, but the glow is intense!
The white LED accent light is my favorite. The glow that comes off of these is cool in tone and they are definitely eye catching!  Last year at Halloween, New England was hit by a fluke storm that shut down A LOT of power, (including mine for an entire week!)  So, not to be detoured by lack of electricity, I hung these and the Blue LED Accent Lights from our front door to attract trick-or-treaters.  They looked amazing!  They are battery powered just like the LED Garlands and also have a battery pack at one end of them.  So, if you want to decorate with any of these strings, you have to find a creative way to hide the battery pack, which, depending on the garland, might be the size of a small card deck.  Here are the Amber LED accent lights shown in our small etched glass fluted hurricane candle holder.

The small battery pack for these LED accent lights
 is easily concealed inside our fluted hurricane candle holder.

You can see the battery pack is hidden in the bottom of the vase and is hardly noticeable.  The copper wire of these lights allows them to be wrapped around or in anything. I have also added floral arrangements on top of the LED accent lights.  These lights are not waterproof so I usually stick to dried floral arrangements.  LED lights never get hot at all so that won’t be a fire hazard, (since the whole point of this blog is to provide you with alternatives to fire on your table).  So, put away your fire extinguisher and get out your batteries for a flameless table topper accessory with Cultural Intrigue’s help.

Decorate and Celebrate!

- Bethany.

Creative Ways to Hang Ornaments

Beautiful ornaments inspire us to get creative. Decorating a tree with them is all well and good, but there's no reason to limit yourself to the branches of a pine tree when there are so many other possibilities!

I've searched around and grouped the most interesting and practical ideas into categories below: Chandeliers, Mobiles, Windows, Props. Let me know if I left out something you love.

Chandeliers

This idea is from "A Fabulous Fete" blogger, Lauren. She wanted to dress up her chandelier, so she hung sparkly ornaments on baker's string from the "arms". They are hung at different lengths, and nicely fill the space above the table.

Ornaments suspended from a high chandelier
fill the space above a holiday table.

Another take on hanging ornaments from a chandelier comes from Vanessa and Valentine. I love her sense of style. Although too embarrassed to show the actual chandelier (vintage 80's, not in a good way) she shows the ornaments hanging ffrom the chandelier suspended by ribbons in a tight cluster. Nice photo collection, Vanessa!

When ornaments are hung closer together
they give the impression of being one large ornament.

Ornament Mobiles

My personal favorite is this virtual Christmas Tree made entirely of ornaments and invisible line.

It takes patience to hang so many ornaments
but the stunning effect is worth it.

This idea comes from "Not Martha", which is a great idea in its own right. The tree has caught the attention of other bloggers around the web, so you may have seen it elsewhere. "Not Martha" is a real professional when it comes to organization and clarity of description. She even explains how to store the components of the tree when you take it down, for easy reassembly the next year. I was most curious about what was used to hang the ornaments. The key to building this creation is a steaming rack purchased at a restaurant supply store.

You can get the full directions from "Not Martha"

A simpler, yet very attractive mobile comes from Elle Decor. Wire rings for hanging the ornaments can be found in craft stores. These have hooks, which make it easy to space the ornaments out evenly. Fishing line, which is nearly invisible, is recommended for this decoration.

Photo: Elle Decor

There are lots of devices for hanging and displaying photos that can double as ornament holders. Here's one from Good Housekeeping. Each wire has a little clip for holding a photo. The clip can be used to hold the top wire loop of the ornament. It's important to use small, very lightweight ornaments with this type of hanger.

Photo Mobile idea from Good Housekeeping

This photo mobile would be fantastic for hanging ornaments at dramatically varying lengths. Just be sure the ornaments are not too heavy!

Photo Mobile that can double as an ornament hanger.

Ornaments in Windows


There are some tricks to making this look good. Use some attractive ribbon to suspend the ornaments. Hang the ornaments at varying lengths, so they fill the space behind them. For example, if the ornaments are hanging in front of a large window, they should be spaced in such a way as to occupy the full area of the window. There should be a big difference between the length of the shortest ribbon and the length of the longest. To give the arrangement a finished look, adorn the curtain rod itself by wrapping some festive fabric or evergreen roping. The perfect example of this comes from Salvage Savvy.

The spacing of these ornaments
gracefully fills the window space.

Ornaments and Props

Picture Frame as a Prop for Ornaments

Picture Frame Prop for Ornaments

A Huge Mirror Frame as a Prop for Ornaments

Inspiration for Home

I like the idea of the wire tree for displaying ornaments. A classic design consists of a flat base, vertical rod, and one wire that spirals around it. See below:

Hang the ornaments from bottom to top
and they will hold each other up.

Hanging Ornaments from a BranchI found this idea on the Desire to Inspire web site.

Not every branch has to be evergreen during the holidays!

This lovely decorated branch idea comes from The Decorologist. I love her! If you wanted to add lights, see the suggestion below.

Branch + Ornaments = Instant Chandelier!

I hope this post has shown you one or two ideas that you haven't seen before. Just remember Cultural Intrigue has ornaments that are difficult, if not impossible, to find elsewhere. We import them from Bali, India, and China for your decorating enjoyment! Happy decorating and celebrating!

Happy Holidays from Cultural Intrigue!

Mercury Glass

Mercury Glass Tea Light Holders
and Candlesticks from Cultural Intrigue.
Photo: Deborah Dempsey for A Gala Affair

Vintage-Inspired Décor for
This Season and All Seasons

This year mercury glass can be found everywhere - in candlesticks, hanging ornaments, vases, and candle holders. It's no wonder, since mercury glass is perfect for adding a touch of elegance and festivity to any home or party setting.

What is Mercury Glass?

The term "mercury glass" is actually a misnomer. Mercury has been banned in items for everyday use for decades. "Silvered Glass" is the correct name. It refers to the silvered finish applied to the inside of the glass. The finish can also be gold or any other color. Think colorful Christmas tree ornaments. Even when the mercury glass is gold, the process is still referred to as "silvering".

Why is Mercury Glass So Popular?

It's Versatile

Gold Onion
Mercury Glass Ornament

Mercury Glass fits in virtually anywhere, from the opera gala to the intimate dinner with that special someone. It's the Little Black Dress of decorative accessories.

It Sparkles and Amplifies Lighting

Each mercury glass piece is literally a miniature mirror. The silvered interior of the glass is highly reflective. A mercury glass vase or candlestick placed next to an evergreen holiday centerpiece will pick up the green and bounce it back. By placing mercury glass votives near candlelight you double the glow.

Silver Heart
Mercury Glass Ornament

Mercury Glass Ornaments Create a Cozy, Old-fashioned Atmosphere
Our ornament designs are modeled after vintage decorations that used to adorn the Christmas trees and homes of our grandparents and great-grandparents. The simple shapes recall a time when all Santa had was candlelight to find his was to the cookies!

To see our complete collection of Mercury Glass Ornaments in shapes and styles like: pearl, cone, melon, bubble, swirl, drop, diamond, and crackle, go to Cultural Intrigue Mercury Glass Ornaments.

No Polishing Required!

With mercury glass you can get the glimmer and shine of Sterling silver without having to ask Aunt Myrtle to haul out the old wedding gifts from before the war. We are not claiming that you will mistake one of our silver mercury glass candlesticks for a polished, metal one that weighs several pounds. But, mercury glass will give you the look of gold or sterling silver with very little effort, and you won't have to rob a bank.

Something New

Although gold and silver remain the most popular finishes for mercury glass, there is also a pearl white finish, which had a soft, opal-like shine. Cultural Intrigue is introducing a line of pearl ornaments this year. These ornaments will ignite your create imagination. We can't wait to see the ways inventive planners put them to use.

Pearl Finish
  Mercury Glass Ornaments

Price
At Cultural Intirigue mercury glass items compare favorably with similar glass products. Our Silver Mercury Glass Candle Holder (globe design below) sells for $4.25 (less if ordered in bulk).

Compare this to the Red Gilded Glass Candle Holder, also $4.25,

and the Capiz Lotus and Square Candle Holders for $3.95 each.

Now you know, there's no reason not to add sparkle to your celebrations with Mercury Glass!