Curtis Jere :) :) :) :) :)

I'm sure there are at least a million gifs out there that could mimic the reaction I had internally when I found this in a bathroom during last weekend's estate sale. I'm sure you can imagine it.

There are two leaves that have fallen off (I bought it that way), and they are included with the listing. Initially, after purchasing it, I asked a friend to weld it for me, but this was before he'd actually looked at it, and I saw that the green wasn't a metal patina, but paint on the metal. I decided this morning to list it as-is, and allow the next owner to decide what to do. The welding options didn't sound safe enough to me. It was too risky to harm the piece irrevocably and I wasn't going to do an amateur epoxy job. I'm just not that kind of girl.

Speaking of which, have you ever noticed yourself more as you get older, realize how you are unique in the world? I'm noticing lately how much of a "big picture" person I am. I'm the person who finds things well, but I struggle more with the small details of my business. I'm not inept or anything - I can learn new things - I'm just recognizing that I naturally gravitate towards big ideas and less towards putting a plan into action. Little things scare me. They trip me up. They make me think I'll miss something huge and get trampled for it. I don't know if that makes any sense. I struggle with it most in romantic relationships, when I worry that I'm missing something huge (hugely bad).

But there was no way I could miss these owls. I was prepared. I knew what I was looking at. I'm awesome that way :)

Silver everything.

I've sold a fair bit of silver in the past month or so. I sold a lot of odd-and-ends sterling jewelry. I sold a set of three sterling soup spoons. I sold a set of matching cufflinks and a tie pin. I'm a fan.

I bought the soup spoons with these knives. I couldn't believe that I actually found sterling spoons, as in, full size sterling silver spoons. I felt like I'd won the freakin' lottery. So when they weren't selling, I spent a couple hours really trying to figure out what the pattern was, since the pattern wasn't matching anything the manufacturer ever made in sterling. Eventually I was able to name the pattern, and that's when they sold. $150 for three spoons. Heavenly.

I'm off to a memorial service in the morning. My bff will be accompanying me for emotional support. I don't know what I'll be walking into, who I'll see from my past, who will be nasty (it's happened before). I'm right on the edge of feeling capable of staying in one solid adult-sized piece the whole time. I will likely be getting pan dulce for the road, with my favorite cafe con canela. Food is inextricably linked to my emotional health (thanks diabetes!). But really, food makes me feel capable in a deeper way than the provision of energy. Food gives me literal and figurative fuel for the journey. Isn't that weird, how something so primitive can become so inextricably linked to who we are?

Chew on that, yo.

People are animals!

There are few words to describe the past several days of my life. So I don't know if I'll try. All of it makes me feel very alone, and that cannot be helped.

But then some good things are happening, like I thrifted a lot yesterday. I bought Throwing Copper because I dunno, I had a seizure several years ago and got rid of all of my "dark" music, and listened to this song over and over again in the car. Also, I found a brown tweed shift that goes all the way to my knees (!) from Ann freakin' Taylor. Then, I finally figured out how to go to one of those quick car washes with free vacuums, so now my car looks so much better. Also, my thirteen-year-old friend made chocolate cake, and the dog ate a frog, so I laughed a lot, and got a lot of crazy kisses from dog #2 whose mouth was not foaming. So now I'm gonna go to work, and I'm gonna think about all of these good things when I'm feeling down.

Thanks for being here. I'm quite fond of you.

Makin' things work

Vintage knit suit from Vivanti for Neiman Marcus

So after the car blow up yesterday morning, I went to town on listing my vintage clothing inventory. There really wasn't a ton of it, but it takes more time, blah, blah, blah...I complain about it too much. I am working diligently, listing everything I have. I reduced some big ticket items, hoping they'd sell faster, and now I'm just trying to be calm and not think about it too much.

I called my veggie oil friend, and he said he'd do some research, see if the car is sellable, and what I could do to make that happen. He said I might be able to get $2000 for it, and even though that's what I paid initially, it feels like such a small number now. I know that I don't have a lot, but what I do have is quite a lot of wonderful people in my life, and that's really all that matters to me.

Today I will be doing the same thing I did yesterday, taking a lot of photographs and listing a lot of my inventory. It will be a good day. I'm currently going through books, and enjoying the wonderful selection that I have. Perhaps I will share some with you tomorrow when I have some photos.

Ridiculous morning.

Yeah, I sell art books. This one is on American Impressionists.

Ridiculous. That is what I am thinking right now. And that may be due to my usual insomnia-laced mania, or (more likely) it may be due to the fact that I woke up at 5am for an estate sale that ended up being SO overpriced, that I bought one thing. One thing! I was the first person in line! I think I mostly just feel silly for thinking that I was going to be able to purchase something for $1000 that ended up with an asking price of $4995. Silly me.

I did realize, as I was driving away, that I have not held up my end of the "no thrifting week". I bought a Starbucks solo coffee press at the estate sale this morning and a tape machine dispenser at a thrift store yesterday. I'd seen the tape dispenser weeks ago, then again when it hadn't sold, and I looked it up, thinking, "I wonder...". It was a good bet. Now I just need to figure out how to ship that darn thing. It will officially be the heaviest thing I have ever shipped. The last time I sold something really bulky that I didn't feel confident about, I went to the local office store, and had them pack it. I don't know why that made me feel better, but it did. We all know what trouble I have with packing :)

So all in all, I feel good. Today and tomorrow may be difficult, but I'm committed to working through my stuff (my inventory, not my emotional handicaps). No encouragements necessary, but all are appreciated, nonetheless.

Welcome back Selena :)

Vintage Vera scarf from the late 1950s

Welcome back to another edition of "Thrift Share Monday", a post where thrifting finds are shared with the thrift world at-large.

This vintage Vera scarf has been sitting in my storage for maybe six months. I haven't listed it, because every time I look at it, I think, "This isn't in good-enough condition to sell", but then I don't get rid of it. So today, I am listing it, and we'll just have to see what happens.

Coach purse

My first every Coach purchase. We'll just have to see what happens. Oh dear, I just said that. It's pretty much my new philosophy on life. It's hopeful, but not too deranged. It's mature without being a pain-in-the-ass. Oh wait, I think I am being a pain in the ass. Shoot.

New in package - unopened - So cool

I found this embroidery kit listed for $120 on someone's non-eBay site. I often wonder how people do when they set up their own online shops that are not affiliated with a larger entity. I know there are lots out there. I just don't think I have the kind of name recognition to go off on my own, nor do I particularly want to.

I've been thinking about closing my Etsy shop. It doesn't make very much money (I'm gonna go check on this statement right now). Well, it made $1100 last year, and $550 so far this year. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I don't know. I guess I am frustrated because it means that every time I purchase something, I have to decide where it would fit, and lately I have not been thinking about my Etsy shop at all. Does it even have a purpose, or a theme? What is it? I can't answer these questions, so I'm wondering if it's time to close it down in favor of putting all of my energy into my eBay shop, which I love and enjoy.

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl :)

Thrift Share Monday :)

I'm on a total mug kick, inspired by The Recycle-ista and her penchant for finding Starbucks mugs. For whatever reason, I love buying mugs and photographing them and selling them. I love that I get to add a bit of fun to someone's morning coffee or tea (or late night soy milk, my newest fave).

The more I resell, the more I find that I am committed to making the world a better place through reselling used goods. That kinda sounds silly when I read it in my head, but that's why I do it. That's pretty much why I do everything, and I don't always succeed. For example, I dropped the ball and two Heath mugs broke in transit to their buyer this week. The shame! So after sending a full refund, I immediately went on eBay and bought some pre-owned bubble wrap (unpopped bubbles though, so no worries).

It is not okay that my shipping record is less than perfect. But, unfortunately, my failure in packaging can easily be tied to my emotional handicaps. I don't always protect myself sufficiently. I pack with newspaper when bubble wrap is needed.

 

On a lighter note, I am having new ideas! I want to reform the underground housecleaning community to become more marketable, for their own financial benefit, by using all-natural products. I want to put outdoor shades outside my single pane windows so my apartment isn't so hot this summer. I want to create some wort of workstation for packing and shipping so my apartment isn't so crazy-making. Summer is coming, and I'm excited!

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl :)

"Here we come rejoicing"

There's a small out-of-the-way thrift store downtown that I go to pretty often. I don't know if I've talked about it before. The thrift store supports a deep-seated ministry in the city. I don't quite understand what the ministry itself does, though I've been shopping there for years. There have been signs on the wall saying that some money helps kids go to camp, but I don't think I've seen those signs lately.

It's my secret spot. I always find good stuff. Oftentimes, I have to spend a lot of time cleaning my purchase(s), but it's usually worth it.

Anyhoo, there's a lovely woman who works there, and she enjoys listening to children's bible tapes. A couple months ago, children were singing Old Testament passages from the Torah. Today, they were singing songs about Jesus. I told her how much I enjoyed the music. I bitch and moan about Christian music overkill in thrift stores, but I'm beginning to appreciate the nostagia of it. Today, as those children were singing, I was thinking about my childhood, and this album. I've been trying to find some audio, but have been unsuccessful.

Semi-great day :)

Today was a good day, and I don't have those very often. At least, I don't have particularly good days. Every day is good because I'm not curled up in a ball, wearing all black, and living in my best friend's home office, unemployed and suicidal.

In honor of this great day, I give you the following great things that happened:

1. I found like fifty pounds of gummed brown paper tape, and I figured, "Why not buy it all and have a lot for a long time?" Now I have tape for two years, and it's all recyclable.
2. Then I found a Lululemon yoga top, and it's kelly green, which I look pretty good in. It was well received by those who later admired it for its looks and awesome find-ness.
3. I did a crow pose in yoga for a full second. Then I fell on the floor with a big smile on my face. The instructor thought I was embarrassed, but I was just super proud of myself.
4. After I left yoga, some guy chided me for leaving my car window down, saying that some guy had been looking at it out of the corner of his eye. "Ha!" said I. "Good luck stealing my car, covered in bird shit from sitting under a tree today" (no wonder that prime parking spot is always open at 10:30am). "Go ahead, steal my car. See if I care." Now, that's real freedom.

Today, I present my paper to the world. Then I will go on a thrifting vacation and eat a lot of vegan foods.

Thrift Share Monday :)

I found an amazing wrist cuff yesterday. I knew right away that it was great, but the more time I look at it, and examine it, and look at other vintage cuffs, I realize how truly special it is.

But there are zero markings on it. I'm thinking about taking it to a jewelry store, but I don't know where I'd take it. I'm sharing it with all of you in the interest of sharing my find, and getting your thoughts. I'll let you know if and when I find more information.

Storage facility estate sale

 

Oh-mg. Storage facility estate sale. Only thirty minutes away. I felt so productive. I also didn't spend much. Not spending much makes me happy :) Also, I heard the girl at the front say they're doing it again in a couple weeks-and it supports a local performing arts center in a small farming town.

All in all, it was very dirty, and at some point, I turned the wrong way between rows of tables, and I broke something. Yikes. I offered to clean it up, and pay for the item, but they let it go-no biggee.

So, a lot of junk to go through, and some awesome finds. I found some Harley Davidson tailpipes (or mufflers-I'm not sure). I just couldn't get them. They were huge and I didn't know what they were, or if I'd even be able to sell them ethically (not knowing much about them). Now that I'm home, and looking up Harley Davidson parts, I think I could have gotten them.

It'll be about a week before I go through the lot and list everything. I will be sure to share my finds.

The customer is always right.

I just completed a very large eBay purge session. I put most of my stuff up for auction, and all of the auctions began at $0.99. It was fun to watch the final twenty minutes or so. The numbers got higher a lot faster :)

I've just been getting bored of my eBay shop. I really don't know why. I think I need to do this every few months or so. It gets me excited to have space again, and just get rid of stuff. Ah...it's a good feeling.

I've decided to move all of my vintage stuff into my Etsy shop. I haven't quite figured out what specifically will be in the eBay shop when it's back to its normal volume, though.

One of the reasons for this "boredom" is the experience I've been having with eBay customers lately. I've had to suck up my pride so many times just because people want to complain. And I've learned that the only way I'm going to be successful with my business is to truly live the phrase, "The customer is always right". I never argue. I just submit. Even when the complaint is just asinine, I swallow my annoyance, and write a very nice email saying how sorry I am, and ask what I can do to make it right. Most of the time, I never receive a response.

The absolute worst is when someone never says anything, but just stews about it, then finally leaves snarky feedback months later. My new motto when I have a bad experience online is just to be honest about it, and accept what the other party has to give. For example, about a years ago, I bought a pair of pants on eBay, and they'd been hemmed very poorly and the bottom of the pants was puckered. I emailed the seller to let her know; I said I'd have to take them to have them re-altered and told her how much it would cost, and she refunded me that amount. We both thought it was fair resolution, and it was a positive experience.

Good online shopping experiences? Bad experiences? What do you do?

Well, this sucks

This one goes out to my reselling peeps.

Sometimes, I find the most awesome stuff whilst thrifting. Actually, I am always finding awesome stuff. That's why I buy it, and put it in my store. But when I take it out to list it, I have this pain of longing, wishing I could keep it for myself. I keep finding awesome vintage crewel kits, and I wish I had the time and energy to complete them, but I don't. I found an old family bible in mint condition, and it would be awesome to have a bible like that at home, open to a Psalm or something equally tranquil, but no. I reject hoarding. I reject it!

Of course, eventually, the pain passes. The item goes to someone who will love it as much, or more, than I would, and my soul returns to its previous state of equilibrium.

I think sometimes this happens in other areas of life. We fall in love with someone or something, and for whatever reason, we can't keep it. I have been having to say "No" more often lately. It seems like I'm saying it more than I ever have in my whole life. It is painful every stinkin time, because every time I do it, I feel like I'm letting someone down, or I'm letting myself down. But I always say it because it's for the best. If I did everything, I would die from exhaustion. If I loved everyone the way I want to love them, I would die from a broken heart.

So my list of things I want goes untouched, not because I've stopped wanting those things, but because I'm not ready yet to have everything I want. Someday I will be ready. I hope some lucky dog is ready too.