Happy Wednesday!

Jim Henson's Beauregard doll

I'm sitting at my desk in my work clothes (all thrifted - woohoo!), getting used to a new pair of shoes I bought Monday at Salvation Army. I'm super weird about shoes. They have to look just a certain way. I can't deal with anything that's too pointy or I think my feet look humongous. Nevermind that I have friends with larger feet who wear pointy shoes and look fabulous - I look awful. Anyhow, I went out on a limb and bought a pair of shoes that have open toes, but are definitely a little pointy. I'm getting used to them.

I've been thrifting like a mofo, listing constantly, taking tons of pictures. I'm still housesitting, so I have to find new canvases on which to photograph clothing, but I've made it work. Wooden fences look pretty cool as a backdrop with good lighting. I don't think I'll ever be the kind of girl who models for her own store, but who knows? Maybe if I'm still doing this when I'm eighty, I'll have lost all fear - that would be pretty hilarious. All of those types of online shops are typically cute young women and the occasional friend or boyfriend.

Anyhow, I was inspired by Ted Cruz's non-filibuster speech over the past 24 hours. I don't care if I agree with someone's politics - if I see someone who is passionate about something and they do whatever they can to make that visible, I have a lot of respect for them. I respect people with the courage of their convictions; I don't know that I always have that myself.

Peace out yo :)

Insta-sale baby :)

Vintage Patch-worked Quilt Top

So I listed this puppy (puppy, baby, whatever - it's a quilt) after having it in storage for ages, not wanting to photograph it. Then it sold in 19 minutes! I got an offer in five minutes, and thought, "If it's this hot, I bet someone will buy it at my asking price". So I waited, and sure 'nuf, it sold. I always love it when that happens.

Thrift Share Monday :)

Vintage tie lot - Six of seven were new!

I have been an excellent thrifter lately, but not such a great person. I guess we can't have it all.

But on a lighter note, I volunteered to do a presentation at my church's family camp on recycling, and the thought of it makes me very happy, a little nervous, but mostly happy. I think I'll make a powerpoint with a bunch of photos of stuff I sell, and then I'll talk about how we can be better reusers and recyclers. For example, I can tell everyone about my USB batteries, the man who fixes my shoes (or how I buy my own heel tips online), and how I made the most awesome dress ever for graduation.

I think that it's really important for recycling/thrift-lovers out there to spread the love in whatever way they can. I am not perfect. I throw things away that I shouldn't because I am not always at-the-ready with a plate, flatware, and cup. But I feel like what I do well is communicate my love of thrift to others. So, fellow thrifters, get out there and spread the love!

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl :)

Nope, won't buy it.

 

I feel like in order for me to feel good about myself in the world, and in business of any kind, I need to feel good about what I sell. That means not buying anything that I wouldn't feel good giving to another person. I don't like to speak ill of anyone or anything. I try to be as positive as possible on this blog. So I'm keeping the list very short.

1. Disney princess stuff: I just saw this dress on Pinterest and it made me shudder. More and more, I'm confused by the wedding obsession in our culture. I'm all for a party. Bring on the week-long party like in India! But there is something unsettling about the princess dress craze. Is it about being pretty? or is it about being the center of the universe? So it is my opinion that Disney princesses add to this unbalance, and I don't feel comfortable profiting from something I don't agree with. Even as I write this, I wonder where this feeling came from, and how I became so biased in this direction.

2. Weapons of any kind, or anything that promotes violence: That means no army men, or guns, or books that promote hate. That means no Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter. Actually, a lot of hate can be found in religious materials, so that means that a lot of "Christian" materials are also off the list. Again, even as I write this, I wonder where this is coming from. How many guns do I come across whilst thrifting? Fake guns? Toy guns? I feel like a tool right now. A judgmental tool.

3. Pornography: Um, this is a tough one. I love nudes. But I just don't feel comfortable sending something to someone I don't know. It makes me uncomfortable. It makes me feel responsible for that person, and I don't like taking on that responsibility.

Okay. I'm going to take Miss Judgey Face to bed now. Peace out.

Boots on the ground

What to look for in boots:

1. Leather soles
2. Embellished/appliqued/inlayed features
3. Brightly colored leather
4. Floral Doc Martens
5. Frye black label
6. Embroidered designs
7. Repairable flaws
8. Tapestry
9. Genuine Mukluks
10. Would you love to wear them?

The non-science of thrift

I'm always looking for things that sell. Of course, this isn't a science. It depends on time of year, even time of month, and time of day at the end of an auction. There are multiple variables, and one can only control for so many, and leave the rest up to fate. These boots were amazing, and when I brought them home, to my dismay, I realized that they smelled like cigarette smoke. Well shoot. That sucks.

I've kinda decided to stop looking for "sure things". I'm not sure they even exist. My best sales are special and rare, and I just have a hunch and go with it. People tell me that they would love to do what I do, but I don't talk it up. It's a job. I happen to love it, but it's still work. And it's a lot of work. My recent feedback problems have only reminded me how much work is involved, and how many people I'm trying to keep happy. Not too many repeat customers when I don't carry the same stuff week-to-week.

I do hate thinking that I've found something great only to have it sit in my shop for months with few overall views and no watchers. But I've learned to brush it off. You win some...you lose some. And that's okay. This week, I bought a bunch of beautiful vintage fabric and upholstery. I hope to list it later in the week. It was a gamble though. I don't know what will happen. I will enjoy taking pictures of the lot though. Beautiful stuff.

Thrift Share Monday :)

I was checking out, paying for my stuff, when I turned around and saw this. I was reminded of Curtis Jere's wall pieces, and bought it immediately.

 

Quilted pillows are so beautiful. I almost wonder if I should change the decor of my sitting room and keep these pillows. I like them so much.

 

They still smell like vintage and moth balls, even though I cleaned them and left them out in the sun to dry in the fresh breezy air.

 

This is beautiful. I've found some similar things on eBay labeled, "Original Thai painting". I'm wondering if this is some kind of street art that a traveler bought in Thailand or a nearby country. It seems very exotic and reminds me of the jungle. Ah, the jungle. I miss it so...I am thinking (again) of going to South America over the summer. There are several reasons for this, and I will very likely discuss them at a later date. Happy Thrifting!

Linked with Apron Thrift Girl.

Cigarette smoke = yuck

You've put me in a quandary, Jack Donaghy. A quandary.

Tracy Jordan

The past couple weeks, I have been the unwitting purchaser of cigarette smokey clothing and shoes. I am far more likely to smell things that are old, rather than items that are new or newer. I ended up buying five (!) pairs of cigarette smokey pants and one pair of very expensive french boots. I was able to wash the smell out of the pants, but I felt weird about the whole business. I am all for full disclosure, but I really don't like having to include the phrase: "When this item was purchased, it smelled like cigarette smoke."

I guess I'm adding sticking-my-face-in-pants to my regular thrifting ritual. It was not worth the time for those pants, but I didn't want to lose money, so I went through the effort of cleaning them, and in the end, it was no big deal. I don't know what I'm going to do with the boots yet. They're leather, and I've cleaned them with saddle soap, but that did nothing for the smell. I'm considering getting them professionally cleaned, but I don't know if it's worth it on my end to do that. But who would buy them if I didn't?

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.

Future flea market booth?

I went to an estate sale today that was pretty depressing. It could have been a garage sale, but they spread everything out into several rooms. I got a beautiful tablecloth. I've decided that when I can't think of a price I'd sell something for, because I like it so much, I'll just keep it. Unfortunately, I have a load of vintage tablecloths in my armoire, and nowhere to use them.

On the rare occasion that I get a booth at a flea market, they make everything beautiful, but I haven't been very active on the flea market stage these days. Maybe after I graduate? That decision can't be made until this paper is done though. Until that happens, I can't get a good night's sleep, a day without a stress headache, or a thought about the future.

Peace out buddies.

Thrift Share Monday :)

Paul & Joe 100% Cotton pants: Um, "Made in France"? I think I always buy things that have those words. Turns out, this label that I've never heard of sells pants for hundreds of dollars. Whoa. I don't know what will happen, but I'm excited for my future of having sold these pants.

 

Vera kitchen towel: Anyone know about a non-vintage Vera label? What does it mean?

Royal Doll: This is a vintage doll. It is old and from some sort of collection with the same doll but different outfits from different countries. This is Joy and she's from Switzerland. I love her outfit, and her braids. Have I ever told you that I can't grow my hair out for anything? I dream of having hair so long I can have these kinds of braids. Never gonna happen.

Hallmark RED cards: Who out there is a fan of Bono's RED campaign? I don't know how I feel about it. Whatever helps raise awareness of HIV and AIDS has my support. I just don't know if it helps anything. Comments on this topic are welcomed, as always.

Bucilla Cross Stitch kit: Somehow, Frederic Remington art is super expensive, but I don't have high hopes for this cross stitch kit. For some reason, the piece ends up having like ten stitches and mostly pre-dyed fabric. Zoom in and tell me that it doesn't look weird. Do it.

Senioritis is very, very real.

 

eBay makes me a little OCD about checking my email, and checking eBay and checking Etsy. Sometimes I just go back and forth. This happens because I am tired. I have a senior paper to write, but who needs to write a paper when there are other things to keep me non-busy. Yikes. I am so done with school, so done. I just want to eat my chocolate soy ice cream with natural peanut butter, and watch television comedy shows. I have no other desires. If someone could light a fire in my belly, it would be nice. Senioritis is real. It's very, very real. Tell your kids, hide your wife, etc.

Thrift Share Monday :)

I've been on a belt buckle craze (solely for reselling) over the last month or so. I don't know if in the end, it will be profitable, but it's a new thing to look for, and I'm enjoying it. I really love that they take up less space. The more time goes by, the less willing I am to hold on to bulky items that aren't selling. I only have so much space in my tiny apartment.

Things I am currently looking to buy used (for myself):

1. Hybrid car
2. Kitchen island/countertop
3. Laser printer (wireless)
4. Dress form base (for my legless dress form)

What are you looking for? People in my church are always asking me to keep an eye out for them for a particular item. It's pretty difficult if you just want someone to just look, and not purchase, because I guarantee whatever it is will be gone by the time the person gets there.

But if you have someone you trust and know pretty well, it's a fantastic way to utilize your resources. Regular thrifters either see it or they don't, and it's rarely an imposition. I love my job. I am having trouble imagining a time when I will have to do something else. I'm even thinking about amping it up after I graduate to see if I can sustain a higher volume. I'll keep you posted :)

~ Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl

Final post of the year :)

I closed my Amazon book shop. I've been selling books on Amazon for the past three years. I had some good times, but in the end, it wasn't worth it. I think I've mentioned this before, but for low-volume sellers, one negative feedback (no matter how ill-conceived) can ruin a shop. So I was ruined, and in the meantime, I had to make up for the downturn in other ways. I started selling on eBay, and added vintage items to my Etsy shop, where I'd only previously sold my personally-authored zines.

I am taking a couple weeks off for a vacation. I don't know how it's going to go with my shops. I'm keeping both of them open, and making it known to customers that I will not be shipping anything until I get home.

Today is Christmas Eve, and this year has gone by so very fast. I don't quite know how to end it. I think I may take a blog break. You may not have noticed, but I'm slowly petering out energy-wise. The everyday thing can't work forever, before I lose that special something we all know and love.

Looking for a lot...

 

...of envelopes.

So I think that someone, out in the world somewhere, should stockpile used shipping supplies, and then sell them in lots on eBay. I would buy something like that. I don't have enough stuff coming in to be able to do that myself, and I don't have room to store much, so if it's not getting used, it gets gone.

There are of course, the 100% recycled options, and I am totally okay with purchasing stuff like that. I just don't want to spend money on new stuff if I can spend it on trash. You know what I mean?

In the meantime, I am working with what I've got during the Christmas shipping rush. I'm pretty close to making a functional shipping package out of a clear food container, but it hasn't yet come to that.

These vintage Holly Hobbie ornaments were found in a bag (9 total) for a dollar :) I took a trip out of town late last week when my favorite store was closed, and I still needed to feed the monster.

Linked up with Apron Thrift Girl at Thrift Share Monday.

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?

An outbreak of shopping fever

I am not a "Black Friday Shopper". I think that the whole thing is bizarre, but there are people I love who celebrate it ritually, so I have had to decrease my negative feelings to a dull whine.

Honestly, I just hate crowds. I feel smothered. I feel invisible. I feel out of control. It's all disorienting, and for no good reason. A friend posted something on Facebook last year, to the effect of, "Avoid the crowds-Buy Handmade-Shop Etsy". So I enjoyed looking around at Etsy today, and adoring those vintage motorcycle boots (that I would look amazing in).

In spite of my "anti-consumerism" attitude, I am constantly managing my own drive to consume. And because of that, because even I struggle with it, I think we can all agree that people aren't anywhere near the end of personal consumption. I myself am somewhat in the business of selling, so I think rerouting is a perfectly appropriate way to manage the symptom (i.e. "Buy Local", "Buy Used", "Buy Handmade"). I have come to enjoy ordering online (and of course I recognize that it takes money away from my local economy, but I haven't figured out how to fix that yet).

Today, I have been happily sitting around in my pajamas, save for a brief obligatory trip to the post office. I slept until 11am, and it was lovely. Then I manned my shops, filled orders, and enjoyed the gentle hum of my space heater.

Now I'm watching Outbreak. A wonderful end to a beautiful day. I'm trying to figure out if I should go see Contagion this weekend. It's playing at the cheap theaters, but everyone I know who has seen it has not been impressed.

Enjoy the long weekend, if you have one. Hug a friend, if you're feeling lonely, or wishing you weren't with your family. Hug a friend if you aren't with your family and wishing you were. Hug a tree if you're none of the above.