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Thursday, January 16, 2025

Books and Beautiful Bibles

My eBay listing hiatus has ended with a book session. The Bibles I picked up at an estate sale. I love that they are leather-bound. I make a B-line for the Bibles. If I remember right, these were residing in a basement undiscovered by other sellers. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186898162094

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186898171930

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186898155152

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186898178296

I was motivated to get these listed so they were not "death piling" in my converted remote office to art studio. 

While cookbooks aren't quite they movers they were during lockdown, the unique ones still sell. I had gathered approx. 50 books and ended up listing about half of them. After I run them through Terapeak research, those books that are priced low and/or have numerous listings, I send back to the Great Thrift Shop Beyond. 

This 1968 publication I utilized during my Countdown to Christmas posts. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186893985039

This 2008 publication was the most unusual of the bunch. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186898184034

Listing sessions that are queued up are Barbie clothes and Girl/Boy Scout items. 

Gardening update: I am combining plants into planters to transport to our North Coast location. Here I have combined a jade plant, Monstera philodendron, and freesia starts.


I would like to locate an old wooden ladder to train the philodendron upright. 

Monday, January 13, 2025

Quilt Projects Queued Up for 2025

I was inspired by another quilter to post the contents of my project boxes. 

Pastel batik and X blocks

Pieces just need to be sewn together

Pink blocks and random embroideries

Pet car quilt just needs batting and quilting

Pieces of Mary Engelbreit ready to be sewn together

Outdoor themed with fabric panels

9 patch blocks ready for borders/sashing

Black and white themed fabric

Mariner fish-themed fabric

Fairy blocks and fabric pull

The projects most likely to be completed are the pet car quilt and the fairy quilt shown above. I have no illusions, I may keep to the same completion rate as last year (only 2 quilts).

Bought a new laptop, another Dell touchscreen. Not an ad, I am just a brand loyalist on the XPS laptop. This new laptop will pretty much eat up my profits for the entire year. Ouch. 🩹A necessary evil to be used for both personal and business. 

Seller update: My time away intermittently during the summer resulted in 20% lower sales for the year. I figured that would happen between retirement and the summer slack-off. 

Speaking of the summer, the Mr. and I have been busy preparing for the upcoming fishing season. We moved our trailer from one RV park to another, a good choice. Hoping to secure a better spot in the marina. I will keep you posted. 

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Remote office converted to art studio

My former remote office, known to me as the Art Room, has been converted to a studio. The wooden easel was purchased at a yard sale over 20 years ago and has been in storage for the past 10 years. While this isn't a setup for painting (too messy for this room), it should work well for figure drawing. 


The reason I think of it as the Art Room is because it is filled with thrift shop original artwork.

I am not quite sure how a fully online class is held on drawing and composition. There are supplies needed so I assume there will be drawing involved at some point. 

For those following along on my college path. I earned my Associate in Science Business degree in my late 50s. I began my associate degree in art history a couple of years ago. Because I have the underlying degree, all of the classes are art history with no prerequisites. 

After I finish with this degree, I am tempted to pursue a degree in art. A triple major! 

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Concentrated Crafting

My attention has swiveled from patchwork piecing/quilting to concentrated crafting. I have a backlog of kits awaiting completion and now I have the time and energy. 

Beginning with Project No. 1 for the New Year. Latch hook rug poinsettia tree skirt. 

A partial kit came in an online auction box, and I bought another partial kit from eBay. I also picked up partial bags of hook rug yarn at thrift. The canvas was missing from the first partial kit so I will complete it with the new canvas. I also plan on loosely following the charted pattern on the kit. I have started with a cream colored center. I will gift the full kit to my daughter that combines the two partial kits. 

Project No. 2 came to me as a partially completed needlepoint. The only part of the kit missing is the completed image looks like hyacinth. I got a good run at Project No. 2 before the latch hook rug kit arrived. 

Project No. 3 is needlepoint Chintz Cats. All of the following needlepoint kits were purchased secondhand. 

Project No. 4 is needlepoint Fruits and Vegetables pillow. I really like this one and may bump all of the other kits to start it. 

Project No. 5 is needlepoint Peach Rose. Soooo pretty. 


Project No. 6 is needlepoint pheasant Christmas stocking queued up for completion prior to December 2025. 


Let's see how many of these I will actually complete over the next 12 months. If I complete one project every two months, I will reach my needlepointing goal. 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Year in Review

The pretty little Bavarian orchid plate caught my eye 99 cents at thrift. I have it displayed in my orchid-themed half bath. The photobombing flowers are another weekly indulgence of mine now that I am home more to enjoy them. 

My investment in Pinterest continues to pay off as the top referring site to my blog. One of those boards highlight my thrifted fashion and favorite posts of mine. 

https://www.pinterest.com/thriftshpcomndo/top-tami-posts-on-thrift-shop-commando-blog/

I also reactivated my Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/tamaschen/

AdSense and I parted ways. I noticed they stopped inserting the annoying ads. I closed the account. 

Bought this "bundle of fabric" for $9.99 on my fav online thrift site. It was a Tami crafting treasure trove worth the $29 total paid for the box. 


This is what the box looked like when it arrived. Ouch. 


Bundle image 1 - the curtains and valance I will use in my kitchen window. I will sell the pillow kit. The green mat is for puzzles - that is a keeper. 


Bundle image 2 - I so liked the Poinsettia latch hook rug kit, I bid on a new in package one on eBay. The partial kit I have is missing the white yarn and the canvas for the rug. 


Bundle image 3 - a couple more items to sell, and some beadwork items. 


Back to the partial kit of the latch hook rug tree skirt. I bought blank hook rug canvas and transferred the pattern from the new kit to my blank canvas. In my partial kit was the key to yarn placement. I also bought another partial kit's yarn only $1 at thrift. I like the cream color much better than the white shown in the image. This is my project into the New Year. 


After complaining about thrift shop product offered during this time of year, I have hit on all cylinders for selling on eBay. I bought bags of Barbie clothes and have enough to do listing lots by color. 
Another fun item for me was this nearly complete figure drawing set for my Drawing and Composition class beginning next month. 



Quilting update: There has been less and less quilting going on. My only finished projects in 2024 were the fan quilt (for myself) and cowboy quilt (for my daughter). 

Cowboy-quilt-completed

I have a ton of quilt projects queued up but as my interest wanes, I will put some of those up for sale. One project queued up for 2025 is the completion of 6 Dresden blocks. They just need their centers and then glued onto a black fabric. Next step then is to stitch them down to their fabric squares and add borders and sashing. 


I have one quilt committed to a relative so I plan on making a couple of tops for her to choose from. A major fabric destash is planned. I have tubs of plaid, Hawaiian print, and holiday themed fabric in addition to the fabric stored in a 5-drawer dresser, and two other storage cabinets. It is way - too - much. 😕 

Seller update: When I decide to start listing again on eBay (I am on holiday hiatus), it will begin with the Barbie clothes. Books are queued up after I scan for median listing price. If the median price falls below $8 - $10, I send the publication back to thrift. The ideal listing for books is rare or in demand. One example, the Better Homes and Gardens red plaid cookbooks, while not rare, continue to be in demand. 

My bread and butter are sewing patterns. The ones I consider boring, just a top or skirt or jacket, are the best sellers. 

Categories that were slow movers in the past year were Boy Scout memorabilia, crocheted granny square blankets, and needlekits. At the rate I am going, I will be completing craft kits I currently have up for sale. This past month, I finished one needlepoint and am halfway through another. 

Here's to the New Year. I am still adjusting to retirement. While I enjoy the freedom, and the ability to rest whenever I want, I miss being around other people.  

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! 

At tap dance class

From what I have read, the Twelve Days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day.🎄

I splurged and bought the Barbie 12 Days of Christmas 2024. Seems that issue of the doll has already doubled in value. 

The recipe to end our Countdown is Martha Washington's Christmas Cake from Jingle Bells and Pastry Shells (1968) It looks suspiciously like a fruitcake recipe. 

1/2 lb. golden seedless raisins
1/2 lb. currants
1/2 cup citron
1/2 cup candied orange peel
1/4 glazed pineapple, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 lb. butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tsp. lemon juice
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. mace
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tblsp. sherry

Cut up raisins, currants, and candied fruits, using scissors that have been dipped in water. Put in a bowl and pour in brandy. Cover and let stand overnight. Stir the next morning and add more brandy if fruit has become dry. Soften butter and slowly beat in half of sugar. Beat egg yolks until a lemon color and slowly add the other half of the sugar. Combine. Add lemon juice and stir. Sift in combined dry ingredients alternately with sherry. Add fruit. Fold in lightly-beaten egg whites. Bake in a greased and floured 10" tube pan or 10"x4" round mold, filling within 1" of top. Put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven. Bake 350 degrees, 1-1/2 hours or more. Makes one 5 pound cake. 

What I am listening to - Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn Soundtrack (2000)


Because tap dancing has entered my life, and this is a clip during the holidays - enjoy!

For those who watched the Kennedy Center honors on TV, Savion Glover was featured in a tap dance routine. 

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Christmas Eve and the Last Crapht

Countdown to Christmas - One Day to Go! The last crapht to highlight was the thrift shop purchase of a $3.99 bag of plastic ornament bulbs. I had the large brandy snifter on hand. The bulbs fit perfectly!


Among the plastic bulbs were other ornaments, including this upcycled wool tree handmade in Fair Oaks, California, by Kathy Abraham. I appreciate her artistry so wool tree stays with me. 

Over these past few months, I have bought bags and bags of ornaments at thrift. Mainly the plastic ones so I can hang them outside if I want. It is like re-living my childhood, these delightful mystery bags of Tchotchkes. 

Pattern of the Day is Christmas Bulbs. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186800875615

🎄🎅🤶

Recipe is from Jingle Bells and Pastry Shells (1968).

PRESKUCIAI
Christmas Eve Biscuits

3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup warm water
1-1/2 env. active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour

Warm milk to 105 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk, honey, salt, and water.

Mix yeast with flour and add to milk mixture in two additions, blending thoroughly after each addition until you have a firm dough. Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning once so that dough is oiled on top and bottom. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in warm place (80-85 degrees) about 1 hour or until almost doubled in bulk. Turn out onto lightly floured board and roll into 1/2" thick oblong. Cut into 1/2" strips and cut horizontally to make little squares, or shape into rounds. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Makes about 40 little biscuits. 

💫    

What I am listening to - A Tender Santa Fe Christmas