Prepping the Countdown Posts

Because I have been at the Countdown to Christmas for quite a few years now, I have a nice archive of images to post. 

Sharing a recipe for Christmas Fudge, in all of its messy glory. I am making a batch for Thanksgiving.  

The 1963 version of Tami - wish I still had that Barbie case. 

And a fun image from year's past - Christmas Dino. 

Pattern of the Day is from 1969 Simplicity 8532. One of the images I have kept from the cut patterns that I sent back to the Great Thrift Shop Beyond. 

My thrifting focus has been my usual items to sell on eBay, and buying outdoor decorations for the upcoming Candy Cane Lane post scheduled for Wednesday, December 4th. 

Sneak peek at Candy Cane Lane.🍬The red tree was a thrift shop rescue, claiming to be "prelit" but the lit had left a long time ago. I will cut out the non-working lights and replace them with new-to-me ones. 

Almost all of the Countdown posts are complete. October is when I queue up each day's post. It is going to be a momentous Countdown this year! 

Kitty Cats and College Classes

On the thrifting front, I was able to pick up 60 sewing patterns from the 80s/90s. These two patterns have lept into my personal collection. I have two beloved kitties of my own, Lucky and Susie. 

Lucky is the little grey peeking out beneath the shed door. 

Susie, otherwise known as Miss Hiss, hisses whenever she is displeased. 

College classes have finally posted for Los Rios Community College. My declaration as a dance major was all for naught, even though Tap Dancing is listed in the course catalog, it is not offered at any of the campuses.😒

On the flip side, the drawing and composition class I thought I would have to take in person at a different campus, is offered fully online through Sacramento City College. Sweeeet. While I would enjoy an in-person class, online saves time and gas and allows for remote study. Here is hoping I can register for that class before it closes. 

Novemberness

Lead-off image is a peacock jewelry picture that was offered for sale at hospice thrift. 

I see so many things at thrift that are interesting, but rather than buy everything I see, I capture the image. 

I was going to jettison my eBay listings of CDs and books but decided to keep them on the boards. Fifty CDs just joined the active listings. I only concentrate on a few categories so there is no need to limit myself. Other than books and crocheted blankets, the items I list are easily stored. The next six months will be good ones for sales. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186756854433

Queued up listing sessions include Boy Scout memorabilia, a Lot of lanyards, and a Lot of holey cashmere sweaters. A certain type of crafter loves those types of sweaters. I sell my worn-out ones and buy new retail ones. The lot listed below sold the next day. 💰

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186759762571

If you have any inclination to sell items online, NOW is the time to list them. 

There are few things I have discovered since my retirement 5 months ago. What I have done is continued working for myself on eBay (2,600 active listings). I have taken up tap dancing (which is a blast). I have spent more time gardening, a delight being outside. 

What I haven't done is read a book, work on puzzles, or travel extensively (on my bucket list). Quilting, an activity meant to keep me home and inside, has fallen by the wayside. I have been giving away the fabric I have accumulated. There will be sewing projects, just a select few. 

Countdown to Christmas is one month away. I have spent a lot of time preparing those posts. Including completed crafts from holiday magazines adds to the time commitment. Ending the post with a Christmas tree picture offered at thrift. 

Happy Halloween! It is October Weird and Wacky

I haven't highlighted baby doll mugshots in awhile. This group popped up when I was searching for a ball gown on shopgoodwill.com. 

Going through my photo archive, I found this double exposure. I was doing photo shoots when I found unusual wigs or clothing at thrift.  

Thrift shop painting face in a whirlwind. 

This is the second quilt I have seen featuring toilet paper. WTH? 

Painting of a Viewmaster. Probably the first and only of its kind. 

Golf club bird seen at thrift. 

Ending the post with a human hair doll and a throwback mask spotted at the Old Sutter Creek Antique Fair. 

Have a Happy Halloween! 👻

Barbie Clothes and Christmas Crafts

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186749272721

After saving up Barbie doll clothes purchased at thrift, I lotted them up by color. I think I am the only eBay seller to list them that way. I have nine bags priced between $15 and $25. They are fast movers in that category. I arrange them in pretty much the same pinwheel pattern as the yarn listings. I do it mainly for my amusement and to stand out among the other sellers. 

Working away at Barbie clothes organization

 

A year's worth of thrifted doll clothes

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186749294327

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186749333030

Some of the clothes required mending, just a stitch or two here and there. Some needed missing snaps replaced. These two pieces land as keepers. The dress is Barbie labeled, and the top/skirt combo are vintage fabric. I have a sneaking suspicion that the black and white striped dress is from one of the original 1959 Barbies. 

I am going a different direction in my Countdown to Christmas posts. Because I now have the time and energy (I am starting to like this retirement thing), I am re-creating Christmas crafts from holiday magazines. As of this writing, I have four posts with completed craft projects scheduled to publish in December. 

Bought this wooden ornament tree at thrift for a couple of bucks. All of my past Countdown and some other interesting boards are available to view. https://www.pinterest.com/thriftshpcomndo/

Getting ready to launch eBay listing sessions for books, CDs, and those boxes of vintage Butterick sewing patterns. 

16 Skeins and the Road to Nowhere

That should be a song title! I am plugging away on my eBay listings and yarn was the latest. I get a kick out of arranging the yarn in different ways. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186740792526

I was going to swear off buying thrift shop CDs but then all of the music I had ripped to my laptop has become inaccessible for some reason. Thankfully, I saved some of the CDs that were my favorites. On the subject of CDs, I also bought my 25 Christmas-themed ones in one fell swoop for my Countdown. There is the largest hospice thrift in Placerville, California, and CDs galore $1 each.  

Maybe it is dumb luck or just persistent thrift shopping that I found two more Americana patterns for my eventual quilt. 

I will use parts of From the Ashes, but not the grey fabric background. That is too 911-ish. Liberty Angel would be perfect for a top and bottom border. 

I am at my happiest when I am thrift shopping. I discovered that the Cameron Park Hospice Thrift has gone upscale. All of the crafting items were moved to the Placerville store. There are three thrift shops on my route in Placerville - hospice thrift, Goodwill, and New Beginnings Thrift. In my area, there are four thrift shops. Not one but two of them are open on Sunday now! 💙

Putting in a plug for my Countdown to Christmas beginning December 1. I've got the CDs and each one will be featured on What I'm Listening to. 

Adding in a dance update: I have had success at finding secondhand dancewear. All of those business suits and dresses have been replaced with dance clothes. My mom, even though she was active well into her late 80s, lost of the use of her legs. My theory, should I live into my 90s, is to retain the use of my legs through dancing. 

Now I Am A Dance Major!

I have posted about my college exploits from time to time. I earned my Associate in Science Business degree from Sacramento City College in 2016. Not only have I declared Art History as my major for my alma mater, I declared Dance as my major at another. 💃  

I didn't even know you could do that - attend two different colleges. The Los Rios Community College system allows you to do that. I am like a kid in a candy store. Since I have earned my degree, I don't have to take any of the prerequisite classes only the fun ones!

There is a Priority Registration system. Depending on how popular a class is, and where you land in Priority, you may land a spot in the class you want. 

Back to why I am now a dance major - I have completely fallen in love with tap dancing. What better way to stay active than learn new dance steps? The college offers tap, modern, hip hop, oh yeah 👌

Another reason I look to the college for these types of classes is there are few offerings like this where I live. 

Course offerings for Spring 2025 will be posted soon and I cannot wait!