Summer is Here and the Naughty Spotty

New puppy's AKC name is Belle Starr, but her nickname is Naughty Spotty. She is the biteingest dog we have ever had for the naughty part. The spotty part is she is looking more and more like a Dalmation! 🐶 You don't see many of this breed-German Wirehaired Pointer.

M'kay not officially summer but my eBay sales reflect it. My weekly payouts average $150 per week. This week's payout - $15.60. 

Greenhouse update: The deer did get to the garden before I fenced it off. The Jack-in-the-beanstalk sunflower is a giant variety. I admit the structure is cobbed together. It has withstood numerous storms. Panels have flown off to into the sunset never to be seen again. 

Thrifting update: It pays to visit hospice thrift on a frequent basis. Even though I had been there the day before, there were delightful finds for me the next day. Metal painted rooster for the garden ($3.99) and two packs of orphan quilt blocks at 99 cents each. 

A few of the orphan blocks and pieced patchwork. 

These blocks were the best of the last that I opened. It appears there was an appliqued quilt block exchange in 2001. Some of the blocks were signed and dated. 

Cuteness overload!

This artist's quilt block is a favorite of mine. Not sure how I will use the other orphans. 

Gaggle of Dinosaurs and the Lady Head Vase

Did I ever need an excuse to buy toys? Now, more than ever. This may be older child toys but this gaggle of dinosaurs bagged for $2.99 at thrift had to come home with me. 

Don't care if you are a girl or a boy, even I had fun with these plastic toys. 

I actually appealed to the good graces of another thrifter to purchase this lady head vase ($1.99). He already had her in his hands and I mistook him for a thrift shop worker. He was kind enough to relinquish her to me. I even kissed her. I will cherish her always. 

I also bought the Lefton figurine girl with poodle (99 cents). 

I bring home about 6 figures a month.☺

On the topic of money, and people of a certain age, I recently saw a commercial where an older gal was jumping out of a plane for a tandem sky dive. The investment slogan was "Get Good at Money so you can be Bad." I like that. 

Latch Hook Rug Project

Getting closer to my hook rug project. Bought a bag at thrift $1.99 of remnant rug yarn. The colors cover quite a range so I will have a lot to choose from. Included in the bag was the pattern for a 2013 kit. I will list that on eBay for $5.00 and make a profit on my secondhand purchase. 

My daughter's gender reveal party is in a couple of weeks. That will give me a better idea which way to go with my projects. The fairy quilt has been quilted and is headed back to me for binding. 

Seller update: The best of the sewing pattern listing session. Impulse shopping on my fav online auction site, I bought a slew of Christmas-related ones. Those I will feature in six months. I also bought another Christmas publication from the 1980s. Trying to recreate the holiday craphts with a touch of Tami. 

EBay sewing pattern listing session included the pattern of the day from 1990. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187287573959

We have had our hands full with the new baby announcement, and the Mr. and I have added a new puppy in our lives. 

She is the reason working on a latch hook project upstairs is so much easier than sewing downstairs.  

Wedding Update and Greenhouse Gardening

Blogger is back up and running! There have been issues ... 

Wedding update: Future MIL and I have the quota of plates and champagne flutes. This is the place setting my daughter has chosen. 

These small decorative bottles are the next thing to find at thrift. They will be used as table number holders. 

Future MIL has observed that I have been having too much fun shopping for this wedding. Most delightful thrift shop find of 2 small Lenox crystal vases (with certificates). 

Pattern of the Day is one listed for sale on eBay. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187264509749

Gardening update: Getting a late start with greenhouse gardening. Or I should say partial greenhouse since it is missing quite a few panels. 

Mainly tomatoes and squash, watermelon and peas. 

Ending the post with an observation about earrings. For months I have lurked at a certain online auction site seeking simple gold post earrings. You know the kind you wear right you get your ears pierced. I was being outbid over and over until finally! I won a pair of 14k gold ones for a mere $30 inc. shipping. 💙

Baby Boy Quilt

Now y'all don't assume we know the gender of my daughter's baby. We don't. Because the fairy print quilt is nearly complete, I need to have a baby boy quilt queued up for the gender reveal party. Yet to be scheduled. This wedding and baby stuff is a gas! I like all of the parties and prep. Baby announcement has hit the socials. 

Found a new-to-me fabric store Cali Quilt Co. in Rancho Cordova, California. Beautiful layout, and wonderful fabrics. Image below is the new and improved fabric pull for the baby boy quilt. Got the "adorable" stamp of approval from my daughter. 

I always believe simple is better so I may just cut the dinosaur fabric in squares and border with the blue plaid. Thinking about cutting cornerstones of the dinosaurs. 

This is the addition of my solids from my stash. Lead off image shows what I'm working on  windowpane or crazy quilt blocks to highlight the dinosaurs. The brown striped fabric is auditioning as the binding. 

I nearly thrifted back this group of wooden puzzles bought at thrift a couple of years ago. Glad I didn't - they are destined for storage until Baby is big enough. Love the unicorn one! 🦄

Seller update: I took crocheted blankets off of the eBay listings. Their moment in the sun had passed. Crochet squares still sell though.  

Just a few CDs to be listed and then two sewing pattern listing sessions are queued up. 

China Dish Syndrome

 

I’ve got China Dish Syndrome. This kind of syndrome came on abruptly when I went to check prices on some China pieces bought for $2.50 at Day 2 of a rummage sale. I had just begun my search for plates for the upcoming wedding.

Turns out I have a discontinued pattern Fine China Wyndham Japan Valencia 364, creamer ($19.99), sugar bowl & lid ($39.99), 10” round vegetable bowl ($39.99), and 14” platter ($39.99) (online valued). I was going to thrift them back. I haven’t even valued the plates of dinner and dessert.

Upside to this type of product, it can be stored in the shed outside. I do not have room inside of the house to store any more. Other tidbits gleaned from the internet, best to list the items individually or in manageable sets 4, 6, 8. They are a long tail item meaning you could sit on that inventory for a long, long time. 

I am also listing this product from my iPhone. I also used the AI description. What is the phrase "Work Smarter, Not Harder?" 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187252434245

I stumble on to these different categories. A few years ago, I began selling yarn and it has been a profitable venture ever since. 

After my daughter's wedding, there will be many, many sets of China plates listed for sale. 

Becoming a Grandmother

Most exciting news my daughter, Rachel, who is getting married in September, has announced she is pregnant. The baby is due in December. Hard to image in about 6 months there will be a new addition to the family. 

There will be a gender reveal. A baby quilt has been requested. I already have the fairy quilt in to the longarmer so a girl quilt is nearly done. The lead-off image is the fabric pull for the boy quilt. Recently, I went through a fabric destash and gave away all of the baby flannels. Thinking there would never be a baby in my life. What is also wonderful about the news is that this is the first grandchild for both sides of the family.  

I had always wanted children, and of course, grandchildren. This one scene from the movie Terms of Endearment (1983) always cracks me up. 

Segueing to China pattern news. I continue to update the pattern I keep for my own. These amazing 8 German porcelain dinner and 11 dessert plates came through at hospice thrift for a song! 

I have learned so much from watching the Dr. Lori series on YouTube. These Rosenthal Evensong plates are bright white, and numbered editions!