Quilt block find - a lil bit o' Mickey Mouse

A happy day thrifting is finding 6 partially completed quilt blocks half off ($2.50). The lead-off image include some vintage Mickey Mouse print. 

The backing was included but I will probably choose a different material. 

The only plants to survive the heat and critters were the sunflowers. 

The battle over the grapes is not over yet. The vine is almost fully encased in chicken wire. The grapes are almost ready - and they are most delicious! 🍇

Back at home again and I have slipped back into my work schedule even though I am officially retired. Now I am working for myself. I have completed the audit of my McCall's sewing patterns listed for sale on eBay. The audit of Simplicity patterns will take much longer as the bulk of those listed are that brand. 

Slow sellers in the sewing pattern category are costumes, baby layettes, home decor, and doll clothes. I removed nearly all of the cut patterns from my listings. The only ones kept up for sale are the truly unique or rare. 

I have reorganized my 5 tier wire rack. Product on the floor in baskets are now up on the rack. I am kicking around the idea of eliminating books and CDs from my listings. I may eventually lot up the patterns for sale. 

On a side note, we lost our oldest cat Xena to the heat/predator. She was laying near our front door step when we last returned home. I have stepped up the cat sitting schedule for the remaining two cats when we are out of town.

I Have Landed in Hippy Land

Spending most of my summer in Mendocino county. These ceramic mushrooms adorn the beginnings of my hippy garden. The reason I call it hippy land is there are quite a few counter culture 60s-type people in the area. 

I couldn't resist buying a whole group of plants. I could never have a flower garden back in the valley because we are overrun with deer. 

The ceramic mushrooms have been rearranged in the new planter grouping. Beginning in the back with Mystic Illusion dahlia, Apricot Lemonade Cosmos, zinnias, Cherryberry Nemesia, Elise Mix Lewisia, and the combo pot with Trixi Night Watch of bidens, petunia, verbena. 

I found the aquatic center and will bring my swimsuit next month. There is a water walking session down the "lazy river." It all sounds intriguing to me. 

The Mr. and I checked out the senior center where lunch is served daily. The food was decent. We will visit again to try another dish. 

There is a Figure Drawing Collective at the Mendocino Art Center. After I complete my drawing and composition this spring, I might give the collective a visit. Talented artists seem to congregate in these awesome surroundings. 

I aced my Women in Art class and earned an A. Not only did I read the entire book prior to the class starting, I completed the extra credit. That is the method to employ to earn high grades. At this stage in my life, it also takes longer to absorb the material. I am finally learning history through art classes. 

On a totally different subject and something I found humorous - www.comicsands.com/drew-carey-contestants-drunk-high no one is surprised that contestants in The Price is Right are in altered states on the show. 

Seller update: The audit of the Butterick sewing patterns listed for sale on eBay is complete. I found some to be underpriced in the main most were overpriced. When I first began listing patterns, I just had to guess on selling price. Now when I draft a listing it generates an average sold price. I then price my patterns a dollar or two more. 

Not much selling has been going on since I have placed my store on Time Away. The summer heat is too intense in the Sacramento valley so we have escaped to the North Coast. 

Just as I have suspected, I have spent the beginning two weeks of my retirement, with the exception of a couple of days ocean sport fishing, doing nothing. No reading, no puzzles, no sewing, no craphting, but most importantly not working. Our average daily temperature high is 60 degrees. This morning conditions are cool and foggy along the river. 

June Weird and Wacky

This bumper sticker was spotted at my favorite clothing reseller Freestyle in Sacramento, California. 

I watch a lot of paranormal-related YouTubes, funny thing is ghosts/demons never haunt the secondhand shops. These entities like to open cabinet doors, play knock knock, and occasionally throw knives and cutlery. 

Not much to report this month in the thrift shop world of wacky. This painting was displayed at Old Soul Coffee in Sacramento, a place I frequented on my days in office. 

These images are from another thrifting site on FB. Found at an antique store, a questionable laundry basket. 

Ending the post with a cartoon. 

Birthday Milestone

I have hit the magical age of 65.🎂A dear co-worker gave me a birthday card which read, "May your birthday be as exciting as a great thrift store find!" Another gave me the bouquet of flowers 🎕So fragrant!

Seller update: Bought another $40 worth of sewing patterns from Goodwill. Average cost 50 cents per pattern. But before I get to those, I completed a yarn listing session. This group also from Goodwill in a bag marked $3.99. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186510151565

Finally doing an audit of my stock and how it is listed on eBay. It means editing each and every listing, most likely revising the prices to reflect average cost sold. 

On the thrifting front - I go through collecting phases. Toys and stuffed animals are nearly irresistible. I don't have any grandchildren and am not around children at all. Besides the Barbie clothes that I will lot up for sale, the other toys will be sent back to the Great Thrift Shop Beyond. 

This display was at Amador Hospice Thrift. I bet it was fun creating it!

Other collecting phases of mine include tiki mugs, blue Ball jars, duck decoys, G.I. Joe small figurines, Madame Alexander and Black Americana rag dolls. Those items I do keep in my collection. 

I also went through a vintage sewing machine phase. I thrifted about 8 of them back with the exception of 2, a pale blue and pale green one. 

Anyhoo, happy birthday to me! Looks to be a fine day. 

Scouts and a Few Million

I always do well on last day of estate sales. $11 for a 1962 Bible, some art books from the 60s, and three scouting pieces with bling! I had just sold my last piece of Boy Scout, then I gained 3 more. These were priced at $10 each but sold to me as $10 for the three. 

In the image above, to the left are some of the precuts for the Lava Lamp quilt, and to the right is a pet quilt in progress. Both are destined for my home away from home. We will see how much sewing is done at that location. 

I was amused that eBay has increased my selling limit to $5,000,000. Five MILLION dollars. When you first start listing, you are limited to a certain amount. As you continue on with good seller metrics, your limits are increased. I have been selling on the site for nearly 30 years. I am the nickel and dime seller. Those $8, $15, $20+ sales add up. 

Greenhouse update: It was bound to happen. A deer got into the greenhouse and ate all of the pepper plants. Seems they are especially delicious. I will need more wire barriers to keep the tomato plants intact. 

The Mr. and I saw the new Will Smith movie Bad Boys Ride or Die. There should have been more writing invested in comedy rather than the killing. The comedic moments were good. On Wednesday there are matinees for seniors. You will know where to find me the weeks I am in town. 

I am more than over working full time. I have earned my stripes. 40 years with a few short hiatuses in between. I have 4 actual days in office left to fulfill. 

Ending with a story about my latest unhinged person encounter. I took a mid-afternoon walk in downtown Sacramento. There was a woman a couple of blocks down in the sidewalk. She was saying something I could not make out. Rather than go another block out of my say, I left the sidewalk and walked into the roadway on the other side of the parked cars to avoid her. As I got closer to the woman, she said something I couldn't make out, but it was clear she was giving chase. She ran at me from the sidewalk and in between the parked cars. Thankfully, I wear tennis shoes when I walk downtown so I ran away from her. I reported the incident to the Sacramento Sheriff. 

The unhoused situation has not improved. The streets were cleaned for a movie shoot a few months back, but the tents are popping up again in the grid. Now, unattended homeless encampment fires are causing major wildfires in the area. I do not know the solution. 

Everyone Needs Tummy Time

I thought I had biffed on my last mystery box of crafts I purchased from an online auction. Lucky for me, there were 14 uncut sewing patterns so I will make my money back on the $25 total I paid. It was a good buy because there was also jewelry making/beads for my hair stylist and a new box of Melon Boy oil pastel crayons. I am sure those will come in handy for my art class this spring. 

I continue to gut my clothes closet. All of the clothing one size too big was thrifted back. Summer clothing sales in retail are on right now so my timing is just right. 

Only two weeks to go until I am back on the coast. The ocean was rough in May so there was no fishing. My motivation is to see whales or dolphins.🐋🐬They seem to be attracted to the red boat. We set out from the Noyo Harbor, underwater is the Noyo Canyon. 

I am so glad I got my eBay business up and running well before retirement. I am not sure I would have the motivation to start from scratch. It is discouraging at first if you only have a few hundred items listed. When you really start seeing steady money is when you reach 1,000 or more listings. 

Sneaking in a Pattern of the Day from my May coastal sourcing set. A recent one from 2021 Simplicity."Baby Tummy Time Animal Mats." 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186496021523

Until next time,

Tami

My eBay work has exploded

Seller update right off the get go. Recent sourcing puts me at about 200 uncut sewing patterns to list for sale. I am progressing toward my 3,000 active listings goal. 

Pattern of the day is from 1994 Party Shoes by Pavelka Design Studio. It looks to be the same colorway as my Lava Lamp quilt fabric pull below. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186489686155

Books are on a 40% off sale and there have been no bites. 🎣The small stack of books I had pending to list are being thrifted back. After the sales promotion ends, I will pull the rest of the books off my shelves. Cookbook sales were a pandemic blip. 

I sold my first item to a museum in Alabama - a Boy Scout uniform shirt with patches. It would be a kick if I sold an item as a movie prop! 

Quilting update: Fan Quilt 2024 is at the longarmer being quilted. I chose a dragonfly pattern in a purple thread. 

I am cutting fabric for the Lava Lamp quilt(s). I have more than enough fabric for 2, possibly 3 quilt tops. 

Plans for the summer include two weeks on the coast and then two weeks inland alternating for the next 4 months. I will reveal my home-away-from-home trailer setup for sewing projects.