Quilt Top Happy

A delightful day at thrift finding amazing yardage and a 99 cent twin-sized quilt top. While I missed the quilts and guitars when I saw a carload full of those come into thrift, I missed them coming on to the floor. Not this time! In fact, I nearly didn't stop because I am at this thrift shop so often. The yardage and top had just been rolled onto the floor. $2.99 for the batting and $4.99 for the major all usable yardage. A blessed day. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184464077231

My 2020 Buy No Fabric Challenge went out the window when we were locked down and thrift shops weren't open for 6 months. When this much fabric lands at one time, managing my stash is non-existent. Part of this group was vintage - here is a selvage from 1990 on this one.

Fun finds of the day - this elongated cat salt/pepper shaker on a patchwork wrap-around skirt.

I was able to donate a couple of children's pillowcases to some Oregon wildfire victims. Here is a link to humblequilts.blogspot.com, a blogger in the Oregon who has provided that information. Funny thing, whenever I donate to these events or thrift back fabric I have lost interest in, I receive more than abundance in return. 

Speaking of children's items, this adorable sewing pattern went up for sale.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184465258026

My freebie find of clothing a few months ago? So far, I have made $25 on that free clothing. I may put a few pieces up for sale. I don't need as many clothes as I have gathered, especially in light of my probable never return to in-office life. I will vote for 1-2 times a month for in-face meetings though. 

25th Anniversary Sellerbration on ebay and a Belated Blogiversary

Exciting things happened in internet land. ebay celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a Sellerbration. I received my ebay 25 t-shirt (love it!) and some random stickers. I sell on the site as tam_gonza and my store is grammasonacid

The best part was the DJ, she was the absolute best, loved her music choices. Once the live stream started running, it was well done. I would link to the YouTube video, but I can't find it. I REALLY want to go to a live ebay event now. 

My blogiversary came and went without fanfare this year. That milestone falls in August from 2011. Nine years, actually 11 years if you count my two-year starter blog. I have seen many wonderful blogs come and go during that time, some very successful but decided to pack it in. I can see how life could overwhelm this style of communication. 

Thrifting update: It is amazing I ever had any thrifted finds from just weekend shopping. Now that I visit the second hand shops more than twice a week, I am finding more than ever. Recent finds included 20 sewing patterns and this Santa cross-stitch stocking kit (both priced at $2). He was hidden behind something else but he came home with me! He is partially created - just waiting to be completed. 

Sewing patterns have taken over in popularity. I haven't listed the way cool CDs I have found. I've used up my fixed price free listings. I am going to have to deal with some auction style listings until I can convert them to fixed price. Here is the listing for Santa Collage stocking https://www.ebay.com/itm/184462923605

Let's end with a Pattern of the Day from 1968.

My name is Tami and I have a platter addiction

This platter $6.49 from Goodwill wasn't even in the plate section, as if someone had picked it up and then decided against it. I use platters nearly every day. This pattern is Tonquin Royal Staffordshire Dinnerware. I would love having a full set. 

The evolution of little Lucky to a leash-trained cat. I have never leash trained a cat. I have never had this much time to be able to train a pet. This kitten is unique because she came to me when she was so young (4-5 weeks old). I spend at least 4 sessions a day with her getting used to me and her surroundings. 

I love my Modern Art class, but because of some online snafu, I didn't get my textbook until halfway through the 8 week class. I am frantically trying to catch up on reading. I also decided to drop my second 8 week Intro to Art History class. I am putting it off until the spring. Between class and work, I have no time for any other pursuits (quilting and reselling). 

I was most impressed by this Jacques Louis David quote on art and artists:

"They (the Greeks) thought, and they were right, that in the arts the way in which an idea is rendered, and the manner in which it is expressed, is much more important than the idea itself. To give a body and a perform form to one's thought, this--and only this--is to be an artist."

Greenhouse update: It is lush and overgrown with the sunflowers peeking around the corners. Finally blanched pole beans, then warmed them in butter and garlic, and they were delicious! Other things growing in there are tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and watermelon. 

Lastly, thrifting update - no reselling update but plenty of interesting items now in the death pile to list. Fun finds included Derpy Lammy Pie. No bigger than a minute, she was found in the stuffed animal bin. 

Partial wooden airplane found its way in my basket too. Retro cool at $1.49. 

And then there was fabric! I nearly despaired when I saw another shopper with two bags, then went I visited the fabric area, there were 3 more bags, all for me! Two bags at $5.99 and all with usable material. The third bag, really the Mother Lode, was priced at $3.99.

Chock full of vintage linens with stamped cross-stitch designs. I WANT to keep them all, but I have to be realistic and put them up for sale. One is a complete Bridge set (I don't play Bridge). 

Also in that bag were 6 pillowcases, all well constructed. I may keep a couple of those. 

Last highlight find of the day - a Boy Scout shirt with badges. If I could just get around to lotting up the other B.S. items, I know it will sell quickly. 

This time I went back for it

Such a leading post title! More than once I have passed up a painting because I wasn't sure on the cost or the look of it. This time I went back for this oil on canvas painting by Martha Brenn. The thrift shop had it priced at $60 with a gawd awful Yuge frame. I was there late in the day so I left it. Having slept on it, I went back in the morning to thrift and took both the picture and frame to front and asked if I could NOT purchase the frame but give them $40 for the painting. Luckily, a customer in front of me in line said she would buy the frame for $20, so the thrift shop sold me the painting for $40. I am very happy. Course, I had to take a selfie in front of it! It hangs in the Place of Honor in my living room. 

Here is the entire painting

I may eventually frame it. I am sure it is delighted to be out of that massive frame that didn't show off its true beauty. 

That little pink pinwheel quilt top I bought on eBay? It was missing its side pink borders Luckily, I had just enough remnant of a pale pink fabric to complete the top. Stunned that I found a fabric that was damn near close to the original pale pink. Other than some trimming of the top's borders, I didn't have to do any other sewing rehabilitative work. 

I made a quilt backing in advance of receiving the top but when it arrived the backing I had intended didn't match. Little did I know I had some extra extra wide backing fabric, no piecing needed. It is on its way to the longarmer, done in a meander stipple in a gold thread. 

Cookie jar no. 3 ($5.99 at thrift) joined my collection. I also have a butter churn and cookie barrel one. 

It will join my Blue bell jars and milk jug when they go to my offsite She Shed of kitchen collectibles.

Newest fun listen, as I ripping CDs to my laptop prior to sale, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Beatin' the Heat.

We continue to have smoke-filled skies. We avoid going outside. It is so stressful, I try not to think about it. Haven't we had enough trials and tribulations this year? 

The Evolution of my Remote Workspace

Leading off with the quilt top from eBay that I treated myself. Admittedly a lazy quilter, I will put together remnants of cat print fabric for the backing and send it to a professional quilter. I had a reseller coupon for $25, so the $50 quilt top cost me $25. So cute, we will see if I have to add borders. 

I am finally starting to feel comfortable in my home office aka spare bedroom. It has been good timing in snagging a promotion because all California state employees took a 10% pay cut, were furloughed 2 days a month, reimbursements NOT covered are internet, utility costs, paper for printing, equipment costs. On the flip side, the cost of gas and parking has been cut in half. I have all new Dell state issued equipment and I am loving it! I finally have a full-sized monitor back so I won't have the eye strain I've had since March. 

First work station

Moved to the spare room and added tapestry

Pre-new desk setup

Current work station with new desk setup

The state-supplied monitor, keyboard and hub make a huge difference. The amount of room I had really hasn't changed but the ability to organize my work papers and books is a bonus. I exchanged my dining room table chair with my rolling office chair and ordered a chair mat. I'll be in business righty quick.

It is a Good Time to be a Reseller

Northern Californians, being smoked and burned out (literally), are hunkering down during the heat wave and cleaning out their closets. When I arrived at hospice thrift in the am, there were already three trucks loaded to the brim with boxes to donate. The day before they had to close donations because the donation area was full. 

Blue Ball jar finds have gotten to the point of ridiculous. This one I know for sure is reproduction (the retail label is partially affixed to the bottom of the jar. It is still a keeper, blue Bell jar joining the clan. The Star Wars t-shirt a keeper for me.

This packet included a number of hoops that will come in handy for me. Included in the bunch was the Sewing Susan needlecover first pictured in ths post. 

Fun find of the Day - a child's giraffe costume, retail priced at $29.99, scored for $1.49. I have read that costumes are movers. I think a nice one like this one could be priced to sell. 

I devoted most of the Labor Day weekend to updating more of my eBay listings (surprising how many needed editing), listing a few needlework kit items, and catching up on my art history homework. By editing my prices raising them from $1 to $5 so the total value of my listings increased from $6,000 to $8,000. My next listing goal - to reach $10,000 in total listings value. 

My death pile contains at least 50 CDs, these value out at $15-$20 each. Higher than my last batch of CDs that hovered around $8-$10. Also left to list are 50 vintage sewing patterns, more needlework kits, Girl/Boy Scouting items and around 20 more books. 

Tami fun find - a pair of Marjorie Baer earrings. One costume jeweler from San Francisco, her pieces are so simply constructed they are overlooked by other collectors. On the back is stamped "MB SF."

The Mr. and I are thinking of consolidating our RV camper situation. The newer bigger one  (currently the She Shed) seems so flimsy. We want to upgrade our cabover Lance to a newer zoomier one. That's the plan, we'll see. 

The Pendelton robe and blue Ball jar

All these years I have thrifted and never found the elusive blue Ball jar. This is now the fourth one I found this year. It looks suspiciously new though. No mind, it will join my she shed shelf collection.

Being a big fan of Pendelton products, this robe flew off the rack into my arms. Priced at $3.99, I am delighted to be its new owner. I also scored a Real Tree camo jacket for my son ($13).  

Fun finds in the book category - the mini fig sticker books. Many of the stickers are gone but no mind. I will keep the books. Sometimes we have little children visit and I like to have items around I can give them. The other two books are Tami keepers. 

These little fellas and the wooden carrier set me back $2. Some things are just too cute to pass up. I keep them around for awhile, then I sell them. 

Reselling update: Since I've passed the 500 mark, I took a break from listing more items. With the new job and college classes, I've got more than enough to keep me busy now. 

Over this blasting hot summer Labor Day weekend, I will edit some more of the eBay listings to make them blue dot conforming and raise prices. 

Ending this post with two Patterns of the Day from 1967. 

Learning history for the first time and the art gallery room

One thing my early 1960s education didn't give me was a full grasp of history. I remember a dabble of American history in my earlier grades. When I returned to college in the 2000s, I took a history class that covered early American history. Studying art history, I find it is intertwined with ancient to modern time periods. 

Returning to school really has been one of the best things to happen recently. Scheduled studying leaves less time for worrying about current events. It keeps me from boredom. It is a return to reading, and what am I reading? The Painter of Modern Life by Baudelaire (1863) Baudelaire.pdf 

His take on women, he is particularly in favor of makeup:

"Woman is quite within her rights, indeed she is even accomplishing a kind of duty when, she devotes herself to appearing magical and supernatural; she has to astonish and charm us; as an idol, she is obliged to adorn herself in order to be adored." (p. 33)

Segueing to work life. They have further damaged my beloved city of Sacramento. I mourn the loss of my former work life and the vibrancy of the city. 

Let's talk meetings over the web. How odd are they? I have learned to limit my movements otherwise it attracts attention to yourself. I am learning to stock still and not to make any type of expression. 

So far I have seen in online meetings, persons who appear to be in total disarray, live video from their bathroom, messy rooms/kitchens, random children appearing, and of course, an occasional pet. 

Working from home, I have finally configured my "art gallery room" as a comfortable place to be. Three oil paintings, two paint by numbers, three cross-stitch pieces, one Turner print and one Home Goods Buddha. I added to my collection this painted wood disc found thrifting. Love it!

We are in for another heat wave with summer heat hibernation heading our way this weekend.