Happy Halloween

My lead-off image was from a lot of 35 mm slides. Mystery lady in a Batman mask.

I found this cute Halloween sweater at thrift. I model in this area because it has the best natural lighting. The frontal image looks like I mean business! Pretty sure I am concentrating on staying upright in those stilettos. 👠 

This is my OOD (outfit of the day) for work (sans the stilletos). 

The yarn listing sessions went quickly. I brought home a catering box and that is where the yarn for sale now resides. The total listed value is nearly $250.

This listing receives the prize for most inventive layout - Aunt Lydia's heavy rug yarn.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185637145383

Have an amazing holiday!

Bucket List Item - A Lady Head Vase

Finding one of these head vases has been on my thrift shop bucket list for years! In my personal library, I even have the Schiffer Book for Collectors, The Encyclopedia of Head Vases with Price Guide (1996). She was found at my fav hospice thrift priced at $1.49. I kissed her. She is a little damaged (aren't we all?) but intact. 

A $6 quilt top from Goodwill turned into $150 as the finished product. I could have saved $100 in the cost if I quilted it myself but that is too taxing. The longarmer also offered unique designs - this one is goldfish and bubbles in a multicolor thread. 

The baby quilt is on its way back to me for binding. I have promised a few quilt gifts to family. I am going to make a few quilt tops and then have them choose one of those or make something else. November I will devote to my National Park quilt. I would like to have that quilted and bound before year's end. 

I am already queuing up my Countdown to Christmas posts. I found a fun 1980s holiday-themed publication to showcase images. Watch what I do with this background from that book on Ugly Christmas Sweater day. 

You don't have to be in exotic places any more when there is photoshop. My blog image is the result of a recent play session. I will have to change it up twice, once in November, and then again in December for holiday attire. 

Reseller update: Guess what is up next for eBay listings? Yep, its Yarn!

The day I sold 5 skeins for $25, I picked up the large bag of yarn at thrift for $7.99. I love this business!

Assistance of Another Sort and the Pandemic End

Sometimes you've got to get creative. This T-Rex held the measuring tape so I could list the Boy Scout belt for sale on eBay. Just for kicks and giggles, I left this image buried in the listing. In the description it reads, "T-Rex toes not included."

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185623423425

With the badges lotted up, the total value of all of the Boy Scout listings is $450. You can see why I push myself through these. It is like leaving money laying on the ground if they aren't for sale. And they will sell. I bought the BSA items in online lots. 

Boy Scouts of America BSA Neckerchief Slides
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185625875609

I also dabble in skeins of yarn. Here is my latest Hollywooding Homespun yarn. I have also learned to buy at least 2 skeins and to list them in small similar lots rather than lot up different ones. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185623519209

I have been quiet lately about pandemic-related stuff. Our Caleeforneeya governor Gavin has declared the crisis ends in February 2023. I work in a hybrid analyst position for the state where I work in office three days a week. When all of the staff were given the choice whether to return to the office or not, 95% chose to remain 100% remote. My job requires in office work so my choices were to come in 2 days a week and lose my cubicle (share space with someone else), or come in 3 days a week and have a dedicated cubicle. After nearly a year in this position, I still haven't met half of my co-workers. I am looking to return to remote work, if possible. The work experience is not the same. Very few are in office. Even fewer walk the streets and around the Capitol, with the exception of the numerous unhoused. 

We will see what this fall will bring. 

A Skosh More of Boy Scout

It takes time to organize and sort items for sale on eBay. I am still working my way through the bag of Boy Scout. In the belt category, this one was the best of the bunch. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185623183488

The black sheet made an excellent background! Much better than white - it looks like it is floating, a piece of artwork! 😁

A couple of BSA t-shirts also went up for sale. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185623322293

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185623331441

Next up are BSA badges and scarves. I am going to stick with the black background for those listings. 

One thrifting podcaster who has been in the resale business for some 20+ years has purchased a house outright from his sale of CDs. He uses that house to store his product. I could see that happen. The adage The More You List The More You Sell is so true! Two years ago, I had about 200 listings. Now I hover around 2,000 listings. Image if I had 200,000! 

I tried to perform an Advanced Search by Seller within 50 miles of my zip code. You have to be item specific on search. There are 2 media sellers within 40 miles, one with over 4,000 listings and the other with over 5,000. Some CDs are listed individually, and others are sold in lots. I find the CDs are not moving like they were a couple of years ago. 

Another non-starter now are red plaid Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbooks. I thrifted back 4 of them, all published in 1989. I did keep 2 on the board of the ones in the best condition.  

Mentioned on a thrifting podcast and one thing I have run into - sellers charging exorbitant shipping fees. I charge just a few extra ounces over the weight to allow for packing. I figure shipping is expensive enough, sometimes the same cost as the product. 

And while I was composing this post, a Christmas CD sold. I have got to get those on the board pronto - I have about 45-50 in my death pile. 

Sales are now averaging $200 a week! This business constantly amazes me. While I questioned whether it was worth it when I first started, there is no doubt my niches make real 💸

Keeping the Linens

The Mr. rarely requests that I keep items I pick up secondhand. I thought it was a unique linen and did not see the skull prominently featured in the center until the Mr. pointed it out.  

The Grateful Dead label meant I had staged it for photographing and sale. There is some sun damage, but after he said he wanted to keep it, it remains. We will display it at fish camp in the summer. It will fit in with the Mendocino County mind set. 💀
 

Assuaging my wounds from a mistake I made at work, I dropped off donations at Goodwill. Ten lovely quilt blocks for $12 came home with me. Nothing lifts the spirits quicker than the possibility of a new quilt. 

They, along with some other recent finds of beautifully embroidered quilt blocks, will join my project bags.

I took some time to cut up some character/novelty fabric for my eBay orders. I buy so much fabric. The favorites that I keep that come through secondhand are plaids, batiks, western, woodland or nautical themed. Here is one fabric remnant I recently gave away. Cute! 💜

Just a few more Boy Scout related eBay listings then next up are Christmas CDs. I have narrowed those down to a minimum price listing of $15. If it comes up on eBay search as less than that, I thrift it back. 

Until next time,

Tami

Boy O Boy Scout

I do not pass up Scouting items at thrift. I have found they are guaranteed sale. Items hit in both the costume and collectible categories. This bear scout uniform with hat was $4.99 at thrift, I have it listed for $45. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185614829678

Here is my bag 'o Boy Scout, I have been collecting for a couple *coughs* of years. 

The shirts and vest were listed separately. I will lot up the badges but sell the belts/scarves separately. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185617055515

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185617061103

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185617082609

I threw in 5 bonus patches with the vest
Duplicates of those I will lot up

Reseller update: Three needle kits sold to one buyer same day as being listed. A sure seller are unopened holiday needle kits, any style, any year. 

Quilting update: The baby quilt is off to the longarmer. I am binding a basket block quilt that will supplement my personal quilt collection. I continue to collect completed quilt blocks from thrift. 

Next up should be the National Park quilt. It will be a quick study with one large panel and a layer cake full of companion fabrics. I guess the Scouting stuff is leading me to git to gitting on that project. 

October is Finally Here

My favorite time of the year, getting past the intense heat of summer but not quite into the cold of winter. 

My self-imposed moratorium on quilting finally came to an end this past weekend. I began binding a basket block quilt that had come back from the longarmer a few months ago, and began a baby quilt that I also had queued up for quite a few months. The baby is three months old now, so it is time to get that quilt to the family recipient. 

Reseller update: I earned my first $200 week of sales. That is the first time I have hit that milestone. Now I hover around 2,000 listings. For every 1,000 listings, I earn approximately $100 a week. I am slowly moving from lower priced items to higher dollar ones. I don't list any item under $9 now. 

A Boy Scout rummage sale that I stumbled onto produced this first edition 1960s publication. I spent $10 at that sale, with an armload of books at $1 each. I found this book under a table, in a box along with a few other publications. I made many happy Tami noises. It is listed at $110, with plenty of room to barter. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185605850185

Moving on from books, I have completed the needlekit listing session. Those listings were easy peasy because nearly all of the kits are new in package. I did a different method and took all of the photos on my iPhone and composed the listings on my phone. I prefer listing from my laptop because I can use my templates, and there is less editing. Here is the best of the bunch from that session. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185607979795

There really is a feeling of satisfaction when I finish the eBay listing sessions. Next session will be Scouting memorabilia, I have a bagful, along with a Boy Scouts Bear Cub shirt and hat. 🐻

Since I invested in the monthly expense of iMovie to add video to my eBay listings, I am going to buy a motorized rotating Lazy Susan. The Mr. has a ton of automotive stuff that we need to list. I am having him pick a name for his eBay store and we can start photographing and listing. 

On a totally separate subject - buying stocks and bonds. I have been an eTrade customer for many years. I was delighted when I could choose my own investments. The latest one to catch my eye are Treasury Bonds. I bought my first lot of 100/30 year maturity. I am going to buy those in lots in varying stages of maturity dates. 💸Years ago, I bought dividend producing stocks, and those dividends go into a cash account of my 401k. From there, I buy more stocks and bonds. 

Until next time,

Tami