Christmas Prep is in Full Swing

My Christmas Tree Pin Forest has expanded to the four new pins on the top row. 

As with all of my "collecting," at some point I have to start selling off items. Not shown are 22 other Christmas-themed pins attached to the fabric tree.  

I am working my way through the Christmas CDs I have gathered all year long from thrift. I had already decided this Kenny Burrell CD was a keeper, and even more so after a listen, because there is a major skip. 

I have 25 more used CDs to listen through before listing on eBay. 

Prior to my Thanksgiving holiday, I had photographed the remainder of my needlekits to be listed. A Santa needlepoint sold quickly, just as I predicted. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185677048329

Best of the bunch from my recent listings, this vintage needlepoint kit from 1978 is priced high because of its rarity. 

Having an eBay basic store means you earn $25 each quarter toward shipping supplies. Because I am full-up on polymailers for the patterns, I purchased boxes for my burgeoning yarn business.

All of the Countdown to Christmas posts are queued up. Be sure to join me in a couple of days for that celebration.  

Pre-turkey day

This jacket was finally listed. Bought for $40 in Fort Bragg while I was on vacay, I have it listed for $125.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185659133796

And here is the accompanying video. All clothing will be iMovied from now on. 

It is seemless between the iPhone and iMovie. The $10 a month I pay for the service will be well worth it. 

My listing sessions are depending on the thrifted product that I acquire. I had the good fortune of buying a batch of needlekits at half off. They are always good sellers, esp. when they are Christmas kits. This one was the best of the bunch. What I thought to be a solid $25 in value turned out to be $65. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185665596381

I finally have the 3 foot Christmas tree decorated but I am not sure if my lighted Christmas village will make an appearance this year. 

How are your holiday plans coming along?

A Fabric Buying Moratorium and More iMovie

 I have reached a moratorium on buying fabric. I possess an entire dresser full, a three-drawer plastic container, tubs full of plaid/Christmas, and project bags. That is more than enough. I may have squirreled away other project bags at my offsite shed. 😧

I have narrowed down my project bags. Some carry over year after year, but that is ok. I eventually turn my attention those Quilt Worthy enough to complete.  

My current project is another quilt keeper for myself. I bought the lot of quilt blocks at thrift for $40, sold half of them. There are 11 completed appliqued flowers. I will supplement with a twelfth block, I just haven't decided how to do that. Here is the fabric I am auditioning for borders/sashing. It was one of my "found" fabrics moved to a furniture drawer that had been forgotten. 

I finally received my turntable to give iMovie another whirl. Here is the still image of Sally Stand-In sporting her black tutu and wearing three of the items for sale. She is next to the dresser FULL OF FABRIC. 👀

I thought this XL Dogfish Head men's shirt would be a good piece to sell. I used the tutu to cover the bottom portion of the dress form. 

I included a couple of images with the video. The video defaults to the second position and can't be moved to Main Photo on the listing. 

I don't list a lot of clothes. I still have some Christmas sweaters for sale. I think that phase has passed. I really have to concentrate on listing Christmas CDs or my window of holiday-selling opportunity will pass. 

Plans are on for a Thanksgiving feast for 8, with meal plans for a 4-day holiday. By now I would have started with Christmas decorations, that will have to wait until after vacation. 

What $20 Buys at Thrift

I had a happy day at thrift. My $20 bought the following: long sleeved leopard pajamas, 8 uncut sewing patterns, bag of Boy Scout slides, bag of replacement cords for Christmas houses, book for resale, a Hallmark ornament, and a Gnome for the Holidays small banner.

Selling one or two patterns will make back my money on the holiday splurge items for myself.

My push continues to list sewing patterns. This 1985 vintage Vogue Craft is the best of the bunch from my latest session. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185655320019

Yarn is a fast moving up category on the list of things that I sell. Two skeins found at two thrift shops were listed the same day. Like sewing patterns, I love them, yet I don't sew clothes. Yarn, I love them, yet I don't knit or crochet. 

Here is the "Hollywood" shot of the actual listings. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185658750047

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185658759129

What is on my Christmas wish list? I want another 6' five tiered rolling wire rack to house my ever-burgeoning eBay listed product. 

What is on your Christmas wish list? 

Autumn Tyme and Antique Toys

Pattern of the Day features this adorable bear with autumnal clothing. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185646291734

I am ploughing forward on sewing pattern listing. I had caught up earlier in the year but then these things just seem to explode if you aren't listing as fast as you are buying. I now have a healthy buffer on my 2,000+ listings. I really hope sales through year end will be fast and furious. 

All of the Countdown to Christmas posts are queued up. I am just filling in content now. Here are some bits from an estate sale - things I didn't buy. I started with the lead-off image and the rest to follow. Hoards of holiday eye candy. I loved all of it but the prices were sky high. 

And a quilting update - I always make tremendous progress on my projects when I devote some time to them. I am currently working on a vintage flower applique block quilt. I had to applique 4 stems onto 4 blocks, and am now trimming them. I have chosen a plaid border fabric (not shown) that will make the flower blocks really bloom!

I look forward to year's end when I can run stats on this blog. I am always surprised at the percentage of followers in foreign countries. My top referring URL was Pinterest. I removed Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (very shortlived). It was too much to maintain the varying social media. I also stopped participating in blog hops, writing challenges, and photo linkups. Fun, if you find the right group, but that hasn't been the case for awhile now. 

Until next time,

Tami

November Needs Attention

Changing it up for the month of November, I sported another thrift shop sweater. 

November really deserves its own month, its own decorations. This fabric cornucopia kind of intrigued me. It is from a vintage 1980 McCall's 7274 holiday table settings pattern I have for sale.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185640733116

Reseller update: I discovered my eBay listing templates needed to be edited once again. Most of my existing listings didn't note my store categories. Now all 25 templates are up to date going forward. I am truly gaining ground on the death pile. Once I have everything listed, I will cull certain books for sale. I had the bright idea that quilt books would be good sellers. NOT. The only ones that garner an interest are Fons and Porter publications, anything Kaffe Fassett or Tula Pink. 

Can you be hooked on yarn but never craft with it? Odd, I know but that is my situation. I know quality yarn when I see it for sale secondhand. These beauties came in a $7.99 bag full of skeins that I hope to spin into over $200. No way I would pass up luxury mohair tweed. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185637155231

Here is to keeping warm in this upcoming cold weather! 💫