Delighted to be Back

Who says you can't go way-old analog to weigh packages? My postal scale died awhile ago and this adorable kitchen collectible was just waiting to get back into action. 

I am so jazzed! Made my first sale the next day - who could resist this publication? 

A trip to the post office meant a new box put in place for the business. I don't like to use my home address listed as the return. 

My first active listing.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188667184370

My other two recent book purchases, now listed.😁

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188667189846

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188667191599

I am unsure how well cookbooks are selling. I don't think restaurants have totally recovered, some even continue to go out of business. Pulling from my personal collection, I do have some amazing cookbooks. The three I use most often and will keep forevers are Joy of Cooking, The New York Times Cookbook, and The Family Circle Cookbook. 

Tarot and new age cards have always been good products for me to sell. I had gathered a couple of new ones this past six months. A couple more were flagged for listing some months ago (deathpile Tarot😈) 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188671942532

I may even return to art classes through the community college. I have had so many calamities over the past six months: Injuries, surgery, physical therapy, insect allergies.

Delighted to be Back means more than just selling on eBay. It is a healing in our family after a long, difficult time. Only positive things allowed in my life now. 

Time to List the Tarot

I have gained a few decks of previously-owned tarot cards. One from 1970, 20th Century Tarot, will remain in my personal collection. The graphics are black/white and spare. The instruction booklet well written. Steampunk Tarot (2013) first edition, was a set I bought retail for the great graphics. 

The Rider Tarot Deck (1971) is a classic. It was the first deck I found secondhand. It is a keeper for the following reasons: low sale value, there is a coffee stain on the front of the card casing, and the instruction booklet is missing. 

A deck found for $2 at thrift in Fort Bragg, CA is unique. It is The Motherpeace Round Tarot Deck printed in Belgium circa 1983. This deck I didn't see on a first run-through. Sometimes Tarot cards land in baskets of miscellany near the book section. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987409058

These Halloween-themed Spirit Tarot Cards are a lark!  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987398868

The Illuminated Tarot (2017) comes with its own hard cover casing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987403133

Rounding out the 4 decks for sale is the Voyager Tarot (1984). The imagery truly fantastical. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987420791

Seller update: As suspected, my sales are down 30% from the previous year. I knew I was working harder for less money. The good thing is that once you have listed an item, someone will eventually buy it. 

Tarot-themed items are sure sellers for me. Next up on the listing schedule? Bibles. I recently sold one, new in box, for $65. 

Even though our weather will be blazing hot this weekend, I will be out thrifting. 😎

Vacation Sourcing

If I had my way, I would be thrift shopping every day during vacation. As it was, I was able to visit Fort Bragg secondhand sites on each successive Friday. 

The best of the bunch was the Paul Bunyan thrift shop which featured cookbooks buy 1 get 1 free. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is an automatic $20+ sale. 

There were sewing patterns, and fabric, two finds found most frequently in the wild. This $5 bag of scraps included orphan blocks and pieces. 

Gramma's Attic at the Redwood Coast Seniors Center produced a bag of completed crochet squares. I routinely find this type of handcrafted item there, and they always sell. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185982168462

This thrifted patriotic panel may finally spur me to complete a patriotic quilt. I keep tubs of fabric for certain themed quilts such as plaid wovens, Christmas prints, animal-themed fabric, and batiks. 

Fishing was largely unsuccessful as the Mr. caught one, and I caught none. We were circled by a few dolphins but I was unable to capture a good video. 

Finally, these Angelic Messenger Cards priced $2 at thrift were hidden in the books for sale. Yet another $20 bill waiting to be picked up by me. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185982143253

Weird and Wacky Day at Thrift

W is the letter of the day for the A to Z Challenge. 

I began the Weird and Wacky posts on 2015, here are links to previous years. 

2015 you-get-one-free-pass-to-weird-and-wacky

2016 weird-wacky

2017 weird-and-wacky-in-world-of-thrift

2018 weird-and-wacky-in-world-of-thrift

Sea urchin lamp spotted at the eclectic antique store Scout Living in Sacramento, California.

Gargoyle clock posted for sale on shopgoodwill.com

Fake rattlesnake the Goodwill boutique in Sacramento.  

Mixed media by unknown artist at the now closed E Street thrift in Sacramento. 

I think of this creation as "Exploding Head."  A few years ago, a friend was part owner of Exploding Head Gallery in Sacramento. This image was taken at a thrift shop. 

Dragon slippers also located for sale at thrift. 

Minion hat on display at True Weave (Totally Recycled Urban Exchange) in Sacramento.

Ending the post with me modeling a thrifted Sponge Bob Squarepants/Patrick Stay Weird T-shirt.

Tarot card of the day

Tiki Mug, Best of Trail Cam, and bag of Toys

Tiki mug was a $3.50 Goodwill find. I follow another reseller who specializes in these types of mugs. Because of his show, Thrifty over 50, I knew this item was of particular value. It is a Bumatay Tiki Mug Islander, valued at $285.00. 

 A trail cam is placed on the property and here are some of the best images. 

Why did I buy this $2.99 bag of children's toys at thrift?  

For the G.I. Joe men and their transport. I knew there were at least 3 of the figurines in the bag and was surprised when I opened the transport toy and there was G.I. Joe No. 4. 

For the Ghostbusters trio.

And the Alien duo - Fully articulated figurines. 

The rest of the bag contained Happy Meal toys that I thrifted back. For some reason, I began collecting G.I. Joe men and am hoping that will turn out to be a good choice in the future.

Tarot card of the day

Susie the middle cat, and visit from the Swallowtail

S is the letter of the day at the A to Z Challenge. 

Susie, an animal shelter rescue, has the prettiest coat of all of the cats. She is the best hunter of the group and shows up at feeding time whenever it is convenient. 

This swallowtail butterfly visited me last month when I was in downtown Sacramento. 

I think it was attracted to the red color in my plaid skirt. I can't imagine there was too much food for it to find in the middle of the city. 

After I was able to snap a few pictures of it on my skirt, I was able to move it to my finger so we could get a closer look at each other. 

Tarot card of the day

Quilting and such

Some wonderful soul left these adorable quilt hearts hanging on foliage around downtown Sacramento. 

I would be remiss if I didn't devote a post to quilting, one my passions. Even though I am nowhere near prolific in creating such fabric art, I do complete 2-3 bedsized quilts each year.

I would define my patchwork piecing technique as free form. Certainly in the case of this state fair entry I have translated from canvas (print in a book) to quilt. I do square up the blocks and borders. 

Happy mistakes some occur, where you might not have intended to piece two dissimilar fabrics together, but they somehow mesh. 

I have made great progress on my State Fair Quilt for entry into competition at the California State Fair. The competition guide is now posted, my entry will be in Division 165, Other Fiber Art, Class 4, Any Other Fiber Art. 

Tarot card of the day

Moschino Marionettes Modeling Fashion

It is the "M" letter day on the A to Z Challenge. Fashion is one of my great passions. I love seeing what others are wearing, love wearing cute ensembles, and I occasionally rehabilitate thrift shop clothing. 

Jeremy Scott unveiled his Spring 2021 ready to wear collection with Jim Henson marionettes. Link to full post at ifitshipitshere.com.

“The best thing I could do for everyone who is stressed about the election, the pandemic, social unrest, and the future was to give the gift of fantasy and take us away from all of it for a few minutes; let us enjoy this little fashion world of ours.” – Jeremy Scott to Vogue

Mmmmm, just marvelous!

Tarot card of the day