I'm Official!

Finally took the plunge and got business cards.  Not that I need them for anything, but a business card makes me feel like I do something other than laundry.  And surpisingly, it convinced my kids of the same.  They got so excited, they wanted to hand them out to all their friends at camp. 

I agonized for days over what to put on the cards.  Should I use my eBay store name?  My username? Something else alltogether?  And what should my title be?  The benefit to my procrastination was Vistaprint finally offered me the cards free (they have many free choices on their website, but naturally I selected an upgraded design).  For a $6 shipping charge I decided it really didn't matter what I put on the card, because I could always order a new batch if I changed my mind.

But I like these.  I haven't done anything with them, other than show them to my husband and kids.  But seeing them scattered on my desk makes me feel OK about the rest of the clutter.  After all, with a business like mine, who has the time to clean?

The Motherload?

Thought I hit the motherload today, or as the guys on American Pickers say "the honey hole", during my thrifting expedition.  First off, I spent almost $65 between Saver's and Goodwill.  That's a lot of coin for me.  But I had my 30% off coupon for Saver's and got carried away.  Did find a few good items--a really nice long faux shearling coat by Utex for $14 and a Hanna Andersson fleece baby hoodie for $1.50 (these sell like hotcakes on eBay). 

Then I hit Goodwill and came across a Vilebrequin boy's swimsuit.  Here's where the music would play if I knew how to add it in HTML. 

I've been hoping to stumble across one of these for several years now.  Why, you ask?  What's all the tizzy over a swimsuit?  That's what I thought when I sold my first one on eBay.  I was fundraising for our local JCC and someone gave me a new Vilebrequin men's swimsuit to sell.  Can't remember what it looked like, but it was on the ugly side.  These suits are bright, bold and tend toward the obnoxious side (note the slightly scary looking chimp on this one).  But they are from France.  And they've been written about in the New York Times as the suit to have in the Hamptons.  Need I say more?  Ok, I will.  These suits retail for over $100.  I sold that new one for something like $140.  Within weeks I stumbled across one at the Salvation Army for $2.  This one was not new, but in great shape.  Bubblegum pink.  But not new.  In other words it was a used swimsuit, which, quite frankly I find a bit skanky, but to each his own.  Needless to say I washed the suit, then sold it for $75. 

I've been hunting the elusive Vilebrequin ever since, and today I hit pay dirt.  There, peeking out from the overcrowded racks at Goodwill was a fairly ordinary swimsuit print of red and white hawaiian flowers.  Then I spotted the odd Big Foot creature on the pattern and I knew I'd found something special. I forked over the $1.99 for the suit feeling and left Goodwill with a s&*t-eating grin on my face.

But here's where the question mark at the end of my headline (The Motherload?) comes into play.  As I examined the suit at home, I realized it was missing that inner lining--the mesh swimsuit lining.  Looks like someone cut it out.  Why would anyone do that?  The suit is small enough that it looks like it would hold a diapered tushie, so I suppose the lining isn't needed.  But still.  The beauty of my find was damaged.  Perhaps it will still sell for $20.  I'll even take $10.

When You're Hot You're Hot

Well, I am hot.  It's like 90 degrees here.  Luckily the Salvation Army in Pawtucket and the Goodwill in Attleboro had the AC cranked and I was able to do some great thrifting today.  Found this sweetie shown above--a vinyl electic mixer cover with a scottie dog on it.  Still in the original packaging.  You can't really see it in the photo, but he has a cute copper-color eye and studs on his collar.  I may have overpaid at $3.99, but I couldn't help myself.  I'm a sucker for vintage kitchenwares.

As Wednesday is Family Day at the S.A. and that means 50% off all clothes, I got a few good buys on some swimsuits and leotards I will resell.  Felt like I was on a roll, so I moved on to the Goodwill where I picked up a portfolio with American Girl Doll dress patterns for Samantha (now retired, in case you're interested) made by the original makers of AG, Pleasant Company.  Thanks to my eBay app on my trusty Droid, I paid the exhorbitant $4.99 (similar items are selling for $18 and up on eBay).  Another fun purchase--a bag of vintage Christmas ornaments--white flocked deer, drums and stockings, for .99 cents. 

I'm off.  To cool off.

Score!

Well, the Sominex bottle didn't sell. But, my looms (pictured above) did~for $104!  I paid .50 cents.  I just recently discovered these hand looms.  Found one at a church sale and had no idea what it was, but it was only .25 cents, so I bought it.  Now I know they are highly collectible Donar Weave-It looms.  The one pictured in the box above is aparently the rarest, made of all wood in the 40s.  It's a rug loom.  The other one pictured here has metal pins which is more common.  The piece running across the loom is actually the needle.  They come in different sizes.  I also sold two mini (2") looms made by Hero for $51.  All found the same weekend at various sales.  Now if only I can have such luck again.

Am not happy that my thrifting efforts will be curtailed the next few weekends by hubby's work schedule and lack of childcare.  But I am going to try a new bribe this weekend (in the past, I've offered the kids $10 to spend as they want if they come yardsaling with me--didn't work so well).  I promised them a new DVD to watch in the car along with donuts.  I'm hoping to maybe get an hour or so of cruising time while they hunker down with their movie and sugar fix.  We'll see....

Many Sales, Meager Pickings

Plenty of sales today, but little to be had.  I did find these cool skates for $3 with the key.  Hard to believe we actually wore these things, metal wheels and all.  But I remember strapping them on.  I still have an old key, which I recently dug out of a box and put on a cord, then wore as a necklace.  I receieved quite a few compliments from people who had no idea what it was.

Also found today:

• A long-sleeved pink Odille top (fancy brand from Anthropologie) for $1
• A vintage paint-by-number painting of a German Shephard and her pups.  It's really big and already hanging in my daughter's room.  Paid $2.
• A box of vintage white cotton hankies made in Hong Kong.  $1.
• An ameoba-shaped Anholt ashtray for .25.
• A vintage box of milk glass snack trays with matching cups--all 4 still in the original box.  $5.

Sewing Boxes~Chests of Buried Treasure

I love vintage sewing stuff, so when I see an old sewing basket, I tend to grab it.  Last weekend I purchased one along with a bunch of other stuff.  My two bags full of treasure cost $10, so I can't say exactly how much the sewing box was, but it was cheap.  It was tied up in a plastic Target bag, so I couldn't even see what was inside.  I just figured it was worth the 50 cents or so.

What fun when I got home and finally was able to sort through my booty!  Aside from the many wooden spools of thread, vintage needle packets, great buttons and sewing scissors, I found other treasures:

• An old Sominex bottle filled with pins.  Complete with label.  It's currently listed on eBay.  Will let you know what happens.
• An old Peruvian coin and a penny from the 30s.
• A pocketknife.
• Mending wool.
• An old Adolph's meat tenderizer bottle filled with hat pins.

A lot of history in one sewing box.  Because some of the stuff was labeled from the 50s, I could get a sense of how old most of the items were.  And I learned a great lesson--people tend to stash little things in their sewing box (just like the junk drawer), so you never know what you'll find inside!

Happy hunting!

The Highs and Lows of Yardsaling

I'll start with the lows.  What is it with people who think they can sell their stuff for consignment store prices at their yard sale?  This morning I perused a rack of clothes with kids winter coats priced at $25--and they were not North Face, or Hanna Andersson.  And it's not winter.  Later in the morning, like around 11 a.m. I was at another overpriced sale.  A customer asked for a price on shorts and the seller said $2.50.  So the customer asked if she could do any better, to which the seller replied "no, I've already marked them down twice."  Obviously she hadn't marked them down enough if they were all still sitting there at 11 a.m.  I'm always tempted to say "have fun hauling all your crap back into the house."

And then I came across Arthur's sale.  It was a cottage hidden by shrubs overlooking the bay.  Perched out front amidst there wares were two aging queens sipping cocktails. It was 11:30 a.m.  I didn't buy a thing, but the scene made my day.