Handmade Ornament

Pattern of the Day from 2009 - the best of the bunch from my latest eBay listing session of 36 sewing patterns. So colorful and spring-like. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186438806078

The Mr. and I came late to the party using an air fryer to cook food. What a delight! Grilled cheese sandwiches are now air fried. A great invention. 

A month to go to retirement. Actually, less days working days as there is a 9-day vacation planned for the end of this month. 

I am taking another couple of bags of clothing and shoes to the clothing exchange. Winnowing down my clothing even further. My go-to outfits are winter: corduroy pants, lightweight long-sleeved t-shirt, cashmere sweater; summer: T-shirt, skirt (preferably made in an irresistible print fabric), and Birki sandals. 

My Women in Art college class is completed. I really enjoyed this one. It was a revisit of those female artists I already knew, and some new ones. 

Treated myself to thrifted piece of artwork. I paid $24.99, framed, matted, and under glass. An unusual piece - I love it 😍 

Outfitting the summer place is the focus now. This ship's porthole clock was a $20 hospice thrift shop find.  

Those blocks are destined for my fan quilt if my instincts prove right that they will fit right in. 

Pattern of the Day is from 1974. A keeper because it is cut and in such bad shape. Patterns from the seventies have moved into the rare category. 

Each month I like to highlight weird and wacky items in the world of thrift and beyond. These stunners were offered for sale at Freestyle Clothing Exchange in Sacramento, California. 

Stuffed animal mounts

These cookies are more Wonderful than weird or wacky. The Limited Edition Dirt Cake Oreo Cookies. They even sparkle!

Not a sponsored Ad - just an Addiction! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186418464333

Ending the post with a pre-Mother's Day thrift shop find - a $1.99 Cross pen, still with its ink. I have had them over the years, usually losing them someplace. This one is MINE!

Greenhouse gardening - Not for the faint hearted. Inclement weather has blown away half of the panels, all of the roof, and the entire front doorway. Last year, I brought home a tray full of plant starts, put them in the greenhouse, and some critter got in and ATE the ENTIRE contents. Prior to preparing the beds for planting, one of my cats had decided it was her personal litter box. These next images will make sense, garden beds protected by chicken wire.  

Tomatoes

Before

After

Peppers +1 Kale

Seller update - slow movers in sewing patterns. 

Now that I have sold sewing patterns for a number of years now, I have a sense of what is and isn't popular. Patterns I won't pick up even if they are factory folded:

1.    The brands New Look and See & Sew.
2.    Doll clothing.
3.    Infant baby accessories. 
4,    Curtains and valances. 

I will list them if they come from a lot, but I won't pick those up as singles. 

Pattern of the Day is Pelicans! It fell into the Keeper category. 

Will I ever use this pattern? Probably never but like any good crafter, I have it on hand, just in case. 

My usual practice listing eBay items is to photograph one day, edit photos on another day, and then prepare the listings on yet another day.  I tried to do it all in one day, but I took not one but two naps. 😴 So I listed the next day, still not a slouch. 

Sourcing for product is ultimately more fun than listing. While I catch up on a couple of categories, I lurk on the online auctions. My latest purchase this $40 mystery box (shipping cost included). It was described as "Box of various assorted size and themed fabric patterns." I can name that tune in 2 notes! It will only take a sale of two items to make my money back on this purchase. There might be a Holy Grail of a Folkwear sewing pattern and perhaps some folded pieced fabric. These are the items I look for - mystery boxes at low prices. Auctions that seemed to be ignored by other purchasers. 

Sometimes I keep a kit. This fish one came across priced at $5.99. Hard to get a good image, it is still sealed in package. I particularly like the needlework roping framing the fish.

Yarn has been in my deathpile queue for a few weeks. Here is the best of it listed. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186410113423

I've had good luck in locating needle kits at thrift, this one is the best of that group. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186410333785

There will be another sewing pattern listing session before I move into Barbie clothes, books, and CDs awaiting in the wings. 

I am also culling for spring cleaning. Things need to be ship shape for summer so I can enjoy every minute of it. 🌞

Fan quilt is up next. All it needs is the borders and I can send it off to the longarmer. 

Wedding update: It is my goal to have 8 completed pet/car quilts for the bridal party as gifts. Here is an example of one used in the truck when the dog rides in the back seat. 

Ending the post with a Beyonce song bringing back country western, sort of. In the 80s, I was boot scooting on sawdust in bars in Phoenix, Arizona.  

My next category to enter for sale will be Buttons. When I buy sewing items in lots, I find buttons still on their original cards. While I like to keep the loose buttons for projects and repairs, I usually don't sew garments. Pictured below is my loose button stash.  

The last of the 80 yard-sale sewing patterns went on the boards. This was the only pattern of note - a Russian hat. Reminds me of the movie Doctor Zhivago. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186392450021

Segueing to talk of my daughter's wedding. A location has been chosen, and a date in September 2025 is set. She wants to buy a new dress, I told her I would buy a "backup" wedding dress at thrift. This one came through hospice thrift priced at $12.99. Too beautiful to pass up, it has a few minor stains. I will try to work out how to fix that. She probably won't want the dress. I will keep it until after her wedding and sell it. 

I don't know why I have so much trouble listing random items. Father's Day is fast approaching and these need a new home. I have had these 1980s Ducks Unlimited mugs for at least 2 years. Thrift shop price was around $5 a piece, priced at $120 for the pair. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186392614361

My daughter's cowboy quilt has arrived back from the longarmer. Her choice of quilting pattern in a dark brown thread was a good choice. I am in the binding process now and will follow up with some glamour shots in the wild. 

On to seller update: 

I have been lurking at a certain online auction site. Estate sales haven't started up yet with our wet weather. Here are the images of recently purchased boxes. Those two Santa kits will pay for the needlekit box. Christmas kits always sell.

I have been keeping up with listings. My next goal for total active eBay listings 3,000👈

I have nearly plowed through my 80 yard sale patterns. This one came up a keeper because it was cute and it was cut. It is in my project box with an orphan block and matching fabric. I will have the Bernette sewing machine with me at the summer locale to practice this sewing machine cover pattern.

I thought I had an orphan block with a sewing machine, and then remembered it was in a quilt that has never seen the light of day - Quilter in Quarantine. Constructed, completed, and even entered into the State Fair competition, then the event was canceled. 

Patchwork Cupcake is in for competition at the California State Fair. I won't know if it will go in for judging until the end of May. 

The Mr. is setting up Fish Camp. Here are the views from the back of the trailer. The first image is the river as you head out toward the harbor. 

Just thrifted in this group of New Look patterns. I place them as 1990s kids fashion. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378308526

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378311646

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378318189

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378322565

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378325551

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186378327602