Sometimes the Finds Are For Us!

Yes, it's been a while since I've posted and I'm sorry about that. Things have been a bit up and down, so for today, things are a bit up and I thought I'd share that with you.

Remember those funky pink appliances? The hand mixer, can opener and ice crusher? They sold! Yeah...I couldn't believe it myself! We both thought they were cool and retro, but didn't think they'd sell as fast as they did! Amazed, I tell you...we were amazed! I put them in the space right before Valentine's day and they sold last week!

That hanging curio cabinet? Also sold! Excited to get in and use up the wall space I have left. I have a couple of shelves that will work out in the space, so we'll be able to put it to better use.

We've met our goal this month with the booth and it's only taken three months...I'm actually considering another small space in the shop if something comes open...not a room, but a small space with some floor room to put small furniture and maybe another case/curio. We'll see...that's down the road a piece, so for now I'm happy.

Joanne and I spend a decent amount of time trolling flea markets and thrift stores when the auctions are few and far between nearby or we're trying to save cash. So, this weekend that's what we did. It's hard not to come home with something for ourselves sometimes and this time around we scored BIG!!! I'll explain in a minute and tell you what I found.

I got into canning two years ago and through a food blog I follow called Serious Eats have found a woman who is pretty local - CC Phila. - who is my Canning Goddess! Her name is Marisa McClellan and she writes a blog called Food in Jars . She's phenomenal! What I discovered about canning two years ago was that you didn't have to 'put up' 30 pounds of peaches or several bushels of tomatoes. There's this new thing called 'small batch canning,' that allows you to preserve only a few pints at a time. Marisa's blog has made canning easily approachable and with her small space in a high-rise apartment building, she's well aware of the restrictions of storing home canned goods.

I invited her to come up and hold class with a group of friends, so we could all learn something about the process of putting the season's best away so we could liven up a dull winter meal. One of the hints she gave was using an asparagus steamer to can a small batch of whatever we were canning. How simple! No need to bring out the big canning pot and this is even tall enough to process a quart jar! Ironically, my canning pot isn't even big enough to do that!

Well, folks...SCORE!!! Joanne found a pot with a basket and glass lid! Calphalon, even!

We love it when we are able to cross something off our 'want' list!

Speaking of want lists...Marisa told me she's a pushover for enamel cast iron pots and pans and to keep my eyes open for them in my travels...here's her score from me!!! Awesome...I'm gonna have to start looking for some for my own collection!

Something you may be looking for? Certainly let us know. We can take photos and text you when we find something and let you know the condition and our price!

Moxie Update: He's holding his own. Skinny, but eating although I sometimes have to force with a syringe to jump start him. Otherwise he's doing as well as can be expected. Alert, sometimes even playful and always in need of cuddling!

Rollercoasters and the Economy

It’s been a while since I wrote anything here and I’m sorry for that.

I had a rough few weeks. After finally getting over the crud that had me down for two weeks, I and have been feeling an emotional rollercoaster over my lack of full time employment and the impending demise of one of my cats.

Moxie, who is about six and a half years-old has CRF, otherwise known as chronic renal failure. It’s a dreaded disease that many cats get when they are older. We’ve been chosen as a family that has to have one of our babies get this so early in his life that when he finally does succumb to the disease, it will be hard to say he lived a good life, because he’s barely lived.

I had him in the vet’s for a blood work up to see how he was doing as he hasn’t been himself lately. We come to find out that his kidney numbers are excruciatingly high and that my vet thinks he’s on the down side.

I belong to a Yahoo discussion group known as Caring for CRF Felines where we all get on and discuss such things as diet, numbers, vets, mail order meds, subcutaneous fluids, supplements, etc. I’ve been lurking now for about four years since we found this out. I don’t offer much in the way of the discussion, but I’ve gained a whole lot of info and for that I’m so grateful.

Right now my life has been taking care of this poor boy. He’s not in pain, but trying to get him to eat and cleaning up after him through the day has been pretty much a struggle. Under normal circumstances you can’t get a cat do something they don’t want to do, so when they don’t feel good, all manner of coaxing and prodding one does is simply to make them think it’s their idea, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.

Never much of a litter box user, Mox has always used something else, but never does it behind your back or in a corner to hide it. An unusual cuss, Moxie is a male calico. Depending on the website you read, they are a genetic anomaly that occur 1 in 3000 or 1 in 10,000. They also find most to be sterile, so no testosterone to make them territorial enough to spray. He’s happy to just pee on the floor right in front of you. For years we let him go on small throw rugs I’d get at yard sales. Washing them continually was a laundry nightmare. After about three years I thought, “How about piddle pads?” So, now I line them in my bathroom and along a side of my kitchen. Cats with CRF drink enormous amounts of water, so that makes them urinate. On top of that, we hydrate him subcutaneously every day now to help flush toxins out of his system.

It’s also been a tough few weeks on the job front. I’ve now applied for 116 jobs; out of which I’ve had only a handful of letters sent me to say the proverbial, “Thanks, but no thanks,” one interview, one phone pre-screening and at one teensy job fair for a local car dealership, an in person pre-screening.

My unemployment will be running out soon and I’ll hopefully get an extension, but job prospects are few and far between. There’s so much competition out there. Reports of the economy getting better are all over the news, but the actual evidence escapes me right now.

I am, however, amping up my resume with an online website design course that I’m so surprised hasn’t done me in yet. It’s gotten a bit harder as the lessons come in, but I’m getting it. It’s not confounding me as I thought it would. I even got up the guts to go out and buy a Dummies book to get additional information to reinforce what I’m learning and I knew exactly what section to find it in, what to look for and bought the biggie that contained nine different books! It sits on my night stand right now and I’ve been reading a bit each night along with a novel I’m enjoying. Still a bit far off to be a geek, but I think I’m on the right path!

By now you’re wondering what’s going on and why I’m writing about all this personal stuff, when this blog is about our antiques & collectibles business. Well, other things in life pop up and I’ve been doing a weekly ‘Goals Challenge’ and last week didn’t meet them and this week didn’t even make any.

On a brighter note, the co-op space is doing well overall. I have a goal of what I’d like us to make each month and for January I was only a little bit off from that, so it’s catching on. Looking to sell our wall mounted curio and make better use of the space on the wall for shelves and additional items. The case is still great and we need some Lucite risers and some rope lights to finish it off, but so far, we’ve been pleased. Even February seems to be off to a nice start. So, I guess the economy is picking up after all, huh?

Still Down and Out with the Crud, but Getting Better!

Okay, here I am complaining again about this terrible crud that has taken me over for the past two weeks.

Yes, that's right. TWO WEEKS! 14 days I've been coughing and wheezing till my head wants to explode!

This has just knocked me on my ass! I know the cold has turned into a sinus infection and bronchitis and I've never had it this bad. So, finally on some antibiotics and I'm faking it till I'm making it!

Last week I set out with some goals for myself. Let's see how I did...

1. Set up the inside of the curio cabinet & redo the space

2. Make a creative DIY sign for the resale space (thanks to Van of ThriftCore for that one!

3. Organize merchandise for flea market

4. Get a sales tax number for business

5. Sign up for Website Design class

6. Mark additional items that will go in the curio & space

Well, despite that I spent most of the week flat out on the couch, I didn't do too bad. I signed up for the Website Design class and flew through my first two lessons and got flying colors on my quizzes!

I didn't get to the flea market merchandise or the sales tax number, but both required too much physical or mental exertion that I was just unable to do either. I'll get to them this week.

I'm not sure I have the space for a sign in my resale spot, so that's on hold for now.

So, here's my goals for this week:

1. Sales tax number

2. Organize flea market merchandise and seek out somewhere to sell it

3. Make some shelf tags for promoting merchandise

4. Investigate some lighting for the curio cabinet

5. Decorate for Valentine's Day in the Co-op

6. Talk to Van of about advertising/promo of blog

So, that's good for this week. On top of these goals, I'm seeking a full time job...again, yet, still. Unemployment is going to run out soon. Also seeking a part time job to get some additional cash. Have some major paperwork to go through and organize for tax season! Yay!

Wish me luck...and check out my homemade Button Board to set up in the curio!

Taaaa Daaaaa!

Here it is! Our long wished-for curio cabinet for the co-op space. It went in on Monday and I put items in it and will be making it more jazzy as time moves on. Hopefully we'll have better sales of our little stuff.

I'm hoping to get some lucite risers to make use of the tallness of the space on these shelves, so that's probably next after I do some shelf tags with some info about items we're selling.

So, come in and have a look!

Patience and Tenacity and a Weekly Goal List!

After two days of an all out seek and find, and thinking we weren't going to find anything...we did! Not in a thrift store or an auction, not at a big box retail store or consignment shop. On Craigslist. Found the perfect curio cabinet last night on the site that was absolutely perfect in style and shape.

Contacted the owner, got directions, made an offer and picked it up today!

A bit touch and go trying to get it in the Jeep Compass...thought that front passenger seat went flat down and it doesn't! Hopefully it will fit in my Honda Fit tomorrow! My seat lays flat, so it ought to.

Joanne blurted out the quote this morning when we headed out to get it, "Good things come to those who wait." I thought she was right, but I've been searching like a dog now for the past five weeks! Patience and tenacity...

Now all I have to do is get it over to my space tomorrow and set it up...so, although I'm not back to feeling a hundred percent, I'm better and if I can avoid a horrid coughing jag while carrying one end (thanks to friend Cindy for helping out with the other end!) I'll be so happy! I do now, however, have quite a lot to work on this week...so here's my list of goals to accomplish:

1. Set up the inside of the curio cabinet & redo the space

2. Make a creative DIY sign for the resale space (thanks to Van of ThriftCore for that one!

3. Organize merchandise for flea market

4. Get a sales tax number for business

5. Sign up for Website Design class

6. Mark additional items that will go in the curio & space

Feeling a Tad Better...

My last post was six days ago and I know I said I was going to post daily, but I have been under the blanket of bronchitis! Nyquil, Ludens Cough Drops, Puffs w/Lotion...that's been my world these last few days.

Wasn't upright long enough to write much at all and rather than bore you with drivel, and believe me...there's been drivel here...I decided not to write anything.

Now, you know we've been looking for a curio cabinet for our resale space due to several thefts we've had our first month in the co-op. Yesterday, we were supposed to head to Harrisburg to the PA Farm Show, but thought it may be too much with how I'd been feeling all week. We thought it best to stay somewhat local and go on a curio search.

Staying on task isn't my strong point, so Joanne had to tell me several times to focus. We went from one thrift store to another to another and nothing! However, there were a few things we picked up to resell.

A pair of great Inland Glass carafe's, a Good Season's shaker, a Pyrex juice carafe, a Dansk Kobenstyle enameled casserole pan, a melmac divided bowl and a great carry basket.

There were some things not brought home...

This Radio Flyer horse was awesome! Kind of reminds me of the days supermarkets had rides for kids out front and you begged your mom for a dime (dating myself, aren't I?) to have a ride before going into the store.

These great melmac cups and bowls were pretty awesome. I'm sad I left these behind.

Hmmmmm...Joanne and I had a bit of a price disagreement over these. I say we could have doubled our money, but she was completely convinced we could buy one cheaper than the price tag. I wanted to pull a 'picker' on these folks and see if they'd negotiate, but nope...Joanne wasn't having any of that!

These chairs were AWESOME! If only we had a bigger resale spot!

This Jabba the Hut was at an auction I worked at today and I couldn't resist showing you this photo!

And this is an awesome T-Rex I took a photo of with Joanne there in the background! Another regret! Oh well, there will be more another time!

Although I'm not feeling great, I'm still coughing up lungs and my body aches from the force of my body trying to expel this infection, I'm better than I was all week long. Now, I'm not going to say anything much, but after a Craigslist search, we may have found what we needed...stay tuned!

Making Up For Lost Post & Some More Goals for 2012

I missed yesterday with a post because we've both been sick, so today I'm putting up two of them and have thought hard about goals for 2012. As one who is part of that 13 million unemployed statistic, I think I have to amp up my sales and my resume.

For years I've wanted to do a website for my freelance writing and now I'd love to do one for this business. A friend of mine wanted me to go into the business with him and do the sales part of it and he'd do the website part. As much as I may seem outgoing and friendly, sales aren't my forte. I probably could do it if I knew more about the 'behind the scenes' part of the web design as it would give me confidence to talk to people about what I or my partner could do for them.

(This image is from Mark Fasel Design at www.markfaseldesign.com)

So, this winter I'm taking an online website design course. Not only will it give me some idea of what goes into making a website, but it will give me something else on my resume to use to sell myself. I'm not a dud when it comes to computers, but I'm also not a 'geek' and I mean that in a good way...as someone who really knows their way around a control panel in one of these things...so, this is a great start to a new year!