De-cluttering for 2012 = Timeless

Now this isn't something that I handcrafted. It is a watch that I purchased years ago. It never fit me quite right though, so it sat in my jewelry box...abandoned & lonely. Being the ebay seller I am and re-evaluating EVERYTHING we have in our home, I decided this little treasure needed a place to feel loved & cherished. So to ebay it went.

I had checked into completed listings to see about what they were going for, and I was a bit disappointed but thought..."Hey - I am not wearing it anyway, something is better than nothing." So I listed it as an auction item. Little did I know there would be a bidding war starting on it two days prior to the end of the auction. This raises the sales price obviously. It was so fun to watch. My dear hub and I had a fun time watching it go up and up. At the end it sold for 2-1/2 times what I had started it at. Zippity-doo-dah!

Why do I post this you may all ask? Well - cleaning house, de-cluttering, and organizing for the New Year may just help you be more prosperous as well. With ebay, etsy, and Craigslist you have a lot of options to sell your unused items...and come out ahead yourself. 

I can make a couple of suggestions to help you decide where is the best fit to sell your goods based on my experience: 

• Etsy is the place to sell vintage wares (decor, kitchen, jewelry and apparel mainly) & all things handcrafted. It is a fun, artistic, creative group that admires all things beautiful. Vintage really moves here.  Everything is a fixed sales price (no auction option) so if you don't know the value you may want to try ebay first. 
• Craigslist is great for LARGE items that are heavy for shipping - or things that you know will go better locally. 
• Ebay is for everything else... items too recent to be considered vintage or don't have an etsy category. Ebay is also great for some vintage & antique, designer clothing, bags, brand name housewares, and man stuff. Yeah - I said MAN STUFF. What I mean by that is equipment, manuals, tools, sporting goods, etc. I realize that is generalizing and possibly offensive to some. In my life these fall under the HUBBY category though. Ebay also has auction option or fixed price (buy it now). It costs more to list as an auction item but as you can see with my watch sometimes it is well worth it. The bonus on my watch was I listed this item with a free listing promotion ebay put on for three days. SCORE! 

Well I hope this inspires you to start de-cluttering, re-evaluting and organizing your home. There are so many incentives to start, I hope one of them gets you going! 

Little Brown Bird - My long lost feathered friend

Isn't this Little Brown Bird adorable? This little feathered friend was hiding on one of my "posted to eBay" shelves. When I spotted this little treasure I knew today was the day to make him famous! So to Etsy he flew! I even found this adorable little poem that perfectly describes his life I am sure!

O LITTLE brown bird in the rain,

In the sweet rain of spring,

How you carry the youth of the world

In the bend of your wing!

For you the long day is for song

And the night is for sleep--

With never a sunrise too soon

Or a midnight too deep!

For you every pool is the sky,

Breaking clouds chasing through,--

A heaven so instant and near

That you bathe in its blue!--

And yours is the freedom to rise

To some song-haunted star

Or sink on soft wing to the wood

Where your brown nestlings are.

So busy, so strong and so glad,

So care-free and young,

So tingling with life to be lived

And with songs to be sung,

O little brown bird!--with your heart

That's the heart of the Spring--

How you carry the hope of the world

In the bend of your wing!

written by -Isabel Ecclestone Mackay

Retail Therapy awaits you!!!

Check out the new locations where you can pick up some of our goods! 

Surroundings & Candle Baker 2 in Lynden, WA.

Surroundings: We are thrilled to have our Sterling Silver Jewelry for sale in Surroundings.  Today my Mom and I hit the road with the car packed full of goodies to set up the display.  This was my Mom's first taste of Jewelry business details.  I have to say it was a complete DELIGHT to have her help me.  For some reasons I always have a bit of the jittery nerves prior to any kind of set up... whether it be a party, a ministry event or Jewelry Shows.. I just can't help it.  Having my Mom alongside really helped me to feel a bit more grounded and secure. Funny how Mom's always help their little girls...even when they are all grown up!

Candle Baker 2:  Our good friends, Sheri Spencer & Shannon Warner of 2 Crafty Gals encouraged us to try out this new store.  So my crafty cohort Nicole of This in2 that and I teamed up together to put up an amazing (if I do say so myself) collection of upcycled items - from home decor to fashion accessories.  So many fun and trendy items perfect for gifts or as a treat for yourself. 

So..if you are looking for a fun and refreshing day out head to Lynden, WA.  It is an adorable historical dutch town full of fun things to see and do.

 

That time of year again.

Sun is shining through the windows, people are spring cleaning and purging their belongings.  Perfect time of year for those that like to upcycle.... garage sales, garage sales, garage sales.  The time has arrived again to turn Trash in to Treasure!!!  Today I was inspired with a few finds...excited to get my hands to work again.  We will be posting new projects in no time!

Lynden Spring Craft and Antique Show 2010

We had a blast at the Spring Show this year.  So many friends stopped by to say hi and we met many new friends. Everyones enthusiasm and encouragement means the world to us! Thank you all so much for making it a whopping success!

a heart 4 Africa

initially what drove me to the place of meshing my creativity with selling a product to raise funds was my complete love for Africa. Not just the continent....but a deep seated love for orphan children. I soooo badly wanted to find a way to make a difference, even if it was just a small token in comparison to the great need out there. I wanted a way to do whatever I could to bring an awareness to others, raise funds to help, and travel to love on these precious little ones.

If it was not for this complete love for these precious children I am sure I would have lost my passion for putting my hands to work in this way...but because I have held some of these precious children in my arms & seen with my eyes first hand the terrific needs they face, it keeps me committed to continue on. We can make a difference. To touch the life of just one child makes an impact. I hope you will join me in making a difference. Every item we sell has a percentage that goes to orphans in Tanzania and Kenya.