No Luck at the Yard Sales - Again

 Yesterday I ventured out in search of the elusive Yard Sale Holy Grail. I do not understand how the landscape of available garage sales in this area can yield such pathetic results. I watch the "influencers" on YouTube and see them score wonderful items and then post the results of what sold, how much they spent and what the items have been listed at asking prices. For example - Spent 36$ - listed at 385$ It just does not happen around here for me.

A month or so ago, I bought a 1962 Barbie Doll Dream House form the original owner. I was very excited because they list on Ebay for good money and I had the original owner - the provenance! It was huge and the cost of shipping would arrive in the mid to upper 20's, so I sold it at my yard sale for what I paid for it. 

I suppose the essence of a successful yard sale chase is #1, knowing your stuff.  I cringe when I see nothing but clothes and plastic toys. I do not know my toys well enough to know what has value and what does not. #2 is know the territory you are hunting. Maybe the 100 mile yard sales are the Mother Lode. I did it once, in June and stuck out. I spent all day chasing the dream and ended up with desperate purchases that once again, I unloaded at my yard sale.

Yesterday I had high hopes of one that was advertised as having an abundance of items accumulated from years of Estate Sale purchases. Wrong. Just a bunch of Home Decorator stuff, once again childrens things, and Big Lot purchases,

The only outdoor that bore fruit was the Lutheran Church Community Yard Sale - which I must remember for next year because it is an every Saturday set up for 20$ a spot, I found a lady who was in the mood to deal with her exquisite jewelry booth.

  For 20 bucks she sold me three fantastic signed pieces.

 So, I went to my old stand by, the Estate Sale. 25 - 50% off on Saturday. I found 36$ worth of stuff, two purses, a pair of designer boots, an Hawaiian tea cup and saucer (she double charged me for this!!once at 50% off then again at 25% off, oh well. A cashmere sweater and a fabulous faux fur jacket so soft that you could lay a naked baby on it.

20$ should translate to 150$ 

36$ to 250$ I may keep one of the purses.

I may go back today, its 75% off.

I see Them Long Hard Times to Come

Originally started in early April

Missed me? Wonder where the hell I have been? Joe died in March and my world is upside down, side ways, all shook up and I am still processing life without him. It's empty and difficult to even acknowledge he is gone. No longer here. I feel him in the room, in the car, everywhere.

I have hammered on with Ebay despite it all and the sales are still trickling in. 

April Sales

The Estate Sale Trail

 I need to take pictures of all the beautiful homes I visit while on my Estate Sale Trails. This one was on Blank-er Rd. You parked at a museum or historic building and were then transported to the home via van. It was awesome. The home was going to be torn down due to termite infestation. But it was super cool and very old. Late 1800's if I had to guess.

I went the last day, after 1 when everything was 75% off. There was a bookshelf full of antique books but they were in very bad condition. A complete set of Charles Dickens was decrepit, yet at 75% off I still picked out the best several of the crumbling spined books.  I put them  back after thinking about it. Even at 50 cents, was I going to risk possibly bring silver fish or some other pestilent into my home. Not worth it. Anyway, finding an interested buyer would be hard. I then began posting my volumes of Charles Dickens on Ebay. They are undated but once again I am guessing late 1800's. I got them at an auction house that I use every now and then, but when I went to pick them up, having paid for the entire set, it was incomplete! They had somehow managed to give several volumes (4!!!) away to someone who also bid on antique books. This is not the first time an auction house has messed up. But they are only human.

This is one of the treasures I found. I saw it during my first pass through of the house. It was marked 26$. During my final pass thru a couple, Mother and daughter were examining it, the daughter saying she thought it was creepy. That was enough incentive for me to grab it as soon as they moved on. For 6$ I was going to take a chance on it. Turns out its fairly valuable. It is not marked on the bottom, just MADE IN CHINA sticker remains. It could or could not be marked. It's obscured. It could be Staffordshire, could be a copy. This original pitcher has been copied by many companies and artists. This one is in terrific condition and very heavy. I believe I have it listed for over 200$ So we will see. I believe it will eventually sell.

Sales are steady as long as I run a sale on my entire store. What the heck, I send out offers etc and sell a lot at the offered price. If  the Ebay algorithm  likes and promotes my items because of this, so be it. Its a sale all the time.

July Sales

June Sales (and my feet)

May Sales