My full time crazy job

Glad that this past weekend is done. Onward and upward!

I have been really taking this reselling seriously lately. Even though I don't have a 'real' job, I am still applying unique skills that I have to generate income for my family. As my own boss, I need to be disciplined in a way I never have before. When I worked outside the home, I had a set time to start and finish work. I had other people telling me what to do. As long as I stayed between the lines of what my boss wanted me to do, I made a certain amount of money in a set amount of time.

If I don't create goals for myself now I will not make any money. I will not grow my business.
But it is so easy to start to feel worthless. It is so easy to tell myself that I am a ONLY a reseller. I tell myself that society looks down upon my chosen profession, I am choosing a "white-trash", lazy way of making my way in the world.

But then I realize that I am selling myself short.  I work full-time hours at this job! Sure, I sit on my couch working but I used to sit in an office chair.  Sitting is still sitting no matter the location. I spend hours researching items, taking pictures, creating my listings with accurate and detailed descriptions, tweaking my store, professionally packing my sales, printing shipping labels,and setting pick up schedules with the Post Office. I answer emails and best offer requests. I order all the office and shipping supplies. I shop in different revenues to obtain a large number high quality items to offer my customers on a consistent basis. I have to instantly know what to purchase and what to leave on the shelf. If I make a mistake it instantly affects my families pocketbook.  On top of that I also network with other resellers, attend webinars, and research all types of different products to obtain an educated 'eye' that will serve me well when out in the field. 

 Seriously, when else would I have an

opportunity to buy this?

I never know how much money I will make in a day or week. I never know if I will be the one who comes across a very hard to please customer. I work as hard and honestly as I can and hope for the best.
For my personality this is a great job. I am self-motivated and enjoy the hunt. I love the process and the result of what I do.  It may not be traditional or very socially acceptable but I am not really either one of those things either. Perfect fit I would say!

Why I hate Oct. 12th

This is the day I dread. All. year. long.
I know it's a mental thing; if I could just change my attitude it probably wouldn't seem so bad. But really, the entire day goes like this.

7:00 am  10 years ago: (insert number of years that has passed) I just started work, it seemed like a normal day
11:00am 10 years ago: I was talking about what I was going to make for dinner. Crockpot chicken and pineapple over rice
11:30 am 10 years ago: I went home and started dinner in the crockpot
11:50 am 10 years ago: I walked back into work and my supervisor told me something had happened at the pit. He wouldn't tell me what. I walked out leaving my computer on and my headset still hooked up
12:10 pm 10 years ago: I was driving our green and silver Ford pickup to the pit. I remember thinking how slow and long the drive seemed.
12:30 pm 10 years ago: I learned my mom was dead
rest of the day 10 years ago: time stopped, time flew, it's blurred with tears, with words that said the unthinkable, with shock, with horror, with worry about dad, what do we do next, how is it possible to do something else besides stand here and cry. I remember how people's faces looked; twisted, crumpled, empty, yet so full of pain, the pity in the Troopers face who told me I could drive into the scene. I remember voices; choked with sadness, with guilt. I remember random things; worn work boots, the coroners eyes, a dark blue pickup on the scales with 2 dog faces pressed against the window, a blue tarp over what I assumed was what was left of her.

I relive this on October 12th. I don't want to think about the sadness and the loss. But I also don't want to forget it. 

"The steps of faith fall on the seeming void but find the rock beneath"

I'm still alive!

And look..my photography skills haven't improved very much! I updated the Ralph Lauren coat I talked about last time I blogged with new pictures and sold it within a week, after having it in my store for over a year.

Lots has changed. eBay is now my full-time job. I have 1 kid living in Iowa, 1 is in Japan for 2 weeks, and the littlest has been driving herself to school. I now have some time to try to keep my blog updated with my fun finds, things I'm learning while becoming more successful at on-line selling, cooking, and other miscellaneous.

Fantastic Finds Friday -Poppy version

I didn't get the chance to shop for inventory very much this week, but I did find a beautiful item.

I'm thinking I'm going to re-take the photos for this, but it is a Ralph Lauren womens long blazer/jacket.
100% wool--but not scratchy, thick wool. This is gorgeous, lightweight, almost feels like thick silk wool. It's in perfect condition, I really believe it was never worn. The front pockets are still sewn shut even!

Believe me, my photography skills did not do this justice!
I'm looking forward to the next week and more treasure hunting!

Linking up to Fantastic Finds Friday at We Sell on eBay!

Thrifty shopping weekend

This past weekend Ken and I went to a few garage sales. It was fun, but we really didn't find much. I think the weather reports made people afraid it was going to be cold so they put their sales off. Quite a few of the sales that were advertised early in the week had their ad pulled late Wednesday and on Thursday. I didn't find anything 'shareworthy' so I am sharing a few things found in the past month. First up is this pretty coffeepot. It isn't really all crooked, I don't know how I manage to take such awful pictures sometimes! I found this at the same estate sale where I found last weeks birds. I think the reason it didn't sell earlier is because the previous owner had written 'Germany' on the side with some other words. When I rubbed it with my finger it didn't come off-but I thought the old Magic Eraser would take off the writing, and it did! Another find at that same sale: a little metal dogwood bloom and bird tray (?). It's about 3" long. I am using as a tray for by my sink when I need to take off my rings. And finally, one of my favorite recent Goodwill finds. How cool is this flour shaker?? So retro and the neatest color and font. I can just imagine the great things a baker did with this. It's about 4" tall and just feels really cool in the hand. I am hoping for it to find a happy home with an industrious baker who loves it as much as I do.

This post linked up with:

head over to Apron Thrift Girls and prepare

to spend a hour or two checking out everyone elses finds!

out of hibernation

The birds are singing, flowers are blooming and I am crawling out of my winter den to share more of my favorites! Annie and I hit some garage sales today. It is nice to see the yard sale app say there were over 25 yard sales instead of 2 or 3. The first one that we hit was an estate sale. It was the 3rd day of a 3 day sale--1/2 off day. I can't imagine what that place looked like 3 days ago. It was knee deep in the book and craft room. The lady of the house painted porcelain and had enough blank pieces to start a warehouse-it was amazing. Annie found some painting supplies and I picked up a 1928 National Geographic (missing its cover but has neat advertising and an article about Sweden), a coffee pot from Germany, and a couple glass birds.

I love them. They are sitting in my kitchen window right now. Hopefully over the summer while I'm shopping for eBay inventory I will find more of these little guys.

Speaking of inventory, here is my favorite find from the past couple weeks.

It is a cup and saucer from Rosenthal, a design company in Denmark. The dinner line it is part of was designed for the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen. Can you see the Little Mermaid?

Such a cool piece of Scandinavian china.

Now that warm weather is here I am hoping to find a lot more favorite things to share with all of you!

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Random camera pictures

I finally downloaded the pictures from my phone after 9 months of owning it.
In the last post I talked about how I never take my camera out at all. But, since I always have my phone with me, I do sometimes take pictures with it.
so, here are some random photos.....


Wyatt, Shelby and Annie in the back seat of the pickup on the way to California. This was taken on the 2nd day of the trip just east of Las Vegas.

Evie in the feather boas at Joannes craft store.

Annie getting her Converse signed by Christian comedian Tim Hawkins. The kids and I saw him in Denver. If you don't know him look him up on YouTube. funny stuff.

Clay getting ready to take his first bite of corn on the cob after getting his braces off. He was very excited.

Mom's memorial rock at the pit. The quote is by Whittier: "The steps of faith fall on the seeming void but find the rock beneath." Fitting.

All this makes me think I really need to be better about taking my camera; but I am happy that my phone was there :)