More Cards - flower punches

 Still putting together all the cards I kitted for FabMo and old kits from past classes. I have over 100 cards ready to go into my card rack. With all the dogs here (Posey, Annie, Lilly) I haven't gone anywhere this week. Not that the dogs really need me here but I don't like having to put Lilly in her crate when I'm out. Cards don't sell well at CCB and they take 50% so I really make no money at all. But it's the creative process that's fun and using up what I have. The little flower punch is on it's last leg and it's also harder to use, so I switched to a bigger flower punch. Still deciding if I like the look. 

Using What I have

White or brown background?

After there was a big change in the workshop I was scheduled to do for FabMo, I decided to make all the cards in the kits I had put together. Normally I would have saved them or put everything away. 

Then during my endless hobby of organizing craft supplies, decided to finish all the partial kits I've stored for years. Cards don't sell well at CCB and my card rack is full but it's time to refresh the rack. Knowing they won't  sell, I'm still having fun making them. I keep finding more card parts after years of teaching so there's no shortage of things to make!

Halloween Cards 2026

I'm not sure where these stickers came from but too cute not to turn into cards. I found them during my endless sorting of craft supplies. A lot of things got moved up to the attic when Henk came into town. Slowly working on getting everything back down into my workspace.

 Halloween cards don't sell well at CCB but I still had fun making them. Cards in general don't sell well as there are way to many card makers. Add to the mix all the AI people that have been allowed to sell there. In my opinion, not very creative or even very cute.

Dog Sitting

Now that I'm more comfortable using my counter top oven, I can whip up a small batch of peanut butter cookies. Not sure how I ended up with a big jar of peanut butter but I hate for it to go to waste. I use to always have peanut butter when Annie was with me. I filled her treat ball before I left for work every morning.

This week my babysitting two big dogs named Lilly and Annie at my place. Their cousins to Posey, so they get to sleep in the big house. Lilly gets a little nervous when alone (her family all work from home) so having the TV on helps. Since my extra large flatscreen isn't hooked up, she needs to be in the main house. I'm in charge of feeding and poop pick up. With three big dogs, that's a lot of poop! It's nice to have them around even if Lilly decided the best place to poop is in my raised bed area. At least she didn't climb into the raised beds!

Lilly is a velco dog!

 

FabMo Workshop - Advanced Iris Folding

I was asked to do a class for FabMo because there was a waiting list of people. Well what I wasn't told it was for an advanced iris folding cards. When I found out, I did offer to switch. I only did that because I had found my sample cards during my recent and on going clean up of craft supplies.  Organizing art supplies is a hobby right?

I went to all that work designing a new class but I'm lucky I didn't finish kitting all of them. That would have sucked!

It's not that doing a circle is "hard" but that you have to pay attention and keep things in order. Working with five different washi papers can get confusing if you don't keep them in order in front of you. Toward the end of the circle things aren't in numeric order either so you have to pay attention to the pattern. 
 

Auction Week

It's auction week and here are a few things I looked at. If there's something I'm interested in, I take a picture. Then when I get home I check what the opening bid will be. If it's too high, it gets crossed off my list. What I'm now in search of is a large vintage work table. There was only one table that was a maybe but is also has six gothic looking chairs that I would have a hard time getting rid of.

At last month auction, I thought this hutch was interesting. Thinking that it would sell for more than I wanted to pay, it didn't make my list. It sold for $30, which totally shocked me! Today I saw it was still there which was odd. Then I checked the catalog and it had been "withdrawn" from the auction. I can only guess the seller wasn't too happy with the sale price. I also think the auctioneer made a mistake and didn't see the bid was way below the seller's opening bid requirement. The auctioneer has to keep track of several things on each item, so it's understandable that mistakes are made. Still a very nice hutch and if I had room for it, it would come home with me.

 

Barilla VS Banza Pasta

Barilla $2.50 VS Banza .99

With all the bad press about what is going into our food, I'm always sad when I brand I like is on the hit list. Barilla gluten free pasta has been my go to for years. They never have gotten good reviews from the food and health experts even before I knew about the two added chemicals. Not sure what the extra ingredients/chemicals do but I guess it's bad. 

Gluten free products have gotten a whole lot better from when I first started out. Back in the day, most were not edible at all. When I was up in Incline Village this summer there aren't many places to shop. I would normally not even look at the Banza brand because in the early days anything made with chickpeas were terrible. I really had no choice because that's all the store had at a price point I was willing to pay. Being a vacation town everything is very pricey. All the "experts" said to go with Banza, but in my mind, have they really try it? Did they just looked at the list of ingredients? I decided since I didn't really have any other choice, I picked up a box. It's was actually was pretty good if used with a good sauce. It's basically tasteless (just rice flour and chickpeas) but it holds together well. I'm slowly using up my stash of Barilla and stocking my pantry with Banza. I could make my own pasta (I've done it before) but I like having a stocked pantry.  

Newsletter Deadline - Final Four

The final four for my up coming class at FabMo in October. The Christmas tree took a little longer because I can't find my vellum paper. The news letter deadline is today, so I just had to take the photo. It wasn't because I was procrastinating. I was only given less than a week to make the samples. My classes are different than the other teachers. There are a lot of different projects, doing various techniques. Since I'm using what I have in my stash, I have to make sure I have enough for ten people. I'm basically kitting while I'm designing which adds a lot of time. Plus FabMo would like that I use what you can find at FabMo. I'm still in search for my vellum!

FabMo Class - Project change

Update: Change in what the project will be. 

Samples of the projects I'll be teaching next month for FabMo. There will be another card but I have to make sure I have enough vellum for ten people. These are old school techniques and using what I have. 

I like the Hedi Kyle pocket book because it uses a 12X12 scrapbooking paper, which most of us have. It's pretty simple once you've done it a few dozen times. :) 

I watched another card maker do color smooshing and thought that would be fun for the class. I like making a mess and everyone's combo will be different. I think people in my class will have fun with it. 

 

Hedi Kyle Pocket Book Fold

I've been asked to do a  card making workshop at FabMo in October. One major roadblock is that I'm insisting on only charging $20 -$30, which all goes to FabMo bank account. It's my volunteer service to them and I really think they need workshops that are affordable. Not saying the other workshops aren't worth what the other teachers get paid but I'm not doing it for the money. There is a wait list of people waiting for me to do another class, which is nice. I think because my class are very low key and fun. Time spent with other crafters and not break the bank. Now days, it's cheaper than a hamburger!

I found this Hedi Kyle pocket book pattern  online and thought that would be perfect for the class. Something a little different using what you can find at FabMo. Took me several tries to get it right. I watched Hedi's videos but there are a few steps that weren't very clear. I finally had to research if anyone else has done a how to video that was better at explaining her pattern my brain could follow. I did order her book from the library to see what else she has done. Look interesting!

Homemade Kettle Corn

I like kettle corn but at the farmer's market it's now over $10 for a small baggie. I remember the days when a huge bag was only $10 and that would last me at least a few days. It's always been in the back of mind to make it at home. 

I really like tender white popcorn, which I have a lot of. Use to make popcorn all the time so have a ton of it around. It's not the brand that they suggest you use but I went for it anyways. Overall it went well if you don't count all the very hot kernels flying out of the pan. You have to let the steam out so the lid has to be kept open a little bit. Even with that small gap they shot out like rockets! On top of having to keep shaking the pan while dodging the kennels was a challenge! The one thing I didn't expect was the fried oil smell. So if I where to do this again, I would use the side burner on my outdoor grill. 

 

Life of a Reseller - labels

I really like my portable label printer, which has been a game changer for me. One of the things I hate most in reselling is having to tag everything. It takes a long time to do besides being very boring. Buying the replacement labels isn't easy either. I hate it so much that I did a bulk buy this time around. Hopefully I don't have to order more for a few years. I now have over 6,500 labels. I haven't ever kept track of how many I use, but I hope this batch will last me a few years!
 

Getting Organized Again

This past week, I decided I would like more flat work space. When I moved in I kept the big sectional sofa that was already here because Posey (the big chocolate lab) was use to napping on the sofa. Now that I've been here for awhile, she comes in to visit but doesn't use the sofa anymore. I made space out in the garage last week to move the biggest section of the sofa out there to store. I can't get rid of it as it's not mine and Matt doesn't throw anything away. So now my place looks like a bomb went off. In moving the sofa I also decided to reorganize all my crafting supplies and all the tubs filled with stuff I didn't want to deal with. Finding all these parts to cards I made years ago, I decided to finish some of them. Moving boxes and furniture all day, my back tells me when I need to stop and do something fun. The cards aren't big sellers but at least my card rack looks full. :) 
 

Chop Wizard - country style hash browns

I've had this Chop Wizard for awhile now. It isn't something I really need in my kitchen. It does work but you really have to slam the top down to cut anything. Since it's marketed for people who can't use a knife, I wonder how they would have enough strength to push the top down. Yes, it's a gadget but it does make quick work when making country hash browns. You still have to cut the potatoes with a knife to get them to fit into the wizard. It a lot of fun slamming the top down! I think at some point it will break but for now it's a kitchen toy I like! 

I've looked in adding a induction cook top to my place but I would have to upgrade the electrical. Wasn't worth the cost just to get an extra burner.  Then I found out after using the portable one I got for the the beach house, not all of my All Clad pans will work! Couldn't understand why I kept getting an error message with some of my pans, so I looked it up. Got the magnets out and sure enough my newer pans won't work. It was a WTF moment! At least the mystery is solved. 

 

Decorating on a budget of 0

Slowing getting my son's place looking like a place I would feel comfortable visiting. Between work and golfing, he's not home much. Spending any money or time decorating just isn't high on his list. 

The picture is a vintage mirror/photograph I found at a Goodwill a few years ago in Reno. It was tucked away in the very back corner of the store for only $20.00. I've never seen another one like it, so I'm guessing it was custom made. The side board was something we added this year. He needs more storage as his kitchen is very small. Picked it up on Facebook Market place for free. The round table came from a friend who was updating her kitchen table. Trust me, it's 100% better than it was. 

Lobster Purse ?

I've been sort of following this whole TJ Max beaded bag trend. It spilled over from all the online content about what's at TJ Max and HomeGoods for Halloween. I'm trying to figure out do these creators really buy this bags or just post finding them. Is anyone actually buying them to use as a purse?

Saw this lobster purse and thought it's cute but not cute enough for me to drop $40+! You can't get anything inside it other than a chapstick! With cell phones and watches, do woman really need to carry a purse anymore? I'm I showing my age in thinking a purse should be some what  useful and not only decoration? 

 

Vintage map and Aki's pink guava cake

I'm always surprised what type of art my son likes. At the last estate sale I did, this map was there. I sent him a picture and to my surprise he said yes. It's a good thing I have a big car because it barely fit. I'm driving it up in the morning after I pick his favorite cake the famous Aki's pink guava. We plan his birthday celebration around when I can get the cakes. :) 

Experience VS Google

 

The prep for this week's estate sale went pretty fast. The family didn't leave a lot in the house. It's not really enough items to make it  worth doing a sale. Estate companies make money on what is sold, so there has to be enough there for people to buy.  They had already filled a dumpster and a storage unit.  Plus they had already donate away a lot of little stuff. 

The furniture that was left was really nice but the resell value for dark wood is limited. All the original artwork was also very nice but I could tell they went with a color palette that matched the furniture. Still very impressive but limited market for oversized artwork. The flat file cabinet in the garage is super cool and I hope it finds a new home. If I had the space for it, I would dragged it home! 

Side story. The gold and silver guys stopped by to check out the silver. They check it out and confirm what it is and then make an offer, 75% of spot.  If it can't be sold at the sale for more, she will sell it to them. I really don't like that she's using the guys to test the silver and get a baseline of the value but then not selling it to them. OK rant over. 

One of the guys saw what he thought was dutch silver (didn't know that was a thing) on MaxSold. Since you can't actually see it in person it's a risk. The sellers listed it as silver plate because they also didn't know what that mark meant. He took a chance got it for $32. It was what he thought it was. Scrap value was over $800!  Really wish I had a picture but it's already been processed. Experience (not Google) knowing what your looking at does make a difference!

Estate Sale Kit

At the last estate sale I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass. Couldn't find a bandaid anywhere. A customer came up with an unopened first aid kit from somewhere in the house and said I should take proper care of my cut. I decided then and there I would put together a kit with all the stuff we need at a sale. Gloves, trash bags, pens, tape etc...  Before as we're setting up, things are all over the place. If we're not paying attention, things we need get sold!

Accidental Halloween Decorations

These are solid brass candle sticks that haven't been processed yet. While I was "buzz fly" cleaning my printing table in the garage, I put these pumpkins on top of them to just get them out of the way. Thought it looked cute so I hot glued them together. After the holidays I'll peel off the glue and sell them off. The weight of the candle sticks will keep them from blowing over. 
 

Side tracked - tea leaf salad making

What do you do when you have an empty jar?  Well, I make tea leaf salad dressing. It's one of my favorites but you have to let the dressing ferment for two days. Today I was doing what I call the "buzz fly" cleaning technique. It's not the most efficient way to work, but it does get get you moving. Start something in one room but when you walk into another room you start a different project. :)

I was emptying the dish washer and when I saw I had a jar that was the right size for the dressing. While everything was simmering, I moved things around in the garage, making more space for my bleach and sun printing. Doing back to back estate sales and auctions, things started piling up on the table. I have a string of witches hat out on the front porch waiting for me to hang them up but first I have to get the giant spider down from the attic. Neighbors think it's way too early to put up Halloween decorations, which I agree with. Going up and down the narrow attic stairs is always scary and I need to psych myself up to do it. So I just went for it. 

 

Life of a Reseller

Last week I dragged this cubby to the store right after the auction. I mean I drove it directly to the store as is. Dusty and museum gum all over it. It was cleaned up and used in the Day of the Dead display before the store even closed! I really like the mirror backing as it keeps it from being too dark. If the store wasn't going to use it, I was going to fill it with handmade coffee mugs or all those cut crystal pieces I got at the auction. I'm always looking for display pieces for my booths that I can actually lift and move myself. When I want to change up my displays, I have to be able to sell them off. 

This latest display piece is for sale higher than I would normally do because we want it around until after the holiday season. I know at some point it will get replaced with something different. Have to keep my booths looking refresh!

Recycled Ghost 2026

I like having a craft project to work on when I'm dog sitting. I'm not a tv watcher, even if I could figure out all these high tech screens that you have to use several remotes. Something I don't understand is why you need two to three remotes to work one TV!

After seeing crafters posting about making glass lamp shades into ghosts, it inspired me to give it a try. I had this milk glass vase in my booth at CCB for awhile and I knew it would make a great ghost. It was the hat part I had to think about. I drafted a pattern after watching a few videos and just started stitching. I did run out of orange thread so I hope I have more in my stash at home. Plan to add a small spider hanging from the top of the hat. Best part is I have just pull off the eyes and turn it back in to a vase after the holidays.  It just cracks me up. :) 

Life of a Reseller - Processing

I washed my car yesterday and of course it rained last night. It was totally off my radar to check the weather report! My car was so dirty I couldn't take it anymore, it needed a bath. 

I just now getting through my last auction and estate haul when a friend had several boxes of things for me. These sewing thimbles were part of it. Not a big money spinners and very hard to display in my booth. The first thing I look for is gold or silver, there were none. Then I ask any of my friends who collect them if they want any. After all that I pull the ones I find interesting to sell for $5. The rest go into a grab bag. 

I also tackled all the costume jewelry that's been all over my very large coffee table. That took over 5 hours! Jewelry really isn't my thing as there are way too many moving parts to know. The processing and tagging alone take a super long time. 

It took about 8 hours to process everything in the box below. It's headed to the store at some point today. 

 

Day of the Dead Inspired Sugar Cubes

 

Inspired by the Day of the Dead sugar skulls, I tracked down this candy mold at the dollar tree. I do add brown sugar to my morning coffee so I thought why not make fun little sugar cubes. Didn't really know if it would really work so I did a test run last night with just regular sugar. At the last minute I decided to add food coloring just to see what would happen. The the skulls turned out super good. All you do is add a little water. You want the sugar to look be a sandy texture before pressing them into the mold. The tombstones didn't turn out but everything else looks great. Going to try it with brown sugar tonight then add it to my coffee bar. 

Life of a reseller

I guess last year these beaded purses were trending as the hottest things to buy. You Tubers were buying them up like crazy, wanting  them for content. I wanted to find this sushi bag out in the wild but there's no way I was going to pay $40 for it. I just took a picture of it as proof I found one. :)

Back before the pandemic Tuesday Morning was the place to go for craft supplies. I watched resellers fill shopping carts with everything in the crafting section. There were also You Tubers posting videos on what was new and their hauls. One employee told me that most of what these content creators were getting would be returned in a few days. Yeah that's a thing some resellers do. If it doesn't sell they return it to the store. Happens a lot with high end clothes. 

So I was wondering if this was the same thing happening with these purses? The purses are cute but not really functional and the quality is very low. I'm now looking for the "rare" sardine can purse just for fun. :) 
 

Getting that Halloween Vibe

A friend gave me several empty magnum size wine bottles. None of them were really fancy = $$$ wine, so I kept a few to turn into Halloween decorations. The signed bottles went into the store to see if they have any resell value.

The original plan was to paint the glue red. Since these will be seen from a distance, maybe I'll go with a multi-color look or just keep it as is. Now on the hunt for creepy hands holding a wine glass. :)