Local Crab Season Now Open

It's been years since I had locally caught crab!  There has been a lot of reason the season hasn't been opened - whales, pandemic, algae etc.   

The season for the Bay Area just opened up on Wednesday (12/29/21) - happy dance!

I knew the season was going to open so I started asking around to all my volunteers where they get live crabs from. Many of them own boats so I figured they would also know who has the traps. Got a lead on two vendors, so I went with the one that actual owned the boat. Those crabs were very fresh and just out of the water that day - can't get any better than that!

I know people usually have crab on New's Eve but having them fresh is more important to me. Have to say it was while worth the wait!  Now going to learn to make garlic noodles from scratch for the new year.

Ugly Pottery

It's a big learning curve for my volunteers at the store. We walk the fine line of what something is worth and what I think we can sell it for. It's ok to Google something (customers do it all the time) but what someone would actual pay for it is different story.

The other thing is what you think is ugly doesn't mean it's not worth selling. 

One volunteer said this pitcher wasn't up to our standards and should be donated away. I told her the comps on it (from the donor) was that it's a vintage/antique piece and valuable. Her response was that it's ugly (which it is) so why would anyone pay anything for it. 

Well it sold today to someone who collects ugly pottery, specifically ugly New Jersey Pottery.  Who knew there was such a thing!  

New display - gold Asian theme

It's always a challenge to do displays at the store because I never know what will be donated or sold.  I like to keep things clean and simple (easy to get out of the window when needed) and to have some what of a theme. This window is a gold Asian theme using a XXL fan donated last week. 

It's another challenge in working with the volunteers who think putting a lot of random things in the window is a good design idea. I think it looks messy and doesn't reflect what the store is. Way to granny looking IMO

Since we had to be opened the day after Christmas (during a major  rain storm and being the only store open on the street) we only had two customers come in. Really just one, the other customer was just trying to get out of the down pour.  Since I had to be there and had two volunteers we dusted and cleaned everything.  I was able to bring out the ladders and re hang all the artwork that got throw up on the walls during the holiday rush. 

Tim Holtz Inspired

I love watching Tim Holtz YouTube videos because he style is so different than the other main paper crafters. Always so inspiring to just get color down on the paper!

He did a tour of his Christmas decorations at home. It was fun to see his collections (and he has a lot) and how much he enjoys them. This very distressed drawer came into the store (it's a new piece so the peeled paint isn't from age) and thought of Tim's style. 

In his video he showed how he displays  some smaller things in his workroom by just opening the drawers and the light bulb went on!

On Sunday (the day after Christmas) it was so slow at the store that I was able to switch out all the displays and take out the Christmas stuff. Remembering what Tim had done, I thought I would give it a go. Looks cute so now we have to see if it will sell either the drawer or the little cars. Thanks Tim!

Quiet 2021 Christmas

It was a very quiet Christmas for me again this year. Mees was very sick so the family gathering had to be canceled. There was a food swap so I have a very full refrigerator. 

Thinking back on last year during the major shut down, it wasn't so bad since Annie was still with me and I could be outside working on the yard.

I think this is the new normal of quiet holidays and limited. parties.  Made Mees jello and his favorite banana bread. My daughter said it was a Japanese tradition to have fried chicken on Christmas Eve which is something totally new to me. :) but I made it anyways for them. I'm hoping to score some fresh crab for New Years from a local fishing boat. Heard you have to get on his super secret list of customers since his fish store closed because Covid. Working on it!

3D Annie

My son and his girlfriend gave me a 3D image of Annie in her "throw the ball" pose. Yes, it made me cry as this was the first Christmas without her. It was another very quiet Christmas since Mees was very sick. We decided there shouldn't be any family get together even with Mees testing negative. 

I was pretty much a sloth all day but I did have big plans to pack away the few Christmas things I took out but nope that didn't happen! 

Last year I was still in Cupertino with Annie so we worked out in the yard, cleaning things up and just playing outside. Sure miss that place and having the option to be outside.

 Here's even if it wasn't raining, there isn't too much to do outside and feel safe. 

Last month we all where at the Carmel house so that was our Thanksgiving and Christmas time together. I don't really look at the calendar dates anymore now that my kids are adults and having their own lives to live.

Advance level picking 2021

We get a lot of pickers (resellers) shopping at the store and I know most of them now by sight but not by name. 

We're a very secretive group. :)
This huge gold frame came in and I priced it at $150.00, which for the store is a high ticket item. The full retail value for it would be well over $300.

I had hopes of doing a new display with it, as I didn't think there was anyone wanting one this big. I know once my display went up it would sell so I thought I had time. 

A regular picker came in, measured it, asked about it's history, the donor etc...  Not only did he buy it but the person he resold it to came into the store to pick it up because the picker couldn't get it in his car. Hats off to him, this is advance level picking!

Christmas tins - going green.

I found these tins while I was down in Carmel and wasn't really sure what I would do with them but they were too cute to pass up. Trying to recycle as much as I can, I decided to use them for the boys Christmas presents. I got only what I could fit in the tin which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. 

All Henk cares about is where his mom is and his next meal so his gift was easy. Mees was very interested in the tins but I know he won't be able to open them even with his jaws of steal! At least he can play with them until Christmas and then have mom or dad open them. 

Christmas Tree Time 2021

Back in the day I use to decorate my whole house for Christmas and had several full sized trees plus a 20 foot one out in the front yard.  

This year I could have put up a full size tree but I didn't, just two little ones. 

When I lived in Cupertino I decorated all the tree that grew on the property because not only was it festive but it lit the place up, making it much easier to see where Annie was during play time. I do miss that time very much. 

Maybe one day I'll go back to having a full size tree with all the ornaments I have collected over the years. 

Found another MIA crafty thing!

I still have boxes all over the place. Since I plan to move again next year, I'm not in a hurry to unpack some of the boxes. 

I have been looking for this section box that belonged to my dad since I moved here. I use it as a holder for my  most used craft supplies. I thought I had donated it away because I remember I had a hard time finding a box it would fit in. 

Yesterday as I was looking for some wrapping paper, I went through the box that had all my full rolls of washi paper. I finally found it at the bottom of the box. I think this is the last of the unopened boxes.  I haven't really used to work table since moving here but it's still nice to get it all set up. 

New gadgets for my coffee

I'm not a coffee snob but I do make my coffee with the pour over method because I don't have a lot of counter space. My kitchen here may be bigger than what I had in Cupertino but the contractor who did the remodel didn't think about storage (you have to be over 6'5" to reach the upper cabinets) or counter space. The cabinets under the counters can't be use because they are too narrow to fit anything but tiny spice jars. I say this because another contractor was used when the unit next to me (same floor plan) was remodeled and he made sure there was useable storage space as well as counter space, he did a much better job. 

 I've always seen the pour over peeps use this type of pot so I picked one up and gave it a try. Now I understand why! It's nice  to see the temperature instead of guessing and much easier to pour where I want the water to go. Does it make a better cup of coffee? Can't really answer that, I'm still a novice when it comes to coffee. :) 

Jester

I did a really low bid ($25.00) on this jester art work, thinking I would get out bid. So I was very surprised when I found out I won it.

It's made out of paper and the shadow box framing is over the top. I thought it was fun and bright colors. Being a paper crafter myself I can appreciated the work that went into making it look so good. Yes, I'm an auction rat and really enjoy dragging home interesting stuff!