Goodbye 2018...It Seems Like Yesterday

While making room for the NEW...I found a cache of beads, buttons, bows and more junk jewelry. All of it in my New Year 'Use It or Lose It' clean out....I'm Losing It.  After all, if I haven't used it in more than 20 years, I think it's time to pay it forward.  Actually, I have used some of it here and there in jewelry making, but I'm not seeing that style of jewelry in my future. 

I'm paying it forward to a friends granddaughters who have been schooled in the Art of Creativity.  When ever I do a purge of fabric, yarn, patterns and stuff like what is in the box above,  I'm send it their way knowing how much fun they will have going through it and planning all the things they will make.  I always, I mean always receive a handwritten Thank You note.  They are also schooled in the 'Old School Arts of Manners & Acknowledgement'.

It's an 'Alice In Wonderland' down the rabbit hole box.

Would you like an adventure...or shall we have our tea first.

I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.

How long is Forever?  Sometimes just one Second!

~Lewis Carroll~

Alice In Wonderland

Goodbye 2018...it seems like yesterday!

~CollectInTexas Gal~

Vintage Shoppers Are Few...Marketing Lesson

Just because I love Vintage Linens, Quilts, Doilies, Lace and Fabric doesn't mean everyone else does.

Looking back through 2018 photo files of my Shop, I see most of the 'Vintage' everything that was there in January is still there now.


It's not that people don't look at Vintage Stuff...they do...and remark, "That reminds me of my Grandmother"....or..."I have my Grandmothers Quilts and Doilies stored in a cedar chest in plastic zipper bags". 

Yikes!  You know that sends me in a 'Vintage Care Rant'.  "Get it OUT of the cedar chest and for Pete's Sake never store it in plastic."

 I give lots of Free advice on how to care for Vintage everything, and often am asked, "Would you repair my Grandmother's quilt?"  Usually I say, "No, but here are some things you can do to preserve it...then I share my tips."


Of course there are the 'Few Vintage Shoppers' who have come through the door actually looking for 'Vintage Stuff'.  And, I have sold several quilts, a few yards of lace, and a couple of crocheted table runners and doilies.


However, it seems people are more likely to buy the things 'I make from 'Vintage Stuff'.  For example...

...who knew Chick Pincushions would sell out!
They were pretty cute and one of the ways I suggested to people as a way to use their in need of major repair Grandmother's quilts.

So, on to the 'Marketing Lesson'. 
~Just because YOU love Vintage doesn't mean everyone else does or will.
~When you have limited space...limit Vintage to what sells.
~Use YOUR Vintage inventory and MAKE what sells.
~Use your Digital Photo Files to Display Vintage Items for interested Vintage Shoppers.
~Market Online specific to Vintage buyers.

Poodle Soap Scrubby...anyone?  They were the bath rage in the 1950's!!!

Twas' All in the Trappings and Wrapping

Twas' the Season for less of the usual 'Trappings' and more about the 'Wrapping'.

A few days after Thanksgiving I had the best of intentions toward the usual trappings of tree, wreaths, stockings and all that decorating stuff.  The tree came out of the closet and sat in the living room for a couple of weeks with one lone ornament hanging on it's fake fir...left from last year. 

The Christmas Spirit was not moving me to get out the boxes and boxes of ornaments, lights and all that jazz, so back to the closet for a tiny tree...15" or so and fully decorated.  Along with a Santa Quilt wall hanging, candles, a few Santa figures and a red and green rag rug runner on top of the Quilt Cupboard it was enough HoHoHo decorating.  Am I becoming a Merry Minimalist?  I guess so for this year anyway.  Oh, about the fake fir...it did not go back to the closet, but to the front porch!  I liked it there all lit up with one ornament.

Twas' all about the 'Wrapping'!

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

I'm gearing up for the New Year!

WordlessWed...Sweet Sewing Memorablia

Bows, Bags and Bits&Bobbles of Weaving

I have a Red Bow theme going on in my Shop this year.   They are decorating the door wreath, the wire mannequin by the front steps and directing shoppers to the 'Red Bow & Tinsel' Sale. 


For now the sale is 25% off...you know...that magic Christmas number.  Before the last days before Christmas...which will be Saturday the 22nd...all the 'Red Bow & Tinsel' tags will be 50% off...at least most of them...for sure the ones that are for Christmas. 


I've been collecting Christmas Gift Bags since the Thrift shops put them out.  It's amazing how many people donate them to GW, SA and others I shop usually once a week.  I only buy the ones that are that weeks half off tag or marked down and in excellent condition.


Of course I cleaned out my own collection of saved gift bags and added them to the thrift shopped ones.  Shoppers at my Studio Shop seem to really appreciate getting the bags with their purchases.  I'll continue this thrifty bag shopping throughout the year...for special occasions, holidays and birthdays.  Always see lots of Birthday Bags.

And now for Bits&Bobbles of Weaving!

I'm having sooooo much fun weaving on Dorothy...my table loom.  About 15 inches is as wide as the piece can be, but the length can be quite long depending on the warp...the white lines you see on this piece.  All of the horizontal bits and bobbles are called the weave.  This piece is about 14x16 and was made to finish off a 6 yard warp.  It will be a wall hanging when finished.  I have more bits and bobbles to embellish...probably will be an OverDoSue thingy!!

YeOle Shope...Ready for Yule

I've done it again...missed the first day of the month!  However, I have a good excuse.  You see December 1st was 'First Saturday at The Chicken Farm Art Center, and YeOle Shope took precedence over everything else.  Here's how it looked to greet Shoppers....

I think I'll be back before the month/year is over, but just in case....

M E R R Y  C H R I S T M A S!!!