What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Finds, The Booth and ebay

Due to the holiday, The Breadman had a different schedule this week. He was off today, which meant I could scour the Yard sale Ads and head out ALONE for some solitary junking time. Now, don't get me wrong, I like having The Bean with me and The Breadman too, but sometimes I just need to be alone and dig in some JUNK.

I left here about 9:00 enroute to a Church Rummage Sale. Oh, how those words make my heart sing. Church...la la la..Rummage.....la....la..la Sale. Oh, yea.  I drove completely out of my way in a different direction that I usually head just for this sale.  But, for a Church Rummage Sale, why not?  I'll tell you why not.  Because when I got there there was not one single car in the parking lot.  NOT ONE!  Then I saw a small sign that said, "Sale out back".  So, I went out back and went into a building, not knowing if I was walking into the Sale of the Century or some sort of Craigslist Killer's lair.  When I walked in, there were a few tables of items, mostly clothes and two people sitting there looking at me.  What a disappointment.  I did find two things, but neither were really worth the time or effort I took to get there.
Made in Japan "Coffee Hound" cup.  I liked the doggie inside the cup and the pink edges.
I got all of these punches and embossers in a big bag for $4.00.  I have a few of these and I know they can be pricey.  So, $4.00 for all of them was a pretty good deal.  Plus, I felt like I needed to buy something to make it worth my time...and theirs. 

After I left there, I headed to the Super Cheap Thrift on a mission.  A couple of weeks ago I saw an old fiberglass hardhat there for $1.00.  A few days later, someone on YSQ mentioned that they had sold an old fiberglass hardhat for over $100.00.  YIKES!  Well, I went back to the Super Cheap Thrift not long after that, but I forgot to look for that darn hat!  But, today, I remembered and...

I found it!  And, it's on ebay already.

I also found this nice vintage yellow floral  tablecloth.  I've been lacking in the tablecloths finds lately. 

A set of four glass Banana Split Dishes.  To keep, for the booth, for etsy.  I don't know.  Two were priced 25¢, two were priced 50¢.  The hazards of different people pricing things....at least they were cheap!  A silver pickle fork and an old corn shucker.


A framed tile, hot pink vintage butter dish, old porcelain wall mount soap dish, fun vintage school dictionary and a folk art slice of watermelon. 

And, another good old egg basket with chippy white paint. 

On the way home, I stopped at a yard sale and bought two things.

I thought this fun Scotty dog would be good in the booth or to put back as a gift.  He was 25¢ and cute too!

I didn't take a photo of my last purchase.  I spotted a really neat old metal fold up candy rack from a store that had a bunch of old kids flip flops on it.  There was a tag on it, which I suspected would say NOT FOR SALE, but it said, "$2.00".  SOLD!  I think it will be just the thing I need in my booth for odds and ends. 

The booth, by the way - well, I only sold $5.00 the first two weeks. But, already this month, I have sold four or five things.  So, I think it is picking up.  I still have all month for sales.  I keep adding things, but I haven't really tweaked it or hung things up and made it "me" yet.  I got kind of discouraged about it after I only sold $5.00!  And, at the same time, I had sold one item for $125.00 on ebay with less fees and headaches.  We'll see what happens.

Speaking of ebay - Last Wednesday I stopped at a thrift and on my second walk thru (I always to two walk thru's) I found this pot.  As soon as I saw that matte black glaze, I thought it might be a Marie Martinez pot.  After I plucked the half melted Santa candle out of it, I saw Lupita Martinez on the bottom.  Well, for 45¢, it was worth a chance to grab it and look it up.  Turns out that Lupita was Marie's niece and her pottery is sought after as well.  So, onto ebay it went.  It ended tonight at $152.50*.   Yippee!

*I don't want anyone to think that I am bragging or tooting my own horn when I talk about ebay.  It's not really even about the money.  It's seeing something and thinking you know what it is and being right!  It's rescuing a black pot or a ball point pen or a shaker missing it's lid and getting it back to the hands of someone that appreciates it and enjoys it.  It's realizing that I do know a little bit about something.  I love that part of ebay.  Okay, okay, I love the money too.  But, you know what I mean!

18 comments:

  1. You Go Girl! More power to you if you can do well on Ebay! I haven't been on in MONTHs. Their fees are killing me!
    rosie

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm the same way about Ebay; except that Pyrex doesn't seen to sell lately...Oh well!

    Cool finds and for that black pot...it was quite an education! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Theresa in St. Louis7:03 AM

    Shara, I have always loved to hear your stories about putting found treasures up on eBay. You truely have a great eye for that kind of thing and I keep checking and cheering you on as the bids go up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. you deserve any profit you make as you are providing a 'finders' service for those desperate for the stuff you advertise.
    Ebay scares me, so I rarely advertise anything I find. Guess I'm chicken!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I completely get your eBay stories - don't stop! And as much as I'd like to have just a booth or just Etsy, eBay seems to be the place to make the most money.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I say toot your own horn girl. I think our thrift has some suavvy antiquers as volunteers b/c of how they price things. I believe they have started ebaying some of the better items, need to check that out.

    The word verification is not showing for me, I had to do the audible, that is interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't think there's one thing wrong with tooting your own horn about eBay! It takes research and education and a lot of trial and error sometimes to learn what things are and if they will sell for a profit. It's no different from what any retailer does. I think it's commendable!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You rock Ebay! LOl. How on earth do you know what to look for when you are thrifting?

    ReplyDelete
  9. I always get a thrill when I pick up something really cheap and it sells really well on Ebay. And I'm happy for you too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love your stories about selling on Ebay! Gives me hope I might one day find something and make some money instead of just giving it away like I feel I do on Etsy! Don't stop!!! So that said, congrats on that black pot!! Whoo Hoo. You go girl!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Toot on, Shara. It's called having a good eye. Ebay can be annoying sometimes. YOu deserve to find something good and make money off of it.
    I too just got a booth about 7 weeks ago. We only pay booth rent, not a percentage back. They had a special 1/2 off first 2 months rent for new renters.I have done pretty good so far. It is fun, I'm getting rid of excess that I do not absolutly love, and making a little extra too. I think furniture will be what realy helps my sales. I have ALOT of little treasures. But they do add up too.
    I say keep on looking, finding, listing, and posting.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I get paid every 2 weeks at the antique mall I'm in but there have been times I've gone in and there was nothing for me. Right now there are several things people have bought but have put in layaway and I don't get paid until they've paid IN FULL. One time she handed over a little plastic bag with ninety cents in it--I had sold a tiny metal cross for $1 and the owner gets 10%. She said the woman that bought it actually asked for a discount! I love to hear stories about people who buy cheap and sell big--keep it up, girlfriend!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love that scottie! Will it go on Etsy?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hang in there on the booth! Mine's been slow this month. Top sale day for the week has been 5 bucks, and last night's take was only two! Summer is a slower time for indoor places--too much competition. It'll pick up.

    Personally, I consider the fees, computer time, scam potential, and mailing hassles that come with ebay to be way more of a drag and hassle than working a booth.

    Eddie from Louisville

    ReplyDelete
  15. i like the ebay stories...keep em coming! Someday when I get an ebay store up and running....I hope I do as well as you on those obscure items!

    ReplyDelete
  16. While I was in Texas last week, I found a pretty good piece of Fenton. My mother in law helped me get it ready to ship home. She told me that I should collect tablecloths! But I told her that you already had that market cornered. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. OH How well I KNOW what you mean about Ebay - 'It's all about the JOURNEY!!!' 8-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love your Ebay stories. You are helping me get over my fears lol.

    And I love that Scottie! I have always wanted to make one in that pattern but would be happy to find one, too. I think I'll hit the flea this Sunday. It's a long drive so I have to plan it with the weather and all. Please send me lucky vibes!

    ReplyDelete

I love my comments. I'd love to respond to everyone, but if you don't have an email address tied to your ID, please sign your name so I will know who you are! It makes it nice to know who is saying what. Now, leave a comment! Please? ;o)

I Can See You!



Look at my Visitors!

Fellow Junk Followers