Where O' Where........?

Where o' Where has the time GONE?????  That reminds me of the old HEEHAW "Where o' Where are you tonight...?" skit. But, I'll spare you my singing and Raspberry blowing.

I always think I need to blog- but I really don't go anywhere fun this time of year and the junk is in short supply.  There are three citywide sales coming up in April, so I am excited for that.  One is in Neosho, MO which is about 80 miles away, but a straight shot up the four lane divided highway, so it's an easy trip.  Another is in Bella Vista which is only maybe 35 miles away.  Bella Vista is a "village" that is nothing but retired people and about thirty golf courses and Country Clubs.  It sounds like vintage heaven, but in reality - they all retired there and had an estate/moving sale before they moved to sell off all that cool old vintage junk.  Damn them.  But, it's close and you can still find some vintage, so why not go?  The third is a new one in Elkins which is just a hop and skip up the highway.  It's an older town with new subdivisions, so it should be a mix of old and new.  I intend to sniff out the old stuff.  :)

I have been busy sorting stuff.  A very nice teacher friend retired and cleaned out her craft room.  She had bought and hoarded craft supplies thinking that once she retired, she would craft all day long.  But, when she really DID retire, she decided that she enjoyed being outside painting furniture and working in the yard more that staying inside the house.  So, she cleaned it out and offered it up to me all for FREE.  I was expecting a box or two of craft supplies.  But, when I got there - it was a lot.  Like it filled my car up to the tip top including the passenger seat.  A lot of it was shoe boxes full of random things that needed sorting - I am good at that since I am the queen of shoe boxes full of random crap-ola.  There was boxes of scrapbooking stuff, which I sorted out into keep, donate, sell and give to my scrapbooking friend piles.  The best thing were boxes and totes full of new Stampin' Up Rubber Stamp Sets. I'm still sorting them and researching them to see the best place and way to sell them.  They are heavy, so ebay is debatable.  I may try locally on Facebook or in my booth.  Except she has a booth there and said they never sold well there.  Hmmmmmm.  Sorting her stuff made me want to sort my own stuff.  So,  a lot of mine went to Goodwill so I could make room for some of the things that I kept from her.  The circle of junk.  I mostly kept punches and papers and things I could use for my crafts like banners and a new project I am wanting to try.

Speaking of the booth. I did speak of the booth, didn't I?)  For about five months, the checks have been iffy.  And by iffy, I mean - they have bounced.  That's not good.  It's not that the money isn't there - it's in one account and he transfers it over as the checks come through so they are covered.  Sometimes, he "forgets" to cover them, so they bounce.  He issues a new check and we have to pick it up.  He thinks of this as a a minor inconvenience, when it is actually a real pain in the rear end to have to watch your bank account, make a second trip up for the second check and then hope that one goes through okay.  FINGERS CROSSED.  Sheesh.  Then, this month, I went in on the 1st and was told the checks wouldn't be ready since February was a short month, but they would be in  a couple days.  Okay, I can understand that.  But, what ended up happening, is the checks weren't "ready" until the 13th. And, even when they were "ready" I had to wait while he actually wrote the check that day.  It's such a hassle.  He gets our rent and commission money instantly, but we have to fight to get our money. 

The funny this is, I had decided to leave, so I was having a big sale trying to clear things out.  Then, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and stay - then the check was 13 days late.  (insert forehead smacking emoji here).  So, my booth is a wreck with the sale and people digging in it.  I'm not sure if I am staying or leaving.  My brain says leave, but my wallet likes the money.  But, can I get the money????  Gracious.  What a mess.  

The Junk Ranch is May 31-June 1 from 8-3 this year.  A week early and earlier hours, so hopefully we won't croak form the heat.  It will still be hot though, I am sure.  I still haven't unfurled my tent from the big windstorm at the Holly Jolly JR, so who knows if I am even ready for a show or not.  But, ready or not, it'll be here soon.  I've bought a few things, but mostly plan on taking what I already have and having a sale to clear some stuff out at good prices.  I'm also going to take some Christmas, even though it's June because the Christmas Event was cancelled on the second day and people were wanting certain things I had there then.  I'll just take what I see and throw it together.  I've done this enough times, I can make it NOT look like it's thrown together.  

I stopped into a flea market the other day that I never stop at because it is sparse and not the things I want to buy.  It's still that way, but I did find this tiny box of vintage Christmas ornaments.  It was $5.00, but 40% off, so  nice little treat for my time.  It will go in my collection since it is FREAKING ADORABLE.  You understand, right?  As I checked out the lady informed me that the store was going out of business.  I could have forecast that based on the emptiness and sad booths.  

I picked up a set of these huge brass Lion head drapery tiebacks at Goodwill.  They were in the sealed package from JC Penney's dated 1981.  The plastic was all yellowed, so I opened it for the photos.  I paid $3.98 for them and they sold for....$128!  Whoop!  I accepted a Best Offer on them after a very nice lady sent me messages about them.  I knew they were meant to be with her.  Niceness pays and that's still a heck of a profit.  You just never know what you'll find out there!

I hope you are all well.  And my ALL, I mean the three of you that might pop by to read this post.  If you're on Instagram - follow me at @sharamonkeybox  I post there several times a day.  Junk, journey's, stories and whatever floats my boat.  But, I promise I'll still come here from time to time.  

See you then?