Upcycle Your Jars!

They called it a Pickle Jar Project, I'd say its's more like a Thrifty Gals Apothecary Jar (have you priced those? I cannot believe their ridiculous price tag).

Eighteen25 shows us that even us Thrifty Gals can have some chic home decor! They used just these items

 to make these fab showcase jars!

The great thing? You probably have most of this stuff at home (are you a jar hoarder? there are more of out there than I thought) and if not, its fairly cheap - even the glue! The only thing I a not going to do is use pickle jars - I hate pickles! And I definitely don't want any pickle tasting candy. Although that could curb my appetite. Hmm...there is hidden merit there. Anyhow I used a hot fudge jar on my first one, and will probably use fruit jars on my others. I am pretty sure my kids will agree to eat all the fruit I need them too.

Check out their great tutorial here. I decided to post this fab find before finishing mine but I hope to show those to you soon - 1 down 2 to go!

To Print or not to Print?

It's Spring! And there are alot of people buying on ebay wanting to shed the Drab for something Fab. Florals are hot right now! What is interesting to me is peoples tastes. Looking back through the week and the variety of prints and florals that I have sold, none of the prints are alike and yet to someone, they were Fab.
And yet, there are still solids selling too. I myself have always been the type to ooh and ahh over a print, and yet as my tastes change and I get older, I'm leaning away from prints and trying to use more solids. So I'm wondering...are you feeling like you are drawn to prints or solids these days?

RQT SKIRT Brown with beautiful floral design sz 12, purchased for $2.49, sold for $9.99

S-Twelve Dress Small Petite Peekaboo sleeves, purchased for $5.24, sold for $12.99



COLDWATER CREEK Spring Floral Skirt sz M with Ribbon border, purchased for $1.00, sold for $7.99



MAX STUDIO sz M Pretty Blouse Black Teal White, purchased for $1.00, sold for $7.99

Anthropologie FREE PEOPLE sz 6 Floral Strapless Blouse, purchased for $6.99, sold for $13.09 



This Beautiful CALVIN KLEIN sz 10 GREEN SKIRT 100% SILK Lined NWT (orig. $125) I purchased for $3.99, sold for $19.99



April Fools

We had a terrible morning this morning, me and the kids. I woke up late, found that the kids were just playing around, not dressed for school, and so immediately I had the urgency the get them there on time but they were not feeling it. After a lot of crying and then yelling, followed by more crying, we got to school on time. Miraculously that is. And then I did what I swore I would never do. I parked the car and ran after my kids and apologized and for my bad behavior and having mercy on theirs, and got completely gushy with hugs and kisses and brushing of hair (which had been missed at home). I'm so thankful that they love me even though I'm not a perfect mom.

So! I need something fun and light to lift this day to the clouds ~ after all, it's April Fools!

Does anyone have any fun ideas for April Fools? For kids?

I've been reading online and have come across these ideas but even though they are great ideas (which is why I'm sharing them) they don't seem to work for me at this time:

• Say you're pregnant; get a pregnancy kit; 
• Fill their car full up with filled balloons (I almost pulled this on my mom cuz she always leaves for work super early and she would have time to take care of them, she's just lucky that I don't get up early (and got up late today)).
• Food mix-ups (like making dinner out of dessert items) or frosting sponges to look like cake, that sort of thing. Actually the grossest one I found online was dipping bouillon cubes into chocolate to look like candies - yuck!
• Leaving a message for them to call Mr Lyon or Jim Panzee with the number for the Zoo

So if you're reading this and have a good idea for kids please let me know!!

Books

I love to read! I am one of those people who would like their own library so that my kids can go in and fall into another world for awhile. Our world can be a bit tedious, if you ask me.

We have seveal big bookshelves full of books (mine is 2 deep LOL). I have lots of books I have never read but will eventually because they look good ad I'm always reading. I always buy books at Goodwill. In fact I think they have spoiled me at their 99 cent price. I'll never buy another full price book again. I just look for it till I find it. And I usually only buy new looking books. I'm kind of a snob that way I guess. I want a fab price for something brand new. I know it's second hand, I just don't want it to look that way. LOL.

Another thing, I love books in series. When I was pregnant with my first child (and after I'd seen probably the first 3 movies) I read the Harry Potter series. I'd come home from work, get into the bathtub and settle in to read Harry Potter. One time my husband came in and I said can you bring me to bring my book because I'd left it in the bedroom. I hadn't realized I'd said it, my husband looked at me quizzically and said "Hairy Potty? LOL. We've called it that ever since. When I was pregnant with my second child I read the Work & the Glory series. I was talked into this series while in a bookstore and they were preselling the movie that was coming out. It looked good to me but I'd never read the book and declined until the saleslady said "You get the first book free". FREE?! That is the magic word for me. I pre-ordered and took my free book home. The next day I came back and bought the entire series which I can tell you was not cheap (that was before my serious thrifting days). I knew that I was going to be on maternity leave and (thought) I would have lots of time to read. I read them quickly and mostly before I had the baby. And while pregnant with my 3rd baby I read lots of random books but also a lot of the Left Behind series. I really liked this one and it kept me wanting to continue. All 3 of these series were like that. One series I have not completely embraced is Lemony Snickett's Series of Unfortunate Events. I'm not sure why, but I just don't like them. Maybe it's because I don't like hearing "You really aren't going to like what happens next, but I'm going to tell you anyway because...". I find that annoying ad from what I've read, its non-stop a lot of that. Anyhow, that doesn't stop me from selling them though. And that leads me into the point of this post.

I sell series books on ebay!

 As I come across them I pick them up, because there is always someone reading a series who needs those next books.
It started with the Left Behind books. I was reading/waiting for  library copies and  kept seeing them at Goodwill, so I started collecting them for myself. But I would forget which copies I had and would end up with duplicates. So I decided to post them on ebay in groups, like 3-5 or 6-8 and found that they always sold! I don't make a huge profit off these, but I like the idea of getting the books people want into their hands, for cheap. If they are not current books people have a hard time finding them. I've consistently sold these series: Left Behind; Lemony Snickett's Series of Unfortunate Events; Magic Tree house. So, currently I have a sale book shelf in addition to all of my other bookshelves.

And go ahead call me crazy.....but I also consider it an alternate form of fuel storage, in case we were ever say quarantined and needed to make a fire. Is that terrible?

Above all, I just love to read!  And I know I'm not alone!

My little Vintage Kodak find

Last week, while browsing the toy section in Deseret Thrift Store (a thrift store I don't usually frequent because it's not close to where I live), I happened across these little beauties. They looked interesting to me because I'm from the generation that film came in plastic canisters, and these were metal and painted. I wasn't sure if they were collector's items; came with professional film; or were vintage. There was no price so I was unsure at first, but I gathered up the 7 of them from the toy bin and took them to the register. I asked a manager how much, prepared to offer $1, and was pleasantly surprised when she offered me a price of 50 cents for the lot.

Fast forward to that afternoon when I looked  on eBay for a similar item and found a couple auctions for similar items. There were some auctions selling by the item, and some selling in lots. Interestingly enough, these type of film canisters were from the 50's and 60's and by the looks of it mine were in pretty great condition, almost mint. I was pleasantly surprised for the second time that day to see that  there was a similar set ending with a price tag of $78 for a lot of 13. Boy was I excited! My set looked a lot new compared to the other set and I had different color lids which the other only had 1 color set. I hoped all week my set would go for a hefty price like those had.

All week the number of viewers went up until someone finally bid on my opening price of $9.99. The bids went up on about the 5th day but not quite as rapidly as I'd hoped, and in the end they sold for $20.50. I hate it when there are lots of people watching and then you don't know if they missed logging in and placing a bid "at the end" because they were at the grocery store, taking a nap or flying on a plane. Of course the other option is they could be other seller watching to see how much my set goes for. There were 4 unique bidders on my set, and in the end I was happy making a $20 profit on an item. It was a good day!! 

Disney's TANGLED Giveaway at Two of a Kind

There is a giveaway that I have share with you! If you haven't seen Disney's newest movie Tangled, you are going to love it. Two of a Kind working on a full house is giving away a Blu Ray combo pack so you've gpot to get over to their site! Here's the giveaway link. Good luck!!

Some First Fruits

Since Goodwill started doing 99 cent tag day I have gone shopping only on Mondays. Its enough for me to get my Goodwill fix, and get a lot for a little. My auction posting has not nearly caught up though. I really have a ton I need to list on eBay. I really need to kick it into high gear, and I know I will see my return kick in high gear. So far this week I've done pretty well on the 99 cent purchases that I have sold. Here are a few examples:

Mens XXL Russell Simmons ArgyleCulture Shirt cost me only 99 cents and sold for $15.99

Ashley Stewart sz 20 multi color plaid skirt cost me only 99 cents and sold for $14.99 after buyer requested a buy it now (she told me she wanted it bad, and after she received it left feedback about how thrilled she was and it was just what she wanted - I love buyers like that!)

Chicos sz 2 Dark Aqua/Teal Blouse Silk & Linen blend cost me only 99 cents and sold for $6.99



Sigrid Olsen sz 10 Spring Floral skirt cost me only 99 cents and sold for $9.99 (another extremely happy buyer who wrote and told me she was so excited to wear it to the Cherry Blossom festival)



Motherhood Maternity skirt sz S Black with Red & White dots cost me only 99 cents and sold for $6.99



Alfred Dunner sz 12 Lightweight Reversable Blazer cost me $2.50 sold for $7.99

Banana Republic sz 12 Silk Spring floral skirt cost me  $2.50 sold for $9.99

Do & Be St Pattys Day clover Cami cost me only $1.50 sold for $6.99

Do you see why I love it??

and why I will continue doing it??