Why I Will Actually End Up Leaving eBay

Besides the stupid management decisions, I am really fed up with the blatant rudeness of both buyers and sellers. And the lying.

WHY do people think they can lie their asses off and I am so stupid I don't know they are lying?? and it's not just buyers scamming sellers. SHEESH People. Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's a sin to lie? Ok, maybe you didn't have 12 years of Catholic School but she surely told you it's WRONG to lie?

2 examples:

A) sold a building toy - AFTER it's mailed the guy says "did you count the peices?" Now I said in the listing that I did? so I said Yes.  Today I got one of the nastiest emails ever saying I'm a lying scammer and I owe him. ??? So I've told him to send it back and I'll refund. AFter all I never put a gun to his head to make him buy the damn thing so... send it back for a full refund (and return shipping).  Wanna bet he asks for a partial refund??

B) DH bought an article on eBay and it's more than 10 days since he paid for it. Now I fight him all the time to get him to ask politely "when did it ship and may I please have the tracking number?".  So finally he did. And this seller has a tragic story of why they forgot to send the item. Their car was totalled by a train and their wife left with Tiger Woods or some such crap.  Just apologize and say "OH S***! I missed your payment and didn't mail it but I'm sending it now and upgrading it to priority mail."   Never mind the 2 chapters of your soon-to-be-published novel of GREAT AMERICAN FICTION.

I should probably change the name to this blog to GREAT STORIES I HEAR ON EBAY.  Why does this never happen on any other venue?? go back to paragraph one about stupid management decisions.

Blingmybra.com

Now belongs to me. I don't know what I'm gonna do with it but it's mine for the next year. LOL

Boy did you Bling some Bras, Babee! What's next!?

The "Bling MY Bra" campaign raised over $1200 in October between my auctions (woadieland)for the bras that were donated and Melinda Jackson's(galleriagifts) and Bev England's (videotown).

3 more bras just arrived so those will get listed this week and hopefully someone will bid on these.

What's next?? Well stand by - come February, I'll be running some charity auctions to benefit the American Heart Association in conjunction with the WEAR RED campaign and they'll be timed to end on Feb. 5th. Stand By. WAIT till you see what is coming -

Ok here's a sneak peak - made by Kathy Moretti who sells handmade lapquilts as KDMORE-Crafts-and-More

ColderIce Rant

I think John's comments are pertinent to the social situation in this country - So give it a listen!

I do not own stock in either Amazon or eBay - so my interest in these two entities is as a seller -

So ebay blamed it's poor performance onthe degraded state of the dollar - the recession ?? the milkman (oh wait, he got laid off long ago). Their sales increased only 4% YOY (year over year meaning 2009 vs 2008 PS, the reason accountants talk like that?? YOY is so neither WE nor the investors (aka US) will understand them.)
http://www.thestreet.com/quote/EBAY.html.

Amazon- the model eBay "wants" to be...and isn't??

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10615730/1/amazon-wins-big-with-kindle.html

And http://www.thestreet.com/quote/AMZN.html

Ok, I rest my case - eBay had a USP (thanks OSIROCKSTARS for the terminology) also known as a Unique Selling Position. But they drove off,pissed off or kicked off many many sellers- maybe half. (OH WHAT THAT is another story HALF.COM...they killed that off pretty much. I haven't had a sale on there in 6 mos)....

So like I said, I rest my case. Where o Where is the eBay Board of Directors and why do they not care that these people running ebay don't know their A**from a hole in the ground??

BlingMyBra new slide show!

Today's Soapbox - Google, amazon and booksellers at war

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/173749/google_online_bookstore_fuels_ereader_war.html

Ok, I get that books ARE a big business on the internet - sales used to be in the gadzillion dollar range and competition is fierce.  That's why eBay bought and smothered Half.com. It's why Amazon was smart enought to co-opt us all by letting us be 3rd party sellers.

But frankly, even though this blog resides on Google's BLOGGER site - (and will soon move) THIS story just pisses me off.

I can see why it's google doing this - they have no 3rd party sellers.  And they are the 800 lb gorilla that can do whatever they want.... but really - what is their point in this?? WHY are they putting all of us little guys out of business??

If they keep this us, none of us will be able to afford computers or internet access and then WHO will using Google??? not me! not you!

I've already moved some things away from google because of the stupid internicene war with eBay.  Those two should be arm in arm, lock step - their attitude is the same.... We don't need no stinkin' sellers. 

Frankly, I can't see why any of us are still using Google? WHERE exactly are our best interests?? NOT with a search engine that wants to be the Supreme Ruler of the World.

PS (Amazon wants that too - Supreme Ruler of the Internet Market Place. ).  Time for a real "tea party" and throw the bastards out.  Let's go find a small search engine and make them big....remember what we did for Google. It wasn't them that made them big...it was us usinging.

On My Soapbox - Episode 1 - Voicemail systems

Ok, so I get just as riled as anyone and figure I will vent here about those things. And today's rant is about answering systems - particularly those at government websites. 

Call Paypal - try to speak to a human being. I'm not even qualifying it as a human being within the bounds of the USA. Just a PERSON. Even if they don't really speak English but they try.

WHY do I have to keep saying AGENT like I'm calling the CIA??


Even worse is Comcast - to get to ask a question like - why is all of my cable and internet OUT ?? and I have to go thru a stupid telephone tree asking me if I'm interested in the wrestling special, the boxing match special etc and then do I want to hear my balance (NO in fact I don't) and do I want to upgrade?? YEAH to A WORKING SERVICE but not you.

And don't even get me started on the Social Security phone message system or the Medicare one. And the stupid person who gave me attitude throughout the call after it took me 1/2 hour to work up to a human.... sorry I disturbed your crossword puzzle Laura S.  next time stay home when you don't feel like working.


SO if you'd like to get something off your chest, write it out and I'll post it as a guest blogger. Unless I know you personally in which case I'll just give you rights to post it yourself.

Bling My Bra Campaign in full swing so to speak!

BlingMyBRA Fundrasier on eBay

During October, a group of my friends are raising money for Breast Cancer Research. We're doing auctions of Art Bras every day of the month - sometimes 2 or 3 a day. 100% of the proceeds are being donated to Susan G Komen for the Cure. I'm running most of them and I'm not taking one cent out of the proceeds or shipping - EVERYTHING gets donated.

Art bras are lovely confections - well sometimes they are comical, or sexy or just fun!! Many of these are actually WEARABLE art but with a little glue or a couple of quick stitches they can become Wall Art too. Whether you mount and frame them or wear it for sun bathing or ??? or Halloween!! these are fantastic. And the cause is good!! AND besides the bra?? we're including SWAG!!

You know you see those Hollywood stars go to the premieres and the awards shows and get something just for showing up?? Well for showing up for us and bidding to win, YOU will get some swag too!! So how can you lose??
Here are the urls and also links to the individual bras!!

Come on IN and Browse!!
And Bid generously - we need to find a cure for Breast Cancer sooner - not later.
This link is for the category page and you can see ALL of the bras at one time

http://tinyurl.com/yh8spg9



AND for the others:
The Bra is called - Tiny URL
Uncle Same Wants You Uncle Sam Wants YOU!
.
Jason's bra - comicbook queens
Racing For a Cure Nascarbra
EbayLive Bra From eBay's Trust&Safety Queen Susan!
Pretty in Pink SnowBoobs
Pink Switchflops Switchflops
Palms Bra Palms
SheSellsSeaShells Seashore
Support the Military Bra with John SupportOurMilitary

Pacific Pearl Pacific Pearl
Pirates For a Cure Pirates
EbayByTheBay ByTheBay

Now - there are more- Almost 30 more...Not all of them are listed yet but...you don't want to look back at the end of the month and think "Gee I should have bid on that one" so Please come bid - bid generously!!

Estate Sale - Cheryl Wheeler - Check this out!

Really puts it all in perspective, eh? BUT, will it stop me next week?? not blinking likely! I think I'm an addict.

ON MY SOAPBOX - AGAIN

Ok, why is it:

1. People on eBay would rather report your for some dumb, inadvertent violation than say "hey, you might want to check this because I don't think you can do that?" or "Hey did you miss these references to checks/money orders? You must have just missed them cause I see you have 1200 listings and only 43 are still saying that."

No the ebay gestapo has to go report you. I grew up in the projects in South Phila. We had a name for folks like that - it's still being used down there. It's NOT a nice name - those people are "snitches" and it's mean yellow-bellied motive that drives them. Now if you see a robbery or a murder, snitch. But if you see someone make a mistake on eBay??? NO SNITCHING! Ask your Mom, tattletales are not loved or appreciated anywhere.

2. WHY IS IT?

People will write blogs like this and they will just not use spell check. Typos and bad punctuation make you look unprofessional. (note to self...spell check before publishing)

3. Why IS IT??

People will use ASQ and quibble about the shipping on the lightest items? Do they think those items wrap themselves, come with shipping boxes and bubblewrap preapplied back in the 1880's ?

AND there is their cousin, who will ask "why does it have to have insurance? Can't you stick it in a bubble envelope??" One of these days, I swear, I'm gonna take their 1890's postcard, put an address label on it and a stamp and send it thru the mail naked. How would they like that??

4. Why is it??
Everyone's new Theme is "If it doesn't sell in 3 months throw it out, or send it back to auction or donate it to charity??

These are probably the same people who hire "organizers" to organize their houses which ends up meaning no collections, no displays, no chatckies... I personally prefer the over-stuffed houses of the Victorian-era with LOTS of stuff. I think some things need the right eyeballs to see them and those eyeballs might not get on eBay or my tiny website more than once a year. Cripes I don't even know if I come up in Google yet (but I should look and find out before Janelle kicks my butt for not knowing).

The point it, why am I sending something back to auction after 3 mos? It's like those houses in California and elsewhere. You paid too much, the values dropped and now you want to not hold on to it and make the payments. You want to "flip" that antique slop jar and take whatever you can get and move on. NOT THE WAY TO DO IT!! Just not. Our parents bought one or two houses, made a home, embellished and improved it and PAID DOWN ON IT FOR YEARS. Then maybe they sold it IF the value had gone up and moved up or downscaled and paid off the 2nd house.

My theory? expounded at more length in my next post is buy low, list high, make deals by taking best offers or hold out for a full price buyer. The eBay store listing costs $.36 a YEAR.. a YEAR?? You wasted more than that on Lattes and croisants this morning (and they are bad for you!)

Ok I'd done for today - Watch this video - John's cute, smart and funny! (and he's good to his mom so he supports breast cancer awareness month which starts next Thursday!)

BLING MY BRA! Charity Auctions to Benefit the Susan G Komen Foundation

Did I mention that I've organized 20 of the best and brightest on eBay and Bonanzle and etsy to create Fantasy bras which I'm going to list and auction starting in October?? We intend to have 1 or more endign each day of the month.

Proceeds - 100% of them, will go to the Susan G Komen Foundation to aid in the search for a cure to Breast Cancer - which is the #2 killer of women in this country. Here's a sneak peak at the first group of 17+ bras.

Now go round up your neighbors and friends, your inlaws, outlaws and John Laws and challenge your friends and your enemies to bid til they burst,cause ALL the money goes to such a great cause.

And you all come back later to see the NEXT batch!

Bling My Bra for Breast Cancer Research!

Bling My Bra

Most of my followers and friends have already been approached to help with this so they know - We're doing Charity Auctions - during the entire month of October.

I am pretty sure (I have to recount) that we have MORE than 31 bras for the Bling My Bra campaign. Proceeds will benefit the Susan G Komen Foundation thru eBay's Giving Works program.

Bras are "theme bras" or "Fantasy Bras" made entirely by unaffiliated voluenteers. When I say "unaffiliated" I mean they are doing it because they believe in the cause not because the boss said so.

Bra Artists and Donors include (this is an incomplete list...so check back later for updates...every day til October 31st):

Dar of Dar's Glass
Danni Ackerly of Udderlygoodstuff
Bev England of samican, videotowne and familynightmovies
Marshell Russell of shell's meanderings (her blog)
Carol Thomas of strayspray books on Amazon
ColderIce of 3rd Power Outlet
Marsha Collier of eBay for Dummies book fame
Griff of eBay and eBay Radio
Lee Mirabel - his ever faithful co-host on ebay radio and Pres. of BrainFood Syndicate and Voicemarketing. com

Others helping are:
John Donahoe - CEO of eBay who kindly autographed one of Dar's bras (one she made to support the military)

Griff who autographed Bev's "Funny Farm" bra because he appears in the movie (and Bev is providing a copy of the movie to be included with her Funny Farm Bra)

Cindy Shebley of clovercitysells for marketing advice and assistance

Cindy's client VMKInnovation - http://stores.shop.ebay.com/VMK-Innovation VMK has donated hats and bandanas to be included with the shipments of bras to the winning bidders.

Janelle Elms who has donated her Instructional CD - Profitable Keyword Training with Janelle Elms to be auctioned also with the benefits going to Susan G Komen Foundation.

Melinda Jackson of GalleriaGifts on ebay and http://www.esellersecrets.com who is providing marketing support.

Stay tuned for additional lists of donors! There are 30+ people involved.

Blatantly stolen from the Antique Trader newsletter

Click here to read the original - AND a lot more about antiques and collectibles...oh and to buy a subscription! ANTIQUE TRADER ARTICLE


DAVIDSON, N.C. — The Antiques & Collectibles National Association owners, Mike and Angie Becker, have announced the scheduling of the Association’s first national convention since 2005. Members of the Association will meet in New Orleans Jan. 10-13, 2010, using the Hotel Monteleone in the heart of the French Quarter as their home base.

The four-day, Sunday through Wednesday meeting schedule, based on the theme “Help Your Future – Buy Your Past,” will be packed with educational classes, networking opportunities, a trade show and a shopping trip to Magazine Street, the core of the New Orleans antiques district. Scheduled speakers and topics for the classes include Kyle Husfloen, who will deliver the keynote address; Fred and Gail Taylor – Antique Furniture; Randy and Debbie Coe – Glass; DiAnna Tindell – Art Restoration; Connie Swaim – Recognizing Fakes; Barbara and Jim Mauzy – Kitchenware and Beth Dexning – Silver.

The ACNA was formed in 1991 as the Antiques & Collectibles Dealer Association and has evolved to the ACNA to provide personalized services for shop owners, mall owners, show promoters and private collectors as well as all levels of dealers. The Association offers an array of services to its members including property and liability insurance coverage for shop owners, mall owners, mall dealers, show dealers, show promoters and collectors, seminars, a quarterly newsletter, a discount on a home study program through the Ashford Institute of Antiques, credit card processing and an online sales platform through GoAntiques.com as well as discounts on trade advertising, shipping, travel, dealer supplies and security concerns.

Registration forms for the Convention and cost details as well as membership benefits and details are available on the Association Web site at www.acna.us or from the ACNA office at 800-287-7127 (where the phone is always answered by a live person).

Both Association members and non-members are welcome.


follow me on twitter @antiquedaze

Vintage Majolica - pottery

So, I started my collecting with my depression glass but quickly got addicted to "baked dirt" as my friends call it. I bought and collected Roseville, Hull, Well and some other potteries for years. THEN about 4 years ago I learned about majolica. This "category" arose during the late 1880's and the primary feature is "naturalism". Majolica reflects a movement from machine made items that were becoming more prevalent at the time and moved towards a form that incorporated flowers and natural patterns like leaves and basketweaves. The colors also reflect more "natural" colors like greens, yellows and shades of pink/burgundy etc.

Vtg Majolic Pitcher Yellow Cosmo Sunflower Basketweave

One of the prime companies in this genre was Griffin Smith Hill GHS here, in Pa, in Phoenixville, Pa. Most of what I find is a "begonia" leaf pattern which looks like "begonia leaves". They were in business from 1879 to 1890. They marked their items with a interwined GSH and with Etrucscan Majoica and just Etruscan and combinations of all three parts.
Antique and Vintage Majolica on ebay

My Stuff on Bonanzle

Lovely people keep adding my stuff to their Hand-picked lists. So far I haven't done one but I might ahve to soon. Meanwhile, come look at all my beautiful things and see the lists I got added to today?

Stressed is ?? spelled backwards"

Just for fun

I plan to use this blog to tell you mostly about antiques and collectibles and issues in the market place but to tell you the truth - my yard is consuming most of my interest this week. So, I figured I'd show you some pictures and tell you what I know about the plants - BUT first, a picture of the one real antique in the garden...NO NOT ME!

This one to the left is of my Lightning Rod...copper with a milk glass ball. And its standing by the trunk of what used to be a plum tree til lightning hit it about 10 years ago. - Don't mind the jungle behind it...that's forsythia that runs wild...I have to get my hedgetrimmer fixed and "shave" it back so it conforms more to the "fence" shape. In front of my little statue (thank you to my MIL for a birthday present years ago) are day lilies Stella D'Oro - (gold). These are everblooming - meaning once they start in a couple of weeks, they will have yellow flowers all summer.

Here we go - the back yard is shaded by a huge, wide pine tree -which coats the ground with pine needles and pine cones (more about them on another blog - my ONLINESELLINGFORFUNANDPROFIT blog .) So some things won't grow there. It also shades that side very deeply. There is, besides the pine tree, an Empress Tree. Now I love it, but it's got roots all over and also shades the yard quite effectively all through the spring and summer. Heck it shades the neighbor's house across the street in the FRONT. So I have Hostas growing there because they grow elsewhere in the yard (but those pictures disappeared. I'll find them and post them later.)

That's PART of the trunk of the Empress Tree - with Hostas all around it in the nooks and crannies so I never have to mow in there and those other little green things are violets (wild ones) so I'm leaving them. See the pine cones? keep them in mind - next week I have a post about what to do with them on the onlineselling blog. (which should give you a hint)

Now, that particular kind of hosta grows tall and wide - it's just not getting enough sun back here but this is what it looks like out front with about 4 hrs of sun...

This one is about feet across ....yep - that wide. It's also about 2 feet high. And about August will have tall spikey flower stems with delicate lilac flowers...which make excellent dried flowers or pressed flowers for crafts.

The other corner of the yard is sunny but has a tendency to be a bog - so I planted "philadelphia" lilies - or tiger lilies or day lilies...what ever you want to call the. I love these. They just don't last long enough to suit me. Real short bloom time and real short bloom life but so pretty!! AND? the best part is, they are doing FANTASTIC in a wet place that has driven me nuts for 32 years we've been in this house - Check these out:
In another couple of weeks these will be masses of orange/reddish flowers! I personally think putting 10 plants in year about 10 years ago was the best gardening idea I've had.

THESE Are also excellent for drying or pressing and also for a craft I'll tell you about another time.... flower pounding. So much fun - such pretty things as a result!

Ok, that's the garden report for today - I'll show you more pictures when the lilies bloom...

oh wait - one last picture - this was my Mother's Day present from my son.... I did raise him right... It's a ROSE TREE - now all I have to do is keep it alive

For the truly compulsive collector

This is the cream soup - about a handspan wide

watch inside the handles for dings and small chips and all along the rim inside and out and on the base and the ridges of the pattern. -

This baby is the 13" long 9" wide platter - again watch for fleabites (the teeny tiny chips) and watch for chips on the base and the inside rim.

>

Beth's Blue Royal Lace

Royal Lace, along with a couple of other patterns is notorious for "fleabites" on the inside rim. This is because (Look at the platter or plate and come back) on the plates and the bowls with rims, they made a "sharp" edge inside of a rounded one. Well guess what? When you wash dishes and stack them in the closet, those sharp edges take a beating. SO, you should always put paper plates or a piece of heavier paper (not coffee filters - like art paper or cardboard - between plates and those cute cardboard soup bowls inside the bowls for the same reason.

And this, is the berry bowl. It's a small "nappy" or 4-5" bowl. It's got the exact same shape as the 10" master berry so now you can identify two more pieces just by remembering this one.

And for now - that ends our Royal Lace Depression Glass lession. What next you ask? I'll find something. After all , I still have 20 tubs and 80 cartons of "merchandise" in the garage.

And if you're bored, you can come read my "other" blog called The Compulsive Collector.

More Blue Royal Lace -

Gorgeous Huh?

These are the straight-sided candlesticks. The book value in Gene Florence's Encyclopedia is $165. (market's down)

Bottoms up - just to show you what they look like underneath ( you should always look underneath and check every one of those cute little feet for dings/chips/damage as well as the inside candleholderthingeepart.

IF! IF!! you ever find these (even 1) with a rolled edge - GRAB IT and hold on for dear life and then call me. It is one of those pieces EVERY Royal Lace collector wants.

THIS is the cup and saucer - which I'm sticking in here so you can see the pattern better- Remember -blue green pink, crystal in order of importance and amethyst anything goes right to to the top of your BUY IT NOW list.

AND Here's what I still have listed which I'll talk about tomorrow

Beth's Blue Royal Lace

I've been collecting and coveting depression glass since 1975. Right before my wedding, I saw a set of Green Cherry Blossom at an auction in Berks County Pa. The green glass just begged to go home with me. However, it forgot to call my bank and arrange a loan. The auction was scheduled for 3 weeks later so I scrimped and didn't pay a bill and I brought $90 to the auction. That was a lot of money for me then, Heck, it's a lot of money for me now!

So it's time for the auctioneer to sell the Green Cherry - including plates, butterdish, bowls, tumblers, pitcher, cups, saucers. And first he auctioned it by the piece, then while they added up the total in the office, he auctioned it by the whole lot as one. Silly girl that I was, I thought $90 would do it. It went for several hundred. And I went home heartbroken but determined. Some time later the next year, we started collecting blue Royal Lace (well I also collected Green Royal Lace when I could find it which wasn't very often).

So, here is the Royal Lace story. Hazel Atlas made Royal Lace from 1934 to 1941. Supposedly the name was a tribute to the Royal Family of England, and this was around the time of the abdication of King Edward and the coronation of King George IV (father of the current HRM Queen Elizabeth II) It was made in Green, Cobalt Blue, Crystal, Pink and a few pieces in Amethyst. There are reproductions and I'll talk about them later.

The blue is far and away the favorite of most collectors but green is growing more popular all the time. The crystal suffers from looking "dirty" or yellowish after time and the pink is a very pale pink with a tendency to look orangey.

Hazel Atlas was the child of a merger in 1902. By 1928 it was known as the "World's Largest Tumbler Factory" as they churned out machine made drinking glasses. They were one of the most modern, mechanized glass factories. In 1929, they added Green tumblers to their line and in 1933 Green, pink and topaz were added. In 1936, they added Ritz blue.

Mmany assorted pieces of Royal Lace were shipped to England then and are now, via the internet and eBay finding their way back to the States. Cobalt blue was introduced in Royal Lace in 1938, a time when war was looming and shipping glass to England had lost some of its priority so most of what is found there appears to be Green, Pink or Crystal. Which is fine with me since it's hard enough to put to gether a set of blue anyway.

The story goes that Hazel Atlas had been making the Shirley Temple sets (mug, cereal bowl and creamer) for a cereal company and when they canceled the balance of the order (due to the economy or the war or lack of interest) they used up the left over materials for the Royal Lace pattern and it was so popular they kept making it. I don't now....it sure sounds fishy to me.

Royal Lace has, give or take, 38 pieces in 4 main colors. This line has 5 sizes of pitchers, 2 kinds of candle stick a number of center or console bowls. There are dinner plates and grill plates. Lots to collect.

And here pictures of various pieces atarting withe the crown jewel of any collection - the butterdish. And you'll see why this is my absolute favorite pattern.

Auctions and Antiques -

First I apologize to my followers - this blog got off the ground and then "life" happened and it's been neglected for a month. I'm intending to not let that happen again.

How many of you have gone to a real life bonafide auction?
NO? You'll love it. eBay is nothing like a real life auction.

I'm gonna talk about my favorite kind of auction - general merchandise or household first. This is where someone breaks up housekeeping or moves or gets new furniture and wants to eliminate "things" from their house.

So there's an auctioneer, who does the "calling" (a singsong chant they practice in auctioneer's school) and his "helpers" who are called spotters sometimes. They hold up the particular piece or pieces or point to them and take them to the winner or to the "holding pen" where winners pick them up after they pay.

When you register at the auction (which you normally have to do)they give you a bidding number. Sometimes it's a little card the size of an index card, sometimes it's a paddle (looks like those old paper fans from Church pre-air conditioning). Every time you bid, you wave that frantically in the air. When you win, they write down your number and add that amount to your bill.

At the end of the auction, you go pay the cashier and they give you some form of "accounting" of what you bought. At one auction I go to, they used to use little coupons for each item. They write on the coupon what it was and how much your winning bid was. All your coupons where sorted by your bidder number and totaled up. Check, cash or credit ponied up and you get to take your winnings home.

The trick for me, has always been to go early and "preview" the auction and decide what I can't live without. Then while I wait for the auctioneer to start I decide how much of a hit my budget can stand for that item.

Once he starts taking bids, I wave frantically til I win. WALA, it's mine.

now some auctions will let you pick up big stuff (sofas, pianos, trucks, lawn tractors, book cases etc.) tomorrow or later next week. Some will pack your items. SOME take online bids and will ship to the winning bidder. (no on eBay anymore Thank God, but on several other sites, which we'll discuss later).

How do you find an auction you ask? www.auctionzip.com. Put in your zipcode and they'll tell you all about the auctions near you. My local newspaper also runs auction ads, primarily on Thursday in the one paper and Saturday in the other. Sometimes papers have a whole section devoted to life-style and will have an "antique" column where they will feature the antique or general auctions (as opposed to industrial, real estate, and automotive). So there you go. Check out auction zip and try your first "household" auction. You'll like it, I'm sure.

Antique Daze

Antique Daze:
It's the feeling I get when I go to a real antique auction or I walk into an antique shop, or visit someone's home that is filled with cherished antiques!

Over the next several "years" I'll talk about some of the beautiful and not so beautiful antiques I've "met".

For some background, my mother was a "collector" (Dad said pack rat but he had his own issues. LOL) And brought home stuff that we kids thought of as "Mom's Junque". Now I know she had a 1/2 way decent eye for antiques but no budget.

Well I'm her daughter that way I guess.

So stay tuned for little snippets of "olde stuff".