Sometimes you have to buy out your competition!

So, the blogging has been lacking a bit this summer, but I am more active over on youtube.  The clip above is a quick video showing my mini haul today - all from my own antique mall. 

Do you often shop to resell in your antique market?

Bracing for the slow season

No, we are not Easter chicks. Just yellow grumpy owls!

I went by to tidy up my booth today and add some new merchandise - and yes, to get away from the kids a bit since they were off from school and hubby "volunteered" to watch them as he worked from home today. And no, I did not attempt to decorate for Easter, unless you count the little yellow owls in the large 70s planter, shaped like a tree trunk.  How cool would this look with a potted plant such as a fern or even yellow daffodils?

Anyway, we are apparently approaching the slow season here in Maine since people from April until June let out a sigh of relief from winter losing its grip and head OUTSIDE! Imagine that.  I chatted a bit with the owner today about this, and at least I feel prepared instead of potentially wondering why nobody likes my stuff anymore during the next couple of months.  However, in June the tourists come flooding into Maine, and according to another experienced booth owner, summer is the best season here as we are right on touristy US 1.

Seeing how it's going to slow down in the antique market soon, I think it is even more appropriate to start focusing more on ebay like I discussed yesterday.  I even put up more than 20 items for auction yesterday and today, and I did not feel guilty about it at all. And I already got bids!  I had almost forgotten how fun that part is.

Have you seen that spring slows down sales in your neck of the woods?

First Spring Thrift Haul

How cool is this little crewel owl, huh?  Only problem is...



 

You gotta make him yourself.  Or maybe that is not a problem, but rather a blessing.  For the crafty folks. Like not me. 

Actually, I often pick up vintage crewel kits, and they sell pretty well on ebay, depending on the style.  And they are so easy to ship - which is the only reason I will sell on online. So, this guy will likely not get to hang out in my cool booth club.

 

 

I found this genuine vintage purse for $0.99.  Super cute and in great shape.  She will get to hang out in the booth, heck, she even gets to skip in line.

 

 

Speaking of booths, I found this in another booth in my antique market all bundled up in tape and tossed in a basket with lots of junky cutlery.  This, however, is not junk.  This, my friends, is Kongetinn from Norway, which is a pretty collectible pewter pattern featuring vikings and Norse mythology. These are also the older kind, not the more modern ones, and they should do pretty well on ebay (I will let you know).  And again, cutlery is a breeze to ship!

 

 

This was a $3.99 Goodwill find.  I rarely find these lamps anymore, and to the booth it will go.  Oh, how I wish my booth had electricity!

 

 

Finally, what is Mad Maine without her mugs? These are the ones I found this weekend, all for $0.99 each.  Which do you think will sell first?

 

Well, that was my little haul.  I plan to take a little trip out again later today since I have some free time, and I am already excited to go out treasure hunting on a mundane Monday.

 

(Linking up with a living space and Apron Thrift Girl).

 



Retro Gold Thrift Haul

I popped into a local Goodwill briefly on Saturday while hubby "volunteered" to take the kids to the grocery store next door and pick up the last things needed for dinner.  I did not expect much besides a little bit of solitude and quiet, which was badly needed for mom at the time - besides, I never have had much luck with this GW on a Saturday.  However, the Retro spirits were shining their groovy light on me.  Check out what I came out with!


Wall flowers mushrooms

 



These mushroom wall plaques are the real deal and about a foot across. Made in the USA back when this country made groovy plastic stuff.

 

 

                  More mushrooms (and butterflies) on these stackable Japanese mugs.  I sell a lot of mugs in my store.

 



 

 

                                This is such a cute vintage mug - I am thinking it will be picked up for Valentine's Day. 

 

 

 

                           I like this pair of groovy vases too, especially the blue, aqua and white color combo.

 

 

 

 

                             A large pretty Pyrex bowl - with no chips or dishwasher fading.  Price was right too.

 

 





 

                                                       Another Pyrex, also in good condition - but no lid.

 

 

 

 

Yes, that right - not one, not two, but three Pyrex finds in the same place! Love this little fridgie - no lid, but I have a few spare ones from before (always pick up these dishes with their lids, even if the actual dish is in bad shape - I prefer to think of it as saving them *for parts*).

 





 

 

Two homemade aprons.  All aprons I have put in my booth has sold.  I price them at $10 a piece. How do you price aprons?

 



 

Not necessarily vintage, but I would love to know the pattern of this bowl/votive.  I picked up a couple of plates in this pattern before Christmas since I liked the design.  They look sort of Scandinavian to me and are quite heavy.  Any ideas?

 

 



 

                              Darling small lime green mustard jar with a weave pattern.  Tempted to keep this one.

 

 

 

                                                         I love this small magazine rack - great design and size.

 

 

 I love the 70s Tupperware cups and have several already.  They are so versatile - picnics, parties, everyday use.  And they have the best colors.  My kids love them equally and are very particular about which color belongs to them.

 

                                                                    And finally - my favorite find of them all:

 

 

 

 

This owl(?) crewel picture is really big, and I love the expression, colors, design, signature and year (74).  When I first spotted it, I thought it would be such great eye candy to my booth.  Then, by the time I got home, I was getting attached.  Now, I have it real bad and can't stomach the thought of being apart. So...he is now hanging in the TV room.  Hey, I do get to keep a vintage kitschy thing once in a while - and even hubby approved.  Eye candy for the home instead.

 

So, all in all, my impromptu visit produced some great items.  Maybe all my items came from the same home?  They certainly look like they could.

 

Is it true that the times you have the lowest expectations, you find the most fun things?

 

Linking up with a living space and Apron Thrift Girl - check out other weekend finds there.



Après-ski Thrift Haul

I went skiing in the Maine mountains yesterday with the family, which was great. I have skied since I was a meter tall, and even though I mostly go cross-country skiing, I do enjoy downhill for the thrill as well. Furthermore, this particular place is NOT a resort in any sense of the word and is visited by friendly Mainers who just want to ski, eat their homemade gorp, and warm up in the rustic lobby with a real stone fireplace and vintage ski posters on the walls.  No fancy overpriced ski shops, women in fashionable furs or metro guys with their flashy city gear. And the lift tickets are only $15 for the entire day - unbeatable!

So, after a day of skiing, what better way to end the day than with an appropriate Après-ski at one of the best Goodwills in Maine? I only stop here whenever we are traveling, but it is one of my all-time favorite GWs.  And guess what, though not pictured, I also got a small wallet there that still had 6 bucks and change in it!

Anyway, I got a great Dansk Kobenstyle enamel pan for $4, and everything else was 50 cents to 1 dollar. A couple of owls (I basically pick up ANY owl these days since they all sell, some vintage-looking hemplike napkins/placemats, a super-cool game with great 60s illustrations both inside and out, a mini iron frying pan, a Pyrex bowl, a Curious George piggy bank tin (that is newer, but looks vintage), ceramic Tiki salt and pepper shakers, a couple of flower-power votives, a Scrabble soup bowl and three mugs, including a Cathy cartoon mug from 1985.  A couple of months ago, I would not have picked up newer mugs, but I have seen so many oddball mugs sell in my shop that I am expanding my range of the 80s stuff beyond smurfs and Garfield.  Also, I regularly pick up odd game pieces, especially from scrabble and domino games as well as dice, and they always disappear - crafters love them!  This Scrabble soup bowl will be cute holding some tiles in my shop. 

All in all, a great end to a fun day in the mountains.

What did you find this weekend?