I have listed about 40 items from a consignor on eBay and they are selling like the proverbial hotcakes. They are all brand names that are very popular which probably explains it. Also sold one of my hand-dyed scarves today.
Someone found my shop on etsy and contacted me about participating in a craft fair on March 3. I have never done one, so I think I will try it. I only have my scarves and my greeting cards, but we'll see what happens. Have to sell some just to pay for the booth.
More later -
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
New Scarves Listed on Etsy
I have made some new scarves that I have listed on my etsy shop. One of them is my favorite of all the ones I have made so far. It's a cut devore satin scarf in a lovely peach color. I am afraid the photographs just don't do it justice. The others are a peach satin scarf, and two raspberry ones. See what you think.
Tonight I was lucky enough to get a really great shot of the great horned owl that lives across the street in a huge eucalyptus tree. We have been going out every night to see if we can spot him and tonight he was on a branch with only the sky behind him and I got a shot. I will post it tomorrow.
That's all for today.
Tonight I was lucky enough to get a really great shot of the great horned owl that lives across the street in a huge eucalyptus tree. We have been going out every night to see if we can spot him and tonight he was on a branch with only the sky behind him and I got a shot. I will post it tomorrow.
That's all for today.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
SELLING ON EBAY
No one really understands how much work goes into having an eBay business until they have done it. If you want to sell stuff, you really have to put some thought and effort into it. I have just been blessed with a ton of clothes, shoes, and handbags to sell on eBay, so I am spending several hours a day in the prep work. I find that it's sort of like painting a room - almost all the real work is in the preparation. Cleaning, touching up, taping, taking outlets off the wall - that sort of thing.
So, when selling clothing on eBay, the first step is to inspect every item for tears, stains, buttons missing, any flaw at all. You can advertise something and point out that "tiny little spot" but most of the time it won't sell. After everything has been sorted into "Sell" and "Goodwill" piles, then all items must be washed. And, of course, some are "hand wash, cold," some are "machine wash, warm," some are "tumble dry," and some are "line dry." I have to admit, anything that requires hand washing ends up being the last to be listed.
Once all the items are ready to photograph, I have to have a nice day with a lot of light. I find that around 10 a.m. is a good time to start. It's not too chilly outside, and the light is nice and bright, but not that brutal noonday sun. I generally take 4 shots of each item - front, close-up, back, and the label. If it's a two-piece item, like a pajama set, then there are two or three more shots.
Then the photographs have to be downloaded to my Mac. Once they are in iPhoto, I can crop and adjust the exposure, maybe saturate the color a little just to make them pop. Each item gets its own folder, and they are ready to be uploaded to Auctiva. Auctiva is a listing service that provides templates and data services for people who sell a lot on eBay. If you are only listing 20 or so items per month, it's not worth it, but if you're doing a big, big batch, it's a good tool.
Just as in painting that room, the final step is the easiest and where it all comes together. A snappy description of the item helps get a shopper's attention. You want to sound friendly, but professional. Buyers must trust you before they will buy something they cannot see or touch. EBay's feedback system helps establish this trust, too.
So if you want to see what I've been working so hard on this week, go to eBay and search for "santanartist." Or search for "Orange Carole Little." Either way, you should find my items.
So, when selling clothing on eBay, the first step is to inspect every item for tears, stains, buttons missing, any flaw at all. You can advertise something and point out that "tiny little spot" but most of the time it won't sell. After everything has been sorted into "Sell" and "Goodwill" piles, then all items must be washed. And, of course, some are "hand wash, cold," some are "machine wash, warm," some are "tumble dry," and some are "line dry." I have to admit, anything that requires hand washing ends up being the last to be listed.
Once all the items are ready to photograph, I have to have a nice day with a lot of light. I find that around 10 a.m. is a good time to start. It's not too chilly outside, and the light is nice and bright, but not that brutal noonday sun. I generally take 4 shots of each item - front, close-up, back, and the label. If it's a two-piece item, like a pajama set, then there are two or three more shots.
Then the photographs have to be downloaded to my Mac. Once they are in iPhoto, I can crop and adjust the exposure, maybe saturate the color a little just to make them pop. Each item gets its own folder, and they are ready to be uploaded to Auctiva. Auctiva is a listing service that provides templates and data services for people who sell a lot on eBay. If you are only listing 20 or so items per month, it's not worth it, but if you're doing a big, big batch, it's a good tool.
Just as in painting that room, the final step is the easiest and where it all comes together. A snappy description of the item helps get a shopper's attention. You want to sound friendly, but professional. Buyers must trust you before they will buy something they cannot see or touch. EBay's feedback system helps establish this trust, too.
So if you want to see what I've been working so hard on this week, go to eBay and search for "santanartist." Or search for "Orange Carole Little." Either way, you should find my items.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Starting Over
The last time I posted on this blog was in 2010, but I am starting over and hope that this time I will be able to keep it going.
I am busy with my etsy shop, making silk scarves and learning about dye. Still taking care of Charlie and Katie 4 days a week, and still doing photography.
Celebrated my 70th birthday with all the family and received a new bike which I love!
Going to China with my daughter, Nancy, on March 26th for 10 days. Will definitely blog about that!
Nemaste,
Dottie
I am busy with my etsy shop, making silk scarves and learning about dye. Still taking care of Charlie and Katie 4 days a week, and still doing photography.
Celebrated my 70th birthday with all the family and received a new bike which I love!
Going to China with my daughter, Nancy, on March 26th for 10 days. Will definitely blog about that!
Nemaste,
Dottie
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Europe's Arizona
This is a quote from "Arizona on the Aegean."
Ray Hartwell has written a column for the Washington Times called "Europe's Arizona." That would be Greece, which has an enormous problem with illegal immigrants -- mostly Albanians and, to a lesser extent, Turks. As in Arizona, it is estimated that roughly 10 percent of the population in Greece is there illegally. And many of the problems that the illegals bring with them are quite similar.
Ray Hartwell has written a column for the Washington Times called "Europe's Arizona." That would be Greece, which has an enormous problem with illegal immigrants -- mostly Albanians and, to a lesser extent, Turks. As in Arizona, it is estimated that roughly 10 percent of the population in Greece is there illegally. And many of the problems that the illegals bring with them are quite similar.
Illegal immigration didn't cause Greece's financial collapse, of course. But Ray argues persuasively that illegal immigration is making the economic situation worse.
Click on the link and read the entire article.
Monday, August 02, 2010
This Mess Has Got Me Depressed
Depression is not a word that generally applies to me. My marriage is good, my children are healthy, my grandchildren are perfect in every way, my life is busy and filled with laughter and happiness. So why do I feel depressed?
It's this economy and what it's done to people - and I mean people I know and love - not some "people." First, though, is the fact that I am sad about the death of Ron's sister, Betty, in Florida. She was a victim of old age. After selling their home in Myrtle Beach, she and her husband, Frank, moved to St. Petersburg and bought a condo in a high-rise by the water. They were fine for several years, then Frank got a diagnosis of lung cancer and died within two years. And those last two years were extremely hard on his wife, since she never left his side except to go grocery shopping.
After Frank died, we all thought Betty would move to California to live with their daughter. But the timing was off. The housing bubble had just burst and the condo that had been worth $400K was now unmarketable. She had it on the market off and on for two years, and wouldn't come down to a price that might have drawn buyers, saying "I'm not going to give it away." So she stayed there, waiting . .. waiting.. . waiting. Then she got an infection that spread to the plastic valve in her heart and then she was terminal. She wasn't strong enough to survive the heart surgery to replace the valve and antibiotics can't work on plastic. So, after two months of pain and suffering and (although it's not important, probably a bill of about half a million) she passed away.
There are so many "if only's" in that story, it just makes me sad. Now her kids will sell the condo for $150K and that will be that.
And my daughter's mother-in-law is facing foreclosure on her condo, she's walking away from her car lease, and declaring bankruptcy. My friend and her husband are walking away from their house that three years ago they were thrilled with, but now see as a really bad investment since it's worth about half what they paid for it. They found out this weekend that about 5 or 6 of their neighbors are going to do the same thing. My son refinanced his house to pay off his ex-wife to get her out of his life, and was hoping and praying that the market would recover before the loan adjusted so that he could either sell it or refi it again into a 30-year fixed. But no. He's going to try to short sale it.
I feel like I'm on an island and the tide is coming in. Where can we move? I can't bear to watch what's coming - I don't think the worst is over.
And forget about the kids that are looking for jobs!
It's this economy and what it's done to people - and I mean people I know and love - not some "people." First, though, is the fact that I am sad about the death of Ron's sister, Betty, in Florida. She was a victim of old age. After selling their home in Myrtle Beach, she and her husband, Frank, moved to St. Petersburg and bought a condo in a high-rise by the water. They were fine for several years, then Frank got a diagnosis of lung cancer and died within two years. And those last two years were extremely hard on his wife, since she never left his side except to go grocery shopping.
After Frank died, we all thought Betty would move to California to live with their daughter. But the timing was off. The housing bubble had just burst and the condo that had been worth $400K was now unmarketable. She had it on the market off and on for two years, and wouldn't come down to a price that might have drawn buyers, saying "I'm not going to give it away." So she stayed there, waiting . .. waiting.. . waiting. Then she got an infection that spread to the plastic valve in her heart and then she was terminal. She wasn't strong enough to survive the heart surgery to replace the valve and antibiotics can't work on plastic. So, after two months of pain and suffering and (although it's not important, probably a bill of about half a million) she passed away.
There are so many "if only's" in that story, it just makes me sad. Now her kids will sell the condo for $150K and that will be that.
And my daughter's mother-in-law is facing foreclosure on her condo, she's walking away from her car lease, and declaring bankruptcy. My friend and her husband are walking away from their house that three years ago they were thrilled with, but now see as a really bad investment since it's worth about half what they paid for it. They found out this weekend that about 5 or 6 of their neighbors are going to do the same thing. My son refinanced his house to pay off his ex-wife to get her out of his life, and was hoping and praying that the market would recover before the loan adjusted so that he could either sell it or refi it again into a 30-year fixed. But no. He's going to try to short sale it.
I feel like I'm on an island and the tide is coming in. Where can we move? I can't bear to watch what's coming - I don't think the worst is over.
And forget about the kids that are looking for jobs!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
GOING HOME
Ron, Mike, and Steve are getting excited about their upcoming trip to Scotland for a week of golf. Nancy and Mike gave Ron a trip for his 70th birthday, and they will be going in October. This will be Steve's first trip to Europe and Mike's second. Steve will have an extra treat, since Kyle is flying over to meet him on the last day and they will spend another week split between London and Paris. OH, I am so jealous!
The boys are on the internet constantly, looking at all the 600+ golf courses they might be able to play. They already have a tee time at the New Course (which is only 90 years old) at St. Andrews, and have booked a small apartment that is centrally located for their stay. If anyone has any suggestions for great courses or anything else "Scotland" please let us know.
The boys are on the internet constantly, looking at all the 600+ golf courses they might be able to play. They already have a tee time at the New Course (which is only 90 years old) at St. Andrews, and have booked a small apartment that is centrally located for their stay. If anyone has any suggestions for great courses or anything else "Scotland" please let us know.
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