now on etsy @kerthunkery: vintage dog galoshes!

Two of my favorite things are rain boots and vintage. And I also love seeing dogs wearing human-inspired attire. So I LOVE these vintage dog boots by Hollywood Dog Togs, Inc. I have no use for them, since I only have cats. They're up for sale in my etsy shop. Check it out...

my latest creations

I have been busy updating my wardrobe with some embellishments that I picked up at the antique mall over the weekend. I am pretty proud of my creations. :)










1. Yoyo remnants on blue t-shirt.

I found these yoyo remnants and just had to have them. I love the colors, and they were very easy to affix to the fabric. I anchored them in place with a drop of fabric glue, and then stitched around in a circle in the inside of each circle to hold them in place. I am so happy with the way it turned out!

2. Giant lace doily applique on oversized white tank.

This is probably my favorite, for its simplistic elegance. I had this oversize tank that just seemed so bland, so I attached this ginormous lace doily picked at the antique mall for $2.oo. I pinned it in place and then hand-stitched like crazy. I got several compliments on it the first time I wore it.

3. Lace flower applique on brown knit shirt.

I cut these flowers out of an old valance that I picked at Dig 'N Save for about 25 cents. I have had this drape-neck shirt for a while, and didn't like the drapiness. So, I resolved that by putting a few stitches up the front, lifting up the neck line, and I then attached the lace using a few drops of fabric glue and then stitching. Voila!


4. Polka-dot yoyo sweater - Work in progress.
I am loving these yoyo remnants, and am currently using a few of them to dress up this polka-dot sweater. Can't wait till it's done!

snip snip snip

I stopped at the grocery store last night with a very hungry and rambunctious child who made it clear that she did not want to be in line at the check-out. Of course, I was lucky enough to get stuck behind a woman who was digging through an enormous plastic file looking for coupons. That got me thinking. I know that coupons are supposed to be a money-saver, but how much money do they actually save? Anyone care to enlighten me?

oh, the irony

Why is it that the less money I have, the klutzier the child becomes? We just lost our last glass. I will be drinking out of sippy cups and coffee mugs until I graduate, I swear!

etsy wishlist

Check out the latest item I'm in love with on etsy.

Antique mall rejects part deux

It's Monday, so... here are a few things I DIDN'T take home from the antique mall. I did not, however, leave empty-handed. But more on that in another post. Enjoy!

do you know about scams?

I just received the following email in my inbox. While I admit to posting it here more for its comedic value than for its advice, if you're looking to make money, holding on to your money is just as important as making new money. So let me and my new friend BL enlighten you.

I will help to tell you about the scammers.
Have you heard about scammers in West Africa and Nigeria? I have learned much about them from 2005 to 2010! I will never reply them. West African and Nigerian scammers send false emails to foreign people on data. They West African and Nigerian scammers also ask foreign people to get money. $ Millions. West African and Nigerian scammers have false names. Foreign police know not where they are. West African and Nigerian scammers are VERY dangerous. They know that they will never reply back. I know who they are. They are young men. They are crimes. They fool God, Jesus, doctors, penfriends, dating and much more on data every day. They also have not genuine contact to good friends. Citibank lost $27 Million to Nigerian scammers since 2009. Woman lost $400,000 to Nigerian email scam since 2008. Man lost $1.5 million in Nigerian email scam since 2007. British man lost £130000 to Nigerian scam since 2009. 80 Year Old Man Loses Over $700,000 To Advance Fee (419) Scammers since 2008. Man lost RM1.7 Million to Lottery scam since 2007. Elderly man lost $3500 in lottery scam since 2008. Nearly $500000 lost in Nigerian scam since 4 Feb 2010. John McEnroe Loses $2 Million in Huge Art Investment Scam since 2009. 79-year-old Lost $15,000 to lottery scam since 2009. Nigerian scammers were stealing money. Continue. Foreign people have not learned about West African and Nigerian scammers on data. It is sad. False West African and false Nigerian scammers write different languages to foreign people on data. West African and Nigerian scammers use phones to speak foreign people to get money. West African and Nigerian scammers send false pictures on data. The pictures are not true. They have making false passports to foreign people. Foreign people lost also money. West African and Nigerian scammers have taken and take all email addresses from world. Also they fool foreign people. You can see true film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0e-pPfITts I hope that you learn more about them. NEVER SEND ANY MONEY TO SCAMMER. I am not real dangerous crime, but good dangerous and honest person and nice. I know everything that NO find me. It is completely in order!!! Hope you have a good day. Thanks for my email, I will never reply back.



Well, sad as I am that BL will not reply to me, ever, I will take this opportunity to say that I know all there is to know about the Nigerian scam and its many variants. No, I have never fallen for it myself, but I have received hundreds of emails from mysterious people with cool names like Miss Jewel George and Prince Albert. They all claim to be orphans of royalty from war-torn African nations and to have a huge inheritance that they would like to invest in a foreign country in someone else's name to keep it safe from the evil general that overthrew their family's government and violently ousted their parents from the throne.

Surprisingly, many people have fallen for this. A quick google search on the country in question will prove that it's a lie. But I guess the generous cut of the profit is just too much for some people to pass up, even if their inner voices are telling them not to. Of course, it's just a ploy to get your banking information and your money: many times they request a payment up front, saying that they need it for a variety of reasons: to cover their travel costs to a "safe" place, such as Johannesburg, where they will be able to access Western Union to transfer the money. Other times they say it's for customs fees or some other reason that a little research will also tell you is a lie. You will not make this money back, no matter how much they promise you that you will. For more information, check out www.snopes.com. There you can also find info on all kinds of other scams meant to drain your bank account.

antique mall rejects

No holiday weekend is complete without a trip to the antique mall. These are some things that may be worth something, but that I just had to pass up because they were too creepy. I did take the guy home with me, though. He kind of grew on me. Plus, he had the keys. Enjoy!

someone hearts my item!

So, no biters yet, but someone did heart my item. This is exciting!

Reselling: Do's and Don'ts

In my previous post, I offer some tips on where you can (re)sell gently used merchandise- anything from clothes to accessories to toys to sporting goods to you name it- to make a few bucks. But selecting the merchandise you sell is of utmost importance if you want to make a profit. It's easy to make money buying things cheaply and selling them for more than you paid, but it's also easy to lose money if you don't choose things carefully.

They always say that drug dealers don't sell the drugs they do. Well, we're not dealing drugs here. And that's really bad advice. If you like something, you tend to be knowledgeable about it. That's why I don't sell sports memorabilia. In the words of unconvincing transvestite Emily Howard, "I am a lady, and I do lady things". I like clothes. And accessories. And shoes. And jewelry. And vintage stuff. I tend to pay attention to these things. I know what is in right now, even if I don't like it. I know what people want, and what they don't want. So, naturally, I buy and sell the things that I, myself, want to buy.

Since I am a lady and I sell lady things, my best advice is on this subject. But, most of these tips can be applied to anything you might want to buy and sell. Just use your imagination and common sense.

First of all, you want to buy things that someone else will want to buy, and that a shop owner will want to sell in their store. Walk around downtown or anywhere that a lot of people congregate and look at what people are wearing. Look at labels. For some reason, people are willing to spend a lot of money for a pair of jeans because of what it says on the backside. I'm not telling you to check out people's bottoms, but be aware of some names. Seven for All Mankind, Coach, Ugg, Hudson, Joe's Jeans, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Kate Spade, Vera Bradley... It's all in the name. It may be helpful to walk through a few high-end shops like Anthropologie or Macy's to look at what designer names are in right now. I do this often, and as a result I know that Moth, silence and noise, kimchi and blue, yellow button and Level 99 are all names I should be looking for when I do my thrift shopping. When you go to a buy-sell-trade shop or consignment boutique, you can also ask what brands are selling the best.

So, you know what you're looking for and you're heading out to your local Goodwill, Savers, or Dig 'N Save. Pay attention to quality of the merchandise. Find a pair of designer jeans that have stains or holes in odd places? Even a designer name on the butt isn't enough to make someone want to buy them. Just today I found a vintage Coach bag at an antique mall for $35. I got all tingly because I felt a profit was to be made. But then I got the shopkeeper to get it out of the display case and not only did it have ink stains all down the back of it, it reeked of cigarette smoke. It wasn't even worth the $35 they were selling it for, in my opinion. A few weeks ago I found what appeared to be a perfect pair of True Religion jeans at Goodwill for $6.99. I snatched them up and took them in to the buy-sell-trade. They passed. It was only then that I realized that the bottom hem in the back was worn about 5 inches up from someone stepping on them all the time. I ended up donating them right back. So, the moral is: Inspect things carefully. I have forgotten to do this many times in the heat of the moment, and I paid dearly. Pun intended.

You also need to watch out for knock-offs. Many upscale consignment boutiques make you sign a waiver stating that the designer items you are consigning are real, and some even require proof of this. Buy-trade-sell stores will take them, but declare them as such when selling them. Some knock-offs are easy to spot, others, not so much. I tend to stay away from designer handbags for this reason.

Once you've found a few things, give them the once-over before you check out. Are there any rips, tears, stains or other imperfections? If you're good with a needle, you may be able to fix small tears, especially on a seam. I do this a lot. I found an awesome Ella Moss dress with the tags still attached and a rip about an inch long on the seam of one of the sleeves. The dress was black, which is pretty forgiving if you are going to attempt to sew. After a few stitches, it was as good as new. Other things are just beyond repair. Leave those alone. Unless you want to repurpose them, which I will get to in a later post.

Once you get your items home, you may need to tweak them a little bit to get them ready to sell. Some things look like they were never worn, others have salt stains or dirt or dust and need to be washed. Of course, you don't want to wash things that shouldn't be washed. You may also want to Febreeze anything that smells like a basement or a bar, and iron things that look like they were wadded up in the back of a closet. A steam presser can be a good investment and your best friend.

The reason why I have put so much emphasis on designer labels is not that I am a fashion victim, but that is what can make you the most profit. My local buy-sell-trade store sells designer jeans for anywhere from $30 to $70. They pay me 35% of that for each pair they buy. So, I'm getting between $10.50 and $24.50 for each pair. If I buy the jeans at Goodwill, I pay $6.99 a pair. So, that can translate to a pretty good profit. On the other hand, a pair of jeans from Gap or Express sell for between $10 and $20. I'm still getting them for $6.99 at Goodwill, but the profit isn't nearly as good. That's not to say that I won't sell things from mall stores if I can get them for a good enough price. My local Dig 'N Save charges a dollar a pound for clothing. If I find them there, I will most definitely snatch them up because I can still eek out a few dollars in profit.

One word of caution: Be careful that your shopping trips don't turn in to shopping sprees. It's easy to want to keep things- I've done it plenty of times. However, this is also a way to feel like a rock star on a limited budget. I once bought a pair of Joe's Jeans at Saver's and wore them out on New Year's Eve, washed them, and then sold them a few days later.

Happy shopping!

how to be a reseller ninja rock star

Well, I can't tell you how to be a ninja, or a rock star, but I do know a thing or two about shifting things to make a quick buck. In fact, when I need some quick cash, I head to the local Goodwill and always find a few things that I can sell for more than I paid and make a little money. Interested in making a little money? Pay attention:

One thing you can do if you're recently unemployed or just need a little cash is to go through your closet and find a couple things that you have barely worn and sell those. We all have something in the back of our closet that we just had to have because it was on sale, only to get it home and realize that it was about as flattering as a burlap sack. I cleaned out my closet in 2006 when I was pregnant and wanted some money to special-order a crate of Bechamel sauce. I made about $200 selling things that I knew would be out of style when I finally fit into them again. Bechamel is fairly caloric. Anyway, if you're going to do this, you have several options for how to sell: Consignment shops, buy-sell-trade stores, craigslist, ebay, and yard sales are all things I have tried, and found that each has its own pros and cons.

Consignment boutiques and buy-sell-trade stores are both quite ubiquitous; a quick google search should give you a substantial list of shops in your area. Buy-sell-trade stores will pay you cash up front, usually 30-35% of the amount the plan on selling your item for. They will also offer you a trade option, usually around 50% of the selling price. Consignment boutiques charge a one-time fee to open your account, usually around $10. They choose the items that they want to put up for sale in their shop, and when your item sells, they pay you 50% of the selling price. Usually you have to sign a contract to leave your item there for a specified period of time, usually 60 days. At the end of 60 days, you can pick up your check, or reconsign your item(s) if they did not sell. They will also allow you to use your money towards in-store purchases. Consignment is the way to go if you don't mind waiting for your stuff to sell, but buy-sell-trade guarantees that you money, even if the item sits in the store for 6 months and ends up being sold on clearance.

Craigslist is another option that I have become fond of recently.It costs you nothing, and you can post pictures of your item, set your price, and people will contact you if they're interested. I've sold several pairs of Dansko clogs and maternity clothes this way. The drawback is that people will contact you and then decide they're not interested, or that they want you to meet them 45 minutes away to complete the transaction. However, if you think that meeting the person to hand over the item and get the cash is going to be more trouble than the money you would make, you can always just lie and say you sold the item and wait for another bite.

Ebay used to be my favorite way of shifting stuff, and it was definitely lucrative - when the buyers decided to pay, that is. It's an online auction site where you pay a listing fee and and a small commission charge once the item sells, and users bid on your item for a predetermined number of days, usually 3, 5 or 7. The highest bidder at the auction's close is the "winner" (a little misleading as it seems to give some people the impression that they don't have to pay for the item). I finally got fed up with having to re-list things that people "won" and then decided not to pay for. It's also a pain having to ship the items, even though most of the time, the postage is paid by the buyer. Still, frequent trips to the post office can become a burden.

I had a yard sale once. I gathered up a bunch of random junk that I didn't have any place to store, borrowed a few card tables and made some signs. I didn't want to bother with tagging each individual item, so I tagged the tables instead. Everything on one table was $1, the middle table was $3, and the last table was $5. It went all right, and for the last two hours I ended up taking everyone's offers. I didn't make a fortune, but then again, I wasn't selling that much to begin with. And I cleared out some precious storage space in the house, which is priceless.

If you love to putz around antique malls, thrift stores and clearance racks, have above-average taste, and are able to keep up with the latest trends in everything from clothing to home decor, you just may be able to generate a little extra income this way. Trying can't hurt, right? It might even be fun.

Now, just a few words from the wise:
If you're going to go the consignment route, I would suggest doing a google search of consignment shops in your town. Read the customer reviews and visit the shop a few times before you commit to opening your account. When you visit the first time, make a note of the inventory. Return a week later. Has it changed at all? Look at the prices they charge. Are they too high? One consignment boutique here in town prides itself on being upscale. They sell their designer items for about two-thirds of retail value. That's an awful lot to pay for a used item, no matter how good of condition it was in and how fastidious the previous owner was. On the other hand, you don't things to be priced too low, either. Remember, you're getting 50% of the selling price. Another shop in the area sells things ridiculously cheap. It's not much more expensive than Goodwill. While I'm sure she sells a lot this way, it's not that good of a deal for the consignor.

If you're going to use craigslist, make sure to post some good pictures of the item, showing it from all angles, including and defects or blemishes such as holes, scrapes, tears, scratches, etc. This is also true for ebay. Also, make sure you think about your safety when disclosing your name or address or meeting someone to complete a craigslist sale. Meet in a public place during the day, if possible. If someone must come to your home because an object is too large for you to easily transport, play it safe and have them meet you outside. You might even want to have a big burly friend over, just in case. If something doesn't seem right, it's better to not go through with the transaction at all. Your safety is most important.

And if you're going to have a yard sale, make sure you advertise. It's a lot of work to go through if no one comes. A lot of neighborhoods plan a yard sale weekend, which helps with publicity. It also helps to plan it according to what you're selling. If you're selling a lot of kids' stuff, for example, why not pick a weekday when stay-at-home moms are out and about with the kids. Selling a lot of sporting goods and other man things? A weekend may be your best bet.

So, there you have it. A few ideas to make a few bucks. Enjoy!

etsy shop is up and running!

Well, I now have a few vintage items up for sale. Check it out.

would you buy these?

So, I'm getting my etsy shop up and running and feeling pretty excited about it, until I got to thinking... Is anyone going to want to buy this schlock? I mean, I love it, and I'm not gonna lie, I bought these things because I wanted them, not because I intended to sell them. I was going to repurpose them, but they're just too kitschy to cut up. So, what do you think? Would you buy these?

Etsy

I have long been delighting family and friends with gifts I make out of junk. Well, not my junk. Someone else's junk. I love repurposing stuff I find at thrift shops and flea markets into unique jewelry and clothing and just about anything else you can imagine. Since I've had a lot of free time on my hands, I've been experimenting with decoupage and resin and embellishments and at the suggestion of several friends, I've decided to see if anyone would be interested in owning one of my creations. So, I opened a shop on etsy, the biggest online vender for handmade and vintage items. Check it out - it's like a virtual art fair and antique mall open 24/7!

I am intrigued by this, which I stumbled upon this morning. Enjoy! And do check out my shop, kerthunkery. I should have a few things up for sale by the end of the weekend.

About

About a year ago, I left my teaching job to go back to school full-time to fulfill a longstanding dream to work in healthcare. At the time, I thought that for sure, I would be able to find another job that would allow me to pay the bills while still leaving enough time to study, be a mom and be a person. It hasn't happened yet. Faced with the reality of not being able to live off my savings much longer, I am getting desperate to make money any way I can. Well, except for resorting to the oldest profession on earth. This summer, I am putting my creativity to work, hoping I will be able to pay my bills each month through odd jobs alone. And I will write about it here.