July Weird and Wacky

I am the self-appointed ambassador to the weird and wacky in the world of thrift and beyond. 

These animals portraits are listed for sale at Old Soul coffee in Sacramento, California. 

I cover a lot of territory in my walks around the grid in Sacramento. I see the strangest things downtown. Here, Cinderella had lost her shoes.  

In this case, a runner lost his shoe - ATOP A TREE!

I spied this thrift shop painting in Fort Bragg, California.  

Yellow guy fits my wacky category. 

Lots of mugs for sale at the Goodwill Boutique on L Street. This udder mug was the best of the bunch. 

My oddest listing of the month, this E.T. card game. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186010618357

Ending the post with artwork displayed at the Amador County Fair. 

Repairing the Raggedy Ann

This vintage Raggedy Ann was fifty cents at hospice thrift. 

I adopted her with a missing foot, smudges on her face, wearing rumpled clothing. Her face was pretreated with a spot remover. I pinned the feet to keep in the stuffing, and put her in a lingerie bag for a Woolite wash. 

Her left foot was removed to make the template for her feet. Nylons had been used as a stuffing. I didn't have any heavier weight black material in my stash so it required a trip to the fabric store.  

I purchased an eighth of a yard of a discounted sweater material to construct her feet. Here is one of them. 

Her pinafore elastic gave out in the wash. I folded that over and sewed on a flower applique. Here she is still under repair sans feet. 

Here is she is prepped, primped, in the Hollywood shot, and eBay linked. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186010205669

Who could resist that face? 

These were the last two of the dolls I had in my stash to be listed. They also required minor repair. I washed the bunny and her glued-on skirt and part of her neck collar came off. I whip stitched them back on. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186005303776

This pretty gal has wig hair - a first I had seen on a doll. I smoothed down and re-braided her hair. She was originally holding a stick with something on the end. A pin had rusted her hand shut over the stick. I repaired her hand where the fabric had torn when I removed the stick. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186005323722

Doll holding stick, and thrift
shop price tag

My foray into listing cloth dolls has pretty much been successful. Surprising the prices some of these dolls fetch. 

Sequeing to CDs, if I can find them cheap enough, I buy them first for myself, and second to list for sale. Hospice thrift sells CDs for $1.29 each. I found 9 still new in package. My first pandemic year of listing I did a brisk business in gospel and Christmas CDs. 

Seller update: These game pieces from a 1951 game were thrift shop priced at $1. The volunteer said she was going to throw them away. I am a regular there so I told her I would list them and let her know what they sold for. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186005512356

Heading to the county fair tonight so I hope to capture some fun images! 🍧🍬🎡

Books, bibles, and the orange oil can

Being a frequent thrifter at hospice thrift, I was able to snag this beat-up orange oil can ($1.49) right when it was rolled out. It has joined my collection of vintage cool. 

Bought another bag of fabric ($6.99), about half usable for my purposes, really nice blues and greens. 

Next thrifting day I bought another bag of fabric ($4.99) with mainly floral and patriotic prints. I also kept half of that and thrifted the rest back. 

Sometimes I regret periodic purgings of stuff. I decided to keep this bible. The cover is soft and my heart got the best of me. It is the perfect size.  

The best books and best bible on this listing session: Great Classic SPAM Recipes of the World (1994). 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185999671687

This NIV Student Edition study bible was listed for sale. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185999772896

As usual, I have a backlog of sewing patterns to list. First up for a listing session is miscellany of a couple of rag dolls, more Tarot cards, and yarn. 

I am finding the Tarot cards and mysticism-related items in either kids toys or the book sections. As long as I am in kids toys, I also look for doll clothes and G.I. Joes. 

While I still buy for myself and my family when I am thrift shopping, I would say it is only 10% of my total. Sometimes I keep a collectible, then sell it later on. 

I am hibernating inside as our heat is soaring over 100 degrees. My next post will highlight a minor repair on a Raggedy Ann doll. 

💥💜💋 

Barbie Clothes and Closet Cleanouts

People must be cleaning out their closets during these heat waves. The thrift shops are overflowing. I am delighted with this 3D metal horse scored for $2.99 at hospice thrift. 

I began my weekend sourcing at a Goodwill in Rancho Cordova, California. The 4 bags of Barbie doll clothes were still in the blue bins, I grabbed all 4 at $1.99 each. My usual sewing patterns, and a sewing publication were also found. A little Hawaiian print table runner is now on display at home. 

Here is the layout of the 4 bags of Barbie clothes. There were also a few micro doll clothes, and a couple pieces of Cabbage Patch/Build A Bear sized outfits.

They are lotted up by color. I seem to be the only seller in that category that sells that way. 

PINK

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185992053223
This pink lot sold the same day.

BLUE/GREEN

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185992061681

PURPLE/BLACK

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185992072620

WHITE/CREAM/GOLD

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185992081390

DENIM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185992087214

Tinkerbell, also from the hospice thrift haul, models the cutest outfit of the bunch. I am keeping her and her mermaid outfits. 

A large orange crocheted blanket ($2.99) came home to sell. I wash everything in Woolite whether it is a keeper or not. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185991989971

At the Goodwill in Placerville, I found two more tarot decks. That seems to be the case, you catch up on listing in one category, and then you find more items. 

I splurged on a formal gown + crystal necklace on this thrifting trip. Those will be showcased on an upcoming fun-with-photoshop post.  I also found two Christmas tree pins to add to my pin forest, and a hat + wreath pin. All of those items are saved for my Countdown to Christmas posts. 

I also bought a $2.99 bag of crocheted and embroidered linens. Mainly for the bluebird pillow cases. 

Mystery bag of fabric for $5.99 resulted in 12 QAGs from a quilt guild.  A QAG is a quilt-as-you-go completed block. These I will trim to square and just sew them all together and add a binding. This might be a great charity basket raffle quilt. 

There is also a ton of leftover batting, fabric, and 3 orphan blocks.

After I finish my commissioned patchwork piecing project, I will sew this QAG quilt together. I can finally acquaint myself with the portable Bernette sewing machine I bought a few months ago.  

Time to List the Tarot

I have gained a few decks of previously-owned tarot cards. One from 1970, 20th Century Tarot, will remain in my personal collection. The graphics are black/white and spare. The instruction booklet well written. Steampunk Tarot (2013) first edition, was a set I bought retail for the great graphics. 

The Rider Tarot Deck (1971) is a classic. It was the first deck I found secondhand. It is a keeper for the following reasons: low sale value, there is a coffee stain on the front of the card casing, and the instruction booklet is missing. 

A deck found for $2 at thrift in Fort Bragg, CA is unique. It is The Motherpeace Round Tarot Deck printed in Belgium circa 1983. This deck I didn't see on a first run-through. Sometimes Tarot cards land in baskets of miscellany near the book section. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987409058

These Halloween-themed Spirit Tarot Cards are a lark!  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987398868

The Illuminated Tarot (2017) comes with its own hard cover casing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987403133

Rounding out the 4 decks for sale is the Voyager Tarot (1984). The imagery truly fantastical. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185987420791

Seller update: As suspected, my sales are down 30% from the previous year. I knew I was working harder for less money. The good thing is that once you have listed an item, someone will eventually buy it. 

Tarot-themed items are sure sellers for me. Next up on the listing schedule? Bibles. I recently sold one, new in box, for $65. 

Even though our weather will be blazing hot this weekend, I will be out thrifting. 😎