It's Time to Stop!

I have an embarrassingly huge amount of inventory that needs listed, and I'm in the process of planning a December road trip!! What on earth am I thinking? I have bins (!) of great stuff to list. And when that's done, I have 3 bins (!) full of great fabrics that I've given up on ever using. I need to sort through them and get them listed. And when that's done, I have a HUGE (!) bag full of patterns (many unopened and uncut) that I need to list. And when THAT's done, I have an entire closet full of other sewing supplies (vintage threads and trims, pattern magazines, reference books out the wazoo...) that I need to go through and list.
So ... it is with a heavy heart that I am making public my new personal challenge:

That's right, ladies and gents. I have officially put myself on a shopping fast. Not a diet. A fast. I can't do anything in moderation, so diets don't work. It's all or nothing. Between now and the end of the year, I will NOT set foot in a thrift store. I have too much money tied up in unlisted inventory. This fast will be great for my bottom line, because I'll have hardly any money going out the rest of the year!

So there you have it. I've made it public. So now I HAVE to stick to it. No matter what. Heaven help me. And the people who have to live with me during my withdrawal period....

A Working Vacation

My teen boys and I just got back from spending the last 5 days in Virginia visiting my sister and her family. Simply put, we had a blast. I spent plenty of time swimming, bowling, museum touring and socializing, but I just couldn’t let 5 days pass without hunting out inventory for eBay.

I was armed with my Big Lots coupon that was good for 20% off on Sunday only. My sister has expressed some passive interest in eBaying so she was eager to shop with me. We hit my favorite store of all time Marshalls and shopped like two girls do. She spotted some special occasion dresses on the clearance racks and helped me peruse the shoe section. We also headed to Big Lots looking for some discontinued items.

My dad got in on the action too. I had given him a list of items to look for and he headed to a Big Lots near his home and made a little haul. He found some Flex Conditioner and bought all 16 of them along with some granola bars that I found especially yummy. Yes, I am still Daddy’s little girl!

I wanted to get an early start to beat traffic around Norfolk so at 6:30 am we made our way up Highway 13. Now it has been quite awhile since I’ve driven this route and sometimes get nervous when a road splits. I accidentally took the business route instead of the bypass and ended up driving straight through Salisbury, Md. As I’m making my way through town I spot a Big Lots off to the left. I say “look boys, a Big Lots”! They pump their fists in the air and shout, “Yeah!!” Okay, I made that last sentence up, but they were not too upset that I turned the car around because I just couldn’t resist!

Jordan and Nick know enough to appease me when these situations arise. They PATIENTLY waited in the car as I headed in. I always walk past the shopping carts because I’m paranoid enough to think that if I grab one I’m jinxing myself. I headed straight for the beauty products and sitting untouched on the shelves were the mother load of Flex Conditioners. I went back and got the cart and purchased all 34 of them. I only got a few strange looks from the cashiers. I had a great drive home!