Unique Idea for Red Foil Mini Tags for Labeling Passed Down Christmas Ornaments: The Destiny of Things, Story 601

Unique Idea for Red Foil Mini Tags for Labeling Passed Down Christmas Ornaments:  The Destiny of Things, Story 601

What a grand idea!  I'm going to use it next year!  BEFORE:

            Tiny cute red foil price tags, available here.  Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

Well, now that I actually said it and now that I am thinking about, I am having doubts.  I will, if as a recovering hoarder, I can let go of my Christmas ornaments!  At least I have a year to think about it and battle it out in my little hoarder brain!  Back to the story....

Here is the message I received:

These little tags are perfect for my needs! I’m using them to label Christmas ornaments passed down from grandparents and great grandparents with their name.

There isn't an updated photos with the tags on the heirloom ornaments, but once you see the updated photo, you'll get the idea!

Tiny cute red foil price tags for all your little projects that need a little label or pop of color, available here.   Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

 

How she writes so tiny is beyond me, even her writing is cute!  and what a perfect way to share heirloom Christmas ornaments!   And a unique way to keep family history recorded!

Saying Goodbye:  I love these teeny tiny tags.  They took me years to find and I don't think I'll be able to find them again.  That's okay, I've saved a large stash for myself some where!  I think they are supposed to be used as jewelry price tags.  I would like to use them for mixed media art, if I can ever keep a table cleared in the art music room, that really is a supply room/Etsy shipping room.

 

Tiny cute red foil price tags for all your little projects that need a little label or pop of color, available here.   Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

 

What I Learned:

1.  Since I started this blog and before, I don't do well during the winter and it can get bad.  Not get stay in bed bad, but the kind where the feeling of dread will not let go and knots up my stomach for most of the day.  I used to get that ever winter, well, actually starting with Thanksgiving and ending with Valentine's every time, but this year is so much better.  I just have the retail therapy blues, meaning my dreads, anxiety, stress and blaghs aren't as bad as the previous years and I'm just filled with a crazed nervousness.  I'm hoping to transform my case of nerves into excitement.  It will take some practice, but look how far I've come!

2.  Hoarding is down too!  This time of year I'm usually way out of control!  I give myself budgets that keep on growing with deadlines and cut off points that keep getting extended!  At least I'm not buying stuff for re sale.  I'm just buying textiles, varying from antique quilt pieces, antique embroidery samplers, vintage needlepoint works to Society silk linens.  It seems I know what I'm looking for now, so I'm buying more specific items and they are harder to find and usually more expensive, which really helps slow me down!  Although a family matter has erupted, so hopefully I can turn that stress into peace and know it will pass as I squeeze through to the other side.

3.  Usually I have a long list of New Year's Resolutions.  I write them down and make a plan, but this year I only have three.  I don't know why, except that is all that has come to mind.  I usually get 80% of my New Year's Resolutions done, if I write them down.  Maybe if it's less, I'll get them all done.  I just watched a documentary called, "Stress to Happiness,"  and one of the sayings that stuck was "where attention goes, energy flows."  Here's to trying that out next year!

With the tables cleared maybe I'll finally be able to make some of these cards and use the red foil tiny tags!  Imagine this Christmas themed for next year's Christmas cards!  Tiny cute red foil price tags for all your little projects that need a little label or pop of color, available here.   Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

 One is focus on myself.  The year of the Tiger is going to be my "me" year.  I call it, "Recovery is the gift you give yourself."  It includes an exercise plan and better eating for energy.  Basically just taking better care of myself turned into a routine that I can live with.

Second one is to finally clean up and organize THAT second room by Lunar New Year!  which is earlier this year and lands on Feb 1.  I hope I have the energy spurts of a tiger! to get it done.  This time I will make a schedule with goals and I definitely have to quit cold turkey on buying stuff because that's why I can't keep my table cleared!

Third, buy a house in 1-2 years, even if it's a tiny home or caravan pod.  I have a couple of things started, like improving my credit score and packing.  Packing seems pre mature, but at least it makes me feel like I'm headed to reaching my dream.

 

Also good for naming your favorite little creations!  Tiny cute red foil price tags for all your little projects that need a little label or pop of color, available here.   Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

 

What are your New Year's Resolutions?  I usually start thinking about mine after Christmas and don't get them written down and started until March, but this year, they just came to me on Dec. 17, 2021, so I'm starting early!

Thank you Etsy buyers for sending your stories behind the the purchase and with an update photo!  Wish I could see the Christmas ornaments with these tiny tags on them!  Maybe I should start now before I forget where they came from and the like!

I'm not focusing on Etsy so much these days!   I'm still bitter about the Etsy financial fiasco and there lack of support of them not depositing our hard earned cash and triple digit over charges on shipping fees.  Turns out, with no support from Etsy, our deposit miraculously showed up after several email for support and guidance (not sure if that helped since I never got a response except an automated one about banking procedures) and we got a better response from USPS and got our overcharges on shipping fees returned.

As for Etsy, they didn't return our calls, even though we signed up for one.  Never got to talk to a "real" person or get an email from one, which is too much like my other ex job of teaching!  I'm still on my Etsy countdown for leaving, which is at 14 months now.  Still not sure what that will look like, but I'm trusting "Life" to show me better ways and days!

Imagine tiny gift wrapping like these with a pop of red from the red foiled tags!  I've seen these tags in silver and gold, but red seems very difficult to find!  Tiny cute red foil price tags for all your little projects that need a little label or pop of color, available here.   Photo via google.

I'm also disappointed in Etsy's newish monthly star seller badge thing.  Two shops won't get it next month due to one 4 star review, when the rest have been 5 stars and one needs a sale of $11 to make Etsy's financial selling shop criteria.  I guess it's a good thing for new shop owners, but for seasoned shop owners it's just another hoop to jump and a disappointing one at that.  Weird too, Etsy wants you to design a badge that you can add to your shop?  Not sure how that works, since it's monthly and the criteria can change whenever they feel like it.  

I was making my own Etsy goals, like listing until each shop had 180 items but Etsy buyers made that goal very difficult to keep up.  I think go on a semi Etsy vacation, except for packaging orders regularly, relisting and new listing when inspiration hits, until the shops get down to 3 pages each.  I'll work on my New Year's Resolutions instead!

After I get my two tables cleared, I'm definitely doing more art for myself instead of for selling.  It's much more freeing, relaxing and fun.  Then it's on to freeing up my sewing machine!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard: HoarderRehab with 174 items, The Destiny of Things- 176 items, VintageToGoEasy - 165 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 172 items.   And now, Mending Ways with 81 items!  My current Etsy goals feel like they are tangled up in a big conflict.  I'll either let them be or untangle my heart about it.  I am, however, immensely grateful to all who are supporting my alternative to hoarding!

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  All pleasant lookieloos are appreciated!

 

Thank you readers for your visits and support from my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!

 

"No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again."--- Buddha and "There is a new beginning in every second."--- Unknown

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2022!  I think everyone is looking forward to leaving this year behind!

PHOTO UPDATE: I Heart Boobies Modern Needlepoint Embroidery Stitch with Antique Embroidery Floss: The Destiny of Things, Story 599 & 600

PHOTO UPDATE: I Heart Boobies Modern Needlepoint Embroidery Stitch with Antique Embroidery Floss:  The Destiny of Things, Story 599 & 600

This story is from last year Nov, 18, 2020, I really need more time in a day!  Anyways, I chose this story today because so many things in life are still shifting, like awareness in climate and cultures to name a few, even my ideas about Thanksgiving!

Anything is possible in these modern ever changing covid times!  BEFORE: 

I think she ordered embroidery floss #2.  I am so out of it right now, I can barely function, but I am getting something done, instead of being a couch potato!  4 more 1920 J&P Coats strands, available in antique pink here.  Photo via Hoarder Rehab

 

I think all the pink sold out last year, but the link will take you to antique embroidery floss in red, blue and green. 

 

Here is the email I was given:

I got exactly what i paid for and so much more. Thank you for the extra goodies and the precious and well written note. I wish i had the art on hand my kids made with the stickers because i wanted to show you!! But thanks again, keep sharing the hoard, and the smiles :)

Such a sweet and thoughtful person!  I wish she had taken a photo of her kids collages too!  but she did send a photo of her pink embroidery using floss from my hoard of stitching threads!  Very nice!

I've never tried this kind of needlepoint stitching because it looks as though it would overload my patience to no end!  but her looks awesome and what a statement!

Photo via Etsy buyer

I must be an old fashioned fogey because back in my childhood days, you could not go around saying that statement, let alone the word, "boobies!"  Times are changing and I'm hoping in a better direction.  Maybe covid has opened the eyes of the world.  We finally had time to rest and think.  Catch up on our inner and outer personal daily lives.  Okay, sorry I'm rambling with fog head or old fogey head.

 

SAYING GOODBYE:   I think I'm pretty much done with hoarding.  Did I just say that?  It's taken decades of hard work crafting a new inner me and a new outer environment, trying to live life differently, with hoarding experiments gone horribly wrong, set backs up the ying yang with an occasional successful win!

Not easy for a memory hoarder to think less of the past and focus more on the wins for an ever changing life trying to always move forward, yet stay in the moment of that win to improve daily.  It took more baby steps and half baby steps of forward movement to counteract the huge mother may I backward steps!  All that daily practice paid off!

They are going to have their 101 year birthday soon!  Available here.  Perfect introduction for the second story!  Photo via Hoarder Rehab.

Reviews for the second story!  I think she bought out all the rest of the pink ones.

Thank you. I had some trouble ordering what I wanted as it told me it was sold out, but then part of the order went through. Perhaps it was my computer. But, these items were really helpful for my research. 

 

I'm glad I could benefit from your hoard!  Again, glad you saved these old threads. 

 

These are the kind words that keep my Hoarder Rehab going!  I wonder what kind of research she was doing?  I would be very interested!

What I Learned:

1.  That my brain is just as cluttered as my house of hoard today!  Even though I know I am the one in control of my mind, it is still going all over the place!  More practice needed!  And I just want to get this post finished to go and unclutter my home and mind!

 

2.  My goal was to clean up and organize the second room for New Year 2022, but it looks like my goal deadline is going to shift to the Lunar New Year.  My goal is to clear the two huge tables in there and that is never ending and the second is to sort through all my textiles by color, so I can find what I'm looking for more quickly.  I was sorting by type, all kasuri, katazome, stripes, plaid, linen, silks, etc, but it became to much work trying to find things to color match my projects.

3.  I've mind shifted away from Etsy.  They keep piling up more criteria on sellers and it's just no fun anymore.  Plus the criteria they put on Etsy sellers, they can't even do themselves!  More on that below.

4.  Looks like I've already started my New Year's Resolutions for 2022!  Clean and organized home!  More focus on the inner me!  Less Etsy.  Which will free up more time!  For what?  Keeping all options open!

5.  I am thankful we don't rely on income from Etsy to live because it's just not worth it anymore.  Not sure what "less Etsy" is going to look like, but I'm sure another door will open soon.  I am thankful for everything Etsy has taught me and whatever else I'll learn.  My countdown is 15 more months of Etsy!  I started that two years ago, thinking it will take me that long to let go of the rest of my hoard if I stop retail therapy!  but then again, I thought it was only going to take a couple of years to let go of all my hoard and it's taken more than 10 to get this far!

Here is how I've been using my threads lately!  Available here.  Photo via Mending Ways.

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?  I've been questioning and exploring what Thanksgiving Day really means, historically and personally.  We all know who's point of view is from the First Thanksgiving and when it really started, etc has always had it's own controversy, even more so in these days and times. So for now I guess it's Abraham Lincoln's reinstatement of Thanksgiving will do for this year, but who knows for the next one?

 

Thank you Etsy buyers for sending your stories behind the the purchase and with an update photo!  Update photos are my favorite and it's always nice to hear that my hoard is appreciated with a new 'forever" home and life! 

Sales are what they are and I'm not going to focus on Etsy so much or at least I'm going to do my best to stick to those words!   We had some issues with Etsy, not depositing our share and taking more fees than necessary!  And get this!!!!  There is very little Etsy support when it comes to your own hard earned money and fee errors!  Try finding any! 

We found a page where you can add your phone number and they will call you.  It's been days and they haven't called back yet.  The two phone numbers I had from when I started Etsy work, but left the Mr. on hold for over 30 minutes.  You can't leave a message or call back number.  The Etsy chat support, I saw years ago, has been long gone!  We found an email contact button.  They sent our CVS files and an automated email and that was it! It took daily hours to sift through the files and figure it all out, by then the deposits were made and the fee overcharges are still being taken care of.  Probably won't ever see that money lost.  I'd guess we were overcharge in fees, so that are profits were a little more than half.

Basically the straw that broke the Etsy camel back, besides the fee overages and not being able to contact a "real" person in any way of form for Etsy support is enough to help me shift away from Etsy! To expect your star sellers to keep that rating you have to answer emails in less than 24 hours and Etsy not being able to do it themselves for any type of Etsy support was enough to blow me away to do something else!

I won't leave Etsy completely and I'm not sure what it's going to look like.  Probably keep two or so shops open for my handmade or all the shops with less stuff on them.  It's really helped me as a recovering hoarder because I've totally stopped buying excessively and obsessively.  Instead I've been cleaning and organizing my hoard, finding more stuff to list and now I'm exploring how my hard work and what I love can work for me without all the crazy Etsy criteria!  Will it ever end?  I hope it will in 15 more months!

My most meaningful happy favorite stitching piece sold.  During Mother's day, these were so fun to make I made three more!  I haven't stitched a thing for my Etsy shops, since the Etsy financial debacle and the disappointment and madness in getting any help.  So just like my career job before Etsy, I've learned it's best to find something else to do when it loses it's fun because the rules don't make any sense anymore and the institution you work for loses all integrity for greed.  Photo via Mending Ways.

I stopped working with Etsy's criteria of a star seller and their other, not sure what to call them and do my best making my own goals.  My goal is to keep 180 items at each shop and I've been close to making that goal each week.  Thank you Etsy buyers for making that goal more difficult!

I'm still in limbo about which shops to shut down or do less with to have more time to explore a new adventure.  Maybe I'll keep the shops at 180 items or maybe let them sell down to 3 pages instead of 5 each.  I'm definitely doing more art for myself instead of for selling.  It's much more freeing, relaxing and fun.

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard: HoarderRehab with 180 items, The Destiny of Things- 180 items, VintageToGoEasy - 167 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 179 items.   And now, Mending Ways with 81 items!  My current goal is in limbo, as I re think how Etsy treats it's sellers and what my next options will be.  I am immensely grateful, thank you all who are supporting my alternative to hoarding!

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  All pleasant lookieloos are appreciated!

 

Thank you readers for your visits and support from my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  I will give thanks, feast on all my favorites, allow myself to sit in a food coma while thinking how Thanksgiving might change again for next year and go back on my diet until Christmas!

Tooth Fairy Halloween Costume Accessory: The Destiny of Things, Story #598

 Tooth Fairy Halloween Costume Accessory:  The Destiny of Things, Story #598

 I wish I had an updated photo for this one!

First loose tooth locket saver necklace in pink, red or green, available here.

Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Here is the email I received:

My granddaughter wants to be a "Tooth Fairy" for Halloween. Besides the crown, wings, wand, I thought it would be cute to wear a necklace with some teeth. I am a little confused: do I order the string and then a certain number of teeth? Any help is appreciated!! Thanks so much, Kennedy!

www.etsy.com/listing/190355707/5-tooth-fairy-locket-pendant-necklace

She wanted all pink ones! 

First loose tooth locket saver necklace in pink, red or green, available here.

Photo via VintageToGoEasy

This is what I wrote back:

Hi there! Each tooth locket comes with a plastic necklace, just order the amount and color you want and your granddaughter's "Tooth Fairy" Halloween costume will be complete. Sounds so cute! Let me know if I can help you with anything else, Kennedy

Random color necklace mix is available here, usually 2 red, 2 green and 1 pink or 3 reds and 2 greens.

Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Saying Goodbye:  These were some teacher destach that have turned into one of the items that Etsy seller's keep ordering!  So I call them, "re hoard" and I can keep buying them, since they keep selling out!

What I Learned:

1.  Kids love these!  or at least my third grade students did back in the day!  I had an entire stash of these when I was a teacher and handed them out like candy (plus they are better than handing out candy!) especially during tooth falling out season, which is practically weekly teaching.  Other students from other classes would even come to me at recess wanting one!  Everyone whose tooth fell out got one!

2.  Actually in my class you got to choose, and what a difficult choice to make!  So much for me, that's why I had these toothy tooth lockets and the mini tooth saver treasure chests.  The mini tooth saver treasure chests don't come with a plastic necklace, but you can add them to the tooth locket necklace like most of my students did.

These are on sale right now, probably until the end of the year of 2021.  They arrive in six different colors, available here.  Photo via VintageToGoEasy

3.  My teaching days may be over, but I'm still selling a lot of my teacher destash and teacher re hoard!  I don't miss teaching one bit!  Kudos to all the teacher out there today!  I can't imagine how you all do it now with all the covid and curriculum changes that must be in place now.  I hope one day teaching gets to be easier for you all!  It's the one main reason I retired, the teaching life always got more complicated with more time consuming mandates and more admin demands, meaning more paperwork and less student orientated priorites that just didn't make sense to me!  Either join 'em or leave 'em.  So I left!

4.  Oops, never get me started on the crazy demands of teachers!  I am thankful for all the teachers out there and it's never ending job!

     These used to be simple tie one necklaces, but now they come with a plastic closure. 

First loose tooth locket saver necklace.  Choose an amount of 1, 5 or 10 and color in pink, red or green, available here.

Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Thank you Etsy buyer for sending your inquiring inspiring note and cute idea!  I would have loved to see how your granddaughters Halloween tooth fairy costume turned out!  I bet it turned out really cute!  How fun!  Many thanks!

Sales have been up again!  I've been grossly distracted by Etsy's new "star seller" status policies and wonder what kind of statistics they are using because what is happening doesn't make sense to me.  One of my shops had a 95% feedback rating according to the star seller criteria, but my shop star rating is at 4.9 out of 5.0 when you see it on a listing.  

The other day an Etsy buyer left a 4 star rating and then I got 2 other 5 star ratings and my feedback rating according to the star seller criteria my feedback rating went down to 94%, so that shop most likely won't make the star seller criteria for Nov.  Very strange statistics that aren't matching up!

I could say the same about the star seller email statistics too!  At that shop, the star seller email response is at 94% and if click on why, it says it's because out of 18 emails received, I didn't answer 1 email in 24 hours!  Does that make any sense?  Stuff like that riles me!  and it's why I left teaching and it's probably going to be why I leave Etsy!  My countdown is still counting down and I have 16 more Etsy months to go!

I won't leave Etsy completely, but I'm not sure what it's going to look like.  Probably keep two or so open for my handmade.  It's really helped me as a recovering hoarder because I've totally stopped buying items, even the ones I know will re sell at a high profit margin.  Instead I've been cleaning and organizing my hoard and finding more stuff to list anyway!  Will it ever end?  I hope it will in 16 more months!

Are you ready for a new adventure?   I am!  I am thankful for everything that Etsy and the online retail world has taught me and it's time to move on and learn something new!  Perhaps archery, fencing, ribbon flower making, an edible flower garden, so much to choose!

Even Sugar Gliders love to forage and find treats in these mini tooth saver lockets, treasure chests or tooth lockets?  Decisions, decisions!   These are on sale right now, probably until the end of the year of 2021.  They arrive in six different colors, available here.  Photo via VintageToGoEasy

I do my best to new list weekly at all the shops.  My goal is to keep 180 items at each shop and I've been close to making that goal, but things keep selling!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard: HoarderRehab with 172 items, The Destiny of Things- 179 items, VintageToGoEasy - 164 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 171 items.   And now, Mending Ways with 77 items!  My current goal is to list 180 items on each shop and to keep a full 3 pages on Mending Ways.  I am immensely grateful, thank you all who are supporting my alternative to hoarding!

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  All pleasant lookieloos are appreciated!

 

Thank you readers for your visits and support from my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!

Eat, drink and be scary!  Happy Halloween!  Boo!

PHOTO UPDATE: Small Black Shank Buttons for Summer Yellow Vintage 40s Dress for a More Sustainable Lifestyle: The Destiny of Things, Story 597

PHOTO UPDATE: Small Black Shank Buttons for Summer Yellow Vintage 40s Dress for a More Sustainable Lifestyle:  The Destiny of Things, Story 597

 Creativeness overload from Etsy buyers!  BEFORE:

10+ small vintage black facet shank acrylic domed buttons, available here.

Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Here is the note and photo I received:

Perfect buttons to add this button less 1940s rayon dress! thank you! 

How she could eyeball these buttons to look so natural and proper on this button less dress amazes me! I am not a yellow dress or rayon person, but dare I say, WANT, WANT!

An amazing AFTER:  What a wonderful way to promote a more sustainable lifestyle!

Would you wear this dress too?  It's so cute!  I'd wear it with black boots!

It was listed at her shop, but I don't see it anymore!  Sold out?  Bummer!

Check out her catchy named shop,  vintage109online, here.  Every piece of clothing is so dang cute, it would be difficult to make a purchase of just one item!  How does she do it?

Photo via Etsy shop owner, vintage109online

 

I love that her shop supports a more sustainable lifestyle by bringing these vintage outfits back to life by cleaning and restoring them!  And if you support her shop, it goes to a great cause because she's renovating an old brick and mortar building in Madison, Wisconsin, which will eventually be a vintage store. This has been a dream of hers for a long time and she says it will be wonderful when/if it actually becomes a reality. 

 

I would love to see her shop and just wonder how she is restoring both!  I mean, restoring all those beautiful outfits and restoring a brick and mortar shop?  How does she do that?  I need some of her non stop energy!

 

Saying Goodbye:  My mom has been giving me buttons for years now!  I have boxes full of them!  I have so much sewing quilting hoard from her, it's going to take me years to list!  Did I just say that?  I only want to to do Etsy for 17 more months!  I'm going to have to list like crazy!

Here are some more buttons from my quilter mom!  I am so thankful they are selling!  She's given me enough buttons and neckties to open another shop!  Hoarder Rehab's button shop and Hoarder Rehab's necktie shop?  Don't get me started!  50 shank hunter green or dark purple acrylic plastic toggle one hole button sewing craft buttons, available here.  Photo via VintageToGoEasy.

What I Learned:

1.  I've stopped taking stuff from my Mom and family due to having just too much to list now and very little time because I'd rather be stitching!  First I have to organize all my crafting and fabric hoard of hoards!  And stop buying more!  I have been much better at not buying, but sometimes I see things I just can not pass up!  Like this beautiful fabric from kimonomomo!

 

I wish I knew why this piece of cloth speaks to me joyfully or should I say sings to me joyfully!  Either way I had to have it in this blue.  It only sells in half yard but my arm got twisted and I bought a full yard!  I'm thinking of making a halter top, a simple draw string one with this at the border and then make textile art patches and collages with the scraps!  I bought the last of the blue, but it's comes in cream and black, here.  Photo via kimonomomo, thank you!

2.  And I just didn't stop at the one above, I kept on going and bought a lot of skinny and fat quarters from this shop for my textile art.  Every time I go to her shop I find something new and some of my other favorites have already sold out!  Danger, danger for this recovering hoarder.

3.  I'm doing my best to life a more sustainable lifestyle too, but I fell of the wagon big time at kimonomomo.  At least I have some projects in mind for them, instead of just buying them because they are singing joyously to me!  

 

Most of everything I own is second hand or recycled from thrift stores or given to me.  We don't even buy our clothes or computers new, nor any of our cars.  I'm trying to think of the last thing I bought new and I guess it's fabrics from kimonomomo.  The last other thing I bought new were some non gmo and organic heirloom seeds for this year's spring garden, but next year I won't have to buy any because I'll just collect the seeds from this year.

How do you live a more sustainable lifestyle?  I am quickly losing the battle of the bulge and on the verge of having to buy clothes in a size medium, instead of extra small.  If I do, I'll buy recycled clothes, luckily I mainly wear jeans, shorts and t shirts, but wearing tight clothes has reminded me to walk more and eat less!

Here is one of the many skinny quarters I ordered from kimonomomo.  See that little piece of dark red in the middle, it has a single loud joyous voice of it's own and the rest are a beautifully conducted chorus!  Available from kimonomomo.  Photo from kimonomomo.

Here is the project I'm going to include them in!  I make these little tiny boro scrap books.  The pages are hand torn from a Japanese children's book and then I sew the spine together.  I gather some of my favorite boro scraps and assemble them in a collage on each page, so someone else can use them to make their own boro sew on patches!

These take a long time to make and are a labor of love.  I have two listed at Mending Ways here and am making more with less pages and will be listing those on Hoarder Rehab were they have sold out.  Photo via Mending Ways.

Thank you Etsy buyer for sending your inspiring note and especially for your photo update!  It's just amazing what 8 little black buttons will do for repurposing a vintage dress!  It's notes and photos like yours that make my day and keep me de hoaring!  I hope you continue with much success and I'd love to see your brick and mortar shop renovation too!  I bet it's going to be awesome! I am so thankful you and I can help others live a more sustainable lifestyle, while living it ourselves. BIG heartfelt thanks!

Here is a sample page of the boro scrap fabrics on every page of the book.  There is a video too, I just can't remember which book I videoed.  Available here.  Photo via Mending Ways.

Sales have been up and down with mainly crazy busy on the weekends and slow on the week days.  Etsy's Labor Day Sale wasn't as good as last year, I'm not sure what happened, but I do know that the discount wasn't showing on all the items or on all the shops, it was haphazard and random.  We tried re newing the sale several times with the same poor results, so we finally just left it.  We usually run a sale for a month, but since this one was messed up we ended it when Etsy did.

Etsy has also started a "Star Seller" badge or I don't know what to call it on shops that fit their criteria as successful.  Out of our 5 shops, two have the star seller badge and it's not the shops I thought would have them!  One shop, Mending Ways has 100% in their 3 main criteria, but needs 10 sales and a top dollar amount to sell monthly.  Mending Ways is one sale and 40 bucks to making "star seller" in October.  Another shop supposedly needs better star reviews, it shows up as having 5.0 star reviews, but according to Etsy's star seller criteria it's only at 83% star review so I'm not sure how they are calculating that.  

The last shop needs better star reviews too and faster email answering.  I stopped answering promo emails because I was getting too many and they would keep writing me back, but I guess that was an Etsy star seller no-no.  Now I'm not getting any emails, so I'm not sure how to raise that one.  That shop only has a 4.9 star review and it's because someone left us a one star review because they only looked at the photos and did not inquire about certain color pompoms before they ordered, instead of after they got delivered.  I just keep telling myself I don't have control over Etsy buyers who only look at the first few photos and do not read the listings and then leave one star reviews.  Rant done!

Here are some patches I made from the leftover scraps from the last batch of mini boro books I made.  These patches are available here, the mini scrap books are here.  Photo via Mending Ways.

My simple plan to have the 2nd room organized by next year is still on schedule!  Daily, I was setting a timer for 20 min to organize in that room, now it's up to 30 min!  I'm still clearing the two tables I dump on, but I can tell I'm making progress and feel so much better knowing it will be organized little by little.

I've started walking again daily too.  I started out with 10 min walks and I'm up to 30 minutes now.  I still get out of breath easily, but that will change for the better too and I feel like my clothes might be fitting a smidget better, so I won't have to buy size medium clothes!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard: HoarderRehab with 163 items, The Destiny of Things- 165 items, VintageToGoEasy - 163 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 173 items.   And now, Mending Ways with 82 items!  My new goal is to list 170 items on each shop and to keep a full 3 pages on Mending Ways.  I am immensely grateful, thank you all who are supporting my alternative to hoarding!

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  All pleasant lookieloos are appreciated!

 

Thank you readers for your visits and support from my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!

Mend & Patch Your Denim Jeans for a More Sustainable Lifestyle: The Destiny of Things Story #596

Mend & Patch Your Denim Jeans for a More Sustainable Lifestyle:  Mending Ways, Story #19

Don't throw away those old jeans because they ripped or you are tired of them!  Upcycle!

An Etsy buyer ordered patches #2 and #4 earlier this month and then I received an email about them!  There are two patches left in stock in this set, patches #1 and #3, available here.

Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Instead upcycle your jeans and other clothes as they need mending or change the way they look by adding patches and stitching for a more sustainable lifestyle!  Here are some ideas!

Here is the kind email:

Hi Kennedy,
The boro patches are beautiful. I have a pair of jeans in mind to sew them on. You are so generous. I can't believe you sent me a 3rd patch and all those other little goodies.
Your work is really detailed and beautiful. I need to read your note more carefully and will respond to your request for input for your blog. Thanks so much again!  Best, Etsy buyer

I'd love to know if she is repairing her jeans or adding this patch as an embellishment to upcycle them!  Patches left in stock in this set, patches #1 and #3, available here.  

Photo via Hoarder Rehab

It's always so nice to get an email of appreciation from a kindred spirit!  Here is what I wrote back:

Hi! Thank you for your inspiring email and compliments! I appreciate every word. I am so happy you can use all 3 patches. I'd love to see how you use the patches on your jeans! Kindest regards, Kennedy

Of course, I'd want to be the fly on the wall and see what she did with this patch too!  Two patches left in stock in this set, patches #1 and #3, available here.  Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Saying Goodbye:  I don't mind letting these go because I know I can make another like it, if I wanted one for my own projects!  As a matter of fact, stitching is my alternative to hoarding!  Hoarding takes up a lot of time and once I slowed down and/or stopped buying so much, I have/had a lot of extra time on my hands.  Who knew?  

What I learned:   

1.  Who knew hoarding is also a time hoarder!  All that window shopping, price and quality comparing and zooming on photos and reading descriptions, etc was so time consuming!  Not only did I let go of all that but I gained blocks of time.  At first I didn't know what to do with myself, I watched a lot of shows, read a lot of books and started a backyard farm!

2.  Hoarding was also my stress valve reliever through retail therapy.  Any time I felt a bit stressed, I bought something, a little pick my up.  Until all those pick me ups turned into piles.  Now I know it's time to re think what I'm doing when when the little pick me ups go into a pile unopened!  If I don't put it away, it's my own inner alert letting me know.... sometimes I don't always know, but it's the alert to start digging.

On the other hand, my alternative to stop hoarding and buying little pick me ups went to comfort foods!  Instead of stuffing my house, I started to stuff my face, which isn't always kind to my ever growing love handles!  Anything fried, salty, creamy and crunchy will do!  I'm not talking healthy stuff... more like junkie junk foods!  Why doesn't hummus and carrot sticks take away stress like french fries and thousand island dip?

Okay, so I still have a ways to go to finding alternatives to hoarding, but so far, stitching, gardening and reading has worked, but I still need more alternatives because I'm ADD like that!  Hoarding and eating comfort foods are so instant.... Anyone know other healthy alternatives out there that are instant?

I think these would be good for hiding stains on clothing.  These take a long time to make due to the tiny stitches to make all the curves.  They were a request from an Etsy buyer and I ended up making around 20 of them to try and make the one she wanted that was on a t shirt I had sold.  My needles seem to have a mind of their own.  Frayed and tattered, available here.   

Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Thank you Etsy buyer for sending your inspiring email  It's emails like yours that make my day and keep me stitching!  Wish I could see your up cycled patched up jeans!  I am so thankful I can help others live a more sustainable lifestyle.  Hope my patches helps save time, so you can spend your time making your clothes more aesthetic and last longer!

 

This patch I added to upcycle a t shirt sold long time ago and an Etsy buyer requested a custom order of this patch and it took me 20 patches to get one too look like this one! 
Frayed and tattered patches like the one above, available here.   

Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Sales have been up and down with mainly crazy busy on the weekends, but today we've had two sales, so here I am! I have been under the weather lately, actually for about a month.  I'm hoping I'll feel better soon and start new listing, stitching and organizing again.  I've been misplacing stuff and spending hours looking for them.  Yesterday it was a religious medal and some Spider Man toilet paper that sold and I could not find them.

The religious medal I hunted down, but it took me two days!  The Spider Man toilet paper was lost for a couple hours.  A great reminder for me to put things back where they are destined and can be found again and to organize and clean daily!

My simple plan is to have the 2nd room organized by next year!  Right now I'm just taking baby steps and working on the room for at least 20 min a day, yes I set a timer and usually go over 20 min, and to specifically organize and clear the two tables in there!  Sounds so easy!  Not so!  Those two table are my dumping grounds for everything else found around the house!  So keeping them clear is like hoping to see the bottom of the kitchen sink!  Wish me luck!

This was one of my favorite teaching and then gardening t shirts and I upcycled it with the abundance of patches I made to complete the custom order request.  It has six scribble doodle patches on it.  Five are on the front and one is on the back.  Available here.  Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard: HoarderRehab with 162 items, The Destiny of Things- 162 items, VintageToGoEasy - 153 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 170 items.   And now, Mending Ways with 80 items!  My new goal is to list 170 items on each shop and to keep a full 3 pages on Mending Ways.  I am immensely grateful, thank you all who are supporting my alternative to hoarding!

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  All pleasant lookieloos are appreciated!

 

 One of my favorite pair of jeans that I no longer wore because I only wear flat shoes now and I wore these with wedges when I was teaching.  They are now experiencing a more sustainable lifestyle with an Etsy buyer!  I am inspired by the embroidered flowers and did my own thing on another pair of jeans, they will be washed this weekend and hopefully listed next week!  So fun!

Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore, but will most likely be listed on Mending Ways.

"Although the word is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it." ---Helen Keller

Thank you readers for your visits and support from my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!