Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Snail Mail Story Anthurium Laceleaf Sweater Guard into Clip on Earrings: The Destiny of Things, Story 543

Snail Mail Anthurium Laceleaf Sweater Guard to Clip on Earrings The Destiny of Things Story 543

I love snail mail stories!  Thank you Etsy buyer!  BEFORE:

This Anthurium faux pearl sweater guard has sold out, but my childhood faux mother of pearl hearts  shot with Cupid's arrows is available here.

It even came with a handmade card that she made herself!  I just love it!  It even has machine stitching on it and handwritten ephemera! 

 As you can see, I wasn't very patient getting into my snail mail!

What a great way to use left over Christmas cards and ribbon scraps!  I hope I remember to do this for Christmas and New Year cards this 2019!

Unfortunately she used some kind of ink that smudged easily when handled, so in case, you can't read it, here is what she wrote:

Thanks for the sweater clip turned into clip earrings.  My sister has a fat cat named Besame so I had to get that as well.  I loved your additions - but don't even know how to applaud your innovative approach to hoarding!  ~S

How creative, who would have thought to just take off the chain and get instant clip on earrings!

 The clip on area looks a little too jagged for my ears, but I'm glad they worked out for her!  My childhood faux mother of pearl hearts  shot with Cupid's arrows is available here.

Saying Goodbye:  I had these because I was going to use them to hang my mixed media art, but rarely used them in that manner!  So after decades of storing them, I finally let them go!  And I'm so thankful I did because I met someone kind enough to snail mail me about them!

Here is what she ordered for her and her sister's, fat cat named Besame.  How cute!  I just love thoughtful little gifts like that!  More sheet music and books, available here.

 What I Learned:

1.  There are a lot of kind Etsy buyers out there! who will make a handmade card and drop me a line or two!  It makes letting go of my hoard so much more fun and keeps me going!

2.  And she even noticed that the little additions I added to her package where part of my hoard, which I call "happy mail or thank you" packaging.  Or maybe she was talking about how I'm de hoarding through my Etsy shops or maybe she meant both!  

3.  I don't know if "overthinking" goes hand in hand with hoarding, I suspect it does and lately, I've been noticing it more and more in my life and I'm doing my best to stop that!  I guess it means I'm more aware of observing my thoughts lately and I gently remind myself that overthinking can defeat my purpose and it limits my joy out of the moment.  And then I have to remind myself that it's okay to overthink in some instances, lol!

4.  Speaking of hoard, my stories are piling up into a huge mound of hoard, perhaps a mountain!  I have so many drafts with photos ready to be written, so I hope I can get to them.  I also have a double sided lined piece of paper full of stories scheduled.

5.  And it's getting so hot here that my computer seems to burn me when I touch it!  Okay, it's more like it's too hot to touch or set on my lap!  And it's already over 100 degrees in the morning in Los Angeles the past couple of days.

 My childhood sweater guard, which my Grandmother gave me so I could look just like her!  She loved to shop at Bullocks and most likely got them for me there, available here.

Thank you Etsy buyer for sharing your inspirational story through a handmade snail mail card!  I really appreciate it.  It keeps me inspired and motivated to continue on my Hoarder Rehab journey!  Thank you for being so creative and simple and letting me know how you turned the Laceleaf sweater guard into lovely clip on earrings!

My childhood collar pin or sweater guard can't be transformed into clip on earrings because they use pins to stay on!

Collar chain jewelry or accessory is what these are termed now, available here

My new Etsy shop goal is to list items until each shop reaches 200 items total, but I need baby steps, so this month  I'm aiming for 185 tp 190 listed items.  So far, so good!  I have so many backed up listing photos to list too!

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed weekly: HoarderRehab with 184 items, The Destiny of Things- 182 items, VintageToGoEasy - 183 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 184 items.   
 

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  Thanks for looking!

 
Here is an example of how I was going to use it to hang my textile art.  The reserve spplique heart with light rays, I made in th 90s and is part of my series of quilt blocks, called the Inner City Alphabet.  That one is L is for love, available here.  Photo via Hoarder Rehab

Related Stories: 

1.   Surprise Snail Mail Chiapas Dress:  The Destiny of Things, Story 536, here. 

2,   Office Stamper by Night and Craft Stamp by Day:  The Destiny of Things, Story 199, here. 

3.  A story from snail mail about 100 teacher destash stickers!  Story #111

4.  My first snail mail story:  World Globe Key Chains 

Thank you for visiting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!  Happy Wednesday!
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Friday, June 14, 2019

NRA Gun Shooting Target DIY Fathers Day Card: The Destiny of Things, Story 544

NRA Gun Shooting Target DIY Fathers Day Card:  The Destiny of Things, Story 544

Another creative fun Etsy shop owner and son!  BEFORE:

New Old Stock Vintage Official NRA Ranger or Winchester bulls eye Gun Shooting Range Small Paper Targets man cave wall decoration, available here.
Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Here is the note I received:

Thanks for another great purchase !
C is going to make a Father's Day card out of this and the guns~
Great Seller & Shop - Thanks🌼

Lisa is a repeat customer and she is sooooooo creative!  and her son and daughter are too!  AND she has the most beautiful Etsy shop!  It's one of my favorites and I visit everyday for my daily dose of inspiration and eye candy!

AFTER:

New Old Stock Vintage Official NRA Ranger or Winchester bulls eye Gun Shooting Range Small Paper Targets man cave wall decoration, available here.
Photo via VintageToGoEasy

This is the photo Lisa sent me of an example of what her son might do.  I'd love to see his final product and wonder what saying he used for his card.  

"Your aim is true, Sure as Shooting, or I've got you covered."  Lol, that's all I can come up with at the moment.  What about you?

Saying Goodbye:  I just love shooting targets!  I've gone to a shooting range several times and had even saved all my targets and different shell casings, but I have no idea if they are in my hoard or gone.  I suspect they are gone because I think I wouldn't have found by now.

The NRA Ranger target has an application on the front, is blank on the back and is a thin piece of paper.  The Winchester has a target, each is different on the front and back and is of thicker paper.
New Old Stock Vintage Official NRA Ranger or Winchester bulls eye Gun Shooting Range Small Paper Targets man cave wall decoration, available here.
Photo via VintageToGoEasy

What I Learned:

1.  I do love guns and a shooting range, but do not miss them.  Yes, I used to have a collection of guns and rifle, but they are gone now.  I decided it just wasn't me.  There are many reasons I don't have them, but basically I just couldn't be a peaceful person knowing I owned guns.

2.  I do love all kinds of art!  and if they include painting of guns, shooting targets and casings I'm in!  And I love all the kitsch stuff too, like gun lighters and even the toy gun that shoots out a bang flag!  As kids we grew up playing with toy guns, it wasn't an issue back then, like it is now.  Life was so different back then, gun violence was around, but not like today.

3.  What I like about his Father's day card is that his Dad can hang it up in his man cave!  Every once in awhile I gave my Dad some of my art and he had each one in his man cave with my childhood cards and art, which was a huge section of the garage.  It was so huge it took up at least two car spaces, not including the three vehicles they also parked inside it!

New Old Stock Vintage Official NRA Ranger or Winchester bulls eye Gun Shooting Range Small Paper Targets man cave wall decoration, available here.
Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Thank you Lisa and son for taking the time to send me a photo and give me peek at what your son's Father's day card may look like.  It's a MUST to check out Lisa's shop, JunqueINFUSTION for lovely curated photos and inspiration. She has such an eye for detail and has a little bit of everything.  So if you are into journals, sewing, art, music and more, I bet there's something there for you!

I love her shop because everything in it looks so good, I just want it all!  Okay, not all, but enough where I need to pick and choose and mull over til I have my top favorites.  And I can't mull around too long either because her stuff sells quickly.  I have ordered so many things from her already, so I guess I can call her shop my own little private hoard trap!  

I have so many favorites in her shop right now, I can't list them all, so do take a look yourself.  I always have my favorite beverage in hand when I visit her shop because I can lookie loo for quite some time.  Her writing is as beautiful as her curated photos, read her profile here.  

If you need some guns to go with your target for mixed media art, they are available here.

I had reached my goal of listing 185 items at three shops and then I got lucky and several things sold, so only one shop has reached that goal now.  I wonder if listing daily helps sales, it seems too because we had a lot of June sales and it's usually very slow during June.

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed weekly: HoarderRehab with 184 items, The Destiny of Things- 182 items, VintageToGoEasy - 185 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 184 items.

 Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  Thanks for looking!


 Larger, less expensive, vintage, NOS guns for consideration, here.
 Photo via VintageToGoEasy
   
Related Stories:

1.  Bullet Art on NRA Rifle Targets: The Destiny of Things, Story 525:  see an Etsy buyers bullet art and my green dart target board hung up with my art!


"Talent hits the target no one else can hit.  Genius hits the target that no one else can see."  Arthur Schopenhauer

Thank you for your visit!  Happy Father's Day!

 
Arthur Schopenhauer
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/arthur_schopenhauer_401193
Arthur Schopenhauer
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/arthur_schopenhauer_401193
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Friday, June 7, 2019

Stitching Repair Hot Pads: Mending Ways Story 7

Stitching Repair Hot Pads:  Mending Ways Story 7

Mending is my alternative to hoarding!  Can you believe that?  Not in my wildest dreams!


I think I've had these for over 5 years and I use them day and night to keep my feet warm!  In the day, when I'm stitching!  Even in warm to hot weather my feet are ice cold!

And especially at night, they help me and my feet to stay warm and it seems to help me fall asleep more quickly.  I keep one hot pad on the bottom and one on top of my feet and tend to rub put my feet in between them.  I think that's why they've worn so thin, so thin I can see the corn through the fabric in some places!


Here is a close up, every time corn starts to spill out,  I just repair it from a ball of tangled thread I have or with thread already in a needle.  I don't know if you can see the new hole in the upper right hand side of where I was repairing.  That is how thin the cloth is now, just repairing it makes new holes!

You can also see on the longer turquoise one where I've repaired the end just literally disintegrated from the heaviness of the corn inside it.


When I remember I try and embroider in the date of repair.  I added one of my first tiny mandala patches on the one above and it's dated Jan. 2019 and in April that spot needed to be repaired again.  And again in May to June!  More photo updates coming!


Here is a close up of my wacky repair stitching.  I've tried all kinds of stitching measures!  What an experiment!  I was going to add a patch on top of it all, but I really like the look of the random stitching with random color threads and embroidery floss.

If you'd like a tiny mandala patch to experiment yourself, they come with a layered stack of linen to patch up and mend something of your own!


Well, most of the squares are linen, except for the purple chrysanthemum backing, it's cotton boro from bedding.  You can see them more of them close up if you use the link, available here.  Photo via Hoarder Rehab.


Before I started stitching that day, we took a trip to our local Japanese market, Nijiya, in downtown Los Angeles in J town or Japanese Town.  It's the only place I have found organic natto.  We got there too early, so we took a scenic stroll.  Here is a photo of one of the murals.  I wrote down who created it, but that piece of paper is long gone, along with my memory!

I thought the sun would make a fun applique to make and see all the blue like cross stitching in the background?  I thought those patterns would make some unique kantha or sashiko like stitching using lazy daisy stitching.  What do you think?


I love these different shaped sculptures with a dove on top.  I thought they would make fun long vertical patches.  I'll have to go back and make a drawing of the doves, they were geometric shaped and would also make some fun appliques.

What has inspired you lately?  I'd love to know and if possible send some pix! hoarderrehab@gmail.com
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Thursday, June 6, 2019

Loteria Game Set for Bi Cultural Family Fun: The Destiny of Things, Story 542

Loteria Game Set for Bi Cultural Family Fun:  The Destiny of Things, Story 542

Learn Spanish while playing loteria, a game of chance!  It's a lot like American Bingo!

An easy way to introduce Spanish learners and have some fun too!
Small portable modern loteria game set, available here.

Here is a better explanation from an Etsy buyer and Etsy shop owner:

Very cool, my grandsons will love this! My daughter-in-law is Mexican and I always like to do whatever I can to encourage the boy's in understanding and getting a handle on their Mexican culture as I think it will benefit them when they get older...being bilingual will be beneficial to them in their life later on. Any little fun way I can help them is also a learning experience for this Irish/German Nanny! This is a perfect way to teach them/me AND have fun while doing it and I LOVE it! You can teach an old dog new tricks...even an old one! Packaged well and shipped quickly! Seller is a delight to communicate with during the purchasing process...thank you again for everything! 

How delightful is that story!  Even Grandma is going to learn Spanish with the rest of the family!  I am inspired by her motivation and enthusiasm to learn something new everyday and have fun while doing it!  Thank you Pamela from PreLovedEcletic!

 Here's what the loteria deck of cards look like and there are 52 of them for crafts and other fiesta party decor, available here.

Saying Goodbye:  This is a game I used in my classroom because my first 5 years of teaching, 90% of my classroom students only spoke Spanish and I only spoke English!  As the years passed, the classroom English to Spanish ratio turned to 50/50 and this game came in handy when teaching empathy and learning a new language!

I used the more traditional set because it has the calling cards in riddles and it's even harder to play, almost impossible if you don't speak Spanish, so my English only speakers would know how difficult it is to learn and new language and how being in an environment where English was only spoken by the teacher would not be an easy task.  Plus both the English and Spanish learners would have to wait for instruction and teaching while my aide translated my lessons out loud!

You can see in the lower left hand corner the calling card riddle.  To make the game easier I would read the riddle and then answer to the riddle.  To make it even easier and so everyone could play, I'd call out the corresponding number and then show the card to my class.  Traditional loteria game set available here.  Photo via The Destiny of Things

What I Learned:

1.  To learn something new everyday and make it fun!  Which I usually do and I also try and do something I usually do everyday differently, so life doesn't become a habit, but something fresh and new, even if it's a chore!
2.  I haven't been around in Blog land lately because my insomnia has returned and it seems to take me twice as long to get anything done, so usually it's blog posting.  The stories are piling up too in a grand way, so I'm cutting down my writing time to see if I can post more in less time.

3.  After you play the game, one could then turn to crafting fun!  Many Etsy buyers use these for DIY wedding and birthday decorations for Day of the Dead themed celebrations, taco and fiesta ones too!  I've seen these made into cake toppers, garlands, wedding seat charts, floral arrangement tags, table numbers, invitations and more!

Here is an example, one Etsy buyer bought 10-20 traditional loteria game sets to make these for her wedding!  Traditional loteria game set available here.  Photo via The Destiny of Things

Thank you Pamela, Etsy shop owner of PreLovedEcletic for sharing your inspirational story and adding to the list of how to use these in a fun way to learn something new! Read her interesting profile here.  I really like how she was brave enough to move near her children and grandchildren after living in the same place for 60 years!  Visit her beautiful jewelry shop from her collection from traveling here. 

I don't wear jewelry because I'm allergic to it, but I've been eyeing her brooches from some time now!  Visit some of my favorites, like this lovely autumn brooch, here! I just love Scottish thistle and would wear this on a jacket or heavy sweater, here.  And if I were to splurge I'd order these rabbits running under a tree brooch, here.   She has a lot of jewelry I'd wear and buy if I could,  like many earrings with moss, agate and birds!
 Easy to make DIY cake toppers or appetizer sticks from traditional loteria game set available here.  Use the deck of cards to make a matching garland. Photo via The Destiny of Things
I have reached my goal of listing 180 items on each shop and made my new goal to list 200 items on each shop!  But sales picked up last week and a lot of hoard items sold, so I'm back to listing up to 185 items again, which I started this morning. 

I've changed my mind about free shipping and I'm leaving most of my items with FREE SHIPPING because it just makes combined shipping easier with less emails to answer about combined shipping. 
 An Etsy buyer even used these cards to decorate her Mexican themed Christmas tree!  I just love the sombrero as the topping!  If you just want to order the mod loteria deck of cards or gameboards, they are available separately, here.  Some use the loteria deck as tarot cards!
Small portable modern loteria game set, available here.

I started cross marketing again, which is basically favoriting, liking and/or hearting other shops and their items.  It's a chore, but I've been inspired to do some of the same things I do over and over differently and this is a challenge and more joyful now!  I hope it helps everyone on Etsy to receive many happy sales!

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed weekly: HoarderRehab with 181 items, The Destiny of Things- 181 items, VintageToGoEasy - 183 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 184 items.   
Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  Thanks for looking!
 
 Here is how I use them crafting!  I make Frida Kahlo loteria card art for those having Frida parties or collect Frida art, available here at our other shop,VintageToGoEasy.  An Etsy buyer came and bought all 13 cards I made!  There is a different set at each shop, it's part of my alternative to hoarding!

Thank you for visiting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!
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Friday, May 10, 2019

Gypsy Party Fortune Teller Fish Party Favors: The Destiny of Things, Story 541

Gypsy Party Fortune Teller Fish Party Favors:  The Destiny of Things, Story 541

What fun!  A gypsy party!

Add "gypsy" party to how to use of fortune teller fish for another themed party favor!  Available here from 10 to 100 count.  Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

Here are the two notes I received:

One with the order in note to buyer:

Thanks! These will be GREAT for my upcoming Gypsy Party! Happy Easter! Katherine

And one later in review:

This was a most WONDERFUL purchase from JunkDrawerandMore! The handwritten note that accompanied my order was truly unique and quite entertaining to read. Included were many little stickers and happy graphic arts items. The price was very affordable and the shipping speed was spot on! Thanks so much for this terrific buying experience! Highly recommend this shop!

I had never thought to use these for a gypsy party, but they would fit right in!  Off the top of my head, here are some other themed parties these have been used as party favors for:  fisherman, sushi, carnival, magic, circus, beach, pool, mermaid, pirate, nautical, bass fishing, retirement, weddings and birthdays!  These are very versatile fish!
 

Saying Goodbye:  I first used these as a teaching prop for my students when I was teaching because everyone loves a dancing fish!  It was how I introduced magic themed teaching to my class, which was really chemistry, math and other sciences.  I had a hoard of these leftover after I retired and soon found out they are our one of our best sellers!

Everything is easy and fun about these!  They have the instructions on how to use them, printed right on the fish and your love fortune is determined on how the fish moves in the palm of your hand and that's on the back of the handy dandy envelope it comes inside with such cool old fashioned graphics on the front of it.  Available here from 10 to 100 count.  Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

What I Learned:

1.  To be thankful for my hoard because I have learned that letting go of it has become so much fun!  And believe me, I didn't think that in the beginning, as a matter of fact, each hoarded item that left was painful and some even left me crying!  which was very cathartic!  I've not only purged many hoarded items one by one, but let go of painful memories and emotions that I had forgotten all about and later I could recover and heal from them, since they were brought forward to my attention.

2.  I've let go of thousands of hoarded items and now I can safely say that I've become less fearful to the emotions and memories that come with letting go and sometimes look forward to them because I never what I'm going to learn from each item, until it goes to it's new life and forever home!

3.  These fish aren't hoard anymore, they are what I call re-hoard because I don't feel the need to hoard these anymore and now we just list them as a labor of love.  A reminder to myself that so much of my hoard has been a success to selling on my online shops! 

4.  There are several best sellers items that are re-hoard that we won't be restocking anymore, like cocktail animal and mermaid toppers and Twilight Zone fortune teller cards.  It's time to move on or at least I'd like to move on, but my life partner, he still wants to continue listing my hoard!  Can you believe that?

Available here from 10 to 100 count.  Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore

Thank you Katherine, Etsy shop owner of SMELLABRATION for sharing your fun gypsy story and adding to the list of how to use these through themes! Read her fun and funny profile here, it's interesting to see how her her business started and it's organic!  Visit her beautiful shop of one of a kind handmade organic scent-ual scents, eco friendly packaging that looks adorably wonderful and more, here. 

Visit some of my favorites, like this organic trio of oils, here! It looks like a little sample pack and she and her husband, William, explain how each ingredient will enhance your health.  If I were to splurge, I'd order this kit of 16 different dried flowers in vials, here.  And if I were on a budget I'd order the 10 organic set of dried cooking herbs, here.

Did I mention that everything is from her organic garden?  What a dream come true because I'd like to follow in their footsteps.  Well, not the organic online store part, but the organic growing flowers, veggies and herbs!  Last chance to check out their shop here and smellabrate all the beauty and talent!  They also will make you a custom scent or inhaler for stress relief or any other occasion!

Speaking of herbs and such, my latest favorite tea is a couple teaspoons of ground coriander seeds, ground cardamon, ginger and pepper seeds to taste with a heaping tablespoon of honey!  It sounds a little weird, but tastes great.  It's a spin off of Indian coffee, called Sukku.

These are the Twilight Zone fortune card slips we will no longer be stocking, we only have one complete set and some random mix ones left in stock here. 
Photo via JunkDrawerAndMore


I had reached my goal of listing 180 items on each shop and made my new goal o list 200 items on each shop!  But sales picked up last week and a lot of hoard items sold, so I'm back to listing to 180 again, which I did this morning. 

Visit our spring cleaning sale of 20% off at all our shops at the moment.  There is only 36 hours until the sale ends at VintageToGoEasy.  They are kind of rolling shop sales, which just seemed to happen again, but I'm pretty sure all the sales are until sometime mid May or sooner.

Free shipping doesn't seem to be working for our shops.  I tried several experiments at each shop using mainly free shipping to see what happens and it seems our repeat sales do much better without free shipping.  I was going to change everything back to regular shipping, but this weekend, Etsy is promoting a free shipping deal, so we will try it and see if it helps sales.  NOT!!!!

The Etsy promo sale is for buyers and is random and are catering to shops that aren't using free shipping, which is weird since Etsy is so into "free" shipping.  From my understanding of what I read, if a buyer spends $25 at a shop that doesn't have free shipping and you are a randomly chosen buyer that spend $25 in shipping, Etsy will pay for your shipping, if you are randomly chosen.  Did anyone out there read it differently?

How to include the new Etsy shop fees, plus their commission for shipping now and USPS fees increased in Jan of 2019 too by zones, so 4 oz now costs $4.00 to ship to the east coast including tracking and insurance. Yowza!  And on top of all that sales have been down and cross marketing (faving/liking) has changed also, so I'm not sure if cross marketing is even helpful anymore.

For instance do shop hearts and number of followers, even matter anymore?  I never fully understood how all that worked anyway, but now I'm wondering if hearts on listings and shop hearts and followers even help a shop anymore.  Anyone out there can help in either departments?  I'm still confused about that!  Thank you in advance! 

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed weekly: HoarderRehab with 180 items, The Destiny of Things- 181 items, VintageToGoEasy - 181 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 177 items.   

Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  Thanks for looking!

 Many Etsy buyers have used these for gypsy fortune teller themed parties and weddings,.  We have either a full set of 52, which is one of each kind or random sets in 6 or more.  These are originally from Madame X or Swami napkin disperners that were in road side cafes in the 50s and shown in Twilight Zone's episode Nick of Time with William Shatner, available here.

Thank you for visiting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!  Happy Friday!
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Friday, May 3, 2019

My Childhood Bone Bracelet is a Beautiful Choker Now: The Destiny of Things, Story 540

 My Childhood Bone Bracelet is a Beautiful Choker Now:  The Destiny of Things, Story 540

Look how an Etsy shop owner transformed it!  It's beyond amazing!  FROM THIS:

This one has sold, but I have another almost like it here.  
Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Here is the email I received:

Hello again! I hope this "reincarnation" of your precious and treasured bracelet makes you happy. Cheers, Marika

www.etsy.com/listing/700330421/father-and-son-custom-designer-choker?ref...

TO THIS!

Order it here at Marika'sSugarFree Jewelry on Etsy.

What a transformation, right?   Here is what I wrote back:

OMG What a reincarnation! Unbelievable, I don't even recognize my childhood bracelet! Thank you for remembering to share it's beautiful transformation with me! It makes me so happy! I'll share it on my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things Blog and link it to your shop!

Best to you and many happy sales,
Kennedy

Here's a close up:

Order it here at Marika'sSugarFree Jewelry on Etsy.

I still can't believe that is part of my old childhood bracelet!  What an amazing choker.... I love the abalone cross dangles.  Can you see the details on it?  for example the tiny gold beads that make the jump rings for the cross dangles?  If I could wear jewelry I'd be thinking of ordering this back in all it's glorious reincarnation!!!  I just love choker necklaces!  and used to wear one a lot when I could wear jewelry.

Saying Goodbye:  I am now allergic to most metals in jewelry and have been waiting almost a decade to be able to wear my jewelry again, but now it doesn't really matter because every time I try and wear my favorite pieces of jewelry, they just feel heavy now and I feel better not wearing jewelry.

Here's what it looks like on:

Available here at Marika'sSugarFree Jewelry on Etsy. Marika also took many beautiful photos of all the details of this choker necklace, so be sure and look at all the photos!

What I Learned:

1.   The creativeness of Etsy shop owners and Etsy buyers never cease to amaze me!  And I have so much evidence to prove it, lol.  I have plenty of posted stories on my blog and I have several more to write about in my "draft" pile!  Yes, my hoard of blog stories need to be released, now if I can only find more time to do so!

2.  I've been spending too much of my time spring cleaning, which I guess is good because I've come to another hoarder epiphany.....  I have way too much stuff to either craft with or let go and I'll need to start prioritizing what I can list and what I'll need to donate!  My second experimental purge pile made it from the door to the trunk of my car.  (I still can't use my truck because it is still housing too much of my camping and other hoard!  There's just room to sit in thre!)

My first purge pile turned into all my Etsy shops, so let's see where this second purge pile actually goes!

3.  So I'm thinking about how to spend less time listing because to list 5-6 items a week means taking 8 to 10 photos of each item to list, which takes about 2-3 hours including editing them, then actually listing one item can take me 30 to 60 minutes, especially if I do research on the item with a price comparison and then pricing the item, depending on it's wear or if it's new old stock, etc....  it takes quite some time.....which means to cut costs I'll need to spend less time in all areas, like taking less pictures, not the full 10 Etsy allows, writing less on listing descriptions by depending on photos and then pricing everything dirt cheap!

Cross my fingers and hope I can do this!  because I like to take my time and be ultra thorough!

Have you been spring cleaning and has it made a difference in your life?  It sure has in mine!  However finding a solution to my hoard is still unanswered.  The best thing I can think of right now is to stop adding to it!  and donate what I can let go of without crying!  Okay, not crying, it's more like letting go without doubt!

I mean, can I possibly sell all my hoard in this life time and is that how I want to spend the rest of my living days?

 Here is my second bone stretch bracelet, which I bought when I thought I had lost my first one!  I was already hoarding back in childhood and high school! Available  here.  Photo via VintageToGoEasy

Thank you Etsy shop owner, Marika for sharing your lovely story and making my childhood bracelet into an unrecognizably gorgeous possibility!   Read her interesting profile here, visit here beautiful shop of one of a kind handmade jewelry here.  Visit some of my favorites, besides the obvious one! I love all her jade pieces and one is here.  This necklace would match my jade bracelet, here.  

And for the grand finale, you've got to see her bead art, this one consists of 44,064 Delica seed beads stitched to make a wolf tapestry of her flag ship!  It's absolutely beyond stunning!  HERE!  It took her a year to make it and it would take me 10 years and that's even if I finished it!

I have to say this again, Marika is an amazing artist and many of her pieces are for the bold, but she also has made pieces that are more subtle.  All are lovable and unique!  Check out here shop here and see all the beauty and talent!  She also explains the metaphysical components of all the materials she uses, which is a bonus in my eyes!

   
 Here is the choker I used to wear until I became allergic to metals, available here.
Photo via Hoarder Rehab


I reached my goal of listing 180 items on each shop, so my new goal is to list 200 items on each shop!  Sales are at a trickle for the past few weeks, but still thank my lucky stars that at least some hoard keeps selling!   Sales usually slow down around after Father's day, but this year it seems to have started before Mother's day.

Visit our spring cleaning sale of 20% off at all our shops at the moment.  They are kind of rolling shop sales, which just seemed to happen again, but I'm pretty sure all the sales are until sometime mid May or sooner.

I've been trying to adopt this new way of thinking, "Be willing to forgo all perceptions of gain, desire or profit and thereby be willing to be of selfless service to life in all it's expressions," but it's really difficult for me, but I've been taking baby steps about it and with each relisting I do my best to lower the price. Anyone out there have any suggestions to help me?

Free shipping doesn't seem to be working for our shops.  I tried several experiments at each shop using mainly free shipping to see what happens and it seems our repeat sales do much better without free shipping.  I was going to change everything back to regular shipping, but this weekend, Etsy is promoting a free shipping deal, so we will try it and see if it helps sales.

How to include the new Etsy shop fees, plus their commission for shipping now and USPS fees increased in Jan of 2019 too by zones, so 4 oz now costs $4.00 to ship to the east coast including tracking and insurance. Yowza!  And on top of all that sales have been down and cross marketing (faving/liking) has changed also, so I'm not sure if cross marketing is even helpful anymore.  For instance does shop hearts and number of followers, even matter anymore?  I never fully understood how all that worked anyway, but now I'm wondering if hearts on listings and shop hearts and followers even help a shop anymore.  Anyone out there can help in either departments?  Thank you in advance! 

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed weekly: HoarderRehab with 181 items, The Destiny of Things- 181 items, VintageToGoEasy - 182 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 181 items.   
Maybe you'll find something and give it new life and a new home!  Thanks for looking!
 I just remembered I have another bone bracelet and it's a lot thicker than both of the other ones.  It has an abstract moth or leafy face carved into each bead, available here.

"Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option."---Mark Twain

Thank you for visiting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!  Happy Friday!
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