Surgery and antiques/collectibles sales

Surgery was postponed for a week, finally done and now in the long slow process of recovery. Sales have been in slow mode--SLUMP for this month. I did make it to the antiques mall twice to re-stock but those back to school expenses and high gas prices have hurt. E-Bay was ok for thr items I listed though not much time to be running to the post office. I managed to hit some yard/estate sales on way to hospital before visiting hours started. At least I got some bargains to take up for September.

Found this great illustration at www.oldbookillustrations.com and the use is free!

Antiques Roadshow Grand Rapids Michigan

Saturday, August 9th we hit the road making our way to DeVos Place in Grand Rapids for the Michigan stop on the roadshow for 2008. Great weather, clear roads and an unheard of minimal construction areas with no detours. They must of been expecting tons of traffic--1 traffic cop manning the crosswalk from the parking garage to the site. Special event parking only $7.50

Arrived early enough to walk a few near deserted streets to finally find a subway for lunch. Yes we could have eaten at the cafe in the Amway Grand Hotel, but that would have been too high class. Watch some people fishing in the river peeked across to the Gerald Ford Library/Museum.

Thought there might have been a line waiting outside as ticket info stated not to arrive in line before 2:30 for the 3:00 entry time.

Not much action

As we entered and located the door into the actual exhibit hall they were sending in people with tickets from 12:30 to 3:00

Aha a jump start--or so we thought

This pix was taken from the back of the hall where we were staged in at least 100 foot long lines and after 2 1/2 hours snaked our way up to the final waiting line looking at what others brought.At last into the real appraisal area only to wait in another line by category
and again snake our way up to the appraisers table. Almost there! As we waited we saw mark doing some voice over spiels and he came over to talk with everyone and sign autographs. The prints and posters line was so long that appraisers came along the line to us. Unfortunately no one could quit the day job and go home a millionaire. They were very good with the crowd and are human. One said these prints are so freaking cute!

I'm waiting to see if the WWII submarine flag makes the airing, and a man had 2 spears used in The Wizard of Oz movie and they were prepping the "stage" for that appraisal. No sign of the Keno's maybe they were in Rhode Island--they weren't even listed in the event guide. That was a downer!

Once out of the staging area, one can wait in another line for the feedback booth after signing a release. They even posted a sign board cueing people on what to say, keep it short and if you say the show name remember it is antiques with an s roadshow.

The sponsors had a small area behind the "stage" and a 1968 pristine subaru was quite a draw with an added chance to win a special edition Steiff bear or a Dale Tiffany lamp.

It's a long boring day for the most part and if you can manage your items and a chair, be sure to bring one!

Can't wait for the new season to air. The website has slide shows from each venue so it may be a sneak peek.

Surgery scheduled for this week and fingers crossed. No much business conducted these pass 7 weeks.

Break in posting

Due to a family medical emergency I will be taking a break in blogging, downsizing eBay listings and visits to antique mall.

Serious surgery needs to be scheduled and dealt with.

I hope the tickets for August Antiques Roadshow can be used. If it looks like we can't make I wonder if they can be passed on?

Keep surfing and buying your past.

We all need whatever business we can get. The economy is going bad throughout the USA not just here. Remember Rome was once the great empire and ruins are a big tourist attraction. Let's not get too greedy for our britches!

Think about it

Found this great little tagline on an email
---Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. it had a nice little pix of a tree, which obviously did not copy over

As an antiques business we certainly are msters or reuse and recycling and therefore reducing landfills. We are helping air pollution with less vocs from the older wood and fabrics etc.

We are probably packrats and savers ourselves so we keep more than we trash. I think about these issues when I see the mounds of trash bags etc out for curbside pickup. Of course I'm also scanning for any treasures.

make a million in antiques part 2

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Continuing with ideas from "Cracking the millionaire code" is the idea of enlightened wealth. What a self esteem builder to think of ourselves already millionaires based on enlightened wealth.
Would you sell an eye for a million dollars? a child, your faith in god, your education etc?
Just by living in the United States and having at least a high school education we are so much better off than millions of people in other parts of the world.
Each of us is unique and we each have a wide variety of skill sets, knowledge, talents etc, that can bring millions to us. Rah Rah Rah!
Some of the discussion sounds like the pyramid scheme now called multi level marketing.
We all need to get multiple income streams and things that will bring in residuals like entertainers do.
---I think of eBay sales as another stream of income added to the monthly sales from the booth at the antique mall.
What other streams could I/we develop? Would it be worthwhile to sell from a website like RubyLane? Could I do a presentation on antiques that an organization would pay to hear?--not likely right now. Could I teach a class in selling/buying on eBay--maybe, but who would pay for this? a library, the Tuesday Study Club?
What could be discovered in the next 101 days to bring income flowing to me/us?
Maybe I should play the lottery, after all if you don't have a ticket you have zero chance of winning and that 1 in a million chance is higher than zero!
I want to focus on antiques and collectibles and not veer off into multiple small ventures that takes me away from the passion of antiques.
Working a regular 9-5 job that includes some weekends cramps ability to find other streams without a terrific drain on stamina and time.

Make a million in ANTIQUES

Just listened to a great book on CD-- “Cracking the Millionaire Code” by Hansen and Allen.
Yeah right, as if I could earn a $1,000,000.00 in my antiques business. But still maybe there could be hope using some of the principles.

One-- was get a team together.

I do know that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And a sum of two is better than one etc.

I hope this blog could be a springboard to bring together others who want to open an antiques business, or are active in antiques or maybe just love antiques and want to buy antiques or even learn more about antiques.

So if you are out there. I’ve “built” this blog and am waiting -- “they will come!”
We could form a team to volley ideas back and forth, trade experiences, give insight, creative ideas even just words of encouragement. Maybe even start our own organization that could lend some legitimacy to being a part-time, lower volume antiques dealer.

Another paraphrased principle was to focus on the end result—antiques business, and expand your group for potential allies—this might compute to helpers such as accountants, auctioneers, delivery people, cousin Janie’s mother-in-law who has a bridge club or book club that are looking for a chance to have a day trip etc.

One principle I really liked was that of philanthropy—giving away 10% of profits to others in need. This might be sponsoring an appraisal fair for the museum, giving money to a library to purchase books about antiques and collectibles, being a sponsor for a community event on vintage boats or old cars, maybe even as simple as buying jerseys for a basketball, hockey or baseball team. Or how about a donation to local PBS station as a thank you for airing Antiques Roadshow!

Maybe we need our own shirts to advertise us! How about someone coming up with a logo a slogan and we can sell the shirts and profits go to the organization or you get a t-shirt with your membership at xx level. Or just for fun! I have a contact for inexpensive cotton shirts and another for screen-printing, another for embroidery so other than design not too difficult a task.

Do you love antiques; do you wish you could have a positive experience discussing antiques with like-minded people?
Then visit here and comment and link to others who could become part of our own millionaire team!

Great yard sale

Now that the weather has gotten warm the sales are in full swing. Hit my 1st sale where nothing was priced, different items out each day. When I went back on the 3rd day and asked how much for this this and this, I got away with less than half of what I was going to offer for one item!
If I had more room I'd have a new set of patio furniture. Woman was selling off items from mother-in-law's house. Things she couldn't use, but too good to throw out. I got a Rock-Ola bar cabinet for $5 it has inserts for 2 size glasses, a hanging rack for stemware, storage in the bottom and storage behind the serving "board" just right for bottles or rum, vodka etc.
It wasn't even advertized in the paper just signs on a few corners. I happened down the street because of an advertized sale that was a dud. So I chalk it up to my 1 great yard sale of the year. So much schlock and so few good items at most sales. I wonder if clothes really sell other than for growing kids? How many canning jars does i person need, when you can buy new sets after the season at the Dollar stores for less than used.