Road Trip Plans

My California road trip is scheduled for the last 2 weeks of April. Driving from chicago area to denver, down to santa Fe across to Az and Grand Canyon then up to Vegas and finally across to
Monterey CA. Any pros and cons about driving I-80, I-70 or the northern route?
What are some great free or low cost sites to visits? Any great diners or BBQ?
Most important ANTIQUE Malls or multi-dealer shops that are a must stop for great variety?
May try to drive a few remaining parts of Route 66
Any advice would be appreciated so I can plan for a variety or routes, stops or side diversions.
We're trying this on nearly a shoestring realizing gas will be a fortune but it has been a lifelong dream to drive across country. I've been south and east and now head West. Who knows maybe Alaska can be another long trip for retirement!

Happy New Year and new attitudes!

New Year and new goals rather than resolutions.

The point is to be positive and do something if only baby steps.
So here are my goals/plans:

Continue eBay sales
Drive to California and back--planned for April
Increase sales at antique booth
Attend auctions at new sources
Stay in my own frame of mind and not swayed by others
Keep it short and hopefully achievable!

Winter has never been a favorite time of year, I much prefer sunshine and warm temps about 65 to 80! Now if I won the lottery, look out Florida or another warm weather state, here I come!

Let's make 2008 great and do what we love as well as what we have to do, perhaps they can become one and the same!

What a let down!

I purchased a Wedgwood red jasper ware Xmas ornament on eBay and was surprised to find that it was made in China!

Last weekend at an outlet mall I visited the Waterford/Wedgwood store and they had neatly covered the made in china sticker on the box with their "discounted" price sticker.

What has the world come to? Now I don't trust if Waterford is still made in Ireland.

How can a brand keep their reputation if they outsource work out of the country?
Has anyone visited the actual store in England at the factory and seen items that were made in China?
Maybe it's only stuff shipped to the US like the toys with harmful elements versus what the Chinese buy. I'm not bashing China, only the companies that are outsourcing to save money while their employees or former employees have less and less job opportunity.

Perhaps all artists should be free agents and use eBay as their marketplace to make a name for artisan goods actually made in the country of residence.

I buy what I like rather than by brand as many high end brands are offering items that look no better or hold up no better than a less expensive item.

Even the "stores" on eBay selling the designer items through keeping up the real deal versus any knockoffs aren't divulging where the item is actually made. Is an Hermes scarf really worth over $400 based on name recognition. Maybe owning a one of a kind is tres importante and a business has to make money from the richest--if so then why move down the ladder to an online
auction site for NEW goods?

I'm just not a shopper/buyer.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Fall may be here on the calendar, but Mother Nature has been good to us so far. Only 2 days where the nip of fall was in the air. My new yellow rosebush that hasn't bloomed since June has pushed out a final bloom! A new blue flowering plant or weed has shown up in an area that usually has orange lilies.

At work we had an open house and 2 great flower arrangements could be found. Yes that is owl as the planter.

The blue vase is a new version of the older, heavier "McCoy"? style.

After vacation I haven't had the chance to get to an auction.

There is at least one great next Friday and one on the 29th looks good. Sales have been steady in September and October, still not where I'd like to be but a small profit after rent.

Fall is here on the calendar

Fall may have arrived on the calendar, but it's in the low 80's today and rest of the week in the 70's. Rather unusual for late Sept. rain was forecast and about 14 drops fell by 3:30PM.


I went to the mid-nite flea in Centreville on the 1st and it was so small, it was unbelievable. Probably not more than 25 vendors counting the food booths. Attendance seemed good for the 1st hour. Needless to say pickings were slim.
The most recent auction wasn't too bad for the items I got, but so much is the same old "vintage" kitchen items and dishes.
The yard sales are winding down and those out there are pushing baby/toddler items or overpriced why did I ever buy this items.

I'm off on a real vacation starting Saturday and this time not a busman's holiday!
I don't plan on any antique shops at least ones that would be open or affordable.
I put eBay on hiatus until I get back and uncover more smalls.

Summer drawing to an end

Labor Day is upon us and I always think of that as the official end of summer. Traffic moves up to normal pace, my street gets tied up with parents driving kids to school.

Summer flew. I actually saw a maple tree that was 99% red this past weekend and dry leaves swirling in the road. Thankfully the other trees realize this is way too early!

I was able to get to 2 auctions in August with little results. I drove part of the M25/M29 road sale around the thumb of Michigan. It has to be the prettiest road sale. The glimpses of Lake St Clair, the St Clair River and Lake Huron are so refreshing among the schlock for sale. I can see why the Blue Water bridge is so named from Port Huron to Sarnia Ontario. The best buy was gas at $2.71 a gallon, probably a lot less than the Canadian drivers had to pay over in Ontario.

eBay sales waned in the last part of July and early August. I'm gearing up for listings Labor Day weekend. Sales at the antique mall are down--part road construction with access on and off expressway and part the back to school spending that leaves little for the adults to spend. The mall was almost empty of customers on my last visit. Hopefully a rearrangement of items and some new items hinting of Fall will attract browsers.

I have a 4 bowl set of Fiesta from the late 30's that I think I will take up but I really don't want to break the set--so will probably price 1st at a set level. All are in good condition as my mother hated using them because they were so heavy. I swear she concocted more food once she got a set of lightweight pyrex bowls.

If work schedule and gas prices are opportune I hope to get out to a late night flea market on Saturday. Otherwise it will just be the trip to change around the booth and dig into storage boxes for eBay items! Weather outlook appears good, but wait 24 hours and the forecast will change completely!

Found this great picture circa 1962, of one of my favorite restaurants as a kid, we always sat in a booth, and would go there after a shopping trip downtown, and were done in time to catch the loop bus home!

eBay Seller

Finally got the act together and listed a dozen items on eBay before the end of June. Last night I completed my FIRST sale--a Beswick, Beatrix Potter figure I had picked up at a yard sale.

Photo not so great though. Perhaps the Ratatouille movie will make mice and rats a more collectible item.

Ordered a scale so for the next listings I will be better prepared for shipping costs. Almost all the packaging from my own test purchases is reusable so I can contain costs a bit for a couple of weeks. Got boxes from USPS and had some bubble wrap from helping a person pack up and move, same with tape and dispenser.

Now the hunt will be on for smalls that are attractive to eBay buyers.