Learning Learning Learning!!!!!

I took a giant leap out of my comfort zone this week and went to my first storage auction.


Now I have been to auctions before.  The "house" auction type.  You look around the week before the event and you show up on the day, find a seat maybe grab a soda from the vendor truck outside.  Kind of casual and easy.




I knew I was going to be doing something different and like I said in my previous post,  "Always bring your girls."

So....Lenina and I plan our day around the start time of the auction.  It doesnt begin until 2:00.  We had time to have lunch with friends, do alittle shopping get a great pair of wedges that I had to wear right then and head over to the auction.  

(Do you see the problem yet?)


We were stylin when we drove up the road to the storage place,  and then traffic just stopped.  Could not figure out the hold up.


We waited a few minutes ...there was some type of comotion going on.  As we got closer...we realized the commotion was thrity cars plus trying to fit into the tinny lot of the storage place.  People were not happy that the gate was not open and there were lots and lots of  PEOPLE.


Lenian and I wide eyed both look at each other and said..."THIS IS IT"!!


After finding a place to park. We hiked it over the flower beds and landscaping to get to the front office.


We and got our bidding number...I am sure it is called something else,but I am still learning.


But here is the crazy thing.....my sweet friend and I looked like fresh meat.


You know that horrid awkward moment when suddenly everything stops...the chatter the noise level drops and all eyes are on you.


This was one of those moments.  The high wedges the dangling earrings the bright pink lipstick....NOPE...we were out of our element and everyone knew it.


We heard the giggles and the "OH Reallys" and then came the "You gals look like you could use a few pointers..." type comments.
And we could have used a few pointers, but not like that.........to be honest I was kinda nervous at first.


But then the doors opened and we were nolonger the entertainment.

This is when it got exciting.


Floods of buyers huddled around lists that were taped up on the door to a storage unit.  We were told that this is not common to do.  It means that the storage place has taken an inventory of each unit to be auctioned and some folks think that is dishonest.   I guess since the storage place is the one taking the hit due to the unit not being payed on and having to go to auction, that they might be tempted to take out what is valuable. Interesting.


This also told buyers what units had the best stuff and they could save their money accordingly.


The owner of the storage place cut the lock and open the doors.  He stepped aside and let everyone get a look.  He was very nice and could tell there were a few "NEW COMERS"...hint hint and made sure we got a good look.


The bidding started and it was very casual.  Not the high action rhythmic chanting that you see on the shows.  Just a guy who was hot and tired saying...$50...$60 and so on. One guy kept bidding and never bought anything.  Someone told us he was always "bidding thing up".  Again...learning....


Most of the lockers went for $100.00.  Lots of furniture and totes.  One 10 by 10 locker had a ton of stuff...like an entire house. The unit was very neat with totes stored along the walls to the ceiling and furniture wrapped in moving blankets.  It was exciting to see the bids rising.  Once it hit $500.00 some folks got frustrated and left the auction.


This is when a woman and her daughter struck up a conversation with us.  They were hobbiest...which means they had fun buying and selling, but did not make a living off doing it. 


The obvious frustration on the faces of the buyers and the murmuring made it all to real that the media frenzy and the hobbiest were driving the prices of theses units to an unreachable level for the bread and butter guys. 


One gentleman with deep smile lines and a beard that went down clear to his waist said that this unit would have sold for $100 four years ago....and walked away shaking his head.


It makes you think.....this is their wall street.  This is what feeds their families and gives them a roof over their heads. I felt bad. I was learning more then auctioning.


When the lock on the last unit was cut the crowd had diminished to about 20 people.  I guess they were saving the best for last because this unit was full of tools. Now I am not knowledgeable in tools,but I can identify a drill press and I know what kind of cash this stuff can bring. 


WOW!!  the bidding just kept getting higher and the bidders were getting hotter then the steaming asphalt. 


The wilted auctioneer was perking up...$300......$550...$600..and then it jumped $800 WOWOWOWOW....Hats were being thrown down, feet were stompin, cu$$ wordS were flying...IT WAS AWESOME!!  (LENINA WAS HOPING FOR A FIGHT)




SOLD $1000.00!!!  I think I cheered.


Lenina and I chatted with the mother and daughter duo and hiked it back to the car.



While enjoying ColdStone we reviewed our experience.


1.Dress the part. No wedges, nothing flashy...try to blend.
2.Get your game on!  Be confident that you belong there.
3.Be sensitive to the career guys but don't be intimidated.
4.Bring your own lock.
5.Be careful! you are carrying cash, be aware who is around you.
6.Better yet..at check in see about paying by credit card, some will let you with proper ID.
7.If you have a CCW now might be a good time.
8.Be ready to get dirty. Pack gloves, mask, trash bags.
9.Bring a high power flashlight..handy to see in the back of dark lockers.
10. ALWAYS BRING A FRIEND!!!!

How to make a vintage pendant light...

Remember my post about how I love to HUNT for Blue Ball jars?
Well I have them all over.  I think the simple beauty of them makes a huge statement.

I use them to serve lemonade, display flowers, old bars of soap in a guest bath and now ....to light up my kitchen island


This is how the old pendant looked.  I always use some seasonal garland to wrap around the stem.  It just needs something.  I have struggled with changing these girls out completely but just have not found the right pendants.   THAT is until today.........


Welcome to my kitchen.....
It is a work in progress....

Unscrew the old shade.....

Is that NOT THE COOLEST!!! (thanks hubby for holding it ....)

This was interesting....the original lids have a hard plastic type disk inside of them...you know what I'm talking about.  It is smooth and white and well....very hard to drill through.  So hubby improvised and used a modern day mason jar lid.

AND there you have it!!!!!!!!!!

This was one of those things that just HITS you.  The jar is on the island filled with silverware from the Memorial Day weekend fun and the next thing you know you have grabbed hubby and your besties and are unscrewing light fixtures without waiting for them to cool cause you just cant stand to wait to see how it turns out.

LOVE TO REPURPOSE OLD TREASURES INTO EVERY DAY JOYS!!!!

The Hunt!!!

Have you ever looked at an "I Spy" book.  You know the kind that I am talking about.....
The pages are filled with so much stuff that you cant tell where one item starts and another treasure begins.  That is precisely what gets my heart beating when I walk into an antique mall, junktique shop, flea market or if I am lucky enough... a salvage yard.



 First you are overwhelmed by the masses and then your fine tuned eye catches a glimpse of sheer turquoise glass (Ball Jar).  The subtle glimmer of grimy crystal (chandelier) and on a great day the chipping paint of old windows, doors and shutters.  These are my true love.

Walking the isles, digging in the boxes, and often climbing up on your friends shoulder to grab that super cool rusted beyond recognition lunch box.  This is what makes me the happiest, the hunt.

Hunting is best done in groups.  You can get lost in all that dusty goodness.  You need a friend to keep you focused.  For the sake of your own sanity, what will fit into the car ( the friend needs to be sure there is room for her) and your budget.  The joy in finding the perfect old crate compounded by the delight in seeing great deals on silver trays and oh oh oh.....not being able to leave without the huge shutters that are covered in layers of chipped nasty paint.

Your friends who share your passion for hunting are great companions on these adventures.  The lucky gals who have never been out on an early morning hunt and are braving the dust and rust for the first time can become quick converts to the trade, filling the car and emptying their wallets.  These "antiquing virgins" are a breath of life to gals like me.  The fun it is to explain the details of depression glass.  The history behind kitchen gadgets and pottery.  Ending the day with treasures in the truck and treasures in your hearts.

After all it is the journey, the adventure, the mapquest directions that are completely wrong and the little shop that wasn't on the list that turned out to be the best stop of the day.  This is what makes this hobby dare I say profession so rewarding.  You never know what you might dig up.

So if it has been awhile since you laced up your walking shoes and mapped out the flea markets.  Remember the excitement you felt on your first hunt.  That thrill of finding the buried treasure and the occasional chuckle at finding the "old time pottery" sticker on the tea cup or the "goodwill" price tag still on the lamp...that is now priced three times more.......good times!
Happy Hunting!

SMILE!!!!

SMILE!!!

Learning all about my new camera and PIC-MONKEY too......!
So much fun!

Hope you all had a great Mothers Day!!!!
Blessings!
Joannie

Happy "WOW" Day Ladies!!!

Thats right today is dedicated to mothers everywhere. 

This is an elite group of women.  
It is not for the faint of heart.  
You will be faced with the highest of highs and the deepest abyss of lows.
Your strength of sprit will be tested at every turn.
There is no training and no handbook.
You will be required to stay up all night with a sick child only to be met with three more stricken children in the morning.
You will work every holiday and every weekend.
You will pray without ceasing.


You will make hundreds of cupcakes.  Bake dozens of cookies and torture  yourself by not eating one, for the sake of your waistline.


You will forget what silence is.
You will learn names like Dave Ramsey and James Dobson.
You will hold yourself together when your heart is breaking.  
You will trace their tears and shed your own.


You will find inside you a voice that you do not recognize.  A voice that is firm, convicted and unwavering.  Others too will hear this conviction and listen.


You are a Mother.
You are a Force.
You are Godly.
You are WOW BABY!

Open for business!!!
These girls are ready for your home.  The "Be Blessed" tray is  $30.00.
The "Sing Out Loud" is $25.00 and the "Zombie" saw is $20.00...  You asked and now they are ready.
Blessings!

Favorite things......

When I think of my favorite things I am often met with a conundrum.  There are physical things that I adore.  The tea set from my grandmother.  My grandmothers handwritten cookbook.  The dinning room table that my parents found in the basement of their first home.  It became the table our family grew up celebrating around.  Now that same table sits in my kitchen and is used for garden dinners.

However, I find that people are my favorite "things".  Those precious persons may have given me something that in turn reminds me of them and that object becomes dear to me.  Not because of its monetary value or its design but because of the thought that it took to make it happen.

A few of my favorite things.  

 some folks have bowls of fruit....i have bowls of doorknobs and hardware......

Cupcake Wars!!

We just love the show Cupcake Wars.  My Gracie is eight and is very big on family game night.  Well family game night has changed to watching "Cupcake Wars" together.  The four kids liked it so much and were really getting into it.  They were talking about ingredients and how they would make  an amazing creation. So, I challenged them.  We had our very own Cupcake Wars.  The theme was Pokemon and the secret ingredients were berries.  I have to say they took it serious.  I was kitchen help and dad joined in with his own pear butter flavored creations...amazing.  But in the end 50 cupcakes were taken to church last Sunday and Nicholas won with his berry delight.  It was soooo very yummy.

Spring Fever!

YESSSS!!!!!

I am soooo excited!
And you ..yes you right now YOU!!  ARE WHY!!!
I have had like 104 plus views on my little bloggggggg.....COME ON SAY SOMETHING!!  Hi is good or nice day I am having or hey whatsss up?
Would love love love to chatt with you.
I set up my booth this weekend.  Setting up is a broad term.  More like I moved a ton of stuff that was in storage from our move 18 months ago into the space to see if I can get rid of some of it.
I priced the stuff really good.  I am hoping it moves and makes a little money so I can get to the fun stuff.  The FUN STUFF is setting up my modest little space and making it into AWESOMENESS!
I have the most most most cooolest ideas.  I wont tell yet , but it is going to be EPIC!  HINT  I have a deep love for chalkboard paint.  DEEP LOVE!
Side note....I have a 15 year old daughter...enough said.
BLESSINGS!