Hard work, little return.....is this crazy or what?!?!?

    

     A good friend of mine recently made a comment that really struck home with me.  He just couldn't understand why is it I put sooooooo much effort into a resale business when there is such little return right now.  His comment went something like this:  "Why do you work so hard on getting things just right at your shop when it doesn't seem to pay out very well?  I just don't understand, it doesn't make sense!" 

     And he's right---it doesn't make sense to work full-time at a 'real' job, to use your free weekends' to work yourself into the ground trying to get a side business going.   It doesn't make sense to get up super early on your days off just so you can beat your competition to the garage sales/estate sales to find 'treasures' for resale.  And it doesn't make sense to try and figure out WHAT in the world the buying public wants this week which is ALWAYS different from what they wanted LAST week!!!

     None of this makes sense and yet, so many of us resalers continue doing all of the above--why?!?

     Is it the thrill of the hunt?  Is it the thought that the next treasure we find for $1 could make us millionaires?!  Or is it something else?

     Well, I can't answer for anyone else, but I can tell you how I feel---its the hunt for me!!  There is just something about digging through box after box of junk, looking for that one item that will help you retire in total luxury.  That one elusive treasure has kept me digging through old barns full of petrified raccoon poop (true story), trash piles sitting outside a remodeled house and again, tons and tons of boxes full of everything from vintage dinnerware to broken worthless children's toys!! Picking, as we resellers call it, is very addictive.

     There is great joy in seeing value in an item that everyone else seems to have overlooked.  And it doesn't hurt to make some money off your investment too!

     So, back to the issue of 'working hard with little return'.   I wish I could come up with some deep, meaningful reason for what we 'pickers' do with our lives, but the truth is.......I just don't know.  Perhaps it is all based on hope--the hope that all our efforts will someday bring us financial security--the hope that we are making a difference in someone's life--the hope that the things from old that brought us joy will do the same for the next generation.  Yes, I think that's it---Hope--I like that answer.

My booth at a recent trade show

The goal is to NOT take everything home!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

God Bless all and any who read this,

Pat, A Remade Life

Pickin' is sooooo much fun!!

     A good friend of mine called me yesterday to tell me about a 'preview sale'---a sale before the actual sale day!  For pickers, that's a dream come true--we love being able to go to a sale site and leisurely look through everything for sale before the general public is let in.  It's awesome and rare!!

     So I called my best picking buddy, Judy, and we followed my friend over to the sale site and met some wonderful people who had just lost their mom.  As a picker, it is important for us to remember that much of the stuff we 'pick' has come from someone's loss of a loved-one.  Their dear mom had lived to the wonderful age of 104 yrs. old!!  She sounded like an amazing person.  Her daughter even told me that her mom had been a flapper back in the roaring 20's and had carried a little purse with her to dance contests.  She showed me the purse and, although my picking heartbeat sped up, I encouraged her to keep that memory of her mom.  She kept the purse and I felt blessed to have been included in that wonderful story.

     And so, Judy and I picked and picked and picked till we ran out of money and energy!!  We both left there with lots of good stuff, great stories about a wonderful woman and some new friends.

     But the best part of the evening was when Judy and I went out to eat.  We were both starving and it just made sense to finish the evening out with lots of food, sad stories, rants and raves and tons and tons of laughter!!!  It is rare that I get to sit down with a friend and just enjoy the time, but I certainly did last night!

    So the moral of this blog post?   Take time for yourself as often as you can, enjoy your family, enjoy your friends and enjoy your LIFE!!  It doesn't last forever!!

    On another note, here are a few more pic's of clothing I will be posting soon in a new etsy shop---be looking for it cause I'm thinking it's going to be awesome!!

A really cool knit dress from the 60's

Wow, can you get anymore 80's-style?  I don't think so!!

This light weight top looks soooooo good with skinny jeans!!

Anyone would look cool in this 90's blue jean jacket

Any so, until next time--God bless all and any who read this,

Pat, A Remade Life

   

Canton TX First Monday Trade Days

You would think that living in the state that has one of the largest flea markets in the united states would mean that you go there as often as possible--wouldn't you?!  Well, it ain't necessarily so!!!  I've lived here since I was three yrs. old (a very, very long time) and I went there for the first time just a few months ago!!

The Canton 'First Monday' Flea Market is absolutely HUGH--acres and acres of nothing but 'treasures'!  It is a pickin' paradise.  My son Jonathan and I plus my sweet grandson Brayden went there a few months ago and had the best of times!  Even Brayden got in on the fun---he shopped and shopped with us until he just couldn't shop anymore.  He was such a little trooper--and didn't even get fussy until he fell and hurt his nose.  Poor baby--but it didn't take him long to get over it and shop some more!

If you ever find yourself wanting to take a pickin' trip, consider going to Canton, Tx's First Monday Trade Show--I quarantee you'll enjoy yourself AND come away with lots and lots of goodies!!

We saw this imitation 'Mater' on the way to Canton--really cool

Jonathan showing Brayden how to spot a good deal

Jonathan taking a second to pose in front of  one of the thousands of vendor booths

Me trying to shop till I drop--I had been sick the week before we went and was still not  well

'STOP, I think I see something I want"!!

"Hey, is that a vintage Mickey Mouse Club Hat"?!

'You know I'd look good in that'!

Uncle Jonathan is a good teacher

This is a really cool seat from an old bowling alley--wish I'd had room in my van!

Guess we have to go now--no more room!

Trying to stay hydrated!

"I think I'm ready to go now, grandma"!

AND he's out!!!!

We had soooo much fun and we can't wait to go back soon---but not till after the summer heat----this is Texas after all!!!

God Bless All and Any who read this,
Pat, A Remade Life