Let me start by confessing that unless I'm GOING TO a Yard Sale, I Hate them! *Winks* The Hosting a Yard Sale Experience for me is something I always put off... typically indefinitely and thus the majority of my major edit and purge projects have made Goodwill Hunting in our area a bounty field of Collectibles and Stylish finds because I usually end up donating or giving the stuff away. I simply don't have the Patience or luxury of Free Time to sell it to Shops, Host a Yard or Tag Sale or attend a Flea Market unless I'm BUYING rather than Selling. When I finally have come to terms with parting with something, I want it gone... FAST & with minimal inconvenience... because usually I'm already tired from the process of going through it to get to that point already! *Smiles*
I was obviously never cut out for Retail Sales. *Winks* Because though I do enjoy and respect a good Gypsy Haggle Negotiation since that's how I roll too and I believe you never get what you deserve, you get what you Negotiate...
And sitting around waiting to Sell is torturous to me unless I'm surrounded by good Friends and a bottle of Wine to get through it! *LOL*
But I've been immersed in Wabi Sabi since I'm reading a very good Book about it... and the early Spring Clean had begun in earnest... I was making remarkable progress of going through every nook and cranny to decide what to let go of... and even such things as the excess of Cloches, Art, Linens, Wardrobe and Decorating Books were easing their way to the Sales Tables... {patting Self on back}
So the BFF Tina, The Son & some of his Friends agreed to assist with a Yard Sale and my Quest towards Creating a Wabi Sabi Inspired Home. One of the Aunts had Mercifully invited the Beast Princess to spend the weekend at their house and the Young Prince was now recovered from his ailment and Grandpa agreed to provide Child Care... so we were set... it was on...
And the Weatherman had predicted Sunny, high 70's and a Glorious few days so we worked furiously on Friday to set everything up and whilst it was still dark on Saturday Morn we began. What the Weatherman had neglected to mention was that though it would be Gloriously Sunny... the 70's wouldn't come until much later in the day and there would be gale force winds all Night! *Le Sigh*
Which meant Quilts hung with care over the wall had become airborn and racks of Clothing from my purged Closets had tipped over, so it was quite a mess by the wee hours of Saturday Morn... and we spent most of the Morning setting up... and re-setting up... until things calmed down and actually became warm, Sunny and not so blustery by Noon! Would it be wrong to send a sarcastic Thank You card to erring Weathermen I wonder? *Winks* Thank goodness that though it became overcast by Friday Night at least it didn't Rain & the Clouds dispersed by Saturday Morning!!! *Whew*
Maybe that's just me being particularly cranky since I'm NOT a Morning Person... so waking up Dawn before the break of dawn is like playing with a loaded gun! *LOL*
And it was too early for Wine {That would come Later... like NOW, Winks}... so we settled for Starbucks Coffee lovingly prepared by The Man to wake us up and warm us up. And the BFF had brought some amazing Home Grown Grapefruit, picked Fresh from a Friend's Tree... they were huge and so sweet... Divine! Nothing like Fresh Citrus in the Morning with Breakfast!
She also brought Donuts, but I forgave her for that faux pas since we're both supposed to be on diets... *LOL* I resisted since Donuts aren't my downfall & I can't eat Chocolate... *Whew*
But by then the Young Prince had wandered out... I swear Kids can smell Donuts or anything too sugary from miles away... and she offered him some... I had trouble forgiving her for that! *LOL* Hyperactive Kid meets Donuts = very animated Young Person for Grandpa to ride herd upon and keep out of our hair! The Young Prince hyped up on Donut Sugar suddenly fancies himself as Salesman of the Year... poor potential Customers, you'd think the Kid was getting a commission or something, he was like a used car Salesman, we had to banish him back into the Indoor Kingdom & remind Grandpa of his role in this here Project! *Insert Grandpa caught asleep in his Recliner quite medicated from his recent VA Hospital visit... Winks* I wasn't sure who was looking after who in there? The Young Prince assures Gramma he's got everything under control and he'll take good care of Grandpa while we tend the Yard Sale... good... whatever works... *Smiles*
I have to give props to the rest of my Posse, they worked tirelessly and provided Great Fellowship and Muscle Power...
Though The Son is working two jobs, so his stint of helping was inbetween constantly coming and going to work, his Best Friend stuck around to continue helping, even after his Girlfriend went Home. Providing Muscle Power, Spanish Interpretation for some of the Customers and playing video games with the Young Prince to keep him amused, entertained and distracted, thanks Q... And my BFF Tina stayed for the entire gig too... God Bless em! We have the most Awesome Friends!
The Bohemian Cat Boys thought this was all quite curious since they never see me up this early in the Morning before Sunlight, so they had to check it all out! *LOL* Usually 'Mommy' is up UNTIL the wee hours of the Morn BEFORE retiring for the Night... so this was quite the Novelty for them to Witness and apparently provided Entertainment and need for Investigation throughout the day. *Smiles*
Yes, my Timing was all "Off"... but I've been quite proud of Self for wading through possessions so effortlessly and "letting go" so much more easily than I imagined that I would... freeing up Space and having a Peace about detachments from the excess of stuff... I'm really digging this Wabi Sabi... it's working for me!
It probably helped that I'm so over my brief flirtation with Pastels... not that I don't still enjoy them and appreciate them and the Styling or looking through Romantic Rose Colored Glasses... but it's just not very "Me" like the Jewel Tones or Sages & Sepias are. And so it was Time to pass many of them along to new Junquers who would be thrilled at 'scoring' them at "Get this stuff outta here fast" prices! *LOL* Needless to say the BFF didn't make money at this Sale... since she was one of my best Customers... *LOL* That always happens doesn't it... we end up Trading a lot of our crap um... I mean... Priceless Treasures... between each other at these alleged combined Family Sales! *Winks* Yep, most of my Friends and Neighbors were the 1st ones to hit my stash of edited Treasures to get first pick... but I'm glad to see them going off to good Homes where they'll be appreciated! *Smiles*
You'd be proud of me, I went through my Linen Closets and even my entire Jewelry Box Stashes and purged and edited Bohemian Bling that was ready to move on to new Homes! I was on a roll my Friends and it felt good!
I had a large basket filled with Bling & Ting and it was moving well so very little remained for Day #2. Princess T had provided Princess Snack Bags to give it a real Grab Bag Carnival feel... yeah, these G-Kids definitely are on Board with Gramma's big Edit & Purge Project to wade through the Hoard of accumulated Treasures amassed over a Lifetime. They're probably all thinking, Good... now we don't have to Inherit and dispose of this stuff!!??!?! *Winks* And even The Man was parting with some of his Stash... this was really working out 'cause Mantiques & Testosterone laden Treasures move fast and command good solid prices! Men at Yard Sales generally spend the most if what they are jonesin' for is offered at reasonable prices! *LOL*
That being said, far too many of them were eyballing my Old Door Collections and asking if they were for Sale, which they weren't... but merely offered the seating area and backdrop for the Posse and I to stage the Event and have Lunch comfortably. *Gasp* And The Man was really jonesin' to sell some of my coveted Door Collection since I'd 'scored' most of them curbside and Customers were talking about how valuable they considered such finds... "After all Honey, you have so many and you found most of them, so don't you want the money instead?", he says with a straight Poker face!!! *Double Gasp, NO, NO I don't, surely you Jest!?* And since he'd be minding the Sale whilst I attended Church on Sunday I was skeerd that those Customers would come back and sweeten the deal, tempting him to even THINK about selling even one?!! Would he dare I wondered?! *Winks ~ Insert vieled Threat that if an Old Door was Sold, some Beloved Hunting & Camping Equipment would be Sold to compensate... and I'd go out and BUY a replacement Door... a really expensive one! He he he.*
I particularly "Heart" my Beautiful Louvered Pastel Old Doors that everyone was eyeballing, they couldn't be more perfect in Style, Colors and Crackled, Worn & Aging to Perfection! They just don't understand that every Old Door I have in my Collection is different and Beloved and those gleened curbside for Free were Adrenalin Rush Moments I particularly Cherish, like the winning of a Lottery or discovering buried Treasure. So it would be like suggesting Selling one of the Children or Fur Babies... never gonna happen! And the Posse even turned on me, because the lure of a hundred bucks per door was sounding mighty good to them all... I had to appease and distract the Crew before they began toying with the idea of selling off my Treasures that I am not ready to part with!!! *LOL*
So I provided Lunch and got them all off the Selling of Old Doors Topic which was causing me considerable anxiety... Note to Self: Anxiety level indicated that yes, I AM an Old Door Hoarder! *LOL* I felt like one of those Old Guys on "American Pickers" that can't bear to part with the Rusty & Crusty crap they find for Free, have in every corner of their Property and won't sell at any price regardless of how hard Mike & Frank try to woo them into relenting! *Winks* I felt like my Posse had turned into hardened Pickers ready to make a buck off my 'forbidden to sell' stuff!!! *Gasp* After all, they're not attached to any of it... it's not their stuff... so they didn't comprehend my reaction! Well, maybe they do... they've known me a long time... but they were trying to sway me with common sense & logic... but that's never worked before, so they shouldda known better! *Ha ha*
And after all, I was parting with much of my Vintage Quilt Collection... and many other items that previously I might have been reluctant to edit & purge... so I needed them to realize not to push too hard... I was letting go, but this is definitely a process I'm still working on gently and at a pace I'm comfortable with! *Winks* Eventually I might progress to saying Good-Bye to Old Doors... just not yet... well, maybe not ever... we'll see...
But it was a close call... thank God I hadn't gone inside to use the Bathroom or something, huh? *Smiles* Could you only imagine my reaction if I'd come back and all my Old Doors had been Sold from around the Staging area? *Gasp & insert me clutching my chest!* And another Customer had tried to talk us into Selling the very Table and Vintage painted Gothic Style Chairs we were all having Lunch around on the Cottage Patio! And they can be quite tenacious too even when you politely decline and explain that it's not part of what's for Sale!!! Why is it that when you're Hosting a Yard Sale folks want to buy anything within sight regardless if it's obviously NOT part of the Sale? Wishful thinking I guess? *Smiles* Perhaps this is why I'm not a big Fan of Hosting Yard Sales or allowing strangers onto my Property to see what I have sitting outside that they're jonesin' for... Memories of the Burglary this Summer are still making me quite cynical & guarded if someone shows too much interest in something or is gawking beyond what is for Sale. I don't want to think the worst of people... but you never know if you don't know them.
But, I must say that it was a Huge Success this recent Yard Sale Experience... and now the Signs are put away until the next time we have gone through enough to warrant considering another one... either that or Goodwill Hunting will be mighty good and Fresh here in the West Valley as my attempt at fostering a Wabi Sabi Lifestyle continues... *Winks*
Dawn... The Bohemian