Quick Update

I’ve been away from the blog for a long time now, for which I apologize. Excuses:

Building a grow house. It was a struggle with loads of tiny little screws which took me over two months. Though it was the Man’s wish to have the thing in my garden, I ended up constructing it because he really couldn’t figure it out. As I'm not in favour of buying new things I was always happy to grow my bell peppers and green beans out in the open and in reused planters but we’ll see later on if the investment was worth it.

Then I found around twelve hours a week paid work for the first time in three years. I still depend partly on government aid, but it’s a start. And quite a change! I was pretty exhausted for at least two months but I’m finally getting used to it now.

All in all the growing season started a bit late for me. Thanks to some tomato plants my friend gave me some fruits are growing already. But the replanting in my house gave them a bit of a set back and only days ago finally some new flowers started developing.

The green beans from seeds of my own harvest from last year are doing great. Though sowed just four weeks ago they are shooting up higher already then ever outdoors. No flowers here yet but as for the tomatoes, here’s to hoping the warmth in the house will make up for the shorter day light and I’ll update soon with the results.

Trash finds and sales continue as usual, athough at a little bit lower pace as well for the moment. Lot's of things to show and tell from the before times though, I hope to come back soon with reports about that.

More From 2016 Part VIII - Zadie Smith

The weather last Sunday was way to hot to attract huge crowds to the market, but we came home with a profit nonetheless and I lost a fair load of shoes and some men's clothes.

My only photo is of this H&M vest that I decided not to list after all.

So on with the rest of trash finds sold last year:

An analog Soehnle scale. I thought they were almost obsolete and only took it for the markets. Then found the exact same model is still available retail, though inexpensive. Listed and succeeded. Not everyone wants things with batteries that can go flat.

I thought this newspaper holder was horrendous, but it sold in a week. There are collectors of copper items even though this is just a coat over iron.

Here's a better picture of the scenery.

The expat I spoke about in a previous post also left me a small collection of 1980-s comics. I got silly bids from young kids, but expected that and paid no attention. In the end someone serious wanted the whole lot and I made him a fair price for that.

I forgot if Zadie was in his lot as well, or in the bag next to the board games. Anyway she remained unhandled for a while because the title wasn't in the database of the site where I have my book account. On cold wet days last winter I just sat and scanned piles of such books, trying to get some business in a period where I couldn't do any photography. This was one of the successes that sold within two weeks.

A brand new bamboo mat brought in by the Man. Now I thought this would fly out but it took seven months.

This marble board was near new too, but it had a blob of dried out paint on it that had to be scraped off, which left a matt place. As they are popular to roll out cake toppings I was afraid it might not go, but it was bought to make a memorial tablet so it didn't matter.

That's it, but not all. I found some items I forgot about that sold on the last markets last year to fill up the post.

A skin covered primitive lamp shade. Flogged it but glad I didn't have to take it out twice.

From a different angle. You can see it's not in great shape. I had it since February and really wanted it out of the house.

A jar shaped vase. The text says Mason's Vintage Jars.

And last, a cute door rack. It came with the bamboo mirror.

More From 2016 Part VII - Fish Planks

I hope I packed wisely. I opted for a load of shoes, some clothing and other fairly regular stuff, as last year, on the early markets the Moroccans just bought about anything cheap to bring home to their families. Later on we relied on the Dutch who are more picky and looking for special stuff.  I'm leaving that on line for the moment.

Now I just have to sit and wait so plenty of time to post another dozen of sold curb finds from last year. I'm getting towards the end now.

This antique door window is another one of my favourites. This size they were often in double doors dividing front and back rooms. Those were then removed when people wanted more open space. I sold it for less than what they go for, but it had paint stains and was framed in a peculiar way. Can you see it? It's curtain rails. As I couldn't see the state of the lead underneath I took the first bid that was reasonable. Then the woman almost came running for it and it made me think... Regardless it was a good amount of money for me.

IKEA Trissa boxes are apparently sought after by vinyl collectors. I picked it up with toys in it which attracted my attention first. I sold one plastic truck at a market, donated the rest then found out the box was the most valuable thing of the complete haul.

Another cheap thing someone was prepared to pay shipping for. It keeps amazing me.

Luckily I didn't have to ship this.

Yin yang balls are not hot second hand. I got way less than what I saw others asking and it took eight months. Perhaps they do better with newer looking boxes.

A set of the exact same fold-up chairs I sold two months before.

This is an IKEA PS collection vase. I sold it for my friend. She brought it to a market and I had to sit with the thing between my legs in the car. Told her I wouldn't do that again and to leave it in my house. Got twice what she had asked.

It finally convinced her to bring me more stuff after the end of market season. Now she claims I made a face when she produced these fish shaped planks. Well I thought I'll list the weird things first, and first they went and the money I got stunned both of us. The lady was thrilled and was recently back at my door for a vintage suitcase.

I was sure Oprah would help me sell this book. She did and the bid was way higher than what I normally get for a novel, if at all on line.

The Joska vase from March.

Not all Ikea flies out. Found October 2015, sold November 2016.

Are you getting tired of looking at vases? Here's something more fun. Well the case looks quite nice...

then open it and... I suppose it's for wigs. Not nice enough for displaying my hats and I've got some good enough heads. Sold in about a week.

I'm almost there now. A few more things in the next post and then I'll do a seperate one on baby toys that I skipped so far.

More From 2016 Part VI - The Blues King

I should really organize and pack for Sunday, our first car boot sale of the year. I hope to unload a bulk there, but first I want to unload a bit more from the 2016 list.

I kept this rusty old bucket in my yard for years. I still like it but it was in my way and in need to downsize you shouldn't be afraid to let go of your favourite stuff. Once listed it was gone quickly.

A low bar stool. For another teenage girl's bedroom.

A very slightly cracked bamboo cutting board. Still perfectly usable. They are inexpensive but popular. As often I was surprised someone paid shipping to get it home.

A Johnson Blues King mouth organ. From an expat who probably went home or moved on. He left loads of stuff in a box labeled 'free stuff all working'. Mostly tools that I kept for myself. I was already looking through them when he came down again and brought books, that were all about music and a lot of them sold for good prices already.

It took me eleven months to get rid of this pouf. It was brand new but perhaps black isn't popular for small furniture...

as proves this vintage end table that sat in my storage for about eight months.

Where a cute little garden table the same size was out in a day in the last warm week of the year.

I photographed this IKEA Spontan magazine rack the same day, using the table as a support as it happened be there. The rack also sold the next day, I'm wondering now if it was to the same person. Probably not, it would have stuck in my memory somehow.

These lamp shades were brand new, but I didn't expect to sell them fast. When I finally did the bid was twice as much as hoped for. If you look closely you can see they are adjustable for use on a foot or to hang from the ceiling.

A cute little embroidery. One of the last things I expected to sell on line. Didn't get much, but still better than flea market would have done.

It went back to the area where it was framed and most likely made.

The embroidery came along with these two mini wall hangings that I sold at the market last year. I think they were all bought in our local thrift shop before they were trashed.

Last picture today: here's the back side of the dry flower thing. Just for fun, I know I have a lot of Canadian readers.

More From 2016 Part V - Maxi Hoho

A haggler of a buyer just ruined my day who wanted a load of things for next to nothing. Sorry but I don't go cheaper on cheap and you can go to hell with your charity bbq-party. I am my own charity and I really want to sell to people who want something for themselves and keep it for a while. So I better sit down and write another post about such sales that made me feel good. I just don't feel like saying a lot. Well you can just look at the pictures and enjoy.

A small fold-up dog bench, bed included.

A large storage box made of woven cloth.

An extra large tray, marks of usage included.

A weird lamp. Another huge thing. I still don't know if I like it or not.

Another bottle with ear, but of a cheap make and not vintage. Sold the same day.

A plastic dish rack. Well perhaps it's some kind of designer label that my buyer recognized and I didn't. She paid about six times the sales price to get it shipped to Belgium.

I promise this will be last trash bin on the blog for a while. I'm just amazed that they go.

A stainless steel mixing bowl.

A climbing helmet. I was about to accept first bid, but the double amount was offered minutes later. Turned out both were members of the same group planning on a mountain climbing trip.

A mirror in a bamboo frame.

IKEA Hutten wine bottle racks. I had the one for years, but thought it was useless listing it knowing what they cost in the shop. The set was gone within a few days. Difference in height probably due to slight changes in design.

A very rusty lantern. The more rust the better sometimes. This sold very quickly too as most garden stuff.

A pile of an obscure 1970-s magazine. Man had them in his apartment since before selling trash times and I had forgotten until he presented them to me.

A Head tennis racket. Case included.

Another wicker dog bed.

Another item from the March big loot.

IKEA Finntorp dish rack. Funny items to sell after all. Sold one this year already and one will get picked up tomorrow.

And this is a stool with storage space inside. Kind of weird shape isn't it? I think it's 1990-s.

Getting tired now, but I feel a bit better. Thanks for looking!