Summer...it's hot.

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. Well, the kids are finally out of school but have had them in summer camp the past two weeks ending tomorrow. Saturday it will be 3 weeks that they have been out of school, but we only had the week out of school off and spent the last two weeks in summer camp at their regular school. Next summer I think we have to have an extra week off...I think both the kids and I need just some extra time off between regular school and summer camp because it is at the same location and their regular school and about the same time.

Ready to decompress again and sleep in...I keep having to wake my daughter up to get them ready for camp and she is totally like me and loves her sleep. Tomorrow is the last day until August that I have them signed up, so I think the kids are ready for some TV, Computer and sleeping time. Mommy sure is!

So other then the Goodwill trip with my Mom into the Fountain Hills Goodwill that I blogged about I haven't had any chance to check out estate, garage or thrift store trips. But I know I really want to add some red/pink English transfer plates to our kithchen table area.

I have been cleaning and organizing the kids playroom/closet area! Fun, fun but if they were there half the items that I threw out would have been saved. So at least I was able to get ride of some trash and tiny little b-day favors and mcdonalds junk.

Hopefully, next week I have a wonderful neighbor babysitter who is young and trying to earn some money during the summer. I can use her to watch the kids during Friday so I can hit some sales.

Right now I'm with out my MacBook so I cannot list of feeBay or Bonanzle...but at least I still have access to emails and websites. Miss you baby, come back to Mommy soon! So unfortunately I have lots of items to list but need my baby to post photos and info so it is all in one place. I promise to list more treasures soon. Right now I do have items for my kid's school Tesseract which is a non-profit school here in Phoenix listed on eBay. Please bid, it all goes to current and future students scholarships and financial aid.

Thank you,

Jenn

Mom,a Follower and a New Dog

So last week was my first blog ever and I have to admit I spent the rest of the week seeing if I have a "follower." I know, I know that seems a little conceited but I do read a have a blog that I have followed for a few years and I have no clue how many people follow the blog. The only place I advertised is on the forums of Bonanzle...one of the web sites I sell on and I am happy to say I now have one follower...AntiquesRGreat who is also a fellow seller on Bonanzle. Thank you so much! A fellow antique/vintage lover who sells wonderful items as well as gives great advice on all that is internet commerce and vintage whose booth I have checked out many times. The best thing is she has a 20's themed/flapper girl as her profile photo...which is my favorite era and in fact I just helped co-chair my kids school's spring fundraised which was a 20's themed/casino/Gatsby era fest called Putting on the Ritz here in Phoenix. If you would like, please check out some fabulous 20's fashion of the night at a magazine here in Phoenix: http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/photo-gallery.html?func=detail&id=27318#joomimg . Kismit

My mom has had to listen to me for the past year about how I am interested in salvaging the past and going to Goodwill and Estate/garage sales and she know that for the past few months that I have been very into finding "Treasures" and selling them or/add incorporating them into my home. We have been so busy lately this past school year that even though my parents live no more then 20 miles away I have been so busy with fulfilling school obligations that I have had little time to spend lots of time with family and friends other then the occasional Book Club or holiday. So finally summer is here and I have more time to spend with the kids and family. So this weekend, with the first week of summer under our belts, we went over to my Mom and Dad's to have dinner and my Mom suggested that we check out her city's Goodwill. How could I refuse? So we went and didn't find too much but did find a set of six knives and box of Harrod's of UK fame Placemats....can't wait to list.

We also got a dog, a French Bull Dog that we named Zoe, that we will have to train so I am sure I will be plenty busy this summer but hope to spend time not only listing new Jenn's Jewels but relaxing and spending some wonderful time with my family. Thank you! I really won't to spend some time talking about decorating ideas and my fabulous finds.

Why Blog?

Because everyone cool is doing it? No. Because my life is super exciting and interesting? No, which is why I do not twitter.My twitter would look like this: Update: I am folding laundry Update: I am at Target buying Diet Cokes and kids birthday gift. So why am I doing this blog? I am horrible at updating my Facebook page and responding to emails as most people who know me would tell ya. Couple of reasons...one being I actually love to read and write and many years ago I use to write poetry and my major in college was English so I might as get some use out of this higher education my parents paid for goodness knows I didn't use it too much after college as my background is mostly sales in the computer and software industry. Another reason was I started selling some of my fantastic finds that I call Jenn's Jewels on eBay and Bonanzle and while eBay sort of has a built-in following with lots of potential buyers Bonanzle is newer and they recommend promoting your online store called a booth by blogging, twittering, on Facebook, emailing friends and such. I haven't had a sale yet on Bonanzle but I have only been on there a month and need to add a lot more items to my booth. May I mention quickly that the people on Bonanzle are super friendly and helpful...sort of like how eBay was from reading the message boards. Mostly I wanted to share my love of decorating and thrifty shopping with hopefully some other people. Even if no one reads this post at least it feels good expressing myself and sharing my excitement for my hobbies.

Maybe I should start with how my passion for thrifty shopping and decorating got started. I guess I would have to say my Mom, because she always loved a good sale and passed on to me her excitement and enthusiasm when she got a good deal on an item. I love it when I get something at a great price whether it is clothes, shoes or something for my home. I love looking at clearance aisles/racks, I love shopping at TJ Maxx, Ross, Nordstrom's Last Chance and Nordstrom's Rack, Homegoods, Tuesday Morning and any store that is having a great sale. I love getting a high-end items like a great pair of Seven for all Mankind jeans or Waterford crystal at 50% off or more. It gives me a rush! Why pay retail? Why waste the money when I am sure I can find it cheaper at another store or online? It is challenge and I love that challenge. I also love high-end items like Louis Vuitton, 1000 thread count sheets, Prada and will pay retail for a special occasion or if I absolutely can't live without it....but I'd rather find it at a discount. Usually though if it is not on sale I do not buy it because I know that it eventually will be on sale, or a clearance rack or end up on eBay or Overstock. I've always loved doing my own decorating in my homes and finding that special piece or painting an accent wall and I am forever reading decorating magazines. Now for me finding the value in vintage. That probably started when my son was first born and I was at home watching tv while taking care of him. I was either watching HGTV or BBC America and this fantastic shows Cash in the Attic or this other show, can't remember the name, where they challenge people to find what they think is a great item at a flea market, boot sale(that's UK speak for garage sale, or estate sale and then turn around and sell it an auction for most profit. I thought wow, wouldn't it be wonderful to do that and make some money but never really had time when my kids were little to do it. I would see on these BBC shows these wonderful ceramic figures, beautiful china, tarnished but extraordinary silver pieces that were maybe stored away or in the attic maybe passed down through the family but not used or displayed and then they would find out the value and sell them. Sometimes, after some thought, the owner couldn't part with the items. I feel the same way about some items that we inherited from my grandparents....beautiful but old china, a vintage wine decanter and glasses many of which I do display and use proudly. They have meaning and history and to use or display them makes me feel good. All these wonderful pieces of history, patterns of china that are no longer made, silver trays, fine porcelain that is no longer made or not made as well as it use to be. It fascinates me that that some of these items go unused, unloved and out to trash or to Goodwill or other thrift shops. Thank goodness...so I can purchase them. New things are great but sometimes something old just brings an extra something, an undeniable quality to your home that just cannot be reproduced.

So I guess that is were my hobbies come together: shopping, decorating, antique vintage items, love of history/researching and the art of finding a good deal. I just wanted a place to share my fantastic finds some for personal use and some for sale, decorating ideas and just life in general. I feel very blessed to have a great husband who supports my passion and gives me the time to now indulge in the hobbies I love. I'm sorry this is so long, but thank you for reading.