So much to do, so little time ...

anybody reading this?

I now have time to work on this blog - but does anyone read it? :D

Which direction should I take -
Findings in the research on antiques?
My daily / weekly forays into the garage / estate sale goodies?
The latest quilting project I want to start on?
How many days until Christmas?
What my chickens are up to?

decisions, decisions ... : D


update at 1 pm -
Sure am glad I didn't throw away those stacks of S&H green stamps and books from that last estate sale - found someone who collects them! Just goes to show ya - don't throw away ANYthing! Somebody is looking for it! (I have no advice on where to store it in the meantime ... :D )


update at 1:30
And glad I didn't toss the Kentucky Derby glasses to Goodwill - found someone that collects those, as well! That's 2 for 2!

update at 1:40
Did you know a quick way to determine if you have authentic Bakelite jewelry / items is to use a bit of Formula 409 on a Q-tip, then dab it on a hidden section of the jewelry?! - If you see any yellow, it's authentic!

And - to clean glazed dinnerware - use peroxide! (now where was that info tidbit when I wanted to clean my mom's china bowl?)

And she goes on and on - like the Energizer bunny...

So, after thinking about this last night - and yes! I dreamt about it! - I've decided that, for now, I would devote my energy to finding every possible avenue for my FS (fellow storeowners) to succeed. Whether I'm "in" our "outcast", I still desire to see them succeed. I'll be fine without AC (AuctivaCommerce) - my FS may not be. I'll be adding to this day's blog all during the day - I want to devote the next few days to outlining a plan, and I'll be adding to this posting as I formulate it.
But first - Breakfast! (then a jog, then to my Bowflex) (sounds of the "Rocky" theme echoing in the background...)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, back on now - busy getting house arranged, thoughts arranged, and me! arranged (squirming into my "skinny" jeans :) )
Past hour I've been able to get online and do some more researching as other venues, but got caught up in the AuctionBytes site. Can't login/register to the forums (mitterJ own them, too?!), so put in an email to the administrator. Signed up for Karen McGraths newsletter; ordered her online selling package - should be here by Saturday - I'll report on it's contents as soon as I have them.
Anyway, at the AuctionBytes, there was a TON of info, I just saved and categorized them for now - I'll look at them in detail this evening (gee - and I'll actually have time now, since I won't be in the AC storefronts for a long, long time - still thinking about that one ... )(I am going to pop into the Lounge, tho - still have things to convey to my AC FS / friends).
The big bit of news at AB is the list (like I need another one) of places for research on just about anything anyone would be selling. I'll post just a few for today, more tomorrow.

Starting today with Advertising:

For those who are in the Massachussetts area (lucky you! - I'm clear in Michigan and don't anticipate being in the area) - don't miss this display:
Toulouse-Lautrec and Paris
Sunday February 1st - Sunday April 26th, 2009
Toulouse-Lautrec and Paris, at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. The Clark will exhibit nearly its entire collection of works by the great French painter and printmaker Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Over 80 oil paintings, posters, photographs, drawings, and lithographs. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. The Clark, 225 South Street, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 413-458-2303.
The Clark Art Institute

And if you are in Chicago, try to visit the vintage poster fair:
(this one I may be able to go to! if you see a lady with a fuschia-colored fedora - that's me!)
http://www.posterfair.com/cgi-local/content.cgi?p=9

The Ad*Access Project
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/adaccess
Just a fun, fun place to visit for a trip down memory lane via ads!

American Sign Museum
http://www.signmuseum.com
Collection of ... signs!

International Poster Gallery Online
http://www.internationalposter.com/intro.cfm#TOP
History / collecting of vintage advertising posters.

The Neon Museum
http://www.neonmuseum.org/pages/1/index.htm
Collection of neon signs! :)

William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design
http://www.eisnermuseum.org/exhibits/online
More advertising art.

Walker Magnum’s Kodak Collector’s Page
http://www.nwmangum.com/Kodak/
_menus/menu-Advertising.html
Kodak signs / ads.

Soda-Machines.com
http://soda-machines.com/index.html
Soda vending machines / coolers.

Tins Galore!
http://www.stutt.com/tins/
Advertising Tins / Cans

The Antique Advertising Association of America
http://www.pastimes.org
I need to join this one ...

....

more later today :?)

Well, this has been an eventful day.

Just got booted off the AuctivaCommerce forum boards for asking whether they (AuctivaCommerce) is in "cahoots" with eBay, in their venture to create standalone online webstores.

to view the latest musings of the fearful leader, MuttnJeff.

go here: (unless they've removed them - wimps that they are)

http://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5371029503/m/75710992
http://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5371029503/m/24210792
http://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5371029503/m/60310992
http://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/5371029503

Been a long night, and an even longer day ... I'll have more about this later.

I need to tend to my children, make some dinner and think about this some more.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And the beat goes on ...


(take a deep breath)

ok, so - what's next for me?

Well, went over to my Bonanzle booth for a sec - why did I EVER abandon that place for AuckiBay? I know why - the people - most of whom were beat up from eBay, and thinking they found a respite, a place to simply sell their wares. A funny thing happened on the way to market, however, at least for me - I fell in love with some dynamic folks - people of all walks of life, all with different outlooks, but all with hearts of gold. I really thought I had found my new eBay - but, alas, the owner of the AuckiBay, well...let's just leave that alone for now...more on him, another day.

But the people - such great folks. What is strange is how we all sort of fell in the AuctivaCommerce about the same time - some have been members of Auctiva for years, and some (like me) have had very little to do with Auctiva, over the years. I was aware of it, but it didn't offer what I needed - too klitchy on the templates. When I initially received the email, regarding the AucCom (short for AuctivaCommerce) site and forum, I had great reservations. I had seen, up close, what the eBay chat rooms could do to folks, and I wasn't about to enter THAT fray.

Then I met these fabulous guys and gals. And funny! Smart! Quick to help out! I've met some of best of humanity the past 8 weeks. It's been quite the ride. Actually ... I can't think about this right now, sorry. I'll finish this up later tonight or in the morning - too close to the heart. My absolute love and admiration to all of you Aucki's who are reading this now. Not sure where this ... outcasting is going to take me, but I'll be sure to let y'all know by tomorrow. XOXOXOXOX

Welcome!

Ok, everyone, this is the first page of the first day of the first musings of Gail of TheCoveredBridgeStore.com ...

... *blank*...

(think of something to say, think of something to say, think of something to say)

So ... how are you?

Me? I'm fine.

(looking around, noting the weather - yeah! I'll start with the weather ... ;) )

Currently, it is cold, here in Michigan.
Last year, at this time, it was also cold.

:)

But not so cold that I couldn't at least get outside and enjoy the crackling of the ice on the river, the birds - yes! they were some tweeting away! - and my dogs forays into the previously unknown areas of the lawn (which they actually did visit just yesterday, but the way they acted, you'd think they had never seen that part of the lawn).

So back into the warmth of the house I go, and grab another cup of coffee, and begin this blog. Where I am now. Right here --->. I mean, ------->here<------- :)

And what is TheCoveredBridgeStore about, you ask? (ok, you may not have asked, but I'll tell you anyway). It is an online venture and ADventure to sell my collection of antiques, collectibles, vintage items and otherwise not new items. I don't sell copies, I don't sell reproductions - those are fine options for others, to be sure, but not for me. Goodness! I have enough to deal with, in just the authentic items - I couldn't imagine having repros to deal with!

Anyway, as I was saying, I have a wide variety of items for sale of my collection, plus I sell items for other members of the family, friends, and neighbors. The following list is incomplete (all I can think of at this moment - I'll edit/add in more as I remember them).

We will have at some time or another (depending on how fast I can get them listed):
20th Century / Decorative / Works of Art, Advertising (on metal/wood items), Amberina, American Art Pottery, American Indian Items, Antiques, Architectural Antiques, Art Glass, Arts & Crafts, Ash Trays, Auto (related items), Badges, Banks, Billiard items, Bisque, Black Americana, Board Games, Boats (toy, display), Books (oh, boy - do I have books - over 120 huge boxes), Bottles, Boy Scout items, Brass, Brewery (and related items), Brochures, Bronzes, Buttons (yes, people collect these ), Calenders, Cameras, Canes, Carnival Glass, Cast Iron, Ceramics, Character Toys, China, Chess Sets, Civil War, Clocks, Clothing, Coins, Collectibles, Coke Related, Costume Jewelry, Country Antiques, Cut Glass, Daguerreotypes, Decorative Accessories, Decoys, Depression Glass, Diecast, Disney, Dolls, Doll Clothes, Ephemera, Ethnographic, Estate Jewelry, Farm items (tools, toys, etc), Fenton, Fine Art, Fire King, Fireplace Equipment, Fishing Rods, Flow Blue, Folk Art, Fostoria, Furniture (lighter weight or pickup only), Gas Station (related items), Guitars (vintage - inherited my Dad's collection of guitars, harpischords, zithers), Hollywood (related items), Household, Jewelry, Knives, Lamps, Lighting, Limoges, Lures, Magazines, Majolica, Maps, Marbles, Marine Items, Marx (toys), McDonald's (Happy Meal toy collectibles) Mechanical Banks, Medals, Metalware, Military, Miscellaneous, Musical Instruments (and parts), Nautical, Nippon, Ohio Art, Oil Paintings, Opalescent, Oriental Art, Pamphlets, Paper Items, Parker Pens (and other pens), Patterns (sewing), Pepsi Items, Perfume bottles, Phonographs, Photographs, Piano Rolls, Pisqah Forest, Pop Bottles, Porcelain, Postcards, Pottery, Primitives, Prints, Prussia, Quilt Related, Quilts, Racing Items (car, boat and motorcycle), Railroadiana (train related), Record Albums, Reels (fishing), Rhinestone Jewelry, Rookwood, Roseville, Rugs, Servers, Sewing Items, Sheaffer, Shot Glasses, Silver, Sporting Items, Staffordshire, Stamps, Steiff, Steuben, Still Banks, Textiles, Tin Toys, Tobacciana, Tools, Toys, Van Briggle, Vaseline, Victorian Antiques, War Items (primarily WWII - some Vietnam, Korean, WWI - even a uniform from the CIVIL War!!), Watercolor, Waterman, Weller, Western Memorabilia, Westmoreland, WWII, Yo-Yo's, and Zithers (ok, not Zithers - I'm keeping those - they were my (((Dad's))) Sure do miss him...)

Ok. That's enough for today/this morning.
Now, let's see, I need to press the Save Now button, then I'll go back and see what I've written (and hope there's no " oh no! I didn't mean to write that! Where's the delete/edit button?!...)