Kindergarten Class Photo Christmas Ornament & Give-Away from Peppertowne

I think I’m finally growing into this.

And I think I like it.

I remember the first time I was published.

It was here in Phoenix, in a local newspaper.  I wrote a piece about Earth Day.

I found my story in the newspaper while I was working an Earth Day event out in Scottsdale called Sun Festival.

There was my name in print.  I put the newspaper in my purse, certain I’d keep it forever. 

I was over the moon.   My writing career was off and running. 

7 years later, I’m still writing, but I don’t know where I put that newspaper.  It’s lost in the hustle and bustle of life.  I’ve had a few more small pieces published.  I've jumped up and down, called the counselor at work talking so fast he didn't know what the heck I was trying to say because I was bubbling over with joy, but I’ve also matured.

Reality set in long ago.

Writing isn't all about getting published, is it? 

(que violin music)

Starting My Dear Trash was a way to combine several different loves into one outlet.  First and for most my love of writing.  Actually, it seemed silly to write about trash, but because of a dream I had (click here to read more about that), trash it was. Trash is the one thing all my friends want to talk about.   We’ll actually; they want to know how much money I’ve made recently off trash.  That’s were eBay and craigslist.com came aboard.  I can’t leave them out of the experiment.

I'm starting to see myself as a professional seller of trash, especially after working last weeks estate sale with Kelly.  I get it.  I can actually make money as often as I want off the trash I find out garaging and thrifting, working estate sales, running an eBay store, etc.  

In this economy, this is a huge blessing.  I'm living the American dream; to buy cheap; sell high.  

Wow, it really works.  

The work is steady.  If I need more, I go shopping.  It's out there if I go looking.

This year, I'm spending more time working trash on eBay then working on getting my novel published. It was hard taking a step back, but it's been good for me and pays much better then writing.

Last year, I had a great find right before Christmas (click here to read more about that).  While out garaging one Saturday, I walked into a garage sell where a woman and her grown son put together a gigantic Christmas tree in their front yard.  The goal was to get it displayed for their garage sale and get it sold.

“What a gorgeous tree,” I said.  “Is it for sell?”

“Yes, it is,” she said.  “I’ll give you the deal of the day.”

What I’ve learned when people say “I’ll make you a deal” is they really want whatever “the deal of the day is” gone, out of the house and never seen or heard of again.  They don’t care what you do with it.  Most likely, you don’t need or want it, but “the deal of the day” is hard to pass up.  Just look at Kelly's vintage buffet she picked up last weekend for $10.00.  That was "the deal of the day" too.

Anyway, back to the tree.  I had a modest 6 foot tree back at home.  I wasn’t really looking for a new one, but I could tell this one was nice and expensive.

“How tall is it?” I asked, staring up in to the sky.

“It’s 10 feet,” she said.  “I’ll sell it to you for $1.00 a foot.”

“$10.00?” I confirmed. 

That’s how I found my gorgeous 10 foot pre-lit super sturdy forever beautiful tree.

 At the same sale, I purchased a box of 60 collectible Hallmark ornaments for $40.00.

Yeah.  Merry Christmas to me.

I sold a couple on eBay and earned my $40.00 back.

This year, I was waiting for the Christmas garage sale karma to kick in again.

And it did.

With this little box of goodies.

A box of about 25 vintage Christmas Around the World 1980 ornaments that I purchased for $1.00.

Thank you Mayer, for decorating the tree this year while the rest of us sat around and watched.  You learned when you're 5 and do all the work, you get to pick if you want your kindergarten class picture displayed as an ornament.

More early Christmas presents for me?

I found ths vintage buffet with hutch for $30.00.  

I've been looking for something retro and huge.  This does the trick.  I want to paint it, but I want it up in my home for the holidays even more.  I know it will take me months to get around to painting it. Hey, we can’t all be like Kelly.

And Merry Christmas to you.  

Amy over at Peppertowne has offered the following give-away to a lucky reader of My Dear Trash.  She writes:

I would like to give away some of my custom photo Christmas cards. I came out with a new style of Christmas letters that I'd like to showcase and would like to give-away 25 custom cards to one person.  The winner can pick their favorite Christmas card from my shop, whichever one they like best I will customize, add their photo and mail them the cards.

Links:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61674585/5-printed-christmas-letter-cards-5x19
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61711247/5-printed-christmas-letter-cards-5x19
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61720063/5-printed-christmas-letter-cards-5x19

 Leave a comment below, become a follower of My Dear Trash and Peppertowne and your qualified to win.  Winner will be announced Friday.  Good luck.

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