While I Was Away...

While I'm away on a little vaca, I asked Stephanie from Junker Newbie to write up a post for me. Here's her story and a link to an exciting new Linky Party! Enjoy! -Junky Vagabond Jill

First, a huge THANK YOU to Jill at Junky Vagabond for inviting me to my first guest post!

A little bit about me…I’m “30-something”, I live in South Carolina now and have lived in the South all my life. I’m married, have a son who is 4 and a dog, Chance, who thinks she’s my assistant. Much to my hubby’s chagrin, I love old houses! We live in a 50’s craftsman style home that has four fireplaces!



I have always loved old items whether it’s an old window, letters from long ago or a dresser that can be given new life with paint. I guess I like the idea of “saving” things! That doesn’t mean I don’t shop at Target and Ikea though. Anyway, I went to my first estate sale last year and was hooked! I got back in the habit of attending yard sales and added estate sales into the mix. I also LOVE Habitat for
Humanity Restores. I decided to start my Junker Newbie blog in January of this year as way to share my adventures, help other “newbies” and meet folks with similar loves.

So, how do I junk?

Well, I try to visit local thrift shops and Habitat for Humanity Restores once a week. I don’t make it to yard / estate sales every weekend but try to make several a month. I’m always on the lookout for salvage items to turn into something (like an old window frame that I could turn into a mirror), furniture that needs refinishing, and other cool odds and ends like glass bottles, vintage linens, lamps, etc. I’m really starting to get a feel for prices and even turned down a $2 item recently because I thought it was “overpriced”! (I couldn’t even believe myself, I said to my mom “they were trying to get $2 for that, can you believe it?”). That’s when I knew I was becoming a seasoned junker!

What do I do with THAT?

If there’s something you see that you like, you’ll probably find a place for it. People are always so worried if something will “go” with what they have. If it’s your taste, I bet it does! Don’t be afraid to bring outdoor things inside, like this window I incorporated into my mantle display. If you see something you like but aren’t sure what to do with it, do an Internet search and/or look through your favorite blogs and magazines for inspiration. If you are reselling, be sure to give folks some ideas of what they can do with a piece (if it’s not obvious!) like this shoe mold or gas can.

You Want to What?

That’s what my hubby said when I told him I was going to start an antique booth. We could all predict it right? It was bound to happen. I wanted to keep buying but didn’t have room for anything else! What to do? Well, I found a booth at a local antique store and opened up “Allie’s Antics” (named after my pup that passed away last year). It has been fun so far but is a TON of work. I’ve sold a couple of furniture pieces like this stool and chair. But I’ve mainly sold smalls, such as my drop cloth pillows and items from yard sales like these.




I’m trying the booth thing for a while to see if it makes sense longer-term. It’s a lot of work plus you of course have to pay rent so I need to see how things balance out. In the meantime I decided to try Etsy. I love Etsy! I’m just getting started but I think the concept of only being able to sell vintage or handmade items is phenomenal! The only drawback for me is that it is not easy to sell large items (like furniture) which I really enjoy refinishing. So we’ll see what happens.

My Tips for Success…

• Go with your gut! If your gut says something is a good deal & you think you can do something with it, buy it. You don’t have to have all the details figured out (and while you’re figuring them out, you’ll blink and someone else will buy it!).

• Communicate – Yes I have a blog and Etsy store but I also started a Facebook page and Twitter account. The amount of people I meet, creative ideas I witness and support I receive has had a profound impact on me this year! Remember though, it’s a two-way street! You have to take the time to read what others write and comment – otherwise you’ll just be known as the person who shows up when they have a question.

• ASK – I have been known to talk to other folks at an estate sale, antique stores, you name it! You never know what someone might be willing to share. Last week I ended up meeting someone at an estate sale  who is a fellow Etsy seller! If an estate sale is being run by a company, talk to them, get on their email list, let them know what you are interested in. Get to know the folks at your local thrift shops. If you are looking for something you don’t see, ask them if they ever get that type of item in – they may have something in the back that is just not out yet!

Lastly, if you've ever walked out of a shop or away from an estate sale and wondered if you passed on something good, join us for my new "Would You Buy It Wednesdays” linky party! I'll post a picture of something I saw at a thrift store, estate or yard sale, etc. I'll include any other info I have - price, condition, etc. Then, I'd like to hear from you - would you buy it? Tell me why or why not and what you would do with it (fix it up, repurpose, etc.). THEN, (here's where the linky party comes in!), you can post a link to something YOU found and get us to weigh in. Anytime I walk away from a sale or store I'm always wondering, "if someone else was with me, what would they have bought? Did I miss a hidden treasure?" So this is just a way for us to do that virtually. It all starts THIS Wednesday!




Ok, before I use up all of Jill’s blog space, I’ll stop here. I hope this has helped someone and I would love to hear from you! Now go out and find some junk!




Thanks Stephanie! Looking forward to seeing what everyone links up on Wednesday!