A Tale of Two Auctions

We've already identified that I am not patient. I am also deeply affected by shiny things. Let me be the first to inform you, oh dear reader, that these are a deadly combination. At least when one is attending a furniture auction. Or better yet, TWO furniture auctions. 

Case in point. 

Over the summer my friend and partner-in-crime decided to attend a local furniture auction that I have bought from in the past. Their auctions were always on Saturdays which meant that I would do a write-in bid and that was that. Sometimes I won....but mostly I lost. It may or may not be because I'm so danged cheap. I'm not admitting any fault. 

But with my new business and life of leisure, I don't always work Saturdays so we decided to attend. I did my due diligence and the day before I previewed the furniture pieces (but not the box lots) and made notes as to the items I was interested in and how much I was willing to pay for them. 

I was prepared! 

So Sam, G-Man and I showed up bright and early to preview the box lots and make our notes. We decided to divide and conquer (mostly because all the ones I was interested in were later in the auction and I don't have the patience to stand and wait) Sam bidding on box lots and I would bid on furniture. It went wrong from the beginning. The very beginning. The bidding was fierce and items were going for retail pricing and above. It was borderline ridiculous. But something stopped me. 

After the 10th item I was interested in went for 3x what I would be willing to pay for it and I lost a few good deals because I wasn't first bidder, I decided to throw caution to the wind. I would be first bidder on everything that came up....that way if other bids followed I could bow out....if they didn't....I would have gotten a bargain, right? Seems reasonable? Yeah....to me too. 

Until the next item. 

Up went my bidder number! 

And then.....crickets.....just crickets....of course except for the annoying yip and cadence of the auctioneer pounding in my ear. 

And in the blink of an eye it was mine. All mine. 

Then I decided it might be a good idea to take a look at what I had just bought. Since it was a china cabinet. 

A humongous china cabinet. 

A gargantuan lump of a huge 1960's china cabinet. 

Heaven help me. 

Check back tomorrow for the end result!

 

Day 16 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge-My Thoughts On Education

My Thoughts on Education

Well that took a serious turn in topics! Education is such a broad topic and my opinions are so narrow. The funny thing is that I rarely think of formalized education anymore since my kiddos are out of school. It's amazing how it consumes your life for so many years: Teachers and books and fundraisers and childhood drama...and then all of a sudden it's all gone! In the blink of an eye really. But I guess I'll jot down my random thoughts on the subject and see what comes of it. 

Learning was always very easy for me. I was fortunate to go to a school district that a) had plenty of money to devote to individual education and b) was forward thinking enough to realize that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to education. I was an extremely fast reader and had comprehension far beyond my years. My teachers acknowledged that and took great care to make sure I was always challenged in class. Well maybe not challenged, but at least not bored. 

Little Jen (wasn't I cute?)

It probably helped that my mom was a bit of a ball-buster when it came to my education. It embarrassed me to no end when I was younger, but as an adult I appreciate that she always made the effort to advocate on my behalf. She also always made sure she was involved volunteering, etc at the school so she was in the loop of things going on. I definitely had every opportunity for learning and growth given to me growing up. 

This was in the days before Common Core and other bureaucracy-mandated educational systems that have overrun education today. I do believe that individual teachers still make a huge difference and caring, compassionate teachers are the rule rather than the exception. But I also believe that in many ways their hands are tied behind their backs. Underpaid, overworked and under appreciated seems to be at the top of the teacher list.  

I usually don't like to complain about things unless I have a valid solution. I don't. So I don't complain. But that's easy for me because I have no more children in school currently. And no grandchildren on the horizon. But it is my greatest hope that just like many other broken systems that we have in this country, that education continues to improve and grow and develop to go back to the tenants that I remember when I was in school. Not a national program that touts "No Child Left Behind"....just don't dismiss the needs of one child at a time. If that child is struggling or if that child is ahead of the curve. Keep class sizes small enough and administration nimble enough to put the needs of each child first. One kidlet at a time...

Those are my thoughts.....take them or leave them...

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog on my favorite blogs (sung to the tune of My Favorite Things)

Day 15 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge-Where Will I Be In 5 Years

Where Will I Be In 5 Years

Gosh, where will I be in one year? I've shaken everything up so much this year that I truly have no idea. I feel like anything I type here is either defeatist or pie in the sky thinking. But I've been guilty of both so here goes nothing.....

I think in 5 years I will still be living in Phoenix. Since that is probably inevitable I'm going to assume that I take one long and several short jaunts out of town every year. 1/2 with hubs and 1/2 with girlfriends or to visit Mom & Daddy-o. 

I will be self-employed. I will be doing what I love and something others love as well. I will employ and inspire other women. 

I will still be writing this blog. It may evolve...it may change.....but I will not stop writing even if it's only to hear myself type. 

My children will be self-sufficient and happy. They will be fulfilled and functioning but still need their Mom every now and again. Someday I will get one or both of them in the pool. How did I raise such land-lubbers? 

My hair will be a color. It will not be natural. It will not be my original. But it will be mine. And I will work it. And I will already be planning on the next color. 

I will be driving a truck. Yes a truck. I'm tired of trying to fit this square peg into a sedan-shaped hole. I'm not a sedan girl. I'm not the short skirt-long jacket girl anymore either. I live in my vehicle and I need it to function for me. Loading junk into a sedan sucks. And it's ridiculous. I need a truck. 

I will be healthy but probably still trying to lose weight and still bemoaning the fact that ice cream has calories. Of all the stupid plans for the universe...the whole cause and effect thing of eating just isn't fair! 

I will learn how to golf. I will never be good. I will never even be bad...I will be way worse than that. But I will try....and I will laugh at myself almost as much as others will laugh at me. But if you can't learn to golf in Arizona where can you?

I will have two doglets. One will be a German Shepard. Puppers will be dragging tail at the ripe old age of 13. He will still be a princess and prefer to be carried to bed. 

I will still be involved in service work. To a fault. At the expense of much....because I can. And because someone did it before me. 

I will still over-commit. And struggle to say no. And be a good friend. I'm ok with that. 

Day 10 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge-The Best Trip Of My Life

The Best Trip Of My Life (So Far)

I've been tremendously fortunate in my life to have had amazing travel adventures. I'd rather travel than eat(but it's a close race) so I'm always planning the next getaway. But if I MUST pare it down to my favorite, I have to pick my cruise through the Panama Canal, Caribbean and Mexico with my kidlets. 

It isn't just the trip that was my favorite, but the time in my life that contributes to it bringing such fond memories. All told we were gone 18 days and to say that it was the trip of our lives isn't exaggerating. It really was a blast. Please don't judge the photos...this was 2001 and they are pilfered from my scrapbook. Yes I used to scrapbook...religiously...but that's a topic for another day.

Yep...that big ole ship was home for two weeks!!

Best time ever with the kidlets!

My little one lost her tooth in Aruba....tough life that one...

Livin the life...

Now they are all grown and have lives of their own but I know that they look back as fondly as I do on that trip. It was when we were a family and all together and experiencing things for the first time all at the same time...

Ft Lauderdale

Aruba

Curacao

Costa Rica

Panama Canal

Acalpulco

Cabo San Lucas

San Diego

Time of your life? Huh kid?

Stay tuned for tomorrow's topic My Ten Favorite Foods

Day 6 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge-What I'm Afraid Of

1. Failure
2. My mouth
3. Scorpions
4. Getting old
5. Not traveling
6. My kids getting hurt
7. My husband dying (or getting hurt of course...but the actual fear is of losing him)
8. Not making a difference
9. Making a mistake
10. My parents aging
11. Being told no when it really matters
12. Losing my conscious contact
13. That our generation and those before have irreparably damaged the planet
14. War
15. Being in a car accident
16. Being out of control
17. Losing my eyesight
18. Letting my husband down

Not necessarily in that order. List may be larger than it appears. No judgement....scorpions are scary here in Arizona!!

Day 4 of 30 Day Blogging Challenge-My Dream Job

My Dream Job

My idea of a dream job-NOT!!

Now this is a tougher thing to talk about for me. I am one of those strange people that has no boundaries around my job. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

I am blissfully unaware of where ME ends and the JOB starts....and vice versa. Now the good thing is I've always had jobs that I've loved. They've never been J-O-B-S for me....but how I lived my life.

Except for one....I had one job that I worked at for a year when I was 19. It was a bakery. I was the manager. It was horrible. First of all...yes the smell of carbs can be exhausting. But that never stopped me from eating them. Second of all bakers are flakes. Let me say that again. BAKERS ARE FLAKES!!! SO there were more than a handful of days that I'd work all day and then get the 1am call that the baker hadn't shown up and I'd have to bake all night then work again all day the next day. All on salary. Dang it! Plus....you've been kind enough not to mention which anyone who knows me knows. I CAN'T COOK! I suck at it....so I'm sure I was brilliant at my job. I walked away from that one with zero regrets.

And 20 extra pounds.

Dang it!

So now 30 years and many many many hours later I find myself in a position that I get to choose my dream job. And take my life and make it into what I want it to be. I've spent countless blood, sweat and tears working to help others succeed and now I have a chance to do that for myself. My expectations are different. My goals are different. My needs are different. So here they are:

1) To make a difference in the world
2) To be creative, not just with my mind, but with my hands and my heart
3) To get dirty
4) To not have to wear makeup every day
5) To have something tangible that I can be proud of
6) To make people happy
7) To inspire someone
8) To collaborate with others
9) To innovate
10) To have the ability to stop what I'm doing and meet a friend for coffee and an attitude refresh
11) To have the occasional weekend off with hubs
12) To hang with my fur-kid

And there she goes....wish me luck!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's topic: Your proudest moment

DIY Paint Workshops Summer 2016

For registration contact Jen at 623-337-0793 or Furniture Affair at 602-863-9955 Email junkyardjezebelaz@gmail.com or info@furnitureaffair.com

Junk In The Trunk Vintage Market May 2016 (aka: I'm exhausted and need a nap....and a massage)

I made it! I survived!! I feel like I should have a t-shirt....It was too much work and too much fun and just the right amount of being surrounded by people that I love and that "get" what speaks to me. In other words it was a blast and I am now getting geared up and excited for the July Market in lovely San Diego, CA. As you can imagine I don't need my arm twisted to go to the beach in July! But here is the debrief of this fun market. First we started by lining up the trucks. Did I mention that I drove a U-haul all on my own? And there were no casualties (that I know of)

Then while we waited in the line of trucks to be guided into our spot, the interns provided entertainment.

Here are way, way, way too many photos of my first vintage market booth...but here goes it in all it's evolutions.....the constant changing was sure fun!!

I showed just a bit of DIY Paint to let people know that Laura and I were dealers and painters. It was a bit too hot in Scottsdale to do too much paint outside!

 A little bit of something for everyone. Those breadboards were sold out in a flash! Now to get more!!

My beautiful daughter Ricky's jewelry. She's so talented!!

Love these mini baking tins! They would look so cute in a glass apothecary!

Breadboards and Dough Bowls and Spools oh my!!

Stack em high!!

My fave piece is the sweet curio cabinet! The hit of my booth for sure!

Junk In The Trunk is such a busy market!

My darling daughter Ricky and I celebrating Mothers Day at the market!

"Speak Softly and Carry A Big Stick"! These ladies have it goin on!!

Thanks for visiting my market photos!! My next market is coming up in San Diego at Liberty Station July 16th-17th. More details to come!!