Thursday, March 29, 2012

Thursday To-Do - It's all about vintage children's books!

Good morning, eBay friends!

I'm still in the midst of my huge listing project here.  Goal:  to get 70 vintage children's books up by the end of the free listing promotion on eBay - Sat. 3/31.

I generally do better with all projects if I can break them into small bite-sized portions.  Yesterday I tackled photos for all these books on one day -- whew!   Way too much.  I took over 600 photos and cropped them all.

Today I plan to make inventory cards for the items, research prices, and (woohoo!) start listing them.   I am looking forward to that.  I really enjoy writing vintage children's book listings, and I get in a rhythm when I can do them one after the next.

Pictured:  Huckleberry Hound Builds a House, vintage Little Golden Book.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Wednesday Goals and the Best Laid Plans

Hi all!

Yesterday my plans went awry due to something out of my control.  Don't you hate it when that happens?   I had planned to have a listing marathon, and my eBay listing program (Turbolister) crashed.  I had to reinstall it and get it personalized again ... and there went the day!   Although I love Turbolister, it seems to crash on me a few times a year.  I don't know if it has a problem with a larger database of items?  I am grateful to have it going again.

Today I plan to make up some time by photographing 70 books to list!   I want to get all these books up by the end of the eBay's free listing promo on 3/31.   After photographing, I will research (for price) and then start listing.  

I also have some packing to do today.

Wishing you a wonderful day!!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Item of the Day: 1965 - 1966 Druid Hills High School Student Directory, Atlanta, Georgia

This is a really fun find!  It's a 1965 - 1966 student directory from Druid Hills High School in Atlanta.  The title page is decorated with lipstick kisses.  Then the first half of the book is a directory of students, and the second half of the book is just plain fun!  It is drawings by students of things that were memorable about their school and being a high school student in the 1960's.  You'll find it here:  vintage school directory at Birdhouse Books.  I love items like this that are unique and one of a kind!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Monday Plans - a Week of Vintage Children's Books

Good morning all!

Happy Monday -- a new week on eBay ahead here!  

This is the last week of eBay's free auction promotion for store owners, so I plan to list some especially nice vintage children's books.   I went yard saling this weekend and found one sale with exceptional baby boomer vintage books.  I bought almost every book at that sale.  There are a number that I have never seen or heard of, so I am especially looking forward to researching them.   I also have a few really special books I've put aside to list, including an early edition C.S. Lewis.

I also am grateful for weekend sales, and have books, cards, a Dachshund figurine, and a big box of new Easter cards to pack and ship.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Friday To-Do

Good Friday Morning!

We are expecting lots of rain here today, and it will be so welcome - to wash away all the Spring pollen!

My Friday to-do is short and sweet:

* eBay listings - vintage Spring and Easter postcards (most from Europe, and 1940's - 1950's vintage)
* eBay packing - several small items sold, including this cute Pete Hawley illustrated Valentine, above

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Vintage Easter Angel Cards



Just sharing a few vintage Easter angel postcards with you from Birdhouse Books - more in my store!

Thursday To-Do & Free Listing Promos on eBay

Good morning, eBay friends!

Do you ever have a day where you feel like you could take a nap, and it is 8:36 a.m.?  Today is one of those days here.  Guess I need more coffee.  :-)

Today's plans:
* Listings - some really nice 1950's - 1960's chrome tourist postcards (some motels, some tourist attractions)

I'm trying to take advantage of eBay's free auctions promotion, which is running through the end of the month.  I don't know why, but these listing promotions usually do not boost my sales the way I hope they would;  I'm not sure why.  Maybe many more items appear in my categories at this time?  But - I appreciate the opportunity to list for free (thank you, eBay!) and I still  certainly try to list as much as possible.

If any of you has a great tip about maximizing sales during the free listing promos, please let me know!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Let's Connect Via Social Media

I would love to connect with you on the various social media sites that I'm active on.

Adventures on eBay Blog - a day in the life of an eBay seller - photos, daily projects, information on authors, illustrators, styles of ephemera, more

Birdhouse Books on Facebook - photos, updates, and vintage chat!

Chat with Birdhouse Books on Twitter - eBay but also vintage friends, dachshunds, dog rescue

One of my new favorite sites -- Pinterest.  I have photos there including Vintage Christmas Cards, Vintage Valentines, Vintage Easter, Southern Roadside Americana, Growing Up in the 1960's - 1970's, Books, and Retro Home.

Hope you'll join me!   Would love to hear from you!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Happy Tuesday! Vintage Playing Card Day

Happy Tuesday, and happy First Day of Spring!   It already feels like July in the deep south ... temps in the 80's during the afternoon.

Today I'm planning to work with vintage playing cards again.  I have more vintage dog cards to list in my store. They range in age from 1940's linen cards of Terriers and Poodles to more modern 1960's cards, like the groovy Greyhounds above.  I love the colors in this card!

I also really plan to list some books at Amazon today.  Yesterday I got sidetracked and that didn't happen.

Hope you have a great day!

Monday, March 19, 2012

1940's Vintage Fred Harvey - Harvey House Menu




When I was a little girl, one of my favorite movies was the Judy Garland musical The Harvey Girls.  Since I love American history and food history, I also became interested in the Harvey House restaurants, started by Fred Harvey, and located at railroad stations across the western United States.   And of course, I loved reading about the Harvey Girls, young American women who moved west to be waitresses at the Harvey House restaurants.

My friends went to a local estate sale and found this menu, which I am delighted to have and keep with my Harvey House books! It is a 1940's World War II vintage menu from the Fred Harvey Restaurant at Union Station in Houston, Texas.   The front cover has a guide to ribbon identification of World War II military service men.  It's a breakfast menu, and I think I will order the Meal No. 2 - Two Eggs, Fried, Boiled, or Scrambled, Hashed Brown Potatoes, Toast, and Coffee -- for 50 cents.   Really neat!

Monday To-Do

Hi eBay friends!

What are you up to today?  I am planning to sort through vintage playing cards and list some of those.  I have a big stack of 1940's - 1960's dog cards to list.

I also am going to continue listing my books on Amazon.   I have a small Marketplace account there, and I am exploring!

And - I'm going to pack items that sold this weekend.  Someone bought one of my 1950's Tempo Yearbooks from Midwestern Music Camp.  They are so much fun and full of old black and white photos.

Hope you have a great day!!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Projects

Hi, eBay friends!

Sorry to be out of touch the past month.  I've missed chatting with you here!   I'm going to try to start posting little updates here, even if it's short and sweet, or a note about a day in the life of an eBay seller.

Today I'm working on eBay listings.  I have a big lot of new gift store / boutique Easter cards, a vintage Donkey Party board game, and a stack of vintage craft booklets.

I purchased these Easter cards a couple of years ago at a yard sale.  I thought they would be good to sell individually, like my vintage cards.  That turned out not to work for me.  This is a huge lot (50 or 60 cards?? -- I need to count) and they are too cute not to pass along to someone who will enjoy them.   So ... I'm boxing them up and listing them as a big lot.

Hope your day is great!