Most of the stuffed animals I'm refreshing are guests--they intend to move along after their treatments, but I think this Bear may be here to stay.
I was photographing a couple things for eBay---that's why there's a measuring tape on the chair. This Bear just came from eBay, but its seller hadn't taken very thorough photographs for its listing, so it wanted an official BEFORE photo:
Bear is in good shape--will just be getting a bath and new stuffing (because the old stuff is a breeding ground of wee microscopic beasties).
"AFTER" UPDATE (2 days later):
My eBay
I spent ALL afternoon listing 2 things on eBay. If I keep doing this, it won't take me quite as long in the future, but I had to read all of the instructions and everything.
Have you done it?
Turns out it's pretty easy--[a useful article for beginners]:
set up an eBay and PayPal accounts, and then click on "sell" to upload photos & write description--that's about it.
Then I futzed forever getting photos, doing research (!) and writing descriptions--a lot like creating a blog post, in fact.
That won't get any faster, because I like doing it--both the visuals and the research. So much fascinating cultural history is tied up in things. I've never paid much attention before, generally being more into words.
eBay cracks me up though: you don't have to do ANY research, and some don't.
The description of the lot of Dream Pets and a vintage bear (I wanted the bear) wrote exactly this:
"this stuff looks pretty old to me"
And photos can be pretty thin on the ground too: a couple of beat-up bears were posed lying down on a piece of torn cardboard, and there was only that 1 photo.
I used up 11 of 12 allotted photos per list for this Spanish molded-felt doll. > > >
She was made by Barcelona doll-maker Roldan, who made dolls as souvenirs in the 1950–'60s.
(There's a tag on her dress and I looked it up.)
She's dressed in the traditional costume of Segovia. (I looked that up too.)
I'd bought her at Goodwill for a dollar, intending to re-use the fabric of her dress for my toys,
but when I looked closer, the skill and craft was too impressive to cut up.
The tiny jewelry especially is exquisite:
little faux-pearls set in gold cups for earrings, gold-wire necklace, beads-and-wire rosary.
She's very expressive, as you can see.
____________________________
I also listed one of the Dream Pets, from 1977.
I called it a "holiday reindeer fawn" >
because, you know, it's the holidays, right?
It's only $3.99 (plus shipping, which is sadly almost as much),
so if it sells––
will it? I have no idea––
I will make...
um, I guess a couple dollars, after eBay's cut and the dollar I had to spend buying it when I didn't want it.
Oh, the intrigue...!
But it's fun,
considering there was nothing else I needed to be doing today,
if you don't count the Thanksgiving Day dishes soaking in the sink.
Which I am going to do NOW---or else there will be no room to bathe the new Bear!
I was photographing a couple things for eBay---that's why there's a measuring tape on the chair. This Bear just came from eBay, but its seller hadn't taken very thorough photographs for its listing, so it wanted an official BEFORE photo:
Bear is in good shape--will just be getting a bath and new stuffing (because the old stuff is a breeding ground of wee microscopic beasties).
"AFTER" UPDATE (2 days later):
My eBay
I spent ALL afternoon listing 2 things on eBay. If I keep doing this, it won't take me quite as long in the future, but I had to read all of the instructions and everything.
Have you done it?
Turns out it's pretty easy--[a useful article for beginners]:
set up an eBay and PayPal accounts, and then click on "sell" to upload photos & write description--that's about it.
Then I futzed forever getting photos, doing research (!) and writing descriptions--a lot like creating a blog post, in fact.
That won't get any faster, because I like doing it--both the visuals and the research. So much fascinating cultural history is tied up in things. I've never paid much attention before, generally being more into words.
eBay cracks me up though: you don't have to do ANY research, and some don't.
The description of the lot of Dream Pets and a vintage bear (I wanted the bear) wrote exactly this:
"this stuff looks pretty old to me"
And photos can be pretty thin on the ground too: a couple of beat-up bears were posed lying down on a piece of torn cardboard, and there was only that 1 photo.
I used up 11 of 12 allotted photos per list for this Spanish molded-felt doll. > > >She was made by Barcelona doll-maker Roldan, who made dolls as souvenirs in the 1950–'60s.
(There's a tag on her dress and I looked it up.)
She's dressed in the traditional costume of Segovia. (I looked that up too.)
I'd bought her at Goodwill for a dollar, intending to re-use the fabric of her dress for my toys,
but when I looked closer, the skill and craft was too impressive to cut up.
The tiny jewelry especially is exquisite:
little faux-pearls set in gold cups for earrings, gold-wire necklace, beads-and-wire rosary.
She's very expressive, as you can see.
I also listed one of the Dream Pets, from 1977.I called it a "holiday reindeer fawn" >
because, you know, it's the holidays, right?
It's only $3.99 (plus shipping, which is sadly almost as much),
so if it sells––
will it? I have no idea––
I will make...
um, I guess a couple dollars, after eBay's cut and the dollar I had to spend buying it when I didn't want it.
Oh, the intrigue...!
But it's fun,
considering there was nothing else I needed to be doing today,
if you don't count the Thanksgiving Day dishes soaking in the sink.
Which I am going to do NOW---or else there will be no room to bathe the new Bear!
I learned a lot when I was selling vintage finds on Etsy.
ReplyDeleteNew bear is extra sweet. Love the face and paws.
ReplyDeleteSPARKER: I am too, learning a lot.
ReplyDeleteBINK: Aw, thanks--Bear is one of my favorites.