Thrifting Junking Treasure Hunting is Addictive

 

 

                               Thrifting Junking Treasures Hunting Can Be Addictive

Welcome to LilacsNDreams!  Happy to have you dropping by here. I am very sorry for not being here last week. I had been away from home House and dog sitting for some friends while they went on vacation. It was kind of like me having a mini vacation too. I needed it more than I thought. I’m back, and happy to be here too.

Ok, this darn weather we have been having. Crazy!! We have pretty much had 4 seasons within 24 hours. Thunder, lightening, rain, sleet, snow, and we cannot forget the gusty winds we have had too. I am so over it, and truly ready for spring. I like the sun, windows opening, things new and fresh, and definitely time for vendor markets, and definitely time to thrift and go junking too! I love crafting, always creating things in my mind, seeing pieces in person and my mind thinks of possibilities. I really enjoy visiting thrift stores, doing a little junking, garage sales, and all of it. I still have the love for vintage treasures to be found with all of this too.

I enjoy visiting with Dollar Tree, and Dollar General Stores along with other places too. Many things for many things can be found at many different places. I like to visit with Thrift World, and New Hope too. Sometimes we need to venture a little further to find a little more variety too. Never know where you can find the next item that you craft, and create with. So, while roaming through Facebook, and Google a few more stores popped up that are around me I really should visit too. Sometimes some of them will have a website that can be visited too. Time to pull my Big Girl Pants up, and step into these places that I am sharing below. 

A few of them are a little further to drive, but if I look around the Des Moines area I know there are places to visit too. Those that are a little further away is when I need to do some planning to get away for a weekend, and great excuse to spend some time with my forever friend too. 

So, hang in there everyone because spring is coming. We will soon be out, and about roaming and doing what we enjoy doing.

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Always a pleasure to have you visit. If you ever want to share some things please feel free to do that too. Love hearing from everyone. Take care, and see you again soon. Till the next time, be safe!

Altered Moments and Altered Moments Market Groups on Facebook

 

                                                 Altered Moments Groups Found on Facebook

Hi! Welcome to LilacsNDreams! I love finding people, and groups that share items repurposed. Upcycled, restyled using new, used, and old items they have or found. 1 thing I had not thought about redoing, or transforming were Precious Moments, and other ceramic figurines. I ran across a group on Facebook doing this, and wanted to share with you. It was so neat seeing some share what the figurine looked like before they restyled, or transformed it into what it became. Soo neat!!

The name of the group on Facebook is called Altered Moments and they also have an Altered Moments Market. They use Precious Moments, and other ceramic collectible figurines that they transform. Amazing pieces they share there! I would have never guess to see such a transformation of these pieces! It’s amazing, and I am in aww of what I have seen so far too.

Here are just a very few pictures that I am sharing to give you an idea of what they are doing there. When you can you need to check them out. They are public groups, and you just might be in aww of some of the things that I seen too. Some really great work done, and I really do enjoy seeing the before, and after pictures. With these you can really see the full transformation of some of these pieces shared.

Also, I started to play around a little bit at Canva. I’d like to have new business cards. Going back, and forth with design, the layout, something on the front and back of the card, etc. Here is an example of what I have started. Remember I am just playing around right now. 

It’s always hard to know what is right, and wrong. What works, and don’t work. What honestly looks good, and is eye appealing to everyone too. I can still go to Vista Print where I normally get my cards, and do some designing there too. We’ll see what I eventually decide on.

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams! I enjoy the visits, and hearing from everyone too. Please feel free to comment, and share. Would be great to hear from you!

Thanks again, and Take Care!

Repurpose Restyle Reclaim Home Decor

 

                                          Repurpose Restyle Reclaim Home and Kitchen Decor

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! I first wanted to apologize for not posting last week. I had made a sale with a Coach Purse I offered on Facebook Marketplace. Prior to this I had sold another Coach of same color, but smaller too. 

Anyway, when people ask me to I have been shipping, and I do shipping through Pirate Ship. I can generally save about 1-2 dollars on shipping compared to the postal service. Sooo this was a sale that was going to ship. Sunday night I was making preparations to have this purse ready to ship Tuesday morning since I had an appointment on Monday. Well, I went to Pirate Ship, put in all the info, and then went to print. Printer telling me paper was jammed. I checked it…knowing it wasn’t. It seem to be a repeat of doing this lately. I turned the printer off, and on, I unplugged it, plugged it back in, I cleaned the roller, put a touch of oil with it as my brother-in-law suggested, and this time nothing was working for me. I honestly had this printer quite a while. Fortunately it lasted me longer than some have done for others.

So, the search was on to locate a printer being offered reasonably, had good reviews, looking at ink used, and of course the price with it too. I finally decided on one…they all start looking alike after a while too. Placed my order, and then the wait. I realized I used a printer more than I thought I had with not having one to use too. 

I got lucky the new printer arrived here Tuesday…after I had shipped the purse. Oh, well, I was able to spend time with setting it up, activating it, connecting to my iPad, and phone too. I was so involved with this issue that I overlooked making my weekly Monday posting on my sight. I am really sorry everyone. I thought about it, intended to do it, and then was side tracked with the printer issue. 

I hope everyone had a great week last week, and wishing you all a great week this week. Thanks for stopping by LilacsNDreams everyone! Take care, and see you again soon. 

Cake Plate Pedestal Stand Handmade Repurposed

Cake Plate Pedestal Stand Handmade Repurposed Restyled DIY

Hi! Welcome to LilacsNDreams! When I started with handmade and repurposing I really enjoyed making cake plates pedestal stands. I enjoyed searching, thrifting, and hunting for many pieces that I could unite to make these wonderful treasures to offer for those who bought them. I would find dinner plates, sandwich plates, sectional plates, bowls, single pieces from sets, and the possibilities were endless. For the bases I would use candle holders, goblets, cups, mugs, and again so many possibilities. I bought many pieces that looked like new, different colors, different shapes, and had fun with it. Once I cleaned everything I would set them out, and then look at all of the pieces. Bit by bit I would start pairing pieces to unite them into one. I took my time, tried to be selective, and once I was content with some of the pedestal stands I would then do displays to picture them, and offer them with different platforms I was associated with then. I enjoyed showing pictures of the pedestal stands as they were, and I had fun staging the pieces to show the possibilities of how they could be used. Sometimes I felt me sharing that would help people see the possibilities, and maybe be creative with some of their thoughts for uses too. 

I really enjoyed showing pictures of how the stands looked after they were united. One of the ways I did displays with these pedestal cake stands was to show how some of them, with the right base, could be turned over/upside down for uses too. Pictures above here are showing what I am describing. 

Now the pictures below show how dinner plates, small sandwich snack plates, and a few different sized bowls could be united with candle holders for their bases. Sometimes I might add some lace, little ribbon bows, colored beads, etc to dress the piece a little more with its own character. I had times where colored glass pieces United beautifully with decorative pieces too. 

As I had mentioned before I enjoyed uniting pieces, and being creative with different ideas. It was fun, and I took pleasure in creating the treasures too. I am happy to say I did get quite a few compliments with pieces sold. Everyone enjoyed them for themselves, and some were given as gifts as well too. 

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams, and letting me share these treasures with you too. I hope you enjoyed your visit today. Hope to see you again. Always feel free to leave a comment, and share with us here as well. Take care till the next time. 

Payment Processing Platforms For Small Businesses

 

Payment Processing Platforms For Small Businesses

Hi! Welcome to LilacsNDreams! POS systems, and different payment processing platforms for a small business has been a topic discussed quite often lately with different Facebook groups. Mostly in the groups for vendors. 

I have seen that most of these systems charge about the same for fees. Sometimes you’ll find a service that has a monthly charge. Some of the services are good for accepting credit cards which customers do tend to spend a little more when they can use a card. Many sellers have seen more sales with card payments accepted. Some people still like to pay with cash too. 

Some of your platforms to consider for use with card payments, and some also offer keeping track of inventory for you too. Square is used by quite a few vendors. There is also Shopify, and Stripe too. Another one that has been around for a long time is PayPal. PayPal has Zettle that accepts credit cards too. 

Some vendors will only accept cash, and checks from those they know too. If you don’t want to carry cash, but still pay with it. You might consider using Cash App, Venmo is also popular, and there is Zelle too. 

With some of these payment services you will have a device, and the docket with it to use. Using these services you can use these readers that are handheld, some of them you will swipe the card, and some of them have the touch and tap feature too. You can also get the small readers that connect into your phone to use too. 

Long time ago I had bought the device with the dock from Square. Unfortunately, since we have moved I am not sure where it is. I have seen many people use Square, and Cash App or Venmo. Shopify, and Cash App or Venmo too. There are some who like to use PayPal and Zettle, and Zelle or also Venmo too. Some of these are capable of accepting Apple and the wallet too. PayPal, Zettle, Zelle, and Venmo are all connected some how, or a part of PayPal. 

I pretty much am starting over with things. I am hoping to do some vendor shows more towards Fall, and seasonal times too. Since I’m not sure where my Square reader and deck are I have chosen to buy the reader and dock with PayPal Zettle. That should arrive next week for me. I will also offer payments of cash, and to use Venmo too. Another thing to keep in mind is that some of these services require you to have a business account with them. After all these years with PayPal I finally turned it on for business. No extra charge for it. a 1099 form will be received at the end of the year from whatever platform you chose to use. You can print or send receipts, you can invoice, and etc. 

I have enjoyed your visit at LilacsNDreams today. Thanks for visiting, and hope to see you again. You are always welcome to leave a comment, share something, and message me too. Thanks again everyone. Take care!

Repurpose Reuse Restyle Upcycle Handmade DIY

 

Repurpose Reuse Restyle Upcycle Handmade DIY

Hello to all visiting today! Welcome to LilacsNDreams! My first of the year plans have not gone completely like I was wanting it to be. I was hoping by now I would be creating, doing some handmade items, repurposing and restyling a few pieces. Instead I have been going through things in basement. Slowly donating some things, some containers have gone to storage, and  have been posting things on FB Marketplace too. I’ve had a couple of items sell within about 5 minutes of them posting. That feels good when that happens. So I have been dealing with downsizing, and organizing of things right now. 

I have ideas of what I want to craft when I am able to work on things. Do some handmade, do some repurposing, and just sit down to create things. A lot of thoughts on mind, many notes made, and wishing I could wiggle my nose to make everything else be done so I could work on making some things. Get my crafting on!

So, what I mostly have been working with…besides the organizing in basement and donations…is with my blog here, following different FB groups that deal with crafting and vendor fairs, and watching my domain renewals. What to keep, not keep, or start up. I have been reading, and following what people have been doing with organizing their booth layouts. Also, things shared about payment services used, any issues, and questions being answered by many. It’s nice to see the input from so many others, and the sharing from everyone. I like so many things other crafters are sharing with items they are creating. They are doing so well! It seems like many people have been making a lot of the same things. It’s great, love it, but I also want to be able to incorporate a few things of my own too. Putting my own touch to things making it just a little bit different than what others are offering.

Below is a picture of a divided dish pedestal stand I had made. I really did like making these along with angels too. Many have been making angels, and I love them! Many are using all the same products to make the Angels, very close to same designs, etc. This is where again I would like to add a little of my own touch that they would stand out a little more for being just a little different. Making them a little more unique. This is where thrifting comes in very handy, and prices are reasonable that I can acquire a few more pieces to mix, match, and work with.

So, with a little imagination some of the old items can be like new again, and once conventional things can  become unique. I’m hoping for us all to learn some things, share some things, and be inspired with Repurpose, Reuse, Restyle, Upcycle, Handmade, DIY with LilacsNDreams.

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Happy to have you visit, and hope to see you again soon. Take care, and be safe!