Early Christmas Break...

I think I probably won't do more miscellaneous stuff auctions until after Christmas.  I don't want to miss a postal deadline.  I think I would have listed some today, but I was still feeling ill prior to this.  I feel much better now, but a little too late...  Here are some of my Christmas tree candles with some of my art supplies.
I hope to continue to list art through the holiday season here and of course it is available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com as I feel when people buy art, they tend to be buying for themselves so there's less of a postal timing concern...

I'm going to try and organize one more donation run before the year ends.  I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season!

Relists, only relists...

This is my Ryobi charger, we no longer have the tool.  The charger still works, but we have no use for it...

I had an art deadline and I didn't manage to get any new listings together this week.  I've taken the dress and skirt out of the mix to add to my giveaway bags, they're brand new and I hope they will make someone happy.  Sometimes I buy things that I think I really want and it turns out they aren't for me...  The other three will stay as I think they're rather specific to who would like them...

The Ryobi charger, Raymor Ben Seibel butter dish, and trackball mouse are relisted here.

On Friday, I'll post a work in progress picture of the painting I submitted to my show at the Whittier Art Gallery on my other blog here and my facebook page here...

Parting even with boxes is such a challenge...

These bags are to recycle and throw away, but the boxes went back to my shed, I decided to keep them to reuse in shipping to others.  I am so reduction challenged...  I am getting together more to donate, parting with items for donations is a little easier for me then throwing things away, but some things are beyond giving or selling...

I am grateful to have a huge recycle trash can, I used to have to save up my recycle items until I had enough to make it worth the time to make the trip out, now I just put the can by the curb every week!


This week I'm listing only relists, it will be the final listing for the skirt and the dress (after that they join my give away stash).  My auctions for the week are here...

Fun with Photographing Avon Ruby Red Cape Cod Napkin Rings and a Few Other Items...

The last day I scheduled for donations didn't work out, so I have to pick another.  It's challenging for me to get some of the photographs together for my auctions.  I figured a fun way to display these napkin rings would be on top of a white lace vintage blouse that I have.  I usually photograph on black, but these would not show up there.  I also used the sleeves to thread through the napkin holders to display them as they would be in use...

I have a combination of a few new listings and relists here.  I'm not sure if I'll have any for next week, it remains to be seen.

Guests!

I made this chocolate cake with white chocolate chips for my aunt, she recently received her teaching credential and cake seemed like an excellent way to celebrate.  It was delicious and I was happy to send some home with her.  Parting is difficult for me, but with some things easier than others...

I didn't have a chance to get any auctions together and I also won't be posting next Tuesday because I'll have a friend in town!  I should be back again on Tuesday November 3rd.  I'm trying to get the house halfway decent, I really do have way, way too much stuff...

Hopefully I should manage to get a good group together to donate on Thursday!

Edit:  Due to technical difficulties, my return will be delayed for a while.  Apologies...

Dressers No Longer Mine...

When we moved, these dressers sustained some damage.  I'm not very handy, so I wasn't able to fix them and I didn't want to donate them to an organization as the condition was so poor.  I put them outside with a free sign on them and also put them on craigslist in the free section.  They were both taken, which made me very glad as I felt they still had some use left in them.

I didn't get a chance to put together any new auctions, so I have some relists here.  Hopefully by next week I'll have some new ones.

Happy Halloween! Pumpkin Jack O'Lantern Candle & Costumes...

I finally found this Halloween pumpkin stacking jack o'lantern candle!  I've been wondering where it is for years...  This will be the first year I'll be able to display it at the right time of year.  I love Halloween!  It's a small bit of progress, but it is progress.

I'm listing some Halloween costumes here.   I listed some of them a couple of years ago, but it was very close to Halloween so I don't think they had much of a chance.  There's not that many of them though, I'm using the listings I created for them a couple of years ago.  I gave away more then half of what I had left over from that time, but I love costumes.  So if these don't sell this year, they may go back in the box.  It's so hard for me to part with things...

A vest that stays with me...

It's been a while since I've updated this blog...  I've made some trips to donate, but I have so much more I need to part with.  The vest is something I'm not yet ready to part with and it will only take a small amount of space.  My grandmother made it for me.  I remember choosing the buttons...

Here is some clothing and a Ryobi charger that I did manage to make some auctions for here, not that many, but it's a start.  There's a couple of dresses and a skirt that I bought and never wore...

So much more to do though!

A Trip to the URM (Union Rescue Mission) and Gifts from my Grandmother...

It all started with my grandmother's bells...  I usually donate at the Goodwill, they're close and have convenient hours.  However, I remembered that at the Union Rescue Mission, a women's and children's shelter in downtown Los Angeles, they have a gift shop where they let the children pick out gifts for their loved ones.  I decided that would be the perfect place to donate the bells, well, the ones I didn't keep...

Next thing you know, I'd set aside some new teddy bears, children's books, and various other items to donate there.  I filled up my trunk and the middle of my car last week and headed off with my friend to downtown L.A..  It's always a difficult place to visit because there are so many people in need, but I was glad to be able to drop off some things that I hope will bring joy this holiday season.

This little Santa I'm keeping though.  My grandmother would hand make ornaments each year to give to us.  Although one of my goals is to have less stuff, the ornaments she made for us with so much love are a collection which I think will always have a place in my home.

Happy holidays!

These Little Things and a Trip to Donate...

In addition to going through the boxes in my room, I'm also going through some of the ones in the garage.  I found this box of bells and thimbles that my grandmother collected.  I've put some of them on auction here (as well as a couple of other items), am donating some of them directly, and had my mother choose one.  I think I will also choose one of the ones that don't sell for myself.  It's kind of emotional going through old boxes and finding things that were loved by a person I loved so dearly.  I hope they will all find their way to places where they will be loved and appreciated.

I took a small trip to the Goodwill and donated a few things, it's actually a little more than it looks like because the entire section is full, but I still need to do better!

Halloween Costumes and a Trip to the Goodwill...

I have some new listings up on ebay of some items from my Halloween costume box stash.  If you're interested in seeing them, they're here.  They'll only be up until tomorrow though.  It took me so long to get the listings done that I couldn't run the auctions for very long because Halloween is just around the corner and if anyone bids, I'd very much like them to get there on time!  

I did make a trip to the goodwill and donated all of the clothing that didn't sell, plus some other things!  I also picked up some frames for my art while I was there, so I came home with less than I brought, but not entirely empty handed...  I don't think I'll do as well with my costumes, I'll probably keep some of the ones that I have sentimental attachments that don't sell and possibly try again next year.  They might have a better chance if I list them earlier in the season and for a longer than three day total listing time...

A Late Arrival, a Covered Roseville Raymor Terra Cotta Butter Dish...

I just listed this on eBay here.  I didn't manage to finish the auction on time to list it yesterday and somehow felt it deserved its own post.  It's one of those things that I love, but almost never use.  I am hoping that if it sells, it will go to someone who will both love it and use it.  If it doesn't sell, well, I'm keeping it!  At least for a while.

I can't remember where or when it became mine, I've had it for as long as I can remember.  In perfect condition, these can go for more than $200 USD.  Mine isn't in perfect condition though, it has plenty of, ahem, character.  I took so many photographs, it was difficult to winnow it down to the seven I included in the auction listing.

If you're an avid yard sale visitor and thrift store shopper, I'd keep an eye out for Roseville Raymor pieces, some of them are quite collectable...  Obviously some are more rare than others.  The butter dishes with the covers seem to be fairly rare.  Even more of a find would be the bun warmers...

These days with my overabundance of possessions, I fight the good fight against stopping in at yard sales and thrift stores, but sometimes I find myself shopping.  I try to only pick up things I love myself, since space is at such a premium, but from having done research for my little butter dish (that's actually quite substantial in size for a butter dish), I think there are some Roseville Raymor pieces that I might buy with the intent to resell...  They really are quite lovely, so if I ended up keeping them, I don't think I'd be all that upset...

Edit:  I was thinking about this post.  I'm supposed to be getting rid of things, and yet, I find myself considering collecting Roseville Raymor pieces...  Sigh, I think I might be a bit hopeless ;)...

One drawer full of clothing...

Or more accurately, a file cabinet drawer full of clothing...

It looked like it was impossible, or at least extremely unlikely, but I've actually started to work on my goal of reducing my stuff...  I took a truckload of stuff to the Goodwill last week but forgot to take a photograph...

This is some clothing I decided to try to sell on eBay first, I have so much though, so whatever doesn't sell will be added to my next trip to the Goodwill.  If you're wondering why the clothing is hanging out in the file cabinet, it's because it's the only place I could think of to put them to keep them separate from the unsorted masses of stuff I have yet to go through...  The link to my smattering of clothing is here.

A new home, a shed, and too many possessions...

I have moved and I have found that my possessions far outweigh my available space...  Even with the shed you see in my backyard, I am overwhelmed by the clutter and lack of space.  My room has my bed in one corner and a small footpath around it.  The rest is boxes.  It looks more like a storage space than a bedroom!  I have decided to try and reduce the amount of stuff I own that I no longer need or use.

As an artist and a lover of art, books, and clothing, I have no illusions that I will ever have a home that is sparse with content, but I feel compelled to make the attempt to do better then I am currently doing!  I hope to make updates to this blog as I progress...

I've also created a twitter account which will be linked in content and theme here.