Home Improvements With Stay Home Virus Precautions

Home Improvements With Stay Home Virus Precautions with LilacsNDreams today.

This coronavirus COVID-19 disease has really effected our country with our every day tasks. Involving work, traveling, schools, businesses, banks, etc. Many of us are asked to stay home which unfortunately that can be very boring, and a little bit of a hair puller for some of us too.

Was it about mid February when things really started to take off with this disease? Prior to this time our son has come home from the service. He has done 8 years with the army, and says it’s time to be a civilian again. He gets home, and about a week later this outbreak with the virus really started. Watching places, and businesses slowly over time having to temporarily close. Some towns are almost like a ghost town with many staying home.

With our son being home he has been helping us start some changes, and completing/finishing some projects in our home too. We have been working on transferring our 1 room into a bedroom for him. Painting, carpet, and clearing out a lot of my projects that are working and completed. Clearing out my office area also. Trying to figure out new locations for everything is a little harder in a smaller home. So, we had 1 idea for the flooring in the bedroom, got 1/2 of room painted, and 1/2 of it carpeted. Now we need to go back to hardware store to get more carpet for us to finish the other 1/2 of this room. 

We have also completed the living room area with coats of paint, floor padding, and carpet. Had to use a little seaming tape, and the hot iron to combine the 2 separate pieces to cover the floor. Putting the furniture back into the living room makes a big change, and has confirmed I want some new furniture....couch especially. 

It definitely feels more like home, the room seems wider now, and I’m impressed with our handy work done so far. The walls use to be a dark tan color, and the wood floors were dark from all the before things that had been done, and from the carpet that had been removed. The bedroom use to be a darker blue. Much better with the white walls now. 

White walls can be boring if you let them. It’s a start for us knowing we can add to this as we go along. I have to go pick out some baseboards to add to the living room, and the bedroom which will make a change. I need to get new blinds for the windows in these rooms, and adding some wall hangings now would really help the look too.

Now to finish carpet, and paint in bedroom. Next is to pick out some tile for the dining room flooring that will unite nicely with the living room carpet. It’s a working progress, but we have a great start to this right now.

Thank you for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Hope you enjoyed your visit today, and I look forward to seeing you again. 

Poshmark Selling Platform Stores Shops Community

Poshmark Selling Platform with Shops Stores Community at LilacsNDreams. Last week I mentioned some of the discouraging issues with Etsy that everyone is facing right now. Advertising that you will be forced to pay for if it results to a sale made. You pay the 15% fee with that, and also your selling fees along with a listing fee they have. For some sellers that is an “ouch” especially if they have items selling for a small amount. 

I have listed 1 thing with Bonanza for right now as LilacsNDreams. Now at Poshmark I have 5 items listed there....so far. The 3 purses you see pictured below with 2 being coach purses, and the new orange one is a northcrest with the tags. The other 2 items not shown are diamond rings. 

It isn’t hard to list with Poshmark, many many people follow you, they favorite items of yours, and some of them have been great about sharing items you have posted too. At Poshmark my Shoppe name there is LilacsNDreams. I use that name everywhere. 

If you have a chance while roaming the internet stop on by to have a look. Hopefully this week I can work on getting some shirts listed that I have added into my collections. 

Following other sellers, viewing their shoppes a little bit, and I am seeing a few things besides shirts and purses. I have seen shoes, some great jewelry pieces, I found a seller offering homemade baby quilts that are adorable! I have seen vintage pieces offered, handmade home decor and jewelry, and it’s a growing community. When you have a chance stop by to browse a little bit. 

Thanks for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Wishing you all a fabulous week with all you do! Take care till the next time. 

EBay Etsy Poshmark Shopify Mercari Bonanza Selling Platforms

Etsy EBay Poshmark Mercari Shopify Bonanza Selling Platforms with LilacsNDreams. Websites, domains, webstores, and there is so much out there to think about, and choose from!

I, along with many other sellers, sell their vintage collectibles, repurposed, handmade, crafts, home decor on Etsy along with other selling platforms as well. Recently Etsy put a notice out to us about Advertising, the cost, and pretty much in a nutshell we are being forced to pay for it. For those who make $10,000+ for the year will have to pay like 13%-15% of that along with the other fees we normally pay Etsy to use their platform for selling. Roughly about 25% and more will be paid if your item sells because of one of the ads. Now, for those who sell less they have what they call outside advertising which 13% will be charged along with our normal Etsy fees that are paid. For this you are suppose to be able to opt out of it, and this is the category I fall into. I have tried numerous ways to opt out of this deal following instructions I found. The system says the link is not working, or I get 1/2 way through the list, and I cannot get any further. I have tried different ways to contact support which I get told link does not work that I click on. I have read I have till March 28th to decide, and I also read I have till April 10th too. 

I am not happy at all with this! Many other sellers are in an uproar about this because of being forced to pay for advertising that is not wanted, the cost, not being given the choice to decide, etc. So, I like many others have decisions to make. Stay at Etsy, and deal with it, and most won’t be making any money for their time. Another idea that many are sharing is to move onto another place, and keep just a few things with their shops at Etsy. It’s ironic that at the same time EBay is making some changes that sellers are not happy with there either. Shopify got wind of some of the issues because many sellers at Etsy received emails with offers that they have too. 

It’s very upsetting being forced to pay for something you don’t want to use. We lost a little more control of our shoppes after working to get them where they are at now. Like I had mentioned in a group I get offers for Google Ads too. I don’t accept the offer. But, it is my choice, my decision that I am making myself for my Shoppe. 

Moving to another platform. Where to go, looking at pros and cons to different sights, cost, exposure that you would get there, getting your own webstore, getting your own domain, and many different things to consider. 

Last Sunday I spent the day with a very good friend of mine. A little thrifting, lunch, and discussing about stepping a little outside our boxes. She sells on EBay, I sell on Etsy, and maybe it’s time for us to change things a little bit. Not only the places we sell, but adding some items into what we normally sell. She showed me a few items she sold, prices, and offered some ideas to me from what she has learned. I am going back a little bit to when I first started selling on eBay years ago. Along with some of the things that I sell now I use to do fairly descent with purses too. So, I am going to start adding that in along with different pieces of clothing. 

Right now I am going to put some things at Poshmark which will be a collection of purses I have accumulated. Along with that I am going to start selling clothes items too. Their selling fee is the average of what is usually dealt with. They pay the shipping, and for these items the shipping will not be as heavy. I won’t have to use bubble wrap, and packing peanuts that I normally use. 

I’ve also looked a little into Bonanza. They have been around for awhile. I use to sell a little bit there a long time ago. I looked a little more into them yesterday. They have 3.5% fees paid with sales, they give you the option of advertising with different plans to choose. They showed a chart, and the smallest fee they showed was with the selling fee plus advertising, and it was like a total of 9%. Most places charge at least a 10% fee for sales made, and that’s only sales. No advertising, or anything else. Also, you can have a webstore with them for a fee of $25 a month. They offer more payment options than just Paypal. They had some things to consider, and think about here.

As for the advertising? I’ve gotten this far without it. I have spent a little time here, and there with promoting myself through different social media channels. I try to include back links where I can, and use hashtags where it’s permissible too. Trying to save cost, but also trying to be effective with things that will help me with exposure as well.

So, I have some ideas. I’m looking into things, researching, reading up on what others have to say and offer, testing a few things out, etc. If you have anything to share I’d be happy to hear from you as well.

LilacsNDreams will still be around, and doing what I have always done with selling online. If I feel it will be an issue adding in clothes, and purses I always have my domain for LilacsNDreams Shoppe that I can use for that if I have to. Everywhere I go, every platform I use, and anything I do I will keep you updated. Just look for LilacsNDreams because I’ll be around some where. 

Thanks for visiting with me today, and hope to see you again soon. Again, any ideas you wish to share are welcomed here. Thanks again everyone! 

Vintage Collectibles Repurposed Upcycled Recycled DIY Handmade Treasures

Vintage Collectibles Repurposed Upcycled Recycled DIY Handmade Treasures with LilacsNDreams. Welcome Everyone!

Spring is in the air and I feel it with the great weather we’ve been having. Ready to open the windows for some fresh air in the house. Do some painting, cutting, gluing, creating, crafting, and treasure hunting for some vintage collectibles along with treasures to repurpose too. So ready to get out of this winter slump blues with the gloomy weather. I love spring time with everything fresh, new, growing, and the air full of life.

This past week was quite a hectic week. Ever have one of those yourselves? Almost everyday was an appointment, something scheduled, and really no free time for anything else. I apologize for not having some craft to share with you, or even a vintage collectible that was found while thrifting. Hopefully this week will be more productive with it being open for anything. Try to get some crafting done along with a little more downsizing of things. I need to add some things into my Shoppe at Etsy as well.

Time is getting closer for our son to be home, and done with the military. So, a few preparations need to be made for that too. Organizing, little more downsizing, and getting house ready for his stay too.

I wish you all a great week with all you do in your crafting, repurposing, and treasure hunting for some vintage collectibles along with found pieces to craft with too.

Thank You for visiting with LilacsNDreams! See you again soon.

Vintage Collectibles Embroidery Kit Marjolein Bastin Hallmark

Vintage Collectibles Crewell Embroidery Kit Marjolein Bastin Hallmark Sold by LilacsNDreams! Welcome everyone! 

I apologize for being absent lately. I caught that horrid flu bug that has been going around everywhere. This past week was not very good, and really knocked me out. It’s still lingering, but I am moving around more, and getting along better.

The 2 pictures above of a Marjolein Bastin desk calendar is a very heavy, and sturdy piece along with the Crewell Embroidery Kit still sealed were both sold this past week. I was fortunate, and thankful to make these 2 sales. I was very slow moving, but I accomplished wrapping, boxing, a big manilla padded envelope was all completed for these shipments. Once sales are completed I ship items within 24 hours of payment received. Excluding holidays, and weekends. 

I need to get more items listed with my Shoppe at Etsy and with my Facebook Marketplace too. 

Now, hopefully I can start working on things I am scheduling to do with no more delays.

Thank You for visiting LilacsNDreams! Pleasure to have you, and hope to see you again soon. 

Diamond Rings, Handmade Pink Candle Holders, Spring Fever

Diamond Rings, Handmade Pink Candle Holders, Spring Fever with LilacsNDreams! Been beautiful out, and spring fever was even stronger this past week! I should be crafting, creating, making some handmade projects, taking pictures and listing some vintage collectibles at my Etsy Shoppe. Instead I was either lazy, or when I had energy I was going through a few things, adding to piles to donate, or a pile I started for some items to be offered on FaceBook Marketplace. I’ve been considering putting some of my purses I have on Poshmark too. Still thinking on that one.

Below you will see 2 pictures for diamond engagement, wedding, cocktail, collectible rings that I listed at EBay. I am offering them as Fixed/Buy it Now, or considering reasonable offers. They both have appraisals with them too. To see more pictures, and descriptions you can visit LilacsNDreams at EBay for all of that. 

These next 3 pictures are of a set of pink candle holders that I have had for a very long time. I bought these years ago from a woman who would do the listings on eBay with items her husband would make. I have a blue set similar to these that I am keeping that was made by him also. He would buy the different wood pieces, put them together, and then paint them. He painted these a Pink Slipper color. Back at that time that was a popular pink color that was used for quite a few things. These have sat for displays only in my homes. They have the hole at top for tall pillar candlesticks which I never used them. Instead I would set little decorative saucer plates on the tops, and then set different sized and colored candles on those with arrangements, or candle wreaths. Trying to down size....a little bit anyway. So, these have gone to the pile to list on FaceBook Marketplace soon. 

Yesterday, and today would have been great days to take pictures. Instead I would roam around house  doing different little things, or going down the road for errands, grocery shopping, etc. Beautiful days, and I think I caught a little cabin fever.

I want to Thank You all for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Glad to have you stop by, and hope to see you again. Hopefully I accomplish a little more to share this week with everyone. Take care everyone, Toodles!

Green Vintage Baby Carriage Stroller Spring Cleaning Fever

Green Vintage Baby Carriage Stroller Spring Cleaning Fever is at LilacsNDreams, and Welcome to everyone visiting!

The bigger holidays are over, gone, done. Slacked off for a bit, got lazy, but am feeling the need to clean house, reorganize, downsize a little, feels like spring cleaning! Moving a few things around, making piles to donate, and also some things I will list with FB Marketplace too. The weather has been pretty descent. We’ve had a very light snow, and it usually melts right away. Temperatures for us have been in the 30s which has been real comfortable here. 

Below is a green vintage baby carriage stroller  that I have had for a little over 10 years. I pulled this out from our room, and decided it was time to let it go to a new home that will cherish it. Big old sturdy piece that has the wood like handle, with a metal frame. The material is a green canvas that has seen better days, but still looks good for its age. Sadly, it has been sitting folded down, and not displayed for others to enjoy. So, decided it was time to let go.

Green Vintage Baby Carriage Stroller

Sorry I did not post to you all last week. I took a spill with the ice in our driveway, and have been pretty soar from it too. According to doctor I was swollen through my shoulder, he was concerned with a fracture  in my shoulder bone which xrays show there was none. I have been really soar there, my left side, the knee, etc.  So, I have been slow moving, and working my shoulder to make it better. Sadly, at the same time the arthritis in my right hand has not been very nice to me either. Darn ice, right? 

Thanks so much for stopping by LilacsNDreams everyone! See you again soon.