Trying Out Ebay

I've noticed how many of the fine people who sell things on Etsy (http://www.bearhollowcreations.etsy.com/) call Ebay "fee-bay." Ebay charges for everything. They charge to list, charge to add an extra line in the title, charge for all kinds of things.

I also know that some people do very well selling things on Ebay. I'm not sure art is one of those "hot" categories where the bidding is wild and crazy and people are making tons of money.

I noticed that Ebay now lets you list - hmmm, I think - five items a month without a fee. Of course there is a fee if you sell your item and it is a higher fee than Etsy. But I thought it might be fun to put a painting on Ebay and to advertise it through Twitter and Facebook.

So I put this painting I did for the First Annual Autumn Challenge on Facebook.

It is designed to fit in a 11x14 mat, but it larger than that if someone wanted to make a custom mat that was larger. It is watercolor on 300 lb. paper.

It is an original painting - not a print.

The soft muted water colors bring a gentle reminder of the beauty of Autumn leaves. I'm selling it without a mat or frame so you can coordinate them with your homes decor. This picture has it framed in a 11x14 mat.

Here is a close up of my signature. You can see a little more of the detail here.

The bidding on Ebay ends Friday, so if you like it you better go bid. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220511942158&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling

Repurposing and Goodwill

I like going to Goodwill. It helps others and I find some nice bargains. http://www.goodwill.org/

When we first moved into our new home I needed some bookshelves. I found some at Goodwill!

I also found this. It's the top to a china cabinet.

I pictured it as a really nice bookshelf.

I added some feet that I bought at Lowes. Here are the feet waiting to be stained.

Here it is with it's new legs. Later I realized it needed two more in the front.

It needed a top for it since the top was open.

First I used a router to make a lip for a top to sit on. I later decided it had to have more support than that and I added some cross beams.

I cut a template from cardboard and then traced it onto some plywood then cut it out with a jigsaw.

A nice sturdy top.

Then put a mosaic made from cut stained-glass on the top. It has some roses and some violins.

I'm very pleased with how my $60 purchase at Goodwill is now a $1,000 glass bookcase!

(and yes, I know the flowers in the vase need help. Those were bought to check the color.)


Update from 7/9/15

Here's our living room now.