Well that was easy money

I've got a head cold-ugh.So yesterday, I didn't feel like doing anything. You know, one of those days when you want to crawl back under the covers and stay there for the whole day.Except my four year old views that as a sign of weakness and takes advantage of it,wreaking mayhem and destruction.
I thought if I just get up and move around, maybe I'll feel a little better. At the least, I could prevent the little one from doing too much damage. So I took a few pictures, planted myself on the couch with my laptop, and listed a couple of items.
Wasn't I surprised when I got offers for them within hours of listing?! Here's what I sold:

Build a Bear Baskin Robbin's Fudge Ripple bear with sundae.This was my daughter's bear and she decided that she didn't want him anymore.I listed it at $22.99 or Best Offer.Got an offer of $15 plus shipping.Sold!

This is not mine,but a friend's that I'm selling for commission. The Great Treasures of Ancient Egypt silver coin collection.Had it listed for $275 or Best Offer.Took an offer of $200 plus shipping.My friend is happy and so am I (30%=nice)
I did have to end one of my auctions early.I had a few Build a Bear outfits and a BABW beach chair up for auction.I got an email from someone telling me that the chair had been recalled.After further investigation and a call to the store,it was confirmed.There is a silver lining though.The manager I spoke to told me that if I bring the chair back to the store,I'll receive an $8 credit. So I plan on turning the chair in, getting some shoes, and relisting the lot.Pretty good for a chair that cost me a $1.
I still feel like crap, but my husband has the same cold and he's laid up in the bed.So no rest for Momma.I'm going to run a couple of errands and get a couple of more things listed.I hope they sell as soon as the stuff yesterday-fingers crossed.

Nathan and Karate

This is an intro class for Nathan to get into karate. See, I thought he wasn't ready for karate or anything that required him to listen or take directions or stand still in one spot. And then I had an interesting conversation with one of the instructors(Mr. Kelly)
He had asked me when I was going to sign Nathan up for the Ninja class (for four and five year olds). I told him I wasn't sure he'd want him as he's kinda wild.Mr. Kelly then said he could take Nathan and break him of his bad habits in a week.
Wait, WHAT?!? A week??
And then I thought of all the times that these instructors(who are also my karate instructors) told me that I should just make him mind, that they could make him mind...oh yeah right.Insert eye roll here.
Game on. Who am I to deny them the opportunity to "teach" my child? Originally I thought that Nathan would last a couple of classes before he got kicked out...but now I think maybe my husband is right and he won't last one class. Either way, it'll be entertaining to watch.

My rough and tumble

Today is my youngest child's 4th birthday. My last child-there won't be any more coming out of this baby factory.Honestly, if this kid had come out first, he'd be an only child. It's not that I don't love him-I do, but he gives the term "high spirited" a whole new meaning.I asked him yesterday what he wanted to do on his birthday and his exact words were, "No nap and no sleep."Seriously?! I hate to break it to you, but your nap is not for you-it's for me.Sometimes I need to look at that sweet sleeping angelic face when you've been acting like a little devil.
Anywhooo...today is his day.I've got star shaped glazed doughnuts in various shades of neon icing for his breakfast and we'll probably take him somewhere to run off all that energy later.I'll probably need a nap later. Happy Birthday to my little rough and tumble!!

I'm Giving Up

I've decided to do something drastic. I'm going to give up (gulp) diet soda-namely Diet Dr. Pepper and Sonic Diet Cokes.My friends who know me will say, 'Who is this person and what have they done to Marla?' Seriously, I drink it, or used to drink it, ALL the time.From morning to night. Why did I suddenly decide to go cold turkey?
1.I was drinking four or five cans of Diet Dr. Pepper and then a Route 44 Diet Coke from Sonic on top of that.I had gone to excess.Addicted is more like it.I would obsess about how many cans I had left.
2. I started adding up the money I spend on diet soda and soda every week.If I include the soda I was buying for the kids it was adding to over $30 a week.Seriously??
3.I include the soda I bought for the kids because I didn't want them drinking MY soda.I started noticing my older son's garbage can filled with soda cans.I didn't like that I was being a bad example to them.
4.I started feeling blah all the time. A diet soda used to pep me up.Now I felt like it was dragging me down.
5.I think it's hindering my ability to lose weight.I feel like it makes me crave sweet things more.
6.I read a study last night that said people who drink diet sodas every day are four time more likely to have a stroke. A stroke?!? Yikes, no thank you.

I know there are some people who think this is crazy talk.I just know it's something I need to do.I'll keep you all updated.

I did it

I bit the bullet and opened my own Ebay store.It's been something I've been thinking about for awhile; I just wasn't sure if I wanted the extra expense.Also, I thought I'd wait until Nathan had started school,but I don't want to wait until next year. Now I realize that I can list more BIN's as well as my auctions.I'm sticking my big toe in by getting the Basic store-I can always upgrade later if the need arises.
Here's my store
the butter ninja ebay store

Wish me luck or at least time to get this going right..

Stick a fork in me...

I'm done! Another free listing day on Ebay . I managed to list/relist 54 items today with Nathan running around. What's scary is that I could walk out to the playhouse (where I store my inventory) and pull out 54 more things to list. Yes, I keep my inventory in the playhouse, but my one and only girl is a teenager and my rough and tumble 3 year old doesn't use it. So all mine baby.

      Speaking of Mr. Rough and Tumble-here he is on the playhouse porch.My Dad built it :)

Anyway, I'm worn out.Also didn't help that the hubs laid in bed until he went to work this afternoon  (he's sick) so that left me and this..

The teenagers came home from school and it looks/sounds like they're sick with the same crud that the little one had last week. Don't worry, everyone has been medicated accordingly-Mommy included,lol.
Tomorrow, I'm going to take a break from Ebay and try to catch up on this disaster of a house...or I might run away from home. Could go either way.

Weekend Thrift

I hit the Goodwill this weekend and found some treasures just begging me to take them home.

Found this little gem in one of the bins that came out in Bargain Barn. I didn't even see it at first,I felt it. This clutch is a really nice suede and it feels buttery soft. Katie Kalsi is a purse and jewelry designer here in Memphis.I was tempted to keep this myself, but went ahead and put it on Ebay. Maybe it won't sell ;)...

This little owl has a tiny chip on the foot, but it is still oh so cute.The eyes are plastic-they kinda glow. I'm still debating whether to keep this or sell it. If I keep it, I wonder if I should paint it a solid color or leave it as is.

Here's the stuff I got Sunday afternoon at yep,you guessed it, Bargain Barn (Goodwill outlet).The little mirror is going up on my gallery wall.The rest is for resale...if I can let them go. The chrome cake carrier is telling me to keep her though.Ditto for the purses...and the angel. Is this how hoarders start out??
Ebay's got their free listing day tomorrow (Feb 7) so I guess I know what I'm doing in the morning.

Friday Thrifting

Woke up this morning absolutely giddy.Why?? Money Baby!! Payday!! You know what that means...time to go to Goodwill.I went to Bargain Barn and the regular part of Goodwill this morning and then hit up another thrift store while the hubby was at the chiropractor getting his back cracked. Here's my treasures for the day:

A bag full of grograin and satin ribbon for $2.00.Even though my one and only daughter is a teenager and stopped wearing hairbows when she was like four, I still love this stuff.This goes in my collection.

         A new with tags Maggie Barnes gold cardigan size 3x- already put on Ebay.

Five fondue forks-I thought these were cute, couldn't resist them.This was the one thing I got from the thrift store while I was waiting on the hubby to pick us up.Well, the little one got a Nerf gun and a baseball. I don't think I'm going to go back to this thrift store any time soon. Although I've gotten some fantastic items that sold really well on Ebay, they've jacked their prices up high so they can do a half price sale like once a month.Ooo,wait-might have to eat those words.I just remembered something I left behind because I thought $5 was too steep.I tell ya, Bargain Barn has ruined me for other thrift stores.
I also got two XXL Hawaiian shirts for the hubby, a button down shirt for the big boy, and shotgun shell lights.

Still debating on whether to keep these or sell them.They're the ultimate in redneck chic,lol.