Interesting day in the shop

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

Today was odd in the sense the people came in fits and spurts.  We probably had in around 50-60 people and I grossed a grand total of $78. . . plenty to feel blessed about because I went grocery shopping after work and even had enough money to stop and get my car washed.  The Suncook Valley girls softball team was giving car washes just outside town hall.  They were trying to raise money to make it to the Regionals in Pittsfield, MA.  What a cute bunch of teenage girls. They had raised just shy of $1,000.00 in just 3 1/2 hours.  You go girls!

Fiddlehead Farms has recently expanded from Dover to Alton and I love their market!!!!  Strawberries were $1.00 and fresh local peaches were just 50cents per lb.  Lots of both organic and gourmet foods, nice deli, bakery, etc. and a very nice selection of local produce.

Brian Stockman, local carver and woodsman dropped by for an hour or so.  Our family loves Brian and so we had a nice hour long visitor.  One of the families who came to visit bought 2 milk McClure's pint size bottles - each with it's original cap or pog on the top.  I charged her $5.00 each but then she wanted to buy a super ball.  Remember those from when you were a kid?  I keep them in a bowl just because they're pretty and colorful and a young local man needed some money so I bought them from him.  Good to support the locals.

Well this very attractive brought forward the largest and most colorful super ball and when I said it would be $5.00 she went back and told her son he had to pick out a smaller, less colorful super ball.  He came forward with a slightly less expensive one and made an offer of $2.00.  The damn kid was so cute I couldn't so no.

So I walk outside with them as they were leaving so that I could pick up my open sign at the end of the driveway.  There were a 1/2 dozen or so people just milling around looking at things.  Anyways, I notice a beautiful, bright, red convertible this young family was getting into had a MA license plate that said US19.  I asked the father of the group, what the plate was all about.  Low license plate numbers are VERY desirable especially in MA and DEL.  So he says it's my mother's.  Always wanting to meet all the townsfolk I asked who his mother was.  He answered a modest "Ann" and I of course said "Ann who?" and he replied Ann Romney.  In case you didn't know Mitt and Ann Romney have a substantial waterfront home here on Lake Winnipesaukee.  I'm so glad Mitt's grandson bought a super-ball from me.  It made my day today.

As I later relayed this story to my former husband Frank he said "Well it's good to know they are true fiscal conservatives!!!!"  Too funny!  :)

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

The sun caught my Dragonflies sign just perfectly tonite.

It was an exceptionally busy Monday for some reason. There were probably 80 or more visitors today vs. the 30 I normally have. I noticed a change from the parents with young kids to parents with teens and grandparents today.

Not many sales though - only one $35.00 souviner gun which I sold to a youngster who was thrilled to have it and was plotting ways to ship it home to California because he knew it would never make it on the plane. The mother seemed chagrined, but the kids enthusiasm won the day.

Thank God for rental units on a day like this. No leaks, rent coming in. It was a good day.

Inspiration At Last

Dragonflies Antiques reporting from the nest. Fly on over and join us for the latest antiques buzz . . .

It was a very busy day in the shop today which inspired me to get my act together and my butt back in gear.  I've been in a fog since Frank left May 1st and I've been trying to re-establish my independence, and reconfigure the business - I'm short - he is tall. I'm small - he's big.  We're still best friends and activce in the business together.  Look for us at Mid-Week in Manchester in NH and Brimfield MA show.

The Craft Fair was on the green across the street from me at Brewster Academy yesterday and today.  It brings in with it hundreds of tourists but unfortunately a slow day on the sales front.  At the 200 mark I had only sold one book for $35 to my neighbor across the street, however I pulled out the day at 5 minutes before closing and sold 2 carriage lanterns for $75 each. 

Hardly worth sitting here for the day but I'm grateful for every sale I have every day in this economic climate and I had lots of interesting visitors.  Friends, family, neighbors, fellow dealers, auctioneers, musicians, artists, tourists, repeat customers, family's - it was a beautiful day all in all in the shop - although it got hot again this afternoon.  Shoppers were dragging their hind ends today.

Yesterday wasn't quite so grim, I had 9 sales and got a house-call from it.  Hit a modest yard sale and picked up some old paint supplies. Oils in tubes don't go bad. They're always good to have around for touch-ups.  Crayons work well too.  A warm finger over a wax crayons melts away minor blemishes.  Do it in small doses for best results.

This evening was spent in an inspired state and got me back to thinking about marketing, my blog, selling on ebay, my website etc.  I've made recent changes to all of these networking opportunities and hope someone out there in cyber-world appreciates it.  If so please say so. 

Antiques Week in New Hampshire is fast approaching - August 10 is Nan Gurley's show and then August 11 & 12 is Mid Week in Manchester followed up by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association Show which opens on Thursday morning.  These are all wonderful shows to find the best Americana in the United States of America.