Pictured My mom, Peggy, me, Sandy, Kathy, Indiana, Val, Steve, and Joanne

(I can’t wait to stand this close
to you all again!)

 

Welcome to Lynn’s Latest #12…

April 2, 2020
Watch for it every Thursday or every OTHER Thursday!
Volume I  Issue 12

 

Let’s start this newsletter off with some positiveness!  Gotta keep the good Ventura beach vibes going!  (More on Carlos and facing his fears later)

I  finished painting that console that Annie Sloan wanted to see….yes I did!  Here is the before.

Here is my work in progress.  I decided to go with a Napoleanic Blue base.  It is such a beautiful color.  I painted the entire piece and then drew my scribbles on with chalk.  I debated on which colors to use for the stripes (you can see where I taped them off) so laid down paint stir sticks in each of the colors I was considering.  This works extremely well when planning a project. These paint sticks are available for free in my store!

I painted the squiggles and the stripes in Giverny, Greek Blue, Louis Blue, and Emile.  These are some of my favorite Annie colors!

Then I was debating whether or not to add more stripes and triangles on the side…or leave the side plain? I posted this on my Instagram story (follow me at LynnDralle, LynnsConsignments, and MrKittyCarlos) and the response was overwhelming, NO MORE STRIPES! No one said anything about the triangles…so I went for it.

Guess who responded to this story though?  The one, the only Annie Sloan!  Here is a copy of her message.

Seriously!!!  I am still doing a happy dance 🙂  She likes it She likes it!  Here it is in the front window….Drive by and take a look 🙂

How close is my finished product to my original sketch from last week?

It’s always a great time to do a curb-side pick-up of paint for your next home project!  Just like my friend Andrea just did!  Thank you, Andrea! I appreciate your business 🙂

Call, text, or place your order on our website for TAKE OUT paint!  We are fully stocked….just got in an Annie Sloan order on Monday!

https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/store/category/Annie%20Sloan?sort=HL

Also, some new great news from Annie Sloan.  It is her 30th Anniversary this year!  Yowza!  She is the original Chalk Paint inventor and in honor of this, she came out with a new product that is available for sale tomorrow!  And we have it in stock!

Place your order online and we will put it out curbside for you. I can’t wait for someone to try this! Click here to order.

https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/store/product/Annie%20Sloan/0000TL

My Timehop app from this morning showed a precious photo of me and my dad–because it was one of the last ones. It was exactly three years ago today and I was in Bellingham to visit him (He passed away about 4 weeks later on Cinco de Mayo).

He had just gotten his diagnosis of Pancreatic cancer on March 16th. Apparently, March 16th is NOT a good day for anybody! I miss my dad so much! Thank you for letting me share. That is my darling nephew Zach running through the background.

Also from that same day three years ago, this picture popped up.  It is my mom and my good friend Audrey Angel (and my first Cheryl Leaf antique employee) with me looking at commercial retail space in Bellingham.  Literally, just 3 years ago I was planning to open Lynn’s Consignments in Bellingham, WA.  How strange is that to think about?

My dad made it very clear to me as he was dying that he did NOT want me to leave Houston and Indiana in California without a home base or a mom.  Great advice and that is one of the reasons, that Lynn’s Consignments is on Main Street in Ventura.

Time for an eBay score!  Thank God for eBay…at least that store is still fully open and operational!  Check out this listing for MacKenzie Child Drawer Pulls.  I love this designer and once you see her stuff, you will recognize it from a mile away.

These knobs actually walked in through the front door! That is something my grandma used to say all the time because she never had to go out and look for inventory. People would literally walk up the front steps with it. LOL!

The couple who brought these in wanted $100 for 15 knobs. I offered $80 because who knew if they would sell, for how much and how long it may take. Some things take YEARS to sell on eBay and you are paying eBay for the real estate for all that time. They turned me down and left the store. My grandmother (once she made an offer) and you left her store, she would not make that offer again. She felt like the sellers would take their stuff all over town saying “Well Cheryl Leaf offered me $80 can you do more?”

My grandma was an incredible businesswoman and she told people, take it or leave it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at the store that day and they did come back and want the $80. I may have passed at that point…who knows? In any event, these two knobs sold for $60. A small caveat, they have not been paid for yet. That is always another piece of this puzzle! The buyer has to pay for it 🙂

Check the listing out here. https://tinyurl.com/MacKnobs
In the more good news of the week, Indiana decided to completely redo her room. Why not? She is home for at least the next four months. Ughhhh…that breaks my heart that she isn’t on the Malibu campus with all her peers. Here is Indy with her Theatre classmates, George and Julia, at my store last year. Such strange times!

No good news just yet, because Indy recently found out that her Scotland Summer semester was canceled. No Edinburgh Fringe Festival for her or many other actors. My heart breaks for all of them. Ughhhhh! Hopefully, they will be able to go in 2021.

She was also interviewed for the Pepperdine Graphic about her reaction to all of this….

“The Fine Arts Division — which includes programs in art, music, and theater — had many plans in place for students to showcase their talents, including the spring theater production ‘The Cherry Orchard’ and the senior art exhibition in the Weisman Museum. Junior Theatre major Indy Wilson said while losing the opportunity to perform in the Cherry Orchard was disheartening, leaving her community was the most upsetting.
‘I got the email about school being canceled, and I was just devastated,’ Wilson said. ‘I need to be in the community so much right now. I don’t know what [leaving] is going to do to my mental health. We had to say goodbyes in two days that should’ve been two months'”

OK, but back to the “feel good” story, because that is the ONLY way we are all going to get through this…by being extremely positive. I suggested to Indy that she move her bed away from the wall and position it in the middle of the far wall so that she could get around both sides. She loved that idea!

Here is what her bedroom looked like “before”.

Then we thought she should have a headboard and footboard. I started sending her photos of what we had at the store. There was nothing she loved. Then I had a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself)! What about the tiny bit smaller than full-size bed frame my grandpa made for me when I was growing up!

I got this oak with a caning bed when I was in 4th grade. My grandfather (who was an architect) built it in the 1930’s when they lived in Idaho. He was thrilled to give it to me in the1970’s when we lived in San Mar Villas in Olympia right off of Slater Kinney. My parents remodeled our house at 216 Shadow Lane and I got a master bedroom in the basement. I had my own walk-in closet, bathroom, and bedroom. It was AWESOME! And I got this sweet bed. Just gotta find a picture of the bed in that room :). I know I have one but where?

I used that bed frame until I got married in 1994 and we got a new bed frame as a wedding gift. Crazy huh? The hardware was old and not holding together so I text Sandy and asked her if I could pay her fiance, Doug, to fix it? Of course, they said! They would be happy to do it! Love them! Here is the bed in Doug’s workshop/garage. Just a heads up, Doug sells rugs and he is super knowledgeable. Here is his number for text or phone calls 805-636-6862.

Doug went to Lowes to try and find replacement screws to replace the original ones that my grandfather had used about 85 years ago….Yikes!  At Lowes, there was a cabinet marked “hard to find hardware” and lo and behold he (or should I say we) got lucky!

Here is a photo of Doug and Sandy checking it out!  I love this 🙂  It works!

Doug brought the bed over on Monday and we set it up in Indy’s room.  Soooooooo awesome!  Then we decided she needed a chair in the corner.  Guess what?  I happen to own a furniture store….What?  No?

While Indiana was in Glendora with her boyfriend, I headed down to the store and single-handedly loaded this awesome chair and ottoman into my SUV.  It was a little bit tricky 🙂  But anything for my Indy girl!

We weren’t sure if the chair was going to fit because her room is quite small….about 12 by 15′.  It fits!  Her room is turning out soooooo cute!  I can hardly wait to show you this next picture.  Indy still needs some wall art, some hanging macrame plant hangers & plants, lighting, etc….but we talked about it today and this is…by far…the cutest dorm room she has EVER had!  AND, it even comes with a CARLOS!

Many of you have been asking so here is how our new normal will work at the store…..

1.  I will be at the store most days from 11 am to 3 pm working on eBay.  This means that the store is available for private showings and curbside pick-up.  Text me at 760-880-3535 or call the store during those hours at 805-628-3289.

2.  We have stopped ALL 30-day automatic Markdowns until we are able to reopen to protect our consignors.  This means all Merchandise has reverted to its original pricing.

3.   Once we reopen, the clock will start and 30 days after reopening the first markdowns will be taken.

4.  It is our goal to get all of our furniture up on the website.  This way you can shop from home!  Emma has been working on it like crazy and it is really coming along.  It is looking awesome and when you click on an item it will tell you how many are available, and sometimes even the dimensions….check it out here.

https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/

Here is what came up when I searched by “chair”.  You too will be able to purchase your very own new “favorite chair” just like I did for Indiana!

5.  Website is also set up with lots of great gift items…Annie Sloan Paint, Iron Orchid Stamps and Transfers, Baggus and Gurgle Pots.  It all ships free!

6.  We will not be taking in any new consignments until we reopen.  We are super full right now and are working hard to get it cleaned up and shoppable for when we can open those doors!  Can’t wait 🙂

7.  We are using this downtime to clean out the back garages.  If you are a consignor and some of your items have been in the store a long time, we may be calling you.  Please get back to us ASAP whether you want to pick up the items or donate.  Thank you!

8.  We will also be using this time to paint the side garages a lovely white, with green floors and a chandelier in the center (Wayne’s idea).  It’s gonna be a “she shed” for our outdoor furniture!  Super fun.  Here are a few before pics and one of Wayne pulling everything out (sorry it’s blurry)!

OK, time to share another eBay score!  This one is fun..I bought a bunch of programs from shows, musicals, concerts, etc. a  few years ago.  Took the best offer on this one of $30.  Didn’t pay more than $1.

Check it out here.  https://tinyurl.com/footlooseebay

I am wondering if this sold because the title, footloose, takes us back to a time (oh about 2 weeks ago) when we were all footloose and not homebound!

Just kidding!  NOT!  But, in any event, I did an eBay for Business Podcast with Griff (my hero) that aired this past Tuesday.  In case you missed it, here is a link.  I come on at 34.38 and talk about how to stay positive during these unchartered times.

https://podbay.fm/podcast/449607385/e/1585656000

Just for fun…here is one of my favorite photos of me and Griff!  It was the first time I met him in person when I was a guest on eBay Radio at eBay Live in 2005 in San Jose.

I found that photo of Griff, Lee Mirabal, and me in one of my ezines from 12-12-12. What a great date! Here is a link to that if you would like to read it. It even has Houston playing baseball in it 🙂 Oh! Those were the days!
http://www.thequeenofauctions.com/articlepages/ezinev8is11.html

CARLOS’ Corner…..the little guy has all of our hearts. We just LOVE him!

We have all been a little bored. I am sure you can relate. Thank GOD we have a pet…but more importantly, we have a Carlos!

On Monday, we were going stir crazy. I needed to buy pet food so I rallied my troops, Indiana and Emma, to hit the Wharf with me. While there, I asked it they sold harnesses and leashes for cats. Well, apparently these are more common than I figured! We bought him a snappy little vest type with a leash for $26.99 and we were off to the races!

He was scared at first. Definitely hated having the harness put over his head. But he faced his fears head-on….and well, Emma, Indy, and I were all there to hold him. He was tentative in the outdoors at first, but later learned to love it. He actually tries to climb through the harness now so that he can go outside. It is hysterical! He looked his fears in the face and won! This is a lesson for all of us. It IS going to be OK!

Check him out on our deck chilling with me while I do my eBay photos. LOL! What a handsome guy–even in this contraption!

Houston is still in OKC, but hopes to return this weekend.  Fingers crossed that his high school principal and the Catholic Archdiocese allow this.  He really needs to be home where he is the safest!  Ughhhh!

I posted something recently on Instagram from Gary John Bishop.  It was a quote from his calendar that made me realize how blessed and grateful I am, even with all of this going on.

“PUTTING PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE
If we’re being brutally honest with ourselves, we’ll realize that our own problems are pretty insignificant compared to the rest of the world.  Really.  Think about it.”

I added some comments to my post and much to my astonishment, Gary actually reposted it on his Instagram story.  He has 39,000 followers so I thought that was pretty cool!

I am so excited that Emma and I are working on the website together and getting so many of our unique products listed.  Check out this search for Sofa….

Here is a link to that search.
https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/store/search

We will be uploading more photos of mirrors, desks, outdoor furniture, paintings, artwork, throw pillows, and many more things. Please keep checking the website. https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/

Please text me for a private showing. I don’t have anything else to do! LOL. 760-880-3535.
This morning as I was writing this ezine, I got a text from Val. She said, “Are you home?” Yes! She said, “Look out your window.” LOL! She had parked halfway in my driveway and halfway in the street. She would NOT be coming in because as you know, her husband Ron, is battling cancer (and doing a damn good job I must add)!

Val just wanted to say Hi to Gina and me. It was quite the triptych/trifecta or whatever you want to call it, but apparently, we made enough noise (laughing) that Jason one of our other neighbors had to come out and see what was up!

Seriously so much fun! Thanks, Val!

One last eBay score!  I inherited this from my grandma when we divided up everything left in her antique store back in 2002.  Yikes!  It is an antique hanging lamp frame.  Sold it for the best offer of $100 today and Cindy packed it right up.  LOL…not an easy job, but thanks to my friend Steve for sharing the moving supplies from when his mom, Paula, moved here!  Came in really handy.

Here is a link to the listing. https://tinyurl.com/grandmaslampframe

Here is another glimpse at some of the furniture already up on the website.  Check out this “painted” Annie Sloan furniture.  So fun!

Don’t forget that we now have gift cards available on the website.
https://lynnsconsignment.ricoconsign.com/store/category/Gift%20Card

Just so you know, this will get better. This too shall pass. God has got this. And, my son is flying home on Friday. God is Good! I will be so happy to have both of my “babies” back in the nest.

On that note, I must share photos I found today of both of them with my grandma, Cheryl Leaf. She LOVED them sooooooo much. Even though she passed away when Indy was 1 1/2 and Houston was 4, they had her heart from their first meeting.

And that was Indy’s first meeting with my grandma. After her birth, we left the hospital and went immediately to the St. Francis Rest Home (across from St. Joes Hospital) where my grandma was recovering. How cute is that picture?

OK!  One last fun photo.  Indiana and Emma on the beach Monday night after we ordered the taco meal takeout from Social Tap.  Seriously, it is sooooo good!  Only $35 and it feeds 4.  Plus, for an additional $15 you can get a tub of Margaritas.  So Awesome!

Again…..A Happy New Decade (We will get through this!) from Lynn’s Consignments team to you and your family!   We hope to see you soon!

Pictured…Emma, Mor Mor (my mom!), me, Val, Peggy, Kathy, and Jo Dallas!

One last fun photo of Carlos in our backyard…in his new harness…checking out mother nature. Which I encourage all of you to do during this time. It is so wonderful to just hang out in my backyard with my kitty (he is still only 5 months old)…crazy! And in the “old days” I would never have just sat outside and listened to nature holding a cat. Times are strange, but yet kinda good!

 Thanks for reading my ezines!  I appreciate it….as always!

eBay with Heart & Design with Heart……Lynn

 

P.S.  All of the professional photos I use on Instagram, Facebook, and in these newsletters were taken by my friend Denise’s daughter, Jaclyn Sabo.  She is amazing!   To learn more about Jaclyn….https://www.jaclynszabo.com/

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