Made the yard sale rounds, mostly used kitchen stuff

[Paper Roses]

and kids clothes. It seems that the good old days of finding a goodie are past. Slim pickings in the antiques and collectibles realm. I spent a dollar and used 10 dollars worth of gas. Phooey!

[Vinca]

1. It was the worst weekend ever. I should have stayed home in the garden.

I ended up spending $20 on a couple of baskets I didn't need because I felt bad for the basketmaker. He was an old Vermonter who had been displaced by the "Basketville" tourist trap when they moved jobs to China. His baskets were beautiful and he was only asking $10 for them. I'm still bothered by my conversation with him. I asked him some questions about how he makes baskets and then asked where he got the materials for them. He told me he goes into the woods, cuts an ash tree, brings it home, runs it through a machine that makes the slats (or whatever they're called) and handles and then steams the wood to bend it. My jaw just about hit the ground. All that work and all that craftsmanship in a $10 basket. The man deserved 10 times that for them.

[grasswire]

2. If he only had the wherewithal to start an Etsy store....

I saw something cool in the newspaper today. An artisan event patterned after "speed dating" where artisans and gallery owners were invited, and each artisan had five minutes to meet with each gallery owner, in the hope of gaining another outlet for their work.

[Vinca]

3. I would guess this fellow wouldn't know how to turn on a computer

or even want to. I suggested he might sell his baskets directly to Vermont gift shops. It's funny, really, how this man is probably not all that many years older than I am, but he was such an "old Vermontah" throwback he reminded me of my grandfather.

[CottonBear]

4. What's the current pricing for kid's clothes in your area?

I need to have a yard sale of kid's clothes and baby items (all purchased new, name brand and in excellent condition.) I may just have to make a quick check of local sales. I have not gone to or had a yard sale in years.