Unmounted stamps - just the rubber, thanks

Today's task : list a lot of unmounted stamps on eBay. Today's challenge : you can't tell what the pictures are until you stamp them out. No problem when you have the catalogue, but these come from all over the world.

So, I'm inking them up and stamping them out (not always perfectly, but enough to show you the design), then washing and packing for sale. 

Ugh. It's hard work.

But look at the beautiful things we are revealing!

Also, I'm finding I'm getting tired. Check this picture:

...where I've shown you the most unusual stamp design. 

Then I followed it up with this picture:

...where I've carefully shown you not only the back of the stamp, but the back of the bit of paper I stamped it on. The bit of paper is included in the sale, by the way. You can't say I'm not covering details here.

How charming!

Charms - they are adorable, and sometimes, you might even use one in your artwork. But where would you get a parcel of pretty charms?

Oh, you know what I'm getting at. I'm offering heaps of interesting charms and other tiny accessories on eBay.

Oh, wow, cool, huh?

Wow, neat!

Here's the link to eBay.

See ya there.

What's in these boxes?

Wouldn't you like to know? Actually, stick around, you will know soon enough. Lea's collection includes heaps of ephemera, accessories and general STUFF that stampers like to collect. And because it's Lea, they are beautifully stored, in superb condition, and of the best quality. I'll be working on listing these next. I may be some time.

Oh, and there are TONS of these boxes!

We're on to the heavy stuff now...

And by heavy, I do just mean literally heavy. The stuff that's going to be harder to pack, and to haul to the post office. But that you will love!

I mean, check these out:

Alphabet punches, people! There are two different sets. These use the system where the punch doesn't have a button, but slots into a handle for use. That means it's easier to punch, and saves on storage space.

Also there's this gem:

These are the "Endless Stamp" set from Sanby. You clip those letters together, and make words you can stamp in one go. And get them lined up. I'm selling two sets, and I'm selling them as one lot. Why two sets in one? I know you are going to need to make the word "Happy", and you'll need two sets for that!

This week's goodies are listed in a variety of categories, so use your searching mojo to find all of my items.

Please be patient with postage. These are bulky items, and will fill the standard satchels quickly. I'll estimate your postage any time.

Christmas has come... Well, sort of

Today's the day the Christmas stamps I listed on eBay are closing. So shop now if you are looking for a most unusual addition to your Christmas card making!

What can I tempt you with? This one's amazing, a cube with six images...

Or this utterly classic holly sprig...

And because I'm a genius, this set of little stamps went into eBay with a title suggesting they are Christmas stamps too. It was a cut and paste error, obviously. These are gorgeous through, also closing today. There's a bicycle!

See them all at my eBay listings.

I found the teddy!

While I've been listing these stamps for sale, any "odd" ones have been going into the too hard box. So, things that don't fit the current theme, or that are hard to show in a photo. I just cleaned out that box. It's a bit of effort to show the cubes (I had to stamp some of them out!).  And at the very end, Ali just shook the box, and all the odd stuff is in one listing.

There's a teddy. There a cow. There's an excellent PSX Easter bunny stamp, which in any other company would get a listing all to itself. There's a starfish and a shell. And a cocktail.

Anyway, you go and bid, and I'll get working on the all these unmounted stamps!

What, Christmas already???

Yep, stampers that celebrate Christmas have to think about it pretty early in the year. I've just listed a whole lot of gorgeous Christmas stamps. The way I see it, you buy now, you get your order during July, play with your stamps during August, arrange paper and other supplies in September, and make your cards in October. Then it's all done before you are in a rush, and before it gets too hot.

So, here's some of the goodies on offer. Michelle Ward did this fantastic "Twelve Days of Christmas" set, presented in two cubes. Wow!

And here's the pictures themselves - how cool!

And how about this one :

 

See the whole lot at My eBay listings. Merry preparing-for-Christmas, stampers!

Late June, and I'm listing again!

Folks, it's on again! I just got a free listings promotion from eBay, and that means I can happily list many items between now and 30 June.

That means I'll be listing in all my spare time over those days. I don't have that much spare time, though - I have work and other commitments. Still, we should get through a LOT. I've already started with some alphabets, and (interestingly) clowns.

The current few just happen to include my FAVOURITE alphabet set ever. I have my own copy, which is the only reason you get to see it. It's a Stampers Anonymous grungy alphabet, so cool!

Why do I wait for free listings? It turns out that the listing fee in every transaction is pretty much the straw that breaks the camel's back. The whole process can be not worth it if I'm paying that too. There's plenty of other fees to pay (even a percentage of the postage, which I'm not crazy about). So I hope you'll bear with me.

A dog ate my homework...

... Well, not a dog, so much. But I sat down to do my outstanding eBay feedback, an easy and quite pleasant task, if a bit time consuming.

And just as I was starting, I swear, there was a fizzing noise, and the screen went blank! 

The screen actually died, and we have to buy a new one. 

Don't be too alarmed, we do have one or two other computers in the house. 

But feedback might take an extra day now.

Speaking of sales, shop on, the Acey Deucy stamps are all there for you.

Oops, one more box of Acey Deucy

I thought I had listed all the Acey Deucy stamps, but I found one more box. I think THIS is all for that brand.

I've also run out of free eBay listings... Anyone who knows the fee structure of eBay will realise that means I'll be waiting for more free listings now. Sorry about that. With all the other fees, the listing fee as well just ruins the fun of selling. So, we'll start again, either next month, or when a promotion runs, which happens pretty much at random. 

Acey Deucy - oh my!

The next round of the sale has started. I had a nice clutch of Acey Deucy stamps, so I'm keeping them all together.

So, what is an Acey Deucy stamp? This was a company run by artist Lynne Perrella, with amazingly arty stamps. 

The company closed some time back, but some of the stamp lines were picked up by Stampington.

And, here's great news - Lynne Perrella is still active, and has created stamps for Paper Artsy, which are also pretty awesome.

And this photo shows the one stamp in today's batch that doesn't actually have the Acey Deucy markings on it. It must be from that range though. It does have a price tag, so it's been through a normal retail shop. Gorgeous, hey?

Woot! Invoice night!

It's all going very well. In case you are wondering, shoppers in the Great Southern Stamp Sale all get a little plastic basket with their name on it. Every time a group of auctions end (when I'm actually free, that is) I "pick" all the orders into the baskets. That way, when it it comes to invoice time, I'll know not only how many items you are getting, but how bulky and how heavy they are too. Which we need to know, to work out the postage.

And guess what? Tonight's the night! Everyone's getting an invoice (alright, it might end up being tonight and tomorrow night). Then when the next round starts, I want you all starting with clean slates. And empty baskets.

Posting will be on Wednesday for most people, if you've paid by then.

There have been a few lots passed in (not many!), and so, you've all inadvertently dictated my latest art project. It's the Show How Great the Unpopular Stamps Are project. Here's my first entry:

If you happen to like the look of any of the stamps used in this project, you will see them reappear in some form in the Great Southern Stamp Sale.

All about Feedback

Argh! Feedback! It drives me mad!

Now, let me assure you, I love the idea of eBay feedback. People doing transactions, and marking them as good or bad after the fact… it just makes sense. It lets people make good decisions about dealing with others.

When I sell you something, and when I know you have received it and are happy with it (that is, when you've give me feedback), I'll leave you feedback.

So, I'm looking for a part of eBay that lets me see all the transactions that are done, and where the buyers are happy. Then I'll zoom through them all and note that I, too, and happy. Because I am.

Problem is, there isn't one. There are lots of pages where I may enter feedback, but not one where I can do it quickly and know I've done all the ones  I wanted to do. Maybe I'm missing it.

So, as a result, here's the deal:

• I definitely intend to leave feedback
• I intend to leave it for every item you buy
• I would like to leave it really promptly - like, later on the same day that you leave it
• I would like to leave a cheerful and personal message for each person

But actually:

• I will leave feedback before the month is out
• I might miss an item, though I'll try not to
• I will use a friendly but generic message for almost everyone (spoiler: it will be "Thanks for a friendly transaction!")

And also:

• If I've forgotten you altogether, it's fine to remind me.

And having said that, go and have a look, there's probably one you missed!

And the winner...

... Of the Great Southern Stamp Sale BINGO game is 'shopper A', who spotted the fact that I had added a screen shot of my email to a listing. Why did I have screen shots of my email app? I was helping my mum with an email problem. Let me tell you, opening a screen shot of an email app inside an email app, and attaching a different screen shot in reply, is a recipe for confusion.

Bingo winners will receive, oh, let's say, a card from me. I'm sure I have one or two around.

Now go and look at the listings, I just added some awesome ones.

That's it ... For a few days anyway

Phew, I cleared the dinner table, listed one more tray of stamps, and now I'm knocking off for bit. I'll let the current round of auctions close, and get all the posting underway, then start the next round.

Did you see this one though? Oh my god, pears! Pears were such a huge stamp theme, we thought they'd never go out of fashion. And these ones are super good.

Check the auction here:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Arty-Rubber-Stamps-Lot-Of-3-Gorgeous-Pears-Various-Makers-155g-/252404968118?hash=item3ac4822ab6:g:PgYAAOSwagdXSNFz

And jump across to the other items from the same seller (me) to see the rest of the treasure.

In which I come up for air...

It turns out, strangely enough, that selling lots of similar looking things, and getting them all to the right person, is pretty complicated. I mean, I'm awesome at it, so no worries there, but I find I am needing to do something to make this sale go easily for me.

So, the new rule is, I'll list for a week or so, then take a break of a week or so. That will give me time to send invoices, pack, send, and keep people happy. And, you know, clean my house, bake bread, all that stuff.

So today, I've been listing, and I may do a little more later today. Then I start on the break. Sound ok?

Oh, and here's some news. I was moving boxes around, and picked up one of the smaller boxes, with paper and accessories in it. Then I realised, it wasn't all accessories. It seems I also have half a (quite large) box of unmounted rubber to share with you! Crazy arty stuff, too. That won't mean anything to some people; to others, it's the holy grail!

Trick is, I have to display it all properly - as you can see, it's hard to tell what the image is unless you stamp them all out. Which I will do, but it takes time. 

So, at the end of the mounted stamps, we'll be having an unmounted sale too! We will have such fun...

Gonna sit right down and write myself a letter...

Wow, packing and posting huge amounts of eBay purchases is so quick and easy - said nobody ever! I've spent all my spare hours yesterday and today packing up the current goodies. I've got to where all that is left is a trip to the post office.

So to celebrate, MORE STAMPS! Yes, just to let. You know I'm committed to moving this lovely sale along, I've posted the contents of one more tray. 

And they are writing backgrounds! Not to everyone's taste, of course, but people who love them, really love them! Here's one gorgeous example, from Collections, made by the lovely Julie over in Perth. Ah those were the days...

So do have a look at what's for sale. I plan to list more on Thursday, maybe some in Friday, and plenty over the weekend. Then we'll have another packing cycle.

If you are a shopper, and you buy more than one thing, do hold on until you've finished shopping before you pay. eBay will send you "helpful" reminders, but I will send you a proper invoice with your actual postage in it.

First round is done... So many still to go

Well, I've finished the first "round" of stamp listings. All buyers have been invoiced or otherwise communicated with. If you are a buyer and you don't know what stage your order is up to, get in touch. Otherwise, just be patient, I'm pretty quick, but I do have to fit in work, sleep, meals and other pleasant things.

This parcel's actually ready to go. Whose it is it? Oh, the suspense! Lots more to pack tomorrow.

Hoping to list more, possibly as early as tomorrow night.

All the pretty ladies...

Here's another gorgeous stamp I just added to the sale. So beautiful, can you believe it?

Check the link to eBay on this page and find this stamp, and lots of others (and I do mean lots ... There are nearly 100 lots up now).

Found some gorgeous botanical stuff...

Well, husband slunk off to bed early tonight, feeling flu-like. Let's hope it's just the man-flu. So, deprived of his company, what am I to do? I opened the box of stamps, and picked out another two trays for eBay listing. And one was botanicals, always a favourite theme.

How's this for a classic tree!

Oh, and I found a typo in one of my listings. And when I say one, I mean, every single one! "This is a art stamp". So, I've corrected it for the future listings, but you get to chuckle at me in all the others. Sigh.

First batch is for sale - pretty ladies and architecture

Have a look on eBay right now, I've listed two whole trays of Lea's stamps. One had stamps of women, and the other, more decorative, including some architectural details.

Here's one set:

That stamp in the middle is from Collections, an Aussie company famous for arty designs.

There are mixed brands - some I've grouped together by theme, and some are single stamps. 

There are LOTS more women-themed stamps to come, Lea has obviously been a big fan of inspiring women.

So, how much of the whole lot have I done? Well, there are about six trays in a box, and about six boxes. So I have barely made a dent! Oh, and then we start on the tools, paper, embellishments...

Buyers who'd like to come and collect are especially encouraged! As long as you are a nice visitor, you'll be saving me time and trouble, and saving yourself postage.

Where did all the arty rubber stamps go?

I know, people ask me this all the time. Well, I've found out the answer. While we were all stamping with pretty flowers and cute teddy bars, the amazing, arty stamps were all at Lea Saddington's house. And now they're at my house. And she has given me authority to distribute them amongst all of you!

Here we are, a tantalizing view of unopened boxes. So more to come.

So, the eBay sale is on again, starting today (that's May 11, 2016). On this blog, I'll try to keep track of what I am selling, and what is still to come. More photos later, but right now, I want to start the sale!

Who is Lea? I'm glad you asked! Read the side bar on this blog to learn about who she is, and why her collection is so special.