What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.
*Those are my Great Grandparents up there. My Great Grandma was the original Martha Stewart. She threw a great party and decorated for every holiday. I want to be her when I grow up. Oh wait! I am!

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Made and Bought

The plan for today, other than actually working in my new booth, was to try and locate a small Christmas Tree to use to display some ornaments that I made to sell.  The Christmas items are showing up in the thrifts, but slowly and most of it is newer and small stuff.  They did have a couple big trees set up today, but I need either a tabletop tree or a tall one that is super skinny.  I'll find one eventually.  Until then, I will be forced to go to all the thrifts until I do. :D

I made these vintage cookie cutter ornaments that the ever clever Heidi made and sent me last year in our ornament swap.  I had a ton of these old ornaments at one point, but I have sold a lot of them in my other booth.  The new booth is at a place that is sort of a brick and mortar Etsy shop - all vintage items or handmade items.  They are big on upcycled and repurposed items too.  So, what better thing to try to enter the world of crafting for cash that these cute Cookie Cutter ornaments.  Now comes the hard part - what would you pay for one of these ornaments?  Each one is a vintage cookie cutter, covered in fine German glitter with five or six vintage Mercury glass beads on each one.  I priced them at $6.00 each.  What do you think?

Even though I didn't find a Christmas Tree, you know the drill - I did find a few other Christmas goodies.   
The three vintage bottle brush trees are identical.  Exactly the same.  Why do I mention this?  Because one was priced 20¢, one was 35¢ and one was 50¢.  Ex-actly the same! Still the end total of $1.05 was good for three vintage bottle brush trees.  The red metal cup isn't Christmas, but it will fit in nicely in the booth display.  Inside the cup are three glass candy sticks.  They look so real.  Everlasting candy sticks! The Uncle Sam isn't Christmas-y at all, now is he?  But, he's vintage and a-dorable, so he had to come home with me.  The vintage Santa candle is funny.  Unlike most figural candles that are one giant chunk of wax and turn into headless bodies or shapeless blobs once they are burned, this one is hollow inside.

It has a taper candle shape inside, so that when it burns, only the taper shape melts and the Santa head remains.  Also, there are holes in his eyes so that when the flame is lit, his eyes get all glowy and slightly creepy.  He won't get lit as long as he is in my possession - so no worries about creepy eyed Santa's.  Whew.

Let me know what you think about the ornaments and my price of $6.00 each.  I am nervous about selling anything I have made!  Thanks!

7 thrifty folks had this to say:

Pixie said...

I think $6 is a fair price.

svelteSTUFF said...

They turned out BEAUTIFUL! I remember copying that pattern when Heidi originally made them and showed them on her blog - and you know how me and 'crafting' don't exactly go hand-in-hand!!! Good thing you have a plentiful stash of glitter (or did you end up selling it all off in little bags??!). I would say $6 is very reasonable!

Jill said...

What a cute idea for the cookie cutters!!

Heidi said...

They look GORGEOUS! I think $6 is a very fair price. Love the red Santas--I bet they sparkle like crazy in person!

Mardell said...

Hi Shara,
They are very pretty! I would pay that for them. You put alot of work into them. Super cute. Plus you had to drill the holes. Good job!

Just returned from the VOA and scored a Redman picnic basket for $3. Made my day!

Pat said...

Shara, I love those ornaments. Too cute! I think $6.00 is more than fair. In my area, I'll bet you could get $7.50 to $8.00 for one.

Bargain Hunting Treasure Seeker said...

They are beautiful!! $6 is a fair price-I think they'll sell like crazy at that price!
Too bad you're going to have to visit the thrifts so often...;)

I Can See You!

Look at my Visitors!

Fellow Junk Followers