Remember my friend Sam who has Aidan and Lucy and Owen? Her wonderful dog, Leo, died last year around Easter time and now she’s getting a new puppy named Ivy so I made the puppy a quilt. No masterpiece by any means – just a puppy quilt.
Owen, with the deep dimples, actually sat on my lap – I’m posting all the pictures because I couldn’t decide which one I liked the best – ha!
After the recent flurry of responses I got about the doilies, Connie and I have been talking. We have so many things we’d like to sell – UFO’s, books, patterns, fabric, kits – and more but we are unable to devise a fair way to sell them. Does anyone have any ideas about lottery numbers to determine the order of sales? When we sold quilts last year there were too many overlapping emails and many got left out. We simply cannot try that again – I nearly lost my mind. What if we had a sale once a quarter and had some way to choose who got to buy first, second, third, etc?
Tell us your ideas – it’s a win-win situation but it needs to be organized and civil and a method that everyone understands and follows. I don’t want anyone to be left out or get their feelings hurt.
It’s melting again today – everybody is outside loving it!
The thing that came to my mind was the way all those Lula Roe sales work. They are on Facebook & a lot of people follow them. That said-I personally don’t know how they work. Anyway, sweet little guy you got to hold! Lucky you!
Cute quilt! But what a little charmer you have on your lap! Those dimples!
Such sweet photos of you and the cherub, just adorable.
I love the pictures. What a darling baby. Lottery will work for sales. Perhaps those purchasers who won in the last round have to sit out the next round to give someone else a chance.
MartyCae – excellent idea!
Love your photos n he is a cute little guy!!! A once a quarter sale would be perfect
Cause I know I got left out last time. As I have said I love your blog n pictures keep them
Coming!!!♥️
My granddaughter’s name is Ivy. lol My daughter was determined to pick a name that her child wouldn’t be “one of 3 or 4” in her class (like my poor, unfortunate children… 😂). Now, I keep seeing her name pop up. Hilarious. There is never Anything new under the sun… (except maybe the poor kid in my granddaughter’s 1st grade class named “Envy” … oh dear…)
I always enjoy your blog and seeing all the pictures!
Instagram is a great way to destash stuff?!
Such adorable photos of pure joy between the two of you. It’s no wonder you couldn’t pick just one.
Lottery by item sounds like a perfect idea. You and Connie post pics with numbers. We indicate which ones we are interested in buying. You randomly pick a winner for each one. Gives us all time to swoon and select and takes the time crush burden off of you!
Owen is absolutely precious……and so are you!!! 🙂
Love the puppy quilt and photos!! The idea of a sale once a quarter sounds great. Maybe set a date/time and the first email response to each particular item(s) would be the eligible buyer? Hope it works out and does not make a lot of work for you. 😊
Have a Country Threads Etsy page and then you could just list things as you come across them. It would be less confusing for everyone.
Isn’t he the cutest baby?? Love that dimple!
Pictures like the members of The Quilting Board with large numbers attached to the item. We indicate in the comments which one(s) we want by the number. First come, first serve. No emailing. Don’t know if that would work or not. At least, everyone can read who was first.
What a sweet little boy! Those dimples are adorable!
Quilter’s Classifieds on Facebook works pretty well. I just purchased the book “Leftovers” by yours truly! What fun! Can’t wait to get it. I have 3 others of your books. When I first got into quilting I was so disappointed to find out that you had closed your shop/retreats. So I’ve really enjoyed your blog and the lady I bought “Leftovers” from is excited to find out you have a blog and will be reading it, too!
If you joined Quilter’s Classifieds you could see how it works and maybe that would help you devise a plan.
I was one of the unfortunate ones that tried soooo hard to buy one of your beautiful quilts , I would love to have one before I die.So I am very intrested in however you might sell your things.
Connie, I would suggest putting up an Etsy shop for your cast aways. It’s easy to load the items and it can be done in advance. Then you designate a time the store will open and program the Etsy store to open then. Once an item is sold and paid for Etsy marks it as sold and then you fill the order. I know you’ll freak out thinking about learning a new thing but it’s not hard…HONEST. You give a small commission to Etsy but nothing terrible.
For things you want to sell, put on eBay for bidding?
What an adorable little boyl I think a lottery is a great idea. You post the item, and you have a prearranged winning number like responder 18 with a time limit. You won’t tell us what number so we are just taking a random chance like the lottery. I do not buy lottery tickets, but your quilts and treasures are worth it!
I also think an Etsy account would be a good idea. You state the price, and you can add items at any time. You can put the account on “vacation” if you are unavailable.
Precious little boy That is such a cute age. Love the puppy quilt, such a neat idea. Hope Ivy doesn’t think it’s something to chew on.
You really are the best. You have such a gentle spirit. Thank you
Lots of folks do de-stashes on Instagram. You say a day when you are going to post your pix. Then when the pictures post, the 1st person that comments “sold” gets it. You could look @ sewformysanitydestash to check hers out. Just an idea.
I can see a lottery system working too.
That little dimpled fellow is so handsome. No wonder you couldn’t decide. The pics are all great.
Love all the pictures and your enthusiasm. So glad you share with us. I am housebound with an illness and enjoy them tremendously
Adorable pictures! I’m glad you posted all of them! I have no ideas for your lottery but hope you come up with something that works for you.
I truly understand your wanting to post all the pictures of the little one. I take a lot of pictures, and then plan to delete some, but they are all just a little different and saving all of them tells a better story.
There a blogger I follow who sold her extras via blog posts she posted a blog of pictures of the item and anything she had to say about it then she allowed her readers to bid via comments
So she said pink quilt 48 inches by 48 inches starting price $10
Then the comments go
Colleen $11
Susan $15
Barbara $20
Each commented sees what has been offered and can choose to offer more
The 2 rules are there is a time limit like 3 days or what ever time limit works for you
And each person must enter a higher price than the one before
You will perhaps sell items for more than you had expected
So you might think of a way to donate the extra to (?)
Like if an item sells for over twice your price any amount over double goes to your church s charity fund
Or a percentage of sales will go to the animal rescue and to quilting charity “X”
Everyone has a chance to buy the winner is the highest payer a charity or some kind is supported
It’s not the fastest computer fingers, or quickest reader
$$$ is a limiting factor
But it is open everyone sees the buyers
If there is a buyer that monopolies the highest offerings you can make another rule of limiting the number of items one person can buy and offer the item to the next highest bidder
Good luck
It’s hard to be nice to a large group of people
Do your best and be ready for complaining
Set up a “pick me up date ” to pick your own mood up afterwards
What is that quote
You can please some of the people all the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time or something similar
Just do your best then turn to the next page , tomorrow is a new day
Colleen – thanks for understanding that we will never please everybody!
Cute pics..he likes you holding him..🤗
What a great pictures!
You could post a picture and price of your item, set a time limit, and whoever comments they want to buy the item will be entered into a drawing. Then pick the lucky winner who can purchase your item.
Hi Mary – you could set up a private facebook group page that people would have to join to be able to see and the admins(probably you and Connie or who you designate) could screen ‘joiners’ – but you can post photos, information and price and people can say interested – first come, first served, like the local area buy/sell/trade sites. All of them have rules, rules set by the owner of the site. Then you could load things to sell, as you would like – a few items at a time or in bunches. Just an idea. Sherry
Have you tried Ebay or Etsy? A private face book page as mentioned above sounds good. I have no clue how to do that! You need a millennial ‘techie’ to help! That way only the ‘right people! See it!👍🏼
I think that would be a fair way that everybody would feel like they had an equal chance. I am assuming that once your # was chosen that you cannot sign up again for a different number until all the numbers have been drawn once. At that time you can put put all of them back in and start drawing all over again. Also put a set dead line by when you need to register by in order to be included in the drawings.
I know they are a lot of work but I would love it if you would have another garage sale! I loved coming to those and whoever is there first gets the buys!
Several people are selling on Instagram. I’ve bought a couple of things and it seems to work well. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Such a charmer that little one is. Check out Exuberant Color’s blog. She is having sales of her quilts. Giving away things should be easy and not a headache for you. I’m sorry I added to the turmoil by not emailing.
What a little doll! I told some women I was with the other day that I felt like I needed to hold a baby and smell them. Not one women thought that was odd! All my grandkids are too old now. I really could be a great grandma, but both the boys don’t seem to have the slightest interest in that! Our son thinks he may never be a grandfather and I think it makes him sad.
No ideas above t how to sell your stuff, but let me know when you decide. Miss seeing you guys!
All of those pictures are adorable, no wonder you couldn’t pick one. Some of us don’t do Facebook (we got hacked and gave it up) or Instagram etc. I like Gloria B’s idea, but you and Connie decide.
I agree with others–set up an Etsy shop–much easier to keep track of things!
I loved all the pictures of the little one on your lap. Hard to choose a favorite. Looks like he is very comfortable with you. What a cutie patootie! No ideas on how to do your sale in a fair way…some brilliant mind will give you the answer, I am sure of it.
Every quarter would be great. Can you use the dates on the emails to decided who won? Highest bidder, different section of the country. Where their name lands in the alphabet, you choose what letter.
i like gloria b’s lotto idea for numbered items!!
Whatever you decide is fine with me. I love Ivy’s quilt. Paula in KY
I like the private FB group idea. It would be easy to set up. Private means they MUST be approved by the administrator(s), as mentioned. Some private groups I’m in, also have 1 or 2 questions when a person applies to be a member. The questions are fairly simple &usually relate directly to the private group & are screening questions. (Some groups do a better job of screening than others.) You &/or Connie could use questions about your quilt shop like how long was the shop open or what was unique about it’s setting or what year did it close. Fairly simple questions that true followers either know or know where to find the info. Since it would be a FB group, the admin(s) have to keep on top of what members post in the group, etc. Like Sherry mentioned since it’s YOUR FB page, YOU set the rules. There would be a few details to iron out & if you do go this route, I suggest you don’t set up the private group till you know exactly what you want to accomplish; otherwise it could turn into a mess! I’ve left some private groups because they were poorly screened or the content became far removed from the initial point/purpose of the group & the admin(s) either didn’t care or didn’t know how to firmly warn members & then remove them if the behavior continued. Other private groups are great at removing posters that refuse to follow the rules or blatantly try to “bully” other members rudely.
Enough of my opinion but I so love reading your blog posts & also miss seeing both of you at the Rosemont quilt shows. I’m now live in TN instead of IL & never did get out to experience your quilt shop & all your pets & animals! Good luck!
You are so nice making dog quilts for your friends’ dogs. That little boy is sooo cute! And you take great pictures, Mary. Have a good week end, I am enjoying these warmer days, Felicia
Hello to all readers. I know this comment is late but, hopefully, it will still get read. What if everyone who might be interested in purchasing items would send you a postcard. You could select cards until all items are sold or donated. You could keep those winning cards out until the next year comes around. I think it might work.
He is just precious!!! I glad that you posted all pictures because that are all great!!!
ALphabet – if your last name starts w/ A-F you’re a first quarter bidder and so on
Of course you can divide alphabet as you choose since there are probably more M and more S last names.
Mary, may it easy for YOU! You are more than generous and fair to all of us.
Thank you for sharing your goodies, it sure is our gain.