My Shelf

This probably isn't the first time I've mentioned it, but I have a shelf -- a whole tall bookcase, really -- at a shop (shoppe?) in the artsy part of town. It's mostly a vintage shop, but many artists of different varieties sell their wares. I do a little of both; I have an odd assortment of vintage items and handmade crochet items. Today I went over to change out some things. I haven't -- even after a year and a half -- figured out what sells and what doesn't. Because it is something of a touristy area, different people come through all the time, so maybe it's more about hoping the right person passes the right stuff than how appealing my stuff is. Some things go immediately; other items have (or had, until today) been there since I first stocked the shelf.

Some of what I put out and think will be bought up right away just sits and sits. My recent epiphany was that if the same people do pass through more than once and they see an item in the front that's been there a long time, they will think all my stuff is the same old shit. Today I rearranged items, added a few that I think might draw interest, and gave up on others, at least for now. One that I've had there since last April is an adorable sundress from the seventies. It still has tags on it! It's long and white. I don't know what the kind of material is called, but it was popular back then. The dress has spaghetti straps and dark pink embellishments. The owner said several ladies had really liked it and tried it on, but it didn't work out for any of them. So I finally brought it home. Maybe someone will come back looking for it. The husband and wife team who own the store know how to get in touch with me.

While I was over there today I also marked down some baby blankets I made. I hated to do that, but they've been there for a while and they're not doing me -- or anybody else -- any good sitting on a shelf. If they don't sell soon at the new prices, I'll bring them home again and maybe donate them to a charity raffle or something. I could use them as gifts, but it seems I know only people who have boys and the blankets all have pink. Maybe I should decide to transcend gender and gift them anyway, but I'm not quite ready to buck tradition that hard yet. In the meantime, I have a new sense of enthusiasm for my shelf, and it's a good time to get rid of stuff. I'm gathering my next batch.