Thrift store eye candy creativity, and comfort

Confession: Every Saturday morning I get up and watch thrift store videos on YouTube. It is my adult version of Saturday morning cartoons. I love watching shoppers scan the shelves. I like to imagine what they will pick up. Sometimes they miss something great and I want to yell at the TV like it’s a game show.

“No!!!! You missed the hand-carved fruit bowl!!!!”

“Turn back! Didn’t you see the rare Pyrex?”

“Why are you picking up another studio pottery plate?”

I get sad at the studio pottery. Someone went to a pottery class, learned the wheel, spent quality time looking for joy through hobbies… and might have even given this as a special gift.

Then it ends up in a heap at the thrift store.

Oh well, one person’s trash is another man’s treasure and all that.

Still, makes me sad.

I have yet to find a used copy of one of my books at the thrift store. In one way, it would be sad to find… especially if it was autographed… but also it would show the far reach of the title, which is nice.

I mean, how many copies of Simple Abundance have you spotted in thrift stores? Ugh, exactly.

I don’t always WANT what the YouTubers pick up. I just want them to want it.

Most of these people resell on Etsy or their own websites. I imagine the storage rooms they don’t show on camera. All manner of vases and dishes and things that have a perceived value. Sounds cluttery. Then again, had it not been for people like these Thrift Store YouTubers, I might not have all my lovely vintage typewriters.

Also I have reading glasses now. Sigh.

Seems like a lot of work to ship off those heavy and fragile thrift store items. Having paid for shipping on a heavy typewriter or two (or three), I wonder if they are making much money. Maybe on the YouTube views. If so, great. I don’t ever want them to stop.

Today I will plant my little garden and dream of the day I can add fresh cut flowers to the vases I picked up at thrift stores a time or two (or three).

I am creating my new course. It’s about getting into the writer’s mindset.

I think I’ll call it “Getting into the writer’s mindset.”

Clever, I know.

It’s about how to get into that delicious flow that is the writer’s mindset so you can write more easily, beautifully, and with more confidence.

While creating the course I was looking through my stash of images. Came across this from 2010 when I was sorting through my apartment to get my life down to one suitcase. It’s an article about Nelson Mandela.

This particular line was as true back in 2010 as it is now.

I found a garden in Paris through my letters on Etsy (Hint: Makes a great Mother’s Day gift).

Since then I floundered a bit. Some successes. Some not so much. So I suppose I’m back at finding my own garden. The fun collage books look promising.

If you’re struggling-floundering-pondering-wondering about how to find your own garden, I get it. And I send forth oodles of good CLARITY to help you solidify your creative plans.

I think this is why I like those thrift store videos so much. A whole collection of results of the creative processes of so many people all tucked in neatly to a nice ten minute video:

1. People who MADE THE THING.

2. People who cleaned out the thing and sent it to the thrift store, likely as a redecorating/life change situation.

3. People who created videos of the things.

4. People like me who watch the videos to get ideas.

Life is a rich pageant if you really look at it.

Janice

PS Thanks for the feedback on creating a course for low and medium content book creation. I’m on it, right after I finish watching this thrift store video…. finish my Writer’s Mindset course. Yes, that’s what I meant.