Remember my 2 Little Bronze Owls From Previous Yard Sales?

I guess owls are lucky creatures. Remember the 2 owls I found at 2 different yard sales a few weeks back (here and here)? Well both sold yesterday. One sold to a buyer in Malaysia and the other to South Korea. I paid 6 euros total for both (less than $8.50 total) and sold them for $33.20 total.

I bought them because owls are collectibles and they were nice with a lovely patina. It was a safe buy and I am quite happy with the sale, but a little sad to see them go!

I'll sure be looking for more in the future!

Free Magazine Found in Paris Airport Sold on eBay

This is the September 2008 edition of the French magazine "Aeroports de Paris" featuring Madonna. I got a few copies of this free magazine on one of my many trip back/forth between France and Canada.

Free is free, so there's nothing to loose in picking a few copies of free magazines, especially when it features a well known personality.

I sold these for $12.99 back in 2008, and yes I should have picked more.

Thank you free magazine for the little profit!

This Weekend Ebay Haul

I went to two community sales this weekend, one on Saturday and another today. Saturday's sale was located right next to les grands magasins (Galeries Lafayette and Le Printemps).

Although it was announced as a garage sale, it was mostly professional sellers (those are easy to spot by the type of merchandises and prices they have. You can still find good stuff for resale with them, but when I go to a yard sale, I expect to buy from regular moms and pops, no pros).

And today's sale was a real community sale near Montparnasse cemetery. It was big enough, I was tired and leaved early without going to another sale I had spotted.

Here's this weekend eBay haul:

I found the Seinfeld DVD for my own collection. I have been wanting to buy them for a long while (they are in one of my favorite list on Amazon, but I never did buy them). I was thrilled and I'm looking forward to watch that show again. what a classic!

I also bought 5 comic books for my son upcoming birthday: Yoko Tsuno (a first edition), 3 Melusine the witch and one Gaston Lagaffe.

First Edition of Yoko Tsuno #8 Les Titans

For resale I found my weekly pair of Birkenstock (Rio in dark purple). Birkenstock shoes sells very well. Make sure you buy them in nice condition, not too much wear and you are in for a sale. I also found 2 Playmobil sets (including Playmobil 5102 mint in box). One mint in package Lego Hero Factory.

Playmobil with box: always a good buy

More Birkenstock sandals to sell on eBay

I also bought some t-shirts, including a Smurfette tank, a Miss Piggy t-shirt and a DKNY long sleeve black t-shirt. I don't sell a lot of clothes on eBay lately, been out of the loop a bit, not sure if they'll do well but they were dirt cheap so I can always unload them in a few years when I do my own garage sale.

Smurfette Tank Top

I also bought a pair of old cardboard print depicting fashionable ladies. These were promotional stuff given out buy shops. I do think they can sell, they are very decorative and large.

Following yesterday sale, I meet with hubby, the kids and their uncle and aunt and we went to the Bois de Vincennes to show the Chateau to the kids. Afterward we had some nice burgers in a pub.

Another Civic Holiday Another Community Yard Sale

Today is Pentecost Monday, another civic holiday In France. So I went to a community yard sale near Place de La Bastille.

Place d'Aligre yard sale

I was greeted by a stinky smell. The place (Place d'Aligre) was smelly (urine, old fish... I don't know but it was a stink. Good it did not last once I got use to it). I got there late because there was a big thunderstorm early in the morning so I figured nobody would put their stuff early under the rain. Got there at 9:30 and people were just starting to display their stuff.

Found a few things but not much. Some people had crazy prices: 20 euros ($27) for old dirty shoes, 3 euros ($4) for a chipped mug. Another lady had Playmobil priced close to what they sell for new in box. Not sure what people are thinking. When I sell at garage sale I price very low to move my stuff and thin the clutter.

my yard sale finds

I bought 2 silk ties. Last time I bought some (see here) I ended up selling 2 of them pretty fast for a good profit. One sold for $20 and the other for $25 once I factor in the fees and free shipping I offered I am at $26 net profit with one silk tie yet to sell. Not bad at all. So I pick 2 more ties today, one with owls and one cute blue and yellow with Scottie dogs. Less than $1.50 each.

close up of the silk ties

I picked 2 kid's t-shirt: one Disney Paris Pirates of the Caribbeans and one Batman Live Tour. Also pick a lovely and limited edition, new with tag, Herman Dune for Petit Bateau shirt.

Herman Dune shirt

Also found a set of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) rubber stamps set in original box. Let's see if it sells.

And last, my gaffe (my "oopsie") of the day, a mint in box vintage Danish Christmas set with candles and napkins. I broke one of the 2 candles. Ugh.... but it was less then $1.50 I'll try to sell it. If it doesn't I will sell the napkins for crafters, keep the candle for next Christmas and use the box for packaging something.

I broke it!

Today's Finds: Harry Potter Johnson Bros. Dinner Set and Much More

Today's sale was in a very nice area of Paris I never visited before: "La Butte aux Cailles", near Place D'Italie. Lovely place with lots of small street. Too bad I did not take my camera. Next time I'll bring one.

Lots of shoes and Harry Potter finds today

It didn't started too well. When I got there around 8 it was raining, but the sellers were there, LOTS of them on many streets in that neighborhood. I quickly found what might end up being my best pick of the day: a Johnson Brothers Harry Potter 3 pieces dining set, in box. To be honest I had no idea if it was good or not, I paid 7 euros ($9.50) for it. Not cheap but it was a calculated gamble. My thinking was that it will make a nice set for my son if it's worthless. Plus we can't get enough mugs, can we? I also got an Harry Potter Quidditch Mug for 1 euro ($1.35).

Harry Potter Johnson Bros. Dinner Set

Quidditch mug

Found some nice shoes for my daughter, I especially like the little girly boots. These will be for September when she starts school. I also got a great deal on some El Naturalista shoes, unfortunately not my size otherwise I would keep them. I am a BIG fan of El Naturalista, the eco friendly shoes made in Spain. I even wrote a page about them here: http://www.squidoo.com/el-naturalista-shoes. Anyway these should sell well, it's a nice pair of ankle strap Rana Tharu in brown. Also found another pair of Birkenstock.

El Naturalista Rana Tharu

And last, found some lovely cute Martine books for girls. They are like new and I remember them from when I was young. This series is quite famous and well known. The first book was published in 1954. The lavish illustrations are what makes them stand out I think. I'll see if there is a market for them in the USA.

Well that's it for today. Tomorrow is Monday, and guess what? YES! Another French civic holidays and there is a community sale. Wish me luck.

Found in the Trash: Zinc Watering Can

No yard sales today, I decided to take it easy. Kids and husband are away for the long weekend and I needed some rest. Went shopping in the morning and on the way back home I found this lovely watering can:

Made of zinc, it's not a vintage piece BUT it is a very nice find because they are extremely decorative and are not cheap to buy. I see them all the time in posh Parisian florists.

I will be cleaning it and ask husband to repair thee handle (need soldering) and turn this into a planter. I'll print vintage style stickers to put on the sides.

I live in a wealthy part of Paris and I have decided that I don't care what people think if they see me picking their trash (it's not like I am actually going INTO the garbage bin!). This little gem was just waiting for me on the curb along with an old dirty chair (that I didn't pick, don't worry). Go me !! And you should have see the face of the concierge a few weeks ago when I hauled back a HUGE box of packing foam I found in front of the school next door.

I need to make an habit of always take my backpack (so un-Parisian) and a few bags when I go out.

Vintage Central's dairy powdered milk tin can

This one was part of a lot I bought back in 2009 (see here). Central's Dairy is located in Fort Wayne Indiana. The can is circa late 40s early 50s. Sold for $20.25. The overall condition was nice, no rusty spot, clean.

These dairy cans from central's dairy were probably meant for the export market since the instruction are in English, French and Spanish.

Front

Sides

Top

Found on the beach and Sold on eBay

The kids and I love to go beach combing to find treasures: unique pebbles, sea glass, polished pottery shards, special float wood. It's fun, kids love it and it's a cheap activity. Over the years we have collected all sorts of things from these trips and some were sold on ebay.

This lot of old French pottery shards, found on the Loire river banks, sold for $6.99. I suppose the buyer will be  making jewelry with them.

Natural Sea Beach Pottery Shards from Loire River in France

I Picked the Wrong Yard Sale Today

I went to 2 community yard sales today. Yard sales are a gamble and this time I lost. I picked the wrong one to go first. That happens, not much we can do. The second one was better but by the time I got there, it was almost impossible to browse and see anything, there was so many people! I still end up with some Littlest pet shop and Playmobil. Very thin haul, but better then nothing.

Today's yard sale finds