Monthly Archives: March 2011

My friend Carol thought of me when she was making this card…I hope it was because she knew it would make me laugh out loud.  I collect old photographs.  I also collect witty sayings and quotes.  I do not, unfortunately, have the knack of putting the two together like she does. 

You can find more of Carol’s work in the handmade category of my blog.  I have no intention of enjoying them alone.

EBay has added the option of printing First Class International shipping labels. Until recently I have had to fill out customs forms by hand and take packages to the post office. We shoveled snow on some of the bad weather days this winter just so my First Class International shipments would ship quickly. Now all my packages can be scheduled for carrier pickup, which will save a lot of time and fuel cost.

There are drawbacks to shipping via First Class International. It takes a long time for packages to be delivered in some countries and the tracking is poor at best. I am not recommending the method to anyone but it is an option that helps many of my customers that live in other countries.  As long as they continue to be patient and understanding of the long wait time - I will continue to do my best to help them save money on postage.

I am thankful that eBay found a way to make it possible for me to print the labels in my home office.  This is one change that is working out very well for me!

 I promised an update on the progress of my 1965 Alice in Wonderland puzzle.  It was great to find all of the border pieces.  I am very optimistic about this puzzle being complete now that the circle edge is done. 

Are you working on any interesting projects?  What do you plan to do with yours when it is finished?  This one will be admired here for awhile and then sold. 

Today’s news of the earthquake in Japan is difficult to comprehend.  I am overwhelmed as I watch the news footage of the tragedy.

There is not much that I can do with my small budget, but I can do something. 

EBay makes it as easy as the click of my mouse. They have a Giving Works program that brings in millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations every year – this project is being featured as one to help Japan.  I am going to focus my efforts for the rest of the month. I will make all of my new auctions charity listings with at least 10% going to organizations like the GlobalGiving Project.  I encourage you to do the same when possible. 

You can read more about GlobalGiving on their site.  You can also make a donation directly to the organization on the same site.

There is no possible way to do enough for the people involved.  Many have already lost their lives.  But together we will make a difference for some.

Chris Woodworth is an Indiana author.  I saw a small article about her in our local newspaper a year or so ago.  I wasn’t able to go to the event, but I saved the article so I wouldn’t forget to follow up.  I found three of Chris’s books at our local library. This book was her first.

When Ratboy Lived Next Door is about a junior high girl, Lydia, and some very real challenges in her life.  I found myself reminicing about my childhood as I read her story.  The author captured small town life in such a way that includes the true to life problems as well as the fun.  There is a plot involving serious issues  that are not apparent from the lighthearted cover artwork, such as an abusive alcoholic husband living next door. 

I recommend this book and I am now reading Chris Woodworth’s second, Georgie’s Moon.

I love old books, especially childrens books.  I enjoy taking the pages out of books that are falling apart and giving them new purpose.  I made these bookmarks from old flash cards and pages from a 1946 Dick and Jane book.  The flash card paper has tanned a bit and the book was falling apart.  Together they make fun bookmarks or tags for scrapbooking.

EBay recently announced support for the new United States Postal Service packages – Regional Flat Rate Boxes as well as the Padded and Legal Size Flat Rate Envelopes.  I do not think they have covered all their bases just yet, though I am quite happy to see them moving in the right direction.  Hopefully they are working to update the rest of the processes involved.

It is my understanding that the only place the new package sizes have been added is to eBay shipping – not to eBay shipping calculator and not to PayPal multi shipping.  I use PayPal multi shipping, print my labels, and then print my scan form to be scanned by USPS at the time of mail pickup.  It is not going to be user friendly for me to have to delete some of the automatically imported transactions in PayPal, print labels for the remaining, and then process the deleted transactions elsewhere. 

As a full time seller on their site I would prefer to see uniform eBay processes for all shipping options, including First Class, Priority, Parcel, etc.  I should NOT have to use different shipping label procedures for different size boxes.  I will do whatever I need to do for my customers, but I will be watching for eBay to make more updates.

I would like to see eBay:

• Make the new shipping options available in the shipping calculator so I can add the options in my listings when appropriate. 
• Carry the new options over to Blackthorne, the eBay owned third party listing service.
• Make the new options available in PayPal Multi Shipping, also an eBay owned service. 

When I wrote about Regional Flat Rate Boxes earlier this week I felt like I was sharing a new toy.  I am excited about having options that will save my customers money.  I already have all of the boxes and envelopes in stock and I plan to use them whenever possible.

Perhaps you don’t agree with my wish list or want to add to it?  I look forward to hearing from you!

I was a bit slow to notice the regional flat rate boxes the postal service has added to their options.  At first the boxes seemed like more trouble than benefit.  Now I see real cost cutting possibilities. 

Regional shipping is different than the regular flat rate boxes that have the same rate for all zones.  It is also different than the regular postage rates that increase with each pound.  Regional A boxes cost the 2 pound rate and have a 15 pound limit.  Regional B boxes cost the 4 pound rate with a 20 pound limit. 

The destination zones are based on the zip code that you are shipping from.  I ship from Indiana, so places like California and Washington are more costly than Illinois or Michigan. 

The boxes each come in two sizes.  I don’t think these will be available at the post offices, so be sure and order yours online from the USPS.  Also, the shipping labels must be printed online.  The rates are no good at the post office counter.

If you ship small items that weigh over 2 pounds the smaller regional A boxes may save you some postage expense.  My jigsaw puzzles won’t qualify because puzzles aren’t heavy for their size.  Most of my puzzle inventory will require larger boxes or the weight will already be under 2 pounds.  However, the regional boxes will be cost effective for shipments of books when they aren’t traveling far and need to arrive quickly. 

The zone chart based on zip codes is the key to understanding how much money you can save.  I am keeping a copy at my desk, along with the regional box rate chart so I can quickly determine when a regional box will be beneficial. The rate chart is easy to understand once you know the number of the zone you are shipping to.

You will find a much prettier chart on the postal web site.  It is listed under Priority services and it is easy to print.

Unfortunately, the regional boxes are not an option in the eBay shipping calculator yet.  I think there are plans to add the new boxes very soon.  In the mean time it will be a matter of watching for the opportunities to save my customers some postage.

I learn best from experience, so I may have some regional rate lessons to learn.  Have you had a chance to use these new boxes?

Our local flea market is the first Sunday of every month, 6 months inside then 6 months outside.  The outdoors sales always draw more vendors – and more shoppers.  The indoor sales, though smaller, are easier on everyone because of climate control.

I don’t set up every month, but will be there tomorrow with two friends from the old Mustard Seed store.  They always bring handmade goods.  I plan to surprise them with a few of my own crafty items this time. (With emphasis on the word few.) 

If you are in the Lafayette, Indiana area please stop by the fairgrounds from 7 to 2 p.m.  We will be inside the Home Ec Building, and the building beside it, this month and next.  The larger outdoor sales will begin in May.

I have an interesting jigsaw puzzle to put together.  A round Alice in Wonderland puzzle dated 1965 with wording from the original Lewis Carroll manuscript.  The box has been beat up a bit and the puzzle may not be complete…so I have a fun new puzzle project on my drafting table.

I figure it will take me several weeks to assemble Alice and her under ground adventures.  Those of you that are serious about your puzzles could have it done today if you wanted to, but this will be a side project for me to work on a few minutes a day.  Right now it is just a box of orange and black pieces waiting for my attention.

I am optimistic about Alice’s Adventures because it is one of three vintage Springbok puzzles found together.  The Okta horse puzzle was assembled earlier this winter and is complete.  The third puzzle is more abstract and will be a challenge for me, so I am putting it off until last. 

This one is my favorite of the three.  If it is complete I will list it in my eBay store…if not, I will keep it and enjoy the box on display in my home office.  (My office is decorated with a mix of children’s books and puzzles.)

I plan to start with the outside edge pieces and assemble the outside circle before I fill in the rest.  If you have any puzzling tips – please share.  We can all learn from each other.