Comments made in the year 1955--Only 53 years ago!

'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00.'

'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before you can't get one for $2,000.00.

'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.

'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a nickle just to mail a letter?'

'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.'

'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon . Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.'

'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.'

'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.'

'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.'

'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.'

'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric They are even making electric typewriters now.'

'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'

'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.'

'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.'

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.'

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.'

'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.'

'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.'

'No one can afford to be sick anymore; at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'

'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a haircut, forget it.'

First full month on Etsy

Our first full month on Etsy was a resounding success to my way of thinking. We earned more than either of us expected. One thing that really help is the lower final value fee. We keep so much more of what we take in.

Patti's been expanding her knowledge of the advertising and marketing that needs to be done. Both of us have started blogging more, joining things like Entrecard to get our blogs noticed, and generally trying to step it up a notch.

We are both happy with the community on Etsy and the warm responses (generally) in the forums and chat.

So, on to an even better August! Thanks to all who hearted us and all buyers ... and to those great sellers who helped us with questions.

How Old Is That Postcard?

Leo wrote the guide for eBay. A very interesting subject if you're a collector, buyer, seller of postcards.

Thanks, Leo, good job! (Click on title above to see the guide).

Buying and selling a grandfather clock

Okay, so you get some meatier content when you come to my blog. I can share a few experiences with buying and selling antiques.

The first is our grandfather clock. In August 2006 we bought a grandfather clock made from a kit at an auction for $225. I thought it was a good price. Hopefully, the resale would be about double that amount.

We had opened our first shop in that month on main street in Valdese. We took the clock to the shop and put $450 on the tag. The clock had worked at the auction, but quit when we put in in the shop. We were selling it "as is". It didn't sell.

We quickly realized the shop was a loser - costing more for rent and utilities than we were taking in - a lot more! So we closed the shop and put the clock in our living room.

In June 2007 we bought a house and moved the clock to our living room. It looked beautiful. Stately, elegant, but not over the top! Still, it didn't work and didn't get us any cash back.

In April 2008, we put the clock into our booth at Cornerstone Antiques: http://cornerstoneantiques.blogspot.com/. It started working right away! Loud, beautiful quarter hour strikes. The timing was perfect. A lovely clock.

And it sold for around $300. We had lowered the price feeling it was "shopworn", which it really wasn't. But with the economy the way it's been - and hoping to get some cash out of it - well, it's gone now.

What did I learn? Maybe that $225 was too much to pay for the clock in the beginning. To my credit, that was the first auction I've ever been at for the purpose of buying inventory.

Someone in Morganton, N. C., has a beautiful grandfather clock.

Liza Jane's Pig Lickin' Cake Recipe

Ms. Liza Jane Wooton of Bulan, Kentucky says this cake will be "Pig-Lickin'" good. She has no idea of how it got its name. She took it to the Ritchie-Fugate-Patrick reunion in 2007. Everyone who was lucky enough to get a piece of it, loved it.

Cake Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 small can mandarin oranges
2-3 eggs

Make cake with mandarin oranges instead of water. You might add a few tablespoons water if too dry looking. Bake in two cake pans.

Icing:
1 can crushed pineapple, very well drained.
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 small tub Cool Whip.

Drain the pineapple until it's almost dry. Mix all ingredients together (do not add the pineapple juice). Drink the pineapple juice while you're waiting for the cake to bake.

After the cake is well cooled, frost it with the icing.

It is Pig-Lickin' good!

43 cards sold!

See, told you they were great! We mailed them out this afternoon!

111 Year Old Postcard NYC Trinity Church

Now and then you run across the truly beautiful antique card.

This one is in good shape for being 111 years old. It is copyright 1897.

Just imagine - to survive that long!

Please give it a look by clicking on the title.