Ask Away. Question and Answer Session with ME!

You know how if you have kind of a crappy day, sometimes it just explodes into a crap couple of days....but then fortunately it ends well...that has been the last few days for me....nothing major, just every day life crap that happened. Everything is good now! It's sunny!

Apparently this scheduled post didn't post as I scheduled it, so here it is now....enjoy. Thanks for all the questions!

So, here they are, the answers to the questions you asked....I'll split it up into two posts, because reading about me for two days is going to be super fun.
 
1. I was just wondering what your kids do while you are crafting/refabbing. I have only one three year old and I can't find time to do anything.
I usually do them in the afternoon when our youngest is napping. The other two play really well together and most days they play outside for a couple of hours, even in the snow, if they aren't outside playing then they are playing inside and I can quick run out to the garage for something or I paint right in our living room. Sometimes we craft together and they help me with stuff.

2. How did you get started selling your renovated furniture items? How did you know what to price the items? Do you have any advice for someone who might be thinking of doing the same?
We've always been a DIY family and quite frugal and I love getting a good deal! When we first moved to our little town two and a half years ago, I was pregnant and lonely and needed something to do, so I started scouring for cheap stuff and listed a chair and it sold within minutes....so that's how it started. Pricing first started by what I would pay for an item....I lost some money those first few items! Now, things are a little different. I price stuff based on recouping what I put into it and my time to fix it up...if I feel like it is too high, I mark it down a little. I never wanted to sell stuff that was ridiculously expensive that I myself couldn't afford it. Advice - just fix something up and list it on Craigslist and see what happens. Many of my neighbors have pieces of mine and word of mouth works wonders!

3. When will you be here with my chair? (Pick a chair, any chair.)
One day, when you least expect it, your chair will be there....


4. Have you ever had a bad experience with a customer?
Fortunately my bad experiences have been limited. No one has ever been upset with a piece.... that I know of...sometimes I have people say they want stuff and then ditch out on it and I have to walk in shame and relist it, but that happens. When I list stuff on Craig's List I get lots of spammers. That's frustrating, so I send them a very polite little note telling them that they are mean and nasty people to take advantage of others that way.... Once someone dropped off a deposit for a piece and never came back for it.


5. I'm a newer follower, so I may be out of the loop on this one...so you have three boys, are you done or do you want more??? The reason I ask this is because after having one boy (14 months) I absolutely LOVE boys and I say at this point that I want three or four kiddos, leaning towards four...but of course there's a long way to go to get to that point, ha!
I would love to have one more kiddo. They certainly are fun and exhausting and cute and frustrating, but mostly fun...I would really like a girl, but hubs isn't quite sold on one more....so we'll see.


6. Could you please deliver/ship your beautiful items to South Carolina??? :)
I am more than willing to ship! Most of the time when people find out the shipping costs, they cry....it's a tough one!

7. If you could change something about your house and/or yourself (money not an issue) what would it be?
My house, I would put hardwood floors in all over, bedrooms, hallways, living rooms, everywhere. And they would probably be recycled wood of some sort. Myself, eh, I'd really like to get Lasik!

8. Hey Kirsty! My question for you is how did you get started selling your furniture? Where do you sell it...Craigslist? Ebay? How do you advertise it besides your other blog? Thanks for being awesome...and for that amazing Carrot Cake recipe which i make ALL THE TIME!!!! Its so yumm.
I started by listing on Craigslist. I also did a bunch of stuff for some neighbors...word of mouth is amazing! I've got a Facebook page and I keep listing stuff on Craigslist which finds new customers. I'm a little nervous about doing too much, because my top priority right now is my boys, furniture is just an addition right now....when they are older, that will change. But I love being home with them and not having to "go to" work. Ex boyfriend carrot cake is the best, isn't it!

9. I love your blog. It always makes me laugh. I love the "realness". I'm a mom of three and drive an old "mommyvan"... So what kind of new van did you get and do you like it?
Thank you! We had a 2002 Town and Country and now we have a 2008 Town and Country. We had our van paid for and it had 140 thousand miles on it, we were going to drive it until it died, but I really needed something where I could configure the seats when transporting furniture and kids. The van we got has all the bells and whistles, so it's pretty fun. The first day we had it, I did a big furniture run and got three pieces of furniture in it without having to go home and take seats out and leave kids sitting in the driveway wondering when their mom would come back. It was awesome! I love it.


10. Where is a good place to find some fun, inexpensive fabric? And any tips for a first time furniture refinisher?
I get most of my fabric at JoAnn's using the 40 or 50% off. I hear that Calico Corners has good stuff and it's often on sale. I also know that Hobby Lobby has good stuff. But, those two places are an hour drive one way for me...so I don't go often. I like to use unconventional things too - curtains, drop clothes.....get creative. Tips - take a risk. Try something, if it doesn't work then you know for next time! I know you'll be surprised by this, but I make TONS of mistakes!


11. How do you get the old furniture smell/or rather old lady furniture smell out of dresser drawers?


I use a combination of fresh air, Mrs. Meyer's cleaner and fresh linen Lysol. The best thing for it is to leave it out in open air for a little while. You mean you don't like that smell?!

12. If I paint the inside of drawers won't the stuff inside of it stick to the paint?
You can paint the inside of the drawers and cabinets. I don't. But that's just my thing. Sometimes I do, I guess. But not if clothes are going to be in it, I don't want them to smell like paint.



13. Where are you originally from?
I'm originally from Bismarck, North Dakota. The best place to grow up in the entire world.

14. If someone dropped by your house unexpectedly what would they see?
This:

That's right.

15. Which of your sisters is your favorite?
How could I choose between two beautiful, kind and caring women?

16. How can you stand living so far away from her?
 And I say, move closer to me....

17. Hey, I just kinda stumbled onto your blog by accident but I really enjoy it. I've been doing a daily blog myself for the past few months and my wife sometimes gives me grief about spending too much time blogging. Not that it's really bad grief... more like Charlie Brown good grief. Does your husband ever give you this type of grief over your blogging? How long does it take to make a typical post on average?
No grief. He's a Saint. Although he doesn't read the blog either....
Depending on the topic it can take a couple of minutes to an hour. I try not to dwell on things. I proofread and edit (I also have a wonderful set of second and third eyes that send me messages if I've made a mistake..which I love, it helps so much to make me not look like a fool to the millions that read this). I don't dwell on questioning the post...I can't, I don't have time! Plus, if you've been reading for awhile, you'll know that I don't write to please. I write as therapy and because I have a crap memory and because I think the world revolves around me.....eh, er, not really....


18. This "BFF" you reference on occasion....is she real? If so, what it is about her that you just love/hate about her? 
This BFF is the real deal. We've been best friends since one fine day in the 8th grade. I don't hate a single thing about her - oh, except her biceps. They rock. And that she lives far away. That sucks. She is an amazingly strong and courageous woman.

How fun. More tomorrow! Specifically from a single reader....