Packing, Planning and Preparation went into this weeks scheduling with my niece Leigh Ann singing at a wedding in San Antonio and my photography team headed to Austin for a wedding. During wedding season, my team of family members often “split up.”
Meanwhile, Cindy and I started our morning with two Appraisal Appointments this week and a client meeting regarding a May wedding in Fort Worth. This wedding should be interesting because the ceremony will be in the front yard with the reception in the back yard!
Leigh Ann took the twins with her to babysit Madyson in San Antonio with a day of fun yesterday at Fiesta Texas. Maryssa and Makenna love spending time with our Latest a Little Pawner, Madyson.
Cindy and I found a few items that will be listed in the next few weeks but they need extensive refurbishing in my workroom (as usual).
Stripping and restaining (or painting) furniture often take me several days and humidity can be a real setback on timelines.
Luckily, we were able to use our SUV’s to transport items back to my workroom and storage area. When possible, we try to keep from renting a box truck due to the expenses involved that affect our “bottom line.”
I decided to “take a pass” on the seahorse birdbath due to the weight of the item and also the low value of flipping it. Saying no to a few flips and flops is part of the Pawning Process. Flipping furniture takes time which is why I uploaded this video to walk you through the process-Wendy Wortham Explains Timelines On Furniture Restoration.
This item was simply too heavy and bulky and at best would bring $15-$20 so it wasn’t worth the time or trouble to take it in trade. The client placed the value at $90-$125 since she had paid that over 16 years ago but clients often want far more for their items than the actual value and convincing them of this can be a bit of a problem now and then. Conflict resolution comes in handy when it’s something that we can’t work with but we often find something else on location.
The twins decided to keep the “old school” Atari Game System they found at an Appraisal Appointment last week after their friends told them what a cool system it was-it’s funny how things that are old and outdated can make a come back years later. The twins love digging for treasure as much as we do at Appraisal Appointments.
I’m often asked how I “come up” with my unique blend of fabric and upholstery combinations, the truth is that I try to work with upholstery that I have on hand and occasionally, buy or barter additional fabric as needed. Years ago, I mixed fabrics to save money by working with what I had but my designs became so popular that I’ve “stuck with” the concept.
My designs are different intentionally- I create pieces you don’t see everywhere and love using a reverse pattern on cushions with a contrast welt and band. I want every furniture design to have a personality that sets it apart and makes the piece unique.
I may spend a few days deciding on which fabrics I think will look best and always use a black magic marker to remember which fabric goes where.
Occasionally, I change my mind as I did on this unique chair. The polka dot was used on a Berger chair instead because I felt it distracted from the main pattern. The Berger chair was also stripped because I wasn’t happy with the blue and changed it to the paisley and Leopardo gold.
Normally, I spend 2-3 days a week in my workroom and enjoy “playing around” with fabrics and stains. Finished items look nothing like they did when I acquired them and even my home is “eclectic” with mismatched pieces because I don’t like “matchy matchy” designs.
My storefront offers a true hodge podge of items including previously worn vestments and clothing items-Texas Twins Treasures-Visit My Treasure Chest.
We never really know what we will find unless the client uploads photos at We Take Trades-The Pawning Planners site. I use heavy tapestry fabrics on all of my pieces because they are durable and long lasting although they can sometimes be harder to work with, any Texas Twins Treasures furniture item will last and last because I don’t “cheap out” when it comes to restoring an item.
Explaining how the “Pawning Process” works can be confusing. It’s not unusual to review emails from folks who think we own a Pawn Shop- we don’t. The name “Pawning Planners” describes flipping, swapping & trading in exchange for event services and we are actually bartering not buying your items.
Three years ago while having coffee, my son decided to use this video to explain what we do to a friend after admitting that describing my businesses can often be confusing-Wendy & Cindy-What We Do And How We Do It-The Pawning Planners.
If you have more questions, please feel free to contact me via a Wendy Wortham Website or via email at wendy@texastwinsevents.com we appreciate your business and continued support.
Wendy M Wortham