Friday Feature: Reader of the Month – Letty
Last month when I kicked off a new regular feature here on the blog called Reader of the Month, I had no idea it would be so well-received!
It wasn’t a DIY project.
It wasn’t something that was necessarily “pin-worthy,” either.
Rather, it was a big “THANK YOU!” for all you readers that really make this blog a community.
You see…..
Every project I have made is a portion of me that I let you guys see. I love to experiment, I don’t give up easily, I always see beyond what others can see, I see the potential in every piece. You only get to see snippets of the process in transforming old furnitures into a unique master piece here in the blog. Honestly, its not as easy! LOL (But hey I’m not complaining because I know it is worth it!)
Having people around me who appreciate what I do is soooo rewarding. Interacting with you guys is like catching up with an old friend. I love how we share different ideas and how much enthusiasm you show on every post that I publish.
So each month, I’m taking a moment to thank you guys for all the support I received from you. My utmost gratitude goes to you all!
Meet Letty
I don’t remember when Letty started reading my blog, but she’s been involved in nearly every one of my 30-Day Room Makeover Challenges!
And trust me–those challenges aren’t easy, but each one of them, she has risen to the challenge.
I asked Letty to tell us about her love of thrift, some of her great finds, and her tips for selling vintage things on Etsy. Here’s what she had to share.
Be sure to leave a comment for Letty and let her know how awesome she is!
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. In my case, necessity was the mother of thrifting. – Letty Hixon
Where do you live?
“My name is Letty Hixon and I hail from Stormville, NY.”
How long have you been thrift diving and loving junk?
“As a young child, I lived with my parents and grandmother. Tati, as we affectionately called my grandmother, was a seamstress. She would scour the thrift shops (with me in tow) for good used wool winter coats. Once home she would create a new lining for the coat using the old one as a pattern. She dug into her button box and changed out the buttons. Next the coat would go to the dry cleaners and finally, I would have a “new “coat. That was the start of my thrifting adventures.
During my teenage years, there were flea markets, hand me downs, outlets, and closeouts. To this day, I still own a cedar lined wooden trunk I purchased back then. I remember a fur jacket I picked up at a vintage clothing store that I had to sew back together before I could wear it!
My first apartment in Colorado was entirely furnished in garage sale finds – a table and chairs, artwork, sewing machine, you name it.
Later, when I was raising my three children as a single parent, hand-me-downs and outlets were my best friends. Kids grow so fast – without the kindness of friends and neighbors, I don’t know how I would have managed.
Fast forward to the present and I am still thrifting. My hubby picks up vintage mid-century furniture on Craig’s List and refinishes them. Most we keep, some we sell. You could say my home is decorated in early Craig’s List.”
What’s the project you’re most proud of?
“Hubby picked up my craft cabinet [from Craigslist], which I refinished, and I love how it came out. It has become my essential piece. It holds most of my crafting supplies in its 24 drawers.”
BEFORE
AFTER!
(Note: Click here to read all about Letty’s cabinet and cozy multi-purpose room makeover!)
What’s your most prized possession you’ve ever bought from the thrift store?
“Thrifting can have one big drawback – when to stop! So what happens when you thrift too much? You start selling your overflow. I picked up a lovely pink vase for $3.00. Turns out it was an elegant glass of the depression era which I was able to turn around and sell for $75.00!”
“In our family the thrifting “gene” has been passed down. My son thrifts full time and now my granddaughter is helping him. We have even had multigenerational thrifting vacations!”
Why do you like reading Thrift Diving, and how long have you been a reader?
“I read many blogs about DIY, thrifting and upcyling. But the homes and people in those blogs seemed so different from my own experiences. Then I found Thrifting Diving and Serena. She had just completed her first challenge and was looking for folks to sign up for the next challenge. I signed up and just loved the support, ideas, incentive, and drive. We shared mishaps, losses, accomplishments and triumphs. It was such a wonderful experience I couldn’t wait for the next one. In the meantime, bonds and friendships were formed.”
What other DIY, thrifting, or crafting blogs do you love to read?
“Besides Serena and Thrift Diving my other favorite blogs are Gail at My Repurposed Life and Leilani at Keeping up with Mrs. Smith. My Repurposed life is very different experience from Thrift Diving but one I also enjoy. I admire Gail’s vision – she sees a project where many see trash. Leilani has such a frankness about her. Her experiences strike a chord with me.”
What DIY or crafting tips do you have for others?
“So what tips to do I have to offer – organize, organize, organize! If all of your crafting or DIY supplies are organized, you will be ready to go when the urge to create strikes. You will save money by not buying duplicate supplies and all those organized supplies will inspire to go ahead and make something beautiful.”
Letty’s Esty Shop (And Tips for Selling on Etsy)
I’ve always struggled with finding the commitment (and platform!) for selling the vintage things I find at the thrift store. But Letty just hit a huge milestone with her 300th listing in her Etsy shop back in April!
That’s a huge accomplishment because I know how much time it takes to find the perfect items to sell, take pictures, and list them!
300 items is a lot, so I couldn’t help but ask….
How do you store all your items before selling them?
“I have several file cabinets (that we picked up for free on craigslist) that are kept in the garage where I store many of my items. These will be moving soon to a ground level unheated storage room in my house. I sort similar items together – all Farberware, all metal, clear glass, etc. The only thing I don’t store outside are fabric items (those I keep in a tote inside). Right now I can usually remember where things are but I think I am going to start some kind of numbering system.”
How did you get started selling on Esty?
“My son (who sells full time on both Ebay and Etsy) helped me get started. Like you, he lost his job and turned his part time passion into a full time job. Pictures are key and I finally invested in a lighting set. I did things slowly. Since I just started my second year, I am a bit more comfortable with purchasing supplies for my business. I did it all legit with a tax ID and all the tax stuff. I am lucky that my hubby LOVES thrifting and is constantly on Craigslist (great to be retired). He has a good eye for things.”
(Serena: I was so inspired by Letty’s Etsy shop that I asked her to come back later to do a guest post on how to get started selling on Etsy. I mean, we find such great stuff at the thrift store and at yard sales. Why not try to start a legit business selling, right?? You can check out that post here: How to Get Started Selling on Etsy).
Thrift Diving Tote Bags!
I tried offering Letty one of my Thrift Diving tees for being featured this month, but she already ordered one last year! (YAY, thanks, Letty!) So instead, I’m sending her this cute little Thrift Diving tote bag! Hmmm….pink maybe?
I keep meaning to order mine, and I have never sold them on the blog, so she will be the first to own a Thrift Diving tote (you can order one here for $15). Lucky girl! (I hope she likes it!).
Thanks, Letty!
Catch Up on Past Readers of the Month
- Reader of the Month: Meet Alys
- Reader of the Month: Meet Zovesta
- Reader of the Month: Meet Haley
- Reader of the Month: Meet Teckla
- Reader of the Month: Meet Gail
Download the 5 freebies!
Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselves...using paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started!
Another score! I loved hearing about Letty and her great projects. And, yes, I’m drooling all over that storage cabinet just like everyone else! What a great find! Everyone has such great ideas and I love that you are the medium for sharing and introducing us to even bigger worlds that we can imagine! Having an Etsy store isn’t my thing, but you can bet I’ll be checking out other folks! Thanks, Letty, and all of the others. Some day, Serena, when you’re rich and famous (right?), you’ll have to host a DIY convention for all your readers! Wouldn’t that be just the coolest thing to get together and have sharing sessions? And teaching sessions and demos? Only thing about that is that I’m so far away from you . . . but what fun!
Hi, Teckla!! How are you?? Well, you hit the nail on the head. I would really like this blog to be something that people value and learn from, so if I can feature other people that have different experiences and such, then it’s a joy for me to do! And it’s so funny you mentioned a DIY convention!! Honestly, I have been wanting to put something on like this for the longest time! It would be a 2-day DIY summit where the whole weekend would be packed full of tutorials, hands-on classes, and everything you’d need to get you on your way with DIY! And we’d have fun doing it!! Trust me, I’ve been thinking about this. Just not sure how to execute it yet….
Hi Serena,
I just joined your blog a few weeks ago and love to see what you are updating. Letty’s cabinet is to die for. I have been thrifting for years and love it. I moved from Buffalo, NY to Cocoa, Fl. in Dec. There are tons of thrift stores here. I am currently looking for a small coffee table. I also have an Etsy shop because I make a lot of handcrafted things. http://www.etsy.com/shop/suzyscreations2. I hope you will check it out, and I encourage anyone that is thinking about opening a shop to do so!
Hey, Sue! Love your Etsy store. You’ve got some really cute things! I hope some friends here have seen your link and have checked out your store!
Sue,
Your creations are so cute. Keep working it girl!
If I actually got onto Etsy, instead of writing notes to get onto Etsy, I’d be a rich woman. Thanks for the kick in the fanny!
Thanks Serena I do enjoy your “Thrift Diving” updates and advise-inspiring. Totally agree with Lettie-Organization is the key. It is wonderful to know where everything is and what I have. Organization really cuts down on duplication and saves $ for the oh so very important thrift purchases. Una
Loved the feature about Letty! Great idea for a Reader of the Month! I’m so jealous for the cabinet! Couldn’t we all use one of those!
I have a secret Pinterest board on “Pro Tips for Selling Online.” I would love for Letty to pin to it, or anyone else that have tips to share. Just send me an email if you want to be added. (sa*****@*******th.net)
Great idea, Florence! You’ve got a nice little Etsy shop, too! You all know all the tips and tricks to making extra money there. I’ll make sure Letty sees your offer!
Awesome Post! I am continuously amazed at the creative ways people find to make a living! The cabinet in the first photo is amazing- Love it!!
Melony, I know!! I’m telling you–online has changed the way people live–DRASTICALLY. I don’t know if you remember this, but years ago, there as a site called Classmates.com. And basically, they charged you a certain amount of money to even look for your old classmates–all those people from high school you always wondered what happened to. Well, heck, Facebook totally killed that! Now, you just search for them and–BAM!–you have them right there, along with pictures of their kids, their spouse–you name it! And what it’s done for business….I am floored that I am getting to work from home and do what I love, all because of my computer. It’s gamechanger. And the fact that Letty can sell amazing finds with Etsy–it’s really a global market now! Exciting!
Serena, I like the your newsletter and reader of the month feature. Really good ideas.
Letty, I LOVE that cabinet. I am so jealous.
Thanks, Jessi! That makes me so happy that you enjoy it! I’ve been bothered lately that I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to email you more often. Plus, I have this huge RYOBI trip all next week, so I’ll be there Sunday through Friday, but I’m going to try to get as much done as I can this weekend so that I can email you during the week!
And yes, that cabinet–I think that beats ANYTHING I have every found! I wonder if I could build something so cool….? Hmmmmm….Would be expensive, though…
I enjoyed this post about Lefty. She had some nice tips. I always enjoy your blog, it reminds me of when I was younger and into refinishing furniture. Now I mostly sew with fabric I get at thrift stores, but have a collection of old windows, shutters, doors, beds and cribs that I am hoping to rope one of my grandchildren into helping me do some things with this summer. I want them to get the repurpose/recycle bug. Loved your Ryobi safety tips demo on line. You’re a natural, lady.
Hi, Linda! Yes, please infect those grandkids with the repurpose/refinishing bug! LOL I can only hope that one of my 3 boys will pick up my love of thrift and tools and make Mama proud. LOL And I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post about Letty (LOL, you wrote “Lefty”). I’m really enjoying featuring people! Everyone deserves the spotlight, right?!!!
Love these “Reader of the Month” features! And I will have to get back into the 30 day room challenges – my laundry room still functions and looks great after my first challenge! I still need to complete my “Finish it February” from February 2015 – hopefully I’ll be able to post a photo prior to February 2017!
LOL, Kim! I had wanted to do a June Room challenge this month, but I’m going to be doing a big Outdoor Overhaul Patio Makeover challenge in July! But there will be the July challenge and then I’m thinking about another August Upgrade! That was a lot of fun a couple of years ago and my kids’ bathroom turned out and has STAYED nice! Those challenges really do kick us into gear, don’t they? 🙂
Thank you for posting about Letty! I am going to read and re-read more about starting the ETSY store! My husband and I have items we would like to sell, but I am intimidated by getting started! So, thank you for posting about Letty and her life with thrifting! 🙂 And I love her 24-drawer craft storage cabinet!!
Hey, Kara! OMG, I know….that 24 drawer cabinet is sick! I think I would never need any other storage if I had that. Aside from the big items, every little small craft would have an assigned drawer! As for getting started on Etsy, what do you sell, vintage things? Why don’t you at least get started with listing a couple things? Then let your friends know you’ve opened shop. You’d be surprised how just doing that little bit gets you excited to keep going!