I sell consignment items. I have a client that asked what my “game plan” was going to be for selling each of his items. That is not as easy a question to answer as one would think. Due to the nature of the internet and retail in general my “Game Plan” is constantly changing and evolving. What worked for selling a particular item 3 months ago may not work today, and the price it sold at then may not be what it will sell for now.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

It's November already with just enough time to prepare for Holiday entertaining. Before the decorating and cooking begins, here's a few little known facts from History.com about

Thanksgiving:

AS 2009 nears to an end and the holiday season begins our thoughts turn to loved ones, to gift buying and gift giving, and of course, to caring for those less fortunate. This is the time when charitable organizations raise funds for those under their care so that they too can have happy holidays. This year is proving to be very challenging to these organizations for reasons we all know too well.

On November 14, 2009, I participated as a speaker at the fall convention of the New York State Auctioneers Association held at the Colgate Inn at Hamilton, New York. My two presentations were “Antiques and Collectibles in the 21st Century: The First Decade” and “Where have all the antiques gone?” The first is the title of my Masters of Fine Arts in Professional Writing thesis at Western Connecticut State University.

Today we are continuing to explore the life and times of Helen Bond Carruthers with her grand niece, Jenifer Klier. So onto the second of our interviews!

Marge: Did your aunt make the entire sweater herself (i.e. knit or crochet them) or did she purchase sweaters and then apply all the embroidery, appliqué work and beading?

Never underestimate the power of a great gallery photo. With thousands of items for sale on Ruby Lane your gallery photo needs to grab a buyer’s attention immediately else they move on to the next item.

Many of us who sell on Ruby Lane also buy on Ruby Lane. While many shoppers do a keyword search for a specific item I simply enjoy looking at page after page to see what catches my eye. Many buyers shop this way.

Sun Purpled Glass is normally clear glass that sat in the windows or on pieces of furniture that had exposure to the sun though windows. Over the years due to the elements used in the formula of the glass it turned colors usually to a light violet tint. While the pieces actually look lovely they are considered damaged by the purists and they will not buy them. However, there is a market for sun purpled glass because people collect it as they admire the color.

The answer is no. I wish I did. I pray that one will come along, but the odds of it happening are slim.

There’s an old story about advertising. It goes something like this: “Fred went into business selling widgets. He had long widgets, short widgets, small widgets, and large widgets. Since Fred had every imaginable kind of widget that anyone might need, he was sure that people would buy from him and he decided that there was no need to advertise his business. Time passed and business was very slow.

This is the crystal ball question everyone wants answered. At 68 and counting, I am not certain I am best person to do it. However, always up to a challenge, I offer the following Top Five list.

1. Designer items. As much as they like to think of themselves a rebellious, today’s young buyers are elitists. They spend money on brand named items knowing full well they can save money on generic brands. This remains true even in the midst of the 2008-2009 Great Recession. Several auction companies now hold brand name auctions. The success rate is high.