Category: Flippin’ Flatware

I made a video again y’all. Ugh….SO not my comfort zone..but I’m willing to learn. I have no storage on my phone right now and so I used my old iPad mini which is super awkward.
I’m just technologically challenged with making videos…so I have to do some research! People make such cute ones with graphics and writing and such…no clue how to do stuff…I’m sure there’s an app for that though. 🙂

So here ya go!

If there’s something else you’d like to see in video..or different information about flatware…let me know! I’m open to ideas! I’m not sure I’m ready to face the camera, lol…but I’ve got some thoughts for things in the future that I just have to learn how to do.

So even though I do have mountains of flatware I’m wading through…the flatware bins are still one of my go-to sections at the thrift store. Yes, its a sickness, lol.
But I found some good stuff and could not leave it.

Plus, selling flatware really is one of my solid niches. I know that if I gave it the time it deserves it could easily help us knock out some of our debt and build up our savings. I just have to organize myself a bit more and work on all of this OTHER stuff that has accumulated over time.

One of the main patterns I found this time was one that looked like this:

It’s by MSI (Merchandise Service Inc) and it’s vintage.
I know MSI is not one of the brands I’ve mentioned in Part 1 of my Flippin’ Flatware series, but I know from experience that this pattern is fairly sought after by the Etsy/Vintage crowd. It’s not high dollar stuff but I found 45 pieces and it’ll add up.
And why not? Look at it! It’s awesome.
Now, the nice thing about MSI is they like to print their pattern name right on the pieces. Sweet!
This one is called “Danika”. Another popular one by them is “Versailles”.

So this was an easy pattern ID.
As a reminder, here’s how I identify my flatware when it’s NOT printed right on it: Flippin’ Flatware Part 2  I really need to re-do that post…the Replacements website has revamped and my screenshots are outdated.  Oops. Same concept though.
I’ve listed this pattern in my Etsy shop and am hopeful for some quick sales. As of right now, no other Danika is listed on Etsy!
I will keep you posted.
Oh and by the way, I’ve been playing around with backgrounds for my flatware listings. Most of the time I use this dark one. (it’s a leftover piece of countertop laminate, lol)

I got tired of that though and it’s kind of getting dirty.
For these Danika listings I’m trying out a grey posterboard. I like it…especially for when the listing is open and you’re looking at it up close. I’m just afraid the overall effect is too BLAH. Especially when buyers are scrolling through search results on Etsy or Ebay.
What do you think?

 Maybe I should look for a nice soft blue….

I am a 40 year old woman. I still have my wisdom teeth. Why?
Because I’m a big chicken.
Because I have an amazing ability to procrastinate when something unpleasant needs doing.
Because no dentist ever said “you need your wisdom teeth out, here, let me make an appointment for you”.
So days, then months, then years go by and I never pick up the phone.

But enough was enough.
It was time for the big girl panties. I picked up the phone and made my appointment for the consultation.
Went to said consultation. My face immediately flushed when I walked in. By the time they were taking my vitals, my temperature was 99.8. No clue why an X-ray and a bunch of talking made me a nervous wreck.
But then I was good. Appointment is set for June. Doctor saw no major issues. Yes, 2 are impacted, but they do this all the time. Easy peasy.
I’ll be knocked out and it’ll all be over in an hour. An HOUR!! Crazy.

After getting the cost estimate ($2400!!!…yup knew that was coming…another reason for procrastinating) I knew that retail therapy was in order. Good thing there was a Goodwill across the street!!
And I found some flatware.

Yay! I needed a good find, especially after getting that bill. I gotta start making some money!! 🙂
This is flatware by Oneida and the pattern is called Shelley.
You may remember how I identify stainless flatware from earlier posts…but the quickest way usually is with this book:

Love that book! Put off getting it for a long time since I like researching flatware and didn’t mind scrolling through pages and pages of the replacements.com website. But the saying goes Time is Money and there’s no denying this book is fast. (patterns up until the late 1990s…they need to print an updated version)
Anyway, I was excited at the thrift store because as I grabbed the first spoon, I could tell the quality was good. Handle enough flatware and you’ll know. I flipped it over and bam! There was my Oneida Stainless mark with the cube in the center. Heirloom. That is good stuff.

I found more pieces and more…then managed to unearth the knives as well.
We had been to this Goodwill earlier in the week and I had already culled a bunch of flatware from it. But I know where the employees tend to add the newer stuff, so I went there first and there it was.
That softened the blow somewhat about the whole wisdom tooth junk and I went home a content woman.
See how beneficial thrifting is for you and your health?

I got home and discovered that I had a full service for 4!
That means 4 dinner forks, 4 salad forks, 4 soup spoons, 4 dinner knives, and 4 teaspoons. Twenty pieces.
Your first inclination may be to put the whole shebang up for sale all together and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I checked completeds and the highest sale of 20 pieces was about $130. Again, nothing to sneeze at.
But then I looked at completeds for groupings of 4. Four dinner forks…$70. Okay…there you go. I could average about $50 per 4 pieces…that comes to $250. I think I’ll do the extra work and make a bit more money hopefully.

Thanks for listening to the ramblings! Speaking of that…Hubby is on strict warning to NOT video me as I’m coming out of the anesthesia. That’s not exactly how I’m hoping to hit it big on YouTube! 🙂