I was just searching for sources of the bead garlands and ran across actual garlands.  certainly that would be easier, but I'm guessing the plastic beads would flake off after time.  But the silver ones we have for our actual Christmas tree still look just fine and I don't take any special care of them, just toss them in the box and drag them out again each year.  hmmm, thinking.

Not a problem .. glad you clarified that the technique was from a book.

A house for that little in a big city, that would be bliss down here.  At the beginning of the year we were able to buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Wellington, New Zealand, for NZ$1M.  We sold one of our houses in Melbourne, Australia, (very old and tired), the following month for AU$1.4M.  Even regional and rural prices are through the roof in both Australia and New Zealand.  It makes it very hard for people.  My son laments that he won’t be able to buy a home.

Sharon in Melbourne, Australia.

Shyraz said:

buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Wellington, New Zealand, for NZ$1M.  We sold one of our houses in Melbourne, Australia, (very old and tired), the following month for AU$1.4M.

HOLY MOLEY!  That's just unbelievable. 

It is Shelley.  And now that the Reserve Bank here has increased the cash rate, interest rates are starting to rise and as mentioned by Ami, people will have to start re-evaluating if they can afford to keep their mortgages going.  I can only see sad times ahead for those on a lower income.

Shyraz said:

partment in Wellington, New Zealand, for NZ$1M

Good grief!  That is unbelievable!  We bought our house in 1977 for $35,000 and I worried about how we would ever be able to pay it off.  It's a 4 bedroom ranch on 3 acres.  Now, $35,000 will hardly get you a car.

Now, $35,000 will hardly get you a car.
 

Too true Lynne.  Everything here is going up in leaps and bounds - Energy, food, housing.  An iceberg lettuce this week costs $6.  Normally at this time of year we could buy them for about $2, but with the floods in the north of the country, and the increase in fuel costs, it is pushing good, fresh food into the luxury bracket.  Very sad indeed. 
Sharon in Melbourne.

Facebook Market place is a good way to sell things.  I've gotten rid of quite a few things that way.. All the stuff I'm getting rid of now is vintage/antique items that I have no clue what to ask for.  I still have lots of antique glassware of my mom's.  She would go to auctions and buy the pieces she liked because "someday they will be valuable".  Maybe so but that is only if people are interested in buying it.  Doesn't seem like anyone is interested in Carnival glass of fancy china any more.  I even have her old Gone with the Wind paper dolls . I know at some point my kids are going to be doing the same with my stuff that means so much to me.  I am definitely not a hoarder or collector, but i wish I was a bit more of a minimalist.

That is just crazy, basic needs; food, clothing and shelter need to be affordable to everyone not just those at the top. It really is hard for young people today to get by if they are not making way above minimum wage.

We are doing a garden in Colorado and I hope that we can grow a good portion of our veggies because every time you go to the grocery the prices go up. I even took some organic potatoes that were on the shelf too long that had sprouts coming up and did a bit of research............yep I planted them in the garden and they are coming up.........never thought of planting potatoes.

To determine value of things I want to sell I go to Google and look on Ebay and other sites to see what others are asking for the same or similar items. There is usually a range. I also look to see how long things have been listed. Many times it is just about finding the person that wants what you have. Right now Mid Century Modern is all the rage with the younger crowd, I always thought that was just old junk when I was young and liked the things from the 1920's and older. The thing about collections for later sale is that trends change so you might end up with a collection that is hard to sell, but again you just have to find the right buyer.