Things I'm Watching on eBay.

Remember this gorgeous Pieces chandelier? It sold for $1750.

Pieces Pagoda chandelier via Cococozy

This pagoda chandelier on eBay is a very close second. Add a new coat of paint, new or painted candle sleeves and round bulbs. The current bid is $202.50.

I would totally be bidding on it but I don't really have a need for it. So, somebody please buy it, doll it up and send me a photo.

I was also watching this Hermes small porcelain Chaine d'ancre trinket/change tray but missed the final bidding last night while I was making dinner. The winning bid was $103.49 - more than I was willing to pay but much better than its original price tag of GBP 400-something. At least I thought so until I found this website, Park Avenue Gifts, wherein you can buy an entire 5-pc. place setting of the pattern for $336. Or a cup and saucer for $89. And when you're not drinking from it, you can just leave it lying around to class up the joint.


There's a smaller, nautically themed Hermes tray currently up for bidding on eBay and the current bid is only $24.99.

It ends today with no reserve. A nice little knickknack for the beach house, don'tcha think?

Here are a few things I was watching and decided against bidding on. My bidding strategy is to wait until the last minute of bidding and put in my maximum bid. It's take-no-prisoners on eBay.

The first two sold for more than I was willing to pay anyway but I think the person who listed this last item was being greedy. The bidding was up over $800 and it still hadn't met the reserve. And even though this is vintage (which can sometimes mean "smells like my grandma's cats") you can get it new for $1050 from the Gilded Mirror.

I do think eBay has really been stepping up its game lately. How about you? Have you seen anything great on eBay lately?

The Mind Reels.

There is actually a bid on this lamp on eBay. There should be some sort of a department designed to put a stop to it.

The Times, They Are A-Changing.

Our 5th wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days. So, I said to my husband who had broached the topic of anniversary gifts, "I don't want jewelry or anything. No flowers." Of course he thinks it's a trap.

I continue, "Just tile. New tile for the 3rd floor bath."

This tile. (Recognize it? It's this brand new tile called "Subway tile." Heh.)

And the showerhead.

And this tile for the shower floor:


It'll look something like this:


It's going to be a surprisingly pricey little project. It's only a stall shower but the floor tiles need replacing and the pan needs replacing (and the plumbing fixtures and the ceiling light) and cement backerboard will likely need to be added. In fact, when I called the tile guy about the price he said he was sharpening his pencil so I didn't have sticker shock. That's never a good thing.

One week later I received two quotes: $3500 and $5100; not including plumbing, electrical or any fixtures or tile. For a stall shower. Zoiks.

He totally would have gotten off easier with Tiffany.

Because we have an old house, it's a job that needs to be done anyway. The tile is crazing and the grout is cracking and I don't want to wait until water has dribbled down through all three floors before we do something.

The basketweave floor tile is $65/foot for honed marble at my local tile store. I need 12 sq. ft. That's $800 just for the floor tile in a bathroom nobody sees. What's a girl to do? Go to my friend eBay where I found it for $11.75/sq. ft. I just got it and it's perfect!! How is that possible?

Don't ask, don't tell - that's my motto regarding deals on tile.