Jesus Loves the Little Children...

With all the events that have happened currently & in recent weeks....I felt the need to post. Baby Heath has GRACED us with his presence & Mommy is doing her best to transition from one sweet baby to two. I'm just SO thankful for them...for my husband & our families....for LIFE & FAITH & every BLESSING GOD has EVER granted us. Tomorrow is not promised & I feel like somehow we ALL have WORK to do.

Last Friday...after news broke of the tragedy at Sandy Hooks Elementary this was what I posted: My heart goes out to everyone effected by the HORRIBLE tragedy in CT. I pray that the world we live in finds God again, we as people start to genuinely care for each other & have common respect for human life, & that we all have courage to speak up when things seem "off." My heart hurts for the families. I found this quote: "I guess when your heart gets broken you sort of start to see cracks in everything. I'm convinced that tragedy wants to harden us and our mission is never to let it." We should all hold tight to our FAITH & know that as ugly as these recent events are...those babies are with Christ Jesus in a MUCH more beautiful place.

I think WE are the only HOPE this country, World, HUMANITY has. Guns aren't the problem. PEOPLE are the problem. WE have to set expectations for our youth. WE have to CARE for people. WE have to instill the teachings of CHRIST JESUS in our HOMES. WE have to stop ONLY looking out for ourselves & look out for each other. I can not begin to imagine what those heroic teachers & sweet babies saw, heard, felt.... I CAN say that those children & teachers had FULL lives. They LOVED & were LOVED. They aspired to be more. Let their legacies live on! As we CELEBRATE their lives...let's BUCK UP & BE BETTER PEOPLE! 

A few days ago my dear friend Ali Tidwell posted this: (THANK YOU for letting me share!) I am right on, with her here!

My Wild Country

Yesterday I came home to a sobbing mother. She was watching the memorial service for the Connecticut victims and, the President had just read the names of the fallen. I don't know if there has been a heavier silence. My mother cried for the babies, the families, but she also cried in shame. Because she, like me and so many, had come to expect such violence. She didn't condone nor tolerate but she did on some level accept it. Sadly such acts have become common place as of late.

She said she didn't know what should be done but that something had to be done. Every child can't live as a target and every parent can't fear every school day.
So I will add my voice to the hopeful chorus of change.

I don't know what would have saved those children. I don't know if giving everybody a gun would have protected the innocent or only cost more lives. I don't know if he hadn't had access to a weapon that he wouldn't have found more creative ways to end the hopes and dreams of so many. But I do know that there will be no purpose to such a loss if we use it as a weapon against each other. If we use this tragedy to rip apart the religious, political or moral values of our neighbors then we have failed the angels.
We are from the United States of America and we are losing our unity. There is an ever widening gap between the citizens of this country. Because it is easier to stand behind the lines of our principles, than to speak out and come together. It's easier to roll with the tide and keep to the current. It is a polite and well behaved way to exist.

But we were not born of the meek and mild were we? We were born of the traitors of another land, the rebels of freedom, and the hard knuckled, wide eyed dreamers of a land not yet made. We are where the wild things grow, and we were never meant to fit into boxes and shy away from the different.

Whether the starched and weathered conservative or the bleeding heart liberal. We all cry when we come into this world and we all fight like hell to stay. Black or white, gay or straight, rich or poor, redneck or Yankee. We all watched in horror when the news broke, we all prayed it wasn't true, and the lucky, we thanked God it wasn't us.

My prayer for the future is that we find the united again, and regain the roar and reputation we once proudly showed.

I have never felt such a need to speak my message but I do tonight. I think I will keep speaking this message. And I will try to begin the change I seek.

Hold tight to the ones you love, and pray for the ones you fear. For we are all the wild things.

Then.....as I was reading things on my News Feed today, I came across this You Tube Video: PLEASE WATCH IT!

I have thought A LOT this past week about MY babies & how I can PROTECT them from all the evil in our world. What do I want them to know if they are placed in a dangerous, scary, unimaginable situation? HOW can I help them? Then I came across this video.

The baby in this video has got it! She speaks with CONVICTION! She LOVES Jesus, BELIEVES in Jesus, places her TRUST in Jesus. I want my babies to KNOW, without a doubt, they HAVE JESUS & JESUS has them! 

WE ALL HAVE WORK TO DO! Our leaders need to LEAD. There is SO much this country needs & I PRAY that our leadership can get over themselves & DO WORK. I pray they quit wasting time talking about it & whatever decisions they make are GENUINELY made for the GREATER GOOD, for Americans, for our babies, for our future...

I have come to realize that I can't wait on things to change. I have to be the change I want to see. I will LOVE more, speak up more, care MORE. My dear friends...I want my babies to have this LOVE for Jesus in their hearts, that this little girl has. I want her friends & cousins to have it. I want to share his love with them, so they can SHARE it with EVERY PERSON they encounter. Let us teach them to be God's present day disiples. 

God now has a precious army of sweet angels in Heaven & I am saddened that it took the loss of their lives here on Earth to open up our eyes. We need God in our schools, in our government, in our homes, but most of all we need him IN OUR HEARTS!!  BUCK UP BABY & LET HIM IN!!

Minks, Martinis, & Manure GALA!!

Hey! Hey Everyone! So....you wanna know the PLACE TO BE in Round Top NEXT Saturday?! The Round Top Area Chamber of Commerce's Minks, Martinis, & Manure Gala in HONOR of Ms. Emma Lee Turney. That's right FOLKS! That's the LADY that started it all.... ROUND TOP ANTIQUES WEEK would not be here without her!!!!

There will be a  LIVE AUCTION, TEXAS HOLD'M GUN RAFFLES, QUICK DRAW RAFFLE,  & LIVE MUSIC by the Tres DUX Band!! Bar OPENS @ 5:30 PM, event STARTS @ 6, & FOOD served by the FaBuLOuS ROYER'S ROUND TOP CAFE & TEXAS PIZZA WAGON! Yummy, Yummy to my TUMMY :)!

ALL FUNDS raised go RIGHT BACK to the ROUND TOP AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE for things like:

-Detailed Map Project of Area
-Website maintenance & Social Media Campaigns
-ADVERTISING in LARGER Texas Publications
-EXPANDING the Chamber's Community Involvement
-Building FaBuLoUs Bus Tours that benefit EVERYONE
-Creation of WELCOME packets for NEW Businesses, Homeowners, Tours, ETC.

COME ON OUT & feel free to GO by the CHAMBER OFFICE or the ROUND TOP RIFLE HALL (Thurs thru Sat - BEFORE the event) to drop off ANY DONATIONS for the LIVE AUCTION or QUICK DRAW Raffle.

For your TICKETS....STOP BY the Round Top Area Chamber Office in Henkel Square Market OR purchase ONLINE @ www.roundtop.org!

TICKET PRICES:
$30 per PERSON
$55 per COUPLE
$200 per TABLE of 8

For any other questions or concerns please CONTACT: events@roundtop.org OR tara_royer@yahoo.com!

Now BUCK UP BABY & COME ON OUT! Spit shine those BOOTS, dig out that MINK & throw on your BLINGITY BLING & COME SUPPORT the Round Top Area Chamber & have a FUN FuN TimE!!!!

A Pregnant Auctioneer

So....How's that work? That was the question I asked myself when I found out I was pregnant with Baby Heath.

I do the first thing I thought of & Googled it. What did I find.....NOTHING...except pregnancy symptom sites. So....I looked a little harder and found all kinds of things about breathing devices & an older blog post from a female auctioneer (not pregnant & not about pregnancy & auctioneering). Then I think.... "Well....who could I talk to?" All my mentors are men & let's face it.... They just won't GET it or they think I can't handle it... OR they just giggle and congratulate me like my teacher did.

So folks....Here it is.... My EXPERIENCE as a PREGNANT AUCTIONEER.

LOTS of emotions were felt. Right timing? Can I still call bids? Will I have to stop the bigger I get? Could it hurt the baby? What will the auctioneers I'm working for think? What will this do to my progress? How will it limit me? Can you tell I worry a little?

I'll start from the beginning. Right Timing? What have I come to see? PERFECT TIMING! This was a personal question....that had LOTS to with other situations besides auctions. God's timing is ALWAYS PERFECT! We prayed & still PRAY for a happy, healthy baby & wanted Kylee to have a sibling. We were ready to try, then a few uncertainties with work arose & we thought maybe we should wait, but OBVIOUSLY that didn't happen :).

Baby Heath @ 31 weeks :).

Does what is going on with your full-time job REALLY matter...in the GRAND scheme of things? I KNOW GOD has equipped me & my husband with the tools I need to SURVIVE & SUPPORT my family in ANY situation. Everything in his plan is PERFECT & has a PURPOSE.

This is my favorite pic. Some people see & some don't, but it looks like he's looking at the camera. His eyes are open & you can see his sweet little cheeks & chin :).

As far as all the specific worries about being a PREGNANT AUCTIONEER.....it will all depend on your body, what you're used to, what you health is, BUT....for me.....I kept on keepin' on. I called bids in Odem up until I was 5 months pregnant. It kind of worked out as a good stopping point b/c we had to move for my full-time job. The auction in Odem is A LOT more INTENSE than some of the FUNDRAISING & EVENT GALAS I have continued to do. You're, pretty much, on your feet from 9AM until about 4 or 5PM & your catching bids, calling bids, answering questions from LOTS of bidders..... I miss it, BUT it was good timing.

I made the personal decision to keep it quiet. For several reasons.... BELIEVE ME.... I'm sure I THOUGHT about things TOO MUCH. This industry is SO different & so PREDOMINANTLY MALE that I just didn't have the energy to deal with ANY negativity. I REALLY want to do the BEST I can & DO NOT want to be looked at as WEAKER, LESS CAPABLE, SOMEONE to WORRY ABOUT....any of that. Now let me tell you.....The folks over at ELCO Auction are some of the BEST you will find.....not just as an AUCTION COMPANY, but as PEOPLE. I had only been helping them there since January & was JUST getting to know their regular bidders & to be honest....IT MADE MY LIFE EASIER....by handling it the way I was MOST COMFORTABLE with.

Lookin' a little large there :).

ANOTHER REASON I decided to keep quiet is.....working in the CORPORATE WORLD...(no matter what ANY handbook or company policy says) you have to PROTECT YOURSELF as a WOMAN in the WORKPLACE. EVERYONE looks out for NUMERO UNO & we should too! REMEMBER that ladies. I was in the middle of a potential work transition  & I didn't WANT anyone to think I was LESS CAPABLE. This is a WHOLE 'nother blog post....BELIEVE ME.

Carmine Church Auction.

There were a couple of potential auctions I was turned down for. I can't say for sure why, but if the auction was relatively close to my DUE DATE (5 months +) I would be UP FRONT about it.

I could & can PRETTY EASILY handle auctions that last a couple hours or so. At about 5 months....BABY HEATH was getting HEAVIER and my LUNGS had LESS ROOM to move, so (A LOT OF TIMES) I got winded. LUCKILY....at MOST of the AUCTIONS I've done after 5 months....I've had UNCLE MELE there. I also got a little warmer than normal :).

Again....your HEALTH & the HEALTH of your BABY are the MOST IMPORTANT things. I've been EXTREMELY BLESSED to not have to battle high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or any other complications - Thus far & have a HEALTHY, GROWING BABY!!

Besides my Doctors...the only person I could REALLY talk to about the whole AUCTIONS & PREGNANCY thing is my VERY GOOD FRIEND & FELLOW AUCTIONEER..... Mrs. Stephanie Womack out of Nachadoches, Texas. If you're ever in that neck of the woods be sure to stop by Liquidator's Auction. She's got a sweet little girl too & will one day....probably have to go thru this same experience. It AMAZES me how the GOOD LORD puts certain people in your life....

I was worried about my progress as an auctioneer. This should probably be a whole 'nother blog post, but I'm dumping it all RIGHT HERE. GOD has a way of keepin' us on track. At the time we may not understand it OR agree with it (so foolish, but true). In this journey I have encountered A LOT of unknowns, opportunities, crossroads, questions, & have figured out A LOT about who I want to be, don't want to be & what I want to do. POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES turned into MOTIVATORS, but not necessarily the opportunity that I expected. I'm still at a few of those CROSSROADS & still have UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, but realized....I'm dealin' with GOD's TIME & MY TIME. I don't have to make some of these decisions b/c somone tells me to OR go a certain direction - until I figured out what is RIGHT for me and MY FAMILY. That took havin'  A TON of DIFFICULT DECISIONS dumped on me (at once) to figure it out....

Last question I had for myself...will I need to quit the bigger I get? Well...I can't say my experience will be the same for everyone. I called bids at 2 auctions this weekend. My due date is November 18th & GOD-WILLING, (if I'm not havin' a baby) I'll be calling bids at one on November 10th. Granted....I WILL NOT do a big auction alone...BUT I sure as heck don't feel like its too much. I still work on regulating my breathing & SUPRISINGLY being PREGNANT has helped me with that.

FOLKS! 2012 has been a RoLLer CoAsTer of a year for me. Sometimes it's hard to have a blog titled "Buck Up Baby," when you feel like runnin' off to a FAR away land.... That's NOT exactly what I'm all about, but the idea has been TEMPTING. It has been a real MiX of REALLY GREAT things, NOT SO great things, & CoNfUsing & DiFFiCult things....and all of them having a pretty SIGNIFICANT impact on our lives. BUT...like always...the WORDS ring TRUE: BUCK UP BABY!!

SOMETIMES....you SADDLE UP, climb on & WHOOP & RIDE & PULL that head around, but you JUST GET BEAT. I don't know about ya'll....but I learned from little on that - THAT was ONLY ROUND 1. You pick yourself UP, dust off, & CLIMB on again (a little MORE DETERMINED, pissed off & MEANIN' BUSINESS). You keep at it long enough & you'll wear'm out. PERSISTANCE my friends... The LONGER you go at it - the more you'll WIN. LIFE is a MARATHON just PREPARIN' us for that FINAL JOURNEY. SO....BUCK UP BABY & give it all you got!

STAY TUNED!! UPCOMING BLOG: Martinis, Minks, & Manure GALA!!! Sounds like a BLAST doesn't it?!

Holy Moly I'm Gettin' Roly Poly :).

Holy Moly...I know....It's been another month. I'll eventually get back on track, with my blog posts.

I plan on gettin' ya'll up to date on all the goins' on & auction business, baby business, and whatever else I want to throw in here.

First of all...I've done a few auctions, since the last blog, so I'll share with ya what I learned from them & all the fun & NOT SO FUN festivities that went with it.

The auction I did right after my last blog was for the Aransas County 4-H Livestock Club. It was a GREAT little fundraiser. It wasn't a lot of items, but let me tell ya...I think I got every penny outta those folks that I could. I have to claim a few bragging rights :). The highest baked item they sold last year was $65. This year we had several hit the $100+ mark. It was funny. At first, when I would try to get the bidders name after buying an item, I'd get responses like "Stupid" - for paying so much for a pie. I know some people can't wrap their heads around it, but this little club has 7 or so kids that raise animals. It's not like Fayette County where MOST of the kids are involved, & these kiddos bust their butts with their livestock projects and are developing skills that make them VERY well-rounded individuals. In my opinion it makes you anything but stupid to support a great group of kids/cause/organization. I'm sure we've all spent money on much worse.

Thank you Jimmie Knarvek for the photos!

The entire floor @ Paws & Taws, with some of the kiddos helping out.

Nonetheless...by the time we rolled on with the auction people changed their frame of mind. Lesson for ANYONE putting on ANY kind of auction. No matter what you or a donor think something is worth - It has to be worth it to the bidders in your audience. If you don't have a crowd that understands art...it'll be hard to get what it's "worth." Learn your audience and think about items they would like OR find other avenues to advertise the items that are not for the majority. All it takes is 2 bidders that want what you've got, BUT...they have to know about it.

I got to sell all kinds of neat stuff like: a cowboy hat signed by George Stait (boy...you shoulda seen the comotion it caused :)), welding projects made by the kids, and all kinds of goodies. Plus...I left there with a Smoker & a bunch of BEEF!!! You'll never guess how....

I guessed the weight of one of these here Market Goats :) (The red & white one). That's right! 74 lbs 8oz.... Only 1 oz off from the ACTUAL weight. SKILLS!!!

I had another auction. This one....let's just say...was a learning experience. They had the auction "advertised, organized, and handled." They just needed an auctioneer. Well....it was NOT organized the way I would've done it. In fact....It's made me look at things in a WHOLE new perspective.

Folks, YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING....HIRE SOMEONE WHO DOES. You can raise a lot more money by doing things right. There was NO CASHIER TABLE set up, NO SPOTTERS (except who I wrangled together), NO ACCURATE INFORMATION on some of the items up for auction. On top of that the items that I was SUPPOSED to sell were put into a raffle.

By all means. We raised some money & it was more than what they had before, BUT...I don't like things done half way. SO MUCH MORE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN RAISED & it FRUSTRATES me....if you couldn't tell. Auctions are busy, fast-paced environments and stuff happens, BUT if you have all your stations set up the way you need them - the more efficient everything will be.

From now on....if I have ANY inkling that they don't have it together...I'm not doing it. None of what happened was in my hands AT ALL, but I left FRUSTRATED & ANNOYED because it could have been SO much better. If you are not going to place any importance on an auction....DON'T DO ONE & focus on what you do find important. This group had an AMAZING OPPORTUNITY to raise money for their cause, but didn't ask the right questions to the right people. LIVE AUCTIONS at fundraising events are often the #1 MONEYMAKING element...

One person told me they expected the auction to bring more. When you take items like: Flat Screen TVs, Shotguns, Metal Art, etc.... & put them in a raffle and leave me to sell baskets packed with small things (like candles & lotion) & don't have them displayed where the bidders can see them & have incorrect information on some items - all I can do is try and get the most money that someone is willing to give. Also, if you are going to tell a donor that you are going to auction off their item & then - you move it to some other fundraising function, you should definately let them know.

I'm finished with my rant. On to more organized functions :)...

I just called bids at the annual Ledbetter Fireman's Feast. Those folks have it together. Nothing beats these little small towns where I grew up. REALLY...I mean that. Overwhelming support & a GREAT bunch of people. They even put steps beside the trailer, so I could haul my ROLY POLY self on up there :).

Me calling bids, Uncle Mele & Mr. Larry Nickel watching the crowd.

Uncle Mele callin' bids & me bein' all pregnant, being emcee & watchin' the crowd.

Hey! Hey! One more thing....being 8 months pregnant doesn't stop me! Here I am with some of my Gal Pals at the 2012 Fall Junk Prom :). No CrAzY shenannigans this time & I headed to the house a little earlier than usual, but still had a BLAST. Junk Gypsies need to open up that store ALREADY :)!

Shannon, Kacie, Little Britches Kylee, & Myself & Baby Heath in the Chandelier tent :).

Shannon, Me, Chelsey, & Kacie @ Zapp Hall.

If you need some help judging the weight of market livestock, selling baked goods, puttin' an auction together, or gettin' all GLAMMED up for Junk Prom...shoot me an email, leave me a comment, give me a call. More EXCITEMENT to come...if you can believe it.......

BUCK UP BABY & Do your best to do it RIGHT or don't do it at all!

-Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL#17037

Guess What Baby?!

I know the last few blog posts - I've been tellin' you how busy I am & that I will hopefully be able to share some of all these goins on with ya'll. I can't share EVERYTHING yet, but I can share some...

First of all (& MOST importantly) I'm PREGNANT! with baby #2. The Doc says its a little fella this time around. I've just started my last trimester & baby & myself are healthy!

In the midst of this - I changed positions with the company that I work for - which calls for a relocate, so I'm in the middle of a NOT-SO-FUN move.... I mean...I guess it could be worse. THANK YOU JESUS for good family & friends, cattle trailers, low boys, & hard-workin', cornfed :) country boys.

One of the last truck/trailer loads. There was few more & MAYBE more to come... We'll see.

The garage in Rockport. Some of it is out now...some not....

We are moving from Rockport, TX to Walhalla, TX (HOME!!!). The tricky part is moving from a 3 bedroom/3 bath house & 8+ acres...to the in-laws 1 bed/1bath apartment. It AMAZES me at how much people can accumulate in close to 4 years........ To say the least - this will be an AdVeNtUrE! The plan is to lease the house out in Rockport OR SELL IT, but we just brought the last BIG load back this weekend. Now we'll have to go back sometime & clean, sort, & deal with the little things.

The OTHER tricky part is that I have been maintaining accounts there & cultivating new accounts here. Talk about diFFicUlt! I mean...I knew it was going to be a challenge, but it seems like nothing is where you need it, you go to a coffee shop for INET one place, then you can't print where you need to..... Luckily, things are starting to settle down & I'll be able to focus more on everything.

Not only have I neglected my blog, but I feel like I've neglected visiting time with my DEAR, sweet, FRIENDS. I promise once I switch my doctors, unpack all the boxes, get my office completely set up, deal with a big work transition that REALLY happened this month, get our storage unit set up, get our house in Rockport cleaned up (so people can look at it), while dealing with all the other EVERYDAY things & events & happenings....WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHIN'!!! I'm not sure where or WHEN, but plan on it!

I do have a couple PRAYER REQUESTS for all reading.

Please send some prayers up for my Little Sis. She just had surgery this past week. The Docs are pretty sure they were able to fix her up. Maybe send a few up for my Daddy too. He's more worried about things than she is.

Me, Mandy, & Little Kylee :)

My Uncle Mele's long-time LADY friend - Lillie, has been battling cancer. She just passed away today. cancer is UGLY! Please pray for PEACE, COMFORT, & the Holy Spirit to be with the family for whatever kind of STRENGTH needed right now.



One more SHOUT OUT to Kyle's UNCLE JOE! He recently passed away. When I first met him (over 10 years ago) he was a dancin' machine, always greeted you with a smile on his face & good conversation. He honestly had one of the BEST attitudes at life that I have ever seen. He was a GOOD man & I pray that he passes a little of that POSITIVE, FUN-LOVING, Attitude  to the rest of us down here. DANCE Away Uncle Joe & Dance one for me :)!

Lastly, may Roscoe (LoooNG time Kaspar family Pet) Rest In Peace. He was a good dog & was around a long time.

Kylee & Roscoe just a few days ago...

Stay tuned! LOTS more to come. I have PLENTY auction stories, upcoming auctions, & some advice (that I searched the Internet for & couldn't find) that I've EXPERIENCED now. Junk Prom is coming up! That's right! I'll be there: 8 months pregnant, ALL dudded up. Who knows...Kylee might be ridin' a GOAT to town this year ;). Nonetheless....more ADVENTURES to be had. BUCK UP BABY & Stay Tuned....even if it takes 2 months for me to post again.

PLUM CrAZy!

Well, well, well.... Last Sunday marked the 1 YEAR anniversary of the day I ACTUALLY made the move to embark on my AUCTIONEER journey. I spent the day 1p-7ishp calling bids & spotting bidders @ the Plum Catholic Church Feast in little ole' PLUM, TEXAS.

It's SO funny to me. As I was riding over there in the truck with Uncle Melvin - I remembered how NerVouS I was just 1 year ago. I talk A LOT, so we weren't short of conversation, but last year I was saying my auction chant, asking him if I sounded okay, asked him what I needed to do if THIS scenario happened or THAT scenario happened, or if I just lost the bidder (which did happen the 1st year :)). Then he told me what we were going to do and what I was going to do first. This year those worries were LONG gone :). Thank goodness! PLUM CraZy how things change with just a little bit of experience...

Thank you Ms. Stephanie Antosh for the pics!

The people there are SO nice. Every community is close, but the thing that stands OUT about Plum (to me) is how PROUD everyone is of their community, church, people, kids, grandkids, other peoples' grand kids, feasts, food, business owners...YOU name it! If they like ya...they'll let you know and anyone that will listen know. Keep in mind...they know EVERYTHING about ya (if you're part of the community)...like, if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, how you got you're butt whooped by a tree limb, what political office you're runnin' for, old debts from 10 years ago that finally get paid off, what you got your college degree in, what families need to be biddin' on baby quilts :)...I mean...NEVER, EVER short of entertainment or knowledge.

I was walking to the truck when I had a little break...around 5 & finally ate something (BTW-They feed you some kinda good. I'm pretty sure I'll make 3 meals out of their one plate.) Anyways....the ground is dry, we are all literally ENGULFED in HEAT (PLUM ridiculous how HOT it was) and I see some younger girls in their shorts & tank tops & it just brought me back to how BLESSED I feel for growin' up the way I did. I mean...It was HOT! Have I told you that already? Yet...supporters of the CHURCH stuck around to bid on items, drink a few brews, and dance a little jig...instead of headin' for the house, their AC, and the boob tube :). It was COUNTRY LIVIN' @ it's Finest and I'm glad to be a part of it.

It was good to see some kind, familiar faces & meet some new people too. It's also nice to reflect back & I have to say...I'm pretty stinkin' PROUD of myself for BUCKIN' UP and gettin' on that stage & callin' bids. Folks...It all started right there...in PLUM, TX. It (surprisingly & unexpectedly to me) opened up a whole new world & a whole new vision. I'm still not quite sure why it took me as long as it did, but you know TIMING can mean a whole lot & only the GOOD LORD knows when things are right

Funny to think that before this auction business... the last memory I had of Plum, TX was learnin' how to dance & gettin in an EGG & food war at a friend's house. Now that....was PLUM CrAzY....and pretty disgusting, but we all had a BLAST.

I want to say a BIG thanks to everyone that showed up at the PLUM feast: the bidders, donors, volunteers, & patrons. THANKS also for welcoming me back! EVERYONE should go PLUM CraZY every once in a while.

BUCK UP BABY! Do what you want to....as long as you ain't hurtin' nobody! You'll be glad ya did! God Bless! Until next time....

Heather Kaspar
Licensed Auctioneer
TDLR LIC#17037

Catchin' Up on the Goins On....

I know....I KNOW.... It's been awhile. Let's just say that I've been so cotton pickin' busy on complicated real life things, that I've been slackin' a little bit on my bloggin'. It also didn't help that I have been off and on with my computer for a WHILE........... I had to send it off a month or so ago to let the techs work on it. It took about a week. Then, when I got it back - they had fixed the problem, but then somethin' else didn't work. SO....I sent it off again. (Took another week almost.) Then we had wild & wooly weather come through Rockport & my INET was down for almost a week. Let's just say that I've been playin' lots of catch up...& I'm still not caught up BUT...I"m back :)! It AMAZES me at how important my computer and my Internet are to me now....

Well...I thought I'd get ya'll a little caught up on everything. Since I last wrote. I've helped out a few auctions. Me & Unlce Mele helped the RTC Varsity Volleyball Team raise over $9000 for their trip to Florida to the ESPN Invitational HS Tournament!! Way to represent!!  We're all proud of ya! Big props to all the bidders, donors, & volunteers too!

I also called bids at a Theatre Auction supporting the Rockport-Fulton Theatre Department. They were invited to attend the National Thespian Conference in Nebraska...and PERFORM!!! It was AMAZING at how talented these kids are! It was a smaller auction, with a really mixed group of people. Some had been to auctions before and some had not, but I think everybody had a GREAT time!! The first time I didn't use a PA :). I think I entertained'm! Break a leg in Nebraska! Big THANKS goes out to all the bidders, donors, & volunteers also!

Members of the cast & crew helping with chores at the fundraiser venue: Estelle Stair Art Gallery in Downtown Rockport! Big THANKS to Mr. & Mrs. Frederick!

Award Winning Cast & Crew!

A lot more is goin' on in my life right now... AUCTIONS & otherwise....and I will do my best to share what I will. We're gonna be shakin' things up a bit in the Kaspar household & not quite sure where, when, and how it's all gonna go down yet, but BUCK UP BABY. My ride has been pretty WiLD this year, but I have a feelin' I ain't seen nothin' yet. LIFE is gettin' ready to GRUNT, curl up to the sun, and give us all it's got. You better believe we'll be whoopin' and ridin' as hard and fast as the GOOD LORD needs us to. Wild rides lead to WiLd stories, so stay tuned :)! I promise it won't be a month until the next one!

OH! A couple weeks ago, at ELCO Auction in Odem, we were able to sell the 1998 AC Delco #3 Monte Carlo, 1st chassis built by Dale Earnhardt Inc, & the VERY SAME CAR that Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his 1st two championships in! I have to say it was pretty cool! The auction house was set up kinda like a car auction & we drove through the cars. If the car didn't sell there it was headed to Barrett Jackson. 

Creating That Sense of Urgency

First off.... I apologize for my lack of posting lately. Hopefully...over the next few months I'll be able to share stories with you about the last couple months :)!

At the last general consignment auction I helped at, we did things a little different.

We started the auction out....like we always do. Well...we had A LOT of items and not near as many bidders as we did the month before. I call bids closer to the end and you could tell that there was VERY little interest in some of the items... It was kind of like we were pulling teeth to get a $5 bid at times - so a couple of the auctioneers decided to ShAkE things up a little bit.

It seemed a little CHAOTIC at first, and it was a little hard for the clerk to keep up with everything going on because we were skipping ahead 20 lots, then we'd go back 10, etc. I have to say though...that she did a FANTASTIC job. She's good...

So instead of beggin' for a bid, we asked the bidders to tell us WHAT they wanted to bid on. One of the other auctioneers would go with them, get the lot number they wanted to bid on, we'd get it up on the screen - so everyone knew what we were selling. The person that wanted that lot - started the bid. Then I auctioned it off and we went from there. We developed a system and kind of had the Auctioneers/Ringmen take turns with the people that came to them for an item.

I DEFINITELY have never seen that done, BUT it did the job. It was the end of the day and folks were kinda sittin' there with their eyes glazed over. This made them get up to their feet, so they could bid on what they wanted. If they wanted it - they had the chance to take it home if they were high bidder & we didn't have to worry about passing over items. AUCTIONS are ALL about URGENCY! This helped pep things up a bit!

I had to share that story. You never know what could happen at an auction and every one I go to, I seem to get put in a little different situation.

Be expecting MORE posts this week. I've got a lot of catchin' up to do. Remember to BUCK UP BABY! I kinda feel like the pony express! I've been ridin' hard in SO many different directions - I can't seem to catch up. Don't fret though....everything will wind down eventually and I'll have some pretty cool stories to tell :).

Thankful Thursday: Junk Proms

I KNOW I've talked about the FANTABULOUS Junk Proms in several of my blogs & how WONDERFUL they are & how THANKFUL I am that the Rockin' & Rollin' Junksters @ The Junk Gypsy Company know how to THROW a PaRtY!!! I've seen it grow every show & have seen some of the WiLdEst Get-UPS, feathery hats, SPARKLY enembles, and CrAzY WiLd Women....havein' a ball!

Kacie & I found these dresses at a Jr. League Rummage Sale in Corpus  Christi.  We cut off the  metallic belts it came with, added our own....& a little FRINGE!

We called ourselves the Sequin Squad :). (Me, Sister Mandy, Cousin Staci,  Kacie Leah w/ Rowdy Maui & Long-time friend & photographer Shannon Buck!)

There are a couple of reasons I am SO thankful for this:

1) It gives me & my friends a chance to dress up as sparkly, CrAzY, & feathery as we want to - with hair as BIG as our teasing combs will make it & just go out and have a BALL. There are groups of people (not just the ladies) that come from ALL over EVERY show - to partake in the festivities! If you've never been...you need to BUCK UP BABY! Turn yourself loose, put 'yer boots on, find you a prom dress or a tutu & head on over to Warrenton!! You'll be glad you did.

Both tutus in the center are home-made! Just add feathers, chunky jewelry, flowers, hats, boots,  blingy belts...whatever you want & you've got your outfit!
LOVE my friends: Dayna, Kaysie, Aubrey, & Me!

2) The growth of the prom should be a HUGE inspiration for ANYBODY that has a Dream.... I've said it and I'll say it again (maybe a little different this time) If the SauCY SIKES family can figure out a way to make a livin' - MOvin' to & LIVIN' in little ole' Round Top, TEXAS - with a population of 84 people - than that should be enough PROOF for anybody that you CAN do what YOU wanna do, WHERE you wanna do it!! Most people HAVE to move to metroplexes for work & the Junk Gypsies get to live in a little piece of HEAVEN that I call home.

Alli, Kacie, & Myself!

I'm not sayin' it happens overnight.... Remember... IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY! I feel BLESSED to be able to partake in the RoWdY, FUN-filled Shenanigans of Junk Prom & witness the growth of something that started out as a big ole dream of a couple of really cool cats!

We look like EASTER! (My new friend Lindsey, Shannon, & Myself)

The pics in this blog post are from this past Spring Junk Prom the Thursday before Easter. If you are hopin' to make the next one and need some help figurin' out what kinda duds to where check out some of my other blogs:
Special December JUNK PROM!!!
Shootin' Commercials, Catchin' Bids, & a Little JG Prom Thrown in There Too!
The Baddest, Raddest, Mamma Jammas of the Antique Fair

Me & my LONG time friend Crystal in the JG tent!

We were able to get the "men-folk" to come along this time! You can see I couldn't get the Hubby to dress up, but he had a GREAT time!

This pic's a little dark, but here I am with MORE friends & our blinking red HGTV Junk Gypsy Necklaces!
(Lindsey, April, Ali, Myself, Kaysie, & Dayna)

I feel like I've been slackin' a bit in the blogging world, BUT there are LOTS of exciting things that I'll be sharing with you over the next few months, so BUCK UP BABY & get ready for the ride! Until next time...

-Heather Kaspar
Auctioneer TDLR LIC#17037

ELCO General Consignment Auction THIS Saturday!

Come on out for the General Consignment Auction in Odem THIS Saturday! There's a little bit of somethin' for everyone.... Antique cars, Rolexes, guns, knives, coins, old paper $$, china, pottery, glassware, jewelry, vintage beer &  Coca-Cola signs and I'm sure somethin' to suit your fancy!

Go to the ELCO website for more information & how to register - website! AUCTION starts at 10AM. If you can't be there physically & you see something you'd like to have....give'm a call & bid LIVE on the phone OR see what else you guys may be able to work out. Check out some of the pics below. I hope to see ya'll there!!

How cool is this?! Seriously....

1964 Corvair Convertible: IT RUNS!! & has new parts to go with it!

1978 Rochell Craft Jet Boat, 460 V8

2002 Harley with only 3800 miles!

3 piece set of handpainted oriental vases

Confederate War Bond  interest Jan. 1865

Signed by George Foreman

Mille-fleur Necklace and Bracelet Set

Come one, come all! Get ready to throw your hands up & have a ball!!! Until next time....Buck Up Baby!!!
-Heather Kaspar
TDLR LIC#17037

Church Auction THIS Saturday!!

HELLO Everyone!!! There is a church auction THIS Saturday for Grace United Methodist Church in Annaville, TX! There are LOTS of items in very good shape, such as: appliances, electronics, pews, chairs, tables, furniture, sound equipment, toys, decorations, and signs. Be sure to check out the pics!

Portable Stage

Over 40 MATCHING church pews in great condition!

Projector...

Stove & Vent Hood

St. Francis Garden Statue. 

Desk

This is a no reserve auction which means - EVERYTHING GOES!! All proceeds benefit the church!! Auction opens @ 8AM & starts @ 10AM. Items can be viewed online OR Friday 9-5. Be sure to check out the gallery online for more pics. The link is above. Hope to see you!!