Have you ever taken someone to dinner and had them complain about the meal they weren’t paying for? Me too. Some people are impossible to satisfy. Seriously. “I don’t like this restaurant. Can’t we go over to so and so?” You’ve met them too. Champagne tastes on YOUR budget? Absolutely.
Over the years, I’ve had more than one occassion where I wish I could’ve gone back and rethought my generosity. Why? Because more often than not “no good deed goes unpunished” for a few people that I’ve met throughout my life.
Now and then though, I’ve actually been a sucker because I hate conflict. I will just go along with someone in order to spare myself drama. Cindy hates this because others often assume I’m a pushover.
Cindy is sassy and quick whitted which is why I put her to work on our customized Pawning Planners Apparel line featuring her iconic #Cindyism Quotes. Folks love her hilarious but, often truthful comments about life.
How many times in our lives have we helped someone solely because we could clearly see they needed help? More times than we could ever count. Being the person you’ve never met isn’t easy.
From the lady needing her fence repaired to the family who lost their home to a fire, we DO NOT LIMIT creative requests. We also aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty.
Thirty four years ago, Cindy and I were struggling to raise her daughter Leigh Ann but, we had a car at least. We were both working different shifts as waitresses so one of us could watch Leigh Ann.
Cindy and I had actually driven by a young lady who obviously was struggling to walk and carry her baby at the same time one day on my way to work.
Driving by that young woman walking in the Texas heat, I backed up and stopped my car to give her Leigh Ann’s stroller. She asked why? Cindy told her “we are poor but, we have jobs and we have a car. You have no car or even a stroller and we both hope one day if you are ever in a position to help someone that you will be kind to a stranger too.”
Our family didn’t help us with Leigh Ann because they didn’t want my sister to have the baby. But, babies don’t choose where they come from.
Leigh Ann, my son and Leigh Ann’s sister, Stephaney all view Cindy and I as their moms because we’ve raised our children together.
Other people remember us because we are fairly unforgettable. Cindy’s one in a million and hilarious while I’m often serious and reflective. We are Compensating Personality Twins.
Charity begins at home. You may not believe in donating to area food pantries, blood drives or even women’s shelters but, I do. You may not believe in helping someone enough to volunteer your time but, I do. My family does too.
Has anyone else noticed that wherever you go these days from Albertsons to Lowes, Home Depot and even Goodwill that you are asked “would you like to donate?”
Quite frankly I AM consistently tagged in someone on FB’s birthday cause and asked to donate as well. If “for your birthday,” you’d like someone to donate to a cause you care about, it would look good for you to make the first donation but, hey that’s just MY opinion. Please stop tagging me to donate to your choice of charity as I have many of my own already.
Everywhere you turn these days, someone is asking you to donate to something. If you want to donate, it’s your decision and not someone else’s.
Your choice should be based on your financial ability to donate AS WELL as whether you feel strongly enough about the campaign or charitable organization to fund it.
I would strongly suggest making your contributions directly to the source as opposed to a third party however. Do you really know where your money is going?
I have many causes I ALREADY DONATE too and, if I wanted to donate to another organization, I would do so directly.
From food pantries to families coming to us for help with nothing of value to offer in return, I can promise you that my family contributes to charitable causes year round.
If you are shopping at Goodwill or the Salvation Army, you are ALREADY making a charitable contribution. How? Because everything that is being sold at either business was donated.
A few weeks ago, someone that I had previously married and helped with not only a Wedding Ceremony but, also a few years later, a Baptism and Memorial for her daughter. Since I was devastated that the baby didn’t survive, I agreed to write a blog and help direct traffic to a GoFundMe Campaign that was being set up.
Many people have asked me to set their GoFundMe Account. I don’t set up GoFundMe Accounts for a number of reasons but, mainly because there are Tax liabilities. After all, it’s income.
I also suggested my friend Julie start a GoFundMe after a back surgery left her paralyzed a few months ago. Julie is now in a wheelchair and unable to work but too proud to ask for donations for medical expenses. Julie needs help but, she’s from my generation of working families and therefore, too proud to ask for it via GoFundMe.
GoFundMe works for funerals and medical expenses. It often doesn’t work nearly as well for things you want. If you’ve elected to do something (meaning you chose to), not everyone else will always support your choice or decision.
“Gratitude is the DIFFERENCE between APPRECIATION and a sense of ENTITLEMENT (be grateful) Amen.”
Why? Because there are people out there who can barely afford rent. There are people out there that can’t afford a stroller or a car or even diapers. There are people out there that are struggling to survive.
Donating to a GoFundMe Campaign is something that none of my Pawning Planners Clients can afford to donate to because they are struggling to put food on the table. Texas Twins Events or Texas Prison Wedding Clients are in a far better position to donate. But, hey, I’m just being real here.
For twenty years or more, I had a “friend,” Glenda who on every visit to my home, walked straight into my closet and took whatever she wanted. This bothered me for years but, I never stopped her from digging through my things. Why? I hate conflict.
No one gave me my clothes, shoes or purses because I either modeled for them or bought them but, for years I stupidly didn’t stop my friend from helping herself at my expense.
When you have to buy something or work for it, you realize how hard it is to replace something that you sacrificed to have in the first place.
One day, I finally decided to stop Glenda from pilfering my possessions. It took me nearly twenty five years to ask why Glenda thought it was okay to take whatever she wanted but, I realized that the only time Glenda came to visit was when she wanted something.
I generally tend catch on quickly with folks who only contact me when they need this or that but, otherwise I never hear from them. With Glenda, this dance lasted more than half my life.
Glenda got away with “helping herself” for years because I was too embarrassed to tell her no. Throughout my life I’ve had only three close friends. Glenda was the first. Angela and Tammi are the other two.
My twin, Cindy is my best friend and always will be. We have survived hard times by leaning on each other when “the going got rough.” Without each other, I have no idea how Cindy and I would have survived while working and being forced to paying child care.
Glenda died three years ago after admitting to me that she had a drug problem throughout our friendship and had also, sold my clothing, shoes and purses to support her drug habit. I couldn’t believe it then and still can’t believe now that I had no idea that my friend used drugs.
I was shocked and hurt that I waited as long as I did to say something and that she had never found stealing from her friend to support her drug habit unusual or abusive to our relationship.
Glenda also died in Colorado and her daughter (who I hadn’t heard from in years), contacted me on FB to start a GoFundMe Account because Glenda had no insurance and the family couldn’t afford to bring her home.
I advised Glenda’s daughter, Tara to start a GoFundMe and shared it on my social media pages. I also began creating floral arrangements for Glenda at my own expense and one week later, Glenda’s GoFundMe Account had raised more than enough money to bring Glenda home but also, cover her funeral expenses.
Did anyone thank me? No. That’s right. Some people ONLY contact you when THEY need something. No thank you cards for floral designs I spent several days creating to bring beauty to the Memorial. No thank you card for spreading the word to my 30k followers on Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus or Instagram.
Most folks don’t have a strong social media presence because they are too lazy to put any effort into it. Social media is tit for tat. If you want someone to promote you- you need to promote them.
I have no idea why this confuses people who only post their content and expect everyone else to share it or like it. Get off your duff and try promoting others and you will see your social campaign improve dramatically.
Survivors survive while others expect everyone else to solve THEIR problems. Cindy and I have never had anyone to ask for help. Because of this, we became survivors because we had to. There wasn’t a mother or father to ask for help or anyone else for that matter.
Survivors are creative thinkers. They are the best employees and work harder than others because they are honored to have a job. Survivors know without a job that they will have no income.
Ten years ago, my husband went broke overnight in the real estate industry. For years we struggled to survive BUT, I didn’t start a GoFundMe Account because we figured it out like most struggling families do. During the same window, Cindy’s husband was laid off.
Cindy and I sold all of our jewelry, furniture and personal property to feed our kids and survive. We didn’t start a GoFundMe account.
I’m now very selective with friends because usually I’m on the short end of the stick. I have thousands of acquaintances but, very few close friends because Glenda was my first adult friend. Once bitten twice shy.
Throughout my life, I’ve learned that being generous is normally met with surprise by a few folks who have benefitted from my kind heart most of the time.
However, there’s a bad apple in every bunch and I’m working on those folks in my life who consistently look for a hand out.
There has never been an EASY BUTTON in my life or my twins life either. We left home at 15 and wound up in a shelter. We left there and took jobs as waitresses. My sister was raped and we raised her daughter together.
Since Cindy and I didn’t have anyone to help us but, we helped each other. We also, paid our bills and managed through one hardship after another. What we didn’t do was expect anyone else to solve OUR hardships or our problems.
Society as a whole has become entitled. “I want free college, I want free insurance, I want everyone else to pay for something I want.” College wasn’t free to me or my sister and health insurance?
My husband and I pay $1478 a month for the “luxury” of having health insurance. For all the folks who think they should get everything for free that no one else does, “snap out of it!”
How in the Hell did we get from “if you want something- work for it” to everyone wanting something for nothing?
Your guess is as good as mine. Cindy and I worked two jobs and paid for college ourselves.
These days, the people who want something want everyone else to pay for it. It’s shocking but, true. “I really want that but, I can’t afford it.” Well, work for it then or barter it Pal. That’s what everyone else does.
“YOU could GIVE some PEOPLE the SHIRT off your BACK, and THEY would STILL complain, IT doesn’t FIT.”
A lot of people ask how my sister comes up with her #Cindyism Quotes used on Pawning Planners Apparel. The truth is she listens a lot and knows what’s really going on while I’m thinking with my heart, Cindy is thinking “what’s in it for us?” True statement.
I may care about your story but my sister cares about making money. For eight years. My sister has watched me volunteer or work for free because I felt sorry for someone. NOBODY CARED ABOUT OUR STORY but, that’s the reality of our lives. We struggled, we sacrificed and, we figured it out.
Why would Two twin sisters start a low cost Events business? Because the need existed and let’s face it, NOBODY ELSE WOULD.
Texas Twins Events price structures are FAR below anyone in the event business for a reason. What it is? I wanted to help the people no one else cared about helping.
“Don’t EXPECT to CHERRY pick a WITHERED branch, FROM a BARREN tree, PEOPLE’S generosity EVENTUALLY runs OUT” Amen.
Cindy will tell you “no one felt sorry for us.” She means it. We’ve had a hard life but, we never asked anyone for anything because we knew to have anything- we would have to earn it.
Cindy’s got a line on opportunists. “This story doesn’t ring true. They are driving a new Mercedes and asking us for free services? Are you kidding me? Throw that book in the trash!” Cindy is no nonsense when it comes to the bottom line.
We merged Texas Twins Treasures and Texas Twins Events to create The Pawning Planners to specifically force a few folks to put some skin in the game. “Don’t ask us for an apple and expect a pie.”
If you want our help, be willing to offer something in return. That’s how life works. For years and years, Cindy watched my soft heart cost us money.
I feel sorry for everyone but, my twin doesn’t. I care about your story but, my twin doesn’t. Why? Stories don’t pay our bills. Show her the barter or show her the money. We make a good team.
Cindy wrote a blog titled “Mansions, Moochers & Morons.” Why? we’ve met a few. You know the folks that want everything but, don’t want to pay for it. Rich folks acting poor.
There is a REASON we REQUIRE Appraisal Appointments before sponsoring families coming to us for help. The reason? Experience. If you live better than we do then you aren’t poor.
You aren’t in a position to have everyone do something for you at no cost just because you asked. This has happened so many times to us over the years that we now insist on seeing where you live, what you drive and whether or not you can EITHER afford to pay for services through Texas Twins Events OR barter your Event Service through The Pawning Planners.
I’m learning to stop giving, giving and giving to someone who is only good at taking before asking for more. We ask more a lot more questions now.
Rich people acting or pretending to be poor? Yes. It happens far more than anyone realizes because rich people are rich for a reason. What do I mean? They are cheap. They didn’t get to where they are by helping people. Quite the contrary.
Go ask a rich person for something and you will (rather quickly) see what I mean. I’ve been married to two wealthy husbands and I can guarantee you they were like Kings counting their coins.
More often than not, people with plenty of money have it because they aren’t willing to spend it. Ask me, I’ve met them. These folks feel entitled and they often think everyone else should put them on a pedestal and be honored for being taken advantage of. We aren’t. Go find someone else to stroke your ego. Seriously. I’m selective with who we help BECAUSE I can be. I don’t HAVE to work anymore. I choose to.
Bartering often works full circle. What do I mean by this? Well, someone needed our help. This someone traded something that we refurbished and either sold or gave to someone else.
Texas Twins Events, Texas Twins Treasures and The Pawning Planners all work together in an actual circle.
A few months ago, I had bartered an upholstered set of twin beds thinking that my twin grandnieces would love them.
It’s well known that I hate to rent a truck but, when I do, it’s from Home Depot. Why? Twenty bucks an hour that’s why. I’m constantly looking at the bottom line.
Since there was no way that Cindy or I could fit two twin beds into her Mitsubishi Wagon or my Hyundai Wagon to pick up the bartered items and Home Depot was out of trucks, I sucked it up and went UHaul.
Here’s a video explaining the differences between UHaul and Home Depot to rent a truck or van and no, I am not branding–Wendy Wortham Explains The Expense To Rent Trucks For Pawning Planners Clients Pick Up Appointments.
Teenagers are fickle about what they like though and my idea of redoing their room at my home in calming colors of beige, grey and ivory tones didn’t work out well here at WorthamWorld.
Maryssa and Makenna used to wear matching clothes and love matching everything but, at twelve years old, they stopped dressing alike and began to exhibit different tastes.
Cindy and I haven’t dressed alike since we were kids other than Twins Days in Ohio and other film projects.
We will dress alike if we have to but, it’s not a choice that works as well for us as it does for other twins and multiples who love to dress alike.
Cindy likes to be comfortable and, she is pretty open on her opinions about “having to dress up.” My twin hates dressing up. She will do it but, you’re going to hear her complain about it. I do. 
Having different tastes isn’t all that unusual for twins. Likes and dislikes are cyclical. Trying to guess what my twin grandnieces will or won’t like is an ongoing escapade in futility.
I now won’t buy anything unless they are with me and Cindy is the same way. Trying to buy gifts for Cindy unless she’s with me will result in her not liking what I buy.
Whatever I “think” everyone will like they don’t. Looking a gift horse in the mouth is a regular occurrence around here. “Why did you buy me this? I don’t wear stuff like this.” I think I’m a great gift giver but, everyone ride doesn’t.
I’ve nearly decided to stop buying gifts and start handing out money instead because my “hit or miss” gifts lately have all been misses. 
Cindy and I haven’t liked the same things in years. Just dressing alike for the Twins Festival was nearly a brawl last year.
If she likes it, I hate it. Cindy likes to be comfortable and I like to dress up.
We flipped a coin over our costumes for the Twins Day Parade. I’m serious. The argument over what to wear went on for WEEKS. 
Maryssa loves makeup while Makenna rarely wear it. You get the point.
Two sets of twins don’t agree on everything. 
Not everyone in my family loves my taste. The twins like bold and bright colors. I love muted tones or darker colors.
My home has an actual wild mix of colors from room to room. I change the place up frequently and move furniture in an out too. I’m easily bored. 
Because of this “perfect guest bedroom” idea I had that didn’t pan out with my twin grandnieces, I listed both beds and sold one.
The second one I listed on FB Marketplace to find a local buyer since all the interested ebayers wanted free shipping.
Shipping on eBay isn’t free for me. Listing fees are also fairly high. Because of this, I use FB Marketplace on furniture items as well as Craigslist.
For years, people came to me to sell THEIR STUFF. “You are so good at it. I don’t understand how to list things. Can you just sell this for me? I really need the money.”
After ten or fifteen years of cleaning your stuff and taking photos and adding the description while assuming any and all liability on EBay, my new motto is “do it yourself!” I’m good at selling because I’ve had to be.
If you want to make money selling your stuff, you can either pay someone “good at it” a commission for going to the trouble or, do it yourself.
Since this “sell my stuff for me” scenario continues to pop up, I wrote a blog describing why I will no longer take on someone else’s pursuit of getting paid by piggybacking all of the work on my back “because I can sell anything” — Not My Luggage-Not My Trip.
Back to selling the remaining bed, Sara from Parker County contacted me regarding bartering diapers as she had several cases for her granddaughter that were no longer needed as her daughter had moved to another state and Sara also knew that my family runs a food pantry and might need diapers.
Sara didn’t have any money but, like most people I’ve met, she wasn’t asking for anything for free.
Trading diapers for a bed, Sara was actually going to help many people at the pantry who couldn’t afford to buy diapers.
I told Sara to “come on over and pick it up.” I had already decided that Sara’s son needed that bed far more than I needed to sell it.
As promised, Sara brought 6 cases of diapers with her to pick up the twin bed and was incredibly thankful to have found a bed for her son with a barter that most likely wouldn’t have worked for anyone else selling an item.
I called my cousin, Cynthia to pick up the cases of diapers for the Mingus/Gordon Food Pantry operated by my family in Palo Pinto County.
The pantry never has paper products. Paper products are a luxury. Oh, you didn’t know that? You should. Food pantries only provide food. Clothing, paper products and other items are donated.
Many pantries have food and very little else. Paper products including not only diapers but also, Kotex, tampons, toilet paper, paper towels, baby wipes and other items are always needed at the pantry. ALWAYS.
Every month, there’s a bake sale to “drum up” money for non food items in Gordon.
After loading up all of the diapers, I didn’t give it another thought. I knew somewhere that someone needed diapers but, couldn’t afford them. I didn’t need the bed and yet, someone needed diapers. See how this works?
A few weeks ago, one of my previous clients had fallen at work and was on disability. Misty is helping raise her grandchildren and being our of work posed a real hardship. Misty needed diapers.
To solve the problem, I went and bought diapers and literally kicked myself for giving all of those cases of diapers to the pantry in Gordon rather than checking with friends in Fort Worth like Misty who could have surely used them too. I discussed this with my partner, Cindy.
ME: “had I known that Misty could have used those diapers, I would have split them between her and the pantry. Isn’t that why I donate money every month to the pantry for paper products or provide cakes, pies and cookies for the bake sale? I need to start trying to give back to Fort Worth because Gordon is well provided for.”
CINDY: “stop beating yourself up. How could you have known Misty would get hurt at work and need diapers? If we were mind readers, we could have won the lottery by now. What you need to think about is that 1. Sara got a great bed for her son and she’s forever thankful. 2. We can easily afford to help Misty with diapers and wipes without it posing a hardship. 3. Years ago, buying diapers for Leigh Ann when neither of us was married was a hardship which is why you knew someone somewhere would need those diapers. 4. If we had never been poor, we would never understand the difficulty these folks face. 5. Your generosity and mine come from hardship. People who have never struggled have no idea what struggling is much less care about the people who are struggling.”
Cindy was right. I had helped Sara and Misty and although I wish I had kept half of the diapers bartered for the bed, I had no way of knowing they would be needed in Fort Worth at the time I donated them all to the pantry.
While writing blogs to promote a GoFundMe Campaign and handling my business affairs, the past two months have been a very expensive endeavor for me. I know no one thinks about this when contacting me with their own problems but, over the past two months, I’ve been in the hospital four times and also underwent emergency surgery BEFORE my ceiling fell in at my home.
If you don’t think I’ve been through some really heavy and unexpected expenses, THINK AGAIN. But, no one contacting me about their problems ever considers my own. It’s a fact. From homeowners insurance deductibles to covering deductibles on healthcare, my husband and I have spent nearly 10k on unexpected expenses in less than three months. But, try telling someone coming to you for help that you aren’t in a position to donate to their cause. I don’t have thousands of dollars to donate to a GoFundMe Account for someone else.
Since I finally finished getting my furniture moved back into my office and the movers came to pick up the club chair, it should be noted that I knew would this item would sell quickly. Cindy doesn’t always love our furniture flips.
Cindy: “That looks terrible. You are going to put a lot of money into something no one is gonna buy.” Since 2009, I’ve consistently surprised my sister. CONSISTENTLY. How? I know what people want.
Here’s the finished club chair. It’s well known that I love animal print tapestries and mix them in on my pieces most of the time. Leopardo Gold or Sabre Zebra silk looms are my all time best selling items.
Since everyone asks me, no I never sell fabric. EVER. Why? Minimum orders and custom fees that’s why. The “average Joe” has NO IDEA what fine upholstery costs. Rather than argue the point, I refuse to sell fabric. Let them go try to find my fabrics at Hobby Lobby and come up short because they will. You can’t find my fabrics at ANY retailer stateside.
Cindy doesn’t always fall in love with my furniture items because she’s far more interested in quick flips. What are quick flips? Items that need little to no investment to quickly list and as Cindy puts it “hit a lick.”
Today, a crew of housecleaners were sent from the insurance company to WorthamWorld to clean insulation from baseboards, wipe down everything in our home from doors to cleaning windows and do a deep cleaning after my attic collapsed a few weeks ago. I never hire housekeepers because I’m OCD and clean my own home but, this disaster was too much even for me.
Opening the door to a team of two hardworking ladies to walk them through my home, it wasn’t unusual for Mary to remark “I’ve never seen furniture like this before. Where did you buy all of this?” Mary was a sweetie who was surprised that I jumped in to work with her and Sara putting everything back together again.
It’s a great question from someone who is actually in and out of homes day in and day out cleaning houses. The truth is that none of my home furnishings “looked like this” when I bartered them over the years. Everything was in awful condition and a few pieces took years for me to find the right mix of upholstery. But, I’m patient.
Even my bed was a barter. Of course, I bought a new mattress and bedding but, I love wood and especially carved wood furniture.
All of the furniture in our home is HEAVY. I don’t own anything “lightweight.” My guest room furniture was also a barter deal because I wanted a sleigh bed.
I loved the inlaid look of this set and the blend of both darker and lighter wood colors.
Nearly everything in my home was taken in trade or flipped in one way or another. Why? Because I sold all of our upscale furnishing years ago when real estate tanked and my husband was unemployed for three years. I had to in order to survive.
In order to replace everything that I was forced to sell years ago, I became a Texas Twins Treasures “Design Diva” at not only flipping furniture but also dang near anything else. Replacing our fancy furniture took me over a year of scrounging around to find the right pieces.
I learned about silk loomed tapestry and the finest fabrics as I already knew about foam and fill from my days of selling upscale patio furniture at Texas Patios and Yard Art.
I’ve sold millions of dollars of high end furniture and know quality when I see it regardless of the current condition. If the structure is sound, my imagination at bringing something back to life again has no limits.
When you are going to the expense to refurbish furniture, the LAST thing you do is “cheap out” on inexpensive fill and foam.
The interior of seat pads and cushions is just as important as the structure and the fabric. Cheap furniture fill “bottoms out.” Why? It’s cheap and meant to be throw away furniture.
I’m always amazed that people buy and throw away cheap furniture over and over when they could have invested in quality furniture once.
I laughed while walking my sweet housekeeper, Mary through a home that often looks far smaller from the front door than it actually is. Like everyone else, Mary couldn’t believe just how big our home is.
Our home is nearly 2800 square feet and rather large for only my husband and I but, our current home was actually a downsize from our previous home.
How far of a downsize? Half the size and we also gave up the pool and two acres. I miss the pool but, I don’t miss the upkeep on 4 baths and 5 bedrooms with 2 living areas. At 54 years old with a 67 year old husband, maintenance is the LAST THING we want to deal with.
Our “new to us” funky old home has mirrored walls, stained glass windows, chandeliers and secret hiding places. It’s weird to go from our other custom home to this one with far more character but, I’ve adjusted to an oven that isn’t self cleaning and tile counters rather than granite that was always a pain to keep clean.
Our other home required “special cleaning products.” This one doesn’t. But, the oven won’t clean itself. Oh well. I love my Jen Air stovetop that can switch out to a griddle on a whim though.
Downsizing is an adjustment but, we save money every month in our smaller home and that makes us both really happy. No more worrying about the real estate market for us.
Planning and preparing means cutting out extracurricular expenses. What do I mean? We don’t go out to dinner every night or even every week. My husband and I view dining out as a luxury. Dining out is a celebration and treated as such.
After all those years of financially fighting to keep and finally sell our previous luxury custom built home, I didn’t miss it. Well, I still miss the pool. Who wouldn’t? A sparkling oasis smiling at me from every room of the house made me happy.
In fact, I had come to resent our previous home because we were forced to sacrificed so much to keep it during the six year window of real estate “bottoming out.” I didn’t resent the pool but, cleaning that monster took hours and finally waving goodbye to it was a relief for me.
Having your husband out of work for three years is a hardship but, I can sell anything so, I eventually sold everything we owned except the house until the market came up enough for us to sell for a profit and walk away from it too.
I know real hardship. How? I’ve LIVED it. I know what it means to lose everything you’ve worked for because I have. Cindy has too. The difference between us and everyone else that wants everything but doesn’t want to sacrifice to have it is significant and occasionally, shocking.
To survive while my husband was out of work, we SACRIFICED. We didn’t start a GoFundMe Campaign. First we sold the motorcycles. Then we sold the motorcycle trailers. Then we traded our luxury cars for import cars half the cost. Then, I sold my jewelry and furs then my couture clothing and finally every piece of furniture we owned. We sat on lawn chairs. Not just Matthew and I but, Cindy too. We sold EVERYTHING. If it wasn’t tied down, it was on EBay.
“IF you GIVE all you HAVE to OTHERS, there WILL be NOTHING left for YOURSELF, be KIND, without BEING taken ADVANTAGE of.”
Everyone asks how I became so good at making something boring into something everyone wanted. Experience. I create amazing furniture designs because I create what I would buy. Everyone wants something they’ve never seen before and I do too.
In order to replace all of our fancy furniture that we forced to FIRE SALE years ago, I began hitting thrift shops and Craigslist. I also began bartering on eBay for luxury upholstery from Dubai.
If you are going to do something- do it right. Texas Twins Treasures furniture sells and ships worldwide because we have a reputation for quality.
I don’t cut corners on any furniture item I’ve ever flipped because if I wouldn’t buy it, I won’t sell it.
Occasionally, I go bold and paint furniture gold or white but normally, I stick with darker wood tones when I’m planning to flip a bartered piece.
Frequently, I fall in love with my own designs and keep them. My husband actually thinks I’m a bit of a furniture hoarder. I love antiques.
If I come across a good deal on leather, I use it on pieces too. But, it must be soft and supple. Stiff leather is cheap. Fine leather feels like butter and is far easier to work with.
It’s important to me that all of my flipped furniture will last for years whether it’s in my home or in a Texas Twins Treasures Buyers home.
No one walking into my home is going to say “I’ve seen that before.” Why? They haven’t. My eclectic tastes run throughout our home. Whether it’s the many mask walls from my travels or the furniture that adorn the rooms or even my collection of Egyptian or Oriental art, nothing really matches here.
Everything has its own personality. From contrast bands to welting and reversible cushions for a quick change, I think furniture should be fun, funky and resilient for a lifetime of use.
Matchy Matchy bores me. I’m finally getting things back together after my office roof fell in and looking back to getting my “home in order” before leaving for Destination Events in California.
We changed the light fixtures after the roof caved in and I’m thrilled with not needing lamps everywhere anymore. I had to get a solar screen for the large Yellow Rose Of Texas stained glass window anchoring the room which significantly darkened my office but, these new lights are AWESOME. No more yellow undertones and everything is bright.
My desk has minor damage but, I’ve found someone to work on it for me locally. If I’m lucky a roof collapsing won’t ever happen again. Luckily, I had a photo of my mask wall which really saved time putting everything back up again.
The twins obviously didn’t “love” their matching beds as much as I did but, both beds found a new home and that’s an all is well that ends well scenario.
A few years ago, a Pawning Planners Client had bartered an antique wagon. The antique wagon was stripped and repainted and later used on numerous occasions at events from an ice chest to toting toddlers in the procession.
Everything we’ve ever taken in trade finds a place or we find a buyer. Occasionally, we find someone who may need something more than we do.
NO ONE selling items for a profit GIVES their inventory away but, occasionally we do. Why? Because compassion for us was hard learned and hard earned.
The gift of giving goes a full circle for us because Texas Prison Weddings and Texas Twins Events often fund Pawning Planners Clients who have nothing of value to trade. Pawning Planners Apparel does too.
It’s a circle of life, hope and from this point forward, planning ahead and trying to hold back something that someone else might need right here in Fort Worth.
Donating, GoFundMe Accounts and other things aside, I’ve learned that you can’t please all of the people all of the time but, what you can do is the best you can which is exactly what I plan to do…
Comments by Wendy Wortham