UsedEverywhere.com

Social Media Camp 2010 in Victoria!

The learned hipsters, social ninjas, blogging gurus, and tech-savvy youth of Victoria, BC (and surrounding villages) will gather together this Sunday to speak about the latest trends in the vast and ever-changing social media world. What is social media? It’s human social behavior through a technology lens. It’s Facebook, Twitter, the blogosphere, email, bbm, and reddit. It’s any website, technology or media that leverages the power of social interaction to build community and dialogue. It’s also a bit ostentatious, but don’t tell them we said so.

If you don’t have a ticket to the Social Media Camp this weekend then fear not. Simply log on to your Twitter account and follow our very own @seantoohey and @ethernick for the latest happenings on the show floor. To the lucky few who managed to sneak in, drop by our sponsor booth and say hello. We’ll return the favor by sending a free ad upgrade and some swag your way.

Until the weekend!

Have you seen any “Free Piles” in Victoria?

Sometimes they’re on your street, sometimes they’re near the park, sometimes they’re welcome, and sometimes they’re not. They’re piles of free stuff that your neighbor (or an embarrassed stranger) has left outside of your house. It’s hard not to take a peak at what each one has to offer. A vintage book or an antique dresser would be nice, but if you’re not quick your only options may be a torn lampshade and a wet cardboard box.

A week or so ago we came across ad 13091481 on UsedVictoria.com. It was recruiting Victoria community members to scout out these so-called “Free Piles” and email their locations to the poster. The reason being was so that the poster, a.k.a. Heather, could photograph them for a university art project. Sounds pretty great, right? If you live in the Victoria area and have seen any piles in your area recently, take a moment to contact her via the email button in her ad and, after she’s made her rounds and taken some pictures, we’ll post them on the blog for your thoughtful enjoyment.

¡Vamos!

UPDATE: Pictures Added

Take a look at a few of the pictures that Heather has taken thus far!

4 Useful Steps to Make an Angel Halo

My name is Emma and I am an intern for UsedEverywhere.com! Since our mascot is the angel and we’re your shopping angels (note the halo on the top of the “U” on your local UsedEverywhere.com), I was given the task of making 50 halos to give out at the Victoria Mayor’s Golf Tournament we sponsored earlier this week.

The amount of stuff you need will obviously very, as I doubt many of you need to make 50 halos unless you and your friends are going as an army of angels for Halloween…

So here we go, these are the necessary items you will need to be successful in your halo-making quest!

• Thin White Boa
• This Wire (any color! 20 gauge thickness)
• Thick Wire (any color! 12 gauge thickness)
• Glue Gun (Don’t forget the glue sticks!)
• Headbands
• Scissors

Step 1:

Take one piece of the pre-measured thin wire (approx. 18 inches) and bend it into a circle. Fasten the two ends together by bending each into a loop and connecting the loops. Make sure you twist the ends like twist tie to ensure that the ends don’t come apart.

Step 2:

Wrap 14 inches of the thicker wire around the middle of the headband 2-3 times. This part isn’t very particular, as long as the wire doesn’t wiggle around. It should look like there are antennae sticking out from the headband. If you find it difficult to make it stay, use a glob of hot glue to secure it, otherwise just bend it as tightly as possible. Then bend the ends of the “antennae” down to create little hooks.

Step 3:

Hook the thick wires around the thin wire circle (creating the base for your halo). Then, tightly wrap the thick wire hooks around your think wire circle; try to make it so the wire circle can’t slide around. Doing that is practically impossible so plug in that glue gun and stick another glob wherever you think is necessary!

Step 4:

Take 24 inches (amount will depend on how fluffy your boa is) if your thin fluffy boa of choice and glue the end of it to the tight spiral of thick wire on your halo. Then wrap the boa around the thin wire circle, making sure that you are using it liberally enough to not let any wire show. This amount will vary depending on how many feathers have fallen off the boa. Make sure the hot glue is dry and then stick that sucker on your head and prance around like the angel you are!

We will be posting more angel costume creations on Instructables! Thanks for following my Useful Steps!

Diary of a Wannabe Runner – the final chapter

Well I guess it’s time to admit defeat and resolve myself to the fact that I need to find something else to do for a few months.  The diagnosis is in – I knew when I heard the snap, crackle and pop that something bad had happened; my ACL is torn.  For those of you who know sports you know how devastating that is.  For those of who don’t, I tore my anterior cruciate ligament which is an important stringy bit responsible for preventing your knee from rotating and giving out.  When that tears, it makes a horrible noise that is fortunately drowned out by the sound of your own screams.  I did this to my other knee 15 years ago and hoped to never experience it again; the good news is that surgery can fix it and hopefully within several months I’ll have a good-as-new stringy bit holding my knee together again. 

Unfortunately this will be the last installment of Wannabe Runner and since I’m a working mom, I plan to blog about stuff I know – moms, kids, husbands, house, work, pets and how to juggle it all – some days a little faster than others – starting with my tasking of organizing the house. 

As I start to purge my house of all unneeded things, I am coming across items that I have no idea what to do with.  You know…those things that aren’t really in good enough shape to give to charity but still have some life left in them?  Like my towels.  I still have towels that were given to me when I moved into my first house in 1996 when forest green and maroon where the ‘in’ colour scheme.  I haven’t bothered to replace them because they still do the job.  So while the kids have lovely towels that match their bathroom and my guest towels are nicely colour coordinated as well, the towels that my husband and I use are frightful.  They are all different colours (circa mid-90′s), most have frayed edges and some bleach spots, but they still work.  So when I do finally buy new ones  what do I do with these?  They are not good enough to give to charity.  I don’t need anymore rags.  The dog has her own towels (nicer ones than I use).  My question is to everyone out there – what do we do with items that have outlived their intended use but still have life?   I remember seeing an animal rescue asking for donations of old fur coats to use as comfort for injured and orphaned animals.   Yes -  I admit that I do have a couple of furs in a box downstairs.  I can’t stand the idea of fur coats, but these belonged to Great Grandmas and we didn’t know what to do with them.  I can’t and won’t ever wear one, but these are wasted in a box - someone somewhere must have a use for a ratty old fur.   BTW – the rescue group I mentioned doesn’t use them anymore.

I know that a lot of things like broken electronics can be recycled, but maybe some can have another life before they get broken down into scrap metal and melted plastic.  Are there schools or clubs looking for these for class projects?  So a question out to you…are there people or organizations that want old items that may be beyond sell-able in your local charity shop and not necessarily recyclable?    Does anyone need old coat hangers or busted wax crayons (I have buckets of those) for crafts?  Chipped dishes?  Tired feather pillows? Cracked aquariums? Kids clothes with forever stains?  If you can use the things that people might just be throwing out put a Wanted Ad on your local Used site.  Anyone looking for some old towels?

Vancouver Snow Show: Sept 25-26

To juxtapose our week of sun and golf we’ll be heading to the Vancouver Convention Centre this weekend to celebrate Winter at the 7th Annual Snow Show! If you live in or near Vancouver, post an ad in the Skiing & Snowboarding category of UsedVancouver.com and your ad will automatically be featured at our booth for some extra exposure. We’ll also have a team there that will help you post items on the spot, just in case you don’t find a buyer or swap partner at the show.

If when browsing the warez you come across our stand and have a few moments, I would also advise you to sign up for our draw, which will award one lucky winner with a day pass to whistler for two. Is there a better way to inject some romance and excitement into your fading relationship? We don’t think so.

The event will also be taking place a month later in Calgary, so if you have the means be sure to check it out!

Victoria Mayor’s Golf Tournament

On September 22nd the Victoria Mayor’s Golf Tournament will take place at Gorge Vale Golf Course in (you guessed it) Victoria, British Columbia. Why is this relevant to you and us? Well aside from having a sizable golf category on UsedVic, we’ll be there handing out free stuff on hole 10! If you’re partaking in the tourney, be prepared to play a round of blind bocce ball, answer a skill-testing question, or tackle our used putting green while you’re waiting to tee off. Everyone will receive an ad upgrade and one of our famous purple shopping bags for participating, a winner in each foursome will be given the elusive UsedVictoria.com travel mug, and the losers will be branded with one of the many custom-made halos you see in the picture below  (and subsequently ostracized by their loved ones).

We’re not just sponsoring a hole for [expletive] and giggles either. A $700 ad package will be up for bid at the tournament’s silent auction and all proceeds will go to the Victoria Youth Empowerment Society, which offers youth and family counseling as well as many other services that respond to youth-based emerging needs in the Victoria community.

We’ll also be experimenting with streaming video so if you’re on the other side of the country or on another continent then stay tuned for the latest!

The Used Crew Prepares for Hallow’s Eve

Does one’s Halloween costume reflect their inner soul, their outlook on life, their personal agenda? I hope not, because I’ve pulled several pictures from the Used Crew’s private photo collection and the results are mortifying. Check out a few members of our work force (the ones with embarrassing Facebook photos) out in the field on October 31st, and read their words of wisdom, or lack thereof, that they’d like to impart on anyone in the early costume preparation stages.

Nick took a cooking pot and turned it into a kid dressed up as a super hero – http://www.usedcourtenaycomox.com/classified-ad/13042036

Nick’s words of wisdom: “Think ahead. I’m always in a mad scramble at the last minute.”

Alfie took a kimono and transformed it into a samurai – http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/12798082

Alfie’s words of wisdom: “When picking out a wig for your costume, make sure it doesn’t clash with your sexy robe!”

Charlotte took a black dress and reworked it into a witch – http://www.usedottawa.com/classified-ad/13055304

Charlotte’s words of wisdom: “Just because you’re happy with it while changing in your bedroom… doesn’t mean that you’ll be warm enough walking around all night.”

Emma took a tutu and mutated it into the Candy Land board game – http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/13106891

Emma’s words of wisdom: “Find a sweet costume, or HIDE.”

Jose took a walking cane and reworked it into Waldo – http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/12662932

Jose’s word of wisdom: “You can conceal grandma’s old cough medicine in your Halloween props.”

Andrea took a plain hoodie and shaped it into a lion – http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/12923570

Andrea’s words of wisdom: “Keep it classy ladies.”

Sean took a kilt and forged it into William Wallace – http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/9644854

Sean’s words of wisdom: “My best costumes have come from thrift store finds, and throwing something together at the last minute.”

Michael took a (fake) stuffed dog and transfigured it into Tin Tin – http://www.usedregina.com/classified-ad/13042165

Michael’s words of wisdom: “Choosing a costume is all about preemptively striking the next big thing. Sorry Spielberg, your 2012 Tin Tin movie is so 2009.”

Tish took black boots and evolved them into Horatio Nelson – http://www.usedwinnipeg.com/classified-ad/12903565

Tish’s words of wisdom: “Start with a theme (medieval, baroque, etc.), find a single piece (hat, sword, chest plate), and then use clothes from your closet to complete the experience.”

Diary of a Wannabe Runner

Well the worst possible scenario has happened.  After several months of training for the GoodLife Half Marathon in October, I now find myself injured.  Not only did I have to skip the Land’s End race on Sunday, but I may be out for the season.  Even worse, I didn’t even get hurt while running, but during a collision in a field hockey game through no fault of my own.   My knee went in one direction and my foot in the other.  Did you know that’s it’s really hard to put on pants when you can’t bend your knee?

I know many of you may be saying that this is hardly a catastrophe – that are many far worse things that could happen.  True. Far worse things can and do happen.  And I know that when the anger and defeat wears off I’ll look back on this as insignificant…but it doesn’t stop me from being super ticked off right now. 

So, what to do now?  My Id wants to just ignore the pain and keep going.  Dammit – I can cope with pain – it’s something to be beaten down and conquered.  But I’m not stupid and my Ego forces me to be reasonable and rest until the pain in my knee subsides before I attempt more than putting on pants.  

So I’m going to suck it up and focus on other things.  I’ll have more time to work – not sure if that’s a good thing.  And I’m going to work on organizing the house and doing all those little projects that lurk in every room.  I’m going to also purge my home of needless and unwanted items.  I realize that we have held on to far more stuff than we need or use – just because we might need it ‘someday’.  Someone else can use this stuff – someone else should use this stuff.  It’s wasted crammed in the back of our drawers and cupboards so all of you Used addicts (you know who you are) get ready for some good deals!  Besides who wouldn’t want a purple Tupperware banana container?

We Moved the Blog!

Notice anything different about us? Not only is this blog reppin’ sleeker columns and more color, it’s also sitting comfortably at a new location in cyberspace (http://www.usedeverywhere.com/blog/), so update your bookmarks!

To our tech-savvy readers out there, we traditionally hosted the blog through Blogger.com but are now using the WordPress.org web software. The changes may not be as extreme as the ones we made to the site earlier this year, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that will allow us to bring you more quality content moving forward. Stay tuned for more news on that front; we’re not ready to spill the beans just yet.

In the blogger-reader relationship, this sort of change is the equivalent to your significant other getting a haircut, so you’ll be expected to contrive a compliment or two in the comments section below.

Upcoming Events in September

UsedVictoria.com staff will be on the 10th hole with games, prizes, and hilarious give aways. We may even show up in angel costumes (see the halo on our logo if the reference isn’t clear . If you have/find a costume we should sport for the event, send us a comment!