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My name is Carolyn Meacham and this is my kitty Sasha. Ebay started for me back in 1997 as a hobby and a way to clear out the clutter and collections that had resulted from 3 pack rats living in the same house for 25 years. As it happens, I discovered that the extra space uncovered from selling things was just an invitation for everyone to fill the space with new collections. Once a pack rat .... I've been a needlework designer for the past 35 years and love anything associated with the art. Mike and I started a wholesale needlework publishing and distribution company called Serendipity Designs in 1974 and have found it to be a tremendous blessing. It's taken us all over the world and given us opportunities to meet a lot of lovely and talented people. Another passion is the antique needlework tools that I've been collecting for longer than I've been designing. EBay was a wonderful discovery that came just about the time I started running out of places to put my collection. I decided to keep just those pieces that I could display and enjoy and have been cleaning out my cupboards ever since. It's so much fun to stitch with my old tools and think about all the ladies who've used them and the projects they were working on. How about you? I'd love to hear from any stitchers and needlework tool collectors out there. Hobbies are a lot more fun when they're shared. My Shipping Insurance In an effort to reduce shipping costs, I ship all US packages by 1st class mail and have purchased a private collector's insurance policy underwritten by Lloyd's of London (for more information see www.collectinsure.com) that covers anything I mail out under $400.00. For this insurance I'm charging my cost (50 cents per package). This insurance policy also insures US packages for up to $2000.00 if they're sent with $100.00 worth of Post Office insurance (costs $2.25 extra). Therefore, on packages between $400.00 and $2000.00 in value I'll charge $2.25 for full insurance. This is a substantial savings to the buyer over the ridiculous Postal insurance rates. The total of all of this is usually $2.45 postage and insurance on small packages worth up to $400.00 and $4.70 on packages worth more. This is based on my average package weight of 5 ounces. Items that are heavier than that will have the postage indicated on the eBay listing page. Overseas packages are also insured for up to $400.00 and are sent by 1st Class International Mail. By requesting Registered shipping (at an additional cost of $11.50), overseas packages will be insured up to $25,000. New 'International First Class Mail' Problems We ship all of our international packages by 'International First Class Mail'. This is a new designation that the US Post Office came up with at their last price increase. They did away with the 'Air Mail' designation unless you pay for 'International Priority' at 5 times the cost. They show the time for delivery for 'International Priority' as 6-10 days and for 'International First Class' as 'Varies'. What this means is that if there aren't too many packages, they'll put it on the plane. Otherwise it will go surface. 95% of our packages are still arriving at their foreign destinations within a week, but an increasing number are taking 4-7 weeks. If time of delivery is really important, please let us know before you pay and we'll send it 'International Priority'. If you get a package that took too long, check the posting date. We always ship immediately when an item has been paid for. Unfortunately, the Post Office is completely outside of our control.
All of my items are completely insured by a Lloyd's of London policy. Do let us know if a package has not arrived in a timely manner, but please be willing to hold on a bit longer for delivery. In my 11 years of selling on eBay, only 5 or 6 packages have actually been lost.
Needlework Tools Books I receive a lot of questions about the needlework tool books that I use as references in my auctions and where to obtain them. The 2 books that I consider to be the best overall for history, scope and photographs are An Illustrated History of Needlework Tools by Gay Ann Rogers and Antique Needlework Tools and Embroideries by Nerylla Taunton. Gay Ann's book is out of print and I would suggest trying eBay or book searches. I have Nerylla's book in my eBay store for purchase. The best book by far on Lace bobbins is Christine & David Springett's book Success to the Lace Pillow. This book is also in my eBay store when I'm able to get it. | 
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