This week Sam, Mel, Grae, and I (Spellcheck) all crammed into the pod office to talk about whatever's been filling our brains for the last few weeks. We had our coffee and snacks and just had a regular (for us) conversation. Once or twice a month, we'll be dropping an episode of just our ADHD braindumps. After existing every day in the world, like we all must, sometimes we just want to to let our minds go to autopilot, and we want you all to be a part of it. Topics range from new hobbies,...

This Curio Corner is mostly about the cool stuff the Mavens talked to Jessie (British fashion historian in the making and parallel universe Spellcheck) about on Monday's episodes. It's also something of a walk down nostalgia lane for Sam, Mel, and Grae: internet connections in the 90s, music from their formative years, and early signs of neuro divergence that are so obvious, it's truly astounding. Listen in for lessons on Tuberculosis Chic and its lasting influence on fashion, the surprising...

Step into a parallel universe with our guest this week, where Spellcheck is British and went to university to study the history of fashion (which, in reality, is something Spellcheck genuinely wanted to do). A certain writer for the podcast was shocked more than a few times. The similarities are numerous. Jessie (ghostsintime) a person of the English persuasion, is an absolute doll. Sweet and polite, knowledgeable about her subject, she was a joy to chat with. The Mavens are smitten. Her...

Sam and Mel sit down to share the unlikely demise of Evergleam Christmas Trees, what boundaries their implementing with collectibles, and share about the oldest crewel.

We're all finally settling down from the rush and bustle of Thanksgiving (if you're in the States, anyway) and our butts are more than ready for a long sit on the couch. The weather in Idaho is getting colder and snowier as the days pass, sending us all into the pod office with hot coffee and retro crocheted afghans. This week, the hygge mood is complete as Sam and Spellcheck have a relaxed chat with vintage maximalism enthusiast and down-to-earth music teacher, Kristi Snarsky. Her collection...

We could have listened to Josh talk for hours and hours about all the incredible parts of his collections and his plans to spread that knowledge to the masses. But we all have lives to live and families to tend to. In lieu of having Josh back to nerd out over pirate history (which we're hoping to make happen, don't you worry), your weekend Curio Corner has Sam, Spellcheck, and Grae in the Pod Office chatting over an actual mountain of silver in Bolivia, Sam Bellamy's treasure on the...

Good morning, Mothballers. The team was hit with a few curve balls this year and we are more than ready to get back to what brought us together in the first place: Collectors and their stories. To celebrate our renewed joie de vivre, we have an incredible guest who's ready to wade with us through a topic never before visited by the Mavens... Literal pirate treasure! Josh Scott of Redbeard Coins,Commodore Coins, and Tortuga Trading, is a real life treasure hunter. He collects and sells gold...

Last week the Mavens had a grand ol' time with @fare11kat, a previous guest that the Mothball team adopted by force. Lady Erin of the Almost-Hairless Cats is a dashing young woman with hair of fire and a ridiculous streak of good luck. But her latest episode seemed different. Truncated, somehow... Where did the Curio Corner go? During the 100th episode, Sam and Mel announced that we would be trying out a new format for the show. Interviews will still come out on Mondays. But the Curio Corner...

This week on The Mothball Prophecies, we talk holiday traditions. Sam,Melissa, and Grae reminisce about childhood meals, grandparents houses, and horrifying genetic turkey mutations.

Erin Pipgras, perhaps better known as fare11kat on Instagram, has been a guest on the show before (episode 39, if you're curious about our first encounter with her). Obviously we all fell madly in love with each other, but in a sweary, meme fueled sort of way. Erin has become a staple in every day conversation for the Mothball team, and is frequently asked to petition the universe on our behalf. On top of being perhaps the luckiest human in Wisconsin, she also has the distinct honor of...

We know you have questions. Where have you been? Is the podcast still a thing? Are you still alive!? The answers, in order: The Mavens are running a wildly successful estate sale business. Absolutely the podcast is still a thing. The Mothball universe is expanding, so schedules are shifting. We're all settling into a new routine. And yes, we're alive and thriving. The last three months have been chaotic, but in the best way. The estate sale company is booming. Grae moved to Idaho (10 points...

Mandy Arnold is a long time friend of the pod and all around glorious human. She has now shifted from regular podcast listener to a part of the foundational mythology of the Mothball Prophecies. She was LITERALLY one of the very first people to follow the pod, become a patron, and now is stuck with all of us as friends for the rest of her days. The prodigal daughter returned to her homeland, from that far off land of holly and wood, to wine and dine with the Mavens and hit the latest Mothball...

A while back, Sam did some mini-interviews with some Mothball listeners. Alex Di Giovanni was one of those interviewees, and we just had to have him back for a full episode! Alex started reselling as a teen, but he didn't start collecting until his early 20s; it's a bit backwards from most people and we LOVE IT. For his personal collection, Alex loves signs and American license plates. In his professional life, he's an avian ecologist, with a full-blown master's degree. This dude knows his...

We recently recorded the 100th episode. But because all that frivolity took up so many hours, we weren't able to cover everything we wanted to talk about during the recording. To correct this, Grae and Sam sit down to expand, in a bit more detail, on the future of the podcast. Additionally, Sam gives a blow for blow account of the first Mothball estate sale at the Eleanor house, and Grae explains the more mysterious parts of what his job actually entails. Warning for anyone legally considered...

Sam, Jill, Melissa, Grae, and Spellcheck. We were once five people with no connections, whatsoever. We each met at different times, under different circumstances. We grew up in different places, lived separate lives, had unique views and experiences... Until this podcast threw us together. If The Mothball Prophecies was a child, we were soda. And that child mixed all the flavors together with reckless abandon. Each of us has our part to play, much like each soda adds it's own zing to the...

Next week's episode is all about the future of the podcast, where we're all headed, and what you, as listeners, can expect. For a study in opposites, the 99th episode is none of those things. This week, we are releasing an episode that has never seen the light of day, an episode that was recorded back in 2020 shortly after quarantine ended. People were getting back to a new version of normal while Jill and Sam recorded a pre-ADHD diagnosis cornucopia of unfiltered thoughts. They literally sat...

We still don't know what this segment will be called, so its temporary name will be: "Down the Curiosity Rabbit Hole With Sam, Jill, and Spellcheck." This month's Patreon special is all about the dangerous chemicals found in antiques and vintage items that might be in your collection. Death lurks around every corner, beneath tea towels and on window sills. No ceiling is safe, no bowl left untouched by the chilly fingers of poison. From lead (which is extremely common) to asbestos to arsenic,...

This week on The Mothball Prophecies, Sam sits down solo with the queen of fireplaces, Riley Reyes of Darling Diddies. Riley and Sam commiserate about the insanity of an “I don't need to buy this because I can build it’ attitude. Both ladies suffer from said affliction. Our guest laments the projects that get left behind in between fireplace and lighting restoration. Riley steps in as our podcast dad to share her knowledge and the steps she takes to bring something back to life and ensure...

The cat has officially been released from the bag: Mothball Estate Sales has manifested itself at last, when absolutely no one was expecting it. The idea of this company has been a dream for longer than the podcast, believe it or not, and is currently unfolding in the most unlikely way imaginable. Sam is joined by Grae this week to discuss the origins of the company, his steadfast refusal to b******t anyone, and the future of the Mothball universe. Grae conveniently edited out the part where...

Being a Patreon member comes with its own set of perks. Extra episodes are one of those. But this episode is too cool and has sat for too long, so we've decided to set it free! Enjoy! Here at Mothball headquarters, we're always brainstorming new and weird ideas to keep you monsters entertained. You're a ravenous lot, and we love you for it. To answer your question, "How much do you love us?" we've cooked up a new treat. Every month, for our Patreon members only, The Mothball Prophecies will...

Hardly an honorary Maven at this point, but a truly integral part of the Mothball team, Melissa hangs out with Sam this week to interview sweet-as-pie duo Elizabeth Sweigart and Ricky Saetta of The Times Vintage in Greenport, New York. The former is the proprietor of the shop and the latter, is a skilled carpenter. The carpenter, it just so happens, is responsible for all of the jaw-dropping woodwork within the shop itself. Elizabeth and Ricky are a vintage power couple (our words, not...

The Mavens sit down with Michael Ray Williams to talk about his job with Replacements Ltd., Movies, and The Gem Belt.

We get a bit of hurricanes." If you were in any doubt, here is your proof: Mothballers are hardcore. The fans of this podcast are top-tier, badass (CAN I SAY THIS?) humans and the whole foundation of the show. Sam, Jill, and the rest of the team can create content all day long, but if no one loves what we do here at the Mothball Prophecies, we would cease to exist. So this week's episode is a thank you to all you listeners. Sam sits down for some mini-interviews with Mothballers from all...

Everyone on the Mothball team grew up, to some extent, in the 90s, which means we all have some weird attachments to certain toys. That being said, this week's guests came in on a flaming chariot of Cosmic Brownies and Kool-aid to shower us with nostalgia. Laura and Jeannine of Shiny Brite Doggo are a couple of fabulous millennials who are paving the way for others of that ilk who refuse to let go of our childhoods. 90s toys and vintage Halloween are their favorite items to find, and the joy...