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Friday, March 25, 2011

Retail Therapy

Today was a beautiful spring-like morning and I was totally feeling energetic.  I moved the couch around to sweep under it, and dear daughter cleaned the big picture window (in and out) to let the sun through without being hampered by the dog/baby smudges.  After our little burst of cleaning and little mister’s normal morning routine, we decided that we needed to get out and do a little shopping.  I have been trying not to spend money lately, so it had been quite awhile since I’d treated myself, and since I finished my thesis module, I felt like I deserved a little splurge.  Jessica wanted to pick up a portable DVD player since little mister H-A-T-E-S riding in the car and she’s taking him down to Oregon this weekend.  She’s hoping that he’ll take a nap, but she wanted the DVD player with a Baby Einstein video as a backup.  So we went off to Target.  I got a much-needed new purse (smaller) and a wallet (mine were absolutely driving me crazy).  I also picked up Bon Jovi’s Greatest Hits cd (on sale) and a couple of things for my nephew’s Easter basket.  I didn’t do a lot of Target therapy today because I was saving myself for the scrapbook store. 

I don’t know what the stores are like in your area, but the stores around here are severely lacking in my estimation.  There is a great little store called the Paper Muse, which is in the neighboring town of Sumner.  She has a lot of great things, and I highly recommend going to her shop if you are in that area.  It is adorable, but she doesn’t consider herself a scrapbook store.  She does have a lot of Tim Holtz stuff and some 7 Gypsies which is hard to find.  There is a Ben Franklin craft store not too far away from us, but often it is hit and miss with their products.  Michael’s and Joann’s never have what I want as far as papers, so it leaves me with Scrap & Book up on South Hill.  It is a big store, and I always can find something to spend money on, but I’ve been more and more disappointed with what they stock.  I think they try to please the masses, and they spread themselves too thin.  The other problem with the store is that they are completely unorganized as far as keeping product lines together.  They appear to sort things by color/design, but then you have no idea where things are (and they really don’t know either).  I really wanted to find some major Crate Paper goodies, but they only had two different little spots of it, so I was disappointed, but did manage to find a couple of things from CP and some from Echo Park.  Here are the lovelies I picked up today. 

 

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I don’t know if it is being in Shimelle’s class or what, but I’ve really wanted to work on an actual paper layout (rather than digital) the past couple of weeks. But I realize that I really don’t have the embellishments I would like as far as a real layout, so I think I will use my papers elsewhere.

I signed up for Amy Tangerine’s “Get Those Creative Juices Flowing” class at Big Picture Classes.  It turns out that it is a very similar (but simpler) version of the Remains of the Day class I also signed up for (see sidebar for link).  Anyway, I think I’m going to use some of these new papers in a journal that I’m going to start tomorrow.   I’m heading over to a friend’s house for a 3-hour arts/crafts session.  She’s setting up tables for each of us to work on and we’re just going to bring what we want to work on (and a snack) and have fun.  I’m looking forward to it. 

Do you have a great/favorite store where you can pick up supplies that make your heart sing?  What supplies are you loving these days? 

Do you have anything creative happening in your neck of the woods?  What is on your horizon for the weekend?

7 comments:

Lorraine said...

We don't have such a good selection of local carft shops in the UK. Online shopping is the best. However, looking forward to a trip to Florida this Easter and will be doing some retail therapy.
Lorraine BFS

Tammy said...

Hi - I found you through Shimelle's class. Only one LSS near me in Nashville - they are OK but don't stock enough of what I like. When I visit my parents in Orlando I always stop by a store there and really shop as they have stuff I need. I'm down there often, so I really consider them my LSS. :D

Maria Ontiveros said...

Sadly, most of the scrapbook stores in our area have closed. There's a small one about a half hour away and then a couple of Michael's to choose from. But I've tried to be really good this year about not spending money on new things (because I have sooo much). Shimelle's class is also making me want to (paper) scrap more.
Rinda

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Sadly I have nowhere I can go locally to look at real life stash. Sounds like you're going to have creative fun this weekend:)

Fiona x (BFS)

Jane said...

we only have a chain store, Hobbycraft which has a little bit of everything. I tend to shop online but miss the excitement of actually seeing and touching pretty papers etc!

Kim said...

The only places to buy scrapbooking supplies in my city are Michael's and Walmart. Sometimes I order from Stampin' Up! or scrapbook.com (but not often because the shipping is costly). I think my new favourite supplies are journaling stickers/labels. Letter stickers and textured card stock are perennial favourites for me.

JJ Sobey said...

I'm very lucky to have a great LSS in my area. She doesn't always have what I want, but she will try her darndest to get it for me if I ask. Gotta love that kind of service.

Lately I've been spending too much in the art supply store though. :P