Saturday, September 30, 2017

What I've been up to

I realized, I like doing the weekly update, and I might go back to it with my shopping hauls as separate posts. 
Here's my screw it and do it challenge for Sunday:
 I'm not that excited about it, it needs more color.
I also finished a birthday card for my boss:
 I made a couple Halloween index cards:
 and a witch one:
 I also made a pearls and lace card:
 On Monday, I created another screw it and do it piece:
 and received my lollipop box club box in the mail:
 Tuesday, I got a few things in the mail, a sticker swap:
 a pearls and lace card:
 I made my screw it and do it piece:
 and a unicorn flip book:
 Wednesday, I got a long lost package in the mail, it was mailed in July, took about a month and a half to get to me, a scavenger hunt pocket letter:
 and an ice cream pocket letter:
 and another sticker swap:
 As well as an A, B, C tag swap:
 I also made my screw it and do it challenge:
 and a Halloween pocket letter:
 and a birthday card for a friend:
 Thursday was my big haul from Hobby Lobby, I put the monsters together while watching YouTube:
 Friday, seemed to be a buggy day. I rescued a praying mantis from the library door, and saw a few butterflies on my way home:


I also got some swaps in the mail, a scrap paper swap:
 an autumn pocket letter:
 a fall pocket letter:
 I created my screw it and do it challenge:
I also started on a banner swap.
Today, I went to a garage sale (see previous post) and will be working on more art throughout the day

Garage sales

I was thinking the other day that I hadn't been to a lot of garage sales this year. Sometimes I was tired, sometimes there weren't any that sounded good, sometimes I just didn't care. I didn't want to go out this morning, I wanted to sleep in and not do stuff, but man I'm glad I did go out.
Anywho, first up, there was one yesterday, that I went to on my way home from work. I paid a whopping $1 for these:
 The mouse Christmas cards were too cute to pass up, normally I stay away from Christmas cards and go with holiday cards (they say Merry Chris-mouse on the inside), but I loved the mouse. I picked up the teapot for my boss, I just noticed the bunny on the left doesn't have any ears, so I guess I'll just put it on the free table at work, maybe she'll pick it up.
Last night, I was creating a banner for a swap and was so proud of myself for using two different rolls of washi I'd never used before. I also used some paper and ephemera. I feel like I keep buying stuff and not using it, so it felt really good.
Like I said this morning, I just wanted to sleep in and be lazy, but I figured I might as well check out the two on my list. I'm very glad I did, I picked up everything in the pictures for a total of 7.25
 The washi was in bags of three or four rolls, there wasn't any one bag where I wanted every roll, and I'm sure none of them are brand new, but for a quarter each, they were priced just right. Most everything I picked up was a quarter, there need to be more sales like that. Some of the beads I might have picked up just because I had another bag in my hand and then put it down when I saw the stickers and someone else picked it up, but again everything is a quarter. I'm not a planner person, but I love the images on these stickers.
 Again with loving the images on the stickers, a lot of these were mostly 60's vibe with paper dolls and sewing patterns mixed in. I might have to incorporate them into a retirement card for my mother (she's retiring from teaching beginning sewing at the university in December). I couldn't pass up the cork stickers, also there were some cute typewriters in there.
 I loved the three sticker books: Lisa Frank, Valentine's Day with animals, and a winter cooking theme. I was surprised to find when I opened one of the bags of stickers (that I totally bought for the owls), that it had stickers that matched the foam stickers I picked up at Target years ago. The box on the bottom is full of ephemera, and I have a hard time passing those by, it was 50 cents.
 The paper was 5 for $1, I picked up mainly neutral fun patterns. There is a sheet of letters and the frog and books page.
 The packet of plain card was from a different sale for $1, the pumpkin was 50 cents. I picked up the Spee Dee Shopper for the ephemera in it, it's got some vintage coupons, it was 50 cents. The Iowa bag was $1.
 The paper clips were in one bag and the fall ephemera another. Look at those cute animals, especially the owl and fox. I may have solely picked up the ephemera for the mason jar.
These next pictures are of a bag of journaling cards that was 50 cents, I thought I could find a few things to make it worth the money:
 I especially like the heart in this picture, though not much else.
There were a couple sets in there, I like the strawberry holder and the Farmer's market card. Sadly, there wasn't a ton that I liked in the bag.

I think I scored great at this sale. I was thinking as I was walking home, I probably got just about as much as I did in the sale in this weekly update, but at a better price.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Hobby Lobby Haul

II went to Hobby Lobby today. Christmas, Fall and Halloween were all 40% off, plus there was the paper blowout sale where Paper Studio and Stampabilities are 50% off. I had one item that I used a 40% off coupon and other things were in clearance.
I saw these cute tag sets, but did not get them
Unicorns:
 Tropical:
 Llamas:
 They had empty spots for others like ice cream, so I'd love to see what the other ones are.
Here's what I got:
 I have been picking up a lot of cactus stuff (I've also been hoarding it, so I need to use it). The journaling cards at the top are 3D, originally $5.99, I bought two at $1.55 each. The stickers were all 50% off, I believe these were all $2.49 originally, so I paid $1.25 each.
I paid $1.79 for the sequins. I'm putting together some goody bags for friends for Halloween, so I picked up the monster kit for $3.59. I have a fall banner I need to make, so I picked up the single sheets of paper as well as the stickers for it. The stickers were $1.19, and the papers were $.29 each.
 I've not really been into the dreamcatcher whatever thing, but I loved this sticker sheet. These journaling cards are again 3D, this whole section had these, the cacti and a birthday set (in the next picture), they are originally $5.99, there is one shaker, one folder and one other one. I LOVE them. I would have bought them all, but I don't have a reason to have them. I'm loving the unicorn trend, so I bought the long sheet and the unicorn cupcake sheet. I also love the mermaid trend, so I picked these up.
 Last night I was making a birthday card and I'm not that great at cards in general, but if I have things to layer, I'm better. Anywho, I realized I didn't have a lot of birthday stickers, so I picked up more today. A lot of the sheets I saw didn't have a lot of 'Happy Birthday' stickers, they had more celebrate or make a wish, stuff like that. Not that that sheet with the balloons and cake has a lot either. Also, saw the journaling cards on clearance and picked them up.
 So, apparently Paper Studio has washi sets kinda like Recollections, except this one was normally $29.99, so I got it for $14.99. I don't have any fall washi and I really liked the collection, plus it was the only one there. I think that's part of stores ploy, they don't stock a lot (I bet they have more in the back), so if you see a limited amount, you have to get them because you think they are the last ones. The reindeer I picked up for my brother, he collects them (I'm probably almost done Christmas shopping for him). I loved the drink stickers. I signed up for an Advent calendar pocket letter, so I got this cute snowman ornament kit.
 I couldn't pass up the woodland animals, especially since they are under a buck. The color your own, I picked up a sheet of these awhile ago, but I have no idea where they went. I just really loved this Olaf sticker, also under $1. These are the banner pieces I went for. I signed up for a holiday banner swap, and I don't have anything very sturdy for a background, this is the item I used the 40% off coupon on.
I love those three sheets at the top, the one on the left is ArtC, the two on the right are Amy Tangerine, these items rarely go on sale. I needed some letters for my banner, so I picked up the large black ones. The orange ones were on clearance, I loved the look of them, so I picked up two. The other black ones had three sheets for $1.79, I couldn't pass them up.

So, I spent a little over $70, which is the most I've ever spent at Hobby Lobby. I always tell myself to think about how much it would be if I bought things at full price, but I wouldn't buy a lot of the clearance items at full price or even some of the more expensive kit items. I don't even like to look at some items if they aren't on sale.
I was going through my pictures from the last year and realized I use the majority of the items I buy. Sometimes it's a long time later, but most items I use, so I guess I shouldn't feel guilty. I also decided I need to carry a list of swaps I'm currently signed up for, so I know what I need.
On my way home, I saw a sign for a garage sale, after spending so much at Hobby Lobby, I didn't want to think about garage sales, (I didn't even go to JoAnn's and to get my chai like I was going to), but I do need to get out and walk more. I feel I haven't done that much this year, so I will make myself go out garage saleing tomorrow and Saturday, I don't have to buy anything. I have noticed I've been a lot better about not buying things at garage sales versus in stores.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

It's Hodgepodge time.

It's been awhile, but reading the questions this morning, got me inspired to join in on the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So, head on over to Joyce's blog for other people's answers


1. What pets did you have while growing up? Tell us a little something about them.
My first pet, was an albino guinea pig named Miss Piggy, we had her a really long time. We got her at a local college celebration (which has since been cancelled). I had guinea pigs mostly, I had a couple gerbils and a hamster, too. My favorite were the guinea pigs, they sit there and let you cuddle them. Guinea pigs are still my favorite pets today.
2. What is one thing you absolutely must accomplish today?
I need to go to the post office and grocery shopping.
3. Where were you ten years ago? What were you doing there?
Let's see, I would have been 24 years old in 2007, I had just started dating my boyfriend (now ex) in May, we had just gone on a short little vacation by ourselves and were enjoying life as a couple. I was working in an art store and still living under my parents roof (technically, I had my own apartment, but it was still in their house). 
4. September 26th is National Dumpling Day. Did you celebrate? Apple dumpling, xiao long bao (steamed Chinese dumpling), chicken and dumplings, pirogi, matzoh balls, or gnocchi...which dumpling on this list would be your dumpling of choice? Have you ever made homemade dumplings of any kind?
Chicken and dumplings. I've had some really good ones, it's amazing how different they are.
5. 'There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find an adventure and those who go secretly hoping they don't.' William Trogdon
So which kind are you?
I'd be ok with an adventure, my life is really boring, so going off on an adventure at the spur of the moment would be great. My ex used to do that, we'd get in his truck and just kinda go off in one direction, it was such a nice change from my mother who has to know where she's going. I figure if you don't have anywhere to be, what's the harm in exploring?
6. Insert your own random thought here.
September ends this week. I'm ready for it and also not. I've been really stressed lately, I'm not entirely sure why, and I keep hoping going back to my normal schedule will help, and October takes me back to that. 
I decided last night I'm tired of being that person that gives so much. I'm always putting together gifts for friends and putting more in my art swaps than is required and not getting anything, or not as much back. I'm wondering if that's contributing to my stress as well.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Lollipop box Club

It's time for my lollipop box club box. I got it in the mail yesterday, apparently it takes about a week to get here from England.
Here's what it looks like when I first open the box:
 It's packed so cute with the tissue paper, the heart confetti and a personalized tag.
When I open the tissue paper:
 And the goodies:
 Some washi, stencil, stamp, tag with paperclip, tassel, tiny flair, some journaling cards, pen and charm. I believe the washi, stencil, stamp, paperclip, flair, pen, charm and the lollipop I ate are all normal things in the box, just with a different theme each month.
The papers:
 list paper, sticker sheet, decorative paper, postcard, planner stuff.
Again, this is all pretty normal for each month, just a different theme each time.
The bags:
 Each month we get a DIY, a treats bag and a mystery gift bag.
Treats bag:
 the person who puts everything together creates a postcard for us each month. There was a journaling spot last month as well as the little words.
Mystery gift:
 This time it's a film strip stamp.
DIY:
There are instructions on the blog, this month we are making a stamped fabric journal.
I barely used anything from last month, because I like to hoard my stuff. I do like to get it out and look at it from time to time. I don't know what I'll do with this month's kit.