Noodle Soup

What's in Tami's Shopping Bag - the Summer 2010 edition

It's been a while since we've played "What's in Tami's Shopping Bag?", and since I've done a bit of retail therapy lately, the time seems good for another installment.

The temps have been climbing in SoCal, putting me in the mood for summery dresses and skirts. I picked up these two affordable frocks at Target last week:

 

I commemorated the changing of seasons with the purchase of my favorite summer shower gel:

 

 

And on the scrapbooking front, I splurged on the new Documentary line from Studio Calico. It looks fun for summer travel photos, doesn't it?

 

I just couldn't resist some of these fun polka dot tapes from Etsy seller lisasu:

 

I also treated myself to a little bit of summer reading material - Katherine Center's newest book, Get Lucky. Only I couldn't wait until summer to read it, and finished it in two days.

 

So what have you bought, or wanted to buy, lately?

Leave me a comment, and in the spirit of recycling, one random commenter will "Get Lucky" and receive my previously enjoyed copy of Get Lucky for their summer reading pleasure. And maybe that person will pass it on to a lucky friend, who will pass it to another lucky friend, and so on, and so on... :)

Economy Busters (Who ya gonna call?)

Okay, so we all know the economy is in the toilet. We’ve heard it on the news, we’ve seen the evidence in our checking accounts, we’ve mourned the loss of favorite magazines that have fallen victim to these hard times (R.I.P. Simple Scrapbooks & Domino!).

So what’s a girl who usually relies on retail therapy to do to make this sorta-kinda-maybe, we-don’t-want-to-come-right-out-and-call-it-a-Depression, well…less depressing?
Here are a few economy busters that might help.

Big Picture Bailout Coupons

Big Picture Scrapbooking is offering some “bailout” discounts, including 20% off of all Projects Now classes. So if you’ve been thinking about signing up for my Smart Cookie Fortune Keeper class, or any other Projects Now class, here’s your chance to get a discount. Projects Now classes are a lot of bang for your buck, even without this great discount. For less that the price of a movie & popcorn, you can entertain yourself with some creative time and have a cute project to show for it.

Just enter the promo code bailout55. But hurry – it expires May 13.

Go here to find out all the particulars and see the other bailout offers available.

Discount scrapbooking supplies

I recently found out about Frugalities.com – have you heard of it? A quick perusal of the site revealed many top scrapbooking brands at discounted prices. While I didn’t see the absolute latest products, they do have thousands of items to choose from at what looks like an everyday discount of 15 – 20%. While I was browsing the site, I thought it looked an awful lot like Addicted to Scrapbooking, and sure enough, a click on the contact info revealed they are one in the same.  If you’re not a "scraponista" who requires the absolute latest and greatest, this site could help you justify the occasional supply splurge on a smaller budget.

Create For Less is another discount site that has some good deals on a variety of craft supplies, from scrapbooking to sewing to general crafts. Their tagline is “Create More, Spend Less”…gotta love that, right? Their discounts can run up to 25% off, which is great if you’re looking for something like a Fiskars border punch. With smaller items like embellishments you are required to purchase in multiples, usually of 3, which makes it less of a deal unless you need a lot of a certain item or plan to go in on an order with a couple of friends.

Of course, you could always use your stash.  If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably accumulated enough supplies to see you through this economic crisis and beyond. Try challenging yourself to use only what you have on hand for a set period of time. I have done this each time I participated in the Layout A Day challenge, and it has helped make me more aware of what I use most and what purchases were a waste of money. I always treat myself to a little scrappy shopping treat at the end of the month-long challenge, but my purchases are less impulsive and more purposeful.

Technologically advanced coupons

Just tonight, I found out (from The Crafty Chica) about a free app for the iPhone. It’s called Yowza!! and it’s a pretty cool idea. In a nutshell, it uses the GPS on your phone to find exclusive coupons for your local stores. Click on the link for complete details. No smokin’ deals from Target in my neck of the woods when I checked it out, but I did find two businesses participating in my area so far -  free endless fries, discounted lunch prices, and happy hour specials at Islands, and $10 off at a local athletic shoe store. I will probably need the running shoes if I eat the endless fries. I wonder if they planned that. Hopefully, it’s only a matter of time before the app catches on and more businesses (like maybe Michaels or JoAnn?) jump on the bandwagon to offer me bargains.

And...

 If all else fails and you feel the need to emote about your dwindling funds, this coin purse, under $5 from Paper Source, should do the trick.

Kiely-ing over with excitement

Did you hear the news this morning? Orla Kiely merchandise is coming to Target on February 1! I think I’m having heart palpitations. You can read more about it here and here, among other places.

Here are a few of my favorites (these pics borrowed from Apartment Therapy).

 

 

(and these pics borrowed from Decor8)

 

 

I have adored all things Orla for ages, and clearly I’m not the only one. I hope Target realizes what a huge draw this is going to be, and has plenty of shoe organizers and pear tableware to go around, because I would hate to have to arm wrestle a fellow member of the PTA for the last one. ;)

Doing my part for the economy

There seemed to be a barrage of generous craft store coupons circulating between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There were no big ticket items I wanted, as is usually the case when I have a really good coupon in hand, so I laid in a good supply of Xyron refills. Seriously, does anyone pay full price for those? They are crazy expensive without a coupon.

I did manage to pick up an interesting goody or two (or ten) while “saving money”. I mean, c’mon, it’s no fun to only buy adhesive, right? And that means it’s time for another installment of…

What’s in Tami’s Shopping Bag?

(cue the confetti and noisemakers)

 

At Michaels, these glittery Martha Stewart chrysanthemum stickers caught my eye on my way to the adhesive aisle. And near the checkout stand, I found this awesome notepad divided into days of the week. Also, those cute little alpha stamps were in a bin for only $1. – I think that’s a steal! I haven’t done much stamping at all lately, but I used the “you can’t have enough teeny alpha stamps” rationale. Plus, for that price, I don’t mind sharing them with my preschooler.

At JoAnn, I found all kinds of cute stuff by Colorbok on sale. I will admit I haven’t paid much attention to this company since my early days of scrapbooking, when David Walker alphabet stickers reigned supreme. But they are worth a second look these days. The Sweet Life line includes glittery chipboard sweets, candy colored phrases, and pastel alphadots reminiscent of candy buttons. I know a certain preschooler who is just waiting for me to let these out of my sight!

The Lucky You line had an awesome pad of list paper for journaling, some great label stickers, and a funny little package of chipboard mustaches. Oh, and I also picked up an unrelated package of colorful chipboard photo corners.

Have you been shopping for scrapbooking goodies lately? Did you get something good with a craft store coupon? Did Santa bring you any scrappy gifts? Share your latest finds or favorites with me in the comments.

I picked up an extra Lucky You Journal List Pad, and on Friday I will pick a lucky commenter to share it with.

Let’s play…

What’s In Tami’s Shopping Bag?

Maybe I’ll make this a regular feature here. In the name of interesting blogging and all. Haha.

I popped into my local scrapbook store yesterday on the way home from Scrooge callbacks (cross your fingers for Reece, he’s up for Tiny Tim!). Did I need anything? Nope. Like most of you, I could survive for years on the collection I’ve accumulated. But I had a few minutes and felt the need to see what was new. Turns out they were having a Halloween promotion and I pulled a 25% off discount out of the pumpkin head. Bonus! I was obviously meant to go shopping, and far be it from me to interfere with fate.

Here’s what I came home with:

 

Four sheets of adorable Sassafrass Lass double-sided paper with cool edges. Love this stuff. I have eleventy hundred ideas for it already.

Four sheets of Making Memories paper. The three Paperie sheets are double sided. The other one is diecut and I’m excited by the idea that whatever I put behind it will show through the holes. Coolio!

Two sheets of K & Co. “Swell Noel” retro-looking Christmas paper, and one sheet of K & Co. “Christmas Cheer” number paper. I have visions of some sort of Ali Edwards-esque advent thing happening with those numbers. Or maybe a mini album with a page for each day leading up to Christmas. Who knows. I just like those numbers.

One sheet of Luxe Designs “It’s All About Time” calendar paper. So excited to find this! I have been wanting to do a calendar page for a while, a la the Day by Day pages from Journal Revolution (p. 69 – 71 if you have the book). This paper is perfect, and it ties in great with my goal to live and record present moments more actively.

Two completely darling 6x6 American Crafts albums, and matching ribbon. Seriously, you would not believe what a steal these were. The albums were $2.50 each (before the discount), and hold 20 pages. Yep, you read that correctly. The ribbon was $1/spool. Crazy-fantastic bargains. Practically free. And hello?  An orange polka dotted album! Might save that one for a summer project. Seriously, you can never have too many fun mini albums on hand.

 

Have you been shopping lately? What new (or new to you) stuff are you excited about? Or if you haven't been shopping, what scrappy goodies are on your wish list? Share some retail fun with me, and in honor of Halloween I’ll pick a random person to win a treat from my latest faves.

Calling all locals

If you’re local to the Rancho Santa Margarita, CA area, come by the Timeless Treasures Scrapyard Sale this Saturday between 9:00 am & 5:30 pm and get an up-close-and-personal glimpse of what my shopping addiction looks like.

I will be selling bargain-priced idea books & magazines, albums, tools, unmounted stamps, oodles of dollar page kits (put together by me with paper & embellishments from my stash), and whatever else I ruthlessly purge from my studio between now and then. There are several other vendors as well, so deals are sure to abound.

I will be sitting there all day long, probably working on a photo album scrapbook or reading, so come on by, say hi, and do some bargain hunting.

Happy colors

I wanted to share some fun, colorful finds from this week. I love it when the spring & summer colors start hitting the stores!

Check out these cool notebooks & office supplies from Target. And don’t laugh at how much I bought. My self-control goes out the window when it comes to buying notebooks and the like. At least these are eco-friendly.

 

I also spruced up my old family room couch with some fun new pillows from Pottery Barn:

They make me giddy every time I walk in the room. Plus, they’re bigger than my old throw pillows, and thus hide more stains in between steam cleanings – cute AND useful.

I got sunshine on a cloudy day

I know that when it comes to cold and gloomy climates, SoCal’s sporadic rainstorms and 60 degree temps seem downright balmy. But January certainly brought more gray, drizzly days here than this weather wimp is accustomed to.

Alas, wherever you live and whatever the season, sometimes you have to bring your own sunshine. Or at least that’s what I told myself when I bought this:

This will brighten whatever gray days are left of winter, and I can bask in its cute, sunny yellow patent radiance all the way through spring and summer, too. (And did you see that zebra print lining?) The perfect cure for the winter doldrums!

I’d like to buy a vowel

But I’m trying not to. I made myself a little pledge to complete the LOAD challenge without buying anything new. In theory, it isn’t that hard. I have accumulated a ridiculous amount of product, certainly enough to complete 31 layouts. Plus, we are in the middle of the new product drought that precedes CHA, so there isn’t anything that I’m absolutely salivating for right now. My problem is of a phonetic nature. Alphabet stickers are one of my go-to products, and cutting o’s from 8’s is getting old, not to mention the dearth of e’s and a’s that there never seems to be a good fix for. The good news is that I know exactly which colors and sizes I want to buy on February 1. Smarter shopping through deprivation, for sure.

If I can't shop for cute alphabet stickers, I can at least drool over them. I found this adorable alpha idea over at Modish. Check out those little wooden boxes labeled with big American Crafts letters - such a clever and colorful way to categorize! You can click on the picture to go to the whole article and see more of the creative space of one of the founders of Adorn Magazine.

And speaking of drooling and American Crafts, have you seen the cool CHA previews on their blog?

I will not shop. I will not shop. _ wll nt shp.

Outside it’s wetsy, so I’m shopping at Etsy

The weather here has been cold and rainy for days, so in between chugging Starbucks mochas and scrapping like crazy for Lain’s L.O.A.D challenge over at Big Picture, I have been indulging myself in some post-holiday shopping over at Etsy. I never cease to be amazed by all the cool people and cool stuff there. Here’s what I’ve bought recently, from the comfort of my chair (and mostly while wearing my jammies):

   
Vintage Flying Bird Necklace by Mykonos

 

Scrapper’s Batch by SusyJack
(I am also totally inspired by her clothespins and definitely plan to make a set of my own using paper scraps!)

 

Labels by Ormolu
(have I mentioned I’m a little obsessed with labels?)

 

Patterned Gift Tags by Elfrida

 

Ecology of Flowers print by Swallowfield

 

Camera strap by VMJess
(as a tall girl who likes to wear my camera across my body, I love the longer length she offers)

Yellow Filigree Flower Necklace by RedaretheRoses 

 

Owl address labels by maxandbella