About 2 years ago now my very special “Blog Friend” Dianne in Florida sent me an amazing parcel containing lots of WONDERFUL bits and pieces from Michael’s AND a black Michaels shopper ……
I kept that shopper in a very special place ….. dreaming that one day I would actually be able to use it in “real life” on a shopping trip to a branch of Michaels, but in my heart of hearts, to be honest, I never thought I would.
But as you know, life has a nasty habit of biting you on the bum ….. and turning your world upside down …… but last September I decided that I had to keep Andy’s promise to Lu to go to Las Vegas for her 30th birthday, a year early, because life is now too short to wait, on the proviso that there was a trip to Michaels and a Dollar Store on the itinerary!!!! Let’s just say she didn’t put up a fight!
So, on our fourth day in Vegas, we booked a taxi, a day when the heat was just unbelievable …… just taking a few steps was exhausting and almost unbearable, like nothing we had ever experienced before …… and we thanked goodness for air con every time we entered a shop/hotel/building. ….. but I digress ……
I adored all the Industrial Chic jewellery findings (above) ….. but being “newly” sensible, just bought one glass locket!
Where do I start ……. except to say OMG!! It could have been soooooooo easy to get carried away ……., I got a trolley, but knew I had to be mahoooosively restrained, although Lu did helpfully suggest that if I did make too many considered purchases to fit in my suitcase, I could always post a few parcels back home !!!
My reasoning for buying anything was that I would only buy things I hadn't seen before and would probably not see in the UK or were silly money (too expensive for me) in the UK. They also had to be things that I could already envisage using on a project, that they were value for money if I was using them on things to sell (cards/sweetie bags etc.), and naturally, because I loved them! BUT IT WAS SO, SO HARD, especially when comparing what you’d have to pay in UK compared to the US and where the ranges, like Smash Book were what we can only dream off at home!
It was only the beginning of August …. but Michaels already had their Halloween stuff out, aisles and aisles of it ………… OMG …. I could have bought soooooooo much ….. but I reined in my passion and only bought two reels of spider and spider web ribbon, a pack of felt spider sticker and some skull cameos embellishments. I can hardly look at the pictures above now for fear of being reminded of some of the other wonderful bits and pieces I left behind, things that we just don’t see here, and now have ideas for.
I must have been in the shop for over two hours (poor Lucy). I would say that I spent the longest time in the paper and embellishments/sticker aisles …..
…….. there were so many, many beautiful Jolees stickers, the stickers I cut my crafting teeth on all those years ago …..but I had to be sensible …… and from the Christmas section I only purchased “all” the small penguin embellishments they had, that you can just about see in the picture, working out that I could get 12 cards from each pack and that I could make the cutest cards with.
In all, I spent about £86 ….. which was enough, but doesn't look at lot when all laid out!!
I mainly bought embellishments ….. which included a lot of birds ….. the black metal ones in particular (above right and below left)…… were a “must have”, as were the Jolees crows in cages (above right) which were a steal for 99c (65p) a pack.
I treated myself to some Martha Stewart air dry clay and one of her moulds (the one with the small bird) after seeing them on Create and Craft for silly money and were one of the few things I purposely looked for.
My one HUGE indulgence was a large, black glittered crow from the Halloween decor range, (sorry, no picture) which now sits on my desk at work ….. and has been much admired …… as he is very beautiful!
There were a few things I sadly had to leave behind, which I would have bought in bulk if I’d seen them in UK ….. like these jars ….. I wanted them sooooooo much! You all know I have a huge thing for jars …. and the jar aisles in Michaels, yes they have long aisles just for jars, ….. OMG ….. I could only bear to go down them once ….. as I knew I couldn’t buy any of them and that was just too painful!!!
And now I am home …… all my swag is put away safe in a separate "My Las Vegas box" ….
12 comments:
fab I love what you have brought and when you come to see me in October we can have a play lol well we can get every thing out look at it say what we could do with it have a vodka and then spend hours putting it all away lol but o so much fun big cant wait to play love marc
Oh my, all those super goodies - I think I would have just wanted to move in...LOL
How does anyone stay sensible when in a store like that - you have amazing will-power.
Toni xx
It will come Helen, I have to say I think you have been coping marvellously and I'm so glad you enjoyed Micheals, how I would love to go! It sounded a bit too hot for me but I would have braved the heat for that shop! Hope your kitchen goes well, how exciting. Love barb x
I was the same when I visited Michaels in Palm Beach Florida! The only thing that was missing was a cafe and then I would of stayed all day! Glad you had a great time.
Janex
It was my whole hearted wish for you to visit Michael's (as well as A C Moore, Joanne's super store, and Hobby Lobby) while you were enjoying the glamour of Vegas and the natural beauty of the west......you are the best and have so much talent for design and do such beautiful work, I know it will always find an outlet and take you to various inspired directions......hope there were many, many new craft items for you to enjoy......Michael's is always changing stock with new items or groups or collections of small items (jewelry, embellishments, etc)......Michael's will have their Christmas bounty out soon now that all the summer stuff is long gone! I know your design ideas are probably all tied up with your kitchen and other house projects so not too worry......Hope you and Marc had wonderful shared time together.....Love, Dianne
It sounds like a fairy tale shop..... you did ever so well with only £86.00... I have loved hearing about your holiday and the wedding of the year lol
Tilly
PS You can see how difficult it was for me to choose items to send you with the number of choices available! I never knew if I was making the right choice, plus they change, but with a hand full of coupons how can you resist?......I hope the embellishments were 40% off when you were there; usually one or two of the brands are on sale each week and sometimes 40% off M. Stewart items.....also 40% off on particular jewelry items is common.......perhaps Michael's will be in the UK one day....Dianne
Wow - looks like you had an amazing time there - just hope that mojo kicks in soon!
I really don't know how you were so controlled - I'd have bought trolley loads and worried about getting them home later! Don't worry about the irregular postings, we all know where to find you and will pop in to catch up.
OMG - I have to go to Michaels!!!! Hope you get your Mojo back. x
Thank you for this wonderful post, Helen. I'm so glad you got to go to Michael's. A new U.S. craft store you could add to your list is Archiver's. They have rows and rows and wonderful items--mostly for paper crafting, though. I am confident that your mojo will return, and many of us content to simply know you are out there and will post when you can. Hugs and wishes for more trips to Michaels!
I'm pleased you did make it ti Michael's yourself - until you have seen it you don't believe it!
Even my husband admits he could spend time there - which is good as I was there a while...
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