shopping | Bead Happily Ever After

Shop ’til We Drop – Friday Favorites

Posted on September 11, 2009 by crystal

For this week’s Friday Favorites, let’s go shopping! 🙂

C’mon, we can all squeeze into the car.

Oh wait . . . not enough seat belts!

Ok, well then grab the mouse. We’ll do it online! 😀

Autumn Pumpkins Pillow

Painting with fabric . . . Here’s a gorgeous example of how a home accessory can truly be a work of art. Wool pumpkins have been hand pieced and applied with a blanket stitch to soft 100% wool fabric. Hand embroidered with a variety of stitches that include: Moss stitch, Spider web, Filling stitch, French knots, Raised chain band, Couching and Fly stitch. The Pillow edge is trimmed using a glass beaded blanket stitch. From ThreeSheepStudio

“Illuminated Jack-O-Lanterns”

Wouldn’t this print be just the thing to display near your doorway to welcome any ghosts or goblins this season? The scene is a pumpkin patch with a row of jack-o-lanterns that appear to be glowing amidst fallen leaves. Bare trees & foliage are silhouetted against the eerie night sky…
GICLEE PRINT of the artist’s original (which was painted in acrylic on canvas). From villagefolkart

Candy Corn Pendant

Adorable, yes? It will be a trick to keep this treat away from friends and family who will want to “borrow” it! 😉 This is a fused art glass pendant which was designed, cut, fused, and annealed by the artist in her home studio.
From jochris12

Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Gift Tags!

Whether you use them as gift tags, or to accompany home baked treats, or for writing a little love note to tuck into a lunchbox, this sweet set of tags will add cheer from now through Thanksgiving! Set of 4 hand stamped and painted pumpkin tags. Made on high quality card stock.
From frenchcountry

Hope you enjoyed today’s shopping trip!!

Next time we’ll rent a bus, ok? lol

Have a super duper weekend, everyone!

I’ll see you on Monday with a new giveaway and new questions. 🙂

Funny Money

Posted on August 12, 2009 by crystal

About a week ago, we went shopping. I had a list of boring things we needed – like towels, underwear, and a medium sized frying pan.

There’s a “Kohl’s” department store near us. We shop there only occasionally, because I find that their regular prices are a bit on the high side. They DO have good sales though; especially on the things I wanted to buy. So Kohl’s it was . . .

I was pretty pleased with the good deals that I found and also with the grand total that appeared on the screen at the checkout register. But it’s what happened next that really delighted me!

As the clerk handed me my receipt, she announced that I had just earned $20.00 in “Kohl’s Cash”. Ever the skeptic, I raised an eyebrow at first. Surely I’d have to spend more money before I could use this “cash”? Or maybe sign up for their credit card? Or turn over my first-born??

The very cordial lady assured me that all I had to do was use it in the next 10 days for whatever I wanted, except a gift card. Wow!!! It was the “no purchase required” that really impressed me. Besides the great sale prices I had just received on my purchases, I actually had a gift of TWENTY dollars to spend any way I liked. Well, you just know that we went back to spend it, right?

Wanna see what we bought?

There’s a picture frame for our gallery wall of old family photos, two cute summer glasses with fish and bubbles on them, and some socks for Sir Beads-A-Lot. 🙂

I thought it would be fun to see how close to twenty we could get. Our grand total was $18.87 – close enough. And there was extra value here because the “free items” were also on sale so that “$20 cash coupon” actually bought $38.00 worth of items.

The treasure-hunt element is what made it especially fun – best time we’ve had shopping in years!

C’mon now, please tell us about your good deal. 😀

Window Shopping

Posted on August 6, 2009 by crystal

Hey Kids! It’s been a while since we went shopping together. So c’mon! Let’s take a peek at a few goodies that are currently available on etsy.

Ready? 🙂 Here we go . . .

Need a gift for someone allergic to flowers?

This could be the answer. A unique and tiny crocheted ”tweed” basket stands about 4.5″ tall. It’s made with a plastic cup, weighted for balance, and arranged with crocheted violets in light purple and medium purple with beaded centers. From etsy artist, crochetbouquet

How about new home decor for Autumn?

Here’s a pretty Pumpkin and Leaf Candle Mat to show off a special vase or candle. It measures approximately 8″ x 15″, and is made of wool/rayon blended felt with 100% cotton backing. Machine appliquéd with a pumpkin leaf motif. Accented with wooden buttons and beads that actually look like nuts. From etsy artist, byEmilie11.

Talk about cute!

Here’s a darling little fuchsia macramé Cell Phone Bag.
Sweet and colorful with a long carrying strap. Hang from your shoulder or throw it over your head. Perfect for adults, big girls and little girls. Purse measures 5 1/2″ H, 5 1/2″ L and 1″ W. Strap measures 46″. Large enough for cell or iPod and other small items. From etsy artist, JustKnots.

I can never resist the pottery. Just look at this beauty!

The “Ice Cylinder Vase” is hand painted in ice blue and ivory. Hand etched with a black eyed susan and a graphic rectangle. Absolutely stunning! From etsy artist, oneblackbird.

Well, I’m out of money after all those purchases.

Just kidding!!! We were only window shopping . . .

at least for now! 😉

Thanks for your company. Let’s do it again soon, ok? 😀

Things that Make Me Go – Ahhhhh!

Posted on July 7, 2009 by crystal

I love to shop and etsy is one of my favorite places to browse online!

Wanna window shop with me?

You do? 🙂

OK, great! Let’s go . . .

Is this little purse your “Cup of Tea”?

Teacup pouches are quilted and have a 9 inch corded handle and a handmade tea tag. They have a zipper closure and measure 6 inches across the top and are 5″ deep. They are finished the same on both sides. Perfect for carrying all your basics. Available from Patchwork Pottery .

Then there’s artwork . . .

This adorable print, “April Showers”, is one in a series of 12 drawings representing each month of the year. Available from Sarah Jane Studios.

I love pottery and I love flowers so this stunning vase is right up my alley!

Three sunflowers in full bloom adorn this highfired stoneware vase. Each petal was meticulously applied by hand to this wheel thrown form…no molds here! This rustic beauty would look gorgeous with flowers in it or just all by itself. Available from muddyfingers.

Gee, that was fun! Thanks for your company. Let’s do it again soon!

We just had to have it!

Posted on May 28, 2009 by crystal

My husband and I love art, antiques, and museums of all kinds. When you add to that our love for a bargain, it can be a risky combination. Sometimes we end up with some rather unusual “treasures”. 😉

For example, a few years ago on our anniversary we were shopping at one of our favorite stores, HomeGoods. If you have one in your town, I probably don’t have to tell you that they carry some remarkable items – everything from 5-foot snowmen to artsy garden statuary to a life-sized knight in shining armor! Of course they also have lots of dishes, cookware, linens, and even a bit of furniture.

But as I was saying . . . It was our anniversary, and after lunch at a favorite restaurant, we stopped at HomeGoods because I needed some new glassware. We had already agreed that we would skip anniversary gifts for that year, but then had second thoughts and decided it would be festive to have new water goblets in honor of the occasion. We found some glasses we liked on sale and just as we started to stroll up to the cash register – we both stopped short and looked at each other with a raised eyebrow.

There he was!

C’mon, don’t laugh!!

He was only $24.00!!! And he is so beautifully made!!! Plus it was our anniversary! And we love art! Ok, ok, enough excuses. “King Tut” sits on top of a bookshelf in our living room and makes us grin every time we see him. 🙂