New Patterns Anyone?

I wanted to post this yesterday, but I had some major technical issues.  Basically Live Writer wouldn’t work, something about connection problems.  Anyway, the other day I stopped by Bookman’s for the first time in a while.  I had plenty of trade credit leftover and a specific reason for shopping.

I wanted to get some more patterns and I was lucky to find some gems.  I found three packets of vintage patterns that I both liked and were in my size.  That doesn’t always happen.  My favorite is the Simplicity one, can you see why?  I think it is the cutest dress and I just need the right fabric.  Look forward to seeing it on a future list.  All the patterns were $2 each, not too bad.  They did have a bunch for $1, but I couldn’t use most of them.  Darn.

I managed to also get some inkpads for $1 each and found a cute new rubber stamp to add to my collection for only 75 cents.  And just for fun, I got a graphic novel for a series I hadn’t read yet.  It’s called Pichi Pichi Pitch.  The characters are cute and there’s plenty of gags, but the story is a little hard to follow.  There seems to be some inconsistencies and some little details that aren’t explained much.  Still, I’m dying to find out what happens in volume 2.  Better get back to my sewing.  Should have the next project finished by tomorrow or Thursday.  Look forward to it.

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Suds Up or Down

I got a kit to make soap at Bookman’s months ago and it just sat on a shelf until I moved it to another shelf.  I finally took it down and used it.  This is my first time making soap, and as it turns out I’m not too great at it.  I guess they don’t seem that bad judging by the photo, but pictures lie.  I used too much of the little color things in the packet, so the color is too concentrated.  So much so that I’m afraid the color may irritate my eyes and stain my skin.  Imagine being afraid of soap adding stains.  Maybe I’m being silly.  But, I do think I over did it on the fragrance, it seems a little over-powering.  Maybe it will air out.  It’s worth saying, you can’t be good at everything your first try, just try a second time.  So it’s a good thing I still have more supplies.  Now that I know what not to do, the next batch should be that much closer to perfection.  I hope.
Here’s the updated list:

• skirt
• dress shorts
• bookmarks
• boxes
• key necklace
• cutoffs
• embellished wedges
• rings
• soap
• Top
• luggage makeover

Nine down, just two more to go.  The next one will be a little tricky.

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Stamp-aholic

I have an obsession with rubber stamps.  I’m not sure why, I’m not really big on card making or scrapbooking.  There’s just something so appealing about those cute little images formed into a stamp and mounted to wood or foam.  

It all started one day when I was browsing at Bookman’s among the craft stuff.  They had all these stamps in a huge bowl, I spent several minutes looking through it all.  I picked out this little strawberry and bunny and one other stamp.  It has continued on since then.  It isn’t that bad of a hobby.  Bookman’s usually has a good selection, normally priced from 25 cents to 1 dollar.  And I only use trade credit for them so it isn’t costing me any money.

After the first few, I found this set of stamps for only 4 dollars (in trade).  I just imagined all the cute things I could make and embellish with them.  Mostly things like stationary and pretty shopping lists.  I still haven’t used them for anything, but I do enjoy looking at them.

This one I actually have used, the purpose should be obvious.  I made gift tags last Christmas for all my handcrafted gifts.  They went well with the handmade fabric wrappings.

Of these two, I got the first one because it made me think of my cat, plus the one that said “meow, meow” had a price I wasn’t willing to pay.  The other one I got fairly recently because I was hoping for at least some sign of Spring.  Still hoping.

These had a similar inspiration to the spring one, plus the fact that they came as a set which included an ink pad.  I think they’d work for card or maybe for a charm bracelet.  Umm.

These last three are the most recent additions to my collection.  I spotted the head of lettuce while leaving and spent the whole day thinking about it.  Something about it is just so appealing to me, although I think it’d be cuter if it was a head of cabbage.  I’ve said it before, my tastes are odd.  When I went back for it, I found the other two stamps.  The bear mail postage stamp was adorable and cheaper than a similar stamp.  I’m not sure what the last one is supposed to be, but it reminded me of fireworks.  Maybe it’d be good for Independence Day.

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Book it to Bookman’s

I’ve been clearing out a lot of stuff lately and taking them to trade at Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange.  Well, I ended of with a whole mess of trade credit, and so yesterday I decided to use some of it.  Actually most of it.  I came home with one of their super cute paper bags brimming with goodies.

 

I got this magazine/book thing called Altered Couture.  I’m not sure if it is suppose to be a magazine or a book since it’s so thick, but it’s chock full of ideas for altering old clothes into something more interesting.  Along with it, I found a pair of pinking shears.  Woo Hoo!  They were priced at $5.  I’ve been dying to get a pair.  Now just think of all the things I can do with them.  Heh, Heh.

I also found this book, 100 Things You Don’t Need a Man For.  It’s about doing repair work and home improvement, and it’s really cute.  The instructions are fun and easy to understand, and it’s full of vintage illustrations and funny pictures of fashion dolls.  I just find it amusing as well as useful.

 

And for fun, I got this.  Really, those other things are for practical purposes.  I love Cathy, though not as much as my sister.  She finished this one off before I got a chance to look at it.  Still, Cathy comic strips are hilarious, I especially love the shopping ones.  We all can relate to her predicaments in the dressing room.  And if not, they’re still funny.

With all this, it only came to about $27.  And I use trade credit, so essentially it was free to me.  Not too shabby, right?  And this time I did spread out beyond my usual path.  When I buy stuff at Bookman’s, it’s usually anime DVDs or videos and manga.  And sometimes Archie comics.  I guess sometimes it more interesting to do things a little differently.  Maybe next time, I’ll look for my comics at Goodwill instead of craft stuff.

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