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It took way too long, but I finally finished the first project on my craft list.  A Halloween costume. Does anyone remember this dress ?...

Showing posts with label shopping fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping fun. Show all posts

Friday, March 23, 2018

Q Box Unboxing: Late Clearance Box Opening

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Here’s something super late.  Last November I stumbled upon Q Box.  It’s a subscription box, sort of like Kawaii Box, which features cute goodies mostly from Japan based on a monthly theme.  Some past themes include Pokémon, Sailor Moon, Alice in Wonderland, etc.

Q Box Clearance Box Unboxing

Anyway, I discovered they were having a special box, their clearance box.  Packed full with more items than normal at a cheaper price.  Plus, they were having a special sale, buy 2 get 1 free.  Hard to resist that.

Cute packaging for Q Box, the cute subscription box

So not long later, this adorably cute package showed up in the mail for me.

Three cute Q Box boxes, waiting to be opened.

And inside were three “boxes”, I think the last one was packed in the cute heart bag to save space.

Close up of a cute Christmas sticker on a subscription box.

It was close to Christmas at the time, so they put cute little holiday stamps on the boxes.  Most fitting since I actually used many of the goodies inside for Christmas.  I stuffed those pouches I made (see Sewing Pouches, Lots of Them) and gave them as gifts.

Close up of the Q Box logo sticker on the box.

Anyway, the boxes and all other packaging also had Q Box’s special little logo sticker, in case anyone forgot where this stuff all came from. :)

The inside of one of the Q Box clearance boxes, they can fit of lot of cute stuff in each one.

And a lot of stuff there was, each box was crammed full of fun surprises.  I had originally intended to open one box at a time, you know, take my time with it.  But I ended up ripping through all three at once.  I did take the time to make a video, which was then pushed to side due to holiday preparation.

But finally, here is my Q Box unboxing video.



Enjoy!
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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

A Late Black Friday Craft Haul

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!


Like many people around the country, I felt enticed by the ads for all the Black Friday deals.  But instead of electronics, toys and clothes, I bought craft supplies (and dolls)!

Joann had sales from Thursday through Sunday, so I decided to shop for all the craft supplies for my Christmas craft projects.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

First up is my online order.  The first day for the black “Friday” sale was Thursday, but it was online only because the stores were closed for Thanksgiving. 

It’s a good thing.  Let the employees spend the time with their loved ones and the customers shop from the comfort of their home while eating plenty of pie.All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

Anyway, the package came less than a week later.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I only bought a few items, I was holding out a little.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I got a pack of fabric markers.  I plan on using them for one of my Christmas projects, but I can think of a number of other uses.  Great way to justify them. :)

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

However, these charms were an impulse buy.  The are cute little keys and heart locks, and I think they would make adorable little doll necklaces.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

Here some sparkly holiday yarn I got for another project.  Several different yarns were on sale, so I grabbed some white baby yarn too.  It always comes in handy for small crafts.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

This one is also for one of my Christmas projects, and it’s a little unusual.  A posable doll made from white muslin.  He is 14 inches tall, but obviously most of the height is in those long, long legs.  He will be fun to play with when I’m done.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

Now for the stuff I bought in store, with the doll relaxing on top.  I went on Saturday because the best deals were actually on Saturday and Sunday.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

First I picked up some acrylic paint.  They weren’t actually on sale, but there was a coupon in the ad that worked for them.  Yay for coupons!  I got pink parfait, white, blue bonnet and leaf green. 

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

The doll dragged over the markers, I think he knows I’m going to use them on him.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I picked up some soft Velcro, because I had another coupon and you can’t have enough of it around.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I also got this pack of cardstock.  Most of the scrapbook papers were 75% off including this cardstock.  Good time to stock up.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

While I was there, I took a peek at some of the clearance items and found these two broaches, a floral one and a cameo.  They will go perfectly with my wardrobe.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I also went through the patterns.  The Simplicity patterns were on sale for $1 each!  This is a dress pattern I’ve been eyeing, number 8444.  It’s for a blouse and dress inspired by a certain Japanese street fashion.  Sadly, you find it with the “costume” patterns.  Sigh.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I got a few sheets of felt, they were 5 for $1.  Sadly, I accidently got one of the premium non-sale pieces.  My coupon still worked on it.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

Now the best part about the sale, the remnants.  They were all on sale for half their normal price, plus they took an extra 75% off. 

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I got these two plaids, the larger red plaid will be great for my Christmas sewing and the small blue plaid is good for doll clothes.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

I could not resist this cute cat print.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

And I got this huge hunk of red felt.  I needed some for a couple of projects and this will be more than enough for my needs.  I will have plenty leftover for next year too.

All the craft supplies I bought from Joann on Black Friday.  Great bargains!

Last but not least, I grabbed this small pink polka dot fabric.  I’m not sure what to do with it, but at the very least I can make a tiny doll dress with it.

And over all, I spent less than $45, and have enough supplies to keeping me crafting for at least a couple months.  Maybe.


Give it a try:

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Wednesday, October 25, 2017

A Spooky Black Craft Haul

I had intended to post this sooner, but life happens.

Anyway, to prepare for a certain holiday craft project I took a trip to my favorite craft store, SAS.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

As you can see, black was the color of choice for my craft purchases this time.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

I bought a few yards of black cotton fabric, you will see what this is for later this week. :)

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.  Black lace anyone?

To go along with it I bought this thin black lace.  It’s funny about the lace.  I looked all over the store, desperately trying to find black lace that would work.  I’m afraid there wasn’t much lace in that color to be found despite how close it is to Halloween.   Plus, most of what was there was either too wide, pricey or cheap looking.

Then I found the clearance area. 

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.  One dollar lace!

This entire bag of lace for only $1, and not just any lace, the perfect lace for my project and future ones to come.  Which is why I bought two bags of it.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween. Pretty lace.

Naturally, while searching for this perfect black lace I found some more lace I couldn’t live without.  These two lovelies will come in handy for a couple more projects.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.  Lots of black ribbon.

In addition to the lace, I needed black ribbon and that was thankfully much easier to find.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.  Black flowers for accessories

I also needed some large black flowers, so I bought the two on the right.  The smaller bunch of rosebuds I bought as an impulse.  I tend to used this type of rose bud a lot (see Hair Accessories Again? A Tutorial and Flowers for Your Hair, Flower Headband Tutorial), so having a few black ones might come in handy.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.  A baby carriage for dolls?

Speaking of impulse buys, I also got this little baby carriage party favor for less than three dollars.  I thought it would be cute for my dolls.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

I also got this pack of golden roses with bows.  Couldn’t resist them at twenty-five cents and I think they will work perfectly for some Christmas crafting.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

Now the practical stuff, like thread.  Surprisingly not in black, but I buy black and white thread in bulk.  It’s other colors I tend to need, like pink and navy.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

I also bought a couple more blank headbands.  I like these ones because they are made of metal instead of plastic.  That means I can adjust the fit without breaking them.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

I also needed some more hooks and eyes, plus I grabbed some snaps just in case.  I go through these a lot for doll clothes and stuff, so I like to grab a pack every time I stop by SAS.  For 99 cents each, it’s a bargain. 

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

I needed some more zippers, in black and white.  Both for upcoming projects.

Craft store shopping haul, or shopping for Halloween.

And finally I grabbed some more glue sticks for my glue gun.  It will be used constantly in the next few months.

That’s all for this haul, now stay tuned for the finished projects.  :)




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Saturday, July 22, 2017

5 Reasons Why I Got the BC Stack 2017

This post may contain affiliated links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!


Yesterday, something strange and miraculous happened.  I checked my email.

I know, I do it everyday, but this time I got a most wonderful email.  It told me about this beautiful thing called the BC Stack.  It’s a bundle deal of resources for bloggers/small businesses.  They only do it once a year, and that’s okay, because it makes it feel like Christmas.   Over $9000 worth of courses and such for a super low price, $27.  That’s it, no extra fees or taxes, just 27 dollars!

I bought it up faster than you can say Goodwill Dollar day.  It is particularly unusual since, I’m sad to admit this, during all the years I’ve been blogging I have never purchased a single course or book on the subject.  I’ve always relied on free resources provided by all the many generous bloggers out there.

5 Reasons why I got the BC Stack 2017. A bundle deal of blogging courses/resources.

Why I took the plunge to get the BC Stack 2017:

  • Education is important.  Everyone and their mother will tell you this for everything in life, and blogging is no exception.  I’ve heard from more bloggers than I can count how important it is to invest in your blog/business by taking courses, reading, etc.  You need to learn to grow.  However…
  • Money doesn’t grow on trees.  I’ve shied away from many paid blogging courses out there, even the most well loved ones simply due their not so well loved prices.  Some go for hundreds of dollars.  Hard to justify (even though I spend that much on dolls, but that’s another issue).
  • I love bargain deals.  You see this well in my Comicon grab bag haul (see Phoenix Comicon Shopping Haul and Grab Bag Opening).  Getting a big bag of goodies for a small, small price is super fun.  And I think the BC Stack is like the motherlode of grab bags.  Except this time, instead of random toys I may not use, I get a boat load of eBooks and courses I will definitely use.  I know this because…
  • It includes products I wanted to buy anyway.  That’s right.  Despite my cheapskate nature, there are a few of those oh so pricey courses and books I’m willing to save up for.  Like The Blogging Binder created by Sara Titus as well as several of her eBooks.  Also Blog Clarity’s Media Smash Book.
  • Nearly everyone can afford it.  That $27 price tag is tiny.  I’ve bought shoes for more than that, and I’m especially stingy on shoes.  I also spend more than that on fabric, drawing pens, make up (despite the little I actually wear), and my ramen addiction.  If necessary, I can cut back on all of those to afford this bundle easily.

These are my reasons, now what about you?  Check out the BC Stack while you still can, it’s only available for 4 more days.  Find your reason to take the plunge and tell us about it.


Update 7/25/17

Last day to get this deal is tomorrow, so this is your last chance!  They actually added an extra bonus to the stack, the BC eBusiness Subscription Box.  They will send you a goodie box (by email) containing an ebook and other fun things each month.  Don’t worry, those who already bought the BC Stack will get it too. :)

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Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Sailor Moon Gashapon Toy Unboxing

It’s up a little later than I had planned, but it’s finally ready.

Sailor Moon Gashapon Unboxing.  Cute capsule toys from Japan.

My Sailor Moon gashapon unboxing!

For those who don’t know, a gashapon or Gachapon is a capsule toy from Japan.  Like the tiny toys you see selling for 25 or 50 cents in those little machines at grocery stores. 

Kind of like that, only much better.  They are usually better quality and with a wider variety to choose from.  For more information about them, check this video from Only in Japan.

Sailor Moon Gashapon Unboxing.  Cute capsule toys from Japan.

Anyway, as you saw in my Comicon haul video (see Phoenix Comicon Shopping Haul and Grab Bag Opening), I received several gashapons from my grab bags, all Sailor Moon ones. 

Since opening them was so special to me, I chose to make it a separate video.  And now you can finally see for yourself.  Be prepared for a couple of surprises.

Enjoy the video!

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Sunday, June 25, 2017

Phoenix Comicon Shopping Haul and Grab Bag Opening

Continuing on from my Phoenix Comicon 2017 video, here is part 2.  The shopping haul!

Phoenix Comicon shopping haul video, lots of fun grab bags and cute stuff!

All the cute and/or unusual stuff I bought at the vendors hall.  Mostly grab bags, I can’t resist them.  One part surprise, one part bargain and full of fun.


Enjoy the video.

Here’s links for some of the items:

I will be posting the next video soon for the Sailor Moon gashapons.  Look forward to it!

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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Wordless Wednesday: “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Taken at a local Target store.

All was not right in the Frozen toy aisle at Target.


All was not right in the Frozen toy aisle at Target.  I guess she didn't want to build a snowman.

Featuring this Frozen music box.


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Monday, April 10, 2017

A Quick and Pink Craft Haul

To prepare to tackle some of the projects on my current craft list, I needed to make a quick trip to the craft store. 

Specially to SAS, mainly because I noticed they were having a clearance sale.  :) I was just going to buy some lace and some basic sewing items.

A very pink craft shopping haul.

But I came back with all of this.

Pink allover lace fabric.

This beautiful allover lace knit material, $2 less per yard.  It is perfect for one particular project.

Lots of pink ribbon.

To go with the lace, I bought ribbon in two different widths and thread.  Don’t worry, they don’t look it in the photos, but the colors match nicely.

Pretty roses and other fabric flowers.

I also got some matching roses and some bunches of white flowers just because.

Cute and cheap faux pearl beads.

I found some baggies of small faux pearls for 99 cents, in white and pink.  Great for embellishing clothing and for doll pieces.

Pink fold over elastic.  Good for hair ties.

And they had fold over elastic for 75 cents a yard.  Yep, the same elastic used for those hair ties that sell in stores for about $3 for a pack of 6 ties.

Pretty pink floral print fabric.

In addition to the lace, I bought this pink floral print simply because it was cute and half price.  Thank you clearance sale.

Tiny snaps, good for doll clothes.

I made sure to pick up a pack of tiny snaps.  With all the dolls clothes I’ve been making, I keep on running out of snaps.

A very pink craft shopping haul.

And I grabbed some glue gun sticks.  They sell large one for about 15 cents each.

I think I did pretty well this trip about not buying a ton of extra stuff, but who knows what will happen next time.  For now I just need to get cracking on my next craft project.  Look forward to it!

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