It was a very good day!

I just love, love, love to get a GREAT bargain. And last Saturday was my day! How about a Liz Claybourne leather, not vinyl, purse in mint condition (Talize) for only $9.00? Or how about, 3 pairs of new ladies winter boots (2-dress and 1 for shoveling) 1-pair men's dress winter boots and 2-pair of little boys hiking shoes for $42.00? Walmart was selling off winter stock and I hit the jackpot!  So, how was my day? Hmmmm let me think....getting to be with my wee fiend Kian and Hubby John most of the day, a chance to browse and not rush, in my favourite thrift shop, going out to my favorite pizza restaruant for supper and saving myself more than a few bucks on winter boots that I needed. I'd say it was a very good day!

2011 Year of The Rabbit & a Thrifty Find

Holy cow....another month has passed by already! Where does the time go? I have been busy, busy, busy getting raffle packages all done up for our Bamboo Bunch Chinese New Year celebration. I have been hopping around like a bunny, here, there and everywhere trying to get everything finished up. The celebration is in another 2 weeks and I still have one more prize to wrap. Not to worry though, it will be done tomorrow night. What a relief that will be. Once the 31 prizes are gone I can have my living room and family room back. I'm not really complaining. I really enjoy doing up the prizes. I collect stuff all year round, both new and renewable items. I keep a keen eye out for really great bargains and for unique containers and then early in January I start wrapping everything up. I love collecting the stuff....I HATE wrapping it up. I'm not good at that and I find it a chore that I tend to put off as long as I can.
Silly me! If I just wrapped a prize up as soon as I had everything collected for it, it would be much easier. But that would make sense wouldn't it? Nope, I have to wait until the last possible moment and then drive myself nuts trying to meet the deadline. Oh well......I'm done for this year and I think that next year I might try something different. We'll see what happens. I do love to watch peoples faces, especially the kids, when they see something that they hope they win and they put their tickets into the box. When the winning ticket gets drawn there are always lots of smiles and that makes me happy. I enjoy that day/evening so much and am looking forward to this years celebration. Someone asked me last year why I don't do this as a business and I told them that then it would become work while now it's just fun for me. I already have a job and this is my down time. So you see, I really do like making up prizes for the raffle table.
Right now I am off to read a few of my favourite "Blogs that make me go Ohhh.....
It's been a while since I have done that and I do miss all of those blogs a lot! Hopefully I will get more time to do it this year. Last year was very busy for me and I seemed to be tired all the time. So far this year things have been much better. It will still be a hectic year I think...a lot of stuff coming up in the next 6 months or so. But not to worry....I feel like I have a lot more energy so I am hoping that it continues on for the rest of the year. So I won't post again until later this month. I will let everyone know how the "2011 Year Of The Rabbit" Chinese New Year celebration went/goes at a later date. Till then have a great February!
PS Speaking of prizes, I just have to tell you about the BEST bargain I have gotten in a while. The other night I was at Walmart and was heading to the checkout while clutching the bottle of shampoo that I had picked up. Hubby John was waiting out in the car and was explicit about instructions of 'DON'T BE IN THERE ALL NIGHT" or he might not be there when I came out. So I was a woman on a mission. There were a bunch of people blocking the aisle while they had a family reunion or something like that and so I veered off into a another aisle and once around the blockage I veered back into the main aisle that leads up to the checkout. Thank goodness I did that or I wouldn't have seen what I did. HOLY COW! There on a shelf.....right at eye level.....were beautiful Disney keepsake boxes filled with 40 individually wrapped cards. Birthday and all occasion.... 2 of each design. There was a box open already so I took a quick peek inside because I figured they were just cheap crap that I wouldn't want. I was stunned! They were absolutely beautifully made. I could not believe that these boxes of cards were only $5.00 each. I grabbed one and continued on to the checkout. I didn't know if I had enough money in my account but figured I could put the shampoo back if not. Anyway long story shortened; I got out to the car with my great find and then called my daughters and had Hubby John turn around and go back to Walmart. Once there I went back inside and grabbed three more boxes of cards. That left only the open one on the shelf and I am kicking myself for not grabbing it too! I was/am one happy thrifty lady who scored an awesome prize.

Wait for the fog to settle.

Jeez! I feel like I am thrift-shopped out.....almost....well....not really! LOL!! Don't you just love "after holiday sales" sales? I LOVE EM!! Tonight, while hubby John waited patiently in the car, all alone, out in the cold and dark, I slipped into Michael's just to take a quick look see. Oooooooo......so much good stuff on sale.....only thirty, forty and fifty cents for things that cost you sixty, seventy or ninety percent MORE just a few weeks ago. The best thing of all is...dare I say it?...GIFT CERTIFICATES!!! With GC's you always have money in your pocket. They are the best!! I got two Michael's GC's for Christmas and just had to go and see what I could get... if anything. Yah right! Like I could walk out of that store without just a little something. hee...hee...hee... For me it's like this.....given a choice of an all-you-can-eat dessert table or a trip to Michael's......hmmm...let me see.... I need to really think about this....NOT!! Michael's will win out any day. So in I went tonight and look what I came out with. I got this lovely box with a magnetic closure on sale at 30% off. Isn't it pretty? I plan on using it for holding my larger sized card and paper stock. This way, my stock stays flat and the edges of the stock are protected. It will look so pretty on the shelf once I get my little corner of the office organized. (this is one of my New Years "hope to do" list items). I also got some rub on transfers, some stick on rhinestones and some Christmas envelopes. Plus a bonus 50% off any regular priced item coupon that I can use on my next thrifting foray. (funky picture frames here I come) So thank you to Jaime for my Christmas gift certificate. I had fun spending it. I have another GC for Michael's from Hubby John and plan on slipping by there again on my way home from work tomorrow night . I want to have another look at the Christmas themed rub-on transfers. I want an hour or so to really look for some more of the good buys. Then poor Hubby John doesn't have to sit all alone in the car in the dark and cold. Of course he could always come in and guard my basket for me...HA! John stop rolling your eyes like that ....they'll get stuck one of these days.....and stop saying what your saying....even if your not saying it out loud. I can tell by the blue fog around your head that you are being very derogatory towards me and Mike's in your unsaid comments. Be nice or I will buy you a GC for a certain store that starts with "M" and ends with "ichaels" for your b-day. Right now though, I am off to take down a few more Christmas decorations and to drool over my fabulously thrifty finds. If only I could get through that darn blue fog a little faster. Oh well, they say that good things come to them that wait. And since tonight I got some really good things I don't mind waiting for the fog to settle.

My free cheese.

I am cheap! I don't care if certain people laugh at me (and you know who you are) when I get excited over saving a penny or two or ten here and there. Those pennies add up one at a time eventually to a dollar or two or ten. I like rummaging through shelves looking for that special deal. It's fun....and yes at times it can be frustrating. But it's the thrill of the hunt....that moment when you get to say "AHA!!!!" that makes it all worth it. When you unearth a treasure that puts pennies, or if your lucky, dollars in your pocket is makes you smile knowing all your hard work paid off. Mind you, depending on how many people are around you at the time you're hunting, you might want to use some proven strategies. Talk and mutter to yourself as you are looking for the treasure. People tend to move away from you when you talk to yourself. Using key words like 'doctor', 'medication' or phrases like, 'I not going back to THAT PLACE' will definitely aide in your treasure hunt. People will move even farther away if you can cough, sniff or make weird twitching motions while talking to yourself. Drool helps as well, but I don't do that as it makes my chin itch. Anyway, if you mutter out loud or to an invisible person beside you, then the area around you will be cleared with nobody to bother you or worse yet, find a treasure with a bargain price before you get to it. I know, I know......those are greedy, rude, selfish and underhanded ploys to use.....but IT WORKS! I always say, all is fair when it comes to thrifting. There are no real rules. Well, except for the one that everyone who thrifts knows about. If somebody has their hand on something, you are not suppose to take it. However if they move their hand off the said item, then dive right in and grab it before they reposition their hand on it. Once contact with an item is lost then said item is fair game for anyone within the reach area. Anyway, regardless of whether it is a new or used treasure, you have to be ruthless and cut throat or you risk loosing the prize to someone else. This week I have found quite a few bargoons that have made me smile. I bought card making kits, at Hallmark, at 70% off. Each kit has items in it to make 8 cards. I got them so I can use the card stock and embellishments along with my own stock and will double or triple how many cards I will eventually make. I am so pleased with all my purchases this week. At 60% off I, of course, bought a few items for use next Christmas. Oh, not to worry! I won't forget about them. I have a few special drawers dedicated to items that I pick up during the year for use as hostess gifts, B-day gifts and as Christmas gifts for the family. Ooops! Listen up family members.....stay out of the drawers! They are off limits to all but me! I also got quite a lot of craft supplies at 60 and 70% off. So I am good to go in 2010. So as far as being thrifty I had a good week BUT today was the star at the top of the tree! I had gone in to Zehrs to buy some cranberry goat cheese for use at our gang's potluck New Year's Eve party that we are attending this evening. There was a little yellow sticker right underneath the display that had the UPC code on it and a sale price. Regular price was $7.99. The sale price was $6.99 BUT to the right of this little sticker was a large sign stating that there was an additional price reduction bringing the final sale price down to $5.99. I was a happy camper at that price. I bought a few more things, keeping it to eight items in total so we could use the express lane. I paid for the goodies while Hubby John bagged everything up and off we went. As I was walking toward the doors I glanced at the receipt. WHAT???? For Pete's sake!! They had overcharged me a dollar for the cheese. Now I know it was only a dollar. But it was MY dollar. I took my bill and bag and went to the courtesy desk. I explained to the young lady at the till what had happened and she sent me and a price checker over to the display. There I showed him that the cheese had been further marked down from the price that came up on the register. They had indeed overcharged me. When we got back to the till with the sale sign in hand, he told the girl that yes, I was due a refund of $1.00 plus tax. A lady who had just finished her paying for her purchases turned to me and said, "Lucky you! You get it free!" I told her that yes, I would get it at the sale price. The young lady at the register said, "Yes, you get a refund." The lady beside me then said very loudly, "No, she gets it free!" She turned to me and said "There is a grocery law that says if the price at the register rings in at a different price than the one posted at the shelf, they have to give it to you free." Now I really thought this was someone who might be a bit of a nut case so I just smiled and said, "Well, I am happy with getting my dollar back." The girl at the register started working on the receipt and said again that it would just take a minute to get my refund. The price checker said to the girl that it was a dollar plus tax that I needed to get back. The lady next to me said to both of them, very loudly and firmly, "No!....She gets a full refund. She gets it free!" The cashier looked at the woman then looked at me and then back at the woman and said," She's right! You are entitled to a full refund. You get it at no charge." I couldn't believe it! I turned to the lady beside me and thanked her for telling me (and everyone else within hearing range) about THIS POLICY. She replied that she was glad to help. I thanked her and the teller again as I was given my cash refund of $7.00.
So for all you who laugh at me about being cheap and thrifty and frugal, I really don't care! I am smiling right now as I type this post and I will be smiling tonight as I munch on my free cheese!


PS: The link that I provided is for a Canadian site. I have seen USA sites that deal with frugal buying but I don't know if they have the same policies or not.

What a great way to start my day.

In all the excitement of Easter I forgot to tell you that I went Christmas shopping on Saturday. Yes it's true...I really did! Actually what I did was go to my first garage sale of the year where I bought Christmas stuff. I just nipped across the road and viola!...there it was. I bought a cute little silver tree hung with silver jingle bells, a new little glass Christmas tree plate, a brand new fuzzy red stocking with white trim and best of all eight napkin holders. I plan on trimming the napkin holders with tiny red bows and turning them into decorations. They were too pretty to just leave them there. I also bought a new book to read. I did show some restraint. I didn't buy the Santa that said...Ho..Ho..Ho.. and wiggled when you pushed a button. Although now that I think of it, it would have made a great re-gift. Rats!... LOL! I did feel a little bit guilty about going on a buying rampage but I don't think the $3.75 that I spent at the sale will break us too much. Anyway that was a fun half hour for me. I do love going thrifting and to garage sales. It makes me smile thinking I got new stuff for next to nothing. Sigh....... I was truly a happy camper. What a great way to start my day.

My Cutie -Patootie, Thrifting & Buttons

I took my Cutie-Patootie Neve for her first thrifting experience last Friday. We both had a very enjoyable morning poking around looking for a good buy. Note I used the word "buy". On Friday I used the word "steal" as in "that's a real steal" and was subjected to a lecture from my CP on how stealing is a bad thing to do. I tried to explain it to her but it was just easier in the end to agree with her and change my use of words. Cutie-Patootie Neve got 2 books at $0.35 each and also what Gram's thought was an addition to her Polly Pockets collection. It turns out that it was actually a Ballet Shop for the Fisher Price village of which she has a few pieces already. In mint condition and at only $1.75 it really was a really good steal, er, I mean, buy. I bought a pretty glass dish at $0.75 and will re-gift it as a hostess gift with candies or cookies or pickles in it. I also bought a bag of buttons at $0.95. It's not too often around KW town that you luck out and find bags of used buttons. So whenever I come across them I snap them up. I like buttons and I like to sort them. I find it very calming. Hubby John made a comment to Jaime (who came over for birthday cupcakes and a game of Scrabble later that afternoon) that that was how he kept me quiet. I quote, "Give her a bag of buttons and she's good for the afternoon". Humph! I would have him know that there is a lot of work that goes into sorting buttons. Do you know how many shades of blues, browns and greens there are? Not to mention different designs. You don't want to rush button sorting as you never know what special treasure you'll find. I found a solid brass button with mother of pearl insert and another button that sparkles when moved a certain way. Also, some really cool green buttons with a neat square design on them. It was definitely time and money well spent.
I have posted a picture but as usual my lack of photography talent shows up better that the great buttons do.
Anyway, both Cutie-Patootie and myself were very pleased with our thrifty finds.
I can't wait for our next thrifting date.

Maybe we'll both get a bag of buttons.

I am a happy girl.

Despite the fact that I still feel a bit like a Grinch, I must admit that after a hour (No Hubby John it was NOT five hours!) of poking around Michael's in search of Christmas rub-on transfers at 70% off regular price, I am happier than I was a few days ago. Not only did I get some sparkly ones, I was able to score some that were very old fashioned looking. These are hard to come by and are usually sold out before Christmas even arrives. So yes, I am feeling very pleased with myself today. I also got some ribbon that is very festive looking at 80% off regular price along with a few wooden pieces that are just waiting for me to paint up.....one of these years. I found some plain white embossed Christmas cards that I want to try doing a colour wash on and then I will add some sparkles to them. I can see the end result in my head but putting it on paper (pun intended) may prove to be a problem. We'll see. I will let you know what happens when it does.
The embossing on the cards is very pretty and I think I will run down this week and pick up two or three more packets. Again, these were 70% off so now is the time to buy. So I am smiling like a Cheshire cat at the moment. I LIKE getting craft stuff but I LOVE getting it on sale even better. So today I am a happy girl.

Crafty Things, Thrifty Finds and Stuff I Like,

We dropped by Talize tonight, which lately has been my thrift shop of choice. Hubby John was tired after a very busy day so he waited in the car while I quickly ran in with a promise of just a few minutes and then we could go home. I was looking for a few books for the two of us to read. Specifically any of the Kay Scarpetta novels by Patricia Cornwall. Hubby John has just started reading them and has not really decided if he is a Scarpetta fan or not. I have been hooked on them for a few years now and have decided that I would like to own them all. Of course being as cheap as I am means that I only pick them up at second hand/thrift stores or garage sales. So if I only get one or two a year than that's all I get. No matter. I will eventually have them all. Anyway, as I was saying, I stopped at Talize tonight but did not have luck in finding any Patricia Cronwall books. I did however find a book from the "Avalon" series called Ancestors of Avalon which was written by Dianna L.Paxson. Ms. Paxson continued on writing the "Avalon" series which she had previously co-written with Marion Zimmer Bradley before MZB's death in 1999. Both Hubby John and I were pleased to see that the series has continued. I also found a new children's series that looks like we will enjoy reading. The books are written by John Vornholt. They are the called The Troll King and The Troll Queen. These books look like they will be fun reading. Nothing too laborious. Just some light fantasy reading with your usual trolls, gnomes, ogres, magicians and things that go bump in the night. There is another book in this series that I will keep my crafty eye out for too. On the way to the checkout with my books I snagged a beautiful new note card/calendar set that came in a beautiful keepsake box with a ballerina scene on it. Sitting on the shelf beside it was a pretty little case covered with lilacs. These two cases will eventually become gift/keepsake boxes for someone. Wow, was I happy with my finds! Five great, new and new looking items for $11.53 cents after tax. How great is that? A whirlwind ten minute shopping spree and I get crafty things, thrifty finds and stuff I like!