Current Mood : Crabby
Spent on toys : 54c
Spent on craft supplies : $3.24
Spent on vintage pattern : $1.50
Spent on other stuff : $4.43
Today, too, was... interesting. I didn't get going til nearly 2pm, since we slept in ‘til neither of us could sleep anymore. But I still went out, and in less than three hours, hit the Flea Market, Dollar Tree, GoodWill, Dollar General, Hancock Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, and Michael's. And spent less than ten bucks total.
Kinda got off to a bad start. Flea Market didn't have anything, but I visited the crab. Yes, it's silly, but one dealer has a Beanie Baby crab I like, and I visit every time I go. I'd have bought him, but $3. seemed kind of expensive for just another clutter piece. So I ‘visit' instead. Saw a huge box of old patterns, and went through them - very carefully arranging them as I went, so they could be flipped through by the next person. They were in there any which way when I first stopped. After about five minutes, I knew the sad truth, there were no doll patterns in there, but I kinda felt bad for the dealer who'd hovered over me the whole time, who didn't understand a word I said, but kept pointing out kids' patterns to me anyway. So I put two I kinda~sorta liked aside...and she wanted two bucks each for them. (sigh) I can get new ones that aren't musty and dusty for half that. So I selected one, and she ‘let' me have it for a buck fifty. Arrrgh.
Kinda went to GoodWill to see if any of my donations had hit the floors yet. Nope. From the looks of the place, it looks like there's been not a lot of donations - the shelves were nearly empty. But I made a surprising discovery anyway. In the bottom of a bin was the crab ! Yep, same exact Beanie Baby crab, but only 50c. He was my only purchase there. Dollar Tree didn't have much, but I got a package of large mailing envelopes for Beloved Hubby, and a cassette-tape decorated tote bag. I'm hoping to use that design to digitize my own cassette tape soon ! Dollar General had a few 75% off Christmas do-dads, but evidently a lot of folks do their grocery shopping there now. With only one register open, and three groups of people (one right, one left, one center) trying to find their place at the end of the line, I decided to just let ‘em go.
From there, I was on the hunt for those 6mm craft foam sheets. Hancock Fabrics didn't have ‘em, and I successfully beat back the impulse to buy that Simplicity pattern that I saw last week. They were on sale, but I decided against it. So it was nice that I had some cash at Hobby Lobby - they didn't have the craft foam either, but I snapped up the Wall-e cake pan, in their markdown shelves. Just $3.11 ! I know we'll never decorate it as professionally as the picture shows, but a chocolate Wall-e will taste good, too.
Michael's had exactly two 6mm foam sheets, which is enough to make the small box. And, despite the fact that the tech has existed since 1980 to tell how many specific items have sold at a retail outlet, and how many are going to arrive on the next truck delivery, the sales clerk I snagged had no idea if that was all they had, or when they'd get more. And I had the misfortune to get behind a dad with two Twilight-obsessed daughters who lounged on both sides of the lane, each with a copy of some fan magazine purloined from the display. They wandered off, so they didn't hear Dad lie to the cashier when she asked how much the dozen or so pieces of balsa wood he brought to the register - sans UPC, natch ! - cost. At first, he said 99c, which was pretty lowball, but then he insisted that it was 59c. Since cashier didn't want to call him a liar to his face, she had to call for someone to go check. By then the Twilight girls were back, whining about how long things were taking. Umm, girls...imagine being behind your little butts. And it's not the cashier's fault your daddy's trying to rip off the store.
I was saved when another register opened, and I paid the correct price for my two foam sheets - two bucks, plus tax - and found the same two girls blocking the door by standing in the middle of it, with their backs to the store. Like no one but them would ever want to exit. After asking quietly for them to move with no response, I leveled the Power Voice TM at them, and that got their attention. Dad was still too busy with the balsa that was suddenly $3. a plank instead of 59c to notice. It was somehow satisfying to see them jump a bit. PV isn't loud so much as very low and extremely focused. It uses my best projection and breath support, and I was surprised I pulled it off, I haven't used it in quite some time.
While it was fun to get out for a bit, I came home in a mood, having dodged two drivers intent on their desired parking space and nothing else, and countless shoppers in pairs, not looking where they're going, so I'm constantly ducking out of the way. Made me wish I had more crab-toys. I'd have flung ‘em !
Anyway. I settled down with a large piece of leftover Garfield cake and relaxed. Still not sure what to do about that 6mm foam sheet problem. I can either order it, which ranks, hope that Michael's eventually gets it back in stock, or come up with a substitute. I'm already subbing several things in the design, since I don't have a hot glue gun anymore, and my interfacing isn't built-in both-side fusible, but I have the right weight interfacing and Stitch-Witchery, which is nearly the same thing, so...
(sigh) This is why I'll probably be a bit hesitant about buying any other patterns. I really resent having to buy tons of supplies to make something rather simple. I have acres of craft and sewing notions, and while I don't mind getting a few new things, it's ridiculous that I drove all over this city to find foam sheets that even the author admits are hard to find in the size she requires.
I'm thinking of using plastic canvas backed by fleece or felt instead. That's easy to find. And I still have the ‘glue three pieces together' effort to try. Just need to quit bein' so bitter and get in there and sew !
Childish, I know. But, I can't help myself! I'm also not too mature to mutter some not so nice comments under my breath when I'm forced to go around someone who has decided that the middle of the aisle is the perfect place to park and make a phone call. Oh well, they're too oblivious to hear me anyway. 
