Saturday

I wasn't going to post today, I had plans for a boring Saturday, then my brother texted asking if I wanted to go to lunch. Turned out all four of us were going out to lunch (which was fine, but we had plans for supper before that). We went to somewhere that apparently everyone else decided to go as well. We left about 11:45 and got done about 1, I convinced everyone to stop at BAM because we were right there. I found a couple books I was going to buy on Amazon except they were going to take 3 weeks to ship it, nope. I also found a Kirby and a Dr. Seuss blind bag:

 I haven't gone through the books yet, but they are very encouraging. I might use them to make more inspirational explosion boxes.
Here's what I could have gotten in the Dr. Seuss blind box:

 I would have loved to get Horace or the Lorax, but I love them all. I do like the Green Eggs and Ham guy.
Here's the Kirby blind bag:

As long as I didn't get the ones where he's completely covered I was happy. I would have really liked plain Kirby, but it's Kirby I'm happy.
We went to the local historical society for a display on the high school. I guess I could have said I didn't want to go, but I didn't realize we had to spend almost an hour and a half there. At one point my mom said we were heading toward the door, and then she stopped to look at their tiny retail section and talked a bunch with the guy manning the desk. When I said something about having other stuff to do today, my mom got annoyed and my brother said it was Casual Saturday. Which is fine for them, but they didn't ask me about my time. I feel this happens a lot when I hang out with my family, they feel like I have nothing else to do and don't ask.
I did find some great mail when I got home:
A spring loaded bag:

And some spring die cuts:

I'm spending the rest of my Saturday being lazy NOT hanging out with my family. I told them I wasn't going out in the cold again today.

March Lollipop box

I got my Lollipop subscription box on Monday:

The stuff inside:

 Tags, stamp, stickers, pen:

 Papers:

 DIY:

 Mystery gift:

 Treats:

 Extra Mystery Gift:

 More Treats:

 Bramble fox charms:

 Die cuts:

 I love how Springy it is. I want to use the items in my boxes, but I don't want to use them all up and not have the items anymore.

Weekly update

I realize the week isn't quite over yet, but my only plans for tomorrow are to finish a book and go to supper with my family, so I'm doing the post now.
I got my Lollipop box on Monday:

What does that mean, exactly? It was rather heavy this month, it's the owner's birthday month so she added an extra goody. I have decided that I'm going to unsubscribe from this in August. I will have gotten it for a year and I just hoard the stuff. I know that's my fault, but I think it's time to stop. I'm hoping I can find another subscription box for about the same amount (~$30), but I'm wondering if I can find one that sends me interesting snacks.

I also purchased this guy:

He's a retired puppet from the library.

I finished a friend's birthday card on Tuesday:

 I also made some Easter cards for friends;

 And put together some goodie bags for them:

 I tried something new on Wednesday:

 It was pretty good, though I'm not sure my body really liked it. I got all gurgly and my stomach felt weird after eating it. I'm pretty sure I've never had kale before.
I got an Easter pocket letter in the mail yesterday:

And now it's Friday.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's Hodgepodge time. I haven't participated in awhile, so I thought I would this week. Head on over to Joyce's blog to check out what other people are answering.

1. On this first official day of spring tell us something (besides the weather) you're looking forward to in this season of the year. Garage sales. I love going garage saleing, it gets me out of the house, it gets me exercising and I find interesting things. 

2. When it comes to spring cleaning would you rather wash windows or wash baseboards? Neither Clean out closets or clean out the garage? The closet Dust ceiling fans or dust bookcases? Bookcases Wipe down the patio furniture outside or wipe down the light fixtures inside? Patio furniture Any of these tasks recently completed? Nope. I should just clean out my apartment, but I probably won't.

3. Your favorite thing to make/eat that calls for cream cheese? I'm simple, I like toasted bagels with cream cheese, but cheesecake is fun, too. Sour cream? tacos Whipped cream? I don't like whipped cream

4. I read here a list of commonly mispronounced words. What is a word that gives you trouble when it comes to pronunciation? Ephemera. I'd never seen the word until a couple years ago when I started doing pocket letters and flip books and all the newer paper crafts. I've noticed I'm not the only one that has issues with it's pronunciation.

5. What's a song you love with the word 'rain' in the title or lyrics? Georgia Rain by Trisha Yearwood

6.  Insert your own random thought here. I also decided to join this week because the world is just kinda annoying me. I go out of my way to be nice and helpful to people and they make it so hard. I'm kinda just ignoring the world today.

Hobby Lobby

I remembered why I needed to go to Hobby Lobby. I needed Tacky Glue and after visiting Target.com, Walmart.com and HobbyLobby.com, I found that Hobby Lobby was cheapest, plus I used a 40% off coupon, so it was really cheap. I also needed some card blanks.
While I was in there I found this beautiful paper pad:

 I certainly don't need more paper, but you can bet when the paper blowout sale where the Paper Studio is 50% off I'll be picking it up. I noticed there were quite a few new paper pads and they had rearranged their paper section. I'm hoping they'll bring in more stuff soon, there are a couple aisles that are so empty and sad looking.
I also noticed they have an 8pack of the tape runners I buy for $9. I pick up a 4pack at Walmart for about $6 every time I go (I can hold off on that awhile, I have 4 packs unopened right now), I also noticed they had a 4pack for $9. I guess I'll be going back to Hobby Lobby for my tape in the future.
I also found this strange piece:

 It looks like a glittered and gemstoned giant pineapple clip. The box takes up the whole shelf, I thought it was really ugly.
Here's what I picked up:

 papers, cards, stickers, gemstones, paperclips.
I found a couple pieces of loose paper, I really like the patterns on them. I found some others with foiling and unicorns but I guarantee if I had bought them, I would never use them. Like I said, I needed card blanks, so I picked up a mint and an ivory set, since I'll just be covering it with my own paper, the base color didn't really matter. I like these butterfly stickers. I was going to pick up these gemstones the last two times I was there, I figured since they were still there I was supposed to get them. Love the cupcake paperclips.

tags, flowers, cards, glue
This is the third time I picked up a set of those shaker tags, I haven't used any yet, but I plan to some day. I also liked these other tags. I thought these flowers were really cute, as were the donut cards.
I was going to go to JoAnn's as well, because it's in the same strip mall, but apparently it doesn't open until 10. I left shortly after 9, of course when I got home it was after 10, but I wasn't going to wait. Not that I need anything there either.

I'm done shopping for awhile, I was thinking about going after Easter shopping, but I don't know. I'd only be going for chocolate and I don't need that either. I do need to go back to the Dollar Tree because it never fails, when I get home from Dollar Tree I realize something else I need. It's not anything I need right now, so I'll probably go at the beginning of April anyway.

Easter baskets

Apparently I can't NOT give to people. I opened those mystery Easter baskets that I bought from Hollar, here's what they contained:

 This one is apparently more geared to a girl. It's got a Disney princess egg with a My Little Pony egg decorating kit.

 This one is more geared to a girl with a Fast and Furious egg and a Star Wars egg decorating kit.
I know it could be either way, but I guess the world is still doing that.
I decided to make up a couple Easter baskets with the stuff in the mystery bags and some stuff I had around the house:

 I opened the bag of 'grass', added a Peppa Pig marshmallow pop, a My Little Pony box of bandaids, some eggs filled with My Littlest Pet shop toys and some candy.

This one I also opened the bag of 'grass', added the Minion marshmallow pop, an emoji box of bandaids, some squirty toys and a construction truck.
I posted on one of my facebook groups, neighbors helping neighbors and said I had two Easter baskets for someone in need. I figure, why not, the stuff would just be going to the library for my co-workers to have, this way it's better. Maybe I should keep getting the Hollar mystery boxes/bags because I always seem to donate at least half of what's in them.

Shopping

I finally gave in and went shopping today. I was going to go yesterday but the weather looked crappy and then I couldn't pry myself off the couch to go. Last night I decided I was going today no matter what the weather. It was predicted to be wet and snowing all day, thankfully it was not. It had snowed a few inches overnight so everything was snowy and slushy. I made the stupid mistake of wearing my tennis shoes because I wanted something with traction, and my socks were soaked halfway to Dollar Tree. I was originally going to go to Hobby Lobby, but there's nothing I need there (ok, not that I really need things from other places), but I talked myself out of it.
I really did need to go to Dollar Tree, I had a list, though I only picked up two at Dollar Tree and one at Walmart and still need a fourth.
First stop was Dollar Tree, boring stuff first:

 conditioner, sponges, box, envelopes, socks, shipping labels, glue dots.
The things that were on my list were conditioner, sponges and then the envelopes that I forgot about until I was in that aisle. I know I have another box of the these legal size envelope somewhere, but I can't find them (of course, now that I bought these, I'll find the box, but you can never have enough envelopes). I picked up the box because I keep having swaps come up to fill one of these boxes with embellishments, but I never have the box, and now that I do, there won't be another swap. I picked up the sock because they were cute, they say they're men's socks, but I bet they'll be fine. I like glue dots.
I found new stickers:

 All but the summery ones are new. I was really looking for the cactus ones I've seen in people's hauls, but oh well, I probably wouldn't use them anyway. I feel I should make a pocket letter with the bird/butterfly ones.

 eggs, stickers, notecards, treat bags, pig
I saw someone pick up these bunny eggs and I wanted them. I'm not exactly sure why I picked up the treat bags. I don't have a lot of people I give stuff to for Easter (and I keep doing less because I'm tired of giving and not getting). I was looking for bicycled note cards I've seen, but I thought the donut and cat ones were cute, too. I'm thinking of using the pig for a gift box, as he is a box.
My next stop was Target:

 I had a cartwheel for the Reece's crunchers and the Butterfinger eggs.  Now that I have the eggs and the treat bags, I have to put something in them, so I picked up the Twix eggs. I totally picked up the two trail mixes because they sounded good.

 

 sticky notes, pens, spring chipboard stickers, card.
I thought the sticky notes would be fun to to put in a pocket letter (like I need more). I just thought the palm tree pen was wicked cute, and I guess I'm back to picking up gel pens. I saw this cute hedgehog card, and I probably could have made one, but it made me think of a friend, so I picked it up for her.
Here's what in the chipboard sticker set:

 There's lots of variations with different parts being glittery or holographic on them. I feel I'll use these more than the Valentine's Day ones.
I admit, I may have picked up some things I normally wouldn't buy because I had a gift card. I wouldn't pick up some of the chocolate I got in February, I wouldn't have picked up the two trail mixes, and I wouldn't have picked up the chipboard stickers. I think they're all a bit more than I really want to spend, and I shouldn't buy them when I have the gift card so I can make it last longer, but whatever.
Last stop was Walmart:

 shoes, shirt, tape bubble mailers.
Sadly, the wine colored ones, which were on sale, don't fit. They say 7 1/2, but either my feet have grown a lot, or the curling of these make them fit smaller. I figure I'll take them to work or Goodwill. I picked up the shirt because it was wicked cute, it does say it's a St. Patrick's Day shirt, but with the butterflies I can wear it whenever. I'm trying to always pick up a package of double stick tape every time I'm at Walmart, that way I can't run out. I needed bubble mailers, this is a pack of 12 for about $5.

chocolate, stickers, marshmallow pops.
 I wasn't going to buy any stickers, but these are not Easter looking, and the sloth sold it for me. I picked up the chocolate covered cashews at Target last month, and I looked at them today, and they were $4 something, these were $3.98, I'm eating them now, and I think the dark chocolate ones are much better. I picked up the marshmallow pops for my Easter basket.
I ordered from Hollar last week (I know I said I was done, but they sent me a 40% off coupon), and it came today

 There's two hand towels, a set of lined sticky notes, a minion with a lollipop, a mystery carebear egg, a bunch of candy coated peanuts and a couple Easter basket things. One is a chick that comes with lollipops, stickers and eggs. The other is a minion one that has a minion mystery thing, some gummies and something else.
I also ordered two mystery Easter baskets:

I can feel that they both have a box or basket but I don't know what's in them. I don't know if I want to open them now or not.
I kinda think I should because if there's stuff I don't want I can take it to work.

shopping

Today, mom and I went to an antique mall in a neighboring town, they were having a spring break sale. I took a lot of pictures of things that I saw,  how cool is this booth?

 I almost bought one of those small Iowa pieces, but in the end I decided I didn't want to pay $8 for it, plus I don't have a place to put it.

 I loved the bird in this piece, but I would have had to buy the whole thing, thought maybe I could just make the bird if I took a picture:

 I thought this was gross, it's a jar of really old jelly beans:

 I took this picture because I remembered we used to have the sesquicentennial Iowa set that Coke put out for Iowa's 150th birthday in 1996 (I think). I asked my mom if they still had those, she said that was a good question.

 Thought this wreath was cute. If I could hang things on my door, I probably would have bought it.

 Look at how big this Easter chick is:

 I'm still watching out for interesting looking teapots:

 I'm no longer buying them, but I'm still noticing them.
Thought this was a weird piece:

 Saw this Jelly Belly cupcake container, it was $10, so I didn't buy it.

 It's the biggest sock monkey ever:

 Apparently this is an Ewok:

 And this is a large stuffed Gremlin:

 Almost bought this book, but I thought I'd see if the library had it instead:

 How cute is this bird bath?

 Told my mom, she should make one of these for our city.

I found a couple jars of jewelry bits for $5 each, I thought they were on sale, but apparently they weren't.
Here's the first one:

 And the pieces I chose to keep from it:

 Mostly charms for a swap, some cute pins and earrings. I mostly bought it for those pieces on the left, the star in the middle and the multi colored piece at the top right corner.
Here's the second jar:

 And what I kept:

 That green thing is actually a broken marble. I bought it for that, the multi colored thing in the middle and the glass stripey beads.
I also picked up a bag of miscellaneous stuff for $4:

 Here's what I kept:

 A bunch of mini stained glass pieces, some sequins for a swap, and that cool round piece at the top.
The last thing I picked up was a half gallon sized ziploc bag of vintage cards for $2, which turned out to be the only item on sale.
Here's what was in it:

 A bunch of baby cards

 Birthday/Christmas cards

 Christmas/Valentine's Day cards

 Valentine's Day cards

 Get Well cards

And baby cards.

I'm not sure if I'm going to cut them up and use them in pocket letters or whatever. I could always cut them apart, put them on cardstock and reuse most of them.

I'm planning on going to Dollar Tree and other places on Friday.