shopping, papercrafts, block printing

i forgot to mention that when i went to langley on friday i also discovered a new thrift store i'd never been to (how random! i thought i knew them all!). it was because i got lost, which is unsurprising, i ALWAYS get lost in langley! it's some bible for missions thrift store, and it's on 200th just past fraser highway (you know, the road you're SUPPOSED to turn onto to get downtown!). anyway, i got some great crafty stuff, including textured pink fortrel (damn i love fortrel), and some awesome vintage buttons (as if i needed more!). i don't know if it'll be that fabulous the next time i go, the crafty stuff might have been sitting there for a while, but it's definitely worth a shot, and it's right next to an upholstery store that apparently sells vinyl, though they were closed last week. so it'll be worth the trip!

i went to the scrapbooking store today, and found the best thing ever. i've wanted a crop o dile for a while now, for multiple reasons. they can punch through super thick stuff really easily, which will be great for my poor stiff hands, and they do it quietly, which will be great for late night crafting!

they're about $40 in canada, and only $26 in the US, so my sister went across the border to try to get one for my birthday, and micheals was out. they called a few other micheals, and no one had them, so she bought me my xyron instead (which i LOVE!).

but i still wanted a crop o dile! i found them at the scrapbooking store today for $34, but they came with more! purple, in a purple carrying case, with 400 grommets just waiting to be set. i was so surprised by the price, since it's LESS, but has MORE, that i asked about it. the clerk went and asked and came back and said that the purple sets were actually made up for a deal on the shopping network, but the store was able to get some of them. so it was very cool! i rationalized by telling myself that i had a $10 card (from filling my stamp card, i don't even want to think about how much business i've given that store!), but i still ended up with a fairly large bill... i can't resist paper and trims!

i got some trims to use on inchies (as if i don't already have trims), and i also picked a couple little pigment ink pads. i can never bring myself to buy the full sized ones, so i collect the little ones in all different colours. i was super happy to finally get a good shade of red in pigment ink though, i've already been playing with it tonight.

tonight i've been working on my tip in page, and i'm so in love with how it's going.

i've also been playing around with my sacred heart stamp i made a few days ago, and i've gotta say, i'm pretty disapointed with the material i carved it out of. pieces of the flames and the thorns are already breaking off. i'm sure my cleaning it with a toothbrush probably contributed to it, but it's a very soft toothbrush, so it shouldn't have hurt it that bad!

i'm hoping the blocks i bought at opus on friday will be better, i'm going to work with them tomorrow.


i also picked up a copy of cloth paper scissors, which i've never read before, and the new stitch'n'bitch book, son of stitch'n'bitch. and i ordered a few crafty books online after christmas, as well as some back issues of sommerset studios, so i've had lots of new inspiration lately. i'll post more about them once they all arrive.


and i think i'm now officially DONE spending christmas money on craft supplies!