Ingenious Inkling

Card Patterns Super Six and Final Day of Vacation

First, a big Woot Woot ... I was excited to see I made the Card Patterns Super Six this week with my Chocolat Butterflies card.

My dear husband suggested that we spend part of today checking out the local craft stores ... it turns out there is apparently only one locally owned scrapbook store in the area ... A Scrapbook Store in Mt. Pleasant, SC (we also checked out AC Moore and Michaels, but both were very disappointing).  The lady at the store was very friendly and helpful ... and she had a fun selection of items.  I picked up some new Basic Grey papers and a few other goodies to take home.  

 

In the same shopping center, I had fun shopping at Phillip's Shoe Store.  I added a rockin' pair of Sanita clogs (in grey) to my collection.  The manager of the scrapbook store recommended that we stay in the shopping center and try La Pizzeria for lunch ... and she did not steer us wrong.  We had some of the best pizza we had ever tasted (mine was an eggplant parmigiana ... I've got to try eggplant on pizza at home), as well as a scrumptious dessert. 

After that, we took a leisurely drive around several islands enjoying the cool breezes, bright sunshine, beautiful beaches, and amazing homes.  We also visited Fort Moultrie National Park ... it was fun to learn more about the amazing history of the area.  It was a wonderful end to our trip.  Tomorrow we fly back home to reality ... unfortunately, vacation always has to end.
 

Ladies' Day Out in Iowa City

My girlfriend Laura and I had a belated birthday ladies' day out in Iowa City today.  It was absolutely perfect fall weather with vibrant leaves everywhere we looked. 

The first stop was in Coralville, Iowa at Michael's (got lots of new Martha Stewart punches with 20% off coupon) and then on to Hobby Lobby (they had 40% of Nestabilities, but I ended up having to get rain checks because none were in stock).  Laura did find some fun clearance papers however.

Next, we stopped at Memories on Fifth where I picked up the Pebbles Spellbinders Impressabilities, some fun BoBunny Holiday papers, and a new Snowflake embossing folder from QuicKutz.

After that it, we headed to downtown Iowa City.  The football game was on television, so the usual crowds were thin.  We had a delicious lunch at Atlas Restaurant, which ended with us sharing their fabulous flourless molten chocolate cake.

I love how Iowa City has incorporated art into the every day in this part of town.  I love the murals on the walls.

My favorite artistic elements are the metal plates in the sidewalk with book quotes.  This is one is by John Irving from The Hotel New Hampshire and says, "To each other, we were as normal and nice as the smell of bread.  We were just a family.  In a family, even exaggerations make perfect sense."

After that, we set off to explore a new (to us) store ... The Haunted Bookshop ... and what fun we had.  Used bookstores are one of my favorite places in the world.  I love the quirky decor, the requisite cats wandering freely, and the fun little surprises you find around every corner.  

I was on a hunt for inexpensive books that I could use in my cardmaking.  Also, after receiving my my fabulous Art Journal book for my birthday (check out Lauren's art journaling fun), I also was looking for some books that would be good to start trying out some Art Journaling techniques.  I hit the jackpot.  They had an entire $1 book section that was a fund raiser for a local food cooperative that was just filled with possibility. 

I also loved that there was a piano in the store if you wanted to sit down and play a tune ... however there were Piano Rules on a post-it note that read "No Cups on Wood.  No Fur Elise. No Heart & Soul. No Chopsticks. Thank You."

Our final stop when we returned to Cedar Rapids was at All About Pictures where I picked up some great Harvest Hayride papers from Pink Paislee.  I also got a close-up looks at some cool Flower Soft creations ... what fun color and texture.

I think the fall colors were my favorite.

All-in-all a fabulous ladies' day on the town.  Now to go play with all of my new goodies ...
 
 

Rubber Stamping Road Trip

It feels so good to be home ... this weekend my best stamping girlfriend and I drove 696 miles on our yearly road trip in search of rubber stamps.  We had a fabulous time, ate some delicious food, and found lots of fun new products.  We've done our annual road trip for several years, but this time we extended it an extra day to fit in even more shopping.

Our first stop was Scrapaganza and JoAnn's (both in the same shopping center) in Davenport, Iowa.   The ladies at Scrapaganza are wonderful (always willing to show you how to use some of the newest goodies in the store) ... it's one you don't want to miss if you're in the area.

After that, we settled in for the night in Ottawa, Illinois with supper at our favorite restaurant, Tracy's Row House.

It was an absolutely gorgeous evening to dine outside on the patio under the beach umbrellas.  The Elks Club was having an outdoor celebration just down the street, so we had fun people watching and listening to some live music.

We started with the fabulous Fiesta Fondue appetizer ... chips with a trio of dips that include black bean and corn queso, homemade guacamole, and delicious fresh salsa.  That appetizer is a full meal even when shared by two, so we finished with light summer salads.

Last time we were in Ottawa, they had stove pipe hat decorations all over the downtown to celebrate the Lincoln-Douglas debates that occurred in Ottawa. 

Now they have the decorations grouped all together in a cute little park, so we had to check them out.  We loved all of the funky art and wonderful flowers.

 

We got up early Saturday, so we would have time to stop at the Milano Bakery in Joliet, Illinois to pick up some breakfast and a few cookies for the road.  We love the fun employees (who remembered us from our trip last year) and were able to pick up t-shirts that declare that Milanos is home of the Best Buns In Town.

We arrived at Stamp Thyme in Lockport at 10am on the dot.  We had fun checking out the new Halloween stamps from Northwoods, as well as lots of other fun products.

We had several people take pictures of Laura and I together this weekend, but when I got home, every single one was out of focus.  Oh well, at least there are of a few of us individually to commemorate the trip.

Our next stop was Paper Source in Oak Park.  We were thrilled to see there was also a Penzeys Spices store on the same block, so we had to stop there too.  We wished we had more time to explore this area, but we were on a tight schedule to make all of our stops before closing time.

 

The employees at the Paper Source store were vary helpful and lots of fun.  We picked up quite a few fun stamps, some of their awesome ribbon, and a few gifts too.

After that, we headed to Stampology, the home of the very best card samples.  I would venture to say that they have made at least one card sample for every stamp they carry in the store, and they're always willing to explain techniques and share ideas.  They also had some early CHA releases in stock.  Unfortunately, I discovered that the close-up focus on my travel camera failed to work on this trip, so my card sample shots are all out of focus.  At least this one gives you some idea.  The other cool thing about this store is that they give you a 20% discount off your order when you visit from out of state.

 

Next, we ventured north to Arlington Heights to check out a new (to us) store - Craft Fancy.  I was excited to find individual sheets Claudine Helmuth's sticky back canvas, as well as some other fun stamps.

We ended our Saturday shopping at the Cottage Stamper in St. Charles.  They pack a ton of stamps into their quaint little shop.  When I first started stamping, Magenta was one of the first lines I fell in love with, but lately, they've been hard to find.  Cottage Stamper carries a broad collection of Magenta, as well as lots of fun stamps by Outlines, Studio 490, Northwoods, and A Muse.

I loved all of these cool mirrors they had hanging around the store.  They also have great sample displays of projects completed by their different Card Club Groups.

 

We ended our evening with an amazing supper at Brio in Rockford, Illinois (TripAdvisor never lets me down).  It was one of the most unique and delicious meals I've had in a long time ... I love how small plate dining gives you the chance to try several dishes.  They were all fabulous and the service was impeccable too.

Today, we extended our trip by heading north to Madison, Wisconsin where we checked out Trader Joe's, JoAnn's, Archivers, Scrapbook Superstore, and by far our favorite, Scrapbook & Stamping Memories.  We love the layout of the store ... lots of room to move around, shopping carts, and all of the newest products featured on displays right in the front of the store.  The ladies there are fabulous & always willing to help you find exactly what you're looking for.  It is one not to be missed.

Remember, if you're considering a road trip like this, always check out the websites and print out all of the monthly coupons before hitting the road.

Now I need to purge some of my old products to make room for the new.  I can't wait to ink up my new stamps and play with my new toys.

Stamp Shopping with Gran

I'll have lots more vacation pictures to follow, but the first ones I edited were from our final day in Arizona that I spent with my Gran.  She and I had a fun morning checking out several of the local stamping and scrapbooking stores.

Our first stop was Scrap Happy Sisters in Glendale.  It was a great space packed full of fun products.  I love when a store has lots of completed projects to check out. 

It looks like they also host lots of fun classes.  The owner was very friendly and helpful ... definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.

Our next stop was a visit with the Crop Girls in Peoria, Arizona.  They were such a great group of ladies who have a wonderful store packed full of lots of fun little goodies.  I would love to take their Girl Friends Paper Bag Album class or the one to make this super-cool recipe shadow box.  I love the idea of creating a background with pages from vintage recipe books.

 

My Gran and I had a great time checking out all of the fun projects and details.  What a fun visit and what a wonderful way to spend a morning.

Davenport Iowa Stamping Road Trip

Today my best stamping girlfriend and I got up early & hit the road to check out some stamping stores.  We ventured to Davenport, Iowa to check out Scrapaganza's! new digs.  They have moved into a much larger space just a few doors down from JoAnn's (always a good thing when you can hit two craft stores at once).

 

They've done a great job laying out their new space with products grouped by manufacturer, which I prefer.  There are nice wide aisles and plenty of room to move around and check everything out.  On the first Saturday of every month, they also have several make & take projects going on in the work space at the back of the store.  Another thing I love about this store are the helpful and knowledgeable staff.  They are always excited to show you the newest things they have in stock and to answer any questions.

 

I loved this fabulous shadowbox hanging scrapbook they had displayed just inside the front door.  So cute.

 

I picked up a few of these cool plastic templates from the Crafters Workshop.  I think they'll be great for placing eyelets, piercing, spraying color, and doodling.  I also picked up lots of cool new inchie stamps from Inkadinkado.  I have lots of project ideas bouncing around in my brain for these wonderful small images.

 

I also drooled over all of the projects for their upcoming classes. I wish we lived close enough to check one out.  I really loved this cool album made Basic Grey Dark Chocolate Album.  They included everything from menus to maps to gift cards ... a perfect way to preserve all sorts of trip mementos.

   

If you're ever in the area, or considering a road trip, Scrapaganza!is definitely worth a visit.

After leaving there, we checked out JoAnn's & then headed to the Cottage Corner, also in Davenport.

 

I would describe the two stores as very different, with not a lot of overlap in product lines.  Cottage Corner carries a large selection of Whipper Snapper, Magnolia, Stamping Bella, A Muse, and High Hopes rubber stamps.  Their layout space is much more compact, but they do a good job of using all of their available space, including lots of samples high on the walls.  They also had the new Marvy Extra Giga punches (the green punches on the left)

 

One thing I enjoy about this store is all of the card samples.  This adorable little Monstrosity from Whipper Snapper had to come home with me.

 

I also had to bring home these beautiful new Penny Black stickers.  I love how the sample covered the flower with glaze for great dimension.

 

We had a fabulous time ... lots of great visiting and shopping ... one of my favorite ways to spend a day.

Chicago Stamp Store Road Trip

My best stamping girlfriend Laura and I spent the weekend on our favorite Chicago stamp store road trip.  We've done it several times and each time we continue to perfect the experience. 

This time we left early enough to add Scrapaganza! 2176 west Kimberly Road in Davenport, Iowa to our agenda.  This is a very fun little store filled with paper, inks, punches, fun rubber stamps & great staff (Sorry, I realized after I got home that I had the flash turned off on my small digital camera, so a lot of the indoor shots were too blurry to post).

After that we headed to our next destination, Ottawa, Illinois ... a charming little city that sits where the Fox River meets the Illinois.  They are currently having a sesquicentennial Shindig celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. 

Of course, in our usual fashion, we added a little twist to the trip.  We were so busy talking, that somehow we missed our turn on Highway 80 and failed to realize we were on the wrong highway until we arrived in Peoria ... only a little 150 mile detour :^). 

We just laughed and laughed at our error and bought an error ... we realized it was a story we'd still be laughing at when we were old and gray.  And if we'd never gotten lost, we wouldn't have discovered the adorable little town of Utica, Illinois.

We had supper at our favorite Ottawa Restaurant - The Row House at 728 Columbus Street.  It was a gorgeous evening for dining outside on the patio.  We also made a group of new friends who included us in their 50th birthday celebration.  They gave us their phone numbers, so we can call them up the next time we come through Ottawa.

Another new stop that we added to our trip on Saturday morning was the Milano Baking Company in Joliet, Illinois ... yum, yum, yum. 

The employees were so helpful and fun.  We got delicious bear claws with almond paste filling and several more cookies for the road.  We loved that the backs of the employee shirts says "the best buns in town" (they sell them for customers, but were currently sold out).

Next stop was Stamp Thyme in Lockport, Illinois, which opens at 10am on Saturday.  They have a large and diverse stamping inventory and will order and ship anything you want to have.  We loved looking at all of the new stamps from Outlines and other companies.

It is definitely worth the stop if you are in the Chicago area.

Our next store was Stampology at 5031 N. Harlem Avenue.  I love that they make all of the card samples in their store and will gladly let you take photographs of all of them.  It's a tiny space, but it is packed with wonderful papers and stamps.  I can't wait to try this fun washi paper quilting technique.

Next door to Stampology, we always have lunch at Nottoli's Italian grocery store ... fabulous subs and pasta salad.  We take our coolers so we can load up on wonderful meals-to-go.

Next stop to continue to fill our coolers was Trader Joe's ... maybe some day they'll come to Iowa.  The one on our route is in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Our final stop is The Cottage Stamper in St. Charles, Illinois.  They carry the entire A Muse line and this time had lots of fun new stamps from Magenta.  They manage to get lots of fabulous product into their cozy little cottage.

I hope you enjoyed taking our fun stamping road trip with us ... sorry we forgot to take pictures of our Peoria detour :^)

Now it's time to use all of my new goodies and make some cards.

Eclectic Paperie

Look what adorable goodies arrived in my mailbox today.  I was the winner of the Friday the 13th drawing on the Eclectic Paperie blog.  I love how the packaging says Feed Your Creativity!

Eclectic Paperie is one of my all time favorite on-line stores & I'm looking forward to trying out these fun little stamps. (Have you seen the cool new Cuttlebug folders?)

To win the stamps, I had to leave a comment with a quirky family tradition ... for us it is playing games of extreme croquet on the holidays.  The nieces and nephews set up some of the most outrageous courses (around trees, up hills, over sidewalks).  We've even been known to play in snow.  It's always family fun time for sure.

Have you checked out the Think Pink! gallery at Caard{varks} ... there are lots of absolutely fabulous cards ... and a marvelous rubber stamp prize package from Pink Persimmon up for grabs.  Remember you have until midnight July 2nd to submit your card ... or cards ... make as many as you want ... who can ever get enough pink?

This weekend, I'm off on a whirlwind stamp store road trip to Chicago with my best stampin' girlfriend.  I'll be back with pictures when we return.