We had a fabulous Spring roadtrip that included a day of shopping at art & paper stores in St. Louis. The first stop was For Keeps Sake. I have never seen so many 6" paper pads in one place ... a true paper lovers playground.
The store has nice open spaces wtih plenty of room to move around. Some papers were sorted by company and others were sorted by occasion ... so many pretty things.
This is the first time I had seen Artistic Outpost stamps for sale in a retail store ... that made me smile.
They also had lots of manufacturer samples and ideas on the walls. These new-to-me stamps and embellishments from Darice were very lovely.
The next stop was Red Lead, a store I have wanted to visit for ages. Unfortunately, the hours posted on their website were outdated, and the store is now only open from 10-5 on Saturdays (and I was there on Thursday). I peered in the windows to get a glimpse of the beautiful art inside. After my very long drive, the owners (who were inside filling orders took pity on me ... and subsequently updated their store hours on their website) and let me shop.
Since they were so gracious, I felt obligated to hurry, so I didn't get many pictures. Hopefully I can come back another time on Saturday and examine everything more closely. I'd love to take one of their classes.
They had so many fabulous charms & trinkets to sort through.
I've ordered from Red Lead on-line and their service is great if you want to check it out (at least make sure you sign-up for their mailing list ... the e-mails are full of inspiration ... and sometimes even special deals).
My final artsy stop was Art Mart ... one of the coolest stores I've ever experienced. I think I could have spent an entire afternoon (if my dear husband hadn't been patiently waiting in the car).
I picked-up all sorts of gifts for family and friends ... as well as a few treats for me too. How gorgeous is this rainbow of French Marbled Paper.
They had a wide variety of cards, books, gifts, papers and embellishments ... and even some rubber stamps.
This table of paper flowers was particularly inspiring.
All of the staff were particularly friendly and helpfu. In addition to gifts, I picked-up some envelopes, stencils, tiny canvases, glittery stickers, and die cuts.
So if you're in St. Louis, I would recommend making time for all three stops. I don't mind buying many of my supplies on-line, but there's something extra-special about being able to see and touch the things you're going to purchase ... not to mention all of the inspiration.
I'll be back later with more pictures from our vacation adventures.
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