Can you say "90% off!!!!"

It was cold yesterday but I had to go grocery shopping so to make it worth the trip, I, of course, went in search of fabric and bargains. I had no trouble finding either!!! :-) The evidence is all here in the photos. Well, almost some items weren't that exciting for a picture but the price was right so........what did I find? Well, the good stuff at JoAnn's at 90% off actually started when I stopped there on Thursday night after crazy quilting. My big "find" was a 4 foot white pine Christmas tree with lights that only cost me $5.oo! My mom doesn't read my blog so I can tell you why I was so excited to find that tree. She loves blue and white and right after Christmas I found some pretty royal blue glass ornaments that I thought she would like. The mind started to click and I thought, aha, next year for the Christmas at the hotel weekend, I'll decorate a tree with blue and silver. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found the white glittery tree with white lights in place and I could already see it decorated!! I picked up ribbon at 90% off, too. Some there and then some on Friday at the other JoAnn's I regularly visit. That means I was only paying about .19 to .39 cents for ribbon rolls and all those red berry things were only .09 cents each!! They'll show up in a big wreath next year but the ribbon is actually stuff I want to use for Valentine projects.
So, the next stop was the Dollar Tree store where I found these cute little books (some Valentine ones and the neat little Tea and Friendship one), glitter pens for Valentines and then Easter cards and crafts and check out those heart shaped measuring spoons! Too cute to pass up!!
Those fabrics in the picture with the spoons are from River City Quilts in Mankato (MN). I was only looking for a snowman themed fat quarter when I went in......but my friend, Darlene, was working and she reminded me that it was "Fat Quarter Friday" which means if you "buy 5 you get a 6th one free". Well, of course, I bought 5 and that's why you see six. :-) Don't you just love that apron print one. It was the only one I found or I would have bought more.
I also stopped at another quilt shop in Mankato, Firefly Quilt Shop to see if they still had the fabrics I used in the journal I made earlier this week. I was so hoping I could get more of that green polka dot because I bought the fabrics to make a purse and still want to do that. I was so glad when I saw they still had it and the little flower print so picked up some of each. Both shops are great and full of fun fabrics so if you are in the Mankato area, go check them out.
I couldn't resist buying fabric at JoAnn's and found this fat quarter pack of Parisian themed fabrics. I have a definite plan for this one and the spring trims and such you see in the photo. You'll see what it all ends up as in late March.
I also found batting at 50% off and remembered to pick up printer paper, labels, tape and all sorts of office supplies. Remember, if I had to be out in the cold, I was going to make the trip worthwhile!
I did eventually get those groceries and when I was all done, I stopped to fill up the car with gas. That was when I realized just how cold it really was outside. Running back and forth, in and out of stores wasn't too bad but standing in the open, with the wind blowing at about 25-30 MPH and the temperature at about -12............well, let's just say, I do not recall getting so cold so fast in years. My fingers, while covered in gloves, nearly froze and when I first got back in the car, I could not move them!! All this in just the short time it took to put gas in the car! I had to "thaw out" and warm up for a few minutes after I got back in the car and then I was able to drive home. I was so glad to get home!! I never quite warmed up the rest of the evening and was glad to curl up under many blankets with the heating pad to warm me when I went to bed. Cold, cold, cold today, too. It was a good day to do laundry and put on a pot of chili. It's almost ready so time to close.
One more picture, though.......another item that I found at the Dollar Tree are these Scrapbooking plastic page holders. I like to use them to hold "blocks in progress" for quilt projects (you may recognize Nanette's Cottage block patterns). At just a dollar each, it's a great way to keep the blocks clean and organized. Time for supper! Hope you are all warm and cozy wherever you are........
Sandi