It sounds like a tongue twister but it is actually the group of screaming women who literally took over the clearance aisle at my local craft store. Ok. So they weren’t screaming. Not on the outside. But I can guarantee that each one was doing a little inside shrieking when they saw the low prices. And they were low….extra low. And of course I could not resist.
Wanna see what I bought?
Yeah…I knew you did. Cause we are buddies…and friends like to make each other jealous…and then we act glad for the other person while deep down wishing that we were that fortunate….and it’s what we do. OK – here we go:
Two wire baskets – Large $3 small $1
Let’s blame it on the addiction to all things country-inspired or we could say it’s Country Living’s fault, either way, I love some of the simple classic down-home-on-the-farm decor items that were sitting on the clearance aisle for over 70% off. And with a combined price lower than that of a Big Mac Meal, I knew they would be making their way into our buggy. Can’t you see that big one on the counter of a bathroom stuffed full of fluffy white hand towels? And that little one would be just perfect for an oversized napkin wrapped around a couple blueberry muffins sitting along side a jar of freshly squeezed orange juice (also known as just-bought-from-Kroger).
Two oversized metal jacks – $1.80 each
I love me some oversized items. Or mini items. Regular sized items are soo last year 🙂 And although the color on these babies isn’t quite my favorite, at less than two bones a piece, they would look just darling as bookends in our kiddie bookshelf. Plus if I ever want to play jacks, these will give me the advantage 🙂
Two tiered plate stand – $3
I can’t help but buy these things whenever I see them on sale. $3? Yes please and thank you. Not only does the color go with the other three-tiered version that I already own but it is perfect for placing a shallow oven safe bowl on the top level and a candle below for a simple but elegant fondue style setup. Anybody up for dippin’ bacon in chocolate?
Pink Polka dot platter – $6
Normally I wouldn’t splurge on such a large non-diverse platter like this one. But seeing as how I turn 30 this coming year, I decided that this serving dish would look perfect with a 13×9 inch homemade cake. Scratch that. It would look even more perfect with a Cheesecake Factory Godiva Chocolate cheesecake cut into slices and artfully placed on the polka dots by my darling boyfriend. Did you get that honey? Love you. and your hot calves.
And did I mention that the platter matches perfectly with these two pink ruffled edge footed bowls that I picked up at Goodwill back in the first week of April (as I awaited Will’s arrival)? I can’t wait to put them on the platter for a cookies and strawberry display! Man, is it lunchtime yet?
Two domed glass display trays – $2.20 each
My favorite item of the shopping excursion was definitely these domed glass display cloches. They came with the metal-like bottoms but could easily be switched to cover a food safe surface like a plate of cheese or be placed over a skinny bowl of stacked fruit. I think I might use one to house a fern that is currently suffering from a little frond brownage. The other would look just darling with a candle and some black and white photos of Will tied to it with twine. Oh the possibilities!
So are you sufficiently proud of me for my Hobby Lobby finds? I was thrilled…and can’t wait to incorporate them into my home. Now comes your chance to tell me what shopping deals you have recently found…tell me what you bought, what you paid and where you got it! Maybe it was a thrift purchase…or a clothing score…or even a grocery item that you got paid to buy due to some coupon stacking? And even if I don’t look it…believe me, I am green with jealousy 🙂
Girl, you got some MAD shopping skills!!!!!!
Those jacks are pretty cool….. you could always spray paint them!
The best shopping deal I’ve ever found was a pair of Gap sandals for my little man (age 2). They were leather sandals marked down to $1.99, but when I got to the register they were only ringing up for 1 cent…..yes, that’s 1 PENNY!!
It was shopping heaven 🙂
I’m so jealous! There are no Hobby Lobby stores anywhere near me, so I’ve never been. I’ve seen so many blogs reference the store and it looks wonderful, I desperately wish I could go! Too bad I don’t think my husband would agree to a Hobby Lobby road trip.
Oh boy, yet again, I’m so ‘glad’ for you. This isn’t fair. I don’t even live near a Hobby Lobby : /
Hobby Lobby can beat Goodwill prices every once in awhile! Nice work! 🙂
I am so jealous of all your finds. I may have to stop by my local store to see if I can be so lucky.
I’ve seen those jacks used to hold open doors. Super cute! Did I just say super cute?
there are nooo Hobby Lobbies near me and right now, I’m very heartbroken about the whole things! you found great stuff!!
Green glass votive holders from Michaels – originally $2 apiece, on sale for 30 cents each. Better yet, when I checked my receipt at home I noticed they’d actually rang up as ONE CENT each! woo hoo
just went yesterday but didn’t see those dome displays. i really like those. must got to another hobby lobby pronto!
I love Hobby Lobby! So jealous. If I hadn’t of just dropped some cash on a 7-piece dining room set (table and 6 chairs), I’d be there. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you. Love those cloches.
I got a bunch of craft stuff for cheap at Hobby Lobby online.
http://lindseyis.blogspot.com/2010/03/crazy-craft-savings.html
I’ve also gotten some GREAT dishes and platters at JCPenny for free or cheap.
Wow, HL must do clearance at different times in other parts of the country! Mine doesn’t have anything going on now!! Awesome buys!!
Oh how I love hobby lobby… I got addicted while living in El Paso, and now that I don’t live there anymore, I might have to say that its the only thing I miss from that town… I’ll just have to admire and be jealous and pretend like I’m happy for you! Great finds!
My husband goes crazy because I buy SO many razors (and shampoo, lotion, etc). We have an entire box in our bath. But… I can’t help it – I get them for free or make money off of them so I figure I can always put them in the food drive or something productive!
Oh Hobby Lobby…I seriously have a love affair with this place. I don’t have any great clearance finds from there lately, but they did have an AWESOME 50% off deal on all canvases there this week! I picked one up to make some sweet DIY art for our in-progress master bedroom makeover, and I blogged it here: http://reidallaboutit.blogspot.com/2010/06/diy-distressed-canvas-art.html
Love your blog by the way! Can’t wait to share pics of our reclaimed pallet mini-wall once we finish it (hopefully by this weekend…I’m crossing my fingers!)
i just picked up 5 science lab pyrex 800ml graduated cylinders! they will be home to pens and pencils and paintbrushes on my new floating shelves in my office! 4 have a rectangle and one has a hexagon, a small detail that probably no one but me would notice, but i love it! and less than $3 for all five!
All that for under $30? Good job
I am so glad you blogged about your Hobby Lobby finds. I am actually headed there tomorrow. I was just thinking that I haven’t been there in awhile and was hoping to find some things for my 4th of July weekend. So this post has made me all giddy about possible fabulous sale/clearance items. So I’ll keep you posted…
I also did a post on my great finds today. I have been finding some great deals at TJ Maxx. A Kenneth Cole one piece for $20 and TWO striped pillows for $10!
Your finds are great. Makes me want to head over to Hobby Lobby!
I buy things and pile them in the back of my SUV so my husband won’t know that I am bringing home more crap. The back of my car looks like a mobile second hand store. It’s out of sight and no one would ever suspect the things I have hidden there! I bought a vintage 3’x3′ window with leaded glass panes for $25 last week via Craigslist.com. I also bought 5 gorgeous huge wooden frames for only $1 at this small country thrift store. It’s such a little store they don’t accept debit cards so I had to pay them in pennies and nickels from the cupholder in my car. Embarassing, but I just don’t carry cash anymore!
Found this sturdy vase at Ross Dress for Less. Clutch. Check it (Half-way down the page).
http://familyofcrums.blogspot.com/2010/05/adventures-in-thrift-land.html
Hey Katie – Two things:
1. Kroger blueberry muffins ARE freshly baked. Just because they’re baked by someone else doesn’t mean they aren’t freshly baked.
2. Which Hobby Lobby did you go to? I live in Atlanta and would loooooooove to dig through those sales this weekend.
I only live a wee bit south of you and my Hobby Lobby only had those baskets. No jacks, no cloches. But hey – hooray for you!
Hi Sarah,
Sorry that joke wasn’t that good. You win some, you lose some. The Kroger thing was about the freshly squeezed juice…not so much about them muffins (which are DELISH at Kroger).
I went to the Hobby Lobby in Stone Mountain.
XO – Katie
Strong work KB! I found a small silver platter at Goodwill (mine never has the good stuff) last week for $0.99, polished it up, and used it to serve fried walnuts at a friend’s bridal shower. Even my husband liked it for that price!
These HL posts I see around the blogosphere always make me laugh. I used to work at the Lob back in the day and these kinds of posts bring back the memories. A lot of their home accent stuff is junk (seriously G.A.R.B.A.G.E.), but some of it is actually pretty sweet and the clearance sales combined with the employee discount really got me sometimes. Knowing what was going on sale when was always a fun little secret as well. 🙂
I love the pink polka dot platter you bought. I am eagerly awaiting two green polka dot plates to go on sale in a local store in Claremont, CA. Also, thanks for the Goodwill inspiration! I am heading over there tomorrow again both to donate as usual but also to look for a birthday present for my aunt.
I am extremely jealous right now. I am in LOVE with those jacks. I live minutes from a Hobby Lobby but I never think to go there just to look around for home decor. Perhaps a visit is in my future this weekend…hmmm…
My mom is a manager for Hobby Lobby, so I get the inside scoop on these deals all the time. Just a heads’ up, they do the big clearance (first to 66% then to 80%) twice a year – in the spring and in the fall. The spring clearance consists of all items from the previous summer and fall (if you look at the bottom of the stickers, it will say FA09 or SU09) and the fall clearance consists of all items from the previous winter and spring (again, WI09 or SP09). If there is something I really want, I look at the sticker to see when it will be on clearance. Or I just use the 40% off coupon that is on the website every other week, or I call my mom to see when it’s going to be on sale next (which a lot of items are on sale 50% off at least once a month). It’s totally worth the extra effort!
I just bought that same larger wire basket yesterdy at Hobby Lobby, too! I was thrilled with the $3 price tag! I looks so vintage and it’s awesome!
I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I picked up something that was marked “Free” in someone’s front lawn yesterday. Four wheel covers that are identical to the ones on our car – except these freebies are in better shape. Is this wrong? Or more accurately, is it this wrong to be so excited over something scavenged off the side of the road?
I need those baskets! Guess where I’m going today…I just got some nifty wall hanging wire baskets at GW for 2 dollah no hollah!
Aaaannnnd last night I put bacon in my mac n cheese, I thought of your love for it as I munched!
Well done!! I’m glad you shared this with us! I’m going back to my hometown this weekend, just to go to Hobby Lobby–I mean, see my parents and wish my Dad a Happy Father’s Day ;*)
As for bacon dipped in chocolate…they have it at the MN State Fair (on-a-stick of course). Do they sell bacon-on-a-stick, dipped in chocolate at the fair where you live? If not, you should totally have your own Bower Bacon Booth! I wasn’t daring enough to try it last year, but I heard it was DEE-licious.
Okay so I am really jealous. Sometimes I get lucky and get one awesome thing for sale but never as many as you did! As for my one time I got lucky story here it is: I was at Target and found a stack of large framed mirrors orginally $40 for $10 each. I bought two and my hubby and I are storing then until we are to use them in our master bath renovation. I still get giddy looking at them.
While looking for dining room ideas, I found your dining room here:
http://exquisite-design.com/category/dining-room/page/2/
I am so jealous! I want a Hobby Lobby 🙁 We don’t have them in CA, wish we did.
Good scores!
Katie. There is a chocolate shop near me that sells milk chocolate bacon truffles. No joke. I tried one…. couldn’t resist…. it was yum 🙂
Nice haul! And the new blog look is great!
i’ve been eying those jacks for our living room bookcase, so when I saw this I went to ours, Webster, TX, and of course, they were still $10 each here 🙁 but I did get a sweet metal basket like yours above for $2.60 🙂 it’s going on my dining room table with my balls in it 😛 (orbs) I would love to find the jacks that cheap!
I was in Old Navy last night returning something, and I came across an endcap of freshly marked down items. The majority of things were a $1.97 (like the two pairs of “leather” flip flops and two large totes I didn’t need but bought-whoops!) but a bunch of it was marked down to 7 cents. 7 cents! Did I need the little doggie rain jacket and star shaped ice cube trays? Not really, but come on! 7 cents!
Sa-weet! Awesome find girl!
xo – kb