Tag: JoAnn Fabrics

Three Day Weekend Equals Three Visits to a Craft Store

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

This past weekend was busy.  It seemed like there was no time to do anything.  I hoped for more progress than I got on my list but I don’t know when we could have done more.

Saturday I paid bills, worked on budget and we went to my sister-in-laws wedding.  Sunday we went to several stores.  The first was Home Depot and after that I sat in the car while Vicki and Ken went into the stores.  Vicki and I did go to Joann’s.  There were Ibottas and coupons.  I got a lot of money back for buying yarn I was going to buy anyways and 10% back.  Additionally I had a coupon for 20% off my whole order.  On Sunday, I had two coupons for 60% off any regular priced item.  I got two lengths of luxe fleece.  This is super soft fleece which is normally $15 – $20 per yard.  I only buy it when I have big coupons or it is on steep discount.  I also found lace I liked for the front window.  Ken had put up an dark blue ugly curtain I didn’t like on our front door.  I looked through the lace.  There was this gorgeous feeling white which I loved the feel of but didn’t really suit the room.  Vicki picked out a color I liked but I didn’t think Ken would.  I’m not sure he likes it but I do.

Monday Vicki and Ken went back to Home Depot to get a range hood.  Ours has been getting louder and louder as well as working less.  They picked up one.  Ken came home and installed it.  We discovered more strange things about how they did things in our house.  The range hood is on the same breaker as our garage.  Vicki and I went back to Joann’s because when we were there on Sunday we picked up some buttons on clearance.  These are the fancy buttons which normally cost anywhere from $1 – $5 each but on clearance for 50 cents.  When we were there on Saturday the buttons had all sorts of prices on them but they rang up as 50 cents.  So Sunday we went back specifically for buttons.  Vicki and I picked over what they had and then found a table to lay them all out at.  We weeded through and narrowed it down.  I still spent over $20 on buttons.  But I got a great deal on them.  Plus I got the 10% back on Ibotta.

All three days we went to Joann’s and I used coupons to save big, bought stuff on clearance, or used Ibotta to get rebates.  I saved over $16 in rebates from Ibotta but in savings from the coupons and in store sales I saved over $85.  I saved almost as much as I spent so really good deals.

As for what did get accomplished, I got bills paid.  That was on my list.  Ken finished the closet space in the family room.  Next step is for Vicki and I to figure out what we want out there.  I did work on crocheting all weekend.  I got six sets of hand towels / dish towels done.  I also prepped five fleece blankets for crocheting.  I crocheted the edging for two of them.  Other items I worked on, I got four pairs of earrings and four scrubbies made.  I organized all the stuff which had been accumulating on my couch.  I’m going to keep working on dish towels and hand towels.  I have three skeins of scrubbie material so I’m going to keep making them up.  All the excess crocheted items are going on the rummage and craft sale we’re going to have.

I got stuff done.  I shouldn’t feel bad I didn’t get stuff done.  I just didn’t get the stuff done I planned to get done.  In the meanwhile, I’m going to keep crocheting and adding to my stockpile for the sale.  I have excess fleece in the craft room which I plan to make up into blankets for the sale.  In my head I have a list of things I want to make for the sale.  I’ll see how far I get in making the stuff.  I’m trying to only use the yarn I have on hand.  I’m trying to use up my stash of yarns and reduce the amount of stuff I have in my craft room.

Ultimately a productive weekend but not productive for my list.  Part of me says to let go of the damn list but another part of me knows I’ll forget things if I don’t keep my list.

Errands, Bookwork, Snow, and Organizing

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

This morning I got up much earlier than I wanted to but I paid bills, did budget, and placed an order with our butcher shop – Sorgs.  Ken and I ran out to Sorgs through snow and wind.  After Sorgs and bringing the stuff home, we went to Joann’s, Home Depot, and Wendy’s.  At Joann’s I bought material for gifts I’m making.  Of course I had coupons.  While I spent $29, I saved $32 in the process.

At Home Depot we priced out projects we want to do to the house.  I asked a lot of questions and the people were very helpful.  We picked up what we needed to finish my shelves for the craft room.  On our way home we picked up lunch.

Ken has since finished my shelves.  My next stop will be going to the craft room to organize and put away all my goodies.  For now, I’m working on catching up the checkbook and recording my sales for March.  I’ve also figured out how to automatically calculate a breakdown of my sales – so by month by vendor by book type – in January from Kindle I sold how many crochet patterns, or novels, etc.

Formulas and I in Excel don’t always work.  Stephanie helped me find the right one.  I got it set up, copied and now all I have to do is enter my sales by book and it figures out how to count it.  I can now easily tell which category of book is selling at what percent, percent of sales each month compared to the total annual sales.  I can tell you through which vendor I sell the most books.  Finally I’ve broken it down by category and vendor.  This should allegedly help me focus my marketing.  I might have to do some graphs to get a better handle on it.

In the last half hour, I’ve looked out my window and saw blue sky and driving sideways snow.  Welcome to Wisconsin’s spring!  Goofy weather.

On to organizing.  I am hoping to make my craft room look much more presentable by the end of the day.  I’m also hoping to have to ask for minimal help from Ken.  However, I shouldn’t be moving shelving units around so we shall see how things go.  

Birthday Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Thursday I ran away from home and escaped for the weekend.  Really Ken loaded up my car and drove to Indiana to spend time with my middle daughter.  Friday her and I ran her errands and went to Joann’s.  While she shopped in other stores, I sat in the car crocheting.  I finished off a fleece throw for her.

For the weekend, I finished a fleece throw and poncho, two hats, two scarves, two sets of wristers, and a clutch purse.  I also finished off a beret I’d experimented with and needed to make sure would fit her.  It was laid back and relaxed when it came to crafting.  I created a new pattern and finished another one for publishing.  I may think about creating a pattern for one of the sets I made – I haven’t decided yet.

We watched the Good Witch movies, The Expendables, season six of Downton Abbey, and the two How to Train Your Dragon movies.  There were a couple of Penguin / zoo movies too.  We also checked out the Good Witch series.

It was calm, fun, relaxing.  We played Word Chaos on our phones together.  This meant she would start a game and when she got stuck she would pass it to me – or vice versa.  We are both now addicted to the game.

We stayed up late, slept late, and tortured the cats.  Saturday we went to Michael’s and a couple of other stores.  Sunday she baked cookies, I helped by putting them on the cookie sheet.  By evening my car was packed up (mostly) and all we had to do in the morning was put the last couple things in.
Monday she went off to work and I came back to Wisconsin.  The drive was fine, traffic was good and road conditions were excellent.  By the time I got home, all I wanted was a nap so I took one.  I expected to not sleep last night but I did.

While I spent my birthday driving, the weekend before was fun, relaxing, and enjoyable.  I stayed long enough to annoy her without staying too long.  I got about a third of a container emptied so progress was made on the LARGE pile of yarn I’ve got for her.

It was a nice little retreat for me.  I hope it was for her as well.  We laughed, talked, spent time together crafting, and just being together.  It was a nice weekend and a nice break for me.

Day Off

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

I should be productive right?  Well my day off has been not overly productive.  I saw Stephanie off this morning and dozed until Vicki called me.  After talking to her while she drove to work, I dozed until 9.  Finally dragging my bum out of bed / sleep mode, I hit the computer to do some bookwork like updating my expense report for my writing, working on the budget and so on.

I had a plan – when don’t I – but it has fallen through the cracks and I’m just winging it now.  As soon as I’m done on the computer I’m going to go pick out some of my “stash” yarn.  Then I’m going to work on a pattern I’m seeing in my head to see if I can actually make it.  If it turns out decently, I’ll work on publishing the pattern.

I was going to put in Downton Abbey and watch the last season while I crocheted.  I don’t think that is happening at this point.  Ken will be home soonish and he won’t want to watch it.

Stephanie and I went to Hobby Lobby and Joann’s last night.  I walked out having used a 50% off coupon on one item and the other items I bought were already marked down.  I spent a little over $20 and saved a little over $30.  I love it when that happens.

Next is for Ken to wash these for me so I can get the projects done.  Two of them are experiments to test out an idea I have.  I have so many crochet projects bouncing around in my head right now.  I can’t get them done fast enough.  At the same time I have a lot of projects on the go so I really need to finish some of them.
I need to remember – one thing at a time.  It’s all I can do – one thing at a time.  I just need to pick a project and work on it.  The one bouncing around in my head wins!  I’m off to pick out some pretty yarn for a small project and hopefully I will finish it quickly in order to move on to the next crazy thing in my head.

More Quiet, More Crocheting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Ken and I went to JoAnn’s yesterday.  He hates it but was very helpful and even helped pick out fabric.  He’s such a good sport, sometimes.  I got all the things I needed for the projects I have in mind.  The fabric is in the laundry being washed and dried so I can work on the projects as soon as they are done.

I came home and crocheted.  I got a number of small gifts done.  I bought fleece for a blanket for me.  Yes, I’m actually going to make something for me.  It’s shocking but true.  I picked out the yarn and went totally opposite of what I thought I would do.  I also know the pattern I want to do.  Hopefully today I’ll finish it but we will see what ends up happening.

I can’t show the rest of what I worked on because they will be gifts.  However, I got a lot done and I’ve only got two more sections to do.  I’m hoping to finish them today.

Sitting with my legs up and crocheting most of yesterday was a good thing.  My legs feel better today and the swelling has gone down.  This means the pain level is lower which of course makes me happy.

My plan for the day?  Editing for my sister, reading email this morning, and then going back to my recliner and working on crocheting.  I’m hoping the fabric I bought yesterday is done so I can work on those projects sooner rather than later.  I have a few smaller projects which I would like to get off my plate.  One of which may involve making my own patterns.  If I do, I’ll be publishing them.  It promises to be a good day of crocheting.  Hopefully I get a lot done.

No Jammies Today

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

It was supposed to be a stay in my jammies day and do little to nothing.  That didn’t work.  I got up to an email from Joann with one of the things I wanted for a project being on sale.

After spending part of the morning on marketing, I got organized and Ken and I headed out to Joann’s.  While I was looking at things online, I got a notice to text Joann’s to get a coupon.  I did.  I got a 20% off coupon.

The items I wanted were already 50% off so we went in, found what I wanted and picked them up.  At checkout, they used my coupon and I spent nearly $10 less than I had budgeted.  I spent $42 and saved $60.  This is good shopping as far as I’m concerned.

I’ve spent the last two hours working on getting marketing stuff organized into a One Note notebook.  This is the software I just learned how to use.  I have to say, I’m finding it useful both at work and with my writing things.  I’ve created two notebooks to make my marketing tasks simpler.  I’m still gathering quotes from different books but it’s coming along nicely.

Looking to move on to the next thing – will it be more marketing, work on the project I just got the materials for, or something completely different?  I’ll have to see how the mood strikes me.

Second Day for Crocheting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Vicki went to work this morning leaving me at her apartment.  I worked on a trivet for her.  The concept of the pattern was pretty and nice.  The execution of the pattern – miserable.  I liked the technique was good but the pattern was poorly written.  I had to read sections multiple times.

She came home for lunch and we ran errands in the afternoon.  Joann’s, eye doctor, grocery store, Walgreens and home for supper.  Joann’s was wonderful (of course) and her grocery store has a wonderful craft section where we found some amazing yarn.  We also got these great new bags which will be great for carrying craft projects around in.

This evening I worked on a scarf for her.  We were both tired though and she crashed early.  I dozed, being too tired to work long on the scarf.

Tomorrow, she has a few errands she wants to run.  While she’s gone, I’m going to work on the scarf and whatever else I feel like.  I’m looking forward to a full day of crocheting.  I’ll share pictures when I get home and can download them.  She’s definitely spoiled.  

Craft Focused Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

After meeting my mom and sister to get our paperwork signed and notarized, I contacted my niece.  While waiting on her to arrive, I worked on all sorts of writing administrative things.  I got a lot done and then she showed up.

We played in my craft room for a little bit before we wandered off to Michaels.  I enjoyed – very much enjoyed – our time shopping at Michaels and the other stores.  Both of us needed stuff from Staples.  Since it’s two doors down from Michaels we hit there first and then Michaels.

I love sales.  I love yarn sales and I love wandering up and down aisles and touching different yarn.  I didn’t buy a single full priced item at Michaels.  It was all sale items.  I found pretty yarn both crochet cotton and regular yarn.  I filled in colors for my crochet cotton I didn’t have and even found some blues to make Stephanie happy for the items she requested.

  
We found good stuff for an afghan for my niece.  Her old one fell apart (it’s only about 20 years old) so rather than fixing it, I’ll be making her a new one.  Don’t worry people who are in line ahead of her – she isn’t butting in line.

While at Michaels we wandered the bead aisle so my niece could get some beads for some of her projects.  I’m hoping this means I will get the stuff she promised to make me.  It is always fun to wander through the bead aisles.  I like beads, I just don’t have a lot of skills when it comes to making the jewelry.

JoAnns was our next stop.  We wandered around quite a bit.  I actually didn’t spend a lot there.  Got a small package of yarn and a single skein.  My niece however spent a lot more there and got lots of goodies.

Picking up lunch, we came back and chatted the afternoon away.  After she left and Ken went to bed, I worked on daisies for the girls in Georgia.  Virginia requested purple and gray.  I was tired after all the shopping but I still tackled some more of her daisies.  I listened to Witness in Death and started working.  I was tired to begin with and after two I just wanted to go to sleep but I stuck with it and got the last six done for her.  Now I have to move on to Stephanie’s color choices.  I have a list and will be tackling them today.

Ken and I are watching Justified, since there is no football he plans to watch today, we may finish off season 5 and switch to Babylon 5.  At least that is my hope.  While we do that, I will work on the daisies for Stephanie.  I also have two infinity scarves to make so if I get bored with daisies, I can switch over and see what I come up with for the infinity scarves.

It was a good day yesterday.  I enjoyed the time with my niece.  I enjoyed making the daisies and listening to an audio book.  Today will hopefully be as productive and as enjoyable.

To do is getting done

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I’m nearing the end of a manuscript, I am pretty sure I’ll finish with the chapter I’m on.  The problem is there is a lot to fit into this chapter.  I have story lines to finish, plot lines to clean up, and a murder to solve. 

This book has been a little different for me as I’ve worked it in bits and pieces with the crazy schedule I’ve had in the last month.  Normally when I work on a Wayfarer book I take two weeks and zip through the story. 

I have three people (my test readers) who are begging me for the next installment for this series.  I don’t know if they are going to like this one as I delved into different storylines but I’m sure they will tell me if they don’t.

On another task on my to do list, I got all the presents ready over the weekend (with the help of Ken) and brought them into the office.  It was a nice little thing for the people to get after the long weekend. 

Friday while I was down in Indiana with Vicki, I got my hair cut and donated 12″.  I now have short hair.  I don’t hate it.  I know that sounds odd but I’m so used to the long hair that going short is quite a change. 

We had fun at JoAnn Fabrics again.  All the yarn I bought was on sale.  Between coupons and sales, I paid half price (or less) for every item.  Vicki got a bunch of flannel super inexpensive.  It was a good couple of hours in the store.  Ken and Vicki went to Menards to look at a few things and both of them came out with goodies from there. 

Thanksgiving… a lot to be thankful for…

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

This Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for.  My daughters are healthy.  Two of them are buying their first house.

The weekend went as planned to a point.  We drove to Vicki’s in Indiana on Wednesday night.  I was disappointed Virginia and Stephanie couldn’t get time off to come up but understand that between new job for Virginia and the new house they couldn’t make it.

Thursday was good with cooking, hanging out with Vicki, and checking in with the girls in Georgia.  Friday Vicki and I went to JoAnn’s for their sale.  The morning was fun with yarn shopping and fabric shopping for Vicki.  Ken sat in the car waiting as we shopped.  He is a very patient man – mostly.

We went to Menards next as they had some things on sale that Ken and Vicki wanted. I wrote in my journal and listened to music.

Friday evening my sister, Alicia called.  My mother suffered a stroke Friday morning.  It was mild and didn’t do a lot of damage.  Alicia was busy running errands in the morning but when she got home she noticed mom was a little off.  She took her to urgent care who then sent them to emergency and they did their thing and ended up sending mom to the hospital.  Fortunately this is all in one building.

It is hell being three states away when someone you love is suffering and you just want to go to her.  Normally I would be ten minutes from where she was being treated and could have gone to offer support.  I’m grateful that Alicia and my niece Cristina kept me up-to-date while we were so far away.

After many phone calls apprising me of the situation, we opted to cut our visit a little short and come home about six hours earlier than we had planned.  We got back to town and immediately went to gather with the family.

One of my sister’s gave me a run down of how mom was and what the occupational therapist had to say.  It was a relief to hear the information.  We opted not to go visit mom on Saturday night because there was a line of people who all visited her.  We were concerned about taxing her when she needed rest.  Other people were taking care of her, keeping her company.

Today we went over and spent a long time with her.  The doctor came in and the physical therapist came in while I was there.  They were very encouraging and positive about mom’s condition.

Tonight I’m grateful to my husband and my daughters who offered their support to me while I was stressed and worried about my mother.  While driving back from Indiana, Ken held my hand while I cried.  I kept flashing back to when my grandmother was in the hospital before she died.  We all lined up in the waiting room for our turn to visit with her.  The comfort of his hand in mine, the strength that he gave me with just holding my hand helped me push those memories away and deal with what was going on rather than the sad memories of losing my grandmother.

My daughters have listened to long conversations about the situation up here.  They have offered their love and support for which I’m very grateful.

Most important, I’m grateful that my mother is doing well and moving towards recovery.  I know she is determined and strong enough to come back from this.  I am glad the medical professionals took good care of her and are helping her recover.