Tuesday 20 July 2010

Tell me What's your Flavour? { & How to Scrappy Shop Online}






Today's the day for the World Cup RAK to be announced!
I will do that later but first need to check on who has remembered to link up to my blog from theirs as that was the rule remember?! Once I have done that I will do a quick post this evening announcing the winner! THEN I need to work out how to pack a vuvuzela into a box lol...think I will have to custom make one! But fear not - if I said I'll do it I WILL DO IT & one lucky person will win a treat-box full of South African & World Cup goodies. Just doing my bit to keep World Cup Fever around a little longer!


For now this post is about shopping! I went shopping yesterday. Took forever...even though I didn't even have to leave my computer...yes I went shopping online! I ordered some lovely goodies for my birthday a few months back but they took ages to arrive because we had strikes here & the volcanic ash story causing delays around the world. I am ploughing my way through the goodies I got & know that I will be in need of something fresh in a month or so {when my next lot will arrive}. I tried a different store this time - mainly because they were the only ones I could find that stocked Fiskars trimmer blades. They are now IMPOSSIBLE to get here & even when they were R120 per set of 2 is an insane price to pay!

I did scour my 3 local stores first before ordering, but obviously there are certain brands that are favoured here for some reason & unfortunately they are not the ones I love the best. It seems that Fancy Pants, Imaginisce, My Mind's Eye & Bo Bunny obviously have good relations with the importers here, which is great & the ranges are relatively up to date, & they are lovely, but just not what I am looking for at the moment. Since I embarked on my home-decorating venture a few months ago it seems to have given me complete clarity about what I like & dislike in the way of scrapping supplies - weird huh?! But I am loving my new decisiveness & seem to have gotten over my scrappy identity crisis. So here goes, these are my new flavours!



PRIMA - Say it in Pearls - Swirls - in pink, lime & pearl. Brown & White De-vines. Fairyring flowers, trellis roses, flutter vines & cherry blossom branches! Damask pebbles & Donna Downey embroidered words.
{Already have too much of their beauuuuuuuuuuuuuutiful paper ;-D}

K & CO - Acetate Frames. {Still need to cut into my Que Sera Sera paper pack...}



HAMBLY - border stickers & white frame transparencies. {Still have some of their transparencies I need to chomp through...}

MAYA ROAD - Cherry Mist & gorgeous scalloped craft envelopes. {Love their accessories but just had to stop shopping by the time I got to M...}



TATTERED ANGELS - Pearl Glimmer Mist. {Like white bazzill it seems the hardest colour to get hold of...}

MAKING MEMORIES - Vintage Findings.

OCTOBER AFTERNOON - Fly A Kite, Ducks in a Row, Farm Fresh papers.

LILY BEE - "Lovely" papers.

AMERICAN CRAFTS - Letterbox & Dear Lizzy papers re-orders {what's not to LOVE?!}

JILLY BEAN SOUP - Summer Squash papers - mostly sold-out unfortunately.

JENNY BOWLIN - Playdate papers - mostly sold-out unfortunately.

STUDIO CALICO - hot-air balloon rub-ons & Documentary papers - mostly sold-out again unfortunately!

THE GIRL'S PAPERIE - Paper Girl & On Holiday trims {would have bought all that vintage paper but...you guessed it...all sold out!}

PINK PAISLEY - Bayberry Cottage Artisan tapes, pleated ribbons, die-cuts & sticker elements
{paper's too strong for me but accessories are delicious...}

ECHO PARK {Yup they're new & THEY ARE ROCKING...} Sweet Summertime papers, borders & stickers!


15 splendid manufacturers all in one box! I am BEYOND excited!! Yay me!!! The downside is these goodies will only be in my little hot hands in at least a month...but I know it will be worth the wait - especially as I have THICKERS galore packed in there too :-D

For anyone local wanting to shop online my advice is:-

1. It's worth it if you buy 3 months worth @ a time {this is 3 months worth for me when mixed in with my other older stash} so make it 6 months worth if you scrap a few times a week, or share your box with a scrappy friend.

2. Still support your local store - pop in there before you place your order so that you don't import what's already here {that would just be stupid} - when you see the prices overseas & add in your postage {about R400 for a big box of stuff} & minimal duties - the local prices are correct - the issue is with availability.

3. Shop by BRAND unless you want to take a week browsing...you will be gobsmacked at the selection! Get to know which manufacturer's ranges & products you usually like & go straight there - no way you'll have time to view everything!

4. Add strict instructions to brace everything in re-inforced cardboard THEN again into SEALED plastic THEN to fill in all gaps with bio-degradable peanuts {that's just a silly name for bits of polystyrene!} or by the time your goods arrive they may be water damaged or have crumpled corners. If you do this though chances are your goodies will be fine ;-D

So now that I've poured my little scrappy heart out & told you who I am in love with now it's your turn! Which manufacturers are rocking your boat right now?!





4 comments:

Lynette Jacobs said...

You have some stunning stuff there;-)

I got the Echo park in a kit last month...and keep relatively up to date with my monthly kit club. I never buy locally.

CathQuillScrap said...

I love Bo Bunny at moment... their new ranges are gorgeous.

Re the fiskars blades... I also battle to get my little hands on them... eventually found a local supplier of some "grey" ones that work just as well at a fraction of the cost... and they're in Durbs too if you are interested. Otherwise the Village Scrapper has the actually fiskars ones in stock at just over R50 for two. worth a visit to her online shop.

Ella Swan said...

Thanks Cathy that was a great tip! See them there {gave up on that shop long ago as usually very out of date} & please can you also tell me where you get the other ones - very interested! For now I've already ordered them online so will be when I have some more cash as I have 10 blades coming which should keep me busy 'til the end of the year ;-D

Ella Swan said...

Lynette I forgot to say that by SA standards the shop in PE {by the MacDonalds in Walmer} was better than any here in Durbs. Had whole new Pink Paislee paper line! And also found one in the Walmer Centre which had quite a lot of new Fiskars border punches. Not cheap but a good selection & same price as elsewhere in SA. Was quite impressed...