Jo-Ann Fabrics

Celtic Groove. Look it up. It will change your life.

My Christmas/birthday present from Little Rachel was a trip to Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts. Say no more, little sister!

I could spend all day in that place. Between the jewelry-making aisle full of beads, the cheesy elevator music kiosk, the sewing notions, and the bolts and bolts and bolts and bolts of fabric in every color, pattern, and texture known to man, I can be kept occupied for an indefinite period of time.

Fortunately, Josh was there to keep Rachel and I in check (in other words, he hates the craft store and couldn't wait to go home).

I can only imagine what these seemingly-crafted-from-papier-mache body parts are for. I suppose one could decorate them and use them to store jewelry and whatnot. All I know for sure are that they are located at the end of the jewelry-making aisle and kept Josh occupied while Rachel and I frolicked among the beads.

Wooden beads and beads covered in red velvet <3

Half of these strings of beads I would just add clasps to and wear as necklaces! I regret that I don't invest more money into my jewelry collection. Necklaces, earrings, and bracelets can get really expensive and difficult to justify in light of the fact that I should be spending money on clothing or, you know, food . . .

For now, I really need to focus the meager budget Josh allows me for DIY on revamping articles of clothing that can't be worn as is. 

Don't you just love that? A shirt or skirt that could end up at the Salvation Army or in a landfill for all you care can suddenly become your favorite clothing item with the help of some decorative buttons, a silk ribbon, a bottle of dye, or anything!

Josh also entertained himself by playing with the price check scanner

The real reason Rachel and I were at the fabric and craft store was to buy material. I didn't know what I was looking for when we first entered the store, but Rachel did. She wants to make a striped sundress using differently patterned strips of fabric. Armed only with the knowledge that we were seeking three different types of fabric somewhere in the realm of green and blue, we took the store by storm.

This is what we came up with after much deliberation in the clearance aisle (they were on sale!):

I'm excited to see how the dress turns out. The solid fabrics look so good with the pattern and really bring out the different colors.

As for me, I ended up in the artificial furs. Wonder of wonders, the exact same dark leopard print fur with which I began a fur vest over a year ago was perched in the center of one f the shelves. I never finished the vest because I ran out of fabric before I finished the second front panel, but now I can!


Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Birthday to me :-)