Shopping inspires me

One of the downsides of being able to make your own clothes and crafts and actually enjoying the process, is that…you are able to make your own clothes and you enjoy the process.

Let me explain.

I’ve have never been a good shopper. This lack of skill was honed at a young age, while shopping with mom. She refused to buy anything that wasn’t on sale, and if I showed her something I liked, her first question was always “Is it on sale?” If the answer was no, I had to put it back. She, like I am now, was also really good at talking herself out of buying things. Many a shopping trip ended with empty arms and a happy dad.

This habit stuck with me even after I got a job and got my own money.   

Then college happened. I had a credit card and as they say – have credit card, will charge. I didn’t get into trouble like many college kids do, and I never carried a balance, but I did have to work more than my grades would have liked to pay for my habit.

After college, I was a bit of a nomad, so buying stuff wasn’t really wise. Plus, I only worked about 9 out of 12 months, and traveled a lot for fun, so I wasn’t exactly rolling in the Benjamins. Or the Washingtons for that matter.

After returning to grad school, and being poor for so long, I finally have a job and I make real actual money and guess what? When I see something while shopping, 80% of the time, my first thought is I could make that for way less.

It is a blessing and curse. A blessing because I rarely buy things that I know I can make and a curse because I have so many things I want to make and not nearly enough time to make them all.

Armed with my phone, I often take pictures while out shopping so that I can remember things I want to make. And I did a lot of that while shopping in Vancouver.

We stopped at this great store at the Granville Island Market called Make. It’s like walking into a big communal etsy shop, with tons of awesome handmade things. But they also have a couple DIY stations – you can make your own buttons, embroidery patterns, and t-shirts.

I so badly want this t-shirt, but I passed on it. Since making the t-shirt for my class in May, I’ve gotten a wee bit addicted to Zazzle, so I’ll be making this myself soon.

Very soon.

This magnet was at the same store, and if this doesn’t scream Katie, I don’t know what does. I just need to find a picture of this online and print it. I have the materials and all that.

It’s on the list of things to make. Which, yes, is a very long list.

These are also on the list.

Maybe not as earrings though, because I don’t ever wear them. I don’t wear very much jewelry at all, but the two necklaces I do wear are both made from Scrabble tiles.

Again, I have all the stuff I need to make these, I just need to find some cute prints.

I also take pictures of fabric, though not for the same reasons. I mean, there are websites you can design and make your own fabric, but I have neither the time nor the creativity to do that.

Michael Miller’s Salad Time fabric.

I know. It must be mine. I would have gotten it, but Vancouver isn’t a cheap place to shop and it was about twice what I found it for online here. I haven’t ordered it yet, but only because the store is out of the condiment print behind it and I want need both.

Obviously.

Oh. And this one too. (Side note: You do not ever want to go shopping at a fabric store with me. I could literally spend hours in those stores. And still walk out empty handed. It has happened.)

I did actually buy things while I was there, but it’s a good thing I didn’t buy any more than I did. My suitcase weighed exactly 49.9 pounds when I checked it. If it had been one tenth of a pound more, I’d have had to pay an additional $50 on top of the already stupid $25 baggage fee.

So, does this make me good shopper or a bad shopper? I wonder…..

What’s your shopping style? Do you window shop? Only buy on sale? Have you ever tried to recreate something you saw in a store?

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