I Went to Michael's With a 40% Off Coupon. Things Escalated.
The Great Michael's Bead Sale — Part 1
I had a plan.
A perfectly reasonable, financially responsible plan.
I was in Kanata, Ontario anyway, and since Michael's was only about three minutes away, I figured I'd pop in and use my 40% off coupon.
Simple enough.
Living in the Lanark area means we don't exactly have craft stores around every corner. In fact, when it comes to shopping for beads, our local options are pretty much nonexistent.
So whenever I find myself in Kanata, a quick stop at Michael's is practically mandatory.
Even if I only pick up a package of Stretch Magic, that 40% off coupon makes the detour worthwhile.
And that's exactly what I intended to do.
Then I walked into the bead aisle.
And there it was.
60% OFF STRUNG BEADS.
Sixty.
Percent.
Well, what in the world was I supposed to do?
LEAVE THEM THERE?!
Things Escalated Rather Quickly
Now, anyone who has spent any time reading The Paper Artist knows that I have a bit of a bead situation.
Not a problem.
A situation.
There's a difference.
And when you live somewhere with limited access to beading supplies, you learn to appreciate a good opportunity when it presents itself.
I started looking.
And looking.
And finding things.
Beautiful gemstone beads. Gorgeous glass beads. Pretty little charms. Colors I loved. Colors I hadn't considered before. Beads that practically begged to become bracelets.
And, of course, beads that I had absolutely no immediate plans for.
Those are sometimes the best ones.
Before I knew it, I had accumulated a rather impressive collection of supplies.
And when I got home and spread everything across the desk, even I had to admire the results.
There were beads everywhere.
And I was delighted.
The Purchase That Started It All
Remember that perfectly innocent 40% off coupon I mentioned?
Well, I DID use it.
Just not quite the way I'd originally planned.
I found a lovely bead organizer containing 12 compartments of assorted glass beads.
Pinks, greens, blues, lavender, smoky gray, and some beautiful iridescent finishes.
I particularly liked the selection of colors and the fact that they were already organized.
Because apparently, buying beads isn't enough.
Now I'm buying beads that come with their own accommodations.
But here's something I genuinely appreciate about a box like this.
Having several coordinating colors together makes it easy to experiment with combinations.
You can try different shades, mix colors you might not normally put together, and create bracelets without having to pull out half your bead collection.
Although, let's be realistic.
I'll probably pull out half my bead collection anyway.
That's just how these things go.
Now, Let's Talk About That 60% Off
Before we get too carried away celebrating my spectacular financial decisions, there's something worth mentioning.
Michael's isn't exactly famous for having bargain-basement regular prices.
In fact, I find some of their bead prices rather ridiculous.
A single strand of beads can easily cost $12, $15, or even $16.99.
And while some of those beads are absolutely beautiful, I'm not particularly interested in paying nearly $17 for one strand.
But knock 60% off that price?
Now you've got my attention.
Here's an example of what that discount actually looks like:
Regular Price 60% Off Sale Price
$9.99 $4.00
$12.99 $5.20
$16.99 $6.80
Suddenly, those prices start looking a whole lot more reasonable.
And that's an important distinction.
A big discount doesn't automatically mean you're getting a great bargain.
Sometimes it simply brings an overpriced item back down to earth.
The real question is whether the final price is reasonable for the quality, quantity, and type of beads you're buying.
In this case, I thought it absolutely was.
Especially considering some of the prices I've encountered while searching for similar beads online.
And believe me, I've done plenty of that.
A Little Tour of the Bead Haul
Since I came home with quite the assortment, I thought we'd take a closer look at some of my finds.
Pretty Pinks, Soft Greens & a Little Sparkle
I couldn't resist the pink seed beads.
They're such a pretty, soft shade, and I can already imagine using them in several bracelet designs.
There were also some beautiful amethyst beads, delicate floral lampwork beads, soft aqua glass beads, and a few bright, sparkly strands.
And yes, those are little snowmen.
Because apparently, I've reached the point in my beading adventures where I can't resist tiny snowmen either.
It's October.
Christmas is coming.
I'm simply being prepared.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Apparently, I Was Having a Blue Moment
Looking at this photograph, I think it's safe to say I was particularly drawn to blue.
From deep lapis shades to beautiful blue ceramics, crackle agate, and sparkling glass beads, I found quite the assortment.
What I love about working with different types of beads is how much texture they bring to a design.
A smooth ceramic bead creates a completely different look than a faceted glass bead.
And combining those finishes can make a bracelet much more interesting without needing a complicated design.
A Little More Earthy
Of course, I couldn't leave without some earthy colors.
These are the shades I find myself returning to again and again.
Soft greens, warm browns, muted natural tones, and a few antique-metal accents.
I particularly loved the fancy jasper beads and those beautiful green ceramic beads.
There's something about these colors that reminds me of nature.
And those silver leaf accents?
Well, I think they'll fit right in.
A Little Glamour Never Hurts
Then we have the softer side of the haul.
Creamy whites, pale neutrals, gold accents, and some lovely warm metallic beads.
These are the kinds of supplies that can make a simple bracelet feel a little more elegant.
And then, sitting among all that sophistication…
Peppermint candy beads.
Because apparently, even my elegant bead collection needs a little Christmas candy.
I have absolutely no objection to that.
And Then There Were the Charms
Now, the charms weren't included in the 60% off bead sale.
They had their own little promotion happening.
Buy one package, get the second at 50% off.
Naturally, I had to investigate.
I picked up a package of adorable Christmas charms and another package containing 12 silver leaf charms.
The Christmas charms will be perfect for holiday bracelets.
And the silver leaves are versatile enough to use throughout the year.
See?
Every purchase had a purpose.
Some purposes just haven't been determined yet.
The Great Canadian Bead Hunt
If you've ever tried finding affordable jewelry-making supplies in Canada, you'll understand where I'm coming from.
I've spent more time than I care to admit searching Amazon for particular beads.
Sometimes you find exactly what you're looking for.
Sometimes you find something close.
Sometimes you discover that the perfect beads are unavailable in Canada.
And sometimes you spend an entire afternoon looking for one particular shade of burgundy and begin questioning your life choices.
Not that I've ever done that.
Ahem.
The other challenge with ordering beads online is that photographs don't always tell the whole story.
A bead that looks beautiful on your screen might arrive looking completely different.
The color might be off.
The finish might be disappointing.
The size might not be what you expected.
And occasionally, the quality leaves something to be desired.
That's one of the things I love about shopping for beads in person.
You can actually SEE what you're buying.
You can examine the colors, feel the weight, check the finish, and compare different strands.
You can hold two colors together and suddenly discover a combination you never would have considered.
And when those beads happen to be 60% off?
Well.
YOU RUN.
You don't walk.
You don't contemplate your life choices.
You grab your purse and head for the bead aisle.
Preferably before everyone else discovers the sale.
Apparently, I've Entered My Golden Years
Now, there's another little detail about this shopping adventure that I should probably mention.
Apparently, I've reached that magical age where Michael's considers me a senior citizen.
Fifty-five.
FIFTY-FIVE!
Before anyone starts researching retirement homes on my behalf, let me explain.
Michael's offers a senior discount beginning at age 55.
And the wonderful thing about this particular discount?
It's an additional 10% off eligible purchases, even after the sale price has been applied!
So those beads that were already 60% off?
They became an even better bargain.
For example, a strand regularly priced at $16.99 was reduced to approximately $6.80 with the sale.
Apply the additional 10% senior discount, and that strand comes down to approximately $6.12 before tax.
That's a total savings of approximately 64% off the original price.
Well, suddenly I'm feeling considerably better about this whole aging business.
If getting older means cheaper beads, hand me my reading glasses and point me toward the jewelry aisle.
And just when I thought this shopping trip couldn't get any better, I met the sweetest young cashier.
As we were checking out, she looked at me and said:
"You couldn't possibly be eligible, but I'll ask anyway."
Well, BLESS HER HEART!
Not only was she helping me save money, but she'd just delivered a rather lovely compliment.
Honestly, I nearly invited her home for Thanksgiving dinner.
And considering I'd just finished feeding approximately 40 people for Thanksgiving, what's one more?
Especially when she's handing out compliments AND discounts.
And Then We Started Talking About Beads
As she was ringing through my mountain of purchases, we started chatting.
She mentioned that her mother also enjoys beadwork.
Apparently, her mother has an entire room dedicated to beads.
AN ENTIRE ROOM.
I have never met this woman.
I don't know her name.
But I immediately developed an enormous amount of respect for her.
Clearly, she's one of my people.
Then the cashier mentioned that she hadn't even realized the beads were on sale.
"I'm going to have to tell my mom!"
And just like that, another unsuspecting household was about to experience the financial consequences of a 60% off bead sale.
Somewhere in Kanata, a woman with an entire room full of beads was about to receive some very important news.
I hope she had room for a few more strands.
But seriously, what a lovely young woman.
Friendly, helpful, and genuinely interested in having a conversation.
Sometimes a simple interaction like that makes a shopping trip even more enjoyable.
And it certainly made mine.
A Little Tip for Shopping Bead Sales
One thing I've learned from my many beading adventures is that a good sale is an excellent opportunity to stock up on supplies you'll actually use.
But there's a difference between stocking up and buying something simply because it's cheap.
When I'm shopping for beads, I like to think about a few things.
Will I actually use these?
I might not have a specific bracelet in mind, but I know which colors, sizes, and styles I enjoy working with.
Can I combine them with supplies I already own?
Sometimes a new strand of beads is all it takes to give an existing collection a completely different look.
Is the quality worth the sale price?
A beautiful gemstone strand at a reasonable price can be a much better purchase than a cheap strand of beads that doesn't hold up.
And finally…
Am I buying these because I love them, or because there's a giant SALE sign hanging above them?
An important question.
One I occasionally remember to ask myself.
Usually after I've filled my basket.
The Final Damage
So, after my perfectly innocent visit to Michael's, I arrived home with some beautiful supplies at prices I was genuinely happy to pay.
The regular retail value was considerably higher than the damage to my wallet.
And that, to me, is what makes a successful shopping trip.
I didn't have to spend hours searching online.
I didn't have to worry about whether the beads would look like their photographs.
I didn't have to wonder about the quality.
I could see exactly what I was getting.
And I found some lovely new colors and styles to work into future bracelet designs.
Now I just need to find the time to actually MAKE something with them.
A minor detail.
There's Just One Little Problem…
You see, my friend Barb and I had already planned a shopping trip to Kanata in a couple of weeks.
Hunting season is coming up, and while the men were busy with their adventures, we were planning a little expedition of our own.
Bead hunting.
Naturally.
Except I'd just discovered a rather spectacular bead sale.
Without Barb.
Oh dear.
Now, Barb and I have had plenty of adventures together.
We've disagreed over bead colors.
We've debated bracelet designs.
We've spent ridiculous amounts of time discussing whether one bead looks better than another.
And occasionally, we've even managed to agree on something.
But discovering a 60% off sale without her?
That could be considered a serious breach of friendship etiquette.
I knew I had to tell her.
After all, a sale like this doesn't come around every day, and there was a very real possibility we'd need to move our shopping expedition up a little.
Perhaps even to the following day.
And that, my friends, is where this story takes a rather unexpected turn.
Because what happened next involved another trip to Michael's, a few surprising revelations about Barb, and a rather memorable reunion at the checkout.
But that's a story for another day.
To be continued…
Coffee in hand & something always on the craft table,
Julie — The Paper Artist
