Barb, Beads & a Family Reunion at the Checkout
The Bead Dynasty continues… and apparently, we’re recruiting new members.
Well, well, well.
If you read Part 1 of my adventures at the Michael’s bead sale, you might have assumed that I had purchased enough beads to keep myself entertained for the foreseeable future.
You would be wrong.
Because the very next day, I found myself heading back to Michael’s.
This time, with Barb.
And if you've been following our adventures here at The Paper Artist, you already know that when Barb and I head out together, there's a fairly good chance that something ridiculous is going to happen.
This particular shopping excursion did not disappoint.
In fact, I think we may have reached a whole new level of nonsense.
Wait a Minute. Barb Bought BEADS?!
Let's begin with what might be the most shocking development in the history of the Bead Dynasty.
Barb bought beads.
Yes. BARB.
Not one little strand, either. She purchased a rather nice selection.
And bead needles.
BEAD NEEDLES!
Barb’s little bead shopping stash!
Now, I realize this might not seem particularly earth-shattering to the average person, but allow me to explain why I nearly needed someone to bring me a chair.
For months, Barb has been my crafting companion, occasional creative director, and chief executive officer of telling me which beads she likes and which ones she doesn't.
I string the beads. Barb offers opinions.
It's a system.
But last week, Barb casually mentioned that she'd been doing a little beading at home.
Excuse me?
Apparently, she'd strung some beads onto stretchy cord and was attempting to tie her bracelet when disaster struck.
Beads. Everywhere.
An unfortunate incident, certainly.
But did she give up?
No!
She tried again another day.
And the beads went flying AGAIN.
Now, when Barb told me this story, I didn't say much. I simply filed the information away in that little corner of my brain where I keep things that might become useful later.
And then, here we are at Michael's, and Barb is BUYING BEADS.
I'm beginning to suspect I've created a monster.
Could it be?
Have I finally converted Barb into my very own bead buddy?
I'm not making any official announcements just yet, but I think we're witnessing the beginning of something.
Possibly something dangerous.
You Cannot Adopt Every Stray Strand of Beads
We were doing remarkably well with our shopping.
I had a plan for my second visit.
Rather than simply buying more of the same colors I'd purchased the previous day, I wanted to find beads that would complement my first haul.
I also wanted to explore colors and styles I hadn't touched on Friday.
Which explains the purples, blacks, gorgeous iridescent beads, unusual shapes, and a few completely random selections.
Barb was busy making her own choices.
Eventually, we reached that important moment in every shopping excursion when you announce:
"That's it. We're done. We're not buying anything else."
And then Barb spotted another strand.
"They ARE nice, but we can't take home every stray strand of beads we find at the bead store."
"Ohhhh, these are niiice!"
I looked at the beads.
They were nice.
But somebody had to be the responsible adult.
So I explained to Barb:
"They ARE nice, but we can't take home every stray strand of beads we find at the bead store."
I know.
Me.
The woman who had been there the day before and was currently making a return visit.
Apparently, I'm now qualified to give lectures on restraint.
The irony was not lost on me.
A Little Look at the Second Haul
Now, before we get to the checkout adventure, let's have a look at what came home with me.
The bead strands were still 60% off, which is a fairly compelling argument for expanding one's collection.
I picked up some beautiful purples and blacks, including amethyst and some wonderfully dramatic crackle-finish beads.
There were also some fabulous turquoise-colored glass beads, shiny metallic hearts, interesting geometric shapes, and some lovely neutral stones.
I found a few strands that I thought would work beautifully with beads from my first shopping trip.
And then there were the fun ones.
Smiley faces!
Because we know how Barb feels about Smiley faces!
I also found some adorable little gingerbread men that I simply couldn't leave behind.
And a strand of dyed agate beads featuring one completely random red bead.
Now, any sensible person might have chosen a strand with a more consistent color combination.
Not me.
I deliberately chose the one with the red bead.
Why?
Because somewhere in my craft room lives a lonely green bead from a Halloween bracelet kit.
And I thought the two of them should meet.
I have no idea what I'm going to do with this developing relationship, but I feel it's important to support them.
And Then There Was the Christmas Paper
While we were there, I also picked up a 12 × 12 Christmas paper pad from Recollections.
I need some seasonal papers for the Christmas notebooks I'll be making.
The regular price?
$24.99 CAD.
For a paper pad.
I stood there looking at that price tag, wondering if perhaps the paper came with someone to cut it, score it, and assemble the notebooks for me.
Fortunately, I had a 40% off coupon.
That brought the price down to $14.99.
Much better.
Still, I remember when buying a paper pad didn't require a financial planning session.
And Now, the Checkout Entertainment Begins
With our beads selected, our shopping complete, and our dignity reasonably intact, we headed toward the checkout.
We were greeted by a very pleasant young man who began ringing through Barb's purchases.
Now, you'll remember from Part 1 that I had recently discovered I was eligible for Michael's senior discount.
Before anyone starts measuring me for orthopedic shoes, the discount begins at age 55.
It's an additional 10% off eligible purchases, including sale prices.
Naturally, I felt it was my duty to make sure Barb received her discount too.
So I cheerfully reminded our cashier that Barb certainly qualified for the senior discount.
He went to enter the discount, paused, and said he'd be right back.
Off he went.
I looked at Barb.
"Well, look at that, Barb. You're so old he had to go to the back room and dig your senior discount out of storage!"
The young man returned with another cashier.
At this point, things were getting rather entertaining.
But we weren't finished.
Not even close.
"OMG! IT'S YOU AGAIN!"
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice.
"OMG! It's you again!"
I looked up.
And there she was!
The lovely young cashier from my shopping adventure the day before!
Now, if you read Part 1, you'll remember that I'd had the nicest conversation with a young woman at the checkout.
She'd mentioned that her mother was a bead enthusiast who had an entire room dedicated to beads.
An ENTIRE ROOM.
I immediately developed enormous respect for a woman I'd never even met.
Clearly, this was someone who understood the importance of proper bead storage.
Or perhaps she'd simply surrendered to the inevitable.
Either way, I admired her.
Well, here we were, reunited at the checkout!
"I was so impressed with our conversation yesterday that I added you to my blog post."
Her reaction was priceless.
"OMG! I got a mention?!"
Yes, you did!
"And so did your mother."
"MY MOTHER GOT A MENTION TOO?! This is so cool! I'll have to tell her!"
Honestly, it was such a lovely moment.
She was genuinely excited.
I gave her my website so she could read about our little adventure.
Meanwhile, the young man serving us was completely enjoying the whole ridiculous reunion.
And then our lovely cashier said something that absolutely made my day.
"For next time, my name is Madison."
FOR NEXT TIME!
Well, Madison, I believe you've just officially appointed yourself a recurring character in the Bead Dynasty.
Welcome aboard!
I can't promise that our future shopping adventures will make any more sense than this one, but I can almost guarantee they'll involve beads.
And possibly Barb.
Which means absolutely anything could happen.
A Little Shout-Out to Some Wonderful People
Before I move on, I want to mention something that genuinely stood out to me during both visits.
The staff at Michael's were wonderful.
Madison was friendly, cheerful, interested in what I was creating, and genuinely excited about our conversations.
The young man who served Barb and me on Saturday was equally pleasant. He joined in our laughter, took an interest in our conversation, and made the entire checkout experience enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I didn't get his name.
But don't worry.
I'll get it next time.
Seriously, though, it's refreshing to encounter young people who are so friendly, well-mannered, and willing to make customers feel appreciated.
Sometimes a simple conversation can turn an ordinary shopping trip into something memorable.
And in this case, it turned into a two-day adventure featuring beads, senior discounts, a family reunion at the checkout, and two very happy customers.
So, Madison, if you're reading this, thank you for making our shopping adventures even more enjoyable.
And please tell your mother that I still think having an entire room dedicated to beads is an absolutely brilliant idea.
I'm working on it.
Let's Talk About the Damage
Now, I know what you're thinking.
Julie, how much did you spend on this second shopping trip?
And the numbers are rather impressive.
Total savings: $128.24 CAD
Subtotal after discounts: $81.59
HST: $10.61
Grand total: $92.20 CAD
That's a pretty impressive haul for less than $100, including tax.
Between the 60% discount on the bead strands, my coupon for the Christmas paper, and the additional senior discount, I think I did rather well.
And just think of all the bracelets, notebooks, and other creations waiting to happen.
Of course, there's one small problem.
I now have so many beads that I need to stop shopping long enough to actually make something.
An interesting concept.
I'll give it some thought.
Coffee in hand & something always on the craft table,
Julie — The Paper Artist
