The Hallmark Store.... again.

The closing sale is still going on at the local Hallmark shop... discounts are now between 50% - 70% on everything, and I would guess that the amount will go even higher because there's still so much stuff in that store.

I thought I had found all I needed for our Valentine's parties, but when I went in there today (and yesterday also) they had brought out more stuff from the back storage rooms. I now have enough pretty Valentine gift bags for the next two Valentine's parties.... pretty little bags that cost just thirty cents each, for goodness sake-- cheaper than two-for-a-dollar at the local Dollar Store, which is where I usually buy them.

I also found green invitation cards, that I can use for our St. Patty's Day lunches, plus enough green shamrock stickers to last the rest of my natural life, probably. Those are hard to find around here unless you pay full price at a gift shop, and these cost me just fifteen cents a package at Hallmark's sale.

And did I mention candles? Their entire stock of Yankee candles are on sale, 50% off the original price. I like the little votives, which were just a dollar each (on sale) so I bought enough colors and fragrances for St. Patty's Day, Easter, Valentine's Day, Christmas, and even Thanksgiving. The Hallmark shop had glass votive holders, but even with the discount, I thought they were too expensive, so I went across the road to the Dollar Store and found the prettiest glass votive holders, four for a dollar. Put the Yankee candle into that and it's fabulous, and looks way more expensive that it actually cost.

I was watching Oprah yesterday and Colin Cowie was on..... his cabinets filled with dishes and colored glassware (perfect trick to dress up a table), and he has a closet filled with gifts (wine and candles are his favorite hostess gifts and favors). I told my husband about that show, and reminded him that I've been doing the same thing for years (minus the wine, since we don't drink). I always have a stash of gifts in my holiday closet... party favors and gifts for birthdays and holidays... all marked with names. I've joked with my husband, telling him to make sure the gifts get to the right people, should I ever get hit with the proverbial truck.

Also had to stop in at the jeweler's today... the little garnet in my birthday-calendar charm fell out once again. She's going to order the tiny stone for me, and I'll bring her the bracelet when it comes in. I hate to part with this bracelet. Just a thin gold rope which holds my birthday charm. My dad had it made after I was born... it's a gold replica of the month's calendar page from the year I was born, with my birthstone set into the day of my birth. On the back, it has my name, and underneath it says "Mom and Dad." It's the only thing I have that says that. It was designed and bought "back in the day," as Oprah would say.

All good things come to those who wait..... the jeweler has had a diamond circle pendant for the longest time. She designed it when Oprah made those diamond "O" pendants so popular... jewelers starting calling them "the circle of life" pendants. A fancy marketing name to sell pendants. I've liked them from the start, but they're all the same. Except for this one, which is one-of-a-kind (as is many of her jewelry creations). This "O" pendant has three strands of white gold hanging down from the bottom of the diamond O.... the strands are studded with tiny multi-colored sapphires. Sort of looks like tiny pieces of a rainbow falling from the O. Perfectly delicate and beautiful.... she designed it over a year ago and no one bought it. All of her customers wanted the same old "O," just like everyone else. The jeweler has a showcase now where she puts all of her marked-down merchandise. The rainbow-O was in there. Was. Now it's around my neck. I didn't have to buy the chain... I have two that I can wear with it, so that saved even more money and she gave me the pendant just over her own cost. She was happy that it was going to a good home, and I was thrilled to get it at such a reduced price.



I called my dad today, to wish him a Happy Birthday (for tomorrow). It's his 88th birthday, even though he still won't admit to anything other than 49. When I laughed at that, he said Would you believe 23? I told him absolutely not. 88.... my dad says he's ready for the glue factory, which he's been saying since I was in high school.