Archiver's, Katy, TX

After doll club today, I coerced Mary into driving us over to Archiver's so I could blog it. I wound up spending over $50 bucks (Gosh I hope Daddy Stitch doesn't read this blog) The place is awesome if you love scrapbooking and even mixed media play like myself. It's way out in Katy, Tx near Quilt-n-Sew where we have our monthly MaterialGirlz meetings. Eeww! Inks and Rangers and crackle mediums. What are those pretty things? Oh, Twinkling H20's! With a name like that, I have to buy em!

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Tools that punch instant tags, grommets, chainsaws...okay, maybe not but they have some SERIOUS stamper weapons at !!! Alas, no Archiver's UTEE or Opals or Molds but hey beggers can't be shoppers.Huge cropping room with paid helpers and a sold out class going on with lots of ladies wanting jobs at Archiver's. They're hiring but Mary and I decided it is a good thing this place is way out in Katy or we'd both be broke.

What I bought: Crackle Accents, Gel Pens, Chip Board Tags, Twinkling H20s, and Clear Top Metal tin, Diamond Glaze and a Quicky Glue Pen and I received a cool Halloween paper bundle for spending $50! And Bonus! I recieved a budget from Daddy Stitch for spending $50!

Archiver's

1410 Fry Road in Katy, TX

Oolala!

If you love hand-crafted gifts or simply a beautiful shop to be inspired by, you'll adore Oolala . Oolala changes everyday and always offers new local artists displaying creations from jewelery, to handmade bags, garments, baby gifts galore, photographs, vintage linens, glass art, hand-cured soaps, the latest Webkinzs and lovely surprises daily. And now for the great part....everything is priced soooo reasonably! My-kinda-place.... I've bought the most unique jewelery and handstitched children's clothes made by the owner and her mother. When I need a gift and want to stay in the neighborhood, this is it. However, I can be "in a hurry" and ultimately spend over an hour browsing each trip. There must be 50 different local artists and it changes constantly. Prices range from $4 for this vintage tatted linen i had to have... to these fab bags made from retro album cover and 'that's why they call me..bmp bmp. ...BAD COMPANY and the inside! I want this for Christmas Honey! Just a beautiful store... Wondering through Oolala http://www.oolalagifts.com/ is EXCELLENT retail therapy baby! She always as a fresh arrangement of the most gorgeous bags!The owner is an incredible seamstress and in collaboration with her mother, they make the most beautifully unique garments, quilts and seriously cute, one of a kind baby gifts...
She's always looking for exceptionally gifted artists to share their work! And did i mention, connected to Oolala is Kaboom Books? Kaboom Books relocated to H-Town from New Orleans French Quarter and I've found the BEST art books at the lowest prices here. If you ever come to Houston, Oolala and Kaboom are MUST shopping stops!

Yarns 2 Ewe

Calling all knitting junkies! Yarns 2 Ewe is every Houston knitter or fiber enthusiasts mega candy store. I've yet to be bitten hard by the knit bug but both my sister, Mary and my 8-year-old have. Lil stitch is quite the finger-knitter and my lil sis has crocheted for years and now She knits! Sista Stitch live in Groves, TX where even the Pt.Arthur Hancocks has shut down. She was in knitter's paradise and doesn't she look happy!!Lil stitch demonstrates finger-knitting to her 'Niney' and my Moma
Every conceivable yarn and fabric and if I were a big knitter I'd list them here but ewe get the drift. I just like to go through and touch everything and see what I can find on the bargain isle. The knitting bug is not cheap ya'll! I was happy to see Y2E now carries a beautiful variety of hand-dyed wool rovings and even pencil rovings for felting and embellishing.

Luscious hanks-o-hand-dyed silks are some of my favorites to squeeze.

The place is huge I tell ya!

If you don't knit, you will once you see the incredible creations they have hanging around.

Yarns 2 Ewe offers classes year round and go to their Kaffe Knits Book Signing at Houston International Quilt Festival this year.
My purchases: Mine, on the left Sari yarn for a UFO journal I've been working on and couching and lil stitch's skein of variagated wool.
Yarns 2 Ewe is located at 518 Shepherd Drive between Memorial & Washington in Houston, TX 77007
(713) 880-KNIT

Hendley Market, Galveston,TX

Let's begin with Hendley Market on the Galveston Strand. The place is magic.

Every time we've been, it was raining so hard like it does every day this summer in Texas. But by the time we walk out with our happy little purchases, the sun is shining! It's becoming a family tradition and our way of proactively doing something about the weather.

I bought those little tin people that I encased in UTEE here.
Baskets of little tin beings....
Today, I bought a couple of antique optomitrist lenses for altered book embellishment.Vintage ribbons, hand-dyed yarns, antique office supplies, Mexican art, vintage postcards, foreign currency....what more could you want?
Howabout a book like "Bad Cats" the scoop on Cats gone wild. Little Stitch has been begging for it since we refused her the last trip. Maybe you've been looking to "Dial an Excuse" or in need of bandaides resembling strips of bacon, a gorgeous evil eye pendant, or that itty tiny rubber chicken? Vintage linens, old vegetable seeds, fortune teller cards, hand cured soap, jewelery, books, funky toys, wooden nativity scenes, Mexican art.....i'm sure i'm leaving something out.

Today's purchases..."bad cat," a colorful piece of money, child's playing cards, tin beings, vintage optomitrist lenses, woodpecker stickers, and lovely free Hendley Market business cards!