More Than a Hobby

Guys. I’m in love.

During our time off (you can read all about that here), I spent over TWO HOURS in a store. And if you know me, that’s a big deal. I’m not a big shopper. I do love thrifting and Target gets a fair amount of their business from the Thomas family, but I’ve never been one to get super excited to walk around the mall or go to the outlets just for fun (which is funny because we did just that on our Staycation). So for me to spend two hours in any store, that’s really saying something.

Hobby Lobby. The place where dreams come true. We don’t have one around us and that is probably an act of protection from the Lord over our budget. During our time off (the adventures- or non-adventures- of which you can read about here), we took a drive up to the Lehigh Valley area so I could waste away the afternoon up and down each aisle of Hobby Lobby while Mitch sought refuge in his own kind of heaven… Guitar Center.

And it was awesome. They have EVERYTHING. Craft supplies, home decor, seasonal stuff, furniture, lighting, things I never knew I needed until I was standing right in front of them… I could go on and on. Truthfully, the original prices of items were not as cheap as I was thinking they’d be. Actually, they some of them were a little on the expensive side. BUT the discounts come into play because every single week, nearly half the store is 50% off. That’s where you save the big bucks.

Anyway, I walked out of there with a few treasures in hand and I really wanted to show you what I got. Like when you get new clothes and have to have a fashion show for your husband who really doesn’t care. That’s what we’re doing here today. 🙂 Is this fun for anyone besides me?

No? Too bad.

Here’s the loot:

I’m stoked about this haul because I was able to get it all for $75 and it’s all stuff we need. Okay, okay… “need”. Funny thing is, I had made a list going in of things that were on my general “to buy” list that I had heard were carried at Hobby Lobby. This ended up being really helpful in making sure I got everything I actually went there to buy in the midst of being swept up in the excitement of actually being there.

On my list were: hardware for the kitchen cabinets (NO LUCK), hardware for the new desk drawers (CHECK), a curtain rod for our bedroom (CHECK), extra hardware for some miscellaneous projects coming up (NO LUCK), mini pumpkins for fall decorating (CHECK), some casters for a project (NO LUCK), and rope for this DIY Monthly Challenge project (NO LUCK).

So, about 50/50. Not bad! Here’s what did make it out of the store and home with us…

These mini white pumpkins, not pictured in that shot above, ended up being just under $2 each… I grabbed a few to decorate our mantel. Here’s a sneak peek, which you’ve seen already if you follow us on Instagram (we’re @lesliethomas921 if you want to!). I can’t wait to show you how it turned out!

This curtain rod was 50% and ended up being less than $10! Comparable ones in other stores can be double that amount at the very least.

These little knobbies are for the desk drawers… as fun as pretty and the green patterns are, they are getting (actually, they’ve already gotten) a makeover to better fit the style of our office. Details coming tomorrow!

And for the unexpected purchases… that metal sphere tugged on my heart and I couldn’t say no. He was $4 and now he looks like big bucks hanging around on our shelf in the family room. 🙂

This light was a total surprise. It was half off, making it $35 and we bought it with the intention of disassembling and rewiring it for a DIY project. We’ve since decided to go in a different direction and will be returning this one, but it still gets a spot in today’s post because it’s just so darn cute! I love that bubbled glass look…

The pillow cases were what I was most excited about out of the lot. I had gotten in line and then remembered at the last minute that I forgot to grab the curtain rod and while I was back there… pillow cases! These guys were $5 each and I love their bold, ikat-esque print. Because I already have the pillow inserts, it feels like we gained a pair of brand new pillows for just ten buckaroos!

I love the way they stand out against the, otherwise, very neutral couch and pillows we already have. Hooray!

And there it is- the loot from the Lobby. Anyone have a Hobby Lobby nearby them? Do you love it or is it just a magical place in my mind because it’s somewhat of a delicacy around here? Better yet, can I give you my order for the next time you stop by?

PS. Don’t forget… tomorrow is the big DESK REVEAL! Holla.

PSS. Also don’t forget… we need your questions for our wedding game next week! Here’s the low-down: We’ll be doing a fun twist on answering questions about each other and ourselves and we want YOU to be a part of it! So we need questions from you. Any question where the answer is either Mitch or Leslie. Examples: Who is messier? Who is most likely to…? Which of you….? I’ll leave it at that… you’ll have to wait to see how we play. Get those questions in and we might use them in the game! You can submit your questions by leaving a comment below, emailing us (ohthefun@gmail.com), or via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got!