SOS- USA shopping & freebie

You might have noticed that I have been MIA for a wee while, a last minute flight to USA  a week past Friday is the answer to why I have been missing.

I dropped every thing and  took a 9 am Aberdeen to Amsterdam flight, then on to Newark Airport in New York.
Take the New Jersey transit line to Trenton and change over to get to Philadelphia 30th st ( a mini central station soo pretty I only wish I had time to enjoy it but I literally ran through to get my next connection)
Rural trains stopping at every station made a slow final journey to the suburbs of Philadelphia to a station called Paoli. There, at 9pm USA time ( 2am GMT), Yipe it a the traveling that is the killer!, I was met my my son in law, Tom where we made it home to their new apartment to surprise Debbie.

First stop next day was the supermarket, because those newlyweds must be living on love alone, there was no food in the house, Mother Hubbard has more in her cupboards! They don't drink tea or coffee, Tom is gluten free so no biscuits or bakery and I was waisting away!
Wegmans may well be one of the nicest supermarkets I have been in, it reminded me on Harrods food all in more ways than one. God bless Asda and Tesco because we have it easy on the pocket when it comes to food shopping. $5 for a packet or lentils, that may be why no one make soup!

I spend a day a the King or Prussia mall where Debbie works, lots to see and every designer label you could wish for in fashion but that was not the kind of label's I was looking for.

Eventually I hit Joannes, Michael's and A C Moore. I have seen a lot of changes over the years in the American craft shops. Papercrafting is out, not much at all, Cricut is still there but stamping is disappearing. 12" paper racks are still there but much fewer that there used to be.
A C Moore surprised me in being better every day prices than Michaels, maybe M's have so much discount coupons that they have to price the good higher to start with.
Joannes for fabric and beads. A lot of flannel over there, maybe pj's and bed sheets are the things to sew.

I cant say that I was blown away with anything, maybe I go to often because I find myself saying, "got that last time".
So what did I come back with.......
Cricut embossing folders (the UK has been without a decent wholesaler distributor for Provocraft/Cricut for a good few years now)
Some $1 stamp sets, $1 bead strings and one roll or ribbon.
A couple of ribbon holders to tidy up my craft space.
2 Martha Stewart cutting templates to make Christmas ornaments for classes with the most lethal cutting blade, ouch!
Burlap and lace, yes this defiantly took up most of my one 50Lbs case home. Not sure what I am doing with it yet but Kate is working towards her daughters wedding and this theme it so trendy.

No new dies, nothing new, the large stores do not have the latest things as quick as we get at home, those you should find in you local independent store if there is any still open because there is no way I would want to trade next to a BIG craft shop.

If you know of any independent stores around Pheonixville/King of Prussia, drop me a line because I need new hunting ground for my next trip over and I will go out of my way to support the small shops.

Oh and that corneal ulcer I was diagnosed with hours before I flew, has been checked on return and referred to the hospital department, fingers crossed for that one.

Back to work on Monday, I'll open the doors to FUNKYKITS and catch up with all orders there.
Working on magazine features for the British mags, have you noticed Sugar Nellie in any that you read?

Looking at internet promotions with rubber stamp ranges that you have all loved but maybe lost. I'll be bring some of those back to you in either rubber or digital.

New digital stamps that you have not seen before!

And finally for today because I feel that I have neglected you somewhat as I have run around the world like a head less chicken as usual. A freebie just for you.

When I say just for you, I do mean it, please don't spoil this for others but miss use of this image. It is free and please don't "bite the hand that feeds you". Download it on to your home computer and keep it there, don't upload on to any sharing site, Pinterest, tumbler or FB groups. This image is supplied to you under the same terms of use as any paid for Sugar Nellie digital image sold on Funkykits. I collection this images and downloading it on to your computer you are legally accepting to abide by these TOU.

OPPS sorry you missed it

This cute fairy is a digi stamp from artist Diane Duda, find more like these and her adorable boy digital stamps over HERE

or just have a browse at all our digi stamps available for instant download from your account once paid for.

That's my treat for you today, have a lovely weekend and I look forward to seeing your cards with this image on the FaceBook challenge page or the SUGAR BOWL challenge blog.

both of these give away free rubber stamps, and if you are new to Sugar Nellie you now have an image to play with, no excuses now!

take care

Karen