Casino Friends

Still working on catching up.
I thought I had posted this as I made it a long while ago....but nope

Every year my friend Sharon and I go to Hinckley for a little getaway.
Sharon goes to gamble, and I go to craft and shop.
One day we travel to Crafts Direct to do some (lots) crafty shopping as well as to Pine City Scrapbooking...love those stores!!!

I am not sure how much I love this layout as I don't care for the green background I used.
I was thinking of actually cutting the green away and mounting the layout on a white piece of cardstock.
I added a pocked with more information on our trip and what we did.
But there are so many more layouts I want to do that it isn't a priority at the moment.
When I am all caught up on my layouts, hahahaha, I may go back and touch up my not so loved ones.

I made a video of this layout in more detail.
If you would like to watch it on my YouTube channel, just click the link "Tracy's Treasures24"


Thank you so much for visiting me :)
I hope you all have a very creative day

Tracy 💗💗💗

Day 3 of our Girls Creative Shopping Getaway.

Here is the last day of our shopping from when Sharon and I went to Hinckley for our getaway :)
We drove to Pine City to hit up their scrapbook store, I LOVE this store.
But being as excited as we were, we were to early so stopped in at their Walmart.
I found some adorable pieces for my fairy garden.
I am planning on painting the lawn furniture as the orange colour is just to much for me.
Look at that fire pit!!!
It is just so adorable...again I am going to paint it.

We were still to early as the scrap book store wasn't open quite yet, so the dollar store.
One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that every thing is really just a dollar.
Here in my dollar store Dollarama, there isn't much that is only just one dollar.
Seeing that I plan on keeping up with reading my one book a month, I picked up a few books...and yes each one was only a dollar!!

Then off to Pine City Scrapbooking!!!
I picked up these fun papers to scrapbook Kristy's trip to Italy...unless she wants to do her own pages, then she can have these.
And see those blueberry paper under the pile, I know I can use those as we pick blueberries every year and just last weekend we picked 58 cups.

There is a clearance section, and I found a few goodies in there.
As well as some pretty papers.

I fell in love with this pretty collection from Bo Bunny, so I purchased 2 of each piece.

As well as some card stock to match.
I have been making my own kits up when I find some papers I like, this way I can just grab my pre-made kit for a last minute crop :)
I also picked up the co-ordinating stickers, chipboard and die cuts.

Like every year, once we have finished our shopping, we head to the hotel lobby and create!
I made 30 cards!

The upper lobby has 2 huge tables and some comfy chairs.
I have never seen anyone sitting at these, so Sharon and I grab a couple of lamps from the other sitting area to give us more light and take over the table :)
I enjoy when the staff and guests come and chat with us to see what we are doing :)

Every evening we head to the casino for dinner and Sharon spends the rest of her evening donating to the slot machines ;)
I wonder around the casino for a bit to take in the lights and excitement, then I go and walk the grounds.
They have a beautiful pond with a couple of fountains in the centers as well as a couple of swans occupying it.

The next morning we hit the road to home.
As much as I loved to be away, I was happy to be home, I was more or less away from home for 2 weeks with my 2 getaways.

I still haven't put away my goodies...I have to clean my craft room first, lol.

I hope you all have a very creative day :)

Tracy :)day

Day 2 of our Girls Creative Shopping Get away

Today was all about Crafts Direct!!
We look so forward to checking this place out every year...and with what we buy, I am sure they look forward to our visit.
Crafts Direct is about 1.5 hours from our hotel, but so worth the drive.

Picked up some kits, papers, stickers and embellishments.
See that mint coloured handle, both Sharon and I bought these 12x12 containers to cart our papers back home.
Thankfully we did, as I brought one from home and they are both full.

I love these cut apart papers.
Not only are they perfect for scrapbooking, but they work great in my planner.
A tip....when I purchase some pattern papers, I also pick out my matching card stock.

Across the parking lot from Crafts Direct, is a Crafts Direct Outlet store.
I honestly didn't think I would have found as much as I did :)
I love those chipboard pieces!!

Their papers were 4 for a $1.00.
This floral paper made me think of my mom.
I still haven't made a page about my mom or a memory page of her.

I grabbed this Winnie the Pooh album.
I have had matching papers to this album for so long, but still haven't used them...I think it is time.
I also picked up 4 mini Snap albums, they were a great price!!!

We stopped at Hobby Lobby in St. Cloud before heading back to Hinckley.
I swooned when I saw this floral planner tote. It also has zippered pockets inside for pens, stickers and what every else I want to store in there with my planner.
And bonus...almost everything was 50% off!!!!

I have been putting a few fairy gardens around my flower beds at home and at the cottage, so when I saw these, I just had to pick them up.
How adorable is that fairy house!!!

It was an adventure for Sharon and I.
I totally forgot Lola, our GPS, at home.
I wasn't worried in the least...even when we got a bit lost.
But it was when we were leaving that was a bit more of a challenge.
As we were driving out of town, nothing looked familiar...turned out we were traveling in the wrong direction...always an adventure, lol.

I hope you all have a very creative day :)

Tracy :)

Last day in Hinckley

On the last day of our Hinckley trip Sharon and I always plan on crafting that whole day.
We did craft, but first had to run into Pine City to do the last of our shopping.
I always go to Pine City Scrapbooking....love that store and they love me.

But when we came back we set up shop at the upstairs lobby table
We actually took over, as me moved the lamp for better lighting :)
Here is our set up....not including the bags we have at our feet ;)

The card folds may look familiar as they are the same layouts we used for the fun fold cards from Crop & Create I shared on past blog posts.
I was planning on colouring some images and making cards with them...but when I saw that Sharon was going to make these, I just couldn't help myself :)

I brought one of my first 6x6 paper pads and had a chuckle as that is what we used for all of our cards.
It was a seasonal pack which had monthly papers in them.
I just thought this Popsicle paper was so cute.

Oh ya, Sharon's cards are all on the left and mine are the ones on the right :)
One thing about crafting away from home, is you never know what embellishments to take with you.
I have the perfect cupcake sticker for on top of this doily.

As you can see Sharon loves to make Christmas cards.
I think she has all of her Christmas cards made for the next 4 years, you think I'm kidding...I'm not.
So I decided to make a Christmas card as well.

We had card stock scraps and I hate to waste, so we made some 3x3 cards.

Lastly one of my favourite types of folds an easel card.
I am still using those Mary Engelbreit papers.
These ones are leftover papers and some fussy cut pieces from other cards I had made.

I hope you enjoyed virtually joining me on our girls trip :)

Tracy :)

Crafty shopping and some Silliness ;)

More shopping today..surprised?!?!
Like my kissie face, lol?

We had time to waste while waiting for Pine City Scrapbooking to open up.
So off to one of my favourite stores…Dollarama ;)
I didn't seen any Halloween washi tape, but found some Christmas ones :)

We took a break from shopping to get a selfie, lol.
Giddy up, lol.

Still had time before the scrapbooking store opened so Walmart it was.
I found my yummy cream horns ;)
And some crafty stuff as well ;)

Another selfie, teehee

Then Pine City Scrapbooking :)
I even bought a few gifts on my trip.
I got Sharon this card kit for Christmas or her birthday.
I had to get her to tell me if she had this one, as she always buys their card kits when she goes there.
I picked up a couple of the new Distress inks, and sprays.
I had these zombie cut outs before, and used them all, so picked up another one ;)

Last selfie of the day :)
We have too much fun when we are together…if that is even possible.

Tonight Sharon and I went to the buffet at the Casino.
Oh my goodness, I ate way to much.
I wasn't going to have dessert, but when I saw what Sharon got, I just had to.
So I was going to get one thing…..I surprised myself, lol.

I got caramelized banana, deep chocolate brownie, peach cobbler, bread pudding, cherry cobbler and some type of gooey square.
And some ice-cream with the caramelized banana.
I was so full, I was uncomfortable.
I won't even say I'll start eating healthy on Monday, lol.






















Watched Survivor tonight all alone, while Sharon was down gambling, teehee.
Texted with Wayne as we both watched it ;)

I hope you all had a very creative day :)
Home for me tomorrow….not looking forward to bringing all my shopping down to the jeep in the morning though, lol

Tracy :)

More Shopping….Crafts Direct, here we come!

Hold on to your seats…I went a bit crazy.
Today was the day that Sharon and I got to go to Crafts Direct.
I had mentioned yesterday, that we are on a trip….our trips consist of shopping for craft goodies.
Neither Sharon or I are internet shoppers, and the only store we have near us is Michaels.
So when we go on a trip, we shop…and I mean we SHOP.
I felt I needed to explain, that this is not an every day thing…it is more a Yearly thing.

Last year we discovered Crafts Direct in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
It is less than an hour and a half away from where we are staying.

I was pretty excited when I saw that almost everything I loved was on sale.

I was also excited to see that they had  "I Am" collection, and it was all 30% off, I saved $24.00 on this :)

Had so get some sparkle and embellishments :)
They also have a Crafts Direct Outlet, close to their store, so of course we had to check them out…even though we were starving from shopping so long :)

See those "Fall" wooden blocks.
I took a photo of them in the store, as I was planning on making them when I got home.
But when I found out that they were under $6.00 for the set…I bought them…they are so pretty.

Ran into Target to pick up some pop (or soda as you American's call it).
But had to checked out the dollar bins.
Found some chalk and kraft banner pieces and black mesh letters…I can feel a project or 10 coming on ;)
I found these calligraphy markers for $5.00.
My old ones are all dried out.

There was also a Michael's in St.Cloud.
We were a bit disappointed with how small the paper crafts section was.
But funny enough, we still managed to find a few things to put in our baskets ;)

They also had a Joann's Fabric and Crafts store.
There must be so many creative people in this town :)
Look at those journals.
I was (again) going to make my own with the centres cut out…but they were on sale, so figured why not ;)

Sharon and I decided to share some of our shopping.
Because these products had multiples, we decided to share them.
I purchased the pastel pearls and she the brighter ones, so instead of us both purchasing the exact same ones, we each purchased one set and will each give the other, half of theirs :)
Same with the stencils and PL cards

Look at this isle of sticker letters…..swoon.
This store is like walking into heaven…or at least one of my ideas of what heaven will look like ;)

After we came back to the hotel, we went for supper and then to gamble.
I even gambled!!
I received $50.00 in free spins and won $35.00.
Once I won I cashed out…I don't think they like me here, they don't make any money off of me…..Sharon on the other hand…..lol

I hope you all have a very creative day.
I am going to go and dream of all the beautiful projects I am going to make with all of my new crafting goodies ;)

Tracy :)

We went Shopping

Get ready for some shopping goodness. 

I am in Hinckley right now, but before coming here my friend/SIL Sharon and I did a bit of shopping in Duluth. 

First stop Michaels....

I kept playing with this squishy brain, so Sharon snuck it in her cart...I guess she figured I needed a brain lol 

Next stop was Hobby Lobby. 

I know, I need more paper like I need another hole in my head....maybe that's why Sharon thought I needed a brain. 

But they keep making such pretty paper. 

And washi tape ;)

Good thing Sharon came back in the store as she reminded me to use my  gift card she gave me for my birthday. 

Next on our adventure was Target. 

Seriously...how gorgeous is this journal!!! 

I also found these fun cardboard pens in the dollar section!! 

Needed a straightener as I left mine at home for Kristy and my spare is at camp. So picked up the cheapest one I could find. 

Lastly was Barnes & Noble for some notebooks as I wanted to play along with "Listers want to list" last year....yes I'm late to the party ;). 

After all that shopping we needed to get our strength up for the drive to Hinckley, so we went out for dinner....bet you can't guess where, lol. 

Lastly a trip to the casino here to watch Sharon lose her money. 

Or as she likes to say "donate it".

I lost $5.00 that was my limit, lol. 

Off to sleep as we are heading to Crafters Direct. 

Hope you all had a very Creative Day. 

Tracy :)