Hesitant Shopper No More!!!

Hi Everybody!

There is an issue that I didn't think was an issue until my recent experience (which is what today's post is about) however said issue drives my husband crazy. The issue is this: I am a hesitant shopper. So what I mean by that is I will see something, really want it, and then have to take some time to think about it. I may take days, weeks, months, and yes sometimes even years before deciding to actually purchase the item I initially wanted. At home in the States this method has typically served me well as often times by waiting I will get the item at a good discount or will find an item I would rather have. While living in Ireland...not so much.

So what had happened was...I had been in and out of a great Irish souvenir shop called Carroll's Irish Gifts and had seen the cutest mug that was covered in photos of Dublin's iconic places and items in black and white while having a few items like the double decker bus etc. in color.  I would love to show you a picture of this mug but alas I do not have one. Every time I saw the mug in a shop (many places we visited had this same mug) I would think to myself "you are living here you do NOT need a mug". So I didn't get it and I didn't get it and I didn't get it.

Fast forward to our last night in Dublin and I had decided that I wanted that mug. We had company with us and since it was our last night in Dublin we wanted to go out for dinner and have Bangers & Mash one more time. So we went out and then after dinner I dragged everyone to Carroll's to get my mug but they were closed. There was a chance that another Carroll's that was close by might be open so I dragged everybody over there but that one was closed too. Grrr! Now mind you it was cold and windy and not pleasant at all! So I had everybody tromping through city center for nothing! The store has a website so I went online to find it and the store no longer carries that mug. I found another mug that I liked so I ordered it. It came in the other day and I was so excited! I found the scissors, opened the box, unwrapped the bubble wrap and discovered my new mug was BROKEN!!!

Unbelievable! So I sent an email to the store and they were incredibly helpful and attentive but because the item was so inexpensive and the cost to replace it and cover shipping just didn't make sense so they issued me a refund. No Dublin mug for me. :(

 Lesson learned! In the future I will not procrastinate if it is something I really want. I got the "I told you so" look from Jamie (let's face it I got that look every time I mentioned the mug incident). Almost every morning when I go to get my coffee I think about the absence of my Dublin mug and shake my head to myself. Why must I always learn things the hard way?

Wishing you sunshine and smiles,
Kim :)

Hello Again World!

Hello Everybody!!!

I haven't been in hiding! I have however been smack dab in the middle of living out a dream I didn't even know I had! My love received news that his company was closing the Orlando office and he was invited to come out to Ireland for a six month stint to work with the home office which is based in Dublin. So that is where we have been since mid July.

It has been incredible! Oddly I have not had near the amount of free time that we thought I would have between getting our apartment set up (there have been numerous maintenance issues-blech!) and doing the everyday stuff that has to be done for living. You know-groceries, cleaning, cooking, laundry etc. Laundry is a bit different here because I don't have a dryer as it is more common to hang your clothes on a clothes horse for them to dry. Most of the time that is just fine but there are some super windy days here in Dublin and I have had to find a way to anchor my clothes horse so it would stop falling over!

After being here in Dublin for several months our adventures have begun to wind down and be more spread apart and we are down to only having two more scheduled visits from those we love so I am now finding myself with that free time that we thought I would have from the beginning. (I am glad I have been so busy because if not I may have felt lonely which would have tainted this experience.)

All this to say....I MADE SOME CARDS PEOPLE!!! It's the little victories in life that make me happy! ;)   I am going to just include pictures of the cards I have made they are a mix of birthday, Christmas, fall etc. Going forward there may be more info on either the making of the cards or possibly if I am entering the card in a challenge then I will be highlighting the challenge and the blog that it's for.

I have mentioned before that this is a crafty journal of sorts for me because I make these things and I want to share them. So I am writing this blog to those invisible individuals who may read this and take a look or it may never be seen and that's OK. I am an only child and have a self issued Master's Degree in make believe. So until all of you unsuspecting readers of my ramblings find this little blog of mine I am going to write to you and picture you in my head and imagine that you are comfy and enjoying the best cup of coffee or tea or whatever beverage you may enjoy the most. ( I am also a little jealous because I am pretty sure you're eating something delicious and I LOVE food!)  Oh and everyone is having a perfect hair day! ;)

Wishing you sunshine and smiles,
Kim  :)