I didn’t hit any sales on December 26th.  I reviewed the ads; I analyzed the stock; I cut my coupons.  And after the hub bub of December, I decided to stay in my warm bed and let other people get the 4:30 am bargains at Le Jay Cay Pen-ueay.  To be honest, when I’m shopping for myself, I just don’t get excited about 50% off.  Tonight I got 75% off at The Picture People, simply by smiling and asking to combine coupons.  75% and above…that’s my shopping zone.

There is one sale I rarely miss: a Silk Flower store in Indy with beee-youuu-tiful stuff has a 90% off sale every year on Dec. 31st.  It lasts for all of 15 minutes.  I’m not big on silk flowers and I’m not a flower arranger, but I like to go with an open mind.  They sell ornaments and garlands and pre-made items…and well…things that make my mind go wild with creativity.

This year I got in line just as the doors opened, and I grabbed some glittery red garland for next year’s tree, fun candy cane ribbon for next year’s presents (imagine it against stark white paper), large candy ornaments to stuff in next year’s teacher’s bags (yep…I bought the fabric already at deep discount…so pretty and very different from this year’s bags), some berries and greenery for a project to be revealed very, very soon, and 20 glittery green butterflies on sticks..and now you are WHAT?  Lori?  I know they were 30 cents each, but WHAT?

Remember the zany and ill-fated Monkey Rainforest Party?  At the end of it all (and after the tsunami ended) the girls announced they’d like a butterfly party next year.  Nope…they haven’t forgotten.  In fact, every single blessed time they see a butterfly, they remind me of their “butterfly birthday party”.  These beautiful butterflies will be attached to tiny dowel rods, twisted with floral tape, fancied up with ribbons and beads…and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE I’ll add to what is soon to be “Scope Creep” Party Favors.  They will be FABULOUS!

And last, but not least, the coup de grace, our new front door all-season wreath.  Apparently the designers loved it when they made it, but it never sold.  They marked it down, and down, and down, but still, no takers.  Finally, as an after-thought, they threw it into the Christmas sale, just to off-load it.  Off load it to moi, who has a chocolate brown front door begging for this exact mixture of dark and light…and to the woman willing to part with ten bucks to own it.

Here’s my invitation: would someone please join me next year?  It’s no fun experiencing this excitement alone!