If you are a stamper who is passionate about stamping, you will understand the scenario I am about to tell you. So, grab your favorite beverage, sit back, relax, and, yes, have some tissue handy and pillows on the floor so you don’t get hurt when you land on the floor laughing!
My adventure (or misadventure – you can judge!) starts in historic Zoar, OH. June, owner of The Stamp Pad, and her daughter, Zoey, hold a yearly “New to You” used rubber stamp and craft sale that I love to attend with over 400 of my closest friends!
Now, I have to tell you, I’m a night owl and not at all a morning person, so when I have to get up early in the morning, I don’t sleep well during the night. Well, I got up at 7:00 a.m. Saturday so I could try to be awake and functioning when I left my home to drive the 55 minutes to the sale, which was starting at 9:30. I made it there – no problem – WHEW! I started my trek through the MILES of used stamps and stamping products – believe me, this sale is HUGE! – trying to convince myself that I REALLY NEEDED this or that one (notice needed not wanted; of course, I wanted everything-LOL!!). I made my purchases and put each item into my bag; then, when it was practically full, I’d go to my car and unload my treasures, only to return to resume my shopping extravaganza. (Yep, several trips – boy, were my dogs tired – but I had to make sure I wasn’t missing what I REALLY NEEDED! You know what I mean! LOL)
There was one stamp I REALLY, REALLY NEEDED, and it kept calling my name – “Lana, you REALLY NEED me” – boy was that irritating! I’d look at it, leave the booth, then go back, then leave….The booth lady began getting a nervous tic seeing me coming back and leaving without buying a thing! But, I just wasn’t convinced it was to be mine.
Now, June’s Stamp Pad store is open also on that day, and, of course, you know, I couldn’t leave the old stuff without checking out the new stuff in her store! You HAVE to go there and buy, right??!!! I mean, it’s only hospitable to buy from June’s store since she put together this other great sale, right?! I know you agree! Well, I saw the same stamp – it was like a SIGN!!!!! “OKAY, OKAY – I REALLY NEED YOU – YOU’VE CONVINCED ME.” But, being the savvy shopper I am, I knew I could buy it used for a song, so – yup – trudged back up the hill to the sale and….. wait for it….. IT WASN’T THERE!!!!!!!!!
Disheartened and thinking the stamping fairies must be playing games with me, I checked once again the multitude of stamp images lying in front of me, but none was the one that had called my name. Now, the booth lady was beginning to go all squinty-eyed, and I thought she must think I’m crazy! She asked, very timidly, if I wanted the stamp that I had picked off her table and she actually said she would sell it for less (probably to get me out of there! LOL). I told her, though, that I was looking for the stamp with the cross on it, and nothing else would do. She now had a REALLY puzzled look on her face as I left her booth and walked out the door – AGAIN, without buying anything from her! I went back down the hill, one more time, to June’s wonderful stamp store, found and bought (at full price!) the twin stamp, and left the store a happy stamper. After all, you just HAVE to listen when a stamp keeps calling, right? I KNOW you understand!
Now, my car was parked in a field next to the sale area, and on one of my returns from my car to the stamp store, I felt a bite under my pant leg. I scratched at it, but when I started walking, I got another bite! I found some kind of BUG had apparently wanted to have lunch (ME!), and had hooked a ride on my jeans. Well, I tell ya, I FREAKED OUT. I begged a woman at the store to let me use a private area of the building to get this biting fiend out of my pant leg. She said “no, ask the owner!” Did she not see that the dancing figure in front of her was not trying out for “So You Think You Can Dance,” but was being eaten alive?!!!! Finally, I was able to use June’s kitchen (she lives above her store). Well, I quickly glanced around while pulling my jeans down, hoping June’s husband wasn't standing around in there! But, I really didn't care at that point; just HAD to get the bug out of my jeans. Lucky June’s husband wasn’t there, ‘cause my undies came down at the same time as the jeans! Okay, a little more info than you might want, but I got the little bugger!!!!!!! What a relief!
Well, anyway, back to my stamp journey. I ran into some old friends there and we went to Wendy's for lunch together before going home. While we were eating, they asked me what treasures I bought at the sale. While we ate, I told them about the stamp that just wouldn’t stop calling to me. When I brought out my bags (one from the sale and one from the store) – you guessed it! - both bags had the same DARN elusive stamp !!! LOL They knew by the look on my face as I was opening the bags what I had done, and they howled!!!! I was absolutely stunned! I ended up going back to the Stamp Pad, returning the stamp I had paid full price for, and – what???? – got two other stamps to replace it, of course!!! HA! I recounted my tale to the ladies at the store, and we all had a good laugh. I now know why the lady at the booth looked at me so funny - she knew I had already bought the stamp from her earlier! On the way home, I started wondering if I should have even been out by myself that day! LOL (And, no, I don’t drink, but after that episode, I’m thinking maybe I should! LOL)
Now, I tell ya, I imagine we‘re all probably guilty of buying duplicates of stamps at some point (maybe more often than we’d like to admit), BUT REALLY - doing it in the same day only hours apart?! I tell ya, I was an overdosed stamping addict for sure! LOL!
Well, now that you’ve traveled with me through my tale of addiction, go have some fun stamping and create something really beautiful. And, if you dare, share with me some of your stamp addiction stories. I’d love to hear them! Oh, and here is a picture of the stamp that caused it all. I’ll post a card with it when I’ve done that – hopefully, before I forget I have it!!!!!!
Have a happy stampin’ day!
Hugs
Lana
