I found a really nifty store yesterday, over in Beaufort. It's mostly a scrapbooker's paradise (not my thing), but there's some beading supplies and a small selection of beads. I say small because I've been to Beads Galore in Tempe, Arizona. Still, this store was neat.

Nick acquired a turtle stamp (it's one of his favorite creatures and an off-and-on nickname for him) and an ink pad (in purple, of course!). Randy found some neat paper-distressing inks. Those will be great for the maps and other artifacts he creates for our roleplaying sessions---he's really good at that! He also got several sheets of vellum, probably for a similar purpose. Very cool.

Meanwhile, I found a nice selection of millifiori beads, plus some stunning colors of Swarovski crystals. I also found some inexpensive files---that will help clean up the ends of wires (and I might find them useful for cleaning up mini-figs as well). I picked up some copper-core silver wire for making some stitch markers with. Silver is so variable in price and I'm trying to keep the costs down, so I can keep my stitch marker sets at a reasonable price.

Randy treated me to a Beadsmith beading trap with a lap-pillow bottom. The tray comes off the bottom and can lay on my desk---which it did all night last night, while I played with beads.

I've sorted out beads into sets and just need to wire them up to complete them. I plan to get one of each style made and up on Etsy, then I can make the rest as I need them. The hardest part of listing each set is getting a good photo of them. I'm just not talented at all in that department.

I'll try to post some photos here as I get new sets made. I usually make them in sets of 5+1: five regular markers with one row marker. I can always make custom sets in any quantity desired. I'm also hoping to get some individual row markers up on Etsy as well. I've talked to Nick about learning to make the markers with me and earning a cut of the income---risky, if nothing sells, but potentially lucrative if my markers are popular. *grin*

After the stop at Carolina Stamper (on 203 Carteret Street in Beaufort, for those readers who might be within driving distance), we headed up to Tanger 2 outlets to hit "Le Gourmet Chef", for a tea-ball. I got one of the last two they had! It's made by Tovolo. We walked in for a $10.00 (wow, I didn't realize it was that pricey!) teaball and walked out with quite a bit more....and then returned with a 20% off coupon for a Cuisinart coffee maker!

After the first trip to "Le Gourmet Chef", we hit Harry and David. Randy got some sauce that can be combined with cream cheese to make a great dip. I went straight for the chocolate truffles, of course. *grin*

Then, a quick dinner at the Cornerstone Grill and onto the island to Barnes and Noble. I managed to get the July 2007 issues of Simply Knitting and three of the books that were on my wish lists.

Once we got home, I spent the remainder of my evening creating sets of markers---like I said before, they're bagged into sets, I just need actually make them now. Which is what I'm off to do....unless I get distracted with the socks I'm knitting with No Remorse!