I found this year's Christmas jewel this weekend. Wanting to spend a little time by myself, I decided to take a little road trip to get my Christmas gifts this year. I hadn't bought a single thing and this was my last opportunity. I'm a little short on funds this year...(I'll save this for another day...another blog...)and I had to get really creative. God must've been listening because I got the brilliant idea to go to my newest obsession:
I think I am the last person on the planet to venture into this heavenly store. I've loved their stuff for so many years...I've made a thousand shopping lists online....but I've never purchased anything or step foot into an actual store. I live in Oklahoma City and the closest store is in Frisco, Texas.
So last week while I was trying to figure out how I was going to afford anything for Christmas, I started browsing ikea.com. I created a shopping list. Vases, bowls, various home decor items....for these prices? This can't be right. My brain gears started working full speed. I was adding 3 of everything to my list...one for mom, one for my sis and one for me, of course. At these prices, I couldn't afford NOT to buy myself a few treats. I just moved into a new house after all. The tally got to $97. I thought it would be stupid not to go-of course every single item on my list was not available online so I didn't really have a choice.
I made the plan to leave Saturday morning. It would take me a little over 3 hours to get there...and it would cost me a tank of gas to get there and back...so, $100 in gas and spend $100 on gifts. Fool proof plan.
Saturday morning came around...I left the city around 11 am and headed south. I started a book on tape and tried to enjoy my venture. When I walked into that store, I got very anxious and really didn't know where to start. The concept of Ikea is simple. There is a showroom on one floor and a marketplace on the other...but for someone that had never been before, it was a bit confusing. I felt like I was in a cattle call and was being herded through the most fabulous maze ever created.
I wound up staying in heaven for about 2 hours...and I got...are you ready for this?...69 different items and spent $192. WHAT???? How is that humanly possible? I got vases, serving bowls, knives, bowls, flower pots, placemats, decorative bowls, a trashcan, tools, toys for my nephews, picture frames, a juicer, pitchers, candles, books...
Oh. My. Goodness.
I am in LOVE LOVE LOVE with this place. Since I wasn't there for myself per se I had to really concentrate on not buying furniture, rugs, etc. BUT...I will. I'm getting a pretty hefty retirement check from my old job and I'm planning on spending a long weekend in Dallas and spending the better part of that money at my new dream store.
The funny thing is that nothing I picked out for my mom and sister online was actually seen in the store...the toys for my nephews were...but the home decor, I am in love with (did I say that already?) even though it was not what I originally picked out...and I spent $100 more than I anticipated. It was still such a successful trip and I cannot wait to go back.
These are some of the things I am hoping to get...I want my house covered in Ikea.
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