Quite often I find myself envious of all the wonderful shops you all have in your areas. I drool over the photos wishing that we here in the Phoenix area had some too. Well, I am a doof because we DO have some yummy shops. The problem is, they are outside my 10 mile radius that I seem to keep myself in, and that's just silly!!! One of my goals for 2011 is to stop complaining about how there aren't any good shops, and get out there and visit them!!!
I am going to try to visit one or two new shops every couple of weeks and share them with you all. I wanted to shoot for once a week... but lets be realistic okay??? LOL!
The first shop on our tour is a wonderful Paper and Mixed Media art supply store called Mystic Paper.
From the moment you walk in the door you are filled with that excited little rush, that there will be treasures to find here. This is so ordinary paper crafting store. No generic, plastic store fixtures here....The surfaces that Jennifer and her team use to display all the wonderful supplies she has for sale are all gorgeous vintage and antique pieces.
Doesn't make your heart pound a little faster???
There are papers (yumm), and trinkets, found objects of all kinds for your altered art projects and all, as I said surrounded by visually stunning display pieces.
MMMM.... bottles. (This one's for you Lisa)
more paper....
more displays....
I really could have hung out there much longer, but the longer I stayed, the heavier my shopping basket became!!! Sometimes you just have to know when to quit!!
I hope you enjoyed my little tour. I will be visiting another local shop soon. Please, please, please if you can, remember to shop all those wonderful little shops in your town. If you don't, one day, they may not be there anymore!
Update... Unfortunately, Mystic Paper has closed it's doors. :(
We are all hoping it will find a new home and open up again soon!!
43 comments:
Looks like a lovely shop! You're so right about shopping locally. "My" local scrapbook store closed about a year ago, and I still miss is so much!
Jane-Jacksonville
Great idea Karen, I loved the tour! We used to have some great shops in our area at least 3 within you shopping mileage range but they all went out of business, guess they all saved me a lot of $$ but I miss them! I used to go to crops every Friday night at a place similar to the one you just posted and I had a ball for 3 years then it folded due to the economy. Sad but that is why they all went out! Now I can enjoy yours! There are some left but they are way too far for me to drive at $3.50 per gallon! Have fun! Hugs Marilou
Oh, fabulous! I've heard so much about this shop--wish I lived anywhere near there! There's really nothing in my neck of the woods (except Michael's...) I'll just have to swoon over all the shops you find, Karen!
Hope you're having a beautiful day!
Julie
Looking forward to your posts! What a good idea, I will be viewing my local stores with new eyes, Have a great weekend!
Hello... You just crack me up! Ten mile radious, isn't that the truth. We live in our little comfort zone and don't venture out, but isn't it lovely when we discover we can? Just a few more miles and the stores appear. That's a good thing. I certainly know the "deal" too. Thanks for sharing... loved the store too. But, it's out of my reach. Come visit and follow me please. I'm kinda new. Your new friend. xoso Sandy
Wow, that looks like quite a large store, Karen! I think I'd have to stroll around and look first, then start over at the beginning with a basket or cart to begin the shopping. I love stores like this and I spend too much time in them too when I find them!
What a wonderful concept combining new paper art supplies with vintage finds for mixed media artists! Delightful shop! My favorite local paper arts store sadly went out of business due to the economy. We still have a Hobby Lobby but that is not the same as a specialty shop where everyone knows your name, what supplies you prefer, and always has something to share on a personal level. I agree, ferret out those lovely local business' and shop them!
Okay, I'm going to have to say it....."I am so jealous!" What a great store!!!!! I'm glad to hear that you are expanding your adventures to beyond 10 miles....I mean it's not like you have to go by horse! Do you?!? Enjoy - we'll be anxiously awaiting your next adventure! Romeo wants to know if he can come with....
"Her" and Romeo
We do have wonderful places of inspiration here don't we? I think sometimes we begin to value our time in a different way...and drive time seems like wasted time...I've learned to take a friend on my scouts, or just enjoy the quiet...and I rarely go outside my 3 miles during rush hour :-) I'm looking forward to more of your sweet finds. Have a great weekend. I've been a follower for a couple of months You can find me at http://janetsjournal-inherpeace.blogspot.com and http://theskinnyonmini.blogspot.com Have a beautiful weekend. ~ Blessings, Janet
Karen,
I adore Mystic Paper and mynhusband and I are going to be there next week visiting my in-laws. I do feel a rush of excitement when I enter and always check the class schedule...and usually seem to just miss something wonderful! I am looking forward to getting some fabulous supplies.
Fondly,
Suz
I need to schedule a visit with my friends who live in the PNX area!!!
Karen, you lucky one,--to have such a fantastic shop in your surroundings...
looks like I could spend many,many houers inside there.
And I agree , we should all buy in the small shops in our areas, that they will stay!
Wish you a happy week-end- dear Karen.
XO, Dorthe
Karen, This is one of my favorite shops. Not only do they have everything, but they teach great classes too! Glad you got to get out and see it. Let me know when you are going out to see another one and maybe I can meet up and we can shop and have lunch together!
XO Nancy
Very fun,
It is always fun to find a place that inspires you...
hugs
Karen, That something I think I too-will do, I seem to stay in my little home town here- and there are so many darling shoppes out there. SO SO kind of you to highlight this one and the others to come.. Word of Mouth is the Best Advertisement & as a small small shoppe owner, I so Appreciate precious gals like you, who share my loves...
LOVELY store, love the papers stores. Karryann
This looks like an amazing store, and what a clever idea to tour them for us. What an inspiration this is for me to find a new store to explore. I kind of get in the same rut of not venturing too far from home myself. Looking forward to your "tour de shops" adventure! Nan-Rochester, Michigan
I HATE YOU! I am soooooo jealous!!! UGH!! I WISH that was here. Ahhh!!!
Hey - do they sell online????
Jill
Hi, Karen,
I just love the pic with the vintage luggage and dress form. It all looks fabulous!
Have a wonderful weekend. ~Natalie
I stumbled across this place in August when I was making my friend a paper bag album for her 50th birthday and I NEEDED some grafic 45 paper! The people there are just wonderful! Thanks for sharing cant wait to see what else you find! I like you..think we dont have any "good" shops..but I know we do gotta find them!
great shop! and isn't it time we all started to support the smaller quirky and creative retailers? globalistion is boring!...
I have enjoyed my visit to your lovely blog. I love the name you gave it and this posting. I too hate to travel out of my comfort zone :) Thank you for sharing...Jan
It's my favorite new store. Donna and I have breakfast near there every Thursday and try to stop by to get inspired.
Karen ~
That does look like
an awesome shop and
one that I could get
lost in :)
xoxo
Lori
What a little treasure you discovered. Very pretty indeed and full of inspiration. I love that they use vintage and antique items to make the place feel so quaint. Wish I had a place like that near me. Yes, your reminder to shop these small places is a good one. We love supporting those locally owned shops, too. Have fun exploring and i look forward to seeing more places you discover throughout the year.
OK! You have to take me there when I come out to visit you! Loved your little tour. Sooooooooooooo glad we got you airline reservations & the hotel booksed! Round Top here we come! Well... not this week but, soon! HUGS!
Charlene
Hi Sweetie
OK that little shop will have to be on my list to go see when I get there... and thank you for mentioning shop your local shops! It is hard to have a small shop these days.
Looking at airfare and it is crazy! Can't figure it out, even Southwest.
Have a great evening
Rebecca
Wow, what wonderful shops, so enjoyed the tour.
Barb
What an awesome place to get lost in...so much scope for the imagination!
Your Christmas decor was just beautiful...I so enjoyed looking. THANK YOU so very much for the sweet comments on my dd's wedding...it truly was fun!
Rene
Hi Karen,
Well, I wish I had known you'd be there. We coulda' met up!!! I go there fairly frequently. Are you gonna' show "Domestic Bliss"??? Have you been to "Melrose Vintage"???? That place is on your side of town. We really should go shopping together sometime.
Hugs,
Meri
I love finding new shops to treasure hunt in..The older the stuff the better..xx
Glad you made it to Mystic Paper! It is a lovely shop! I taught classes there at one time and spent an awful lot of money as well!! LOL!! Great pics!
looking forward to see what shops to visit.i myself go to Rust and Roses and Zinnia's out this way.We live out here in Avondale.Im always up for checking out different shops to go to.If you are out this way let me know.Have a great evening..Chickie
What a great little shop! Wish I had known about it when I lived in AZ. I will be visiting lots of new "shops" in my new home, here in Virginia...hope to find some as cute as this one!
LOve this visit and tour Karen!
What a great idea...this is so much fun ... to window shop outside our hometowns. This shop would be a favorite of mine I am sure!
Take care :)
I love Mystic Paper and Melrose Vintage is one of my favs too!!!! Thanks for sharing pictures.....I hope to get back there......"one day".
This shop looks like fun! Thank you for doing the hunting - it's a long drive but I'll know right where to go!
Ohhhh Karen, what a truly delicious post, a real feast for the eyes!! I want everything lol!! Hugs, Mandy x
This post is Well Organized and Informative for the good party supplies and decorations solutions. Best luck of the future.
So much to see. It looks like a fun place!
~Heidi
Hi Karen. I often feel the same way... "there's no good shops around here". But we're about 90 minutes from Chicago and there's about a hundred lovely shops between here and there. I guess I forget to leave my 10 mile radius too =) Thanks for sharing the pictures of your pretty neighborhood store.
Blessings... polly
OMG KAREN!!
This place looks like my idea of Disney Land! Scrapbooking supplies have definatly watched the trends & created lines that are vintage inspired. Tim Holtz is the biggest thanks for that. But to combine the new with real findings, now that's a great store!
Lisa
PS
Yes, they can wrap me up that bottle!
Oh!!! What a great store! I'm in AZ too! I have to visit! I know of some other cute stores also! They are just alllll spread out! But there is one up by you in Scottsdale! We have to visit it one day! I love new blog friends!!! lol! So glad I found your blog and your Desert Cottage! Beautiful!
I live here in Scottsdale too and just recently visited Mystic Paper last week! I love, love, love that store. Could just stay there forever.
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