Weekend at IKEA: Day 2

Sunday morning found my friend Mary Elizabeth and I back at IKEA at 10 a.m. sharp. By Day #2, we were beginning to feel like semi-pros, even though our Swedish showed no signs of improvement.  We had mastered the second floor;  today we skipped the escalator, went backwards through the empty check-outs, and started in the "Marketplace" on the first floor.

The first thing we came to was what I go to IKEA for:  Dinner Napkins.  I love to entertain, but big,  colorful dinner napkins are not only hard to find, but expensive when I do find them. The last package I bought was from Amazon for  a special Valentine's Day dinner; with Prime shipping, they were $7.38 for 75 napkins.

IKEA has dinner napkins in almost every popular home dec. color and additional colors for different holidays and seasons (e.g. brown in the fall).  And, they are only $1.99 for a package of 50 napkins. Since I don't make the two hour drive to IKEA often, I load up when I do go. On this trip, I bought so many packages of napkins that the shopper waiting behind me in line asked me what kind of party I was giving.

The Marketplace is as big as the second floor but if you follow "the path" from one section to the other, it's not so overwhelming.

 Next we found ourselves in the Garden department. 

IKEA sells a huge variety of both real and "faux" plants as well as a "farmhouse-worthy" selection of inexpensive pots to display them in.

Their faux plants look real and all are priced very reasonably.  The plants sized like the ones below (I bought four different ones) were $4.99 each; the galvanized pails to display them in were only $.79.

                               

And here is my very favorite purchase (although I have no idea what I will do with them yet):  a set of three FJANTIG wall hooks, each only 5" tall, shaped like three different styles of IKEA chairs. (Some crazy designer in Sweden must think this stuff up just for women like me!)

I love these silly chairs so much that I bought two packages of them.

For only $5.99 per package they'll be fun (and practical?) to decorate with.

Mary Elizabeth fell in love with this KRUSNIG lamp; it reminded her of a cloud! It's made of layers of paper (the small white and yellow piece behind it is a separate lamp. ) and comes in two sizes. The large one is only $12.99. It is packed flat and you puff it up at home when you hang it.  Yup, she bought one for her new apartment.

The IKEA Marketplace has hundreds of styles of pillow covers on display, all 20" square. Both the covers and the "stuffers" are remarkably inexpensive . . .

As are their rugs, curtains, duvets, duvet covers, and bedding. I bought this sturdy indoor/outdoor LOBBAK runner for our back hall.

I also picked up a pair of these NORDRANA knitted storage baskets for $9.99/pair.

Mary Elizabeth loved all of the IKEA "rail systems" for kitchen (and office, bathroom, studio, etc.) storage. The rails and hooks come in white, black or stainless steel and the choices of hanging utensils and containers is almost limitless. 

Another favorite section of IKEA is the Children's department. The kids' furniture is bright, whimsical, inexpensive  and easy for children to move around.

There are many children's bedrooms on display to give parents ideas for storage and maximizing small spaces for kids.

And did I mention the stuffed animals? IKEA's stuffed creatures are the softest ever. They even had a wrinkly piglet, a rat with scary teeth, and a cuddly horse with silly wobbly legs.  As might be expected, most were priced under $10.00. My favorite was this "Big Bad Wolf", who comes with Grandma.  Kids get to rescue Grandma from his stomach - really! (Little Red Riding Hood is sold separately.) 

After the Marketplace, you come to the huge warehouse section of IKEA where you pick up furniture and other large items by their aisle and bin numbers (the reason for the pencil upstairs on Day 1).

I think Mary Elizabeth was feeling a little overwhelmed at first, but she had written down the aisle and bin numbers of her KALLAX shelf and rolling cart so we found them right way. Although it is big, IKEA is well-organized with good signage to help newbies like us figure it all out.

The last stop was the Swedish Food Market just outside of the main check-out area.

You can buy frozen Swedish meatballs just like the ones from their restaurant . . .

As well as Salmon, Lingonberry Jam, Swedish candies and cookies, including the world's thinnest ad best Ginger Snaps!

I bought these KEX cookies for my special needs daughter. Her name begins with "K' so it's her "favorite letter". I can already picture her divvying up the cookies with her friends: "K for me, vowels for you, K for me, vowels for you . . . ". Needless to say, the cookies spell "IKEA".

Our second day at IKEA was almost done and we were dragging. Now, we just had to figure out how to hold on to our "trolleys" on the steep cart escalator . . .

And navigate through the Boston tunnel, over the Zakim Bridge, onto 95 North and home to Maine.

Now that we're back and rested, here are a few of our IKEA purchases displayed in our homes:

Mary Elizabeth's "Cloud Lamp" (she bought the small one) looks beautiful in her bedroom;

As does her little "polka dot" IKEA rug.

She assembled her black RASCOG Cart and it's already in use as a bar cart in her kitchen. She can roll it into the living room for entertaining!  Martini anyone?

After a bit of reorganization, all of my new napkins fit in my under-bookshelf storage baskets. 

I love the colors!

My four faux plants (love the fern!) bring a touch of Spring to "Elmer's tool box" at my house.

And the adorable trio of chairs? 

I'm still walking around the house with them, looking for the perfect spot!

SKAL! (that's "Cheers" in Swedish),

This post is linked to:

To Grandma's House We Go #127 at Chas' Crazy Creations

Talk of the Town #162 at Knick of Time

Vintage Charm Party #170 at My Thrift Store Addiction

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Flaunt It Friday #436 at Chic On a Shoestring

10 Dollar Tree Bargains for Spring

Spring 2019 Fairy House items from Dollar Tree. I love these!

Now that my Valentines are in the mail, I took a trip to Dollar Tree to see what's new for Spring.
Not only did I spot some great finds, I learned that Dollar Tree has a BLOG! Who knew?  The blog is full of ideas for "hacks", crafts, decor, and party ideas using only inexpensive items from Dollar Tree.

The Dollar Tree "Tips & Ideas" Blog includes headings for "Tips & Hacks", "DIY & Crafts", "Celebrations", "For Teachers", and "Weddings". There are hundreds of great ideas on this site.

Here are 10  Bargains that I loved, some from the blog and some from the store.

1. Holiday Decor.  I love to decorate for holidays.  I confess: most of my holiday supplies come from either the Target "Dollar Spot" (see my previous post, Valentine Tablescape On a Budget) or Dollar Tree. I love the challenge of making something unique with inexpensive materials.  Here's one idea for an Easter themed wreath using only Dollar Tree items.  I'm calling it my "Dollar Tree Spring Bargain #1!"

Click here for the materials and directions:  DIY Peeps Wreath

Spring Bargain #2.  Polka-Dot Chickens

These are new in our local Dollar Tree Store. I just love them! Wouldn't they be cute in an Easter Basket or as part of an Easter tablescape?

They remind me of the red chickens on the top shelf at Brenda's Cozy Little House

Spring Bargain #3. Stylish Storage Baskets

These are simple, classic, well-designed, useful, and a perfect color . . . 'nuff' said!

#4.  Galvanizd Plant Pots

These are classics!  Use as Easter baskets, gift pails, to carry garden gloves and supplies while you're working in the yard, for BBQ items, or . . . for flowers and plants!

#5. And this time in French . . .

#6.  Cake Carriers

These are amazing. At Christmas, my DH makes rum cakes for hundreds of lots of our friends. These were perfect for "wrapping" and storing them. And, the click-clack fastener on the bottom means that the bottom and top actually stay together when carried by the handle on top. A major bargain for $1.00 each!

I remember the old Tupperware Cake carriers; I think I even had one once. But they were too expensive to give away. This does the same thing and costs less than a gift bag!

#7.  Jars.

I use jars to organize almost everything. From kitchen to craft room, they're the best!

And Dollar Tree has jars in both glass and plastic . . . 

     in about every shape and size!

Bargain #7.  Frames        

There is a huge selection of frames for $1.00 and, if you want more of a farmhouse look, click here:     How To Distress Picture Frames from Dollar Tree . The Dollar Tree blog has simple directions for distressing dollar frames.

#8. Party Supplies.

I get most of my party supplies at the dollar store. They have every item, in every color, and all for a dollar. They even have "silver" flatware and serving pieces that by candlelight could pass for the real thing . And on their blog, they have directions for lots of clever party decor I would never have though of  - like these Pinatas made from party hats! Cute and much less expensive that buying a pinata, even at WalMart prices.

Here's the link: DIY Party Hat Pinatas

Bargain #9.  Basket Bags.

These are the best! Our local library uses them for its annual "A Tisket, A Tasket" fundraiser. They're also big enough to hold a real kids (aka huge) Easter Basket. And there are two in each dollar package.

Here's how we used them at the library:

And finally, #10. Hallmark Cards

In a previous life, I owned a Hallmark Shop in Kennebunk, Maine, and I still love to send Hallmark Cards. But . . . my young grands don't appreciate them enough to spend $3.99, $4.99 and 5.99 apiece on them. At the holidays, that really adds up. Enter Dollar Tree. They now sell Hallmark Cards for $2/$1.00, Fellow grandparents: we can't go wrong at that price! Check them out.

I don't own stock in Dollar Tree and I don't even know anyone who does, but - I do know a bargain when I see one. If you're good at sniffing out a good buy (and passing over the less appealing stuff) and have some creativity, you can do pretty well at Dollar Tree.

I'd love to hear what you've found there!

This post is linked to:

Inspire Me Tuesday #488 at A Stroll Through Life
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
Homestyle Gathering #5 at My Wee Abode
To Grandma's House We Go Linkk Party #126 at Chas" Crazy Creations
Thursday's Favorite Things Party at Crafts a la Mode
Flaunt It Friday #435 at Chic On a Shoestring