SoCal Shop Hop

I have read about all kinds of shop hop relating to scrapbooking stash enhancement. There are different versions. First one, you pay to get on a bus and it just shuttled you around from one store to another, basically to shop without you actually doing the driving. I guess they may or may not provide lunch, depending on the cost. A route is set to hit a few stores. I guess someone invented the idea to increase business for the stores.

The second version, you drive your own. This is the SoCal Shop Hop version. This is their 3rd year, so apparently it is popular enough. You paid $5 to get a passport, and then you go to the stores on your own and get a stamp on the passport. And you get to do a make n’ take while you are at the store. It is unclear to me if you have to meet a spending limit at each store in order to do the make n’ take. You can even pay more to collect the pins, like people used to do for the Hard Rock Cafes… This year, the SoCal Shop Hop is from August 7 to 23. There are many stores on the list, from LA to San Diego and even include the inland area. There are a lot of distance to cover, it isn’t likely anyone can do all of them. But if you do, you get to enter for a drawing…yeap, crazy, isn’t it?

Why would anyone pay to shop??? The reason for the consumers to participate is (1) we are mostly women. We like the idea of shopping, whether we actually will utilize the stash we acquired is another discussion. As in other hobbies, the one dies with the most stash wins!!!! (2) Each store carries different things. Yes, the popular line would most likely be carried by everyone. Then there are the less known. So you actually see different stuffs when you browse different stores!!!

It wouldn’t matter in my case. I already have prior commitments the three weekends this is being held. I figured why don’t I just do my own shop hop, just pick the stores I want to visit and go on my own. Yes, I don’t get to do the make n’ take. But I also don’t need to pay either and on my own leisure timing. I wasn’t thinking about this until I received the other incentives! The hubby would be in Temecula area this weekend and he wanted me to go down there to spend Saturday night with him. That is about 1.5 hours away from Irvine. And since the house is still on the market, I needed to be away for possible showing. Plus I got sales notifications a few days ago from couple stores. Gosh, pretty difficult to resist.

I picked these stores:

Tall Mouse, Laguna Niguel – this is kind of like a Michael’s, except they only have 3 stores in the chain, all in SoCal. This is the only one not in the Shop Hop as they are not a boutique scrapbook specialty store. But they are doing their birthday celebration, meaning 43% off entire purchase. That is a really good deal. They have lots of scrapbook stuffs. I wasn’t the first one lining up for that. By the time I got there, all the adhesive refills were gone. I guess other people had the same idea as me. Why not at the deep discount since we are guaranteed to always use adhesives!!!

Ever After Scrapbook, Vista – I have been to this one couple times before when they were in the old location. I got an email, something about 25% off entire purchase, yes something to do with reducing inventory for the concurrent CHA release now. I like the old location before, feel more welcome and friendly. Here, it seems empty and esthetic. No, I didn’t get much, they have changed and the stocks are not the same as before.

One thing I admire of them is their annual Survivor Crop. It is a fund raising event for breast cancer research, an entire weekend of cropping, fun & games. I think the admission is $100, plus another fund raising of $125. A bit pricy, but all profit goes to cancer research. In the store, you can see the bra samples they altered for probably auctioning them off at the event.



Pink Pineapple, Vista – I have never been here before. I have followed their blog occasionally through the different instructors I had from previous classes at Scrapbook Oasis. This place is smaller, but I like the pink atmosphere. And the sample layouts are gorgeous. The classes are a bit more challenge. Very Yummy….And they have a very nice page layout of the week every 2 weeks, all packed up with delicious embellishment. Love this place. Too bad it is such a long drive away.

There were couple more stores on the list, but I was tired out by then. I had to meet up with hubby anyway at 4pm. I went to check in at Pechanga. Tom was able to get a free room for the night, something to do with the frequent guest program reward. We had a nice dinner. Tom played a bit of games. I was ready for bed soon after that. Shopping can tired one out quickly, especially in the heat of the inland desert.

I woke up early on Sunday morning and went to the gym. I was the only one there. I guess people don’t go to a casino resort to work out!!! But I really needed to, marriage life has been good to me, pretty sure I had put on a few pounds….Yuck….

Upon checking out, I continued my shop hop route. Next stop is Scrappin Divas in Old Town Temecula. I have been to Temecula a few times before, but never stopped in the Old Town. Well, what a nice surprise. I will need to come back for a more leisurely visit. There are antique shops, restaurants, wine tasting places, and gift shops. It is set in an old west village style, but very clean, no dusty roads etc. As for Scrappin Divas, it is the smallest of my route. I picked up a few western theme papers. I can always use that since I had a long 10 years in Texas!!!

One last stop is in Wildomar, Now & Then Scrapbook. In a strip mall, the place is roomy. The sales person was very very friendly. She even showed me some of the handmade cards a bunch of “wiser” ladies do each Monday morning, very creative. Best find here are the safari animal print papers for my Africa safari pages if I ever start that. The good thing is I already wrote down the story in my previous online life, yes, the webpage I had 5+ years ago. Still have it on my laptop but no longer published online.

I didn’t do too badly of damages on the wallet. I do have to organize the stash, not just the new stuffs, but my existing ones. Since I clear out the house for showing, it had taken up space in the garage, not the best. I need to organize it and transfer them to Tom’s. If they go in storage, I may not see it for who knows how long…