Ben Franklin Booty

Being new to Helena, I am still learning where to shop.  I had driven past the Ben Franklin Craft store on my way out of town one weekend and didn't really pay it much mind.  One of the quilters I met had told me about their fabric selection, but still I hadn't stopped in.

Texter and I were out and since there doesn't seem to be a Michael's Craft store in town (or if there really is, we can't find it), I said something about the Ben Franklin's.  She is planning her Christmas gifts she wants to make for people and wanted to stop in to see if they had what she needed.

First impression, lots of gems and lots of junk.  You just have to be willing to wade through everything.  But if you want it - craft wise - they are bound to have it.  And their prices are pretty competitive, just eyeballing things.  We didn't even begin to walk into their 'scrapbook' store.  With Texter and I both loving inks and stamps and papers and pens, it was too dangerous.

HOWEVER.....they do have some clearance 'bins'.  

I dug through some magnets and cards since I send letters and like to put them in cards for something a little extra.  And magnets are an easy something to add in as a bonus.

Then we walked back to the fabric section.  Not only do they have several lines of fabrics I have had my eyes on (at a bit of a discount), they had a $1.00 bin back there too.  Luckily, Lady K said she had had enough and forced me to leave.

So for $13.00 I got the following....

I got the following:

6 x 24 inch Omnigrid Rule
Omnigrid Half Square Triangle Rule (6 inch)
7.5 inch X-Blocks Template packet
Perfect Patchwork Templates Set A
Cutting Corners Ruler
Dritz Mini Travel Iron
4.5 inch template
A Strip-It maker (for making strips for rugs, knitting, etc)
3 cards
1 magnet
1 emory board matchbook

I totaled up what it would have been if I had purchased it based on Amazon.com prices or their website prices, and it totaled up to $141.60.  So I paid less than 10% for my haul.  Can you say happy dance?  Can you say I am keeping my eye on this place for gifts and give-aways?

Oh, and the clerks, because they had forgotten to ring it up with the rest of my purchases, gave me my little 50 cent bottle I am going to use to put ibuprofen in my pack for hiking.  What a deal!


Note:  My 2nd job in high school was at a Ben Franklin Variety store.  They had everything, clothes, toys, fish, school supplies.  I love Ben Franklin!