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Wowee. So much to tell.
Okay, so in short, the Crafty Chica Cruise was freaking amazing. I think I’ll report on it in a series of posts, so I can go on and on and on in some kind of organized way. Suffice for now to say that Kathy is every bit as lovely in person as she is online, and Hoo, Boy did she round up a lot of crafty for us to play with!
In this first post, I want to share a fabric store we visited in Cabo – Parisina. Two vanloads of us (about 25 crafters) descended on it one bright afternoon, and collectively lost our minds.
(Before I go on, I want to point out those pricing signs you see in the photo above. They’re in pesos. The dollar-to-peso exchange rate was sitting at about 12-to-1 when we were there. So, for an easy conversion, just move the decimal point one place to the left.)
There was an insane selection of trims – all kinds of ribbons, beautiful bright-colored lace, sparkly gold ric rac, beautiful sequin chains. Lordy. And so affordable, you kinda wanted to weep a little.
This, my friends, is burlap – in every pretty color under the sun. And less than two bucks a yard. I didn’t get a photo, but they also had some absolutely stunning oilcloth, in many patterns I’ve never seen here. Also just a couple dollars a yard.
(That’s right – oilcloth at two bucks a yard. Imagine my hair-pulling angst at already being over my luggage capacity. There were others in our group who simply bought extra luggage.)
Felt yardage, incidentally, was running about a dollar a yard. Mixed in with all this amazingness were so many gorgeous Mexican textiles, in a riot of colors.
Now we’ll have a little digression about sequins. All day, as we were traveling around Cabo, our group was talking about this fabric store, where rumor had it, “there were sequins the size of your head!”
Well, at last we found them! A whole big box of shiny giant-sequin goodness.
Here’s Bridget, offering a head-size-comparison.
…So actually, they’re closer to the size of English muffins, but still! (Sequin nerds, you may feel compelled to point out that these are actually paillettes. It’s okay – no need to rain on my parade.) :-)
Anyway. I was also blown away by this display of craft foam. It was also available in gigantic 24″ x 36″ sheets. What does one do with all this craft foam?
So, imagine 25 women running around this store, clutching all this precious cargo to their chests. Parisina has a fairly complex process for purchasing. First, one of the staff has to write your entire purchase up on a paper ticket. (For those of us buying a meter of nearly every trim in the store, this took some time.)
Next, you took your merch and ticket to a kind of holding area, where another staffer bagged it up. And after that, you proceeded to a third station where you paid for your purchase. Then you went to the holding station and claimed your bag.
After getting all of us through that, I can only imagine the store staff heaved a great sigh of relief to see our vans pull away at last.
Here’s my modest haul – well, aside from those aforementioned sequins! I have no idea what I’ll do with any of this stuff – right now, it’s enough to have it.
But next year, you can bet I’ll be bringing a whole extra bag for my Parisina haul.
Oh My! I would have gone crazy mad in with that much fabric. Thank you for sharing with such good details and pictures. I can’t wait to see the rest of your trip. Glad you got to go.
Some how the phrase “holy cow!” just isn't enough. Who knew such a place existed?
You know, you could have ditched some of your clothing overboard and worn those mondo sequins — pastie style — and had room for lots more. Maybe not. More luggage is a good idea, too (wink).
WOWWWWWWW!! What a great post! I felt like I was there, thank you for that, I need a vacation so bad and a crafty one would be awesome!! Is that pink hemp cord?
Thanks so much, Lisa! It might be hemp – it's a twinelike cord. The label doesn't tell me much. Very pretty as gift wrap, though!
HAHA! Believe me, more than one joke was made about the costuming possibilities of those sequins. :-)
Oh what a fabulous fabric store indeed! Fabric stores are disappearing over here at such a great rate it, that it's unbelievable. So lucky you were, and what a shame you didn't have more room. and those prices!! Welcome back. :)
Wow, I didn't realize fabric retailers were in trouble in Australia, Pam. How sad! Where are crafters supposed to get supplies?
ohhh lordy, I want to move there right now, into a hose with a really big stoarge room :o)
Wow, so far, this already looks like it was an amazing trip! I love this store, especially all those trims. Makes me want to go to Mexico just to visit this store. I think I would have had to buy another suitcase too.
Already planning next year's trip? LOL! Sounds like a winner! Can't wait to hear more!
Thank you! It was such fun – I'm glad, too!
That place is my heaven. I am so jealous!
okay, fainting over here…
I would be broke just from going to that store and would need another cabin for all of my stuff lol
This shop should be on the list for hottest destinations in Mexico!
And next year, I am sending you off with an extra suitcase too! Oh and a list!
It's a DEAL. We needed just about everything in that store!
Wow. What a fabulous store. You guys must have been exhausted once you left. So glad you had a fun time.
Exhausted in the best possible way! :-)
OMG – that is unbelievable. When can I move to Mexico? :-)
Seriously – I am coming with you! :-)
Sorry about the delayed reply Diane. :) Suppose I can't really speak for crafters in the other States, but here in Queensland, we would mostly use Spotlight or Lincraft(not many of those) and admittedly there are one or two of the old style fabric stores that have managed to hang in there…..somehow!!! Or there is always online too.
But I have heard that it's not much better over the rest of Australia. Yes, very sad really.
Nerding out over here . . . paillettes? Who knew?!
And folks, I almost missed the van back to the pier because I kept running around grabbing more stuff – there's talk of having them host an event for the cruise in the future!
I think we should just sail the ship up to the back door of the place and hang out there for six days. :-)
Sorry, Lana, I don’t. But I’m sure it would be on the website I linked to from this post.