"Brain" Strikes Again!

And this time she waged war on Sur La Table! With "Mouth", Charlie and me. (Of course, she won!)

Do you remember the first "ITEM OF THE WEEK" on the sidebar? It was this cute, whimsical 8.25" x 3" red embossed heart cake stand. Anyway... I ordered this cutie on Feb 2, full price (I know, I know... But it was soooo cute!- I, too, am subject to weakness from time to time, ain't I?)

Back track to Feb 6- I saw this cutie offered down to $8.99 or 40% off (Woo-hoo!!! I'm free from the bondage of retail cuteness angle! I can now spare my fingernails that are now down to pathetic nubs from guilt.)

Fast forward to Feb 10- Charlie and "Brain" cornered me into dialing for an explanation.

("Brain" was fuming... DH was in the living room with us when he too, asked, "What's up with that? They didn't ship it until the 10th? What happened to your order? You need to call them.")

("I'm on it before you even thought it. Carolyn, dial already!")

So I dialed and a nice lady picked up the call. Charlie was mouthing out what I should be asking. (Man, I feel so bossed around!) To continue, I politely asked why my order didn't get processed to be shipped the next business day from my order date. The associate, after looking up my order manifesto (I like that word, so business like), she sheepishly with a cute nervous laugh, declares, "I don't know what happened, ma'am. That shouldn't have happened. I don't know what to tell you."

("What kind of an explanation is that? What are they gonna do about it? Ask, Carolyn, ask!")

DH is also intently waiting for me to continue the conversation so I did; I asked, "Well, now that it was just shipped today, is it still guaranteed to arrive on Valentine's Day? That's obviously when I need it." The embarrassed lady on the phone says honestly, "I understand that. But I don't know, ma'am, because it says here 5-7 business days. I don't think so..."

Now, it was my turn to get upset! "What?! That's the only reason why I ordered it! Why even order it if you can't guarantee it, or now that I can't use it for what it's intended for?

("You stick it to 'em, Carolyn! Atta, girl!")("Brain, just let me handle this, will ya?")

(But "Brain" couldn't let it go; so questions like, "What are you going to do about it, Sur La Table?" "Don't we need to be compensated for this inconvenience?!", were spit out through "Mouth". She mostly listens to "Brain" too, before me. I'm just a puppet really...)

The lady finally said, "I can't stop it to upgrade your shipping for free nor can I give you anymore discount, but what I can and will do for the inconvenience, is to give you back your shipping fee of $5.50. So that means, your card will be debited back that amount as well as the 40% off discount." I finished the confirmations and hung up. I relayed everything back to anxiously waiting Charlie who planted himself in front of the desk.

("That's more like it! You did well, grasshopper...") Then they let me gloat with them.

Afterall, I saved $11.51 or 56%!!!and they took off the tax, too!
It arrived this afternoon, two days before V-day! So got my money's worth!
VICTORY once again! "Brain" - 2; Walmart & Sur La Table - Zippo!!!
(Ok, tell me this isn't cute enough to snatch up at $15.oo; I dare ya!)
Charlie was pleased as well- how can he not? A $20.50 acquisition, but we only dented the account by $8.99? The "what now" question was pacified, too, since it will be put to use for EVERY Valentine's and/or our Anniv Days- for both Dating and Wedding... Whew!

"Brain" says hello to all, "Mouth" too! And they both wonder... How was your day?

A Nordic(ware) Tale

Have you seen these beautiful cake mold pans from Nordicware? Those castle, heart, and maple leaf ones? Especially the maple leaf ones? Those are sooooo cute! Well, I finally did last year at Walmart in one of their clearance aisles. So the stalking began...

In most places, these puppies command a retail of up to $40 (ok, $39.99), but of course Walmart, touted as the "Low Prices" King of retail, managed to slap on a decent $24.97 tag on the maple leaf molds. Did I jump at that $15 difference? Of course not! It's only close to 40% off, but not quite at 37% (see Trade Secret #5), so NO, I didn't get it! (Did you think I would though, huh? Huh?)

Back to Walmart, November 2008... So right after Thanksgiving, I saw three of these Nordicware molds on clearance- $24.97 down to $19.97 ($5 off)- NO!

Almost Christmas, scoped out the last two- $19.97 down to $17.97 ($2 off)- NO! (The beautiful and smart "Brain" firmly set the "grab it" price at $12.50 and lower. I listen to her a lot!)

Yesterday... surprised to see the last one in the clearance aisle in between two badly chipped Autumn ceramic bowls-without a tag (you'll see). I quickly grabbed it ("Brain" said so) and hoped for the nearest price scanner (NONE btw, Walmart is technologically backwards from Target!). Mr. Man and I-Dude, our son, (he needed more meds, so we took him out of the house) head out to grab some windshield wipers for the van. I looked for them and found an associate.

NO, I didn't tell her that I've been stalkin' this one; I was nice and asked if they can find me a price for it so I can decide if I should buy it or not. She was very helpful. After a few minutes (ok, more like 10), another lady approached me and said, "We have no tag, but it's regularly $17.97, $18.00 regular."

("Nope, $24.97, I've been stalkin' remember?" "Shh! Brain, she'll hear you!").

She then told me that since it's clearance she'll give it to me for 50% off or $8.

("Half of $18 is 9!" "Hush Brain!")

I didn't say anything, but considered it so she asked me if I can show her where I found it. Along the way, we met up with the store manager and he was with another associate who addressed everyone as "Honey" (I later found out she was also a manager). She kept interrupting the manager and further explained that Thanksgiving items do not go lower than 50% off. That's just how it's been.

("Wrong again! Texas Walmarts (plural) shopper, I am , I am..." "Brain, shush!")

The store manager asked, "How much was the regular price? My lovely helper, replies, "$17 just like the hearts. I offered her $8, but she won't take it."

("$17? Back there, you said, $18! Which one is it?" "Brain, keep it down- shhh!")

He then says, "Oh right, those heart mold pans, they're similar. I thought they were heart shapes , but no, it's maple leaves, so yeah, it would be on Clearance."

("Hello! This is a Nordicware, don't compare those tin cans to this piece of art! How dare you?" "Brain, stop it! We know that, but they don't!")

(Faced me) "I'll give it to you 50% off, or (looking at my helper) $8, that's about right". The lady who explained things to me about their Thanksgiving clearance policy, she pipes in with, "Honey, listen. If you want to be precise, $7.50 is half of $17. So, $7.50. The store manager and the helper agreed.

("Brain" was waiting patiently for when these people would catch on. Nope, didn't happen...)

("Brain" says, if you can stop yourself from laughing, here's more...)

I said, "No, thank you. I've watched those since the day after Thanksgiving. It should've been marked down to 50% off then, and since it's February now and it's the LAST ONE, it should be marked down more." The "honey, listen" lady starts to walk away and says, "No, 50% is a good deal, I'd buy it for that or $7.50 (from her regular calculation of $17).

What did I do? (with "Brain" laughing in my head?)

I let them all walk away and then I let "Brain" kick in and declare that if they're willing to give it to me for $7.50, "I guess I'll take it." (looking like I gave in because I really want it- I did want it, but I didn't give i-iiinnnnnn...)

So off we go to get approval of the new price and said mold pan was checked out by "Honey, listen" lady, not knowing that "Brain" is celebrating up in my head.

$24.97 down to $7.50; that actually calculates to a...
70% off savings!!! Yeah!

(Thanks, "Brain" for shushing and "Mouth" for keeping quiet.)

And now... (drum roll, please) Presenting... (tan-tan-tan-tannnnnnn!) (pause for effect)


Nordicware Maple Leaf Mold Cake Pan!

(See the shmootz? That's from the missing tag)

She's a beaut, isn't she? All, 7 dollars and 50 cents of her! :-D)

(It's a little fuzzy, but you can see the new price)

Psst! (whispering) "Does this little scenario remind you of a certain TV show? If you knew which one I mean, the answer is... I am! I am!"

Great Find!!!

I've seen this line since last year, but have ignored it (but always hoped to see more). It took a cruise around Sur La Table (pronounced ser la taub) while looking for some V-day cuties coming across this line's cute bowls that I considered them again. (secretly doing the cartwheel now from sheer giddiness of taking this as a sign from the goddess of dinnerware, lol)

Anyway... They are pricey on their own, each one of them. Even Ross can't bring the bowls down from $5.99 since last year (and since Ross is famous for instant 50% off, that meant that said bowls go for $12 a pop!) (Listen, I think if it's a small dainty bowl, I expect a dainty price!)

So, since Easter is peeking around the corner and my original lot of beauties are stashed away under lock and key in storage and currently not accessible, the ol' noggin is abuzzed with alternates. The more things thrown in my mental sorting file ("take another look"/"too hard"/"just ewww!"), the more this line popped in there! Finally, after seeing one I really liked at Tuesday Morning (at a great steal), I decided to use it as an accent for my upcoming Easter tablescapin' adventure! And since my awesome dh can't get my Easter stash out of "stuff" prison, "what now?" wasn't even offered on the table, he just nodded... :-D

(Bordallo Pinheiro-Cabbage trifle bowl w/ lid. Tuesday Morning Grand Opening in our neighborhood; as you can see from $35 down to $15.99- 54%, but with a little nick, barely noticeable, I got it for $7.99, a total of 77%! )

They're all labeled handmade in Portugal, so that makes each one an original in itself (soooo yummy of a fact!). But... since it's a cabbage series, I can also use it on St. Paddies Day! (if I ever get around to it. Plus... I can use it with my Shadow Iris line since it is for my Easter table after all! Also, Filipinos love eating cabbage, so I can see another Filipino dinner coming up!

Yay, two holidays and an ethnic dinner for one dinnerware! Mission accomplished.