Just in
time for Valentine's day, I found a new love in my life….Ikea.
During a doctor's-visit-turned-state-wide-shopping-spree (don't'
ask), Rachael (my
regular craft partner in crime) and I made a 4 hour long pit stop
at Ikea in Charlotte, NC.
I had not been to an Ikea location in years and it was Rachael's
first time. Needless to say, we both almost passed out.
I
wish I had an audio recording of our adventure because for the
entirety of the trip through the showroom we were both on the brink
of hyperventilation. ("Gasp….O-Ma-Gawd…Gasp…Look at that…O-Ma-Gawd…
O-Ma-Gawd…this is my dream kitchen….Gasp…Gasp…No! This is my dream
kitchen…I love that-LOVE IT!!! Gasp…Gasp… O-Ma-Gawd O-Ma-Gawd
O-Ma-Gawd" ). After navigating through the upstairs showroom, we
paused for sustenance at the café. Full on Swedish meatballs and
high on life, we headed to the elevator to hit the downstairs
warehouse. Rachael, and Ikea virgin, looked at me innocently and
said of the items in her shopping cart, "I didn't do too bad,
considering all of the stuff I WANTED to buy."
"Um…we
have not even shopped yet." I responded
R: "What
do you mean?!?!?"
A: "The
store part is downstairs, that was just the showroom."
R:
(delightful squeal) "THERE IS MORE!?!?!"
A: "Oh
yes"
(cue
elevator doors and Rachael's eyes glazing over at the sight of the
sea of bins and stacks of gloriousness).
R:
"O-Ma-Gawd!!"
It was
quite a scene. We were so full of endorphins by the time we left
that even after our 2 hour drive back to the mountains I still
could not sleep when I got home. I felt like I had completed some
kind of spiritual journey---like visiting Mecca---a vision-quest
for the thrifty-chic.
I
managed to get out of Ikea without bankrupting my husband and
burning up our credit cards, but I dream of going back (like
seriously waking-up blissful after Ikea sleep-shopping). I did
return home with a few treasures, mostly in the form of
illumination:
Matching
table and floor lamps
for the living room:
and this
little guy, who is so adorable in person, you can hardly stand it,
called a kunbbig:
Fitting
souvenirs of such an enlightening journey. I <3 You, Ikea.