The Something Store: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!

Last summer I found out about a website called The Something Store: The Joy of Surprise.  Their website states:

Your Something May Be Anything

It may be something you need, something you want or something you desire. Your something may be a cool shiny gadget, rare book, party game, handmade necklace, reverse clock, box of gourmet chocolates, popular video game, portable table tennis set, pashmina scarf, set of kitchen knives, pair of handmade earrings, garden tool, kitchen appliance, unique home decor item, electronic equipment, fine crafting tool or an office supply item... Your something will be a brand new item; not used or refurbished.

I was intrigued.  I love grab bags.  Their cheapest 'something' is $10 and you are 'guaranteed' to get a product worth at least $10.  You can also buy $20 somethings too.  I went with the $10 package.  My stepdaughter wanted to try it too, so I ordered 2 somethings which finally showed up in sealed envelopes.  I let her choose which one she wanted, and then we opened them.  Because we were doing this outside on a freezing cold day, I didn't get a picture of her something.  She got some weird brand of body mist that had some amusing drawn graphics on the box, depicting a girl doing an angular back bend.  This is a web image of it:

But mine was beyond lame.  It was wallowing in lameness.  I got a freakin NECKTIE.  What the hell am I going to do with a necktie?  And don't say 'give it to Russell'.  It isn't even pretty.

Despite their claim that it is brand new and not used or refurbished, this necktie has stains on it.

The tie is 'Manhattan' brand and all I could find matching that online was on eBay, where the ties were listed from .99 to about $8.00.  

I sent them an email expressing my extreme dissatisfaction but I have yet to receive a response and don't hold out much hope that I will.  I would love my money back but I'm sure that won't happen either.  

The Something Store is a total ripoff.  Don't waste your money on their garbage.  I wish I hadn't.

Grab Bag

There's something so irresistible about a Grab Bag. That plain wrapped package, containing who knows what, has tantalized me since I was a kid. I always had to get one, at every Barnstable County Fair, at that engraving kiosk in the middle of the Cape Cod Mall, at every craft fair. The thing about the grab bag, is that 9 times out of 10, it contains crap. Total garbage, and usually broken, cheap costume jewelry. Still, I keep buying them, in the hope that just once, I will open it up and find treasure.

Well I've finally found one that is reliably awesome. It's called The Boss' Bead Bag, from Fire Mountain Gems, in Oregon. One pound of miscellaneous beads and findings, for about $7.00. You really can't beat that deal.

Again, it comes in a plain brown wrapper, and sealed with a sticker, concealing the unknown treasures within. (I thought of doing this blog post after I tore into it, so I had to try and stick it shut for photo purposes).

The anticipation reaches a crescendo.... My heart is racing......WHAT WILL BE INSIDE???
I reach in and pull out a large ziplock bag, bursting at the seams.
I pour the beads out on the table. Oooo, there's some good stuff in here....the possibilities are endless!
Beautiful filigree findings I can use in jewelry and paper crafts.
A respectable selection of natural stone and unique glass beads.
Ya gotta love the doo dads.
And finally, a tiny strand of Christmas lights!
So many project ideas, so little time.