Wednesday, November 16, 2011

It Might Not Have Been Worth The Effort.....

It's Wednesday and that means the Stamping Ground Snoops are out and about!  For those unsure of what I speak, every Wednesday Julia sends her 100+ snoops out to praise, comment, laugh, support and even offer some candy to those who participate!  OK, that last bit might have sounded weird, but it's not....it's actually very theraputic and can become quite addicting!  Hey, hey......before you go, could you take a minute please and read my post?  You may just learn something very valuable.

As mentioned in my post yesterday I had to run out and get some new lights.   There were a few sets that were put away last year working fine but for whatever reason... didn't make the cut this year.  It might have not been worth the effort!!! 

I did something I've never done before and now I know why.   I'll share my two hour ordeal which should convince anyone, and remind myself, why I will never do it again!
There I sat, on the floor, with my trusty Glad plastic container full of hundreds of tiny replacement bulbs.  Are you getting some idea where I'm going with this?

My trusty container of  replacement bulbs


Last years lights for tree and mantle
Back row contained strings that didn't make this years cut!
I always recheck (before using) that the strings of lights work

Light tester - use when lights don't work!
The fact that there are even such things as light testers should tell us all something

Directions

For the record....the light tester works!  I replaced every light bulb on that string of lights only to learn it was a faulty base thinga maflicky that the light fits into!  The strings of lights sitting out this year are several years old and need to step aside for the youngins!  What a waste of time!  It is far more cost effective for me or anyone to run to the store and pick up new sets.  If you follow my blog, you know I have coupons and I'm not afraid to use them!  Hello, 40% off at Michaels and an additional 20% off (bonus coupon) my entire purchase...Ca Ching!  So I ask you....was it worth two hours of my time?  No need to answer that question, I know better!  I thought I would see if I could bring the old string back to life.  My lower back hurts! 

I am now the proud owner of a few new sets of lights!  Hallelujah!!!

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations!

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24 comments:

  1. ROFL! Been there, done this and bought the new lights too! I could have saved you some time...who knew! Happy WOYWW!

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  2. Gosh been there done that many a year.Now if they dont work when switch em on hubby checks all and just get new ones.Not worth the time checking all the bulbs learnt that one off my dad when i was younger .he'd spend ages on the floor with the set of new bulbs checking.Hope the new ones are just as good and bright!
    Have better creative day
    hugs judex 6

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  3. I must confess I switched to LED lights last year and will never look back...... Aside from anything they run off 2 little batteries and will last forever.......

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  4. ooh Christmas lights! never know if mine are going to work till Christmas Eve! LOL
    not very super effeceient like yourself :((
    Happy woywwing
    Jennie #7

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  5. Glad you've got the new lights (and a lot less hassle to go that way!) - you are obviously well organised in advance of Christmas - Hazel WOYWW #43 x

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  6. Hi there; thank you for sharing your place of creativity with us this week, it was great to pop in and visit. Don't get me started on lights! I need new ones too!
    Neil #58

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  7. De"light"ful story! hope you arent too cross at the lost two hours and at least you have a new set of lights for the next few years now! Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Sunshine Girl – No 34

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  8. Yikes, at least you tried to give them another year of festivity.

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  9. Hello there Ms Crafty Elf, My my you have had a busy time checking all those darn lights, well done for putting in the effort and what a shame they couldn't be rescued:{ I have experienced the same problem I know that doesn't help but I'm just sayin! Enjoy the new sets:0) I hope they last as long as the first, mine often go in the second outing LOL Gay xxx

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  10. Oh no...but you set out with good intentions, after all, however old the lights, we were brought up to mend and use, huh! The Christmas miracle in this story is not so much your patience as the fact that you have enough spares to replace all the bulbs...man, you've got it bad!!

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  11. Oh my. New lights are so inexpensive around here I wouldn't have even tackled that projects. You have plenty of replacement bulbs now though!

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  12. Oh no I feel your pain!!!! had this experience a couple of years ago and changed every bulb for them still not to work!!! I've got LED ones now and you can't change the bulbs which in one way is bad if they stop working but it will stop me trying in vain to revive them if they do :o) x

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  13. Oh dear! Don't really know what else to say. Made me smile and lesson learnt though :)

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  14. Ha ha your post made me laugh - I can so empathise with the performance of checking the lights every year!! I made the kids at work test run our ancient christmas tree and guess what got it all fitted together but the base has gone awol. Think I shall be running to the store as well!! Cindy #50

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  15. I hate Christmas tree lights!! One year we had the little box, which makes the lights changes colour and pattern, suddenly dim all the lights in the house, if we hadn't been there I wouldn't have checked, but I did, only to find the little box had melted! All was well though. Just image, a 100 years ago they used real candles, how mad was that! HaPpY WoYwW!?!
    ((Lyn)) #53

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  16. Thanks for the reminder, I definitely need a new set of tree lights this year! Happy WOYWW #18 ~Robin Panzer Art Studio 33

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  17. Lol, sounds like us every Christmas! My husband is an Engineer and will just not give in at all!! Although we did make the switch to LED's for out side last year. Let's see what happens in a couple of weeks when we get the things out of the basement!

    Hugs
    Brenda 86

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  18. WE dont decorate for Christmas because we dont usually have visitors as we are usually visiting. So I wont know of your problem heee
    Bridget #29

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  19. Can I tell you of my nightmare day too? Please. Monday got up at some unearthly hour to bathe and clear bathroom for plumber to arrive to change shower unit. Expected him at 8 am like the contractor who had contracted him. 10 am and he still had not shown - came just a bit later. Oh no - he wasn't doing the job, just looking. Tried to fix a date for him to do it, I told him NOT Wednesday, but Thursday was fine after 10 am which seemed like his normal start time. He said he would do it Wednesday - what part of "Not Wednesday" do you not understand? OK fixed for Thursday after 10 am. Again up at unearthly hour, did the necessary, off to Podiatry in town, no time for shopping, got to get back for 10am for plumber. Now 3 pm and no phone call, no sign of him - not answering mobile, no messages can be left.
    I am ready to knock his block off! Instead am going to curl up and watch tv and indulge in chocolate. Not good for me but I NEED chocolate! I hate that plumber! Hugs, Neet #9

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  20. Never mind the lights, we want a new tree this year, preferably one with led lights already fixed in place - that is even sadder. We can never find the spare bulbs anyway. Here we go again with the throw away society!

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  21. You're not mad - to me that's being frugal. Now, the question is, have you saved all the working bulbs if they fit the new lights? You'll never be short of a space again!

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  22. Hi my Elfin Friend - very quiet so hope all is OK. Had to laugh at the lights, bought some the other day and they looked great, until you touched the wretched things and then they fell apart, lovely stars that just dropped off the LEDs :( Taking them back for a refund and some foot -stamping if necessary ASAP :( Di xx

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  23. I have never been able to understand why the several sets of lights that have delighted us by twinkling away for the 12 days of ... the previous year emerge from the attic 12 months later with nerry a twinkle to be seen. Of course, I leave all the testing/hanging to the EM/handyman - my role is simply to admire his handiwork once they they are all up and twinkling again :) Elizabeth x #78

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  24. For being number 1 this week, I'm awfully late visiting. I'm so sorry I'm late, but, after a computer crash I had to stop by and get a bit of a laugh at your hard work this week. Too funny. I have a problem every time I plug mine in each year.

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