Nope. No association with Target. I don’t know the folks that run that empire. I’m just a consumer. I just love walking through the place. Thankfully I’m much more of a window shopper than an impulsive spender.
Target always seems to inspire me, even if I’ve seen the same stuff on the shelves a million times. When I run in real quick for two things, I have to resist letting my eyes wander beyond straight ahead. Because if they wander, then my body sort of follows my eyes and the next thing I know, my five-minute-run-in turns into 20 minutes.
Anyone else with me on this? I was there (again) over the weekend for some back-to-school shopping (hello, giddy-ness).
Remember how I was talking about those skinny notebooks in my travel photography post? They have some darling ones right now. Even in itty-bitty sizes. Yum.
Here are a few more of my favorite things eye-candy finds at Target right now:
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{ added note } : Noticing some comments about Target and politics … and just wanted to mention I’m in the dark on this one, sorry. Clearly I need to google and find out what’s going on. (I’ve been reading a lot lately and watching no TV, so pretty much in the dark on news-related topics.)
Anyway — the point of this post is to share some inspirational designs. That’s all. : )
Tags: design inspiration, school supplies, skinny notebooks, target
Love Target! A friend once said that Target has a $100 cover charge. It’s so true. I can never just run in and run out without spending more than I anticipated.
Target used to inspire me. That was until they decided that politics were more important than their customers. So I won’t be able to shop there any more. I hope you will reconsider shopping there too.
Love, love, love Target!
I find Target to be amazingly magnetic eye-candy too. Love to just wander around (like you!) and enjoy the sights. I was so saddened by their recent foray into political contributions that contradict the core values they espouse for their company and employees. I hope they turn that around so I can go back to shopping there with a clear conscience!
I have also been inspired (mostly to empty my wallet) during shopping trips to Target. We call it the $100 store (and more often than not, the $300 store!).
But WOW – I do want to thank Stacia for pointing out Target’s recent political contributions in MN. I had no idea (shame on me, I guess) and I for one will be choosing a little more wisely where I spend my $$$ as I would never personally support the causes/candidates Target has chosen to back.
Oh my goodness!!! I thought I was the only one! I call Target my ‘happy place’. I visit several times a week, sometimes just to wander around and dream!
And one of my favorite things at Target are those notebooks! The ones by Greenroom. They have the most deliciously soft vanilla pages. So delicious that I have bought five or six of them that I leave sitting on a bookshelf in my office. I am afraid to write in them because what if someday Target and Greenroom quit offering notebooks with vanilla pages? So when I crack the binding on a new one to journal or make lists, I only do so knowing that I have a back up stash – just in case! And every time I go to Target I go down the ‘Pens and Paper’ isle to check – to see if they’re still there or if maybe *squee!* they have a new style or two. My kids roll their eyes and say, ‘mom’s visiting her notebooks’. 
@Kathleen: Love that I finally have a soul sister when it comes to office supplies and a sound effect to go with that glee. *squee!*
I live in Egypt, and Target is my favorite place to come “home” to. I am currently in the US now, and today as my daughter walked into the Target with me she said, “Wow! This is a really big store!” Yes, it is, honey, and I am feeling the same giddiness you are, Becky, over the school supplies.
Wow-I love Target too. I found it disappointing about the comments about politics and Target; both because I think that Becky meant the the creative inspiration of Target, and also I’m a admittedly in the dark about it, so unless people are getting hurt or harmed in any way, I LOVE my Target. I think that many stores, companies have political affiliations (not that it makes it right) but it’s probably the reality of it. I can’t bear to go into a Wallmart, K-mart, or almost any other store with “mart” attached to it-not sure why, but one reason is that I go crazy when I go into cluttery stores. Target gets it: a discount store that seems better than the others and is NEAT and organized, and when we visit Florida, Super-Target is like a dream come true–how horrible is it to sip a Starbucks when shopping a store that has everything awesome from scrapbook supplies to kitchen towels in aqua? I love, love, love it. And always get inspired too. Unfortunately, as someone else mentioned, this often means not leaving the store w/o a hundred dollar tag.
Couldn’t agree more, Coco…love drinking my Starbucks while shopping! I spend coupons, too, and love finding excellent deals at Target, along with feeling inspired. I have found some great finds there, including the most comfortable flannel sheets for our beds. I don’t want to wish summer away (I love it too much) but when fall comes back around here in Michigan, I’m getting those fabulous flannel sheets that I got at Target out and snuggling down. I do love Target and it makes me happy to see so many others happy with it, too! (I have to go find those notebooks tomorrow!)
Pam
I call it the “Target Time Warp”.
Target is a great store..I’m with you Becky.I could spend hours in there.As for the politics,so they donated to candidate who opposes same-sex marriage.I do not oppose same-sex marriage,and I am not offended.Come on people,we can’t agree with everything each candidate believes in.So for now,just enjoy shopping!
Ah, I know the feeling. I stopped by Target last week for a couple of items, less than $10 worth, and still spent $50. So easy to do. I wandered the newly displayed school supplies. Everything was so neat and organized. It was not picked over at all. It was truly a thing of beauty. My kids don’t even really need much in the way of school supplies, (they are in high school and college) but I still had to admire the crayons and safety scissors! *sigh*
Didn’t know about the politics, and honestly don’t care to know. I love Target… It’s so much cleaner than my WalMart in town that it’s worth the extra few cents here and there to me, plus it’s closeness to the Italian ice store… And like so many others here, just walking through sometimes gets me thinking of new projects. Not that I necessarily follow through, but it gets me thinking, and just thinking eventually leads to creativeness in my household. And…I so need to get some of those thin notebooks!!
I will agree with Chris…. I’m in the dark on the politics and don’t care. I love target.. I shop their probably once a week. They just have over all neat everyday items at reasonable cost.
target is a constant source for inspiration. it’s great design for the masses! LOVE IT!
By claiming that the politics of businesses you patronize don’t effect your shopping experience is to live in a small, confined world. There are different cultures, sexualities and daily life differences in the world today. When you step into a store and buy a t-shirt, video game or even loaf of bread you give money to a political campaign that not only seeks to keep gay marriage illegal it also supports the “killing of gays and lesbians.”
Read this article…. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/27/target-homophobia-ceo-gre_n_660990.html Understand what you are supporting each and everytime you step in there.
I am gay and I love Target. I’ve shopped there on a weekly basis my entire shopping career and until this political donation LOVED everything Target stood for. Unfortunately no company and their products are worth my life. Encouraging hatred, especially in the form of violence, towards anyone and anything is wrong. If Project Life can inspire us and teach us anything it should be that everyday is precious – don’t spend it hating someone because they are different than yourself.
My dad passed away recently, and he was an avid fan of America’s best French shopping paradise, known as “Tar-jay”. We still call it that, and I still love shopping there, even more so knowing how much he loved it too.
It’s clean, organized, almost every store is layed out the same. Yeah if I start wandering the aisles…”I need this, oh, and this”…big trouble. Those thin notebooks do look fun. Great colors. Oh and having the coffee there, smart people.
I love Target. So very much. While I’m not up on the politics (nor do I really care to be- you can find ANYTHING you want on the internet- not a reputable source in my view) I cannot get enough of Target. In fact, I am headed there after naps! Got to stock up on more formula and diapers!
I have a picture of Target for my POTD when I did “Project 365″. I bought a $100.00 worth of dollar items! I love Target too!
Thanks for the share, Becky. I am with you-I can never seem to get out of Tar-jay for less than $50, why is that? ha!
I totally respect everyone sharing their opinion here, especially if people who did not know about the political news lately can educate yourself. No matter which side of the issue you are on, I hope you have an educated opinion-that way you can decide where to spend your money-or not.
Just my two cents.
Love those pictures of Target! I would feel quite self conscious taking photos inside the Target. Do the staff ever “bother” you? Just curious.
After some link-clicking, I gathered the following:
~~ Target donated to MN Forward, not a specific candidate
~~ MN Forward is focused on supporting candidates who are pro-business; obviously something Target is interested in.
~~ MN Forward contributed to Emmer’s campaign; apparently he’s more pro-business than his opposition
~~ Emmer is familiar with the members of You Can Run.
~~ In 2008, Emmer donated $250 to YCR.
~~ No indication that the band mentioned LGBT at all when Emmer was around.
~~ Dean, YCR’s lead, praised Muslims for sentencing homosexuals to death; he did this during his radio talk show
~~ Emmer has appeared on the talk show; he was not present when Dean praised Muslims – although that is not evident from this article http://minnesotaindependent.com/59337/emmer-campaign-donated-to-you-can-run
IMO Target’s actions over the years speak much louder than this tenuous connection between Target and Dean.
OTOH Walmart – well, Walmart does not advocate killing anyone. Walmart’s executives simply demand ever-lower prices from their vendors. Walmart’s mission to provide the lowest cost to the customer has driven vendors to move manufacturing operations out of the US. Walmart’s mission has resulted in the closing of local small businesses and a loss of jobs within about five years after a new store opens.
I think I’ll take Target over WalMart.
YMMV.
I have those glasses in red dots and red stripes. I loved them on the Target shelves for months and now I’m loving them in my kitchen! Must find some of those skinny notebooks – so inspiring for what I can fill them with.
Betcha’ didn’t expect to get all that response to a little shopping trip to Target!!
Oh Brother!
I just got home from a mini Target shopping spree. I heart school supplies season – $1 for Crayola markers and colored pencils … are you kidding me?!!?
So funny you should post this today – I just told my friend this morning that Target is my “happy place!!” I LOVE it!!
I love Target – but then I also work there
What’s so funny for all you political worriers – they are very pro-gay in their work environment so perhaps before you get upset about a company being pro-business you might check out Jean’s comments above. Target is just like any other retailer out there – just trying to stay in business & keep thousands of people employed – yes, that probably includes all those gay team members. Enjoy the eye candy & inspiration – that’s what Becky is trying to provide!
“Pro-gay”- that just made me actually laugh out loud. I am pretty sure Target is in no way, size, shape or form anti-gay, but I am sure they are “pro-gay” either. Just sayin.
It may have made you laugh, but in my view – Target goes out of it’s way to be very politically correct and one of those ways is their support of gay individuals. I get frustrated when people get so caught up in one (1) issue rather than looking at the entire picture. But whatever – I guess unemployment isn’t a big deal to some. Just sayin!
Target is one of my favorite stores and the way they set up displays with a lot of color and graphics makes it a source of inspiration for me. Many years ago I did a layout featuring a couple of Target displays and how the colors made me want to scrapbook. Go Target!
Target is my happy place.
I love Target! I love getting a Starbucks for me and my little guy (vanilla bean frapacinnnono as he calls it). I wanted to go today but it wasn’t in the cards… maybe tomorrow! I need to make a list!
Oh, I have to agree – Target is always inspirational. I love to walk through and check out all the colors and designs!
Okay, I am sure that this is NOT AT ALL what Ms. Higgens intended to do with her blog today…start a political debate.
I think we would all be surprised at what companies do and don’t do with or without our knowledge and I am sure that if we all knew what they all did, none of us would be able to shop anywhere. So Target AND Best Buy made a contribution to a Republican candidate in the state of Minnesota. According to the news report a lady went into Target and cut up her Target Visa card in rebellion to the contribution made by Target, she was trying to make a statement.
That’s it….right or wrong her statement was heard…even here. I think it is important to remember that Target has supported MANY causes and MANY candidates.
I agree, I LOVE Target! They have the best prices on so many products my family uses and I agree with the others above that it is very easy to spend at least $100 each trip.
My wife and I will shop at Target even more now that your readers have enlightened us to the fact that the CEO has contributed to conservative causes. Great store. I’ll enjoy shopping there more now knowing that all you pro-homo nuts aren’t around.
As always Becky thank you for your lovely, inspiring posts. For goodness sake “DO” read Jeans comments above. Persons get so excited…hear one thing, AND SLAM the store. Do they really know the facts. Target is a “Happy Place” and it is also called TarJay in my little world too. Very clean, very neat, and fair prices. If you really think about there would be NO where to shop if you knew all the political “stuff” that goes on. Thats just how our world works…right or wrong. I choose to just enjoy, you all ought to too!!!
Thanks Becky to bringing a little sunshine to my world everyday!!!!!
YAY!. I will be making the 20 minute drive to a Target near me tomorrow. Your post set off some kind of visual craving in my brain! I LOVE TARGET!
wow. Just a little back to school shoppin inspiration resulted in insults. Pretty please remember we are talking about stuff. Not people. Stuff that colors inspire. Organization that provokes ease. Thank you Becky for staying on track-I love love back to school shopping! I just don’t like sending them back to school, seems summer is never long enough! Where ever you go, where ever you shop, let the new be refreshing!
Happy August!!
~Ada in Coastal Cali
Great colorful inspiration!
I heart back to school time at Target! New crayons make me happy. Two boxes for each kid to take to school, and two boxes for mommy’s secret stash
I, too, am self concious about taking pics in Target. I’d be curious if a staff member would say anything.
Ah! I *love* (and miss) Target! I’m from the UK, but served my mission in the USA and loved to spend P-day wandering around Target! heehee!
Love, Love, Loved the stationery aisle the very most!
In fact I was in a store over hear the other day (Tesco) and noticed a couple of products with the target logo on them and… totally… freaked… out! You should have seen me dragging my husband back down the aisle to see it! haha!
xx
Apparantly the phenomenon of walking into a shop/mall and being overwhelmed by the sights, senses etc. and forgetting what you wanted to originally purchase is called the Gruen Transfer (named after first person to invent a shopping mall). Sounds like Target stores in USA have nailed the Gruen Transfer. Here in Australia we even have a TV show called the Gruen Transfer where comedians and experts analyse the similar effects TV advertising has on us. I say, enjoy the eye candy – you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy it! Thanks for sharing Becky!
I think if we knew what was being supported by many of the companies we support, we wouldn’t be able to buy anything!
Do we buy scrapbook supplies that have been outsourced from China? I do. I wish we lived in a perfect world, but since we don’t I guess I’ll be a voyeur at Target and then go home and scrap.
I loooove Target for so many reasons. The shopping atmosphere is SO much better than their competitor along with the products, quality & selection. And I love back to school!!! Makes me giddy
Such a shame that a simple post can lead to certain comments. What about Walmart, who purposefully shredded and destroyed clothes they were throwing away instead of giving them to the poor??? Just because someone has a different view than you does not mean that they are a horrible person. I read the article and I don’t believe Target supports hatred and violence as one person stated.
Boy Becky, betcha didn’t think you were opening this can of worms, huh?!!
Oh, how I *heart* Target!!! I seriously worry that the employees of my local store think I am a stalker…wait a minute…I AM!!! I soooo enjoy stalking the isles
Such BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL color and ORGANIZATION…OH MY!!! Is it wrong to feel all giddy inside just typing about that WONDERFUL place?!?!
And THOSE NOTEBOOKS!!! I stumbled upon them just this past weekend while looking at the school supplies…no matter that we finished up buying those two weeks ago…just love looking at them
Anywho, BACK to the NOTEBOOKS…I *heart* those too! So clean…So slim…So bright…So cheery…So soft…So PERFECT!!! I will be stalking those in particular once the red clearance signs go up 
And the $1 Spot…OH MY GRAVY!!! PERFECT for those, “Sit down in the cart and Mommy will let you get a toy,” moments
Not to mention the occasional scrapbook supply…the SUPER cute office supplies…OH-EMM-GEE….I *heart* Target!!!
Okay, okay…I will stop…gotta b/c I feel a run to T coming on
FWIW, I am not big on politics…I go where I want to go and where I feel most welcome…where I love the products and prices…where the stores are clean and organized.
Hope everyone has a happy day!!!!
Wish we had a Super Target around my home, but we do have a big Target store and that will do- love it!
Yay Target!
I love Target, too! I went in there the other day to buy a baby gift for a friend, and came out with a gorgeous pack of the greenroom notebooks, some greenroom file folders, and a bunch of really inexpensive glue sticks.
I haven’t heard about their recent political backings, but my boyfriend is a politician, so I will have to ask him about it…
I LOVE Target!!! I don’t care about their politics – the store makes me happy! I’m really sick of everyone putting politics into everything – why can’t we all just get past our different view points and enjoy what makes us happy. As far as not shopping somewhere because of their owner’s political views I think that’s crazy!! Walmart is so much dirtier at least here in California that I’ll take Target and their prices any day of the week!!
I am with you Becky…don’t watch much TV but I LOVE Target. We lived in Hawaii for three years and the hardest part for me was that there was no Target. Whenever I visited the mainland I had to go to Target even if I didn’t need anything.
Now that I am here in Pittsburgh I go to Target at least once a week. Love love love that place…although my husband doesn’t
Oh how I love Target! … I love just wondering around looking at all of their colors and texture. What a wonderful store… although, I can never walk out of there with less than $50, even if I just went for a gallon of milk. eeks.
I used those cute green crates in my son’s nursery:
http://ashleyschultz.blogspot.com/2010/06/olivers-nursery.html
I love Target. They always have cute stuff.
Target is definitely my drug of choice! haha! LOVE that place! It’s just like Home Depot – I can NEVER get out of there under $100!! I also think that I have better things to do with my time than to research/Google every single store I stop in to see what political views and values they choose. If we all did that than we probably wouldn’t be shopping anywhere anymore! So let’s just enjoy our favorite stores and move on….Becky is doing an amazing creativity piece and we have to ruin it by throwing in politics….Can’t we all just get along?
LOL!
Not related to Target – but to school and inspiring….are you ever going to do another School Days Kit? I have another child and am so torn with what to start for them.
Question about taking pics in public….
I’ve noticed over the years, you have the odd photo the inside of a store (Walmart, Costco, etc.) here that was either for information, a POTD or as part of a scrapbook page.
I’ve loved including that in my books (be it P365 – I ordered 2 last year and am working on my second one now – will do Project Life next year). However, so far, I’ve only included shots taken of the OUTSIDE of the store or mall. I’m hesitant to take photos inside, worrying that it is not allowed (will I be thought of as a competing store price checker and be escorted out by security?!). Also, your pics are always so fantastic – are your store shots from your point and shoot or your DSLR?
Thanks Becky!!!
Other than the fact that I love the shopping experience that I have at Target I also love the fact that when I use my Target credit card they give a portion to a local elementary school. That is something I will stand by…supporting public schools is good for our country, no matter what political party you belong to.
To answer your question, Sara: I work at Target as a manager and can tell you you’re not really allowed to take photos. The major reason behind it is because of all of the copyright logo(s) & designs. Not because we’re trying to be strict. But, Becky, if you showed up with your camera- I wouldn’t stop you from taking pictures of anything.
Interesting. I’ve taken photos in Target … usually of my brimming over basket. But I do it discreetly.
WOW, what a thread! I LOVE Becky’s blog, and totally agree with everyone that loves shopping at Target! BTW usually I hear people complaining about Target because they won’t allow The Salvation Army bell ringers to ring in front of their stores. That is only because they don’t want to allow other solicitors, and in spite of the fact that they should have a right to allow/not allow solictitors on their property, as they choose, others have complained about not being allowed. But Target, both individual stores and at the corporate level, is very generous to The Salvation Army in other ways.
Have you been reading anything great? I’m always on the lookout for great books to read?
I absolutely love Target! I will go there to just browse, to get a break:) of course you can never leave with out going through the checkout;)
Hi, Becky! Speaking of school….have you considered doing a new version of the School Kit? I missed it when it was part of CK’s KOM, and would be very interested. Just curious.
Tiffany
Target is one of my favorite stores. Unfortunately, I don’t have one within a reasonable distance. I buy most of my daughters clothes there.
As for the politics…we all really should pay attention to what it is going on in this country. We are losing our freedoms at rapid pace an no one seems to care because they are so busy intentionally not paying attention. Better start before we don’t have the freedom to anymore.