2012 - Handmade Pressies here we come (oh & no craft spending for a whole year!!!)

craftingmad

Hi all,

well so much for checking in nightly

Well the good news is that the dining room looks a lot better. I moved three large boxes of crafting bits and bobs back into my craft room (which is now not looking quite so good!!! ) and ended up with a large cardboard fruit box full of scraps, offcuts from previous projects etc to start my crafting challenge.

I've actually not got much crafting done over the last few days as I've busy tidying, missing people etc but I'm deffo gonna make a start soon to start knocking some pressies on the head ready for crimbo.

I've also still got to finish the wedding shop order and 50 cards ready for my friend to take into work to hopefully sell (she has already sold 36 and they are apparently desperate for more!!!).

Its also my daughters birthday at the start of June so want to make her a few bits as pressies and I've promised my friend I will make her daughter a fabric owl canvas for her birthday at the end of June so busy, busy busy for me. :eek:

The good news is that I did manage to get a large box full of items taken to one of my other friends yesterday ready for her friend (are you keeping up ?) to hopefully sell in her newly opened shop on a sale or return basis. Thsi now means the total number of outlets now selling my items currently stands at:- 4 :j
I also managed to add another £300 into the savings pot with money I have made from magazine deliveries, craft fairs, private sales, SOR sales etc so that's made my goal justa little bit closer than before.

OK happy crafting everyone. Update later xx

craftingmad

Hi everyone,

I'm still here.

I'm afraid I am a bit of a crafting diaster at the minute. I have'nt made hardly anything whilst hubby is away In Australia. There again I have been having a bad few weeks - first my little girl hurt herself playing football - we thought she had broken her collarbone but after a good few housr spent in casualty we luckily found out it was just badly bruised. Poor little thing was in agony but she was very proud showing off her sling to her classmates!

Then just as I thought things could not get any worse we have just lost our little cat (who was 19) too old age. Tetley was the last of our surviving pets so we've all taken it a bit too heart.

I've not really felt like crafting much (I think the diasterous craft fair has knocked my confidence a bit!) but am determined today to crack on and get a few bits made in readiness for daughters birthday on Sunday.

I have managed to make a decorative letter for her. The letter was included in a bargain bag I bought a while ago at Hobbycraft. As it was'nt the initial for anyone I knew I racked my brains (although there is not a lot to rack!!! ). I could'nt include a picture on here so have put a pic on my blog if you want to have a look (access via my homepage).

Hope you all think it ok xx

lizalloareds

Sorry to hear things have been tough sending you hugs x

Well I have nearly finished the wedding invites just the order of service to do now.

Trying to think of things to make ready for when I hit Craft fairs, ordered note pads so far.

craftingmad

I'm back and gonna start crafting again with a vengence. I have booked a craft fair for Saturady (the first one since the disaster of the "big one"!!!! so I'm a bit nervous but hey at least the decorated letter went down well for my daughters birthday!

Thanks so much for the kind words lizalloareds. They mean a lot xxx

craftingmad

Hello everyone,

Well I'm all ready for the craft fair tomorrow and have also booked a couple more events for later in the year. Fingers crossed I will make a bit of money so I can add a bit more to the pot (I also think my confidence needs a little boost after the last massive failure!!!).

I have also worked out that unless I do a bit more I have not got a hope in adding £3k top the pot in 2012 so have decided that, as well as my goals set out in my very first post, I will try to do 5 little things each day in an attempt to save or earn a bit extra.

Yesterday I did the following:-

1. Walked to the doctors instead of taking car (saving petrol)
2. Printed coupon for some free cake (the diet can start later!!!)
3. Applied for free Tropicana juice coupon to be sent
4. Pressed my SuperLucky Button on Superpoints (1 superpoint won
5. Managed to dry all my washing outside which saved me putting
the heating on - yipeeeee!!
6. NSD as weather was awful so made birthday cards for my auntie

*Jellie*

Hi there!!
I've not been posting much but I'm trying to get back on track so I thought I'd pop in here and catch up!!
How are the craft fairs going? I keep wondering whether I should have a go at selling stuff.
I'm about to start another stash ban. In fact I'm planning on going back to only replacing items. I could probably craft for 10 years without more card making stash!!

craftingmad

Hi all and a big hello to *Jellie* who despite me being useless at posting has kept up to date with me thread

Well not much really to report at the moment except that I have been naughty and spent a bit more on crafting bits and bobs - sorry I just can't resist!!!!!

Some good news to report though (those of you following Little Miss 1% challenge will already know) that I managed to attend two craft fairs at the weekend just gone and made £362. :j

This has accordingly been added to my savings total which now looks much healthier and now I'm working in %'s also much more manageable.

Oh and I almost forgot I also managed to make 8 presents for the teachers to say thank you (I made them all a fabric bag with an apple applique) and matching thank you cards and a "big sister" t-shirt as a present for a hamper for a teacher who is leaving to have a baby (obviously not for the teacher but for her little 4 year old daughter ).

Well off now to the park with the kiddos (free entertainment as its such a beautiful day)

Happy crafting everyone xxx

DawnW

Your gifts sound lovely - I bet your children's teachers were pleased! I wish I had that kind of talent (ten left thumbs, me )

And before you say 'oh no anyone could do it' - no, 'anyone' (or this one, at any rate) really couldn't

craftingmad

Hi everyone

OK I have a confession to make - I spent quite a lot of money with QVC yesterday in their craft clearance :mad: but on the plus side it was all on really useful things like blank cards, quality cardstock and punches (which I can obviously keep for a lifetime - thats the punches not the cardstock!) and all of which needed stocking up so that I can continue to make things. Well OK, thats actually not strictly true as I still have loads of card blanks and so much cardstock I could open my own craftshop - but in my defence not in these colours or sizes (well almost as I am down to my last few!!!) And they were such a bargain

So I have calculated that I have 1144 new crafting items (see this sounds a lot but 640 of this total is made up of A4 card (I am calculating per item - a card & envelope do however count as one in my eyes as you cannot use one without the other!) I'm now beginning to wonder where I am going to put them without my hubby noticing :eek:

Anyway I have decided that as well as doing my 1% challenge inspired by Little Miss I am going to set myself another task to (try) and keep me on the straight and narrow.

Seeing as I want to try and use up my crafting stash rather than the piles of goodies getting ever higher I have decided that until I have made 2288 items that I cannot buy anymore stash. OMG now I written it down it sounds totally undooable and very daunting but hey - I'm up for a challenge. Maybe I should break it down into 1% again like my Little Miss challenge.

So here begins my new challenge:-

Items Made 0 / 2288

I'm now off to make a Get Well card for my brother in law as he has just had a really nasty accident on his motorbike and is lying unconcious in hospital at the moment. My thoughts are with him and his family. Hopefully the crafting should help take my mind of the worry for a few hours.

Happy crafting everyone xxx

craftingmad

:pHi everyone,

Well the good news is that my BIL has come around and his injuries are nowhere near as bad as first thought. He will be in hospital for quite a while though as he has badly broken both his legs, one of his arms, his shoulder and has taken the skin off a certain tender part of his anatomy!!!

The kids and I have all made thank you cards using stash so that's 3 things made already. :j The kids are now making felt finger puppets from yet more stash (bought for the purpose of entertaining the kids during the holidays - so see I do buy things and use them for the purpose they were bought for - occassionaly )

I am now going to start making a few more notepads as I have hardly any stock left ready for my next craft fair in a couple of weeks time.

Happy crafting everyone xxx