2024 - No Craft Spending - I WILL bust my stash and make pretty things!!!!!

emsi_b

My crafting mojo is back! 13 cards made this evening, and another 3 part made. I've sorted my scrappy bits of card and paper out to make patchwork style cards, i've got at least 10 to finish. Might not be before saturday's craft fair, but it will be a good start on plenty for future ones.

Now up to 41/200

greentiger

@daisy_­1571, I love your little cross stitcheries – especially window cat!   I like your badge – great inspiration for a mosaic.

@CRANKY40 If you can count, you can do the gingerbread men and snowflakes!   Just jump in, be patient with yourself and have a go!   I’m glad your friend is making a good recovery – and that you’ve found a good home for needles and wool.

@emsi_b, I made a dragon costume a few years ago, for my grandson (he’s 16 next month), but it was a Chinese Dragon – that was fun to do.   I must look for a pic of that.   I think that making a Toothless costume would be much more difficult as there is less room for ‘freestyling’.   I love that tail!   This year I made that grandson’s little sister a “Rosie Revere, Engineer” dress for World Book Day.   Oooh, papermaking!   That sounds interesting …….   Noooooooooooooooo, I am not going there!   I’m looking forward to seeing your results.   Good luck at your craft fair.

@Soontobeoap, I am saddened to hear of your sister’s passing.   I do love your sunflower & mountain painting.  Your glasses are pretty too.   Sock bunnies?   I need to see these!

@AlwaysAllie, I do love your bunny wreaths!!!

@florenceem, I like the simplicity of your space themed card and of your Easter cards.   You make so many differently styled cards!  They’re great!    I recognise some of those toppers – and you might recognise some of mine!   I’m sure your egg cup/choccy gifts sold very quickly.   Aah – I was right!   The bunny boxes are really cute. Those gifted bunnies have been put to good use.   I like your grandson’s card.   Ooh, stamping – I’ve not done any since I bought a stamping press a couple of years ago.   It’s still in the box!   I used to do a lot of stamping,

@old_fogey, you have been busy on lots of different lovely things!  My favourite is your WIP bag – well done on using those patchwork squares at last.   What a lovely use for vintage tray cloths!  It’s great that you finally got your cross stich decorations made.   I have a couple lying around somewhere too, can’t even remember what the deigns are, but I don’t know when I’ll ever get to them!

@Poppy_Golightly, wow, that’s a use for crochet skills I’ve never considered!   If I wanted to make a cucumber trellis, I’d probably have tried to take up net making.   Good out of the box thinking on your part.   Was working with twine not a bit rough on your hands?

@plumduff55, I hope you’re feeling better and back in your crafting groove.  Lovely table runner; I like the colours.   Smart wee jumper – and excellent stashbusting, ha ha!

@Auti, your micro crochet flower square is lovely; I would not have the patience for that!  Those are cute creatures.   I hope they helped lighten your mood.

@Tiggermad, your cards are great!   I especially like the button/bead ones.  I also like your twisted easel cards; just my thing.   I’ve a desk that’s just as messy as yours.

plumduff55

Hi, the medication I was given last month has begun to improve my condition and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Only now I realise how depressed I was becoming with the pain and lack of mobility.  I'm feeling good and definitely got my crafting mojo back 😀.

On Monday I began a baby quilt using up fabric from my stash. I bought 30cm of fabric yesterday for the binding and I'm hoping to finish it today or tomorrow. I also bought buttons for my cardigan and am knitting a matching scarf. 

Happy crafting xx

greentiger

I’ve changed my phone and although pics have been transferred to the new one, they’re not in any order I can discern (all listed as same date that they were transferred) so I’ve not managed to do all the images as collages this time.    Maybe it’ll be ok for April.

March Makes

·        a Rosie Revere, Engineer costume for granddaughter for Book Day this week ✓

·        more #Hearts4 MCR (72 altogether) ✓ Easter gift bags (4) ✓

·        sew a button on my trousers ✓

·        Christmas Eve Wishes blanket – Gingerbread People ✓, Santa Hats sections X

·        cards - daughter’s anniversary + 3 ✓, St Parick’s Day ✓ but forgot pic , Easter 6 ✓, Christmas 8 ✓

greentiger

I don’t set a spending limit at all, BUT I do consider some things I buy as not really an expense.   I’ll try to explain this.   BTW I don’t include P&P charges as buying my supplies online is cheaper than paying for parking/transport!  

stash, no cost as it's stash duh!  

Tools, no cost as will be used over and over again 

Sundries eg thread, glue, no cost as can't complete a project without these little bits & bobs

Necessary - bought for a specific project; surplus will go into stash

Just Because– (but I don't need) i like/it's pretty/it might come in handy/oooooooooh!

What I Spent/Used in March 2024
PROJECT	STASH	TOOLS	SUNDRIES	NECESSARY	JUST BECAUSE
Rosie Revere dress	white sheet	snap fastener kit (£12.99)	*navy thread (£10.34)	1m red fabric (£4.99) 20m navy bias binding (£5.99)
#Hearts4MCR	tartan scraps wadding thread white ribbon black ribbon card labels	single hole punch (£6.99)
Easter Bags	blue ribbon thread			navy bunny fabric (£5.99)
19 cards	card topper sets envelopes glue		ds tape (£1.90)	stickers (16.14)
Just Because!					Hunkydory Goody Box (£30.00)
TOTALS	£00.00	£19.98	£12.24	£33.11	£30.00

 *navy thread – this was a 10 pack of Gutermann threads in various colours + 5 Schmetz machine needles + a set of hand sewing needles, so much cheaper in the long run, than buying just 1 reel of thread!

So ,  although I ACTUALLY spent £95.33, in my crazy, creative accounting head, I  spent £66.11, of which £33.11 a NECESSARY spend, so really I was just BAD to the tune of £30.00!             I hope that makes you all laugh!

 

 April’s Plans

·        Christmas Eve Wishes blanket – Santa Hats

·        Cards – 5 Christmas cards, anniversary card for son and DiL16th birthday card for grandson, DiL’s birthday card

·        Birthday bags for DGS and DiL

I don’t foresee a huge amount of spending this month, famous last words, ha ha!

 Happy crafting, everyone xxx

 

plumduff55

I ❤️ your way of thinking @greentiger 🤣🤣🤣. Your dgd is gorgeous and her outfit is lovely. I think I'll start and give myself a monthly plan on here. It'll be interesting to see how often I can complete it 🤔.

@Florenceem you've made so many beautiful cards

@old_fogey your cross stitch is beautiful. They'll make lovely Christmas gifts.

April's Plans
Finish the scarf I'm knitting now.
Make 2 baby quilts, my niece is expecting her first baby at the end of the month. Sex is a secret so I'll make 2 quilts.
Baby knitting - again a set for both boy and girl. I get awful fed up knitting in white so prefers colours.

Happy crafting xx

Florenceem

greentiger - lots of great makes. What are the Hunkydory Goody boxes like? I get the members gift where you just pay postage. Were the Easter bags for egg hunting or gifts? Love the cards. Dgd's outfit is so cute.
My leather needles have arrived - very quick.
Finished more cards.

Florenceem

More cards finished  - going to work on September's ones next.

old_fogey

You have been busy @greentiger, lovely makes. Those Christmas cards are so cute

I agree with your accounting methods.  Last year  I bought a walking foot, and later some pinking shears - sounded expensive, but are an investment and will see me out! And  I always need card blanks, glue, sticky pads and thread....consumables.  I did splurge on patterned paper and card stock as they were too good a bargain to miss.  I am not tempted by much else as I have so much stash and WIP.  I have stopped counting the cost.

Having a plan of what to work on next didn't work too well for me -  I have so much really old WIP that it can be a bit demoralising having a list.   What is working best for me is to finish something then think, what would I enjoy doing now?

Beautiful cards @Florenceem

greentiger

@florenceem, I get the member’s gift too, just the bog standard membership and I don’t buy the bundle.   I’m not a diamond member.   I’ve had the goody box a few times and there is a lot in it , you just don’t know what you’ll get and they won’t take it back if it’s been opened.   I checked the cost of the items in mine and it came to just over £80, not bad for a £30 spend.   I’ve moved everything into cupboards now so I can’t give you an accurate run down, but as well as the expected toppers, topper sets, decolarge, concept cards and  inserts(not necessarily form the same kit  there was a lovely, good sized edge die of a bee, some flower stamps, a set of markers, a little book (Fairy Wishes – new members’ gift!) a set of 6 Prism craft markers (neutrals), a Trim Me! Foiled insert pad – Happy Birthdays, silver, a glue pen and I’m sure there were some other wee bits I’ve forgotten!   Your cards are always so simple but they are beautiful, no wonder they sell so quickly.

@old_fogey, I have an awful lot of old WIPs too.   In fact, I have several that are Ws that never reached the IP stages, eg I have fabric I bought to make a top about 10 years ago, that is still in the shop bag!   I listed everything (as you say, that can be a rather demoralising).   Then I made a list of things I knew I needed to do for the year.   Then, as surprises and requests or something that I really want to do, pop up, they get prioritised.   I’ve got lists for sewing (including quilting, dressmaking, mending, tapestry & embroidery ….), for woollies (knitting and crochet), papercrafts, calligraphy and painting.   I have too many hobbies, because I love to read too and I even have a monthly plan for that!   Once I have my lists, I can decide what I want to to try to get done.   It’s rarely that I get everything sone that I planned, but that’s ok too.  The important thing is to do what works for you.   We are all different and there's no on-size-fits-all formula.   Enjoyment is really the key to getting finished, whether it's a book, a card or a woolly jumper.   For 2 years I was using up stash by crocheting little jumpers, but I couldn't face that this year.   Then I found the crochet blanket pattern and that'll use up stash with just a little woolly top up for each that I make.   I'm enjoying doing it as it's in sections, so it's easy to set targets.