OK, I'll make this short, sweet & to the point catching you up on the last 4 months of my stash diet.
Stitch From Stash - June 2016 Recap
Opening Balance = ($53.77)
Finishes = $15.00
Purchases = $10.22
Balance Forward = ($48.99)
Finishes
February Patchwork Pincushion = $5.00
Warholesque Family Piece (Zach) = $5.00
Little Hands, Tiny Feet (boy version) = $5.00
Purchases
Fabric = $10.22
I'm actually quite impressed with myself, considering June is the month that my LNS (local needlework shop) has it's anniversary sale, and I managed to keep my spending under control.
Stitch From Stash - July 2016 Recap
Opening Balance = ($48.99)
Finishes = $1.00
Purchases = $1.25
Balance Forward = ($49.24)
Finishes
Christmas Ornament = $1.00
Purchases
Floss = $1.25
I did purchase 2 pieces of fabric from the Picture This Plus Christmas in July sale, but that won't count towards purchases until it ships and is charged to my credit card. I'd better get busy stitching to offset those dollars!!
Stitch From Stash - August 2016 Recap
Opening Balance = ($49.24)
Finishes = $15.00
Purchases = $4.27
Balance Forward = ($38.51)
Finishes
Irish Wolfhound Silhouette = $5.00
Little Hands, Tiny Feet (girl version) = $5.00
Moose Silhouette = $5.00
Purchases
Kreinik braid = $3.17
Floss = $1.10
Stitch From Stash - September 2016 Recap
Opening Balance = ($38.51)
Finishes = $1.00
Purchases = $0 !!!
Balance Forward = ($37.51)
Finishes
Leaf button magnets = $1.00
PurchasesNot. One. Single. Thing! :)
Not the progress I'd like to see, but at least my negative balance is shrinking and not growing.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
Oh boy, I could have done better.
Opening Balance = ($51.66)
Finishes = $5.00
Purchases = $7.11
Balance Forward = ($53.77)
Finishes
March Patchwork Pincushion = $5.00
Such a sad state of affairs. Only one small finish this month. I have several others that are almost complete, if I could just get my stitching mojo back into full swing. Oh well, there's always June.
Purchases
Floss = $1.32
Scissors = $5.75
My purchases were small, but still more than my finishes. I had to pick up a couple of skeins of floss for pieces I'm working on. And then I just had to get these awesome purple stork scissors to put my cute little scissor fob on that was part of my Just Desserts: Grape Punch design. They go so perfectly together!
I passed on a lot of Memorial Day sales that were going on in the month of May. June is the annual anniversary sale at my local shop. As of right now I plan on possibly buying a couple skeins of floss and that's it. I *need* to start doing better on my stash diet!!!
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
OK, so I normally don't post about non-stitching related stuff on my blog. However, I have to make an exception here. And technically it can be stitching related.
One of my friends sent me a link to a company called Ebates. I had heard about it before, but never checked it out. She's been using it for awhile now and gets money back each quarter. They have over 2,000 stores linked on their site. The way it works is those stores pay Ebates to bring them customers. I figured I was doing some online shopping this morning anyway, so why not give it a try.
I signed up for the Ebates site and used their link for 6% cash back from Kohl's. While I was on the Kohl's site I was still able to use my 20% off coupon as well as my Kohl's rewards when I checked out. I waited about 1/2 hour and went back to my Ebates account. Guess what was there waiting for me...an additional $6.48 in cash back rewards! Yay!!
The cash back rewards are paid on a quarterly basis. So everything I purchase using their site between now and June 30th will get paid into my PayPal account on August 15th (you can also get a check, but too many things get lost in the mail here in LV, so I opted for PayPal). If you're still skeptical, think about it like earning cash back rewards on your credit card.
And the best part for all us crafters...
Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's and Michael's are all listed on their site!! :)
All you have to do to earn money back on your purchases is to link through your account on the Ebates site. Can it get any easier than that? And remember, you can still use all your normal coupons just like if you went straight to the store's site.
If you're interested in giving this a try, I've put a button along the right side bar of my page that will take you to the Ebates site where you can sign up.
Until the next time...Happy shopping & earning FREE money!
Editor's Note 6-5-16:
For those of you that may be skeptical, I got my first payment already via PayPal, and here's a photo of it to prove it.
I wasn't expecting anything until August, but maybe with PayPal they pay out monthly vs. quarterly for checks. I'll keep an eye on it and see. :)
Phew! I actually feel I had a "decent" month. :)
Opening Balance = ($76.66)
Finishes = $25.00
Purchases = $0.00
Balance Forward = ($51.66)
Finishes
Llama Silhouette = $10.00
January Patchwork Pincushion = $5.00
Great Wilderness Afghan Block #1 = $10.00
Now that my life and daily routine are getting back to "normal", I was able to get some stitching done this past month. I finished the model for my Llama Silhouette (available for purchase), the model for my January Patchwork Pincushion (still be to released) and the first of 20 blocks on my Great Wilderness afghan (a post on that will be forthcoming).
I also finished my secret thread-a-day project, which will be a gift for someone. Because it's a gift, none of the expense or the finish count in my stash diet. I will share a picture of it on a future post after the recipient(s) have it.
Purchases
I am very happy to say I didn't spend a single penny on anything that would contribute to my stash. Woohoo!!
Hopefully I can continue making progress out of the red during the month of May.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
Oh March, why were you so mean to me?!?!
Opening Balance = ($21.76)
Finishes = $0!!!
Purchases = $54.90
Balance Forward = ($76.66)
Finishes
I have to honestly say, I don't remember when the last time was I had ZERO finishes for a month. Not even a simple greeting card! All I can say is work, travel, and the "kids" visiting me here in Vegas for 8 days left me basically no time for stitching. I'm looking forward to getting back to "normal" in April and having more stitching & creative time again.
Purchases
I honestly don't know what happened. I went to the Stitches From The Heart stitching camp/retreat in San Antonio and somehow when I got home there were some gorgeous Picture This Plus fabrics in my stitching bag and some money missing from my wallet. Do you think I could have been sleep purchasing? LOL!
Honestly though, I was trying to hold off until the PTP Christmas in July sale for a re-stock, but saw some gorgeous fabrics I just had to have! I picked up pieces of Orange Creme, Crystal Pickled and Phoenix. They will be fabulous with future designs! And to the lovely ladies at PTP...if you ever happen to read my blog, the designer wouldn't mind "sampling" some of your fabrics for you. *cheesy grin*
Oh well, what can I say...I guess red is my color. Someday I'll be in the black. We'll just have to see how quickly I make it. April is a new month and finishes WILL be completed to offset my spending.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
February was another
good month for me. I had 4 finishes that I get "credit" for, and only one purchase! I'm slowly but surely working my way out of the red. :)
Opening Balance = ($31.52)
Finishes = $12.00
Purchases = $2.24
Balance Forward = ($21.76)
Finishes
2 greeting cards = $2.00
EGA Name badge = $5.00
Secret stitching retreat model = $.500
Here's some pics of my finishes. The only one I can't share at this time is the stitching retreat model, but will be sure to share it on a future post, along with some pics from that retreat where I'll be the secret guest designer.
Both of these greeting cards were made from my stash. The one with the pitcher of flowers was a cover kit from a magazine. The other with the pot of flowers is part of a design from a magazine, and I used an aperture card from my stash. I have probably a couple dozen aperture cards, so I've been going through my magazines and books trying to find smaller designs that will work with all of them. I have no particular use for the cards in mind. They're just being placed in my box of cards and will eventually get used when I've run out of store bought cards and need them for some occasion. Not to mention, they're fun little projects when I need a break from my larger models and thread-a-day pieces.
This is the name badge I made for my EGA group. Most of the other ladies were making badges with flowers, etc., but I prefer to be non-traditional. The design is one of my own that I created with my xstitch software. I chose the colors based on what I had in my stash that not only did I have enough to stitch the design, but also enough to make the cording.
The cording was made in our cording and tassel class, and let me tell you, not that I didn't respect and appreciate her work before, but I certainly have a new found respect for my awesome finisher!! By the time I was done tacking the cording down, I was more than ready to be finished with it. Talk about a lot of work. Geesh! It may not look perfect, but I did it most of it myself (with some instruction) and learned some new things, which is the whole point of being in the guild. It's all about education and preserving the heritage of needlecraft. :)
Purchases
As I mentioned above, I only had 1 purchase this month, woohoo! I spent a big whopping $2.24 on a package of tapestry needles I thought I needed for our EGA cording and tassel class. Needless to say, I did NOT need them. Instead of returning them at the store, I just put them in my stash as I know they'll get used at a later date.
Are you on your own "stash diet"? If so, how are you faring? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
P.S. If the fonts look funny, I apologize. I'm not sure what is up with blogger, but it keeps posting using different fonts & sizes than what I'm selecting. You've gotta love technology!
January was a good month for me. I had 3 finishes that I get "credit" for, and very few purchases. I'm slowly but surely working my way out of the red. :)
Opening Balance = (51.51)
Finishes = $26.00
Purchases = $6.01
Balance Forward = (31.52)
Finishes
A new silhouette model = $10.00
A new quilt series model = $11.00
A new modern dictionary model = $.500
Sadly, I'm unable to share pictures of any of the finishes with you yet, as 2 of the 3 are at my finishers. Once she's done with them and I release the designs I'll share the pictures here.
Purchases
I proud of myself this month. My purchases were very minimal...some floss that was needed to continue working on design models and a package of small bags ($1.99 less a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby!) to store my overdyed threads in. My total expenditure for the month was only $6.01!
I currently use DMC Stitchbows (instead of bobbins) and it's difficult to use them for my overdyed threads because most of those already come in pre-cut lengths vs. one piece that is multiple yards long like DMC floss, hence the need to buy the bags.
Now, that's not to say I haven't added several things to my wish list and drooled over fabric when I received a 25% off email from one of the sites I buy from. All-in-all though, it was a successful month. I'm positive I can continue this trend!
Are you on your own "stash diet"? If so, how are you faring? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
Happy New Year fellow stitchers!!
Before I get into the nitty gritty of my December finishes & purchases, I wanted to make a revision to November's numbers. After publishing my post, I was questioned on whether I was counting the expense of items that were being stitched with the specific purpose of it being a gift. My answer was yes. However, I posed that question on both my Facebook page and in my stitching groups, and the resounding answer was....if it's being stitched as a gift, and nothing is going into your stash, then NO, it should not be counted. Hence, I've changed my personal rules, which means it will change my November numbers. I'd also like to say that since I'm not counting any expenses (since I would have been purchasing a gift anyway), I also will NOT be giving myself credit for completing that piece.
November revised figures
Opening Balance = $0.00
Finishes = $21.00
Purchases = $40.76
Balance Forward = (19.76)
Now that we have that out of the way, let's get on with December. Sadly, another month ended in the red. :(
Opening Balance = (19.76)
Finishes = $10.00
Purchases = $41.75
Balance Forward = (51.51)
Finishes
Tribal Shamrock = $10.00
I was a little light on the stitching this month between the holidays and traveling back to OH for a few days. I'm not too worried though, I should have quite a few finishes in January.
Here is the ornament I finished last month and couldn't show a picture of. I DID give myself credit for this one because 100% of the supplies for it came directly from my stash.
And here's a picture of the tribal shamrock. I sent it off this past week to be finished, so I can't wait to see what she comes up with for it.
Purchases
Framing of my completed "Wings & Things" piece, floss and a new Qsnap for my Great Wilderness Afghan, and some misc. floss for a new design model I'm working on.
I tried to do much better with my purchases this month. If you're not stitching & completing, you really shouldn't be buying...right
Lastly, I was asked last month how I keep track of my finishes & spending. I have a notebook I'm writing things down in. Nothing fancy, but it works for me.
I hope sharing the pictures of my notebook will help someone else figure out how to do their own "stash diet". If you want to know anything else, just ask away.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
Back in October I shared with everyone that I was putting myself on a "stash diet". My goal was to spend as little as possible on new stitching stash, supplies, etc. and with any luck, spend nothing at all. Because I do need to buy some new supplies, I gave myself a "reward" system where I can earn credits. You can find all the details on my plan here.
So, a little over a month has gone by, so as promised, I'm sharing my results with everyone, just to hold myself accountable. :)
Opening Balance = $0.00
Finishes = $21.00
Purchases = $60.01
Balance Forward = ($39.01)
Yes, I ended the month in the red *sigh*, but they were ALL very important purchases! Alas, I'll share all the pluses and minuses below.
Finishes
November Patchwork Pincushion = $5.00
December Patchwork Pincushion = $5.00
Modern Dictionary: XXX = $5.00 (future pattern to be released so I'm not saying what word it is yet)
Westie Silhouette = $5.00
Xmas Ornament = $5.00
The Xmas ornament I'll share a pic of later, as it's getting mailed in the morning for an exchange, so I can't share it online yet. The Modern Dictionary piece will be released either Jan. 1st or 15th, so you'll have to wait until then to find out what it is. The pincushions and Westie will all be available for purchase online in the next 24-48 hours.
Purchases
2 new charts (can't share pics as they're both for gifts for people in the Spring), and some floss. In fact $40+ in floss.
Let me introduce you to my new friend I've named "Giganto"
Giganto is 2,100 meters or 283 skeins worth of DMC #310, and I used the ruler so you can see it is about 6-1/2" high. I was "forced" to buy it by "Kris" from Kris'Stitches and the other ladies at my Saturday stitching group. They held me down and told me I wasn't leaving the store until I agreed to buy one. Nah...I'm just kidding. No holding down was involved, but we certainly do enable each other. Instead of looking at it as SPENDING money, we're going to think of it as SAVING money. If I were to buy 283 skeins of DMC floss, I would have spent an extra $70+ more than what I did buying my new friend. So, it looks like I'll be stitching all my silhouette models in black for the rest of my life, LOL!
All in all, I'm happy with my spending for the month. I certainly could have spent A LOT more, especially considering the emails I've been receiving over the past week with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. But, I was a good girl and deleted every single one of them without even opening them....even the fabric sales.
Stay tuned for how I do in December. And since I heard from so many of you after my last post, if you're doing your own stitch from stash, and have a blog you want to share, please be sure to leave a link to your latest recap in the comments below.
Until the next time...Happy Stitching!
Hi, my name is Kelly, and I have a problem with my cross stitch stash.
Yes, I admit it. Since I've moved to Vegas and am only working one full-time job (instead of the normal full-time plus a part-time that I've done for about 1/2 of my adult life), and have had lots more stitching time, I've spent WAAYYYYY too much money on stitching stash...
- 25% off fabric sale at my LNS in June
- 30% off fabric sale at Silkweaver Fabrics July 4th weekend
- 25% off "Christmas in July" fabric sale at Picture this Plus
- Purchase of 1816 Vierlande Sampler pattern (2 magazines to get the full pattern), along with 1/2 yard of PTP fabric and 9 skeins (90 yards) of The Gentle Art floss to do it
- Purchase of a few, OK it wasn't a few, it was 16 more Barbara & Cheryl patterns to add to my collection
- "Wings and Things" chart, spider charm & some fibers to complete it (hey, this one is already completed!)
- A couple of charts that will be stitched for future gifts
- And I'm sure there's probably other stuff I'm forgetting
As you can see, my purchases have been a little out of control. This prompted me to decide 2016 was going to be the year I would do my own "stitch from stash". Then I decided, as the saying goes, why put off til tomorrow what you can do today. That means my "stitch from stash" officially begins today.
As I've seen other groups and people talking about this on their blog posts, I decided I'd do some research to find out what the "rules" are. Some of them were actually really complicated with forced check-ins, credit based on the number of stitches you've completed, etc. I don't need complicated, so after a little bit of thought, I created my own simplified rules, since this will be my own thing.
And the rules are:
My stitching account will start with a $0 balance
I will earn spending "credits" for each finish, regardless of whether it is one of my design models or a "just for me" piece
- $1.00 per ornament/greeting card stitched
- $5.00 per piece stitched using a 8 x 8 or smaller Q-snap frame or comparable sized hoop
- $10.00 per piece stitched using a 10 x 10 Q-snap frame
- $20.00 per piece stitched using a 11 x 17 Q-snap frame
- $30.00 per piece stitched using a 17 x 17 Q-snap frame
- $50.00 per "mega project". These will be pieces that are larger than a 17 x 17 piece, afghans, etc.
I will lose "credits" for all stitching purchases. This means charts, fibers, fabric, embellishments, magazines, etc. The only thing exempt is the cost of finishing & photography of my design models, as this is an essential part of my business and doesn't contribute to my stash.
I'd like to learn how to crochet this year also. If I choose to do that, I think my purchases will fall into my STS rules. I'll just need to figure out how I earn credits for the pieces I finish. But, that's another issue to be determined later *if* I actually learn to crochet.
On the first day of each month I'll do a blog post sharing my successes/challenges from the previous month, along with an accounting of any monies I did spend. Hopefully each month I'll be carrying a credit balance forward. The next post will be done on December 1st, which will encompass the last few days of October 2015 and all of November 2015.
Not only will this be great for my budget, but I think it will be fun to see how much money I can "save" while stitching from my very large stash before I actually need to start buying more stuff. I'm thinking possibly years!
If you have a STS challenge you're doing, feel free to share links to
your blog with me and I'll add them to mine. We can cheer, or
commiserate if we go over "budget", with each other along the way.
Hope you enjoy the journey with me. Until the next time...Happy Stitching...on a budget!
