Second Hand Junkie March 2015

Carried over from February £52.50
March budget £25.00
Spent £7.99
Remaining Budget £69.51

I am posting this at the eleventh hour as only arrived hour from Gran Canaria at 11.30 last night!

What I bought this month; a job lot of fabric from ebay for £6.00 and a Map of Kent kit also from ebay for £1.99

I have finished page 3 of 4 of Starry Night and am hoping to complete it in time for Aprils check in. Need to buy two skeins of DMC for that though.

I took a couple of small things on holiday with me for stitching on the plane and in the evenings. Hoping they will be finishes for next month too so I can boost my earnings!

I made up the bell pull and my daughter loved it.

Looking forward to going through my stash soon and choosing my next project.

Second Hand Junkie February 2015

Carried over from January £40
February budget £25
Spent £12.50
Remaining budget £52.50

I didn't earn anything this month as the wedding sampler (see previous blog) was bought and started straight away.

I have completed page 2 of Starry Night but will wait until it's finished to count it.

Now what I bought!

Wedding Sampler £8.00 but was paid £26 to stitch it :-)
Two pieces of 27count Linda £3.50 for a Christmas penguin I'm planning to stitch on holiday next month.
Naughty But Nice Cross Stitch book £1.00 from charity shop.

Wedding Sampler

I was asked by a lady at work to make a sampler for her sons wedding. I don't normally take on commissions as I work full time so don't have a huge amount of spare time. I told her I would have a look for something suitable.

I had to go to Hobbycraft for some buttons for a couple of baby cardigans I'd knitted and found the perfect kit. I had a couple of days holiday from work so managed to complete it in eight days!

I washed and pressed it on Saturday and will give it to her at work tomorrow. She will get it framed herself.

Stitch from stash check in January 2015

Month: January
Spent: £0
Earned : £15

So that means I have £40 to carry over.

Pretty pleased with my first month!

I earned £15 for my tapestry bell pull which was 16,000 half stitches. Just need to make it up and attach the ends and give it to my clarinet playing daughter.

Plans for February are to carry on with 'Starry Night' I will complete page two and then probably do something small from my stash.

Stitch from Stash 2015

Not had a chance to blog since I started this. Life has been so busy.

I have signed up to Epic Stitchings Stitch from Stash 2015. The basic idea is that you limit yourself to a budget (£25) a month to spend on craft stash, but you stitch from what you already have as much as possible. You also earn spending bonuses for completing projects you have had for at least six months.

I don't have a massive stash of cross stitch stuff but probably enough to last a couple of years. I do have a full set of DMC threads which I just replace as they run out.

I am currently stitching 'Starry night' which is pretty hard going and blue. I have had the chart in my stash for about four years, the fabric for about fifteen years and the threads are from my collection so all in all a free project!

I completed one page then had a break and finished a tapestry bell pull I started thirteen years ago. I still have to work out how much I 'earned' doing this.

I will add photos as and when I finish things.

The beginning!

I have been reading a few blogs for the last two years but have never been able to follow or comment as I was blogless!

Well the time has come to change that.

I am a self confessed second hand junkie and always try to buy second hand rather than new whenever I can.

I love a charity shop, boot fair and jumble sale when I can find one. I don't buy a lot from eBay but am quite a prolific seller.

I have a few hobbies and like nothing better than spending the day crafting.

I have been knitting for nearly forty years and cross stitching for twenty.

I do have a sewing machine but only use it for curtains, cushions and the odd repair or alteration.

On my blog I want to share my latest second hand finds, my current craft projects and the general ramblings of a busy life.