December Stitch From Stash

Month: December
Spent:   £ 0.00

Earned: £ 0.00

Stitch from Stash was hosted by Mel from Epic Stitching

Essentially the idea behind Stitch from Stash was that we were limited to spending US$25 (or £15) per month. There were various exemptions (Birthday money, existing mag subs, clubs etc) but the idea was not to try and pervert the rules and to stitch some of that stash!  I'm using the past tense because sadly Mel has decided not to continue with Stitch from Stash.  However, I'm not one to let a little thing like the organiser dropping out of a SAL to stop me completing the year!

July Budget	£ 15.00
July spend	£ 7.75
August Budget	£ 15.00
August spend	£ 14.57
September Budget	£ 15.00
September spend	£ 0.00
October Budget	£ 15.00
October spend	£ 0.00
November Budget	£15.00
November spend	£10.17
December Budget	£15.00
December spend	£0.00
Current Balance	£57.51

As you can see December was another zero spend month!  Yay me!  The best news is that the issue which was really limiting my stashing ability has finally been resolved so while I won't have unlimited funds I won't be quite so broke next year.  However, this last few months has made me focus on what I really need to spend money on as opposed to what I want to spend it on!

Here is the summary for the year:

Charts - £ 22.92

Books and magazines - £ 36.94

Fabric - £ 40.31

Threads - £ 39.66

(that does include an entire cone of DMC 310!)

Beads - £ 5.70

Total - £ 145.53

That total is half my spend for 2014 mostly because I just didn't buy anywhere near as many charts!  Thread spend is up because of that cone of DMC but it will last me several years.  Hopefully!  I have written the date I started using it inside so when I approach the end of it we can have a little competition to guess how long it lasted.

This last week has been very busy again so there's not been a lot of stitching going on.  I did manage to finish the Sunflowers and Acorns design shown on my GG post.  

Sunflowers and Acorns by Beehive Needleworks

stitched on 35 count linen.

I won this kit from Linda of Keeper of the Crowes back in 2012.  You can see her finish of the design here.  She sent me the fabric and the threads (DMC and GAST) and I finally started it as part of the DUCJC this January.  I really like this simple but effective design, it was easy and restful to stitch and the colours are lovely.  I think I will offer it in a giveaway next year sometime, so keep your eyes peeled!

The only other piece with any progress has been the 12 Days of Christmas from Plum Street Samplers:

Nine Ladies Dancing

The Pink Lady is called Vickie!

Ten Lords a'leaping

The "blue" is actually purple 333 but has come out as blue in the photo.

Finally, don't forget to link up for the final Gifted Gorgeousness post of the year and/or sign up for next year!  Same format as this year, anything gifted to you or intended as a gift for someone else, post on or after the 15th of the month.

December Link Up Post

2016 Sign Up Page

Gifted Gorgeousness December Link-Up Post

  

This is the final post for my first year long SAL.  We have been posting and linking up on the 15th of each month, because it is 2015.  I think it's been a huge success.  Everyone has been stitching away on some beautiful pieces, both received as gifts and intended as gifts for other people.  Of course there has been the odd shoe-horn along the way!  That's part of the fun of a SAL.  Yes, freebie charts do count as gifts from the designer.

I will be having one final giveaway this month.  There will be two mystery prizes of charts and kits donated by the lovely Gwen of Guava Gems earlier this year.  I have a spreadsheet of everyone who has signed up each month.  You will get one entry into the draw for each month you linked up.  The more you linked up, the more entries you get.  The second prize will be for those dedicated people who linked up every month.  I will announce the winners in the first GG post of 2016.

Yes, that's right; GG will be continuing into 2016.  I don't know about you but I still have enough Gifted Gorgeousness to keep me going until 2116 never mind next year!  I will keep the link up date as the 15th because it's nice and central in the month.  I've updated the main GG page so you can sign up now to show you intend to take part next year, even if you don't make a post this month.

Elizabeth Shephard by Scarlet Letter - a gift from Nicola:

stitched on 30 count linen

Joy by Jeanette Douglas -  a gift for Clare:

Friendship Compass by Glendon Place - a gift for Mouse:

Sunflower and Acorns by Beehive Needleworks - a gift from Linda

stitched on 35 count linen

And now over to you - Here is the place for you to link up so we can see what Gifted Gorgeousness you have been stitching so far this year.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field NOT the words "December Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  

And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  People are still getting this wrong!  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

Thank you.  I can amend links if you make a boo-boo though.

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Finally, it's a busy time of the year for us all, so please excuse me if I don't visit and comment on your blog as much as usual.  I had to clear out my Reader of abour 200 posts which were over two weeks old just to keep the numbers manageable!  I do usually read every post even if I don't comment.  One thing I don't do is return to see if you've replied to my comment, so please reply by email!  I also answer all of those too.  Hope you're all enjoying the Advent Calendar Blog Hop too.  I certainly look forward to it every day.

WIPocalypse January 2015 Introduction

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "15 in '15"which are 15 charts I want to stitch in 2015 (following on from my "11 in '11", "12 in '12", "13 in '13" and "14 in '14" - imaginative, eh?)

1. Joan Elliott – Diary February WIP
2. Just Nan – Winter Typography WIP
3. Frosted Pumpkins – Hallowe’en Town WIP
4. Praire Moon – Thine is the Trick and the Treat WIP
5. Joan Elliott – Faces Mystery SAL WIP
6. Madame Chantilly – On the Beach WIP
7. Just Nan – Haunted Pumpkins Tree WIP
8. Jannlynn – Gathering Honey WIP
9. JBW – Rocking Horse
10. Teresa Wenztler – You were Hatched
11. Kingfisher for school
12. Dragon of the Winter Moon from Riona
13. Joan Elliott – Believe for school
14. Primitive Hare – Hallowe’en Blocks
15. Nutmeg Cottage from Susan

So far I have stitched the JBW Rocking Horse and Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat (this is my evening focus piece, one thread every evening).

 

I am also taking part in the DUCJC where I am attempting to stitch on 31 different projects throughout January.  Here are the starts for Days 4 and 5:

Day 4 - Lizzie*Kate - Friends are Angels

Stitched on 25 count yellow evenweave using Jodyri Threads Salsa

Day 5 - Beehive Needleworks - Sunflowers and Acorns

Stitched on 35 count linen

Measi also sets discussion topics for each month:

January
Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

The projects and goals are pretty much covered above.  Introduction to me?  Well, the blurb on the right pretty much says it all.  I like to stitch, blog, help other stitchers and bloggers, organise SALs.

Which brings me to the next part!  The advert for the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  This will be running all year and involves you stitching anything which could come under the category of a gift and then blogging about it and linking up here on the 15th of any given month.  We have 44 stitchers all signed up so far but you can pop in at any time during the year and join in with the fun.

Finally, it's back to work tomorrow so I think the Day 6 stitch will be a small one!