I was a bad girl

So... for 2012 we're back to the goal of only spending $20 a month on cross stitch. And I knew that was a goal coming up. So what do I don on the 31st? That's right, I go crazy.

First up was a trip up to Shepherds Bush for their New Years Eve sale. I decided to show up around opening time, and that way I'd have plenty of time left in the day to do other things. Well... I miss judged the time it would take to drive from Provo to Ogden and arrived 30 minutes before they opened and was very very surprised to see a line out front. And not just a couple of people in line. Oh no. There were some serious line sitters in front with their collapsible camping chairs and all wrapped up in blankets. "Strange" I thought and took my place at the end of the line. (Had there been no line, I would have been very content to just sit in my car and wait for the shop to open.)

Eleven am rolled around, the door was flung open, and a mad crush headed into the foyer. And I saw what the line was all about. They were selling off some of their stitched models and some older, random, decorations. From what I saw of the models, there wasn't anything I cared for, and an honest to goodness fight broke out over some stuffed rabbits in country dresses. One lady was scooping them up left and right, another lady picked one up only to have the first lady snatch it out of her hands. I got into the relative sanity of the main store as soon as I could.

Everything in the shop was 10% off. I didn't have anything much in mind, so I just wandered around and picked up a bit of this and a bit of that.

That is Sugar Cookies by the Cricket Collection, Merry Christmas Ornaments, Vintage Christmas and January Cottage of the Month by Country Cottage Needleworks, 2011 Ornament of the Month # 12 by Little House Needleworks, and four kits from Shepherds Bush.  The kits are Hold Hope (lower left), Friends (upper left), Purple Snowman (upper right), and Blue Snowman (lower right).  I was sorely tempted by the Red, Pink, and Green snowmen, but decided to save them for another trip.  I also picked up the 2012 Keepsake Cross Stitch Calendar (50% off!!), and two pair of scissors.

I also picked up two packages of 10 leaflets for $1.  It was a gamble, you could only see two of the leaflets that were in the package.  I came out 50/50.  There is the batch that I think I'll hang on to:

And here are the items that I think I'll put aside to give away sometime:

The shop was very crowded, and I was glad to be on my way home when I was finished.

On my way home, I stopped by The Craft Center of Fine Stitchery and picked up a couple of patterns that are on my list, but I didn't see up at Shepherds Bush.

A pair of those cute tree ornament patterns that Sue Hillis has put out, and the L*K winter alphabet that I had on my Christmas list but didn't get.  I also picked up some small buttons that I think will work well as spiders for Something Wicked.

Once I got home, I sat down to read over some of the posts over at the 1-2-3 Stitch Message Board.  Those ladies are a pack of enablers, I tell you!  They mentioned that The Silver Lining was having a bit of a sale, so of course I wandered over to check out what was on sale.  Well... almost everything I seemed.  So I bought everything that had a pansy on it, plus a few african violets.  Mark included a copy of Cole's Orchids with my order too.  Quite a nice surprise.

Now, if only my dear beloved designers could refrain from putting anything out in 2012 that I love, I might have a chance at sticking to that $20 a month budget.  I don't want to say it's a lost cause... but it's going to be rough with those monthly cottages from CCN and I'm sure L*K will do a series that I'll love too.  But I shall endeavor to cling to my budget!  (I tried the same thing in 2011... and only made it to July before falling off the wagon.)

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay