My spending diet was doing really well. I went about 21 days without spending money on anything I didn't need. Probably not a record, but an accomplishment of late. The first fall-down happened when I met my friend Ann at a quilt shop. I needed to get a fat quarter to contribute to my guild president's thank-you gift. I had every intention of buying just that (which doesn't really count), and leaving. However, the shop was having a 5-year anniversary sale, and I got 30% off everything. So I bought the charm pack and the two 1/2-yard cuts shown in the picture thinking they'd make a nice tote. No, I really don't need another tote, but I had a really, *REALLY* crappy week at work, was feeling sorry for myself and I bought it. Not pictured are the batiks for the thank-you gift and a couple of other cuts of fabric from the SSS-Silly Safari line, that will go with my snakes quilt kit. I don't like the border fabric they included in my kit, so I got a different one. I sure hope I got enough of it....
I got home and looked for a tote pattern that uses charm packs and found this. The charm pack I bought doesn't have enough to make the tote, but I figured if I use an embroidery design in the center instead of the applique, make the bottom and handles solid and add one square of the pink spool print (not in the charm pack), I'd be okay. I'll use the pink and blue fabrics for the bottom, handles and lining. The only problem was, I wash all my fabrics as soon as they come in the house, but I didn't plan to wash the charms, for fear of them unraveling. Therefore, I didn't have any unwashed white fabric to embroider on.
That led directly to fall-down number two. I went to Joann's to get background fabric for the embroidery. Since I wasn't sure what design I was going to use, I couldn't decide between a solid cotton, or a white-on-white, so I got a few different ones. I also couldn't resist the clearance section, where I found some beads that might make good stitch markers, and some yarn that will make a couple of hats and a scarf (pattern already printed, as you can see). I got all 3 skeins for less than what one of them would cost on the Lion Brand web site, and the resulting items will make good Christmas gifts once I get them done. All told, my fall-downs were just over $50, but worth a good bit more than that. I only paid full price for the white fabrics, which totaled maybe $6. I've fallen down much, much harder before. :-)
I did make a good bit of progress on Stealth Project 2 over the weekend. When I decide on an embroidery design for the tote, I'll post. Maybe this week. Maybe not.
Last thing, I was at the library today and saw this (picture taken on my cell phone, so excuse the quality):
It's a vending machine filled with office supplies - highlighters, pens, Post-It notes, even a 1GB flash drive for $15. I admit to not spending huge amounts of time hanging out in libraries, but I've never seen this before. Anyone else? Not a bad idea, but I have to wonder if it would be cheaper to go across the parking lot to the grocery store or Target for supplies.
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