Do I need to go back on a spending ban?

Last year, at least for the first part, I did really well with saving money. This year? Not so much. In fact I've done terribly. I don't know what has changed to be honest. For example, even though I have not actually done this months challenges (due to the month not being over, not because I've failed) I have already bought the treat! Totally wrong, and I'm disappointed in myself. So the question remains, do I need to go on a spending ban again and if so, for how long? It wasn't a spending ban last year per se, but an attempt at frugality. The irony is, when I made that first post I said about a spendthrift year, getting the definition the wrong way round. Well this year has been a spendthrift year, but it doesn't need to be.

Anyway, back to the crafting. The first thing I made this week was a birthday card, using some of the new stuff I got. I stamped some blueprint stamps onto card together, then again separately. The separate ones I cut out, coloured with distress markers, and attached to the together ones by foam pads. I inked the edges of the card, and used some perfect pearls.

 

Here is a close up of the pearls. Not bad for a first try at them.

 

The background is a birthday paper I had in my stash, and I used some flowers and ribbon as decoration.

 

You can just see the 3D effect on the cake.

 

Here's my update on the Beauty and the Beast stitch.

 

Finally, I saw this amazing tag the other day, and thought I'd try to make my own version. I didn't have the thinlits she used to give dimension to the tag, so instead I used an embossing folder. I've had it for ages and never used it. To make it a little different, rather than using just butterflies I used one butterfly (cut it twice so you get one with the details you can glue to the plain background) and a heart (ditto). I also die cut the word create. Once glued on you paint with black gesso then dry brush with various paints. I used the distress paints at my disposal; tarnished brass, antique bronze, burnished silver, iced spruce, fire brick red and gathered twigs. I then sprayed it with a glimmer mist.

 

I decided to add a trail of bronze perfect pearls, to look like a butterfly trail. As you can see I mucked one up.

 

Finally at the top I used an enamel tag with some remnant rub ons and alcohol ink, coating it with glossy accents, and a decorative pin that I twisted around with pliers to attach, before using a ribbon in my stash to tie it to the tag.

 

So there you have it. Not as good as the original, but my take on it.

 

Happy crafting everyone, and hopefully no spending!

Ems