December SFS

It's the final check in of the year, which means that I can proudly declare that 'I survived SFS 2014!'

One of the other paticipants made this cool graphic for everyone to use, and I did the math: not counting the several exemptions over they year, I spend a total of $166.36 of my $300 budget. I had to months looged at 0, and a few other low ones, and I made my personal goal to stay underneath the $25 budget every single month. I also didn't used my splurge-exemption month, but logged all twelve months regularyly. In total, I have a good $140 left over that I might use to treat myself to a few things in order to celebrate, and because I have a few new things planned for next year ;) But let's not get ahead of ourselves here...so, what did I spend on this month? 

Mostly, I got a few downloadable patterns - there are these strange new VAT-laws creeping up for the EU, and right now, it's still not clear who will and who won't keep selling digital goods to EU citizens, so I thought I should better get a few things I 'can't life without' :D 

First, I got those Endangered Young'Uns I had been eying ever since Carla showed hers to me. For some reason, I thought it would be about 15 patterns, when really there are 28 of them - so at $12.50, I got a great deal, and I hope to stitch a few of them next year.

Next, I did a little shopping at Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery, and I bought Halloween Spooky Sampler, Christmas Celebration Sampler and Cherry Blossom Festival Sampler. Normaly, the puchase would have totalled at $38, but they were doing a Black Friday Sale so it only came to $30.28 total.

From Cloudsfactory, I got Winnie the Pooh and Little Indian Village - it was really difficult to decide, because they do so many patterns that I would love to stitch; and I really hope it will still be possible to get them next year. Total here was $10.80, also with a Black Friday sales code.

I also bought a few physical things because I had to place a few orders at my prefered ONS - framing and washing supplies, storage boxes and bobbins as well as a few christmas presents that I don't know anything about but had to order myself anyway.

The two magazines were discounted and cost 6.98€/$8.69 together. I checked them online, and both have a few really awesome patterns I'd love to stitch. The Lizzie*Kate pattern is one I instantly fell in love with the first time I saw it, and it was €3.99/$4.96. The two Halloween charts where added to the parcels as little 'thank you's, and I adore them, they are so very cute, aren't they?

So my total for the month comes to $67.23, but since I still had all of my $50 year's end bonus, that only comes to $17.23 officially.

Now as I said, I do hae a few things to celebrate - I handed in my thesis on monday, I survived SFS 2014 (and I posted all of my other monthly SALs in time each month as well!)...and on friday night, I finally finished Angel of Frost! Yup, that's right, all the beads are were they belong, and I lovelovelove her and am sooooo proud of myself! No pictures yet, sorry - I will only show her again once she's all washed and pressed and framed, which will hopefully be in time for christmas, when the frame arrives tomorrow (please let it arrive tomorrow).

Now for the usual stuff, I finally managed to finish my book (or rather, Felix' brother Max' book - he gave it to me to read): 'Götterschwert' (God's Sword) by Frederic Neuwald. I don't think there's an english version of this, sorry Carla - but it was really enjoyable; a bit like a young Indiana Jones on his first quest. The romance part was totally unrealistic and a bit unnesseccary, though. Apart from that, I did a bit of gaming to make up for the long times that I couldn't, and I watched a lot of Scandal while beading: S2, E17-22, and S3, E1-12.

Apart from that, I also did a bit of baking for our university christmas party last week...I really enjoy having my own kitchen for once! So let me end this update with a few yummy pictures, and bid you well, and merry christmas and peaceful holidays to all of you, in case we don't see each other again before that!