How much does your cardstock weigh now?

If you've been reading since the beginning, then you'll know that a  year ago I decided to reign in my craft spending.  Here were my three goals:

• limit spending to $5 per week, or a total of $260 for the year (considering the huge amounts of craft supplies I have loaded up in my room that really should be plenty)
• and try and create something (scrapbook page, card or whatever) at least weekly
• to have a smaller stash by the end of the year.

I quickly expanded those goals to the following (see original post here):

• update this blog regularly
• do something creative every week
• complete at least 2 challenges a month
• complete a scrapbook page a week (single or double)
• work through my "projects" box with the aim of completing each item or considering getting rid of it.
• knit my way through my wool stash 
• make a list of my scrapbooking supplies (by group) and mark each time I use each item
• be prepared to cull unused items, and 
• weigh my cardstock, and compare in 12 months.

So, how did I go?

• update this blog regularly

At 80 posts in 2011, I think that counts as pretty successful!

• do something creative every week

Again, with a total of 133 scrapbook pages and 16 recorded "other" projects, a resounding success!

• complete at least 2 challenges a month

Some months I managed 7 or 8!

• complete a scrapbook page a week (single or double) 

see above!

• work through my "projects" box with the aim of completing each item or considering getting rid of it.

not so successful.  I did complete one sewing project and do a little bit on another, but paper-crafts have definitely taken precedence this last year.

• knit my way through my wool stash 

Again, less than fabulous.  I did knit some scarves and start a jumper for Maddy, but mainly I learnt the pointlessness of having a wool stash.  I hope to use and/or cull some more this year

• make a list of my scrapbooking supplies (by group) and mark each time I use each item

I definitely kept my list, and enjoyed marking it off at the completion of each project.  But I'll tell you a secret: I still have a lot of stuff!  For example, I can tell you that I recorded that I used ribbon in 75 projects, but see that box of ribbon that is my wallpaper?  It still looks pretty much the same.  And there are 3 other boxes with more ribbon in them!

• be prepared to cull unused items, 

I still have my "use it or lose it" box of papers, and I'm hoping to have a swap/give-away day after school goes back this year.  

• weigh my cardstock, and compare in 12 months.

I totally couldn't wait to get the results on this one . . . last year's total was 21.58kg (including some storage boxes).  That is now down to (drum roll please) 17.69kg, a reduction of nearly 4kg!
The amount of offcuts has increased slightly, with the most dramatic decrease being sheets of patterned paper.

• limit spending to $5 per week

I did it! (with the help of a few presents, not least of which being my Silhouette) I did it! I actually have $13.50 left over which is totally burning a hole in my pocket right now . . .