More stash

I just had a pile of stamps arrive from the USA (all the House Mouse ones and the PB bicycles stamp). I have bought from this seller before but now she is not using Global Priority and told me she sent an email to that effect, which I probably read and promptly forgot. So I didn't check how much postage was going to be, usually in the Priority envelope it is about $12 which is around £7 right now, but I had to pay $21 for this lot so double and with the exchange rate going down not so many bargains about but I did get quite a lot of stamps.

The stamps are mostly still cheaper than over here despite the low exchange rate, but I will think twice about purchasing again, at least without checking postage! Recently I have been buying some stamps from the U.K. because I have found them as cheap as the USA and postage is less.

There is one USA seller (beecreativestamps) who packs in as many bubble envelopes as it takes whatever the size of your order but only charges around $15 tops and bears the cost herself of any extra postage, and she now gives me 5% off all purchases for buying so much from her! I don't know how she makes any money from this.

Yesterday I had my goodies arrive for featuring in the article in Quick Cards Made Easy about latest craft purchase, it was 16 sheets of 12"x12" paper and several sheets of 3d card stickers all by Karen Foster.

I have a package on the way as a swap too, I have to put up a parcel of stash to send back which shouldn't be hard.

Yesterday I bought a "few" more dies on the Ellison site, they are having a sale on many items, some were reduced from £13.50 to £3.50 - how could I resist! I know I can get them for around £10.99 from Cutting Edge Crafts but £3.50 is still a bargain, and some of the thin cuts were down to £1 or £1.79 each. I put it down to retail therapy as I wasn't feeling well, and when I finally managed to get out of bed, and dressed by the evening I was on the spend!

I did take a couple of dies out of the basket again, they were the less reduced ones and three that were to make small cards with windows and a matching envelope (I assumed it matched) but I figured I could do those without the aid of a die but I kept one of the £9.85 ones to make a Christmas hanging star.

I thought I would show you some of my recent purchases and the prize stash. I had to include the Big Shot, I know I bought her a while ago but she is so pretty! The BS is not that way round now, I am left handed so I have the flower side showing and no gems.

What about the Inkadinkado Inchie stamp sets then, I haven't done a lot of inchies but I love these sets and there are at least two more sets that they make.
I added a spider to the Halloween card but I had a lot of trouble making him stick, and in the end I had to use silicone glue which is showing in the photo. I added another leaf to the baby pumpkin too.








Here are a few of the topper cards I made from the Arty Miss mystery box, no skill required! I haven't been sleeping well lately so last night was sitting up late sorting Christmas bits into a Really Useful box with compartment tray, before that I kept catching the corner of the box they were balanced on and sending them flying all over the floor, will be picking up for months!