Shopping....

Despite what him indoors thinks, I actually don't buy a lot of art supplies - in fact I can't recall the last time I bought hand embroidery threads.... I've got mine from years back, my gran's and others donated to me, as well as what I was buying when doing C&G - so the biscuit tin of threads has increased to a huge box, and I mean huge. I keep a record of everything I buy - partly cos I'm registered Self Employed and partly so I can properly cost out anything.  I do a lot of searching around for the best prices - beware P&P is often prohibitive.  I get a bit fixated to track down best prices and what products are really called by manufacturers, not the fancy names given to them by individual shops.  Repair Tissue for instance I've been using since mid 90s, and I know it by at least 10 different names.   I do however wrestle with my conscience, best use of my money versus taking trade away from small businesses.  Unfortunately mail order is often the only way to get what I want - because its not available locally.
But above are two of my latest purchases which came this past week.  I always have a little play with everything - would make more sense if I kept all this info in one place, but it usually goes onto the next blank page of my sketchbook.
The paints - wheeee so pleased with those.  Golden Fluid Acrylic.  I won these on Ebay - a pack of 10 brand new sealed, for just under £25 inc p&p,  On their own they are around £5.50 a bottle - and I discovered the bright red is over £8.  I have some others of these, so I know how they work,only need a small amount, good job at that price!!  I love products which do more than one thing, so acrylics as they will go on paper and fabric suit me fine.
The threads, sigh.  I have been thinking about these for months and months.  They are King Tut - and what's been drawing me in is that the variegation changes about every inch - whereas other threads 4"-5" or more.  But I'm not a quilter, so I wasn't sure if they would meet what I'd want to do with them.  They are 100% cotton too, not normally a fibre I go for.  Again quite a considered outlay when you don't know what they are like, which is why my hesitiation - and what colour?  However Barnyarns offer a Try Me, at the cheapest price I could find for them - max of 5, but they choose the colours.  So this is what I got, and I love them.  Did my little test, stitched beautifully, on zig-zag the colour change is about every 4 stitches, yipeee!!!
Embroidery magazine came too this week, waving to Gina who has a piece in it.  So lots and lots to absorb and play with.... goodies are almost better than a supply of choc (I said almost!)