Financial Crisis hits HOME

So you all know that I haven't worked since January 2007, right? And that I have hobbies - scrapbooking & card making, READING voraciously, etc ... right? Well those things cost a lot of moola, friends, yes they do. And the CRUNCH has hit HOME ... so I have made a promise to my dear husband, Mark. {or as some friends like to call him, Marky Mark - yes, "and the funky bunch" does get tacked on there quite often!}

The promise I've made to him is multi-faceted ...

ONE: I will read all the books I already have on hand - before I buy another book. Barnes & Noble would have to send me a Starbucks Card for $50 and a drivered Limo to pick me up before I'll step back inside {for now}. Well, maybe nothing that elaborate, but it doesn't hurt to dream, right?! {stop laughing - stop rolling on your floor laughing - I can do this - you'll see}

TWO: I will borrow books from the Library to read BEFORE spending our (read: Mark's) hard-earned money on books for our own library. If they are worthy, then I'll think hard before buying them -- would I ever re-read them, and are they likely to be read by our houseguests or borrowed by our friends -- IF "yes", then okay. Maybe. {this is going to be oh-so-hard for me}

THREE: I will make our Christmas cards using the supplies I ALREADY HAVE ON HAND in my darling craft room {see photo herein, if I can find it !!!}. I will make other cards - the same way. I will work on our Europe 2008 photo albums and scrapbook -- ditto -- using supplies I already have -- NO MORE SCRAPBOOKING PURCHASES {unless absolutely necessary / unless something runs out like adhesives, etc ... / unless the item is SO DANG IRRESISTABLE that I cannot cannot cannot fathom life without it in my 'collection' of supplies} HALF the charm of this hobby is just in the GAZING UPON these lovely things ... is that true for anyone else out there, or am I just -- related to a Magpie?!

FOUR: I will use the food in our freezer / refrigerator / pantry / cupboards -- BEFORE I hit the grocery stores again; milk & cream & butter & eggs & bread notwithstanding. And speaking of BREAD - that reminds me - ever since they were first put on ther market, I have always longed for - pined for - a BREAD MACHINE. Do I have one? NO NO NO !!! If anyone out there cares to weigh in on this particular kitchen "appliance", please do -- do you have one? Do you USE the thing? How does it work for you? What does the bread taste like? DO I 'NEED' ONE, or is it just silly?

So there, my faithful blog readers, is my list. My Promises to Mark. It's going to be a daily, no, a moment-by-moment STRUGGLE for me -- shopping for scrap & craft supplies & groceries & books is an ADDICTION for me -- it's my Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart side coming out, without the Income-Earning-Breadwinning-Woman side to balance it out.

I need a support group ...

-- Davielle