I kinda, sorta hoped to do this wrap up right at the end of 2009, but since I didn't even announce the challenge until January 15th of 2009, it seems fitting that my wrap up is mid-month, too.

Background

My Challenge 2009 was to only use what I had in my craft stash for a whole year.  My goal was to spend zero dollars on craft supplies, but I did give myself a$2/month allowance ($24 for the year) just in case I needed something I just couldn't do without to finish a project.

I did this because I had a lot of really awesome supplies that I'd had for YEARS that I really wanted to use. On top of that, the economic downturn was starting to worry me and I didn't want to spend any time stressing over *how much* crafty spending was *too much*.

How It All Shook Out

I'll be honest, I thought this was going to be easy.  And it kind of was.  There were times when I was tempted to go *buy something* just to *buy something*, but I resisted.  It helped that I had an amazing stash, that I got a couple gift-boxes of supplies from blog-friends, and that publishers sent me review copies of some very excellent books.

To say I had no idea what 2009 had in store for me is an Epic Understatement. Twelve months, 2,000 miles, and 3 apartments later, I'm actually proud that I only spent $5.66.  If it weren't for all the moving, which meant being separated from most of my stash, I know I would have spent nothing.

Conclusions

Well, I am much less likely to buy things now.  My first impulse when starting a project used to be to go shopping.  Now my first impulse is to look in my stash.  That's an awesome change.  I actually had to remind myself the other day that it was OK to go get a skein of yarn to make my 'hog.  I was trying to convince myself that using the blue yarn I already had would be fine. :)

An unexpected  realization is eloquently put in Lauren's comment on this sweater post:

I had been so absorbed in the process, that I hadn't examined what was going on.  After reading that comment, I went back and looked at the photos of the original sweater and the photos of the final sweater.  The original sweater is OK, but the final sweater knocks my socks off.

How many crafty challenges had I solved by buying more supplies instead of actually confronting the challenge?  Is the key to growing as a creator to make myself do hard things without taking the easy way out?  What kind of things can I continue to do to keep myself on this path?  I don't have the answers to these questions right now, but asking them is an important part of the process, too.

Looking Forward

I don't think I'll have formal Challenge 2010, but I *do* have some ideas about where my focus should be in the coming year.  I've been letting ideas rattle around in my head the last month or so.  I'll get all my thoughts together and post about them soon.

What do you think?  Do you have any suggestions about what you'd like to see me doing on futuregirl?  Are there any unfinished projects that you are hoping I'll finish sooner than later?