Deborah - good for you! Have you sewed before? My sister has offered me her sewing machine which she isn't using but I am such a novice that it seems foolish to get into it. Plus, I'd have to squeeze it into the bedroom. Maybe when DS goes to college I can turn his room into a craft room? Only five years to plan

I did break down and make a stop at bead store yesterday but I took a safeguard at having DD come with me. I had a $10 off card and a $10 bill and needed some findings to finish a birthday gift. We managed to stay under the $20 limit by .24 cents.

That's another good trick if you tend to charge things - leave the credit cards at home

Oh dang, confession time again. Nope. I tried I really really did. But i found a wardrobe hole, a real one. I have no pumps. No normal ladylike shoes to wear with dresses and skirts. All, and i mean all, my shoes are sandals and wedges which look great with dresses until you add the job factor in. You see, suddenly job dressing is more important because I am switching jobs Monday and I think the dress code will be more formal (although nothing like US).

SO I tried all my sandals with my clothes and slacks and realized I just had to give in, and buy pumps. I consider them the most boring shoes ever but I did find a lovely pair, in what I thought was navy, but in the sun turned out to be deep purple. They are comfy, a perfect heel height and secretly a fun color that tickles my fancy. So no SYC. But hole filled. huh, hole filled??

I ordered a skirt in April which was delivered today. I consider that totally not within the May framework. But I will post it separately for opinions.

Jayne - you had a legitimate wardrobe hole that required filling for a job change. That totally justifies any purchase you made - secret purple pumps sounds fun to me!

Oh and some of you are talking sewing. That was my plan also. I had two projects

First was to take a pair of cheapo long trousers and turn them into slimmer slouchy slacks. I spent two hour sewing, removing, sewing removing before I understood the mission was impossible without removing the waistband which makes this a major endevour and beyond my skills.

Second was to make a skirt: I bought 'test' material and thread all within the SYC rules, but then I cut the material, and it has been laying here two weeks unsewn.

Today I received my other experiment, which was having a custom skirt made for me by a seamstress. Since she did a lovely job, I think I consider that more promising than me trying to learn to sew and potentially ruining the more expensive material I have my eye on for June.

So sewing, except for adding length to a too short dress, has been a dead end for me. Just have too much else in my life to really be patient with sewing. I see how much work this lady did on all the seems and the waistband and just dread trying it myself. AMy is even more impressive making her own dress after this learning experience.

sigh of relief, pumps happy in new home. All ready for wearing monday for first day at new job!

My goal this month is not SYC but to observe all of my purchase habits.

Last week I had some returns and purchases with a net increase of around $30 in expenditures.

This week I hit the buy button, heavily. $220 spent on Shopbop, $280 spent on Zara. We'll see how everything works out.

After observing myself for a month, I plan to come up with a reasonable budget and shopping strategy that works for me.

Oh good plan CL.

In a way SYC is really pointing me at my holes and my true wants. because you have to try and use what you have and sometimes you don't have anything to go with it. but I admit, all stores and online shops and even the WIW here are killing me!

Just checked again on the steampunk boots Rae posted...my size still there...trying to hold out!

Deborah, I relate in a big way! Cut and traced my pants pattern last night, though it was hard on my back. Still forging ahead, though, since I want those new pants!

Jayne, you are starting a new job with a more formal dress code and only bought pumps?? You are a saint. Hands down. Best of luck in the new role!

Denise, your tracking idea sounds really interesting. How do you know if you are being unreasonable about shopping or not if you don't observe? Hm, might have to do some retroactive observation of my own.

I always track my spending, even though it can make my toes curl!

So far I am still at less than zero for May. Have only bought the Cutest Purse in the World, which was really a replacement for the KS purse I bought in April but had to return. I'm staying out of the stores and off the shopping sites and am doing fine. It helps that I have a few new things from April to keep me occupied...

When I was in major overhaul mode, I stopped tracking because it was making me ill. But now that things have stabilized and I feel like I have a normal wardrobe to play around with I am back to tracking. It definitely helps to see where your money is going!

Good lick! SYC is not for me BUT I haven't bought anything for the last 2.5 weeks.