Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

silvasava · 10 February 2015 at 7:19PM

Well done Fuddle - you really inspire me in how you manage so often to turn negativity into positivity for you and your family.

Good Advice - my DMiL gave me a very pretty peg bag years ago - too pretty to use for pegs so it hangs in my wardrobe with my tights and pop socks

cheerfulness4 · 10 February 2015 at 7:59PM

I was thinking the same about tights. Mum uses something similar.

Effy, I'm so impressed, I want to learn crochet so bad. I have to be patient as I'm STILL unpicking my circular knitting but crochet hooks are lined up and ready to go again in the warmer months. I can't wait!

Shouldn't be here. Have company about to arrive that I forgot about. :eek:

Be back later.

HOWMUCH · 10 February 2015 at 9:30PM

Good evening everyone, not much to report just it's freezing here we have had freezing fog all day.Glad I was at work, when it was over I nwent to our daughter's to let look after DGS. Managed to get home for 6.15pm, I am just about to go and get in the bath, if you are wondering why I'm mentioning this well............. I fell at the end of November and aquired a deep cut to my leg which resulted in a diabetic leg ulcer. I have had dressings on and Compression bandages since then so had to dangle my leg of the side and to night I have gel dressing which is waterproof and compression knee socks which I can remove. So it's going to be a lovely bubble filled soak.
Catch you all soon

silvasava · 10 February 2015 at 10:22PM

[QUOTE=HOWMUCH;67690741I fell at the end of November and aquired a deep cut to my leg which resulted in a diabetic leg ulcer. I have had dressings on and Compression bandages since then so had to dangle my leg of the side and to night I have gel dressing which is waterproof and compression knee socks which I can remove. So it's going to be a lovely bubble filled soak.
Catch you all soon[/QUOTE]

Ooh that sounds really nasty - hope it heals soon for you - enjoy your soak!

Rose_Wood · 10 February 2015 at 10:45PM

Hi,

I've been enjoying reading all the posts and seeing the pictures. I've always made do, minimised and mended. This year I wrote a list of projects to finish in my household planner on the first of January and dug out the oldest one to complete.

It's a hand made patchwork quilt that I started when I was 19 years old!! So only 37 years to make. It has been in a cupboard for years but I dug it out, finished the border and lined it over the past couple of weeks. Each hexagon in it is only 5cm long at its widest. When I began it all those years ago I could never have imagined being a grandmother when it was finally finished. It's completely made out of scraps from dressmaking projects so holds loads of memories. The light blue background was school uniform dresses for my sisters and the floral fabric from dresses I made first for toys and then for myself. Even the backing holds memories as my mother gave me my old duvet cover from the same period recently (which she made back in the 70s) and I unpicked it and the pillowcases to make the backing.

I've made several patchwork quilts over the years for friends and family but by machine, but this one is all handstitched. I even hand sewed the ribbon binding round the edge. Now I want to make my 4 year old grand daughter a quilt for her bedroom at my house - before she is very much older!!

Rose

vulpix · 10 February 2015 at 11:11PM

Wow Rose,how impressive,it's stunning.I too am trying to finish a hand stitched quilt that I started in 1975.It is not as impressive as yours though.Can I ask did you add wadding or just the material to back it? I have bought a 70's style duvet cover to use and can't quite get my head round it.
Vx

cheerfulness4 · 10 February 2015 at 11:25PM

Rose that is absolutely beautiful! What lovely memories, too. I've never fancied patchwork but I'd love to make something like that.
You must be very proud of it now its finished.

I keep looking at your flowers, Good Advice. Daffs are so sunny and bright. They are my spring 'happy' flower and Sunflowers my summer 'happy' one. Both always make me feel good.

Today was a NSD. Yay!

DAY 10

Money Spent Today - £0 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £26.45 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £3.55 - Float left- £3.73/£15
Jan non-foods left- £1.85/£15

Vulpix, wow you've a 30 year project going, too. You pay a fortune for patchwork quilts these days. They are so popular.

I've decided, Oxtail is not for us. Ewww. This is amazing because there's hardly anything I don't like. Oh well, least we know now and won't waste money on it again.

I'll catch up with the posting the recipes on Post one tomorrow. Tonight I'm going to chill and enjoy a read up.

Lynplatinum · 11 February 2015 at 1:09AM

Hi everyone

Many thanks for your support and positivity. I dont feel so bad now that I know others are on the old 'claw back!!' very kind and understanding comments.

Janb5 (hope I got your name right!) I did compare Lid!l and Sains etc and Costc0 still came out cheaper - it does for things like loo rolls (30p each for Double velvet) dog food (my son has a dog) icing sugar (I tend to make a lot of cakes - am often asked to an event - I am sure its cos they know I ll bring a cake along!! LOL) but not for flour for example. the place only really works if you observe 3 things: 1) make a list of what you want and stick to it! 2) check out if things really ARE a bargain - dont forget to add in the VAT 3) run a business and have your membership at the lower business rate (or cultivate a friend who does/has!) But thanks for the heads up Jan - if you are not a member then Lid!l is definately cheaper for such stuff.

Cheerfulness - could you paste in 'how to make a rice pudding in a slow cooker' please? - my browser keeps on blocking the pop-up! I never thought of using my rice/slow cooker in that way - what a brill idea!

Am heading back to the straight and narrow - an NSD for me today and I got loads of stuff done before I had to dash out to work - including making a box of chocolate shortbread as a gift for some one!! (rather than buying a gift - yea!!)
Thanks folks

Rose_Wood · 11 February 2015 at 2:53AM

Vulpix I put a thin layer of wadding between the quilt and the backing. I haven't actually quilted it at all though so it is only fixed on at the edges. I did consider quilting it but that could take another 30 odd years so at the moment I haven't done anything about it!

vhalla1478 · 11 February 2015 at 9:29AM

Good Morning,

Rose Wood - what a beautiful quilt - I don't feel so bad now that my needlepoint rug has (only!) taken me 5 years so far - but I am on the last third and sticking at it now. There must be so many projects up and down the UK which are stuck at the halfway stage - we all have such good intentions and see the completed perfect item in our mind's eye and then when we get down to the nitty gritty all the snags appear. But I am determined to finish the darn thing this year and am secretly planning on what I can use the leftover wool for!

This is a wonderfully cheap recipe from Jamie Oliver - I always used to turn my nose up a chicken wings - how stupid of me . Give this a go, it is so nice.

Chicken Wings - Gangnam Style

12 chicken wings, 2 heaped tsp Chinese five-spice, 200g brown rice, thumb-sized piece of ginger, 2 tbsp. tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. runny honey, 1 tbsp. sesame seeds, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 fresh chillies, 2 pak choi (or just use whatever cabbage you have ), sesame oil, 1 large egg.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4. Stretch out chicken wings cutting skin, popping joints. Place in roasting tin, scatter over five-spice and a good pinch of salt and toss together until evenly coated. Cover with foil and cook for around 50 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile cook the rice, then drain, spread out on a tray and leave to cool. Peel and finely grate the ginger and mix with the ketchup soy sauce and honey to make a glaze. When the chicken is cooked, remove the foil from the tray, then coat the wings with some of the glaze and return to the oven for a final 30 minutes, turning and brushing with more glaze every 5-10 minutes to use it up and make them sticky. After adding your last bit of glaze, sprinkle over the sesame seeds.

When the wings are nearly cooked, peel and slice the garlic with the chilli and pak choi, and put them in a large frying pan or wok on a medium heat with a tbsp. oil. Get them lightly golden then add the rice and let it heat through. Transfer the tray of wings to the hob, remove the wings to one side and pour 200ml water into the tray. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5minutes, scraping all the sticky bits from the bottom of the tray, then mix the sauce into the rice. Push the rice to one side of the pan and crack the egg into the gap. Stir it around so it starts to scramble and cook, then toss through the rice. Serve immediately with the chicken.

This recipe is really worth the effort - guaranteed!

Now I have no more excuses,I must go and do the ironing and the chores I neglected yesterday when I was out enjoying myself.

Spent; bacon bits 81p, purple flowering broccoli YS 45p - total £1.26. Total spent this month £1.26

Have a good day, All.

Viv x

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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