Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Bubblesmum · 23 February 2015 at 11:20AM

good_advice wrote: »

Here you can see the fabric from a nighty, petticoat and a fleece jumper.

Took buttons off everything.
x2 carrier bags went in the bin. No good for CH now I have has the unpicker and scissors out.

This afternoon I am decorating x2 victoria sponge cakes. I baked them in the oven yesterday along with the dinner.
Filling oven space and sharing electric.

Morning

Just wanted to say... I do this.. But instead of binning the remnants, I take to the charity shop marked rags, doesn't matter it's scraps they get a lot as it ends up shredded

Bubblesmum · 23 February 2015 at 11:30AM

Oops now read the next few posts who all said the same, I've nearly caught up only 10pages to go....

Really enjoying the thread, very helpful and also bringing back lovely memories of Grandma & Nanny East End mothers in the blitz and my Mum x

misstara · 23 February 2015 at 11:45AM

Glad to hear you're feeling better Cheerfulness

And thanks for the pesto recipe Viv - perfect timing as I bought a basil plant yesterday. I love pesto but have never tried to make it so that's definitely something to try.

I didn't get a living lettuce yesterday but as well as the basil plant I got chives and parsley. Have got enough space for a few more so will have a think what else I would like.

good_advice · 23 February 2015 at 12:05PM

Hidi hi make do, mend and minimize campers.

6 days left of February.
A sunny day here in Hampshire.The sun is heating up the conservatory and I have opened the door into the house to bring in any heat.

This morning I have made another large fruit pot for the fridge.
Mellon and oranges. The family like these, quick easy grab and go food. A lot more MSE and cheaper than the supermarket tiny tubs.

Checked over the fridge and tidied up. Those yoghurts need eating up. Tonight we are having a help yourself dinner as family are coming in at diffrent times. Cold pork and plenty of veg left from yesterdays roast.
I am going to make some jelly to go with the yoghurts.

Fuel bill this week is £23.77
£9.72 electric and £14.05 gas = £23.77 the same as last week.
I dread to think if we just switched things on what the bill would be?

Plants doing well. I have in flower geraniums, Christmas cactus, hyacinth bulbs, daffodils. Tomato seeds are up and sitting nicely in the recycled marg. tubs.

Sewing today = I am going to sew another peg bag out of recycled nighty. A pink design for keeping in my wardrobe.
Last week in the shops, I saw a rather low grade cheap looking peg bag and the selling price was £6 Wow!

Have a good day and remember! to say something nice.

savingqueen · 23 February 2015 at 12:35PM

Hope you are ok now cheerfulness.

I was another mixed bag -quite girly with dresses, dolls and skipping games as a teeny one but also loved cars and playing in mud. No brothers or male cousins but family friends had 3 lads, same age and older and my sister and I hung round with them a lot playing footie, climbing trees etc and they passed on their old Beanos and Dandys. I enjoyed the best of all worlds and a lot of the time our games were just games, not really gender specific. I do remember kiss chase at primary school though and felt the gender differences acutely then.

DS10's PE bag became too thin to repair again, cheap thing so I gave him my old ( freebie) drawstring bag. Its black but has a red sporty heart shape logo which DS groaned at. Its now turned inside out and the drawstring still works by pulling on the inside. He only has 5 more months of primary school left so trying to make his school gear last. Dreading the more expensive uniform, logo sports kits, bus fares and so on to come.

Just had an early lunch (up v early today) using random leftovers that no-one else would have eaten. Using up tired veg tonight and eeking out food supplies until the end of the week (pay day)

vhalla1478 · 23 February 2015 at 2:19PM

Afternoon, Everyone,

I've had quite a productive morning: worked on my rug, cut out a top for my youngest granddaughter from one of mine, cleaned up, checked food supplies and will sort out cupboard with all my beauty products in it later, and maybe bake some biscuits if I'm feeling energetic. The sun is shining intermittently here today, but boy, is the wind cold here on the Wolds - being in the kitchen is probably the best place to be.

Hard up Hester, any chance of the marmalade recipe? I haven't made any for years and could do with a few tips. And Mistara, here's a recipe to go with the pesto.

Pork Chops with Thyme, Lemon and Pesto Serves 4

A handful of thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper, a clove of garlic, zest and juice of a lemon. tbsp. olive oil, 4 pork chops/steaks, 1 pesto recipe.

Pound the thyme with a teaspoon of salt, when pulped add the garlic and a tsp black pepper and pound again. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and olive oil. Smear the mixture over the olive oil and leave for at least 10 minutes - you can leave them overnight, it makes no difference.

Place the chops on a very hot griddle or in a hot frying pan and try to get each side charred and golden. they take about 8 minutes to cook at a medium high heat. Rest the chops for a few minutes, then spoon some pesto over them. Serve with a mixed salad and mashed or jacket potatoes.

Viv xx

Prinzessilein · 23 February 2015 at 4:47PM

Afternoon all!

Cheerfulness...at least you only found 4 tins of tuna...back in November I was restocking my cupboards (I like to make sure the store cupboards are full at the beginning of winter...just in case I get snowed in!!!!!)...anyway, I went out to the shops that week and bought a pack of 3 tins of tuna...and when I got home I realised I had somehow missed the 3-pak of tuna I already had on the shelves!....that wouldn't have been so bad, had I not forgotten to cross 'tuna' off my shopping list, went to the supermarket the following week and picked up another 3-pack of the stuff!....still, at least tuna keeps a good long while on the shelf!

vhalla...that pesto sounds delicious! I will definitely be trying some of that!

I am going to make a fresh batch of joghurt tonight...some of which will be the basis of a small pot of 'almost'Philly' cheese...the rest will be desserts for the next week (apple mousse in fridge...mixed berries in the freezer...and a pile of mini-pots of jam that is not getting any smaller!)

I will also bake a loaf (if not today then tomorrow)....and probably do some scone dough ...for vegetable cobbler and a scone-pizza (left over gammon and pineapple for the pizza topping!)

Plus I have 4 eggs in the kitchen.....that's an omelette and the basis for an 'Auflauf' (leftover 'special'....chop leftover veggies and maybe a little meat - slice of ham? a sausage? whatever you have....place in a greased oven-proof dish...add some cooked pasta or sliced potatoes if you have them....I've done it with a half tin of baked beans!....then beat up a couple of eggs with a little milk, season well - add some grated cheese if you have any and pour this over your leftovers....bake in a moderate oven until the eggy mix cooks and rises....it's one of those dishes that changes every time you make it!)

I have a supermarket trip booked for Wednesday...but actually think I mainly need milk and veggies...oh and some fresh apples.....I'll get a list sorted but it should be a cheap shop this week!

Leftover lemon-chicken and veggies for tonight...it was delicious yesterday...no problem at all eating the same again tonight!

One other job to add to the to-do list...I want to get the kettle and one-cup-boiler decalcified...I use citric acid (from the chemist) for the kettle and white vinegar for the boiler (much cheaper than buying the de-scalers off the shelf!)

silvasava · 23 February 2015 at 4:52PM

Hi All

Whispers .......first boat cushion done in the new material - MUCH better fit as its a heavier fabric.

Vhalla - my basil plant went ballistic last year & I kept cutting it down & just blitzed the chopped off pieces with a little oil so it was a sort of coarse paste consistency & froze it in an old ice cube tray. Its been really great to add to Spag Bol & Lasagne's over the winter so I'll probably do the same this year too.

Cheerful - loving the cloches just trying to think how I could make something similar.... I've grown the mini cucumbers (not so long to wait) for the last 3/4 years and always had excellent crops. I only grow what I know we will eat & what's worthwhile in time & effort. I'm on my last bag of french beans from last year & still got loads of raspberries & apples

KnittaPlease · 23 February 2015 at 4:54PM

Am knitting through my wool stash and just casting on a cardi for myself, having just finished some new socks, as well as birthday socks for my niece. This way I get new clothes, and use up all the wool that's lurking around.

jinny · 23 February 2015 at 5:06PM

KnittaPlease wrote: »

Am knitting through my wool stash and just casting on a cardi for myself, having just finished some new socks, as well as birthday socks for my niece. This way I get new clothes, and use up all the wool that's lurking around.

I have left over wool too I'm loathe to part with. I would love to learn to knit socks I would knit in stripes so to use up bits of wool.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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