Sashybo's Random Waffles

macgirl

Hi sashy, just catching up. Hope all's well with you? Sounds like you've settled into the job and I'm sure the salary is nice

I've been shopping for cushions and Christmas pressies too. So far, I've only got some for the kids, but glad I made a start. I bought a lovely remnant of printed silk fabric from Laura Ashley. It's lovely and will make me 2 cushions for less than a tenner :money: (when I pull my finger out and make them that is :cool:)

Good news about the sock monkey interest too :T

gilligansyle

I can totally understand your OH wanting a mac, but its not top of the list for you at the moment.

For work I have to use a proper PC but have an iMac that I absolutely love. It can't be upgraded anymore and I'll be upset when it dies.

sashybo

Thanks mac, yes I'm ok but still feeling tired due to the shifts at work. The job itself isn't bad, the people are mostly very nice and yes the salary is rather lovely.

My mum is going to teach me to knit so I can make some decent cushion covers, just have to find time when both of us are off work as she also works shifts.

Hi gilly, yes I wish we could afford the Macbook Pro that OH is lusting after as he does work hard and it would be something he would enjoy. But as you say it's just not a priority for us just now - we need the money for other things.

Still haven't started my sock monkey. Went to Ikea again last night to get some magazine files for storing paperwork and looked at office chairs as we need new ones for our computers. Have decided on the ones we want but will have to work out a budget to see when we can get them. Also had our dinner there which was a nice change.

OH wants to go out for lunch today but will see how I feel as just so tired and it's so cold outside I just want to stay in and snuggle with my blanket! I'm such an old woman sometimes - or just plain lazy.

sashybo

Ended up being very lazy yesterday and not going out. We had an Indian takeaway for dinner just to be extra lazy.

Watched Pillars of the Earth and started my next sock monkey - managed to get the body sewn and stuffed, have sewn the tail and pinned the other parts together to be sewn, so not bad.

Got up this morning and stripped the bed, cleaned out the cats litter tray, the bin and put on a washing. We went out to Asda for some bits and bobs - the Ben & Jerry's 2 for £3 jumped into my basket. :whistle: Also finally bought a sports bottle to take juice to work in instead of using an old plastic bottle and it was only £2.50.

Had some soup for lunch and did the ironing whilst OH watched the F1 - he wasn't very happy after that!

Now thinking about sorting out paperwork and moving it to the new magazine files we bought in Ikea the other night. The files can go on the shelving unit we have and it will give us more cupboard space (as paperwork is currently in folders in a big plastic box in the cupboard).

Also want to re-arrange the cupboard in the hall but will need OH to put shelves in there to keep the towels on and then we can move the seagrass box with the bedding into the cupboard space left by the paperwork box. The space made by that can be used to store our ladders, OH's tools, the huge bag of cat litter currently sitting in the corner of our (small) kitchen and possibly the hoover if we're lucky.


Needs a bit of thinking as we have very little storage space here but it will make the flat look so much better and tidier once it's done.

The other things I want to get done soon are put up the mirror that's been lying since we moved in (3 years ago ); fix the door back on that covers up the built in washing machine in the kitchen - it vibrated off its hinges probably a year ago now and still hasn't been re-attached ( think we may have lost the screws we need now though) and fix the big wall clock above my dining table - think the movement needs replacing as I set the right time and then it gradually slows down and shows completely the wrong time and forever confuses visitors! Oh and learn to knit so I can make my new cushion covers and replace the ruined ones I currently have. ( thanks cats :cool:).

Not a lot needing done then. :eek: OH also gave me a list of things the car needs done - a service, A/C recharging, new bulbs for headlights and a new battery. Luckily we have already saved £100 of Halford's vouchers from surveys for a new battery so at least that will be paid for.

Now tired after writing all of that. :rotfl:

sashybo

Well, I'm proud of myself as did go and sort the paperwork out last night - moved it all to magazine files and thinned out the old stuff for shredding - I still had paperwork from 2003! :eek: Not that I'm a hoarder or anything. So next job is lots of shredding - managed to do two-thirds of it last night and this morning and already have a bin bag and a half full. :eek:

Used the box I'd been storing the paperwork in to store packaging/ padded envelopes etc for ebay and posting parcels, so that's a bit tidier as well. Just put it back in the cupboard for now and will sort something out when the hall cupboard is sorted. Probably won't have time to do that until my next weekend off in 3 weeks though.

Trying to persuade myself to go out and get some fresh air and do some visiting but it's freezing and don't think I can face it. It's the laziness again.

sashybo

Actually made myself go out yesterday afternoon and went to visit my sister and the kids. Took my needle and thread with me as knew their sock monkeys needed repairing.

The worst monkey by far was pirate monkey because little nephew (4) loves him so much and takes him to bed every night - half an arm was missing its stuffing and some of his tail stuffing too. :eek: I used cotton wool as emergency stuffing so I could repair him as little nephew would no way let me take him home to fix. It's nice that he likes him so much though.

The twins were a bit naughty and stole pirate monkey and dropped him out the window ( first floor flat). :eek::rotfl: Big nephew (9) was out playing so my sister shouted out to pick it up and bring it back in. Big nephew of course completely ignored her and started throwing the monkey back up at the window and thought this was a hilarious game. Little nephew then saw what was going on and started crying (really loudly) for his monkey and was very upset that his big brother was throwing it up in the air. :cool::rotfl: Poor little nephew - I know it's cruel but the whole situation just made me laugh. :rotfl: We of course rescued pirate monkey and restored him to little nephew.

I finished the monkey for my sister's neighbour who wanted it for her disabled daughter - little nephew named it star monkey as the socks it was made from had a star pattern. The disabled girl is in her 30s but is mentally much younger. Big nephew and little nephew took it round to her and I asked little nephew if she liked it - "Nooo" *Long pause with me and my sister looking at each other in a bit of a panic* "She loved it!" :rotfl: My sister spoke to her mum and she said her daughter is making me a card to say thank you. The neighbour had offered to pay but I told them I didn't want money for it as her daughter makes lovely cards for my nephews and nieces for birthdays and Christmas.

Just had a lazy day today before going back to work tomorrow - have sold a book on Green Metropolis so will need to package it up before bed. Made some Twinks hobnobs as well tonight as was in the mood to do some simple baking.

Also bought a fleece blanket from Asda for £2 to use as a cover for a heat pad. Just need to cut up and sew a muslin cloth I have for the actual heat pad part and buy some cheap rice to put in it, then cut up and sew the fleece to make a cover. The theory is that the inside part can be taken out to be heated in the microwave. Will have a go and see how it turns out when I have time. Managed to sew latest monkey's tail on and sew and stuff his arms ready to be attached to the body - will have to get a move on as have a birthday as a deadline.

psychopathbabble

I love that your monkeys are being so loved by everyone that receives them! Before you know it, you will be making and selling all sorts of crafty things!

sashybo

Thanks psycho.

Have been MIA as working for the last 7 days and now finally have a day off. Just ordered some bits towards Christmas online, although no doubt they'll be delivered when I'm at work later in the week. :cool: Just ordered silly things for my brother and biggest nephew as well as a game and a CD. Really need to get on with the Christmas shopping as want to get it done and out of the way.

Also need to finish a sock monkey today so he can be posted tomorrow, although could post on Friday at a push - he's for a birthday present on Saturday though.

OH used some of his back pay to buy new computer chairs so he needs to take the old ones to the dump at the weekend - they're cluttering up my living room atm. He's also been buying parts for a new computer he's building so have several cardboard boxes lying about as well. :mad: Just want this place to be tidy - I suppose it's getting there slowly.

Need to get moving as need to have a bath and do some monkey sewing before going out later. Just going to the pictures with friends in the afternoon and might see my mum afterwards.

sashybo

Have had a very lazy day today as woke up feeling a bit rubbish - very sore throat and achey eyes. Hopefully it's not the start of a cold or anything but just been taking it easy as going back to work tomorrow on early shift so a nice 5am wake-up time. :eek:

Managed to finish my latest monkey last night :j but no time to wrap or package so OH will post it tomorrow.

Managed to make a heat pad today - made the inner part with muslin cloth and 3/4 filled with rice and made the outer pocket from fleece. It's not bad for a first go, although I think I might have put a bit too much rice in as it's quite firm when using it for my back. Sewed a loop of fleece onto the outer pocket and a button so I can close it over - just need to take the muslin part out to heat in the microwave. :j Wanted to make my own as the only ones I could find in shops/online were scented with lavender which I didn't want.

Meeting my mum after work tomorrow to go into town and look at fabric - still thinking of knitted covers for my cushions but maybe only on the front with a neutral fabric on the back. My friend has a knitting machine that she said I can use if I just want a plain knit for the cushions so will have a look for wool as well. Will still get my mum to re-teach me to knit though - she did teach me when I was around 8 or 9 but can't remember how to do it now.

Working early on Saturday as well so hoping to persuade OH to measure our hall cupboard and work out where we can put shelves and possibly buy the wood for it. Just want to get the house a bit more organised as have been lazy about it for too long.

sashybo

Well since I've finally remembered to transfer pictures from my camera to the pc, here are some pics of my soldier sock monkey, techno monkey (made for OH's friend and can't remember if I posted a pic) and the star monkey made recently. Won't post most recent monkey's picture until he's received.





And here is my heat pad:

Can see some rice coming out of inner pocket already so think I will need to sew another layer of muslin around it to strengthen it. Couldn't get a very good photo as my youngest cat kept pushing his face in front of the camera - you can see his feet next to the inner pocket.