Memorygirls - Make Do and Mend

Memory_Girl

My wee one is too small to make look pants in the sports dept just yet - but I have seriously bad hand-eye coordination so I'm sure it wont be too long.

Your right about the positive framing - but every now and again an "old" habit sneaks in doesn't it?? Must take a leaf out of JackBlacks book and start "deleting that programme" - LOL

Been sneaking around the house looking at what I own and where it is. I would love a Shabby Chic living room - a cosy place for winter months. I already have my bargain sofa's and a very yellow pine coffee table. In my hallway I have a 2 drawer, 2 cupboard bureau thingie - and in my attic a 2 drawer console table with a shelf underneath.

I think those pine bits could be sanded - tops waxed and bases painted cream to pull them all together. Use the cupboard to put the telly on (with DVD and video inside) and the console could hold my laptop (Oh that reminds me I have a chair that I could paint as well).

I've already got a pine mirror (which could be painted) and the makings of some large canvases to make some special artwork. Might have a look around to see if I can lay my hands on some display shelves to keep stuff out of DS2's hands.

So far - so affordable, as I have some chemical sander and some primer under the stairs. I'm sure I can stretch to a tub of creamy gloss at some point. ( say about a tenner)

My livingroom walls are just a little too dark to go with the 50p a roll wallpaper - but I have half of the paint left and some basic white paint so I could dilute it down to get the perfect colour IYSWIM? (so no cost just some time)

I've got foam pads for the window seat - but need to find something to upholster them with, so I'm thinking some blue n cream patchwork might strike the right tone. Ditto the sofa needs some more cushions - but I already have some cushion pads, so patchwork fronts and envelope backs to save me the cost of a zip will be the way to go.

The huge wooden sash window is really drafty and needs a major refurbishment. The joiner over the road has quoted me £80 to re-sash and re-putty, leaving me just to repaint. When thats done I'm thinking a thick padded roman blind might be the best way to go. I've got plenty of cream curtaining and could always liven it up with a band of fancy patchwork. I've got an old pink acrylic blanket that I could use as lining to make it really cosy.

Apart from that - the carpet is a disgrace - with two patched corners that are curling up. Might have to save up really hard to stretch to carpet though, but that would be another room mostly done for less than £100.

I wonder if I could finish my entire house for less than £1000???

Off to the OS Shabby Chic thread to find out how to paint pine furniture. Once I have cracked how, I should be able to completely transform my DS1's bedroom for the cost of some gloss as he currently has pine cupboards, bunk-beds,wardrobe and chest of drawers in various shades of yellowing varnish that could look fabulous in a soft colour to make his room rather Scandanavian in feel.

However, time to get dinner on the go and the evening routine sorted.

TTFN Peeps

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

Just looked at next weeks budget .....

............... and barring any unforseen expenses ..........

........ I should be able to colour in my next £125 block - YIPEE!!!!

Memorygirl

boredofbeingathome

What a great Friday and a lovely bit of news re the mortgage block

Nitha

I've been ignoring the recession for a while now. I get sick of my friends moaning about how they can't afford to give up work or pay for daycare so they guilt trip their elderly parents into taking care of their kids for nothing! I have the lowest household income of all of my friends and yet I'm one of only two of us that pays daycare and doesn't complain how hard done by I am.

miggy

Fantastic Friday MG!
Looks like somebody loves you! (Besides us, I mean!)
And I love your Priest & Rabbi story.

Memory_Girl

boredofbeingathome wrote: »

What a great Friday and a lovely bit of news re the mortgage block

I think the secret for me has been in dedicating myself to building a truly effective Storecupboard - in stocking up on those foods we really do use when they come on offer.

That, and the fact, if truth be told I have started to look at my Menu planning as an annual project first - let me explain.... because I'm not actually so OCD that I can tell you what we are having for lunch on March 12th - :rotfl::rotfl:

Regardless of anything I have 365 Breakfast, lunches and dinners to provide out of this kitchen in the next year - and we like our food so variety definitely has to be the spice of life.

So I start off with a rough plan that looks something like this

Mon Potato thing
Tues Rice thing
Wed Pasta thing
Thur Flour thing
Frid Soup thing
Sat Noodle thing
Sun Meat thing

I then divide the Year Plan in to 4 seasons - and choose 3 dishes in each category that we will have 4 times each = 12 weeks not 13 I know but there are always leftovers and meals out n about to consider.

So my Winter menu looks like this

Mon Potato thing: Stovies, Fishcakes,Gnocchi in veg ragu

Tues Rice thing: Potato n chickpea curry, 3 bean chilli, Red Kidney bean Natal Curry

Wed Pasta thing: Pasta Bake, Spaghetti with roast veg, Lentil lasagne

Thur Flour thing: Dhal and Chapati, Stuffed Pancakes, Pork Raviolli

Frid Soup thing: Scotch Broth, Tattie Soup, Potato and Leek

Sat Noodle thing: Pork n Black Bean Sauce, Pad Thai, Thai Chicken noodle salad.

Sun Meat thing : Pot Roast Brisket, Mince and Dumplings, Roast Chicken Leg

I now have a rough idea of how much of my Storecupboard stuff I need to have in stock for each season ( dried goods and tinned tomatoes etc) - and how much frozen stuff I need to acquire on offer (Brisket, mince and chicken bits etc)

So I can buy throughout the year when stuff is cheap ( approved foods, BOGOF and special reduced offers) to trim by Annual budge even further.

Meaning you eventually get to the stage where the "weekly shop" is Fruit and veg and milk.

Thats the tipping point I have reached - where, combined with my Healthy Start Voucher ever week, the food budget is teeny (last week was a little over £6)

Leaving me much larger chunks to throw over into the DFW pot IYSWIM.

I hope this makes sense and is not the insane ramblings of a Single Mom on a Sunday Morning

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

Nitha wrote: »

I've been ignoring the recession for a while now. I get sick of my friends moaning about how they can't afford to give up work or pay for daycare so they guilt trip their elderly parents into taking care of their kids for nothing! I have the lowest household income of all of my friends and yet I'm one of only two of us that pays daycare and doesn't complain how hard done by I am.

.............and in the end that is what will make all of the difference. I would hate my boys to ever think that they were a burden to me - financially or otherwise. I want them to grow up with a world viewpoint of abundance and opportunity - those are the gifts we aim for, not the latest trainers or DS game.

I actually am no longer actively in touch with one of my oldest friends (known her since Nursery school) becaue she is in such a "victim" space with the whole world out to get her - that guess what??? The whole world conspires against her!! And she just sucks the energy out of the room when I'm with her.

I'm holding onto my positive midset - and sending out only good stuff because thats what I expect back. Seeing as its Sunday...


..........." so ye sow, so shall ye reap"

I'd be terrified to dump my kids on my parents for fear that one day they will expect me to "baby-sit" them in their dotage!!!! Not that I won't take care of them you understand, but when they have the boys it is through love not obligation and I want to be able to do the same for them in the future IYSWIM???

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

miggy wrote: »

Fantastic Friday MG!
Looks like somebody loves you! (Besides us, I mean!)
And I love your Priest & Rabbi story.

Actually it gets worse - I was taught to play Poker by 2 Nuns that used to live around the corner from the babysitter I had as a kid.. Took me years to trust them after I discoverred how good they were at bluffing;)

Memorygirl

ClootiesMum

I like the menu plan idea MG - this might be an idea to follow up

And I must get the name of the capsule wardrobe Gok Wan book from you - I have an Amazon voucher itching to be spent

Kittikins

Great idea on the menu plan, I think I'm going to work on something like that myself for me and DD