Daffy's 'a nice cup of tea cheers you up' diary

Cheery_Daff

Hi honeybear (and the rest of you!)

Where on earth did you find that smiley - it's fab!

l--o--n--g day today after late night last night (gig was cheery, but I was one of only 3 members of the audience who weren't in one of the bands! Mind you, there were about 12 people in the bands (and Mr Daffs was in ALL four of them!), so it wasn't entirely empty!). Spent today in a field making plant pots out of newspaper for our local Transition Towns group. :A

Got home exhausted (but having spent NO money last night, and NO money at the festival today! :j), planned a lazy evening but remembered a friend's birthday tomorrow, so have painted the 'paint your own mug' we got for 99p from the charity shop earlier (it says 'a nice cup of tea cheers you up' in rainbow colours :j), and sewed some, er, 'boudoir bunting' :rotfl:

This was basically Mr Daffs' idea, although he's not here at the mo for artistic direction, and I suspect I won't have made it precisely how he imagined it! :rotfl: Anyway, it's pink satin, with kind of creamy coloured lace, sewn onto black binding - and I think it looks kind of 1940s film star sophisticated with a little bit of sauciness thrown in :rotfl::D Will suit my friend down to the ground

It's also part of my campaign to make pretty much all of the presents I give - which I've pretty much managed (with occasional cheatings - like buying a 99p mug to paint) for over a year :money:

But now I've run out of milk, so a mini trip to the Co-op is in order...

(ooh, and otherwise on the money front, got £6 in Co-op dividends today! :money:)

Cheery_Daff

(oh and the skirt did very much hide my knickers, thanks!)

Pippilongstocking

Boudiour bunting - I've seriously heard it all now - I will look at bunting in an entirely different manner!!!!!!

Glad your knickers were safe - ace about the divi and the HM pressies

makeup

Sounds like a fun day.

I spent the afternoon on a stall in a local community day / fair thing and it was the most bizarre in terms of weather.

One minute battered by gale force winds, then super sunny and hot, then finally the heavens opened and all our leaflets were soaked

But it was fun meeting people and I had a yummy cup cake which cost just 50p .

Then when it was time to jump on my bike to come home I realised we had left the pole for our banner behind so I had to cycle home carrying it. I had to avoid the 'jousting' position for fear of taking out car windows and unaware pedestrians so instead cycled holding it like I was going into battle with a standard :eek:

I'm liking your idea for making stuff as gifts. I went to an amazing open studios yesterday near me, I spent quite a bit on some lovely lovely stuff but also got lots of inspiration.

One person was selling these really cute lavender bags which were felt birds. I think I could do something similar, I've tons of short bits of ribbon where I've cut the annoying tags out of dresses and I don't think felt is expensive. I bet my mum has lavender in her garden and I'm sure I've plenty of buttons and bits to decorate them so this could form part of my plot for a bargainous Christmas ( I like to start early!!!)

I've also seen a guide on the Guardian website (do you check out their craft section?? some cool ideas) for making slippers out of old jeans. I've tons of old jeans cos I wear them out lots and so perhaps this could also be on my Christmas list for folks!!!!

Pippilongstocking

Hey Make up the jousting sounds a bit dangerous - but I'm going to have a peek at the slippers - the lavender birds sound interesting as well......when you get your peedie balcony in your flat you can easily have a decent sized lavender in a pot - it will love the balcony.

beanielou

Slippers sound fab.
Someone once made me a fab handbag out of old jeans.
Lot lot cheaper than a Radley thats for sure!!

makeup

Good thinking Fay, I love lavender - my Nan had lots in her garden and she was always taking cuttings so maybe I could get some from my Mum?? Does it take easily?

Here is the slipper from jeans idea

Beanielou - loving the handbag idea. I think there is probably a really cool way of using up the top bit with the waistband, pockets and all that but it would take a bit of thinking about.

I made a cute denim pinafore dress for my tiny niece a while ago and that was fairly easy and used an old blouse for the lining so that was pretty good in terms of reuse / recycle!

Cheery_Daff

Ooh Make up, those slippers are pretty cool! Sounds like your lavender bags will be good too! Great idea to get started on Christmas already Very wise, I should take note really! (probably won't though, lol!)

I'd love to grow lavender, keep sowing seeds, and it keeps not growing... Might have to resort to just buying a little pot. Stupid thing is, we had a big bush in the garden last year, and I was a bit heavy handed in lopping off the dead bits and killed it...

Oh, and I did laugh about you on your stall! Can I be nosy and ask what your stall was for? (don't have to say, of course!). Sounds very similar to my day Lots of leaflets and newspaper being gusted about - kept imagining headlines saying 'local environmental group litters park' :rotfl:

And I'm still giggling at the thought of you cycling along the road in jousting and standard bearing position :rotfl: How enterprising! Reminds me of cycling home from the plumbers on a tandem with a 9 foot bit of copper pipe strapped to the top tube :rotfl:

Pippilongstocking

Hey cheery - lavender from seed is pretty difficult (I've managed it once - but managed to kill them after I'd germinated them. Cuttings are a bit tricky as well) - buy a peedie plant and replace the one you lopped - they often die after a hard cut back.

You lot put me to shame with all this productivity!!

xx

Karmacat

I'm all excited now - doesn't take much, lol! Those slippers look great, what a brill idea. I bought a bomber jacket a while back made from recycled jeans, black and white check lining, it was gorgeous. I just need to dye the cuffs (which got filthy) and I could wear it again in the autumn. I'm deffo going to go for those slippers in the new place. And its a really good idea to do the Christmas pressies early.

Lavender - my lavender cuttings, which definitely *did* root in water, are all dead tho I've literally *found* a pot hidden in the undergrowth thats doing very nicely thank you - if it survives being moved (because I think its roots have outgrown the pot and gone into the soil) then I'll take that with me instead. Any tips on getting it up, anyone?