Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

cheerfulness4

Oh dear, Viv, I'm sorry for the Sewing Bee spoiler. Didn't think. If you do see it on catch up you might well have a laugh. I thought two of the dresses made over the episode looked like lampshades but Patrick seemed to really like them.:undecided

I'm another that loves an evening jigsawing. Mum and I swap around a lot so we've something new. Always when I'm feeling poorly do I reach for a jigsaw to do while I sit in my pj's ordering the lads around with my jobs.

My knitting is out but not one stitch done yet. I keep getting distracted. I've got gloves that need mending this evening really but I'm not sure if my eyes are good enough to sew in this light. I must get some varifocal glasses now, I think. Or is it bifocal, I don't really know the difference.

Must add my receipts up to post my spends. I think I might have gone over my grocery spend for today a little but I'd already assessed my non-foods budget and know I will have some spare in there as I have nothing we will need other than loo roll for the last few days of the month. I shall snaffle some out of there as the month goes on if I see good YS bargains.

I'm so enjoying Gardeners World tonight. Monty's reminded me that my sweet peas are on the side waiting to be sown. He doesn't chit or soak so neither will I. I've been breaking rules with much success the last few years.

Rainy-Days

Last Sunday afternoon I sat in the conservatory (it was a beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon up here) and mended two jumpers and a pair of jeans. I had a cup of tea on the go and I thoroughly loved it. First time this year that I had been able to sit out there enjoying the warmth and looking out over the garden.

I am going to have another go through the wardrobes again, maybe on Sunday see what else can be dispensed with.

Wannabgood

silvasava wrote: »

Not a good morning so far not lost anything this week on 5:2 and I have not pigged out on the other days so hoping it will drop next week. Woke up at 7 with my car alarm going off - my neighbour rang to say it had been going off during the night - we sleep at the back of the house so we didn't hear it so will apologise to all the other neighbours who were affected. Its been going 'wobbly' for a few weeks & I've been locking it manually but its obviously decided it doesn't like that either so I'll have to make a garage appointment - grrr. Local garage is very good & reasonable but its still money I dont want to spend.
Grey day here so will be batch baking & doing some more sewing.
Have a good day all

Chances are your car battery is failing. Try getting it checked and replaced before it goes completely otherwise it might cost more with sorting out your alarm.

misstara

Morning ladies,

I did half of the mending on Thursday and will do the rest today before I go to work later on. I also must tackle the ironing pile, it's beginning to take over the living room.

Some of the towels I've got are very tatty so am planning to cut up the really bad ones for cloths. My mum gave me some towels when I was last home so will get them out to replace.

I've got quite a few mushrooms in the fridge which I don't think I'll manage to use up before they go iffy so I'm going to attempt mushroom soup. I've never made it before (my usual soups are lentil, leek and tattie or chicken) but will give it a go.

Hope everyone has a good Saturday

GreyQueen

Morning all.

I cut up my old towels for cleaning cloths as well, misstara. I halve hand towels and quarter bath towels. One thing you do need to do is to hem the sides which haven't got the selvedge or they fray like beggary all over the wash.

This morning I am baking the bread rolls which I made too late yesterday evening for them to have risen enough to bake before bedtime. Or my bedtime, anyroad, as I was pooped and in my bed by 9.40 pm. Smelling lush, home made bread feels like such a luxury.

Plans post-brekkie are to saddle the pushbike and head out into the burbs where my little slice of heaven (aka the allotment) lurks. Have had a brainwave about the planting plan and will be putting in the broad beans and red onions. I sow some broad beans in October to overwinter and these are presently about 10 inches tall, and others in March. The autumn ones will crop about a month earlier than the spring ones.

I also plan to bring down some more of the red onions I grew last year which are stored in the lottie shed, and harvest some leeks. Don't plan to equal the 4.5 hours I was there yesterday for several reasons; weather isn't so good today, I can barely move certain muscles and I have a few other things I want to do, also.

Will probably add the final layer to a candle I'm making with the last bit of wax. It's was recovered from an injured old candle someone gave me so, apart from the wick, is something for virtually nothing.

Keep a-thriftin', lovely peeps.

silvasava

misstara One Mushroom Soup recipe coming up

1oz Butter
1oz Flour
1/2 pint chicken stock (can use cubes)
1/2 pint milk
4oz Mushrooms
Salt & Pepper

Chop mushrooms finely - put all ingredients in a saucepan & bring to the boil stirring continuously.
I use cornflour instead of flour & whizz it with the stick blender after. Works better with 'old' mushrooms and freezes well.

[Deleted User]

silvasava thanks for the mushroom recipe as I too have some past their best m'rooms to use up and I will do it this morning and once cold will freeze in soup bags.
mrssnowy any chance of the pattern for the fingerless gloves knitted on two needles pretty please :):) I seem to have a small bag of oddments of wool that could be used up this way
I too will be soup making this morning as I have carrots lentils and sweet potatos to use to make a big batch for next weeks lunches
NSD for me today as I am hanging on to my pennies like grim death and aim to use up a few more of my over-full cupboards instead of filling them up with even more stuff
Have a good day chums

JackieO xxx

Hard_Up_Hester

Busy weekend ahead here, no DGC visiting but I have 6 paid for sewing jobs to do & 3 freebies for friends & family. I will be listing some stuff on ebay too, some clothes a friend no longer wants.
Viv, your stencils went off a bit late but I was having a rummage & added some bits from my sewing room that I hope will be useful.
Hester

Prinzessilein

Morning!


Just time for a quick 'Good Morning'...one of my sisters is coming up to spend the day.


I have framed jigsaws in the past...I no longer do that...firstly because there is no space left to display them! (I frame my embroidery and have that on the walls)...but also, I have been lucky enough to be given a couple of Wentworth jigsaws...they are so beautiful and I love the 'Whimsy' shapes! I really enjoy making these once a year or so , then back in the box they go until I feel like making the picture again!


I'm another who keeps old towels as cleaning rags! Blanket-stitch round the edge to stop fraying and they're good to go. In the past I have taken a pretty but rather faded tea cloth and embroidered over the fading floral pattern in bright bold colours, then I had Mum crochet a lace border (I am competent at knitting but my crochet is very basic!) and lo and behold - a charming tray cloth! (Just remember - if you are doing this - ALWAYS make sure your embroidery yarn is 'fast'.)


Smoothies....was it Kittym who wants to use them up?....it depends on what is in them...most will freeze well if you want to try that...but if it is 'using up; you want.....how about using some of them, mixed with milk and heated with cornflour then chilled to set for a sort of blancmange pudding?.....there is a German pudding we make called Rote Gruetze (Red Grits) where you mix cooked fruits with groats/grits - although these days we use semolina! - to every litre of fruit use between 20g and 60g of semolina depending on how firm a pudding you want......I feel sure you could make icelollies from smoothies...and would also consider adding it to cream and sugar and attempting icecream!


Have a good day all!

vhalla1478

Morning All,

Just a 'quickie' as my friend is still here and is likely to be for a couple more days. Lovely reading your posts; will do a catch up properly when I'm on my own and reply to all. Thanks for the message, Hester, that's no problem and I'll be looking at the rest of your things with interest. Cheerfulness, just as well you told me about Matt - not such a shock; I still think Neil has a great body!! Oops is it his sewing I'm supposed to be looking at?

Love Viv xx