Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

elona

thefrugalflirter

Would it make a muff or maybe a fur collar or trim for a jacket or coat?

Really chuffed with myself as bread is in the breadmaker rather than going out for a loaf (and the rest) a YS chicken is in the oven and cut home grown mint from the garden to put in to boil with potatoes and making cabbage with apple and onion to use up some veg.

We had some kiwi fruit that was languishing along with a couple of pears in the fruit bowl so peeled and sliced them, put into small bowl and it made a healthy snack for me and DD.

Had to smile as DH has always been against getting a tumble drier and I have a terrible time in winter trying to get bedding and towels dry. I have a pulley in the utility room and that works quite well but when all four DDs are home then it can't hold all the washing. Now he has retired and is home helping put out the washing - he now thinks we should consider a tumble drier in the garage

As our house is up for sale and we want to downsize I don't really want to buy stuff so am trying to put off a decision till later in the year.

IrisViolet

Well my bread was rubbish, I can never get it to rise, but cake was successful and will so a few days so in pleased with that!
We needed a new table as ours is far too big for our small house, been and picked one up off a friend today for free! Small square and real wood, looks fab. Also picked up an unused Stargate of MIL so not had to spend there either. I also wantesld something in hallway to hide shoes and wollies etc, was thinking of buying a second hand sideboards when I remembered an unused chest of drawers in garage. Well cleaned up with a lick of ledtover chalk pain they look fab in the hallway and everything is tidy. Despite being absolutely exhausted I feel very positive. If the rest of the year carries on like January we will be laughing, how many people will be stressed because its January, feeling lucky to have found this lovely threas of like minded people.

I_want_a_baby

Iris - I've always struggled with bread, mine has always been really dense.

However the turning point came when I got a kenwood chef.

I add the ingredients, making sure the water is really warm.
Let the kenwood chef knead it for a bit.
Tip into a greased bowl, cover with cling film and let it rise somewhere warm (next to a radiator or fire).
Tip out onto a floured surface and knock air out.
Put into a lightly greased tin and cover again.
Put back somewhere warm.
Preheat oven to 250c
When dough has risen again about double what it was, uncover and put in oven and then turn down to 220c and cook for 25 mins or until the loaf sounds hollow when knocked.

I have never had a nice loaf in a bread maker :-(

IWAB x

good_advice

I often make do with white vinegar and water
wash windows
remove stains
fabric conditioner in washing machine
Viniger and baking soda down the plug holes for cleaning and unblocking.
Viniger and water in spray gun for wiping down surfaces.
Viniger is good for removing biro too!

good_advice

making do and recycling = years ago adult DD was given one Christmas a plastic wall hanging thing for x20 photo's.
When she binned it I saved it and homed it behind the wardrobe for a wile.
Now I have it out and on the wall full of Christmas photo's. Better than in an album tossed in the cupboard unseen.

Photo's were x50 for just 99p postage fee. A boots coupon offer.
The spare photo's I shall use inside b.day cards for family. An extra gift.

mamaninie

Fixed holes in dds leggings and a pair of mine (not their first repair!:rotfl:). I nearly bought new ones in sainsbos last week bit thought, no, let's just stretch these a bit longer........ They are a bit threadbare on the knees so they're only going to cope with so many repairs before their demise is confirmed :rotfl:

Still need to patch 2 pairs of ds's trousers, he goes through knees like you wouldn't believe :eek: when they get unrepairable I cut them off for shorts as he's a skinny thing, makes them last for years!

Oo, meant to say that I use vintage darning mushrooms and egg for my repairs. I bought a 50s sewing box from eBay a few years ago which unexpectedly came with a mushroom and vintage darning yarn amongst other bits and bobs. I'd never really darned before so it inspired me to learn. I've since added another couple of vintage mushrooms and an egg to my collection from charity shops. A while ago I picked up a box of mixed darning yarn from lidl for a few quid that should last me well.

Prinzessilein

Irisviolet....you can 'lighten' your loaf - make it rise more - by adding citric acid to the dough....You CAn use the powdered stuff, but I find adding lemon juice is just as good...for every 500g of flour add a tablespoon of lemon juice as part of the liquid.


This works in a breadmaker too!

cheerfulness4

I was thinking about muffs and furry collars with that white fur, too.

Iris, keep practicing with the bread. It took me a while but I can make a decent loaf now. I still use my breadmaker but sometimes form the dough and bake in the oven if I want a different texture.
I do add chopped olives, mixed herbs and dried onions to my mix and leave that to cook in the breadmaker and that tastes so amazing and seems to work better in there than a plain loaf.

I've had my own disaster here today. Got carried away and forgot the time so was dashing to get that Chinese Beef ready for the slowcooker. Asked someone to pass the slowcooker off the top of the microwave and looked in horror as I saw him dragging the wire over my teacup I keep the garlic in but couldn't get any words out. It crashed to the floor.
Now its got no handle and it was a messy break. Pieces missing, under the cooker I should think and splintering.


I guess I could still use it if I file the sharpness off that stump left on the righthand side. It is only for garlic after all. I use the saucer as a spoon rest.
The irritating thing is that I didn't even use the slowcooker in the end as I thought it too late to cook in there after all.

Freezer inventory all done. Plenty left in there to keep us going for a bit. Didn't get the cupboards done though as mum rang and we chit chatted for an hour, so that's her fault then.

I need somewhere to get a free ecard from. Call me romantic but its for my anniversary. We chose to spend the cards money on a small treat instead (I got a lovely makeup mag for storing my new nail varnishes he bought me )
I haven't sent an ecard for years. I'm out of touch. I hope they still do them. :cool:

cheerfulness4

Prinzessilein wrote: »

Irisviolet....you can 'lighten' your loaf - make it rise more - by adding citric acid to the dough....You CAn use the powdered stuff, but I find adding lemon juice is just as good...for every 500g of flour add a tablespoon of lemon juice as part of the liquid.


This works in a breadmaker too!

I never knew that! I must have a go.

I'd love a vintage darning mushroom. They can be really expensive to buy on ebay. :eek:
Mum had one but when I asked her she said she thinks she got rid of it as she didn't think anyone would want it. :(

I_want_a_baby

Would anyone be interested in 16 cross stitch kits? Most of them are the free kris that came with magazines but I don't have the charts for them. A few have charts. There are kits to make felt cross stitch baubles, a reindeer cake band, gift tags, bookmarks, a needle book, cards, even a frame with magnet. All the kits are new and contain the aida, thread, needle, and any material/buttons/ extras needed.

I'm sure someone could follow the picture on the front of the kits or use the kits to stitch their own patterns on? I just know I'm not going to use them. Could either collect or possibly pay for postage and I'll post them? Just an idea as I know some of you are very clever with crafts and could make lots of gifts out of them.

IWAB x