Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

camelot1001

Nellie that's brilliant, that would cheer anyone up!

Had a dinner of chicken with home grown potatoes, carrots, green beans and cabbge. Felt good to have grown the dinner. Haven't had a huge crop of anything but loving it all the same.

Managed to get the garden tidied up today at last but it was so hot I had to go in for a while.

Didn't go out today so didn't spend any money!

[Deleted User]

Love the Bear NELLIE how much fun is that? brilliant for small people and big people too if I'm being honest!!! Well done you!!!

silvasava

Love the artwork Nellie - really creative use of oddments!
MrsL - I'm afraid I'm a bit like you in that I've had to make jam from last years Raspberries to make room for this years!! Ds2 & DiL popped in this afternoon for a cuppa. Don't get to see them as often as I'd like as they are both self employed so often working. Gave DDiL a 3lb pack of runner beans that I'd sliced, blanched and frozen. I also made a batch of Chilli for the freezer as we'd run out and did some more beans for the freezer! Tomorrow's weather looks a bit pants so I'll probably do some batch baking -makes the day seem nice & cozy when it's miserable outside. Need to do a trip to the tip to see if I can get a freezer basket to fit my freezer too.

dND

fuddle wrote: »

I have added to my stock cupboard which is a nice feeling. I will seek to get somethings extra every week, namely flour. Must keep on top of that.

Hi fuddle - If you are going to store anything starchy, flour, pasta, rice, pop the packets in the freezer for a week or two first. Then let them defrost and dry properly before storing them in airtight containers (like tup*****re). The dreaded weevils generally come into your house as eggs either in the floury goods or in the glue and cardboard of paper packaging. Freezing will kill any eggs and larvae so you don't get an infestation in the cupboards.

I had them once and it took forever to get rid of them because the chipboard/compressed wood of the kitchen cupboards makes an ideal hiding place for them.

I don't want to panic people but having been there once I thought I'd pass on the tip knowing how hard it is to eliminate them and how easy it is to really reduce the risk. Anyone looking in my freezers would probably think me strange (or should that be even stranger) with all the packets in there:rotfl:

Happy store cupboarding

vulpix

Nellie,lovely cheery artwork,I think you will be having requests from your friends and neighbours.You are talented.

MM&M does show up peoples creative talents,though I have yet to discover mine.There are some beautiful works and ideas on here.

Me n DIY challenged Mr V were putting some shelves up in the airing cupboard the other day.The outer wall is in a very poor state and wouldnt stand drilling so I got him to cut some batons which we attached the shelves to.Not a work of beauty but it is inside a cupboard and just cost the time as we used wood the builders have piled in the garden.
It made me think that MMMing is problem solving really.

We did a carboot,another load of stuff redistributed. about £50 made by me,not sure as I had all the change from last time in the tin and I bought a 50p top,some pansies and a new makeup bag to send to father Christmas for youngest,total £5.50 spent.

Eldest dd says there is at least another carfull in my Mum's front bedroom,as well as yesterdays remains in my shed.I want us to do another one next Sunday as it is a bank holiday weekend and we go to a honeytrap for tourists.trouble is her best friend is leaving to go and work abroad and she wants to go out with her the night before!!!!Son working,youngest not really much help,Mr v works Sundays.If I take it slow I could do it alone.I would get rid of everything too as i sell it at 10 and 20p;)I give stuff to kids too,every one needs more cuddly toys don't they?:rotfl:

FP there is a train from Piccadilly if you fancied a good carboot in the sticks.Prices seem much cheaper than in town to me,not as many dealers.

Today i will sort the carboot remains and bin,charity shop a lot of it.Need to go and choose a toilet and sink and try and sort the stoptap and extension plans,thanks for your suggestions there.Next doors stoptap is in the porch but ours isn't,I suspect it is behind the kitchen cupboards.

Laters Vx

fuddle

Nellie the Viking I adore your garden friends! I do suspect that it won't just be your little nephew that enjoys them when visiting

I decided that I would use up some squishy strawbs yesterday eve and proceeded to make strawb cupcakes. I made butter icing and wished I hadn't. It uses up too much butter and tastes just too sickly for our liking. Strictly glaze icing for us from now on and much more frugal too. Still, cupcakes were gobbled and will be gobbled today, sickly icing or not :cool::rotfl:

The remainder of the strawb pulp went into the yoghurt this morning. The kiddies had that, apples sliced and crumpets for breakfast while I used my wholemeal loaf, added cream cheese and knocked up scrambled egg. Really nice.

Grilled cheese sandwiches on the cards for lunch, by which time there will be yet another bread end which will go in the oven with olive oil to crisp up for supper with some pate. More bread to be proved ready to put in the oven at tea time.

I am going to use up left over boiled potatoes by raosting them for tea, along with carrots and some lamb chops braising in gravy. Another full capacity oven session.

Dreadful weather here today and typical as we need milk. I say need. I have UHT in the cupboard but raining isn't an emergency

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Two more excellent days of our long weekend were completed--we went to the Wightwick estate Saturday. They had kitchen gardens, orchards and nutterys and the house wasn't bad either . It made us feel inspired for the future. Obviously we won't ever have an estate, but some of the dwarf fruit trees and ideas for growing food in a small space was interesting to see. Yesterday we did a woodland walk near Morecombe and then headed to Arnside cove. We had another lovely picnic and then cake and tea in the flask after the walk. Again, we didn't make it to Cannon Hall, but we've put it on the list for later.

Today I'm catching up on washing, tidying the house etc. and both of us are back to work properly as of tomorrow. OH getting ready for pupils and me back to the full time writing stuff. I'd like to make some flapjacks for snacks this week as we don't have much in for OH and he tends to be ravenous when he is at school. Keeps him away from the tuck shop and vending machines;). Might also do some sort of bread. OH is making tea tonight so I'll have to be done and out of the way in time for that. Never get in the way of the person who is cooking is my motto.:D

Update on the fence situation is..well nothing really. We are actually trying to get some of the things you suggested in place Lyn, but it is a slow process and further complicated as the issues are probably several of those you mentioned. Since we aren't relatives and are often the 'injured' party we (rightly) aren't privy to most of the details and yet we appear to be the only people attempting to sort the situation out. We've made some progress and now have a named person to contact but she is still working to get other kinds of services in place and doesn't have much leverage to 'enforce' help.

Vulpix--thanks for the tip. Is the bootsale on every Sunday/what is it called? Our weekends will be busier for the coming month with school starting and football coaching back on and the like, but I may manage a wander over.

On the MMM front--I have a few projects today-one is to attempt to clean the outside of the flask. It has a sort of 'soft touch' coating on it. It isn't this one, or this brand but is similar. It seems to attract all sorts of marks which then don't come off with a simple wash. Any tips?
http://www.tesco.com/direct/kitchen-craft-cwvf500disp-soft-touch-flask-assorted/314-3031.prd

Obviously it is usable either way, but I did think it would be nice if I could smarten it up a bit.

Thistlewhistle

Ran out of washing liquid this morning.
Mum says you can use stardrops for laundry.
I do have a bottle under the kitchen sink.
Does anyone actually do this?
Want to check before I launch myself at the linen basket!

Feeling adventurous!!!

Thistle

mcculloch29

Thistlewhistle wrote: »

Ran out of washing liquid this morning.
Mum says you can use stardrops for laundry.
I do have a bottle under the kitchen sink.
Does anyone actually do this?
Want to check before I launch myself at the linen basket!

Feeling adventurous!!!

Thistle

Yes, I do! I use it for woollens rather than super - expensive specialist wash products, but I have used it for ordinary laundry in emergencies.
Pour it into your liquid laundry dispenser and put it in the drum, it does produce a bit more foam but the machine will cope.

The Crock Pot slow cooker is brilliant - I love it. :j Five stars on Amazon, here are my thoughts.

missyrichards

Nellie_the_Viking wrote: »

:T Very cute.:A