Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

GreyQueen

fuddle wrote: »

Hey GQ I am now shuddering at the thought of darning with cotton :eek:

Piece of cake. Doubled thread, tho.

Bubblesmum

vhalla1478 wrote: »

Hi again,

Yes, that was my recipe, Bubblesmum; thrilled to know they seem to be going down well. I'll dig a few more out after the weekend, DB is coming tomorrow and I'm having a good blitz in the kitchen and pantry today - I've even sorted out all my spices/pickles/sauces/vinegars etc - my, what an exciting life!!:beer:

Viv xx

I've sorted my spices too.... Gives so much satisfaction

vhalla1478

I know - isn't it weird/strange/sad?:j

Viv xx

vulpix

Thank you all for your kind wishes about the op.

What interesting things have been dug up.When I lived on Orchard Road I dug up a broach,I think it is silver and gold with Jet in the centre.I imagine some Victorian lady upset to find she had lost it after a walk in the orchard.

I have been to a craft group today.Spent the morning in a warm ,quiet room without a thick layer of black grit! I have been cold at home as the workmen have all the doors open.No point in cleaning up too much as they haven't finished yet.Walls need plastering,cloakroom fitting,electrician and joiner to do stuff,loft insulation laying,loft boards putting down then shelves putting up in Mr V's eerie aka loft studio.Another week and we will have peace for a while until the hall,front door change and then the big one of knocking big walls down in the kitchen.

For my part I need to cut a lot of scrap wood which has been generated and store it in the shed and strip and revarnish the new front door.

Vx

camelot1001

vulpix - You could be me! I am now coming out of the building work, apart from a few snags the builders have gone, I now have the hard work of painting everything and clearing up the dust. Thought I was getting somewhere but sanded the stairs the other day!

I have primed all the woodwork upstairs this evening, my project for the next few weeks is to do at least an hour a day getting it all finished. I have decided to re-paint the downstairs bathroom, the painter did a great job but I just don't like the colour, it's too dark and doesn't show off the tiles as it should. Will go and get paint in the morning and try to get it done before Tuesday as the builder is coming to finish off and put up a mirror, towel rail and the huge time clock that has been lurking around the house since we moved here!

I got a bag full of runner beans from the hospice yesterday for a donation and have blanched them and put them in the freezer, although I did have some in the stir fry earlier.

My previous house was a smithy and there were all sorts of treasures in the garden, lots of old bottles and pots, 3 large stone troughs and lots and lots of old shoes. I guess the blacksmith repaired everything.

I've some summer trousers in the mending - the decorative buttons on the back pockets have come off so I will sew them on ready for next year and I have a lovely pair of short pjs that I got from primani for £3 but the buttons come undone during the night! I'm thinking of machining right the way down the front. Any other ideas?

Lynplatinum

Evening all

Iamsalt - yep definite Red Dwarf joke!!! whisper it quietly I am a massive Sci Fi geek so often my jokes tend that way! Unless you are also a fan folk dont always get my jokes!! I turned both my boys into Sci Fi geeks too and often folk will not understand whole swathes of our conversation!! Luckily I have a few friends of the same ilk - we go to comicon when we can afford it (but I havent dressed up - yet!)

Today went to the bank - they ve got these new 'put your own money in' machines - kinda like self serve @ supermarkets. Thus far they seem to work well but I think the touch screen is not sensitive enough. Bank account getting there after recent hammering by tax man and tenant repairs but as always - NOT FAST ENOUGH! Then went to L!dily - spent £11. way over budget but have not been there for 2 weeks and needed things like t-bags (120 for £2ish) and chicken breast(£3.45 for 4) which sent it over. Will swap budgets. i.e. allocate £10 this week to food etc and £5 for entertainment/happy stash (Hope you dont mind Jackie O but am gonna nick your phrase because I can then include things like the pesto and goats cheese thingy I treated myself to (yes i know wheat - a moment of weakness and at 50 somat pence not good for budget either!) Onwards and upwards tho!!! I can take my own coffee mid week - and still have enough for a 1/2 pint when we have our mtg in a pub later this week (use the 'I am driving ' excuse but it is also true!! gotta be careful!)

BTW v proud of L!dil for offering to pay 'living wage' while there is some argument as to exactly what that is - at least L are trying - and are the first big firm to have the finger on the pulse of public opinion - just hope now that the bosses take a pay cut (if their footfall does not increase) rather than prices go up!!????

So much to do here I really dont need to go out anywhere!! Tho I make myself stop working @9 - 9.30 pm or I will make myself ill!
Minimised the flippin Ivy that is eating all of my pretty shrubs where it comes over from next door - as a result shoulders and hands are arthritcally aching Spent an hour on it and only made a small indent really! Off to bed soon with elephant (the wheat bag -see previous posts otherwise you'll think Ive finally cracked!) for my poor aching hands and back @ it again tomorrow!
Nite all!

mcculloch29

I smiled a little at Lidl paying a 'living wage', Aldi have always paid way over a living wage. The post -probationary rate is around £10 an hour. However the staff work like fury to earn it, at least they do in our local Aldis.
Apparently a lot of new recruits under 25 leave after a few weeks as they don't like the perception that they must work hard for their money.

A spare sieve was rehomed today, to a friend who needed one for baking. I've had quite a few items in to review, being choosy about what I get though. I'm not allowed to give away what Amazon send me directly to review, though I can, and do, give away a lot of what manufacturers/sellers send me.

GreyQueen

vhalla1478 wrote: »

I know - isn't it weird/strange/sad?:j

Viv xx

Hands up to being a saddo, I love sorting and decluttering. Or just putting things in containers and putting labels on them. Must be a sad control freak.

I also like darning. It's just like embroidery- but useful.:rotfl:

Will be going out for the next several hours to a friend then, if it ever stops raining, to my allotment. Heaven knows what's been going on there as I haven't seen it in 7 days. Probably turned into a rice paddy with submarine-sized courgettes swimming in it.

iamsalt

Morning all.

Oh off to the footie, so I am on a mission to do jobs this morning so I can relax with my sewing later. Into town for food (my fiirst shop this month other than fresh bits)then library to get some books out, bank to pay drama money in, Holland barrrreett to use up a voucher, tip with some green waste from the garden as I forgot to put my green bin out yesterday, and pop into my mums to dig up some potatoes. Sorry for the list but it helps me remember to take my paper list with me.

I am impressed by the liVing wage and it will be interesting to see the impact that it has on society .

Right better get on. Sun is peeping out from behind the clouds so I might risk a wash today and try to get it on the line

Sarah x

janb5

mcculloch29 wrote: »

I smiled a little at Lidl paying a 'living wage', Aldi have always paid way over a living wage. The post -probationary rate is around £10 an hour. However the staff work like fury to earn it, at least they do in our local Aldis.
Apparently a lot of new recruits under 25 leave after a few weeks as they don't like the perception that they must work hard for their money.

A spare sieve was rehomed today, to a friend who needed one for baking. I've had quite a few items in to review, being choosy about what I get though. I'm not allowed to give away what Amazon send me directly to review, though I can, and do, give away a lot of what manufacturers/sellers send me.

Hi- would you mind telling us how you review products for Amazon? Do you have to apply?