Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

He he he GQ - its all in the name isn't it!!! you did make me laugh! :rotfl:

It was once my best friend's 60th Birthday and so I got her 60 presents - which included the box it went in! some were from second hand shops and some were new - everyone thought it was a brilliant gift and my friend (now 75) remembers it well and still uses some of the things

I dont mind second hand gifts or very cheap ones - so long as there is some evidence that the person gifting to me has thought of me, as a person. So my son DS1, one skint Mother's day, painted me a picture of his dog and and me from a photo he had. I cannot tell you how I treasure it. DS2 has gifted me much of the art he has made over the years including some glass casting which catches the light beautifully and differently all day long. I am not that artisitic but once posted my Mum a couple of chocolate discs of shortbread iced with 'Happy Birthday Mum' on as I was broke - she remembered that present more than others

Its the thought that counts!!

Siebrie - what a marathon mending spree! Wow well done - um - you dont fancy coming round here and starting do you?
Nite all

[Deleted User]

One very broke Christmas when my late OH was out of work(1983) he had just come home from his contract work in Africa and there was a recession on, we told the girls that this Christmas was going to be a bit lean so present wise we all had a fiver each to spend on presents for each other .We all had to buy as many small items as possible for the fiver and wrap and hang them on the tree.My youngest DD one of her present s to me was a thin needle like object for skewering into a cake to see if it was done enough.She said Mum you are always baking and haven't got one of these (true, I used a very thin knitting needle) To this day I still use it and every time I do it reminds me of our hard-up Christmas.Our tree was loaded down with umpteen small items my eldest DD individually wrapped in paper some bath cubes for each of us and they both knitted and made things.My eldest cross stitched a small piece of aida with 'MY Dad the best in the world' on it and he kept it in his wallet for the rest of his life.I had 'My Mum maker of beautiful Rock cakes' which I still have put away in my memory box.We had one of the best years ever and spent very little but it didn't bother us at all.Its definitely the thought that counts not the price of it.I usually try to think during the year what present would match with what person.But to me just splashing the cash isn't whats important. I'm sure we all have things made for us by our children which are far more precious than any amount of expensive stuff.I have an album of things made for me by my grandchildren err... several years ago when I hit the big 60 and in it they had wrtten poems and things they thought of when they thought/saw me.One of them put 'My Granny is always there when I come out of school, and always gives me a hug, no matter if I haven't been very good at school.'
This little boy is 25 next month and I still give him a hug when I see him and say 'Have you been a good boy at work ' :):) he towers over me now at just under 6ft and picks me up and whirls me around laughing like a drain bless him :):):)
Being a Granny is just the best thing in the world at moments like this

candlelight_2013

It is, isn't it Jackie.

Last year, on my birthday, DGD1 gave me a card which "Nan, thank you for always being there for us". I was so touched by that.

They have had such a difficult time with their father, he hasn't spoken to DGD1 for 7 years and DGD2 for 2 years. Once they have opinions he isn't interested because it might be different to his (and he is always right).

We have played such a big part in their upbringing, thankfully, and obviously they appreciate it. They know we never judge them, but would always tell them if we thought something was not right.

Candlelightx

Siebrie

Lynplatinum wrote: »

Siebrie - what a marathon mending spree! Wow well done - um - you dont fancy coming round here and starting do you?

It took me all of exactly ONE hour to fix all of that. Why-oh-why did it take me six months to get to that point?

meritaten

That's the trouble with procrastination Siebrie, it takes up sooooo much time! lol - I bet that sewing machine will hardly have the cover on now!

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Where has today gone!!!!????????????? So many little bits to do and I keep on getting distracted by another little job - not that they too dont need doing but that doesnt get the ones that I intended to do done!! Serbie - I too have the procrastination gene as my Mum used to say 'Footprints in the sands of time are not made by sitting down!' However, it has to be said that my B u m makes a bigger impression! :rotfl:

Jackie O - my son does have a habit of picking me up and whirling me around!! He's coming home to help with house renovations and I know I will get bear huged :j

Candlelight - Im not a grannie yet but I love my grandpuppy to bits and he loves staying with his Nan!! They have to spell out my name because he goes crazy sitting in the window looking for me

Making do today - eating up bits from the defrosted freezer!
Minmising more bushes and rubbish from the fridge and house!! Where has it all come from???
Mending - well - have a new fridge freezer!! Just able to put stuff into it - so my mending life consists of getting all the really needed contents tidied back into the fridge freezer!
Off to make flapjacks which my boy loves
Nite all

[Deleted User]

Had a great day out at Dover castle today with DD and the boys.Tonight I did what I had been meaning to do for ages.
I have a blue Cotton Traders fleece that is lovely and warm but one of the sleeves I have been meaning to snip the elasticated cuff on the right arm for ages as I have Lymphedema in my right arm so any restriction means it gets very uncomfortable and my hand and arm swell quite a bit
It took me about 5 minutes to cut through the elastic bit and restitch the fleece bit on the cuff and now I will be able to wear it without my arm,hand and fingers looking like sausages :):)One of those job that I kept forgetting to do as I don't wear this fleece that often(I will now though ) :) Not so much mend, as adjust it for more usage :)
Didn't spend any cash though as my English Heritage ticket gets us all in the castle for free and we took a picnic and a flask of coffee.
Will have to lever my food purse open tomorrow though as I am running short of fresh fruit and veg and a few essentials, still it will only be the second time I have gone food shopping this month :):) as I have been using stuff up from the cupboards and freezer so lots of making do this month
Onwards and upwards :):)

Siebrie

I have mended my necklace. One of the three strands had come undone, but I managed to prize open the part at the lock where the metal strand attaches, and it seems to hold.

I have made do with my office clothes. They were getting a bit tired, so I've redyed the black items black (one pack of Dylon will do for sprucing up the entire faded wardrobe). Then, last week, a friend visited us and told us she had decided to quit corporate life, and brought a bag full of corporate clothes for me! I now have 5 skirts, 2 blouses, 3 waistcoats, and 1 jacket! Hurray! No shopping, and nearly-new clothes!

The minimising bit is a bit out of the ordinary: we minimised our cars & costs. We owned 2 cars, and then my husband made a promotion which came with a company car. Even insurance and fuel are paid by the employer, and we don't pay a penny. We sold our Renault Kangoo, which was 13 years old, ran on petrol at 36mpg, and had 100,000 miles on the meter. It was a gift from my parents 3 years ago, when they bought a new-to-them car. We managed to sell for GBP 1,000! I now drive our Renault Clio Grandtour to work, which is a diesel and does 66mpg. The difference is huge! After the first month, we have already not-spent GBP 180 on cars!

Rainy-Days

Loaded up a few bits and pieces onto eBay and one of the items was sold within hours. I had used a small amount of this perfume and put it on at a reasonable price and it went this morning. So, I am very happy with that. I had a feeling it would sell and hopefully the other bits will go now as well.

I want some stuff gone before Christmas. I just feel this time of year is good for selling things on eBay and I have been able to go through my bits and pieces to see what i have and what I don't want.

Result of that is that there is hardly anything at all that I need to buy. Very happy with that and gives me quite a content feeling.

I do not ever get sniffy about second hand stuff. Some of my Emma Bridgewater items I sell on eBay goes for reasonable money and some of it is a few years old. I am sure some of this ends up as presents as well - especially this time of year.

Thing is over the years the amount of people I buy for and also who buy for me has been radically cut down so the 'pool' is getting smaller and as a result of that it means that I just get what i want when I need it.

Siebrie

I cut my own curly hair yesterday morning. I put all the hair in a ponytail right at the top of my head, then cut off the tips. Head full of bouncy curls today!