Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Siebrie

The only thing the government does not subsidize (yet) is electric bicycles! There is government discussion on that, and I really hope they will start subsidizing next year.

Enough off-thread. Today, I minimised the kids' artworks. Too many were on display, and the bins are emptied tomorrow; 1+1=2!

fuddle

Tax and company car is a bone of contention in this house. DH's tax on his company VW Passat is calculated with regard to the emissions... so, I suspect the tax bill will increase in due course.

Hair cutting. I have cut my own hair and my children's for the past 6 years. I have a short graduated bob which I do by clamping my hair in a specially designed for the job piece of kit (a couple of £ ebay from overseas) and then using DH's hair shears I run it along the bottom. Off it's chopped. I then trim up the sides using techniques learned from you tube. I have perfected it now and aside from trained hairdressers, I doubt anyone would know.

Floss

Fuddle we too are expecting DH's VW Golf tax to increase at some point, it will get "fixed" when it is serviced in the New Year. Tbh, his tax bill isn't yet sorted from changing jobs 12 months ago, and having 2 hired & 1 pool car before his ordered Golf arrived (including a 4wd Mini 5-door, and a bright blue Mini Cooper) so hopefully the adjusted emissions figures might give us a definite figure each month!

GreyQueen

My attitude to hairdressers is yes, it's a skilled job but I know my own hair better than a stranger will. And I have had some very ropy haircuts from professionals. The one I had at the start of this year was so bad I actually asked the lass how long she'd been cutting hair (6 years, apparently). It was the final straw which motivated me to strike out on my own.

Gordon Bennett, if you can't do a simple cut on thick hair without leaving scissor marks all over it, you shouldn't be charging for your services. I have very thick hair (as in thick strands and a lot of it) and it grows in certain directions and will not be swayed by mere hairstyling to differ. I've worked out a simple cut which suits me and get Mum to buzz up the back with the electic clippers and cut the rest myself with thinning scissors.

I'm arty and can sculpt, and treat my barnet like topiary and it works really well. Plus the silver lowlighting looks like an expensive salon job whereas it's just benign neglect of colouring on my part.:p

Been busy at work dealing and have come home to hustle up a random supper from whatever I can find in the fridge. I've also spotted some mending on a mightshirt drying on the clothes airer, where the seam has come undone for about an inch. Not worth tooling up the machine for that, will do it by hand, shortly. There's a bit of sock darning to do, but I prefer to do that under natural light, so won't be tonight.

I'm continuing to make the charity blanket from the donated yarn and thoroughly enjoying the colours. Onwards and outwards, my lovelies.

karren

Well I've sat and read this entire thread when on hols in Cornwall in night, as ive go time
Well i make do an awful lot,
I've vowed this year to minimise and declutter and slowly getting there,
Your a lovely bunch and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this,
I've noted some if the recipies and from a fellow cat lover I'd like to extend my sympathy to the lady that lost her cat recently, I brought ours on hols as couldn't bear him going in kennels, and saved the kennel fees too.
I've started to cut own hair and refuse to dye any longer and its paid off as my curls are back after years of straighteners and I've never felt better about it,
So thanks to everyone sharing your stories and tips

meritaten

well, I finished the toy I was knitting for Ava (Flop, the Mark 2 version). I am so pleased with it! I will photograph it tomorrow (I know from experience that the lighting in here tonight will bu99er up any picture) and post it tomorrow. Flop Mark 1 isn't going in the bin or even getting undone......one of the grandtwins spotted it and fell in love..........and named it Peanut (cos that's what it looks like!!!!!!!!!!). I had no intention of posting a pic of it anyway!

and I was going through my wool stash and found some blue fancy yarn which would make a lovely 'Woolly' (from Woolly and Tig on Cbeebies, another of Ava's fave shows) and of COURSE I have blue, red and yellow DK! so that will cost nothing, but I will have to make the pattern up myself I think.

nursemaggie

meritaten once you have done a few cuddly toys you get to know how they as basically made up and it becomes very easy to make up your own toys.

I got used to making a basic doll and then ended up making hundreds of different dolls to order. Jean Greenhowe patterns were very useful. The first pattern I ever had was her Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I made the basic doll for the dwarfs and dressed them for whatever anyone wanted. When my DD was a Girl Guide I made them for funds. Brownies were the most popular but most characters from programs for small children were copierable. The colours being right was the most important.

vulpix

Hello all,welcome Karren.

I am pottering a bit more now and am doing a bit of cooking which I am enjoying the taste of.I have missed homemade coleslaw so much!

Went to a curry n quiz last night with Mr V,brother and SIL.We won.Well I never,didn't expect that.The prize was 4 bottles of wine,none of us drink so will have them in to regift or donate to tombolas etc.

I cut the kids hair and still do the girls,they both have long hair which I trim.My son has shaved his head for a couple of years now.I didn't like it at first but it's ok now his head has weathered!

I have a couple of small hand sewing jobs to do,a stitch in time and all that.I have used up a lot of preused xmas paper wrapping gifts whilst DD2 is staying at her relatives.Every few years I have a pre used paper year.

You knitters are clever,I can knit but am better at sewing.I am doing a little on a Christmas cross stitch every day and must start some birds for the craft clubs tree in the Christmas tree festival.All this talk of knitting is making me want to do some,will look for a pattern.

Vx

camelot1001

I have some mending to report - the front door curtain shrunk in the wash so I have removed the lining and shortened them to fit the hall window. The linings can be sewn in the new door curtains when they have been taken up. Feeling quite pleased with myself for once.

I also sewed on a button and put a stitch in both sides of the front of a top I like, it has a round neck with buttons on but it turns itself in so hopefully it will look better now.

Love hearing of all your MMM, I made do with what was in the fridge for tea and minimised by putting up a light shade I have had for 18 months, the landing has now been painted so put it up tonight, the cupboard under the stairs is now free of one more thing!

silvasava

Morning all - miserable day here so going to finish off the Halloween costumes. I'm using an old sheet for DH Pirate shirt & have decluttered umpteen spare pillowcases from the airing cupboard at the same time.
Welcome to the club Karen - hope to see you posting
Not seen vhalla for a while - I know she's busy but hope all is OK.
Have a good day all x