Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

silvasava

Another thank you for the carpet tip Lyn - I have a couple of small stains where my cat decided to be sick on the pale carpet in the spare bedroom. I have managed to get most of the stain out but it could be better so I'll be trying that out today
DH & I drove to Essex on Saturday to overnight at my Aunts. They were having a small firework party with the family & we don't get to see them very often so it was lovely to catch up. No MMMing done at all although I did help Uncle sort her clothes and shoes out (Aunt in wheelchair now - 2 strokes & dementia) & came home with 6 cartons to share between various friends and charities. He didn't want her things to go to local charities in case he saw a stranger wearing something of hers. I think it's a job that's going to take me quite a few weeks & I've promised to keep him updated. So sad as they had such a good life together and now he is her full time carer & most of the time she doesn't recognise him. So today I'll get a start on sorting and putting things through the washer to freshen up.
Have a good day all x

Siebrie

We've maximised on family time! My parents were at our place for half term last week the whole week, and they and my dds had a great time.

They also brought 2 bags full of St Nicolas gifts, for celebration on 5 December. The bags are hidden in the attic now. On the evening of 5 December we will pretend St Nicolas has left the gifts on our doorstep, turn on Skype for my parents to join virtually, and open all the gifts one by one, taking turns. My parents also have a few gifts to open. It'll be like they join us :dance: (I think this falls under 'make do', and I like it).

Lynplatinum

Evening all

It is so nice to hear folks tales of getting together with families. :cool:

Much quieter here as I drove son and loads of his stuff home yesterday! Today have been using up stuff so Making Do - lunch was HM quiche and salad and tea was aubergine and fresh tomatoes sauted with half a leek and garlic and rice (and there is enough for tomorrow as well
Mending - got most of the plaster off the carpet where it had missed the cover!
Minimising - threw out yet more study books and some vhs tapes related to the ou course I did years ago!

So much to do to decorate now!

BTW - am thinking of making berry vodkas to go towards Christmas - if i do it this week do folk think it will be in time?
Cheers for any advice.
Nite all!!

[Deleted User]

Yay all of DGS Henry's blankey squares are done and sewn together all 45 of them :):) this weekend I will be knitting round the edges to finish it off,so it will be wrapped and put away to go under the Christmas tree for him.I bought the wool when I was on holiday in August but also had a big single blanket that I made for DD first as her office gets a bit chilly at times in the winter and she said she can tuck it around her knees to keep warm :):).My next knitting project will be a chair cover for the small armchair in my bedroom ,at the moment there is just a throw over it and I want to make one to match the carpet and decor I have the wool that I bought to do it on holiday so no need to buy any more.
Have a good MMM day chums whatever you are doing
JackieO xxx

Nargleblast

Lynplatinum - Christmas is six weeks away so you have plenty of time to do flavoured vodkas. Remember to shake them every now and then to help the sugar dissolve, and when you bottle it, pass it through a sieve lined with cloth (muslin or hankie or clean teatowel) so as not to let any fruit pulp get in the bottle which would eventually spoil the drink.

I've just bottled some redcurrant vodka, good stuff, could probably run my car on it!

sashanut

Nargleblast wrote: »

I've just bottled some redcurrant vodka, good stuff, could probably run my car on it!

Have you a recipe please Nargleblast?? I have loads of redcurrants this year :rotfl:

Nargleblast

I used frozen redcurrants from those packs of summer fruits you buy. I would think it would work ok with fresh fruit, the recipe I use for fresh fruit versions is for every pound weight of fruit you add half a pound of sugar and a pint of spirit.

If you are metricated, you would use about 500gms fruit with 250mgs sugar and 500mls spirit.

Put it all in a Kilner or similar jar, give it a good shake and store in a cool place for at least three weeks, the longer the better. Every day, or every time you pass it, give it a little shake. The sugar initially settles at the bottom, but after a while the regular shaking helps the sugar dissolve.

When ready to bottle, make sure your bottles are sterilised. I do this by putting water in them and microwaving till the water boils, then using the water to rinse the bottle tops. Pour the fruit mixture through a sieve that is lined with a clean cloth (muslin, hankie, teatowel, anything cottony) into a jug then use to fill bottles. Seal and label.You can use the fruit up in desserts, for those who like alcoholic confections!

sashanut

Nargleblast wrote: »

I used frozen redcurrants from those packs of summer fruits you buy. I would think it would work ok with fresh fruit, the recipe I use for fresh fruit versions is for every pound weight of fruit you add half a pound of sugar and a pint of spirit.

If you are metricated, you would use about 500gms fruit with 250mgs sugar and 500mls spirit.

Put it all in a Kilner or similar jar, give it a good shake and store in a cool place for at least three weeks, the longer the better. Every day, or every time you pass it, give it a little shake. The sugar initially settles at the bottom, but after a while the regular shaking helps the sugar dissolve.

When ready to bottle, make sure your bottles are sterilised. I do this by putting water in them and microwaving till the water boils, then using the water to rinse the bottle tops. Pour the fruit mixture through a sieve that is lined with a clean cloth (muslin, hankie, teatowel, anything cottony) into a jug then use to fill bottles. Seal and label.You can use the fruit up in desserts, for those who like alcoholic confections!

Thanks a million for this Nargleblast ... I should have said, my redcurrants are now frozen, lots of bags of them in the freezer because I couldn't bear to waste them, but couldn't think what to do with them all :rotfl:ps I am pretty much still in pounds LOL, so what weight of frozen please?

Lynplatinum

Thanks Nargleblast! Have made fruit vodka before but only when in season so by Christmas it was well and truely ready to drink LOL

Today has been taking a load of wallpaper/plaster up the tip (we thought we could pull off the wall paper alone but no! The previous bright spark owners had put a cement skim over 1886 plaster - which had turned to sand - and then wallpaper - GROAN) + old microwave which had given up the ghost and was making horrid smells and sparking!!! EEEEK
So therefore minimising!!
Making do was more quiche that was left over and j Pot for tea. Started to think that I might need to go shopping as am almost out of salad but then remembered Italian Salad (as we used to call it). So it is broccoli lightly cooked with lettuce and olives in a lemon vinegrette. I had broccoli ! Behold a making do!! ergo an NSD food wise for me today.

However, new microwave arrived from club book - they had sent me a £25 vouch off any spend over £50. New microwave in their on line brochure £59. 59 - 25 = 34. So I got a new microwave for £34! Result!! :-)

No mending today too busy spotting plaster dust bits that I'd missed + doing washing and going to the bank!!
Frugaling on with as many NSD as poss till end of month!
Nite all

Nargleblast

sashanut with your frozen fruit, I think if you weigh the fruit then add half that weight in sugar, then cover with vodka, you should get a good result. I got a good result with the fruit still frozen, I figured the juice is mainly water anyway, so frozen fruit thawing in vodka shouldn't be a problem. My next door neighbour says the finished product is brilliant anyway!

So, the choice is to thaw or not to thaw if you use frozen fruit? You could do two different batches and see which turns out the best. Either way, it's the weight of the fruit plus half that weight in sugar then cover with your chosen spirit.