Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

vhalla1478

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're preparing for the bad weather that is due to hit us this weekend, if, of course, it's not already with you.

NurseMaggie, so sympathetic about the delays over your move - moving is stressful enough without it - for what it's worth, I'm sure we are all thinking of you and crossing fingers and toes that you have a happy resolution soon.

Lynn, the answer to how long you can keep them is that I don't know! They are so yummy that they disappear extremely quickly; I did have one that was lurking in the biscuit barrel (forgotten else it wouldn't have been there:D) for around 10 days - not airtight, just a cork lid and it was fine. Sorry I'm not more help.

Having been AWOL, it has taken a little time to catch up with everyone's lovely posts, so may I put my pennorth in about second hand gifts? It was my DB's birthday at the end of last month and I really didn't have a lot to spend - trip to London, etc had made serious inroads into my bank account so, knowing how much he loves Lincoln Cathedral, I bought him a guide book, a second hand CD of Lincoln choir (along with rock music, he loves choral singing), a non fiction account of Katherine Swynford , again second hand, (I always call her his girlfriend as we have to visit her tomb and the houses she lived in in Lincoln every time we go there) and the piece de resistance - a stone from Lincoln cathedral, from when it was last restored. He was so pleased that it was worth all the effort I put in tracking them down.

Recipe later today, Folks, have a productive day.

Viv xx

silvasava

Just popping in to say vhalla that Katherine by Anya Seton is one of my favourite books to the extent that when visiting rellies Walsingham and Lincoln were a must visit

vhalla1478

Mine too, Silva. Have you visited Kettlethorpe? It's privately owned but you can see the gatehouse which was there when Katherine was around.

Viv xx

Siebrie

I've re-mended one pair of leggings and one pair of tights, they should be fine for a few more wears by dds. I've also mended 4 pairs of tights.

The needles are the cheapo ones from a discounter, the thread is from my mum, or from various inheritances.

I've removed a button from dd's cardi and put the cardi in the rag bag; it was a very cute cardi, but it had developed a hole in the middle of the back section. My mending skills do not reach to that level

DH was recently telling a friend that he only used brand X for showergel, because his skin could not stand any other showergel. Friend admitted to using only the cheapest available, the ones in 2l jugs. I had to bite my tongue, because I've been refilling DH's expensive brand bottle with this cheapo showergel for about 2 years now; you'd think the fading label would give the game away:rotfl:By my guestimation I've saved GBP 100 by now.

vhalla1478

Hi Folks,

Do give this a try - it sounds weird, but it works and it couldn't be easier - be brave!:D

Spicy Beef Ribs - serves 4-6

4 tbs ground coffee, 200ml cider vinegar, 75g tomato puree, 100g light muscovado sugar, 2 tbsp. sunflower oil, 5 garlic cloves, crushed, 1-2 tsp chilli flakes, 2 heaped tsp dried oregano, tsp salt, 1kg rack of beef short ribs.

Put all of the ingredients except the ribs into a small pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.

Heat the oven to 150 degrees/gas mark3. Lay the ribs in a large roasting pan. Brush them with the barbecue sauce, then cook for 6-7 hours, brushing regularly with the marinade, until meltingly tender.

Have a great evening, Everyone.

Viv xx

GreyQueen

Siebrie wrote: »

DH was recently telling a friend that he only used brand X for showergel, because his skin could not stand any other showergel. Friend admitted to using only the cheapest available, the ones in 2l jugs. I had to bite my tongue, because I've been refilling DH's expensive brand bottle with this cheapo showergel for about 2 years now; you'd think the fading label would give the game away:rotfl:By my guestimation I've saved GBP 100 by now.

I've heard of many a canny wifie doing this with a hubs who insists he can only have X brand of coffee, or breakfast cereal or, indeed, toiletries.

You're OK until the label really fades away or they change the packaging design of the original product and that gives the game away.

I've spent a bit of my birthday money on something secondhand today - solid silver teacaddy spoon from the mid-1970s by the hallmark. I'm very pleased with it and shall be savouring my life with loose tea and a proper caddy spoon. I love making-do with secondhand gifts..........;)

Re storing giftwrap, if you can't get a display box, or would have nowhere to stand one if you did, legs off old tights work very well. I tie a knot in the top with a label saying what kind of paper is inside and whether the roll has been started or not (the idea being that the started rolls will be used up first, you see).

[Deleted User]

I recycled a pair of my DGS legs of jeans he had grown out of, cut them off and just stitched across the bottom to make a seal and turned the top of the legs over to make a seam and ran through a long old trainer lace through it for a tie then stuck the rolls inside and pulled the lace so they wouldn't fall out I have two jeans legs hanging on the back of my study doors with rolls of wrapping paper in them The little pockets down the side (like cargo trouser pockets) I put small reels of Sellotape in so I always know where it is when I start wrapping'I kept the top part of the jeans for patching as my DGS jeans are always need patching at some point.I'm not a sewer at all and I did it all by hand as I just didn't want to waste a pair of jeans he had grown out of.

candygirl

My rolls of paper are all in a bag , on top of my wardrobe;) still have tons left from last year:j

GreyQueen

When sorting out the parental loft last month, I found a ridiculous amount of wrapping paper. I corralled each one in a tights leg and tucked all bar four already-started rolls inconveniently under the eaves. The started rolls are downstairs and very accessible and I am hoping that at least one of these will be used up this season.

When they go on sale for silly money in January, it's a bit too easy to get carried away, isn't it?

I have just been reading some minimalism blogs and am about to have another pass through my wardrobe. There a couple of things in there which I think I would rather went to the charity shop. In about 90% of cases, they came from the charity shops in the first place, so natural justice to get them back there.

ETA; three tops out of the drawer and another will be out once its gone thru the wash. Plus two scarves out and several items tried on and cleared for takeoff. One dress hung up so I'll remember to use it next week (is a wrap dress and is normally drawered). All in all, a pretty good result for 5 mins' effort.

vhalla1478

Apropos gift wrap; I was sorting out mine ready for the marathon Christmas wrap session which will be upon us all too soon, and had a light bulb moment for the foiled cardboard lining from the box my wrapping paper arrived in - it makes great gift tags both for birthdays and Christmas and should last a couple of years. Note to self - learn how to write smaller!:D

Viv xx