Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

FairyPrincessk

JackieO, I put extra covers on my ironing board because it has a sort of mesh base which tends to mark the clothes through the thin padding and cover. On my small sewing ironing board I've also use an off cut of quilt filling between layers. I get a much better press if there is more padding. My mum and grandmother do it as well. In fact, when our old ironing board broke once when I was growing up my mum took all of the covers off of it and added them to the new one. I was amazed by this as I couldn't understand why she'd cover up the fresh new cover. I've since read similar advice in sewing books so I think it must have been common practice at one time. I would imagine that for those for whom the advent of low maintenance fabrics was a welcome break from the drudgery of ironing this would have fallen out of practice. I tend to only notice when I do things like silk or fine linen--fabrics a lot of people these days prefer to avoid or send to the dry cleaners.

Floss

FP & JackieO I'm another who puts a new ironing board cover over the old one - my excuse is that my mum did that too!

iamsalt

I too have several layers on my ironing board. Otherwise the metal mesh shapes get ironed into my clothes.

Minimise - An exciting day here tinged with a little sadness. The first part of an inheritance from my dad has arrived, which has enabled me to pay some money off the mortgage. It's funny what a relief it brings knowing I am making progress towards paying off before I am 50 - still 11 years to go but each step is a good one, and I know my dad would have wanted me to save money by doing this, so I shall celebrate his legacy tonight.
The less exciting was the minimising of a dried up mouse corpse I found behind the sofa when looking for the dog's tennis ball . I haven't been sitting in front of the tv much recently but it reminds me that I must keep minimising the stuff in the house.

Make do - not everyone's cup of tea but I got liver very reduced in Waitr0se yesterday so it's liver, bacon, onions and mash tonight, grand total of 56p for the meat.

Mend - another 3 rows of a jumper for me. It's slow progress but I will get there eventually
Have a lovely evening - sun is finally out here in east Kent
S x

mrs-moneypenny

Another multi-covered ironing board owner here as well all ironing minimised and not enough in the laundry basket to make it worth putting the wm on.

Just made a quorn and leek pie for tea

nursemaggie

Sounds like most of us put new ironing board covers over the old one since these stupid mesh things came on Ironing boards. My mother always used old sheets and kept the old one on if it had not ripped to make a good pad. Can't do that with metal ones the drawing pins won't go in. :rotfl:

If anyone is interested Mr M still have their Ramadan sale on and you can still get most things including the big tubs of chocolates. Dependant on if my case is full or not I will take one to Malta with me. I was tempted to buy a 10kg of rice but I decided I would 1. not like to risk having a mouse in my bedroom and 2. not like to struggle down the steps with the extra weight.

117pauline

Long time, no post so I am slinking back in.......

Back from an emotional France as we were at Thiepval commemoration of the Somme on July 1st. I may not be a fan of David Cameron but he was the only leader to walk around, talking to people whilst it rained. Everyone else stayed in the marquee!

So this month is a reduce spending one. My freezer seems to still be quite full so I am making use of things I have hidden away. So that's my making do.

Mending - can anyone explain why there are three pairs of trousers needing their pockets mending? Why? So they have been done.

Minimising - trying to get rid of excess items including my weight. I have given in today and bought a new bra which is so much more comfortable. Even makes my clothes fit better, who knew???

We just seem to have so much stuff and I am realising how I prefer clean lines rather than things. My bedroom is empty save from a bed, two bedside tables and a wardrobe. I find it so relaxing now. Unfortunately I have yet to make it gadget free but that is on my to-do list!

My garden is full of weeds needing minimising. It is perfect weed growing weather. The flowers though are magically pushing their way through though.

I decided that this would be the year of the reduced plants only and the rainy weather has meant some fantastic bargains. I have started to start saving seeds and cuttings too so it will be interesting to see what I can manage to keep alive over the winter.

Keep MMM-ing
Pauline

mrssnowy_2

Morning all,
Interesting about the ironing board covers.I have a very elderly ex-military ironing board,bought in 1971 and wooden-cost me £2.
Whenever the cover wears thin I have to recover it by stapling on remnants of material,at the moment it is dark red Laura Ashley paisley.
There are several layers of padding,mostly old blanket, underneath,and it hasn't been redone for a while now.
Think that covers all the M's
Lurking as so busy but not doing much MMM.
My birthday earlier this week and usually have about 4 celebrations ,all with different friends-third this lunchtime!
Mostly alcohol free but certainly too many calories-doh.
Have a good day all
mrss

[Deleted User]

Good Morning chums have just minimised two large bags of clothes that are too big for me :):) Yay, we have so may charity shops locally that none seem keen at the moment to accept them so I am going to what my DGS call 'The Russians ' Its a recycling place on a local business park that pay you 50p per kilo for clothes textiles etc .What ever I get will go into the holiday ice cream fund .only four more weeks tomorrow until we go.
Going to DDs tonight for dinner as its the anniversary of my late OH passing and I always go to hers for dinner and we talk about all the good times we had and how he made us all laugh such a lot.The older grandsons join in with their memories as well,so its a good way to celebrate his life and he is never forgotten.

I have a bit of mending to do with a pair of DGS Mikey's school trousers this afternoon.I swear that boy needs steel lined trousers the amount he goes through.
Did anyone see the 'Eat well for less' programme last night I couldn't believe how much that lady was spending on food per week Over £300 for four people not even any animal that I could see !!!

I wonder why they don't do one on a more average person to see if they could perhaps alter their bills a bit It seems to be folk who are pretty well loaded anyway so it doesn't seem to bother them that much
Right off to find more bits to minimise
JackieO xx

[Deleted User]

Happy bunny got £4.25 from 'The Russians' which has gone into the ice cream tin for our holiday Happy days :):)

iamsalt

Afternoon.
JackieO, that's a nice addition to the fund, we don't seem to have anywhere like that around here, or none I have seen!

OH has gone to visit his dad and has taken one bag of garden waste and a 'rag' bag to the recycling centre, and 2 bags to the charity shop, hardly seems to have made a difference, but it helps to get them out of the house and garden. That's my minimising
Supper will be hm fish cakes and salad from the bottom of the fridge. That's my making do.
Hmm mending - I am going to count that this evening I have to spend searching for papers for the solicitor. I hadn't filed them , I am embarrassed to say, but they are in piles around the house. I had a folder And the best of intentions but now I need to find them and get them into one place so I can hand them over.....lesson is being learnt, and I must find better ways of dealing with papers . I dream of having my own study, because I always think at least they would just be in one room rather than throughout the house. Mending my filing system....
S x