Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

[Deleted User]

rosie51 wrote: »

Where did you get the pattern please?

May i join this thread please as i am a great fan. Today i covered my larder selves with the old kitchen table oil cloth, as bought a new one. Looks smart if i say so myself, still plenty left to make a cushion to knee on in the garden. The new oil cloth table cover i cut in half as a spare, so 2 table clothes for the price of 1. Getting a real penny saver in my retirement.

Hi rosie 51 I live in the Medway area of Kent and our local arts centre is asking for 5000 for an exhibition. They are very easy to make .Ask at your local library they may have a similar thing running.The poppy making started I believe in Australia for their Anzac day and has spread across the globe to the UK.If you have no luck let me know and I will pm you the pattern Its very easy to do.

Sounds like you have definitely got the make do and mend bug I love oil cloth its so much more hard wearing isn't it I have an old one I keep in the boot of my car which is so useful for so many things

When I am carrying bags to the tip saves having to hoover out the boot as I can just get it out and give it a good shake Especially when my DDs two hairy dogs have been in there (I have a seven seater with an open boot ) or just as a cloth when we are on the beach with a picnic .Best oil cloth I buy is from JL as it seems to last for years (just as well as its not cheap)

JackieO xx

rosie51

JackieO
Thanks for your reply about the poppies, will look in to that. I'm in East Yorks area. What a great tip for the car, we have two dogs who like water and mud and car boot always filthy.
Rosiexx

Athome1

Hi Rosie 51 .. welcome! I tend to lurk on this thread and really enjoy reading everyones posts though I rarely post myself.
I love oilcloth too, tough as old boots and so useful .. you certainly stretched the pennies with your clever usage.
I live in the Midlands and have just come back from a short break in East Yorkshire .. we stayed in some converted train wagons near Market Weighton .. fabulous part of the world .. I envy you 😉
I look forward to more of your posts.

rosie51

I am about 7 miles from there and it's beautiful, DH thinks its gods country, then hes from Bridlington. I have been in this area for 30 odd years, from Warwickshire myself.

Athome1

I agree with your OH .. whats's not to love?? �� We even had hot, sunny weather for our day at Bridlington and Scarborough ��
I'm a Warwickshire girl myself although I'm a West Midland girl now since they moved the boundaries. X

[Deleted User]

Minimising I'm currently minimising the whole of our home with a view to a change of location nearer the family. It's amazing what I've squirreled away in lots of places in the 24 years we've lived here and kept 'just in case'. My way of de cluttering is to find 'treasures' in odd places and pull them out into the light on a shelf for a few days I'm finding it much easier to decide what to keep and what to let go by living with them in full view for a while.

Mending not sure if this counts but I'm currently washing the sheepskins we have by our chairs as they've been down a year and have got slightly flattened where our feet rest.

Making do purely food related and finishing off odds and ends in the fridge for my lunch today, it's too warm to cook.

crazytree

Bit of a mixture of good and bad. Making do with homemade food instead of going shopping. Made ice cream for puddings. It's tasty but not exactly soft scoop!
Mended a bra where the underwire came out to stab me. But had to throw another away as I wasn't at home when it attacked me, took the wire out completely and couldn't get it back in.
Why do bras keep doing this to me?
Listed a couple of things on eB*y hopefully a little and often approach will work. Coz I keep looking at the heap of stuff I still have to get rid of and feeling pretty overwhelmed!

Bits and pieces from the fridge sounds like a good plan for dinner. I had planned sausage and mash, but right now can't think of anything worse than a gravy dinner. Here in Kent its really hot and sunny.

rosie51

Going to alter a pair of curtains that were passed on to me, not a mark on them. Need a lot taking off them as to long, may do it from the top and resew unpicked curtain tape back on rather then buy new.

misstara

Mended a pair of leggings last night that had a small hole in the seam. However they will need replaced soon as they are beginning to become see through.

Not much else to report - lots of things happening in the garden. It's been wet and warm here for the last week so everything is growing quickly. Think we'll get our first lettuce soon

[Deleted User]

Minimising the towels in the airing cupboard today as most of what we have are 20+ years old and have been dyed twice and are going bald. They will be useful for He Who Knows as dusters/wrapping material for 'fragiles' that need transporting anywhere.

Mending he's painting all the gloss surfaces in the hallway today before new carpets arrive next week.

Making do it's going to be hot, hot, hot today so supper will be from the freezer to cook in the oven so I don't have to be in the kitchen while they cook. Too much in the freezers anyway so good to use some up.