2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

MrsCD

Thank you @PipneyJane. I am glad that I found you all, and even though I haven't been counting coupons, I've enjoyed all the hints and tips from you, and the slightly bonkers chat. I feel like I'm home here!
We've had a small family Christmas, with our two DD's here all day, and we called in to see my Dad this afternoon, wearing masks! It's been a lovely day.
Merry Christmas everyone, and a peaceful, safe new year.

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said: I did try to stay awake to hear the DPNs' tiny metallic clattering and the chink-chink of the crochet hooks helping each other out of their little crystal vase, but I was too sleepy and missed it. This morning, you'd never know they'd moved... 

They're clever like that. Apparently that's how they've got away with it for so long.

@TwibbleDee, oh no to having to be at work all day! I do hope people appreciated it. Gremlins happen... and are forgotten. Will you get a day off tomorrow?

Thank you @PipneyJane and everyone for a great thread. I look forward to catching up with you every day. It's surely been a wonderful alternative existence through the last few months, but one of the wonderful things about it is that so much of it is real: you've encouraged me to buy clothes and fabrics carefully and meaningfully, but more wonderful still are you guys: your caring hearts, your knowledge,  your wit...  much appreciated.

PipneyJane

Good morning Everyone

What did Santa bring you?  Good memories and good presents, I hope. My sister sent Violet Crumbles and TimTams from Australia.  I got the DVD of “Tales From the Green Valley”, Nigella’s latest cookbook “Cook, Eat, Repeat”, Nadiya Hussain’s “Nadiya Bakes”, and DH kindly spent his coupons on a cashmere jumper and cardigan for me.  Although officially the same colour, they aren’t quite a twin set. It’s obvious the yarn was from two, totally different dye lots, but they blend well.

I’m off to the Village Hall to lay the fire and put the kettle on.  There’s a pile of mince pies and the tea will be brewing shortly, if you care to join me.  

- Pip

Cherryfudge

Thanks Pip, I will happily join you in a mince pie or three. I will try to be in the hall ahead of the Boxing Day C25K workout people as they will have earned their tea and pies, which I certainly haven't today. I hope those who are running have the wind behind them and that you all got running shoes for Christmas (or spot some in the sales).

Just a reminder (in my role as Much Mending's Athletics Club Captain AKA Linda Snell) that we have a fun run on New Year's Day, and walkers are equally welcome. The route has been changed to roads only, to save you from the muddy slope at the bottom of Manor Farm's Long Meadow. If it's icy or snowy, I'd advise Y@k Tracks for your shoes, or an unbranded alternative. Running in snow (from the vantage point of having done it... once!) is hard work but great for the legs which, apart from becoming marvellously muscled, will be a good excuse to sit in a hot bath of Epsom salts later ).

maddiemay

Tea at the village hall sounds great, don't have a sweet tooth, so will hunt some cheese scones out from their hiding place in the freezer.  Great idea about having the run/walk on hard surfaces, so much mud everywhere, pleased that our furry Border Collie does not indulge in splashing or wallowing it it.
We do not give or receive lots of presents as we got older (by arrangement with siblings etc). My dearest best friend has spoilt with with a fab chunky leaf pendant, velvet gloves with a pink heart and the most gorgeous shawl.  OH has spent some of his ration points on me for a really colourful knitted cardi/jacket, lovely wool shop owner has ordered the yarn and will have it knitted for me.  He is having a new bicycle wheel (his choice)

keepcalmandcraft

Happy Christmas everyone!  I know it’s a bit late but we were very close to being flooded on Christmas Eve/Day so were on flood alert and I didn’t manage To get on the forum.  Luckily the water stopped an inch or so from the top of the floodbank and is now on the way down!’
Looking forward to meeting up in the village hall soon.  

PipneyJane

keepcalmandcraft said:

Happy Christmas everyone!  I know it’s a bit late but we were very close to being flooded on Christmas Eve/Day so were on flood alert and I didn’t manage To get on the forum.  Luckily the water stopped an inch or so from the top of the floodbank and is now on the way down!’
Looking forward to meeting up in the village hall soon.  

Oh you poor thing, @keepcalmandcraft.  You must have been so worried.  Big hugs and hope the floodwaters continue to subside.

- Pip

PollyWollyDoodle

Gosh, sorry to hear about the (almost) flooding – some people must have had a miserable Christmas on top of everything else. I had a lovely, if rather quieter than usual Christmas. I drove over to visit my sister (permitted) and we opened our stockings together, this is a really important part of the day for my family. Rather a lot of chocolate and treats, but I’m not complaining this year as there are a lot of days to get through, I also got lots of bath/body stuff and little things. 

My main presents were all things I had asked for, an icing turntable and some flexible shapes so that you can make cakes in numbers and letter etc. I have two young friends who are going to need birthday cakes for a good few years to come. My niece got me a secondhand copy of Paul Hollywood’s 100 Breads (I always ask for secondhand presents if possible) and I am beyond thrilled with this, going to try different one every week.  I’ll bring some to the Village Hall next time we have a meeting! Managed to run or walk every day so far, which I hope is going to counteract the amount of chocolate I’ve been stuffing. 

I’m very impressed with the altruism of those whose family  have donated their coupons, Pip I have got some vouchers earmarked for a cashmere jumper, I have two and love them. @maddiemay your OH sounds really inspired, I hope you will let us see the cardigan when you eventually receive it

thriftwizard

Merry Christmas, everyone - it's only the second day, after all! I'd be delighted to join you all for tea, cheese scones & mince pies in the village hall. I'm somewhat jealous of all the lovely jumpers, cardis & jackets received, but certainly not of poor keepcalmandcraft's excessively-enthusiastic water... so glad our river has managed to stay just about safely in it's bed - so far! I went down to the allotment on Christmas Eve to harvest some chard and leeks; they're good sturdy leeks, but each one was firmly attached to about a square foot of solid clay. Which meant an awful lot of cleaning in the kitchen sink before I could use them... I think we've had enough rain for this winter now.

We had DS2 and his bride & mother-in-law over for a socially-distanced cuppa & mince pies on Christmas morning, outdoors, under the gazebo! Which we solemnly decorated with an "outdoor tree" (little IKEA plastic tree, bought in desperation some years back when everyone else had run out of real trees before I'd had the chance to buy one) and lots of bunting & fairy lights. DS3's mother-in-law, a dear lady, is very asthmatic, so we kept it all outdoors to be as safe as possible, and just wrapped up in jackets & blankets. It was a lovely day, marred only by me dropping the pudding as it came out of the oven; the oven shelf somehow came with the dish & tilted... Pyrex doesn't half shatter... what a waste!

Cherryfudge

@keepcalmandcraft, what a miserable thing to happen How are you faring now? I think the storm is due to subside soon but you must be more than ready for a bit of normality. How is your house?

@PollyWollyDoodle, well done for keeping up the exercise! I was all motivated to run today but when I stuck my head out of doors it was bitter so I chickened out.

I always put second hand books on my wish list but people seem to feel I should have new: '...but I put it there because I want it and it's no longer in print!'

@thriftwizard, your poor pudding! However it probably qualifies you for the Great British Bake Off. Didn't Rahul have a mixing bowl that shattered fifteen minutes into making some masterpiece?

DH and I watched the Celebrity Sewing Bee this evening, which was fun but makes me want to sew! Then I remembered I'd repaired some Christmas pyjamas a year ago - the waistband was sewn too close to the edge and had pulled loose, shredding the fabric. I had to patch it as there was a bit too much of me just to take up good fabric to the waistband edge! I rather liked my patch (shaped like a ribbon end, in contrasting colour - and that was before I moved to Much Mending) but the trousers were always a bit tight. Tonight I tried them on and they are nice and baggy, so I'm a happy bunny even if I can't sew from a pattern.

I hope the wind and rain are dying down where each of you is, proper 'beak midwinter' weather it is tonight.