2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

Thanks, @PipneyJane! I'm rubbish with remembering names... 

I do hope @thriftwizard is ok - if you're around, Ange, do feel you can pop in here for a cuppa without having to explain anything or whatnot. I'm making some blackberry cheese this afternoon (no, not with milk - it's an old type of sort-of seedless jam), so I'll leave you a jar in the Village Hall's kitchen and you can have it with scones or toast or whatever... and with our love, of course. xx

Wraithlady

@Laura_Elsewhere, I often make damson cheese, which I describe to the uninitiated as 'like fruit pastilles without the sugar coating'

In other news, acquired a pair of NYDJ jeans from MIL - the only pair of jeans I've tried on which actually fit me perfectly. A quick Google shows them retailing new for over £150!! 

Fortunately, the Bay of E came up trumps - 1 pair floral ones and one plain black, for the grand total of £30 - second hand too so no coupons!

Cherryfudge

Years ago I made a fruit cheese but had to reduce the quantities as I didn't have enough fruit. I somehow managed to forget to reduce the accompanying spices, so it was nearly inedible. Ah, memories!

I have a no-coupon spend to declare: I saw some pale green summer trousers in a charity shop yesterday that go nicely with my green tee shirts and would be very packable if I ever again have a holiday somewhere hot. More practically, I could wear them to work in summer.

Did I need them? Not really. I'm short of storage and will probably never wear out all the clothes I already have, so they were an indulgence. I read somewhere that there are now enough clothes in the world for the next six generations... I hope my great-great-great grand daughter thinks they're fabulous!

Laura_Elsewhere

@Wraithlady, that's it exactly, yes! Fruit pastilles without the sugar coating! Thanks, I shall remember that...

@Cherryfudge - I've never come across a fruit cheese recipe with spices...?! Fruit and sugar, literally that's all I've ever used or seen in recipes. Can you remember what it involved?

dreamyd

Hi everyone - it's been a while since I've had something to report.

I've moved away from wired bras as they were way too uncomfortable, replacing them with four crop tops to add to my current collection. The fact that they come up a little higher than a bra is really useful, as it means I don't need to have a wear a cami  under certain tops and dresses. I will amend my coupon record once I've worked it out.

I treated myself to a trip through the village charity shops after my annual blood tests on Friday.  I came out with a teal velvet dress, a magenta-black patterned Fat face tunic, a pair of massive jeans (which need about 5 inches taken off the waistband) , two shirts and a long-sleeved teal jersey top with completely mad sleeves.  The total came to £45, so I was pretty chuffed.

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Wraithlady, that's it exactly, yes! Fruit pastilles without the sugar coating! Thanks, I shall remember that...

@Cherryfudge - I've never come across a fruit cheese recipe with spices...?! Fruit and sugar, literally that's all I've ever used or seen in recipes. Can you remember what it involved?

It was long ago but I'm pretty sure it was pears with Christmassy spices, and it may have been a fruit butter rather than a fruit cheese. A quick search of likely recipe books revealed nothing I'm afraid.

Laura_Elsewhere

@Cherryfudge - something like this, perhaps?

https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/spiced-pear-paste/

It's something I've never thought of - weird, considering I'm generally happy to make up all kinds of recipes for adding spices to things!  

Hmmm, might think of trying something similar... maybe... mmm....

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Cherryfudge - something like this, perhaps?

https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/spiced-pear-paste/

Similar, I think. Mine went into a jam jar whereas this one looks to be cut into blocks, but I think the spices are along the right lines. I think it's something you could modify depending on your taste and what you have in.

PipneyJane

Cherryfudge said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Cherryfudge - something like this, perhaps?

https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/spiced-pear-paste/

Similar, I think. Mine went into a jam jar whereas this one looks to be cut into blocks, but I think the spices are along the right lines. I think it's something you could modify depending on your taste and what you have in.

If you are having a dinner party, setting your fruit cheese in a terrine is a great idea (to be turned out and cut into blocks to be served with cheese and biscuits), however I do mine in wide-mouthed preserving jars, simply because I can sterilise them, so they can keep longer.  (Also, I don’t do that kind of party.  Far too “Bridget Jones” for me.)

I have another spend to declare:  2 coupons on a pure silk Commonwealth Games commemorative scarf.  (I’ve also spent half a year’s clothing allowance on it.). They are woven and printed in the UK and I went for the one in blue tones - there are others - which suit me and I can wear it with most of my work suits.

Talking of the Games, I am horrified by the number of “Insta-faces” that I’ve seen while attending events.  False eyelashes are a big thing at the moment, and the number of young girls with parrot mouths from injecting fillers into the upper lip… Why on earth do they think these things will make them more attractive???  It is so dangerous* AND they will look so much worse after the filler is absorbed by the body.  (Yes, I know, that’s why they are sold this treatment.  Repeat business.  But at some point, they will need the money for something else.)

I think I am officially turning into my mother.

- Pip




* 30 years ago, I worked for cosmetic surgeons.  We had a look-book of pictures showing the potentially bad outcomes for collagen treatments, which would be wheeled out as part of obtaining “informed consent”. 

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane at least you're only turning into your mother - I've been aware for some years now that I appear to be turning into my *grandmother*!!!

I wasted some time earlier in the year playing about with two thinnish yarns to maybe make a jumper and it never went anywhere because it never was a coherent plan, but last weekend I re-found the bag with the big 5.5mm DPNs and the few inches of raglan-increase in 3-round stripes of sparkly-mohair laceweight and fingering-weight wool, and realised it was ideal for the beginning of a loosely-knit slipover, so I picked it back up and knitted onwards; now towards the end of the mile of ribbing, with only the edgings of armholes and square neckline to do and I think the stripes will look rather nice. It won't last forever, and it won't be incredibly warm, but it should be a nice little lightweight autumnal addition
So no coupons as I bought the lurex-mohair some 15 years back, and the autumnal-segueing wool was bought a couple of years back second-hand online...