Memorygirls Make Do and Mend for 2008 Thread 3 January 2008 at 1:45PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in How much have you saved? 276 replies 88.8K views

mary43

Anyone got any ideas for what to do with some material Ive got ? I'm a sucker for 'touchy feely' stuff and this is a sort of chenille...........one biggish piece but not big enough for a throw.......and four smaller pieces. The smaller bits would make nice cushions but I'd have to do them by hand...........bit of a chore......still I could do it.
Just wondered if someone could think of something a bit different.........haven't the heart to get rid

spookycat_2

Memorygirl, I am moved by your posts and wondered if you'd considered cloth nappies for your wee one? If so, I'd be happy to give you mine as I have different ones now he's getting bigger and was just going to freecycle them. All you'd need is some wraps once he's past 3 months, I have newborn to 3 for you. PM me if you'd like them

affordmylife

good luck in your challenge.

this country needs more people like you who are willing to help themselves.

your boys will have a mummy to be proud of - well done you.

and good luck with the birth - hope it all goes well for you.

Nix143

Brilliant, brilliant thread, good on you! :T I'm sure everyone will be here with advice and support for you whether times are good or bad

xx

memorygirl

DAY 4 - PART 2

Sent the afternoon lounging on the bed - must get myself in gear for back to work on Monday.

Sorted out my Menu plan for 2008 - the OS / SW one. Will make a project to collect all the recipes into my control journal over the next few weeks (so that when I move and the box of cookery books goes missing - as it inevitably will - I won't be lost)

Started an excel spreadsheet to create a Master shopping list - so that when something I need to stock up on ie tinned tomatoes is on offer I will know exactly how many to buy to see me through the year.

I love my food - but in the interests of keeping it simple this year ('Cos there will be quite a bit happening:rotfl: ) I've built my menus around knowing roughly what "main" ingredient I will be working with each day. Bear in mind that I am a SW Green type of girlie - cos we all like heaps of food on our plate and it works out cheaper for me to base foods around staples like rice, pasta and pulses etc.

I also found it usefull to look through the calendar and work out exactly how many Mons, Tues etc I am catering for, that way I can cook and freeze ahead if I need to. Froze all the Veg and Potato soup I will need for my lunches in Jan today and got 4 portions of white beans soaking to make baked beans in SC then into freezer for instance.

JANUARYS MENUS ARE (forgive the formatting I will get my head around it soon I promise)

LUNCH JAN MENU

MON Soup Veg and Potato Soup
TUES Salad and crackers Crackerbread, cheese, salad and fruit
WED Grain salad Tabouleh Salad and boiled eggs
THURS Rice Salad Wild Rice ans pepper salad
FRID Pasta Salad Pasta with feta, cucumber, tomatoes and olives
SAT Gazpacho Soup My fave (post recipe later)
SUN Baked Potato With HM "baked beans"

*Weekday lunches can be packed to take with me as I will still be working a bit once the bump arrives.


DINNER JAN MENU

MON Salad Day Lentil Salad and veg frittata
TUES Grain Day Polenta and vegetable ragout
WED Rice Day Lentil kedgeree
THURS Pasta Day Pasta with spicy tomato sauce
FRID Soup Day Spicy Carrot Soup
SAT Pulse Day Red Kidney Bean Curry
SUN Sunday Dinner Find out whats on Offer


Off to have a cup of tea before making some dinner - then I feel inspired to do some craftwork this evening in front of the telly - so baby blanket here I come.

Talk to you tomorrow

Memorygirl

rosieben

would you share your SC baked beans recipe too please? :j

I like the way you meal plan. Having a think about how I can incorporate some of your ideas. I often meal plan for a few weeks at a time, including things that I have a lot of or things that need using up.

rockie4

Just wanted to say it's brilliant to hear you being so positive and to wish you the best of luck! I look forward to following the thread.

Mappygirl

You've got so much done today! Well done you!!!!

I'd also like to know your sc baked beans. I tend to only meal plan for one week, but think your idea of long term meal planning is great, and knowing what you need if it's on offer. Thanks for the tip!

Looking forward to seeing what you achieve tomorrow!!!

memorygirl

DAY 5

Busy, busy, busy day up here on the hill.:D

Worked a little on my control journal this morning – decided that I want a section in here that will “stock-take” the stuff I have so that I don’t get tempted to buy blindly when I move and can’t find stuff.:rolleyes:

I’ve got headings like:

Store cupboard – stuff I’m collecting like BM rations.
Baking Bits – muffin cases, silicon bake ware and decorating things
Cleaning materials – my micro fibre cloths and stardrops – LOL
Toiletries – pleased to report I don’t need any shampoo or shower gel for the rest of the year.
Baby Clothes – in 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and bigger. Need more boxes to keep these sorted – hoping my friends will be kind and donate their kids cast-offs.
Presents – some “recycled”, some made (or planning to)
Household – Kettle, toaster, my good pots and knives etc

I’m sure there will be many more sheets added to this over the next few months, as I get ready to move – but at least all these sheets will be in one central place that can go with me on moving day.

Managed to find time to pop the SC on at lunchtime for quorn chilli for dinner – so I got a couple of hours resting on my bed watching a copy of “War of the Worlds” and cracking on with the baby blanket. I’ve found that some of the patches are easier than others so I am well on target to finishing by the end of the month.

Tonight I am planning a NCIS and crime evening – vegging out on the bed – although I have a pattern for baby beanies that looks really easy and quick. Think this would be a great project to use up the little bits n pieces of wool left over from the baby blanket (Wow – this little one is going to be colour co-ordinated.

Tomorrow I’m popping out to one of my friends from SW house. She moved in and found a hardly used Graco 3-wheeler buggy in her attic – doesn’t plan on having any more kids so I am trading her a “baking lesson” in exchange. So we will be making drop scones, Weetabix cake and quiche. Doesn’t sound very SW does it !!! Still it is VERY Money saving.

Goal for tomorrow is to find all my Personal Development Books and CD’s that are hidden away and pop them into a lovely wicker basket I “found again” in the attic. Got a few CD’s that should really be burned onto my MP3 player for easier access too. I figure that if I make a habit of resting every afternoon I should have some quality reading rather that daytime telly to amuse myself. I have loads of books I’d like to read again – so will be saving money by doing that rather than buying new.

Off to fish DS out of his bubble bath and get him into the jammies that are warming on the radiator. His hot water bottle is already under his duvet so I don’t think I’ll have any difficulty “persuading him onto bed” before 8.30 pm.

Chat to you tomorrow

Memorygirl

PS Slow cooker baked bean recipe to follow tomorrow

Mappygirl

Wow - you give me so much motivation to get my life in shape!!!

What's a weetibix cake? Think I need a baking lesson from you too!!!!!