Being grateful

A morning at the donation centre yesterday, and a chance to catch up on everyone's Christmas and New Year news.  Things are getting a little more organised there, and I managed to get a fair amount of work done.  I always find myself pondering over the problem of 'stuff' while I'm sorting through the donations.  A lot of the goods that are donated (in good faith and for a very worthy cause) are good quality and suitable for resale through the charity shops on the local high streets, but every so often I open a bag or box that is just full of, well, rubbish.  We salvage what we can for scrap value, but sadly rubbish is rubbish, even if it has been donated in a charity bag.  When did the accumulation of all this 'stuff' become so important to us?  

Back at home, we were delighted to be given two big bags of shredding which we are mixing in to the compost bin.  We're novices at composting, and the grass cuttings and veg peelings were getting a bit sludgy, for want of a better description, so a bit of shredded paper will hopefully help the mix.  We'll wait to see in a few months time.

Lots of crafting going on here.  N has another model kit on the go, and can be found most mornings at the kitchen table, glasses perched on the end of his nose, meticulously painting some tiny piece of kit.  It's all about having the time, taking the time, and enjoying the time spent creating.  

Absolutely loving these colours!

I've been knitting (this wasn't even on the list but it was a quick and easy 'tick').  And I'm now tackling one of the projects that has been bugging me for a very long time.  It's a quilt top I began piecing many, many years (that sounds familiar, doesn't it?), and over time it has been put away, forgotten about, rediscovered, had a bit more added to it, stuffed in a bag . . . 

I have promised myself it will be the next project to be completed, and I would really like to have it done by the end of the month.  I think that may be a little optimistic but I am determined to get it finished.  Once I had spread it out on the lounge floor, I saw straightaway that I was going to have to begin by unpicking the borders, which were just too wavy for me to ignore (did I really measure those sides first?)  That was today's task, sort the borders out.  They were clearly too long, which made the edges wavy, so I've shortened and resewn each side and it all looks a lot better.  I dug around in the bag of sheets from the charity shop and have found one that will do for the backing, and I have enough offcuts, if I do a bit of joining, for the wadding.  Making do with what I have.  It's fun.  

We have had two phone calls in the past 24 hours which have served as a timely reminder to us of just how fortunate we are.  We both enjoy good health, something that is so often taken for granted but which I find I am becoming increasingly thankful for, and secondly, we are in the wonderful position of being debt-free.  We are not beholden financially to anyone, and it is the best feeling and one we made a conscious decision to achieve.  We have never regretted that decision.  It has allowed us to leave work early knowing that everything was paid for and it has given us choice and freedom.  We are happy to live within our means but we don't feel that makes us poor in any way; we are far more self-reliant than many.  Our life may be simple in comparison to some, but we consider ourselves rich in so many ways.  We have much to be grateful for. 

Busy days

Nothing says 'Christmas' quite like a pointsettia

Apparently today was 'Panic Saturday' when every man and his dog went shopping for all those last-minute must-haves that are essential for Christmas.   Oh good grief!  I read an article on-line this morning and was gob-smacked by the figures (money) that were quoted.  

There's still quite a lot of making going on hereabouts.  The box N is working on is looking lovely; he will begin polishing it tomorrow to get the finishing sheen.  I've started my part of that particular present today, fingers are crossed that the measurements I'm working on are accurate.  

We have both been walking in and out of town quite a lot this week - the weather has been dry (hooray!) and chilly, ideal for brisk walking.  We reckon a round trip is probably four miles and generally takes about an hour and a half, maybe two.  I've done a trawl of the charity shops for puzzles, books and a DVD, and as there are, I think, 9 such shops, it takes a while to check them all out ;-)  However, bargains are there to be had if you're prepared to take the time, and I've been surprised just how busy those shops are at the moment.  Seems I'm not the only one happy to give them my custom.  

We've got a menu plan sorted for the next week, and some alternatives to hand should there be last minute changes.  The bread is baked and two of the three loaves are in the freezer; that will see us through next week.  I have a couple of cakes and some cookies to make, probably tomorrow or Monday.

There are many things on my mind and most, to be honest, are not Christmas-related.  I'm going to start jotting these things down as I think of them, because I need to come back to them in the New Year.  I need to give time to these issues, deal with them and allow myself to move on.  And there are lots of new challenges and ideas I'm looking forward to next year so a clear head will be a good start!

Busy winter days

We seemed top have escaped the worst of the 'weather bomb' onslaught but did watch a video clip online of stormy seas and huge waves at Birsay, Orkney.  It's always a bit breezy in Orkney, even on a good day, but yesterday's weather certainly was dramatic.  Here it's just a bit windy, which is great for clothes drying!

We are loving the pine scent from the tree, and the droplet of resin that catch the light in the morning

After a bit of prevaricating, the tree is now decorated.  We try to keep things fairly simple and most of the ornaments are ones that have been around for quite a few years.  One or two sentimental bits, many others hand-made.  

Both of us are kept busy through the days, me generally sewing (mending, presents being made on the quiet, and things that we find we need but haven't got eg draught excluder), N busy with woodwork (cutlery canteen, emergency repairs to guest room door).  We're glad to have the time to do these things, and it connects us, little by little, to this new house.  Gradually we are moulding it to our requirements.  It was always going to take time, and so it is proving.  Yesterday we had to move a piece of furniture out of the hall (to accommodate the tree) and into the 'middle room' where we spend much of our time.  It was, we anticiapted, just a temporary measure over Christmas but it looks right at home in it's new location and will, I have no doubt, stay there come the new year.  I have no idea what will go in the empty space in the hall but I'm sure the solution will present itself.  

Through the shed window something is taking shape

We are fast approaching the shortest day and I had to switch the light on at 3.30 pm today, in order to see to sew.  

It seems strange to think that in a fortnight's time, Christmas Day will be drawing to a close.  As usual, it has caught up with us and I'm in a quiet panic.  Things to do and so little time left - my own fault.  Every year I fervently promise myself that next year I'll be better organised, that I will plan ahead, that I won't leave everything to the last minute.  I clearly don't listen to myself!  I wish I did.  Everything will be done, of course, but the rush will take the edge off the enjoyment just ever so slightly, and I rather wish it didn't.  So next year . . . .

Over the finish line at last

Who needs a take-away when we can have delicious home-made curry and naan bread?

With the weight lifted off our shoulders, N and I are now able to chill a little.  There has been a bottle of bubbly (and a slight fuzzy head in the morning - oh dear, always seems such a good idea at the time!) and a lovely home-cooked curry, a few phone calls to cancel accounts, paperwork to be checked and filed away - but mostly just taking things easy at last.  The flat has finally been sold. 

There are many, many projects and jobs to keep us busy and occupied through the autumn and winter, but we intend to take our time, just pottering along.  Yesterday, with the weather still holding well, we were back in the garden.  The task of bringing order back into the garden is going to take a while, and is a bit daunting if I'm honest, but it will be one step at a time, and we will enjoy ourselves as we tackle it.  

So Saturday found me wielding lump-hammer and chisel as I did battle with some cemented-in brickwork (it is no longer there - it didn't stand a chance with me in demolition-mode).  It is so satisfying to get stuck into something like that.  My thumb now sports a plaster (*sigh*) but the area has been cleared and is ready for N to fill the hole with a bit of concrete.  Just clearing that small patch has opened up the whole area, making it far more accessible than it was previously.

Today N has been sorting out the various pots dotted around the garden, moving some plants into the greenhouse ready for winter and just generally having a bit of a clear up outside.  A little more order has been achieved.  

A couple of weeks' ago we bought a wicker laundry basket from a charity shop.  It was a bit dusty and dirty, and the seat cover needed recovering, but nothing that we couldn't fix, and at £3, a good buy to replace our present basket which is on it's last legs.  I have given it a thorough clean (laundry liquid and warm water), and allowed it to dry naturally outside.  The old seat cover was removed, the foam interior washed and dried, and today I made a new cover from some old curtains I had in my stash.

  

The revamped basket is now in our bedroom, clean, smart and ready to double-up as a spare chair if needed.

Tomorrow we will start on the 'snagging' - all those little bitty jobs that need to be done to finish each room off.  Again we will take our time, and if the weather continues to stay dry, no doubt we will be outside more than inside.  That's fine by me.

In the sewing room ...

Just after sun-rise this morning.  Vapour trails from planes on their way to far-off destinations.

The 'sewing room' looks like a tip at the moment; I'm having a concerted effort to tidy and organise this little space but I keep getting waylaid by a forgotten - and half-finished - project I'd forgotten about.  I have two patchwork quilt tops, one double and one single, which have accompanied me on my last three house moves.  They must have been started well over 20 years ago.  They deserve to be finished.  They are on the list.

I have a number of upcycling/repurposing projects lined up, too.  Over the past couple of weeks I have had a (sensible) clear-out of my wardrobe and several items are bagged up ready for a charity shop.  Several more pieces of clothing are destined to be turned into something different and more useful, and have now formed themselves into a 'pile' on the floor.  A pair of jeans that I intended to pass on, on closer investigation have a lot more wear in them than I thought and I will alter them to fit better.  I need some stronger thread and top-stitching thread to complete that project, so now I have the beginnings of a shopping list as well.

I've got a few hand-made cards on the go as well, but have just realised that the glue ran out on the last cards I made, so that can go on the list, too.  We're at work tomorrow so I'm hoping to pop into the haberdashery afterwards with my list.

The painting in the kitchen is coming along, albeit slowly, but it is progress.  We may get the flooring tomorrow if we have time.

We had lunch with friends today, in a part of the island we don't venture to very often.  They have a lovely garden; plenty of plants and points of interest, exactly the sort of garden I like.  A few more ideas to store away until we are in a position to get digging outside here.  The meal was very tasty, and afterwards we sat and played a version of dominoes, new to me but great fun.  Great food, great company, interesting conversation.  It was a really lovely way to spend the afternoon.

It's all about the sequins

I think the short spell of sunny, warm weather we had recently was just a tease.  It is only March, after all.  We may have had the first day of Spring, the daffodils may be blooming and the daylight staying with us for longer each day, but it is only March.  Yesterday we had sleet - twice.  Enough said.

I have had a flurry of crafting these past couple of days.  Card-making to be precise.  Now I (supposedly) have more time, it is something I enjoy doing.  But I have learned two things: 1) keep the design simple, and 2) give myself enough time.  Don't leave it till the last minute - or the day it has to be in the post.  That creates panic!

This year I seem to be on a roll with sequins and beads.  And now N has worked out how to print wording onto the card, I won't have to worry about smudging the gold ink pen (oops).

As these two cards were popped into the post-box this week, I allowed myself to let go some anxieties as well.  I hope they are received in the spirit that they have been 'hand' made and sent.

And as we were off to work today, here's a quick photo of the fashionably patched jeans I mentioned previously.  
NTS - it is not easy taking a photo of jeans you are actually wearing =:o  

Home-made goods

We've been blessed with a lovely warm sunny day, after fog in the early morning.  N needed no encouragement at all to clean the greenhouse out.  All the staging, pots and containers were strewn around the garden, and he set to with brush and disinfectant, cleaning the glass, frame and base.  It certainly looks a good deal brighter!  He's also had a go at taking geranium cuttings from the plants we over-wintered, and hopefully they will strike and produce some new plants.

It's just so good to be outside again.  Gradually the ground is drying out, and we can begin to think about repairing the pathways and replacing the one or two pieces of rotten timber in the decking and edging.  Then there's the shed which is now straining at the seams with all the bits and pieces that seem to have found a home within it's walls.  Yes, I think a decluttering session is overdue there!

I've been busy working my way through the bag of 'rags' we bought at the donation centre a couple of weeks ago.  The towels have all been washed and cut up for garden cloths, so I had a great session zig-zagging the edges to reduce the cut pile going everywhere.  It's produced two bags full of rags which will be very useful in the shed and garden.  I also have a pile of items to be unpicked and hopefully re-used for clothes or linens at a later date.

One of the projects on my 'to do' list has been making some muslin produce bags, similar to these.  I thought it was a really good idea, one which I definitely wanted to have a go at and quite simple to make. 

For some reason it was on my list for a very long time - I just never quite got around to making them - but having returned from our break, I just got stuck in to the project and now have a selection of different-sized net bags I can use when I purchase loose produce.  I haven't had opportunity to try them out yet, but I'll report back when I do.

And finally, I needed to come up with a birthday present very quickly last week (forward planning and preparation has not been my forte recently =:o) and just in the nick of time found inspiration from my fat quarter stash.  This piece of fabric printed with wine bottles was the starting point for a handy bottle carrier in which I tucked four bottles of Island real ale from Goddards Brewery.

A bit of last minute hemming and finishing off on the cross-Solent ferry

As is so often the case, I just started cutting fabric and hoped it would all come together as it went along.  I interfaced the whole bag to make it a bit sturdier, and used some bottle-green fabric (sorry, pun not intended!) as a contrast and also because I didn't have enough of the patterned fabric ;-).  The tricky bit was constructing the interior partitions (to prevent the bottles from bashing against each other in transit) but after a bit of head-scratching, even that eventually came together.  I was really pleased with the finished result.  It made me think about home-made/hand-made gifts.  I know how much of my time went into crafting the item, the thought process required to see the idea through to fruition and the care I took to ensure that it was well-made and to the best of my ability.  It wasn't mass-produced for profit.  It wasn't one of hundreds of identical items in a store or on the internet, available at the click of a button.  It was made with care, thought and a little bit of skill and I hope it was appreciated.  

Twiddling my thumbs

Note: This was yesterday's post which ended up in Drafts by mistake - another keypad malfunction ;)

I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms at the moment - I've had to dismantle the sewing table and put the machine away.  I've got a box of half-finished projects to complete, and a thousand and one crafty ideas I want to try (I'm making more lists).  And I've had to pack the sewing room away, even if it is only temporarily.  I'm trying to make do by selecting fabric and notions for some of the projects, and sketching ideas for others (always on the backs of used envelopes - what else would I use?)  

Over the past two or three months I have come to realise just how important a space to sew/craft/make things is to both N and myself, especially now we are not at work.  We each have a creative side which needs to be nurtured and given an outlet, and for that we really would benefit from a dedicated space or area that we could each make our own.  I think we both know that it is one of the reasons a slightly bigger home would be so appreciated, if it was to happen.  We will continue to wait, as patiently as we are able, and perhaps the right place will turn up at the right time for us.

I love browsing in charity (thrift/goodwill) shops, of which we have a good number in our local town.  It is amazing what little gems you can pick up if you have a good look.  These three items found their way into our kitchen recently - a glass jelly mould, a wonderful glass jug originally for cider but now holding olive oil, and a mug with ducks on it which caught N's eye.  We always have a good look around the 'shop' at the donation centre we volunteer at (should we eventually move, I'll be on the look-out for some furniture from there), and have donated larger items there in the past.  It's always busy with people looking for interesting or unusual (or old!) pieces.  

This is a bag of rags I bought last week.  It is all clothes/linens etc which for one reason or another cannot be sold in the shops (marked, stained, too worn).  It is bagged up and sold to someone who then sells them on for rags.  I paid the going rate for my bag.  When we got home and sorted through I found I had off-cuts of brand-new Christmas fabric; a pure cotton double duvet (just a couple of ink marks which I shall try to bleach out) just pleading for some applique; a pile of old towels which N wants/needs for DIY and gardening duty; another single duvet cover with a few marks but plenty of fabric to be used for clothing, and three men's shirts, one of which N has grabbed (it's just a little faded along the hem) and the other two I shall repurpose to clothes for me.  None of these items would have gone for sale in the shops because of marks or wear and tear, and I have been more than happy to make a donation to the charity, and come away with a bag of goodies I can put to great use.

I must mention I have a new mobile phone.  I've finally gone onto a contract, having been pay-as-you-go for years, but it has got ridiculously expensive to send texts now so  I've taken the plunge with a contract (very cheap and cheerful but lots of text time).  So I have been trying to let my 'contacts' know I have a new number.  My son sent me a text by return informing me the text I sent him has to be the 'best text ever' - I think he may be referring to my spelling; the new phone made me do it, honest!

And so to March . . .

The meteorologists tell me it's the first day of Spring today, but I don't think that's until March 21st.  Whichever, today we have no less than 5 glorious golden daffodils blooming in our garden.  Well, actually it's now only 4, as one had fallen over so I cut it and brought it indoors.  It is now a little splash of yellow to the beautiful bouquet we were sent earlier this week.

The garden is still so wet and every time we have a little more rain (none today but more forecast through the coming week) we end up with puddles that simply won't drain away.  The ground is just waterlogged; we need a long spell of continuous dry, and preferably slightly windy, weather to help dry things out.

It's been an eventful week.  Emotions all over the place, tiredness levels reaching new heights, relief at having made the right decision.  But for some reason, these past 36 hours or so have found me on a downer I couldn't understand.  This morning, as I was trying to explain my feelings to N, I realised, in a moment of rare cerebral clarity, that what I was feeling was a very real sense of disappointment - our plans, dreams, hopes and aspirations that we had channeled into the prospective new house weren't going to materialise.  At least, not yet.  We continue to strive for a move and we will be able to re-engage those dreams once more.  But just for a brief while, yes, there was disappointment.

Having worked my way through that particular blip, I am trying to use my time wisely.  I'm continuing to make progress through the craft project list (currently making fruit and veg produce bags so I don't have to use plastic bags at the supermarket).  I'm also finally succumbed to reading the Soulemama blog.  I came across it before I started blogging myself but never really felt the connection.  For some reason I returned to it a couple of weeks ago and seemed to appreciate it far more (although I tend to skip through the sponsorship side of things).  Amanda certainly has an arresting way with words - and photos.  But what I'm particularly interested in is her craft projects, and I have begun the task of reading her archives to get ideas and inspiration, which inevitably leads me to other crafty blogs, too.  Her 'just do it' attitude is very appealing and I really love the way she has involved and encouraged her children to accept crafting as part of everyday life.  The only small problem I foresee is not having sufficient time to try all these ideas for myself!

I also baked today, so things must be getting better!  I finally got around to trying Rhonda's scone recipe, adding some grated cheese for a savoury finish.  Wow, they were tasty - N deemed them 'excellent' - and very straightforward to make so they will become a regular lunch-time snack.  

My toppings - tomato and olive passata, onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, sweetcorn and cheese.  Also it looks bigger in the photo than it really was - honest!

For dinner tonight we had a collaboration, home-made pizzas - I made the pizza base dough and we both piled on our favourite toppings.  They were, of course, far superior to anything shop-bought and cost us a fraction of what we would have had to pay in a restaurant.  We have the time to make them ourselves - it's only laziness that finds us searching the freezer - and taste-wise there is no comparison.

I'm sorting through my household journal and have decided to create a new file for crafting-related info.  The 'Ideas to Try' list is getting out of hand already ;-))

Christmas shouldn't have to break the bank

We have an angel for the tree-top!  A bit of card, gold pen, wadding, paper clips and some wired ribbon left over from a bouquet of flowers (yes, I keep all those bits and pieces; you never know when they might come in useful), and the top of the tree doesn't look quite so bare.  Things like that are great fun to make, and proof, yet again, that it isn't necessary to spend a fortune on decorating the house.  

Reindeer production is also in full swing - two have been sent by post to children living away, and hopefully the others will be finding new homes (and maybe trees!) in the next couple of days.

I spent much of yesterday focussing on the quilt borders, marking the pattern in preparation for machine quilting.  I've had to use a home-made stencil and white chalk pencil to mark the fabric, and got a crick in the neck for my troubles.  But the two short sides are fully marked, and I want to start quilting those tomorrow.  I didn't have enough backing fabric, as I suspected, so I've had to rummage through my stash to find something suitable, and it will just have to be pieced.  Ah well, a pieced back as well as a patchwork front! 

In amongst all this crafting, I have been ticking lots of odd jobs off the never-ending list.  I keep telling myself things are getting done but there always seems to be a certain panic around Christmas and the New Year season that's difficult to avoid.  I'd like to clear my head, if only for a short time, and spend some time in reflection of the past year and give some thought to the year to come (well, there's a wedding, for a start :-) ).  I think I must deliberately take some time out over the next few days to do just that.

We have quite a busy week ahead, friends to visit and share meals with, places to be and appointments to keep.  We may even buy a present or two - neither of us have actually bought anything yet, although certain things have been decided, just not paid for yet.  We have never succumbed whole-heartedly to the consumerist hype surrounding Christmas; that has meant, on occasions, that our small gifts have been overwhelmed by others more lavish and expensive.  I do believe it is important to stick to your principles rather than feel obligated to spend money you don't have on presents that aren't wanted.  That's just my view; for other people, the presents are an integral part of the Christmas celebrations and maybe they have it right.  But it's not for me.  I don't think Christmas needs to be a time to max out the credit card; it's more than possible to have a great time without spending a small fortune.  Home-made decorations are cheap and fun to make (and haven't been mass-produced in China), and home/hand-made gifts that someone has taken time and effort over should be cherished and appreciated every bit as much as the latest must-have gadget.  Enough said.

Gourmet burgers at home

This post was supposed to have a photo, but the picture came out too blurry to be used, sadly.  However, I can report that N and I enjoyed delicious home-made turkey burgers this evening, in home-made soft rolls with fried winter-greens (fresh from the garden and into the pan) and onions on the side, and they were far better than any gourmet burger that we have eaten out (not that we do that very often nowadays).  The burgers, made with turkey mince, sage from the garden, cranberry sauce, seasoning and an egg to bind, then formed in our newly-acquired (but second-hand) burger press and grilled, really were lovely.  The ones we have had out have tended to be on the dry side, and the rolls past their best, but our homemade burgers were moist, tasty and best of all, we knew exactly what had gone into them.  Very yummy!  We're now on the look-out for other recipes we can use in a similar way - I've found a couple of chickpea and lentil based options that I shall try soon.

I'm now into production with Christmas reindeer - they are a bit fiddly to cut out - and I also had a couple of hours working out the borders for the 30th birthday quilt, which involved lots of scribblings on the back of old envelopes until N came over and came up with a much simpler solution.  I really should have asked him to begin with, he's far better with figures than I am.  Hopefully photos will follow tomorrow.

Finished sewing projects, and a Christmas decoration

Well, not only did I have a 'screen-free' Sunday, but Saturday as well!  Not really intentional, but there was just a lot going on and I couldn't justify spending time with the laptop.

We spent some time over the weekend with friends, enjoying a lovely meal together, chatting and relaxing.  It was good to take time out from the inevitable busyness that seems to overtake everyone in the run-up to Christmas.

N has been busy in the kitchen, playing with a new gadget we brought back from Manchester (where it had been gathering dust in the back of a cupboard for many years!).  We now have a burger press, and some festive turkey mince and cranberry burgers:

Waiting to be frozen; greaseproof discs top and bottom

We'll be trying them tomorrow, with home-made rolls.

In amongst visiting, cleaning, washing and shredding, I've been frantically trying to finish some sewing projects.  Why is it when you are in a hurry, things seem to take twice as long?  I had taken some hand sewing with me for the train journey to Manchester and back, so that was the first things to finish off when I returned home.  Having cleaned the vases on the lounge window sill, and sorted all the shells and stones out, I knew they would only get covered in dust again if they remained uncovered, so I have been busy with some little covers.

They are just a square/circle of cotton fabric, with a crocheted edging, and weights, in the form of stones with holes in them, or shells with holes drilled in them.

I have embroidered the top of each cover with a shell design; very simple but quite effective, and at least it keeps the dust out of the vases!

Next on the list was a 'New Home' card for M and J - it's fun working on a small scale - but it took longer than I anticipated.  Ah well, patience and perseverance needed in equal amounts ;)

I've also begun sewing for this year's Christmas ornament for the family.  This 'tradition' seemed to start last year almost by accident - I went into production with patchwork Santas - and I thought I would try to do something this year, too.  Plenty of time, I told myself!  LOL.  Anyway, the prototype is on it's way to M&J, and tomorrow I shall cut out some more for the rest of the family (that's the four children, and N has asked for a couple for the lounge, too).

I'm sure I saw the pattern or a photo of this reindeer on the internet but I can't remember where, apologies.  If I can find the link, I'll put it up.  No cost involved at all, just a few scraps of felt, wadding, embroidery thread, buttons and ribbon was all that was needed.  I now wondering if it should have had a tail or not . . . 

Digital detox

'Digital detox' has made it into the Oxford Dictionary, and is the term for a period of abstinance from computers and digital gadgets.  You can go on a digital detox camp, apparently, I suppose a bit like a boot camp :o)   

We are going away, and we have choosen not to take the iPad with us.  It will do us both good not to be linked to a computer for a while; I think we probably use it far more than we would like to admit to.  I know I feel a bit cut off if I can't check up on various blogs, or indeed be able to blog myself, and N reaches for the iPad to look up things all through the day.  Great for having information at your finger-tips, 24/7, but there's an inherent danger in relying on digital communication.  So for us it makes sense to have some 'down time' away from the keyboard, email and blogs.

We are going to Thassos, a little Greek island.  It's very green, very beautiful and very quiet!  Same size as our island but only about one fifth of the population.  Lovely beaches (and the swimming is safe and the water warm so we will spend a lot of time in the sea), good walking, quite a bit of history and very friendly people.  We will eat locally grown produce bought at the local shop - we don't mind mis-shapen fruit and veg, and the taste is far superior.  It's a very simple, traditional way of life and suits us well.

This is Gus, a little mouse who travels with us.   He is a well-travelled little chap and is very good at making friends in new countries.  He also has a wardrobe of clothes to reflect the places he has visited (maybe I shouldn't admit to making clothes for a six-inch toy mouse, but it's become a bit of a tradition, making Gus a new outfit if we go somewhere new), but this time, in the spirit of frugality, he is wearing a pair of shorts he had for a previous trip, a sun-visor made from a margarine tub lid, and a very nifty pair of sunglasses that N manufactured this morning from some garden wire and shiny black card.  On reflection, maybe we are taking this too far!!

I love this sling N has made to support the cucumber as it grows :)  When we return, we shall have plenty to keep us busy in the garden; we need to dig out a couple of the beds, lift and split the perennials, take cuttings and plant the brassica seedlings from the nursery.   Autumn will be upon us, and there's a lot to do.

Thanks for visiting.

Recent thriftiness

It's been lovely and sunny here for the last few days (although the temperature is dropping in the evening and it's now possible to sleep under the duvet instead of on top!), so we have been making the most of it and enjoying some lovely walks along the seafront.  There's always something to watch and look at, even if it's just the comings and goings of the various ferries across the Solent.

I've continued with a bit of dead-heading in the garden.  It's a job I really don't mind at all as it makes me get 'up close and personal' with the plants.  It also means I can spot any unwanted seedlings (the verbena bonarensis self-seeded a couple of years ago and it's been a battle of wits between us - I like to think I just about have the upper hand now) and weeds that might be taking hold.

However, there's also time for making things.  We're off on our hols at the weekend, and so far my expenditure for this has been £3, on a baseball cap to keep the sun out of my eyes.  I haven't bought any new clothes or shoes or accessories to co-ordinate with outfits, I just wear what I have.  I'm not out to make a fashion statement at all, we just want to have a quiet time together.

This is a photo of a beach wrap I bought on a trip to India several years ago.  I have another wrap in turquoise, or at least I did:

it's now a kaftan and belt, just right for covering up to and from the beach, or for breakfast on the balcony.  It was a bit of a trial and error as far as a pattern was concerned.  To begin with I folded the wrap in half, sewed side seams (leaving armholes) and across the shoulders.  This resulted in the 'pillowcase look' - not very flattering at all ;-).  I realised that some shaping was required and have just shaped under the arm (the photo shows it quite well), and straight down the side seams so I've reduced the width of the kaftan a fair bit.  The belt is made from the surplus fabric, and just gives a bit of shape.  Total cost = nothing.

N and I both enjoy reading and doing puzzles when we're travelling and on the beach, but we a bit shocked when we saw the price of puzzle-books in the newsagent.  A bit of lateral thinking, and N has come up with a solution.

A sudoku board, made from a scrap of wood found in the shed, with a bulldog clip stuck on to hold puzzles.  A couple of years ago N was given four books of sudoku for Christmas, and he enjoys testing himself with the really difficult ones.  That means the easy ones are left, but they are the ones that I prefer, so he's taken a few from each book and put them on my sudoku board, and stocked his up with the toughies.  Pencils and rubber in a little bag and we are set to keep our brains ticking over on holiday.  And the cost?  Nothing.

And finally, I cut my hair this morning.  Usually I've just given the fringe and side bits a trim and asked N to tidy up the bit at the back, but today I tackled the whole lot myself.  My hair is wavy (and past a certain length it has a tendancy to actually curl into ringlets - LOL - not a good look for the more mature lady, especially one who is decidedly grey!) but it does mean that I can get away with a not-quite-perfect cut.  Having said that, I'm really quite pleased with my effort, and getting rid of the very grey/white hair around my face does, I have to admit, make me feel better.  I have finally embraced going grey, I haven't had my hair coloured now since before last Christmas, and I haven't spent money on having it cut at all this year.  If I had had my hair cut 6 times between January and now, at a cost of £15.00 (about what I used to pay for a dry trim), that would have cost me £90.  A cut and blow dry at £25.00 would have added up to £150, and I'm not even going to think about highlights.  I don't have an income (by choice, I agree) other than a very small amount of savings interest each month, so my money must be spent wisely, and having done the sums, I can't justify spending my few pennies on something I can do myself. 

Little things add up

There are some days when I feel I haven't achieved very much at all.  It's unusual (and unlikely) that I don't do anything during the day, but sometimes even lots of little things don't seem to add up to very much.  I thought today I would think about what I have done, and feel good about those things.

I started off this morning by making tea for N and I (we share this little task) and as usual we sat in bed and chatted.  I started a bit of hand-sewing on one of N's jackets - he'd asked me if the pocket flaps could be sewn down as he never used them - and the job was finished before breakfast.

We sorted out some clothes we need for the party tomorrow and N ironed the shirts he's taking.  Meanwhile I altered a pair of my trousers that gape a bit at the back.  I've been meaning to do this for ages but never quite got round to it.  I had to undo part of the waistband, take in the back seam, then take in the waistband to fit.  It wasn't difficult, didn't take long and now the trousers fit much better.

I did some washing.  I vacuumed and tidied.  I folded and put away lots of pieces of fabric that had 'moved' from the spare bedroom/sewing room into the lounge, so both those rooms now have some order back in them.

I've also finally added the finishing touches to the cutlery dividers I've been working on for a while.  I used a laundry marker to make some fabric labels, then I hand-sewed them on the appropriate bags.   These, and the beautiful veneered box N made are my son's belated birthday present and we will take them with us tomorrow.

N has got a wonderful shine on the box lid

We had a lovely tasty Fisherman's Pie for dinner, made from scratch, and then the grandkids and their mum and dad came round for a hour or so, and we did colouring, and sums and had hugs and cuddles.  Brilliant!  And we got Easter eggs :)

So nothing monumental, but lots of little things.  I could do the clothing alterations because I know how to sew.  I didn't have to pay someone else to do those things for me so I saved money.  And I enjoyed doing them.  N and I have had great pleasure from hand-making a birthday present, again we haven't been tempted to buy something mass-produced.  We hope it will be appreciated and cherished as a very personal gift.  The time with the children was great fun, and we all enjoyed being together.  

All in all, a pretty good day.

A snowy day

We don't get snow here very often, maybe once or twice a year, and rarely for more than a couple of days.  So when it does arrive, as it did today with about 2-3" of snowfall, many things grind to a halt.  All the schools on the Island were shut, and we watched a steady stream of youngsters heading off for a local hill to do a spot of tobogganing, armed with an interesting array of sleds, both plastic shop-bought ones, and home-made improvised ones (I was particularly taken with one enterprising lad who had his surf board with him!)  DH and I both said how good it was to see so many kids out and about, simply having fun in the snow. 

  

The roads were quiet (no school runs to do) after the initial battle to get to work.  We overlook quite a busy junction, and several cars lost grip on the corner, and two had very narrowing escapes just missing the traffic lights.  With snow being so rare here, people just aren't used to driving in these conditions.  

We live in a first-floor flat, and overlook our neighbours' gardens.  We always enjoy watching the birds, and keep bird identification books and binoculars to hand so we can check up on what's about.  With the snow around, I was particularly keen to see a robin (snow + robin = Christmas card!), and my patience was rewarded when I caught a glimpse of a flash of red.  

I love taking photos with my little Nikon Coolpix - I'm no pro by any stretch of the imagination, but I just point and click at things that catch my eye.  The only problem is that I have ended up with a stack of photos on the laptop.  So that is another project for this year - sorting through and labelling all the photos (and probably deleting quite a few, too).  I see this as one more way of simplifying my life, getting things in order and easier to access - a decluttering exercise.  Along similar lines, I spent half an hour today going through my email folders, deleting unnessary one and moving others to appropriate folders.  If I get into the habit of doing these things little and often, they won't become huge tasks I keep putting off, terrified of the enormity of them.

The waistcoat project has been put on hold temporarily.  Having carefully drafted the pattern up, adding a bit for good measure, cutting out and sewing some seams, it seems that DH is a bit broader in the back than I had made allowances for!  I didn't have enough fabric left over to remedy the situation, so I need to buy an extra piece to continue.  Not liking to sit around twiddling my thumbs, I fetched out a bag of machine quilting samples that I had stashed away, and got thinking.  

I have been meaning to make a scissor case for my new dressmaking shears (a much appreciated Christmas present from my son).  Seeing these samples made me realise that one of the squares would do the trick nicely.  A bit of bias binding from my workbox, and hey presto, a neat  case for the scissors.  And it hasn't cost me anything except my time.  

I now have plans for some other machine quilting samples, to make my 'sewing room' (the spare bedroom, really) a little more homey and practical.

Machine quilting is something I am trying to master.  I have had a couple of lessons at OliVen quilting shop in Newport, from Vendulka, who is a very talented craftswoman and excellent teacher, but the best way of mastering the technique is by practising - lots and lots of practising!  But at least now I have found a way to put all those little samples to some practical use.  I'm feeling very pleased with myself!