Thursday 25 August 2011

Cheap and Cheerful..... Rather 80's Bathroom .... Todays Thrifty Snippet !


Just a quick Thrifty update ..... I now have a somewhat 1980's orange looking bathroom .... but what the heck ... its clean and bright and cost next to nothing.

The bathroom has been in dire need of a fresh lick of paint for some time so I am so pleased I have managed to freshen it up .... perhaps the colour is a bit 'different' but its nice and warm looking .... and it cost all of £1 for two tins of paint !



And not the thin cheap stuff either .... nice thick creamy Crown Emulsion.

Of course I found it at the car boot sale so it was a bit of risk .... sometimes its all dried up or full of rain water .... but the tins seemed well and truly sealed and for £1..... well ....
I snaffled them up.




As you can see its a warm sandy colour ..... the bathroom suit is just plain white so it looks just fine ..... nice and clean and fresh.




I managed to find a shower curtain too .... all for the bargain price of £1 .... just look at the original price!
I could never justify paying so much just for a shower curtain, no matter how much you pay they all get stained and grubby in no time and they only wash well so many times.

Listen to me going on about a shower curtain .... time I went to bed ... too much painting in a confined space!




Anyway that's my thrifty thing for today ..... and Oh joy!.... there is lots of the paint left .....
Hubby P is enthused with the paint brush ....
He is threatening/suggesting we paint our bedroom with the remainder of the paint ....
it would be thrifty !


Take care x

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Todays Thrifty Snippet ! Damsons....


Jut a little Snippet of money saving ideas tonight ..... I am trying to do a little something most days, makes me think I am making the most of the hard won pennies!

We're nearly out of homemade jam from last year .... I used the last of the Damson jam (on toast - of course). So out comes the jam pan .....

I had a little bimble up the lane.... in search of something .... Blackberries maybe to go with the apples ...... and look what I found....




Lots and lots of Damsons .... a bumper crop!




I filled the little colander I had taken with me ..... when I weighed them for the jam - 4 lbs ... not bad for 10 minutes picking.

They are being stewed as I blog.... ready for the jam.
Just the cost of a bit of sugar and some recycled jars and we will have lashings of jam to see us through the winter!




An odd pic of my Geraniums..... I think they are so cheerful, I just love this old red one, its one my Grandmother had (well a cutting from a cutting - you know what I mean).

Just had to show you this little Guy ... he popped in for a visit earlier tonight.



Not a brilliant pic .. but we didn't want to upset him too much.

He came flying in ... he is huge... he sounded like a Bomber plane, real loud drone, and promptly fell into my lap.
I was very good..... I didn't scream .... but it was a bit of a eeeeek moment!

Richard rescued him and sent him on his way.... anyone any idea what/who he is?





More Damsons .... the tree is laden ..... think a bit more picking is in order.

Off to stir my Damsons .... bye for now xx

Monday 22 August 2011

Back to Basics .... Thrifty Snippets !


Simple and Basic ..... don't spend what you haven't got, make do with what you have, make do and mend, be happy with your lot ...... Grandmothers principals instilled in me as a child.... just as useful in today's world.

I'm just taking stock of my life.... giving my self a bit of a shake, life is so busy at the moment, but I must live my life on my terms.... as I have been brought up.... otherwise I feel rubbish!

So today has been one of storing what we have lots of, making and mending and taking stock of the finances....

So....... Apples ..... loads of them !



I was tired of them falling on my head or being spoiled and bruised by landing on the path, so Richard picked them for me today.... I shall freeze some, make jams and jellies, and sell a few at the car boot sale (everyone likes a nice apple pie!)





I checked out the Mint growing in the garden .... I have several clumps, so thinking of the 'make do with what you have' I shall use the mint to make Apple Mint Jelly. Goes wonderfully well with meat or cheese.

Assessing the financial situation I realised that I have very little 'Pin money' .... an old fashioned term meaning a little money the housewife could make (eg selling her surplus eggs), or saving from her housekeeping money.... to be used for her needs ie. to buy her Pins.

At one time I could save a little from what I think of as my housekeeping money.... but with the price of food etc going up money seems to be gobbled up.
So its back to good old eBay.... I have always thought of eBay money as pin money, not to be relied upon, but a little extra, I use it to buy gifts, and bits and bobs for my sewing etc.



I found this lovely bit of fabric at the weekend so as usual I have put a bit aside for my sewing projects and put a bit on eBay, needs must as they say.




So pretty, I can't decide what to do with it yet, maybe a bag or purse, or cushion... it needs to be quite big to show off the print.

And..... I managed to get caught up with the washing .... huraaaaah!




Just look at all those socks!

It may be a bit sad .... but it makes me happy to see an empty laundry basket.

As far as the Make do and Mend goes ..... its saved our marriage this week!

We have had major 'Domestic Problems' in the form of Hubby P taking issue with his bedsheets!

It must be said we do share a bed and so I have the same sheet and I have found it to be just fine - as bedsheets go, but somehow on Hubby P's side the bottom sheet would not stay tucked under the mattress and would end up ruched under him, or wound around and tangled up with his nightshirt .... you can imagine his 'indignation'!?

I must admit it was rather a smallish narrow sheet, so I hauled all the sheets out and gave them a looking over.... to be honest they are as old as the hills and a bit worse for wear.... but have you seen the price of new ones!
They have to be flannelet in this household (its the law ... according to Hubby P) so until I can find new ones (reasonably priced) I have to make do. I got the scissors out and pieced and turned 'sides to middle' to make three shoddy sheets into two serviceable .... large and well 'tuck-in-able' sheets.
They may not be too pretty but they are clean and comefy, and hopefully Domestic Bliss will return to the bedroom.... !

Take care ...... bye for now x