Just a Quickie .... Back to The Same Old!

  Well  hello there' ... yes indeedy .. a load of old parsnips..

with all the glitz and glitter .. looking a bit sad .. the excitement over ... that's what we are left with...

a load of old parsnips ... big sack full.

It was nice while it lasted, seeing friends and family ....hope you all had a nice time.

It is nice to have time to do a bit of sewing ... I got a few of my cushions made .. here's one odd photo for now, I'll try and remember to take some more. 

   

I'm struggling a bit ... my laptop is poorly sick and in with Mr Fixit ... so I am using Hubby P's steam operated machine ... so it may be a bit of an odd/bitty post. I'm hoping I get my laptop back soon ...

Just to introduce ...

A few new members of the Allsorts household ... these little cuties were in a box as part of a house clearance .... destined for ... well ...who knows where ...the 'dog toy' box ....Oh heavens.. No!

They were a little grubby ... well loved... so they have had a nice wash and we are just getting to know one another.

No names as yet .. any ideas?   

 And a bit of pretty ... flowers for Christmas ... I do so love yellow roses .. what a treat.

 

And just look what I found .... being on Hubby P's computer .. and nosing around ...

So ... come on ... tell me ....can you guess which one is Hubby P?

he he..

And how long ago was that! ... gosh he must be old .....ha ha!

But you know what ... thank heaven for Hubby P ... silly shoes an all..

I'll leave you with some more of my pretty sparkly roses ...

take care for now ..

xx

Santa Baby !!..Pink Boots...

Hello there ....

Just thought I would share today's delights with you.

Look what Father Christmas brought me... 

Well ... it was the parcel man actually... this year I am working closely with F. Christmas ... we are working on a new initiative ... actively seeking to reduce air miles and ...

 a) lessen the stress and work exhaustion of employees...

 b) work within Health and Safety guidelines to promote and achieve optimal animal welfare in the workplace ...

Thus the parcel man it was ... and he delivered them wonderfully ... a lovely gift from the ever thoughtful Hubby P ... 

New Work Boots! ?

 A nice Girly pink .... although they are described as purple.... a bit of a lilac colour there.

So they had an outing today .... a little stiff with newness ... but nice and bright and jolly on a cold grey day.

How do you like them... are they too pink?

~~~~~~

 

This afternoon I had a bit of a play about with some vintage velvet and pretty lace.

I found the lace panels/ inserts ...whatever.. the other day and thought how pretty they would look as the focal point of a nice cushion ... or bag or ... well ... something I could look at and admire (rather than me stash the lace in the storage cases ...with the other goodies waiting to be made into something lovely).

I had  some wonderfully deep blue velvet .. a skirt ...vintage .. a teeny tiny size with some damage ... so I had saved it for the fabric.

I spent some time carefully stitching the lace to one of the velvet skirt panels.. ready to be made into a pretty cushion.

The lace panels are all different in shape ... should make a nice collection of cushions.

 I found these dinky doilies too ... they are a rather pretty greeny/aqua colour ... they may make a nice addition to the new look cushions ... I'm on a roll now!

I found a bit of nice green velvet too ... 

So many choices .... 

Good job we have a few days off .... it gives me time to indulge myself and sew .... and sew...love it!

So what have you got planned ... any time for crafting?

xx

 

A Sprout's Kinda Day ....

Hello there ...

Been a grey sorta dreary day here ... that time of year ..

The mundane is ever with us...

Remember this pic of my sadly eaten Brussels sprout plants ... well I left them in the ground to see if maybe they would at least sprout some top leaves we could eat .....something would be nice...

Well they did us proud ...considering the hammering they had from the caterpillars.

Hubby P cut the whole things and brought them into the house ....they were beginning to droop over the path and trip us up ... and they have done their job. 

 Not a fantastic crop ... but hey ... I didn't think we were getting any.

They are a bit on the small side ....fiddly to clean ...but I gave them a good soak in some salty water to kill off any creepy crawlies.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised ...six or so good dinners worth. Hubby P wanted to be assured that I ment as a side vegetable ... not simply a plateful of sprouts for dinner!

Although he does eat up his sprouts ... we like sprouts in this household.

Its inspired me to try growing more veg this next year ... especially in pots ...by the door.. where I can easily keep an eye on them and keep them watered.

Any ideas ... whats good to grow in pots? whats cheap and cheerful?

I've just been looking at seed ....heck ...what a price...and the  thing is I really don't need 200 seeds just to plant up a pot or two.

I need to do a bit more looking ...there must be someone who does smaller packs.

I'm kicking myself now ... last year ...not having time to do much gardening ..I gave away my tin of seeds ...some of them would be still okay to plant.

Never mind ... I will keep my eyes peeled for the odd 'Old Gent' selling packets of seed at the carboot ...its amazing what some of these nice old boys have tucked away in their sheds.

On a completely different note .... I got a sudden urge yesterday ...to seek out a crochet hook.

I think it was reading one or two blogs ... Frugaldom I remember as one ...

Anyway ... everyone seems to be making these wrist warmer/fingerless glove type things.

  

So I thought I would have a bash at it ...

Don't ask me how I did it ... nothing remotely resembling a pattern was involved ...kinda .. freestyle crochet.

They seem very warm ...

I shall try them out tomorrow.

Anyway onwards and upwards ... hope you are battling the cold and wet okay ... keep thinking of spring and the garden ... we have just got to have a better summer this next year.

xx 

Break Out The Chutney.....

Hello there...

just a bit more of our everyday ...

just a bit more of us..

 

 Time to break out the chutney ... yes indeedy...its that time of year... a girl needs a bit of chutney on her cheese on toast.

I made this beetroot and apple chutney a while ago ... made from some 'use it up beetroot' from Colin the veg and ... well.. whatever I could find in the cupboards.

So it was a bit of a ... 'lets see what it tastes like' moment ....

and  Yes indeed ...its very good.

Dear Hubby P has spent the morning ... and it is His Birthday! ... shifting a piano ... and other heavy things ... so cheese on toast for lunch was just the job.  

 We've been treating ourselves to this lovely crust grain-y bread ...not cheap ... but the deal is ...if we have this bread (rather than cheaper stuff) we cannot spend on other things like fancy yogurts.

And its good bread ... good wholesome stuff ... good for us ... good for our ...um...digestion.

....and ...makes scrummy cheese on toast.

The only drawback I find is the amount of seeds/grain that fall off the top of the loaf ... I collect them in a little tin ...well waste not want not.

 I mix them with a handful of Approved Food cheapie suet and put it out for the birds...

Isn't bird food getting expensive ...its costing a fortune. 

I've stopped buying the peanuts. 

I'm afraid they will have to live off staples like the rest of us ....crusts and crumbs and the odd fat ball if I can find them cheap enough.

I have a good order coming from Tesco ...I used that double your money Exchange thingy and bought a whole load of frozen veg.

Not something I have ever done before ...I don't use frozen veg as a rule ... fresh has always been readily available ....and cheap.

Remember the days when veg was used to 'fill you up' ... a good cheap standby ... I fear those days are gone.

So frozen veg it is ....its a bit cheaper ... and will bulk out the meals.

I had a good sort out of the freezer to make room for the order.  

Pulled out a few odd bags of veg I had chopped and frozen ... a couple of bits languishing in the fridge..

And made a pan of soup ....nice with a lump of that crusty bread.

How are your soup days going ... what do you find is cheap and tasty for a soup? ...I put a few lentils in with mine ... I'm afraid I always end up buying the same thing ... I fancy something different ...but I don't know what. 

And as for the cat ....well ....talk about making yourself at home!

xx

Vintage Scrumptiousness... Buttons ....and A Early Morning Visitor.

Hello there ... hope its a good weekend for you.

Its been one of those 'work-y' days for us ... so ... this has been my world today.

A few pretty pic's of the type of vintage-y goods we sell ....

 well....

... it was a bit slow today ...it was cold...I was bored pricing up stuff ....and the camera was in my bag ...

so...  

Cute little Bambi style meets vintage-y beads...

A touch of Christmas...

Beads bangles and brooches ...

 The loveliest dried flower pictures ...

A few scent bottles ....

  

Here I was snooping with the camera on Hubby P ..... busy amongst his boxes of House Clearance stock ...'everything 25p' ...a bargain!

One of Hubby P's regular Ladies .... off home with her bag of goodies ... they do so love a good old rummage in his boxes ..

...Ooo er Missus ... sounds a bit rude!

Rather a surprise this morning .... found this little chap outside the door.

 He/she was busy eating some scraps of pastry I had put out for the birds ... He was very friendly and yeowly .. 

I gave him a little milk and some dog food and he tucked in ... hungry then!

Pretty cat ... only young ...with four white socks.

It was only last week I was saying 'No'... no more cats ...it seems maybe we don't have a say in it ...maybe they choose us.

Hubby P has just this minute walked back in with 'Socks' .. a neighbour had also been concerned for him/her (haven't checked yet) ...He/she has been living rough in a field for a few days ..

so we will see what happens.

Socks is just busy putting the dogs in their place!

And finally ....a few buttons to delight..   

I found these lovely ceramic buttons today .... I think perhaps someone (very clever) has made them .. they are so large and colourful.. clunky and ...well just so touch-y feel-y.

Wonderful for those special crafty projects. I feel some nice corsages coming on or rustic little purses ..

Of course there are quite a lot and I know I wont use them all ... and I am trying so hard not to hoard stuff .. so I have chosen three for myself. The rest I will ebay and recoup some of the pennies spent on them. 

I'm trying to be thrifty ... and only spend on essentials .. so if I get some money back on them (if I manage to sell them) ...its not so bad ...is it?

And they do thrill me ... and a Girl has to have a bit of a thrill ...now and again.

xx  

Time To Break Out The Mincemeat ...and Darling Lamps

Hello there ... how are you this evening?

I'm trying to do a bit of this ... in the mad hurly burly of this frenetic festive season.

Although I must say ... there were fewer people about at the car boot sale today... mind you it was absolutely freezing. 

The wind cut through you like a knife ... still we saw some regular faces and made a little money... and it was nice to stop and have a chat.

 For some of the older people its their weekly trip out ... they come to the boot sale... go to get their supermarket shop and home ... until the next week.

They were very brave coming out in this cold weather. 

 I could resist no longer ..... and broke out the homemade mincemeat.  

Lovely mince pies all round ...I'm afraid they don't last long in this house.

How are you doing ... have you made your first batch of mince pies yet?

xx

And .... to delight you ....look what I treated myself to today...

A lovely pair of the most sumptuous pinky pink lamps I ever saw.

Not the best picture I'm afraid ... I simply popped in a bulb and plugged them into the nearest socket to make sure they were working .... and marvel at their pinkness! 

 The body of the lamp is made from glass .... a lovely soft pink colour with gold touches.... I was taken with them straight away.

But .... it was very early in the morning and still dark (on an outside stall)...so I was very good and waited until it was daylight ... I then rushed into the ladies (um .... powder room?*) to retrieve my spending money ...from under the layers of clothes I was wearing... and have a count up to see if I had enough pennies.

I thought it would be a bit indecent ... not to say shocking!.. to start stripping off amidst the stalls.. in the hunt for a few stray pounds!

Hubby P wouldn't bat an eyelid but other people ... well ...they can be a tad sensitive.

  

In the daylight  I could see they were in excellent condition and just as pinkly perfect as I had hoped for .... I handed over my saved up money and stashed them safely in the van.

Here you see the other lamp in the bedroom ... where they will live (once I get the electrics sorted out )

  ... shining their 'happy' pinky warming light over us. 

Delighted as I am I can see it causing issues with Hubby P and finding socks and whatnot in the early mornings ...

But a girl just has to have some nice things.... just to cheer her. 

 

Mind you ... just look at my splendid ... cheerful... jolly flowers.

A gift from some friends ... how nice is that!

So whats cheering you ... whats bringing a smile to your face despite the chilly weather?  

Filling the Oven ... One Way To keep Warm...

Hello there...

thought it was time I checked in ....everyone okay?

Just a bit of everyday doings... maybe a bit boring ... a bit bland ... but hey! this is my life ... its not all Sex In The City ... or even Eastenders .... 

We live a steady, quiet ...and contented life.

So yesterday ... the promise of a lamb hotpot kept Hubby P going all day...I like to cook a hotpot long and slow so I started in the morning.

We can't run (cannot afford to buy) to lamb chops for a hotpot all the time ...they are such a price. So I use half a pound of minced lamb ... browned in the frying pan ... it gives the hotpot a somewhat authentic lamb-y taste. 

 I fry it up with a bit of onion and here I have added a couple of spoonfuls of cooked rice ....left over from the previous evenings meal....it bulks out the mince well.

 Just look at this gorgeous veg ... wonderful vibrant colours.

I layered it all with the mince and sliced potatoes...sprinkled an odd oxo and some good old Welsh water ...and put it in the oven.

Now even the best of hotpots doesn't justify the oven being on for hours ... simply for it alone.

So ... looking in the fridge and baking cupboard ...it looked a lot like cakes. 

I lined a few cake tins ....in a rough and ready manner ...no frills here I'm afraid.

And set to....it doesn't take long ...just knocking up a few simple cakes .. I used what was to hand.

I made a coconut sponge, lemon sponge (yes .. still a lemon or two lurking about) and a chocolate marble sponge.

Nothing flash ... quick and easy... used the weight of eggs method.

That is ...weigh your eggs (or as I do put them on the side of your scale where normally you would put your weights)...then use equal amounts of sugar, butter and flour ...a basic sponge mix ...add whatever flavourings ...and bung in a tin.   

 I put a bit of lemon icing on the lemon cake and jam and coconut on the coconut....left the chocolate mable cake as it was ...choccy speaks for itself.

Of course this is a lot of cake for one household.... so I found some

odd/mismatched saucers ...gave them a good hot wash ... and plated up the cake.

I covered them well in cling film and took them to the boot sale today....everyone likes a bit of homemade cake.

And it raised a few pennies ....paid for me having the oven on and a delicious hotpot. 

 

 

A pound to a penny some of the old dears will wash and return my old saucers ...it was what they were brought up to do ...anyone else remember collecting pop bottles to 'cash in' ...and get a few pennies back. 

I remember too.. when my Grandparents had a Fish and Chip shop ...the local ladies would bring in their own plates and bowls for their fish dinners or whatever it was they fancied....and leave them to be filled .... Gran knew everyones household china ..

how things have changed.

Perhaps companies should bring back that deposit scheme ... I'm sure it would work, they have a similar scheme in other countries I think ... it must be an incentive to recycle.

What do you think ...would people do it these days ...does money back make a difference?

xx