ANGLESEY ALLSORTS

Ye Olde Cookery Book ....

2012-01-14T11:33:00.001-08:00

Hello there everyone .... its been a super day here .... lots of sunshine.
We are hoping for a nice day tomorrow when we sell at the Car Boot sale.
Fingers crossed ..... x

Just a short post .... firstly to thank you all for your comments, its nice to know I'm not just blathering away here to myself ... hehe ..... wouldn't be the first time!

...... and secondly ..... some of you mentioned the cookery book .... I've had it forever.
I think it must have been passed down from one of my Grandmothers I really cant remember..... its travelled with me from kitchen to kitchen.

As you can see its very battered and nowadays its held together by sellotape. It does have a fabric ... linen? .... covering, although that's falling off so the sellotape really does hold it all together.

Cookery Illustrated and Household Management

written by Elizabeth Craig and published in 1936......

So .... that's between the wars then .... fairly old .... its hard to imagine what life was like so far back.

The book gives a glimpse of household 'life' back then ... and what a lot there was for a newly married young woman to learn.

It not only gives advice on food and cooking ... but how to care for silk umbrellas and how to kill bed bugs!
Obviously essential information for every Girl!

How the world has changes .... off to do my Online shop now .... what would Grandma say!

Take care xx

Stove top cooking ..... Thrifty of course!

2012-01-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hello there .... all well I hope...

Been quite a nice day here today ..... the 'Boys' have been playing on the roof ..... the latest project a Summerhouse/cabin .....

... they have been laying a felt roof .....

Great fun and lots of laughs .... you can be assured I was inside ... where its warm ... but still ... doing my 'bit'.

Usually the best idea with Men and outdoors-y projects is to keep them well fed and supplied with regular hot drinks .... bit like bringing up children really.

Major problem on the food front here at the moment ..... my oven is on the blink ... so no baking possible .... and no biscuits etc ( I don't buy anything like that ... trying to be frugal and all that!)

I had a think about all the women living all theirs lives without ever an oven to bake in ..... I thought 'come on Vicky .... women years ago managed perfectly well' ..... so what to make?

I thought of the Crofters on the Scottish Isles and indeed my own Mother rustling up something quick for unexpected visitors .... ahhh Griddle scones or Drop scones.

I reached down my old battered cook book ..... as old as the hills but just as useful and relevant today.

As I flipped through look what I found .... it could have been written for the housewife today.

Anyway I found a basic receipt....... its really a thick batter

10 oz flour
1 1/2 tsp Bi carb soda
1/2 tsp salt
1oz melted butter
1 egg
1/2 pint sour milk (I used fresh with a drop of lemon juice)

and I added 1 tsp sugar

Make a batter of this .... beating well....

Drop spoonfuls onto a hot griddle .... or greased frying pan if like me that's all you have.

When the mixture starts to rise a little and bubbles start to pop, ease the scone with your fish slice or pallet knife ... if you are posh ... and flip it over.

Serve them warm freshly buttered .... that's if you can get your men to come down off the roof.

...and mugs of hot tea .... Earl Grey of course.

This receipt made lots of batter .... too much for one 'Afternoon Tea' for us, so I have put some in the fridge for tomorrow I thought I would try it as a savory.... I have a little sweetcorn sat in the fridge too.
I will stir the sweetcorn into the batter 'drop the scones' cook and serve them with an egg and the last of the 99p Value bacon bits ..... should be a little different....I will let you know Hubby P's opinion .... as it is I have to disguise sweetcorn/ he takes issue with sweetcorn/its his digestion ... I will say no more...

.... I tell you its like raising children all over again.

Here we are .... having lots of fun ..... it takes a lot of talking about .... in very loud voices!

And with very loud toys....

Ohh ... yes indeedy ... the scones were delicious .... I had damson jam with mine.

Any ideas on stove top cooking .... I may be at it a while ....

Take care xxx

A Girl and Her Soap ... and odd Thrifty Snippets..!

2012-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Well .... we had a bit of sunshine today ..... I had to scrabble about in my bag for a pair of sunglasses ..... things are looking up!

Hope you've had a nice weekend.

I thought I would show you my soap ..... Ohhh how I love soap...

.... and not just the sweet pretty toilet soap ..... I really love the old solid, chunky brick -like bars of soap that our Grandmothers used.

I picked this 'Perfection' and 'Pinkobolic' soap the other week ......

Pinkobolic...!

...how fantastic is that...' REMOVES THE FEAR OF DIRT AND GERMS'... just great!

Hubby P snigger's like a school boy every time he reads Pinkobolic ..... always a silly boy at heart.

The other morning I finished a bottle of shampoo and thought 'what a useful bottle' ... too good to bin.... so I went to put it in the bathroom cupboard to 'store' it. Whilst rooting about in there I came across lots of half full bath foam, showergels etc etc.... bits and bobs that were not going to be used for their original purpose....

So I poured them all into the 'useful' bottle and intend to use it for cleaning the washbasin and toilet .... its soap after all, and leaves a very pretty scent.

Nothing need be wasted.

As you can see I have a little basket of different kinds of Domestic soap .... some plain Fairy, some very old Sunlight and some made in a factory in Accrington (where I went to school)... allsorts of odds and ends.
I use it daily at the kitchen sink .... just as Granmother did.

I do use it because I've got to face the fact that no one ele will want/treasure it when I am gone ... so I may as well enjoy it. I think its the smell off it you know ... brings back memories...

I remember when we were small we had a trestle table and we would fold one leg down to make a slide. This we put in the garden under the washing line. We tied the garden hose to the washing line.... turned on the tap and has a slide under the 'shower'. Grandad had got a wooden box full of blocks of soap .... proberably Sunlight .... I remember it was yellow and very hard... we used this soap to 'grease' the slide ......

...... we were very, very clean children that summer, that the scent of that soap is still with me.

The Pinkobolic smells wonderful .... it was made in Crosfields Warrington ..... anyone remember Crosfields?

~~~~

On to the everyday .... mundane even .... business of meals.
I have returned to the Thriftyness of Bacon (I kinda went off it for a while).

You really cant beat Tesco's cooking bacon at 99p for 500gms .... I slice it up thinly and store it in a plastic box in the fridge...

There is enough for three meals for the two of us .... under 15p/head/meal

This evening I fried it up with a few mushrooms that were looking a bit tired and new (Tesco Value) potatoes .... tasty.

Any Thrifty tips on the old bacon front .... or soap for that matter .... a Girl cant get enough of nice soap ...!

Ta ta for now x

New Boots and a Thrifty Snippets Bonus......

2012-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here we are ..... back to the everyday .... and what a challenge!

A new blank canvas.... a whole fresh New Year .... what will we make of it..... I hope all pulling together we can get through it as comfortably as possible.

Its going to be tough for an awful lot of people so come on folks share all your money saving ideas .... your money making tips ... your Thrifty Snippets..!

~~~~~~

New boots all round at the Anglesey Allsorts household ...
both Hubby P and I needed sturdy new boots..... his are rather smart and arrived yesterday.

A rather significant investment for Hubby P (he hardly ever buys anything new ..... he needed a strong cup of tea when ordering the boots!)... so it was a nice surprise to find they were all they had professed to be .... good strong, all leather boots etc.... and a good fit.

And .... wonderfully packed!

I do get excited with packaging .... everyone is urged to 'be careful' when unpacking .... 'mind the tissue' ..... I love tissue especially if its pretty colours.

A Girl can do wonders when wrapping a gift if she has some pretty tissue and a ribbon.

I managed several sheets of nice soft heavy tissue-y paper and a good sturdy box with lid from the boot purchase.

I was ironing Richards work shirts .... he usually does his own laundry (strict training from age 14) but today it was my way of helping .... he and Hubby P were doing outside jobs so ironing seemed a warmer ... altogether cosier job.
Anyway .... I'm rambling on
.... having the iron still warm I ironed all the tissue from the boot packaging ..... only took a few minutes and its looks good enough to use as wrapping paper.

I have a special little ironing/airing rack ... its above a dehmidifyer in a particular damp corner of the cottage. The dehumidifyer keeps the area fresh and dry and helps air any clothes on the rack.

Can you see my little child's nightdress/under slip .... so cute.

Thought you might like a little look .... they were made of such lovely soft cuddly fabrics.

Its just had a freshening wash and iron..... I have it hanging on the upper rails of my bed with other sweet little baby gowns and whatnot. They are all in need of a wash so I am working through them.

And just to finish .... this is what I've been doing of an evening..... cotton dish cloths.

I was given a whole bagful of cotton yarn so I have crocheted it up into cloths ... I have quite a stack.... so along with the Money Saving I am trying the Money Making haha ..... and I put some on Ebay .... I really don't know if they will sell but hay ho ... ya never know!

So what Thrifty Snippets do you have to share .......

Take care xx

Frugal Fires and Thoughts of Yesteryear....

2011-12-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hello there ....

Hope you all had a nice Christmas .... think I have had enough of it now .... all the sitting around and eating .... a girl can get a bit stir crazy.

I went to help Hubby P do a bit of sorting out at his storage containers today... it was nice to get a bit of fresh air.... bit of rosy into the old cheeks.

We had a good sort out of all the old furniture and brought home any tatty and broken bits for the fire .... we don't like to waste a thing ...... and if its wood it will burn and keep us warm.

May look a bit odd but its warming my tootsies as I type.

I remember as a girl my Grandad telling tales of the hardships during and just after the war, he was a Builder and cleared the odd house for a firm of Solicitors.

This is He....

He taught me how to make a fire ... how to lay it with dry paper .... save all the scraps of packaging from the kitchen ... it will all burn, add some dry sticks/kindling and one or two lumps of coal on top.
Put a light to the bottom and open up the vents so that it draws, if there is little wind/the fire is slow to get going, hold a sheet of newspaper across the front of the fire causing the air to be drawn up from under, and through the fire .... feeding the flames with oxygen and increasing their heat and power. Of course you need to remove the newspaper before it scorches and sets on fire..!

One of his tricks with an open grate/fire was to put a house brick to the back of the fire basket so that the fire was more to the front pushing heat into the room, he use to say its silly to spend good money heating the chimney.

I remember he and my Mother talking of the hard times when coal was either too expensive or could not be found, Grandad would break up old furniture to burn, another time he had cleared an old shop, much of it was old books, so he burnt the old and tattered ones .... they were dense and slow burning and kept the fire in.
He was a great reader, and I must say I would find it hard to burn good books but as he would say .... Needs Must.

Shoes .... old leather shoes were another source of keeping warm ... Grandad had cleared an old Pawnbrokers.
My Mother said as children they had great fun emptying all the little boxes .... when a someone pawned an item the the 'Pawnbroker' gave the customer a number and put it in a box with the number on it so it could easily be found when the customer came back and paid the money to retrieve it.
There were boxes and boxes of all sorts of everyday items .... lots and lots of them being shoes.

A lot of this stuff was kept in the cellar and Mum was sent down to get a couple of shoes to keep the fire going, no coal in the cellar but plenty of shoes!

We moan about things being hard but I think things will get harder before they get better, maybe we will be the ones telling our Grandchildren of the 'Hard times'.

I found a couple of Pic's of my young life to give you an idea of the barren moorland in which I grew up ... I just loved it ..... we had a freedom to run wild, something you do not see nowadays.

This is a photo of my Best Friend ... we grew together and here we are out in my first car ... I think we found an icecream van .... in the middle of nowhere!

Good days .... smiley days!

This next one is of my back garden .... me being chased by a big brother with a popgun!

In the depths of winter and Ivan is still wearing his short trousers with his wellies!

Twas just so then ... and nobody blinked an eye .... I'm sure nowadays we would be seen as deprived or something .... and it would be frowned upon to give us guns to play with.

Ahhhhh well ..... enough for now ...... take care xx

Thrifty Snippets... Fleece-y Bits and the Odd Parsnip...!

2011-12-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hello there ....... You all Christmasssed up then!

I've ... or rather we .... Hubby P even helped ... have cleaned up within an inch of my life .... Father Christmas better be Bl***y Well impressed!

Thank goodness its only once a year!

Anyway as a change from all that glitz and glitter and hoo hhaaarrr -y stuff .... here's some bog standard every day stuff, the kind of stuff we will all be back to in a few days.

Bit of Thrifty Snippet-y stuff.....

Look at these cute little sheep ... I was given these bits of fleece fabric the other day. My friend couldn't bear to throw them out but they were only smallish pieces, bit small to do much with really.

I had thought a couple of weeks ago that I ought to get a couple more hot waterbottles, one had sprung a leak ... not good .... waking up to a damp patch!
And I had found a couple of new bottles at the carboot sale ... I swear you can find anything at a boot sale.
Anyway they needed covers .....

So what nicer than fleecy sheep!

I really couldn't be bothered trying to find the sewing machine under the heap of fabric and 'projects waiting to be undertaken' ....

I simply laid a hot waterbottle on top of the fleece and cut around it, the pieces (4 pieces, two for each cover) were just big enough.

I hand sewed the thing together as I watched Miss Marple.... a repeat but I enjoyed it ... and the cover turned out just fine.

Twill do the job. I'm just on with the other cover.

....... AND PARSNIPS!

Who loves parsnips?
.... well we do and I had bought a little bag for Christmas dinner ....

and then this turned up ..... given to us by a kind neighbour (I think someone had given it to him and basically he was just overwhelmed by the Parsnip-ness of it all .... ! )

A huge .... super sized carrier bag of super sized ..... super dirty parsnips .... enough to feed an army ..... should they like parsnips of course.

Well..... me being a trooper of the 'Waste Not Want Not' brigade .... I set to ......
up to my elbows in muddy water grappling with roots .....
how else should a girl spend her afternoon ( don't tell ... but I do hear some girls spend 'hours' in nice places being pampered with facials and manicures ... tis just a wicked lie ... surely .... just to dis-quieten us...).

I got through half the bag .... some roasting for tea, some bagged in the freezer for roasting and soup, a big pan of Curried Parsnip soup and some in the fridge for the next couple of days. I thought I would try making some parsnip crisps .... if I don't tire of slicing them so thinly...

Any ideas on Parsnips? I thought of wine but we don't drink it.

Ideas would be welcome?

....... this week we will be mostly eating Parsnips ..... can a body overdose on Parsnips.

This looks very festive doesn't it ..... but have you tried cooking by candle light?

The lightfitting in the kitchen has gone kaputt .... Could Hubby P find the right sort yesterday.... could he heck
.... luckily he found one today, I had visions of Christmas dinner being juggled under the candle flame ..... are the potatoes roasted enough? whats that floating in the gravy?.... that sort of thing .... you get the picture.

Guess what Hubby P is doing tomorrow.

A little random pic of my 'portable' mini sewing box .... thought you would like the diddy case!

Somehow Blogger has mixed the photos up when loading ... does anyone else have this problem?

Enough of me anyway .....
enjoy your festivities and think of us when munching on your parsnips!

Take care xx

What is it withith Girls and Candlelight......!

2011-12-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hello there .... how's things?

All keeping warm and toasty, and not too stressed.....

Its just One Day! .... if only ....

Well ... no stress here, to be honest I am making very little effort .... just a little here and there, bought a bit of Holly today....

Its the only bit of decoration I have felt like doing ..... I'm determined to do Christmas for Me this year .... no great dinners, glittering house, and dashing here there and everywhere.

I went for a wander around the carboot sale today, a young couple were selling Holly, or a least trying to, they looked so cold .... so I bought what they had left and suggested they get home and warm up!
They seemed a bit surprised and chuffed I bought it all .... but not half as 'chuffed' as Hubby P 'seemed' when I asked him .... nicely .... I might add ... to haul all this prickly stuff home.

And Candles......

.... what is it with us Girls and Candlelight? .... we just love it..!

And we need no other excuse ....... its cold and dark .... to play with our candles.

I collect these little tin and enamel 'Wee Willy Winkie' candlesticks .... well .... along with all my other 'collections'.

I just love battered old enamel ware.... its just so ....honest? does that make sense?

Oh .... and I put up a few Christmas cards too ..... Hubby P's Birthday cards are up there too .... if you are a bit confused ! ...... he's 21 ..... again!

I just love the rich dark green of the Holly brightened by the glorious rich red of the berries, enough in itself you may think .... but today as I was putting rubbish in the dustbin I looked over to the garden that backs onto the hedge and spotted these little silver 'pennies' waving in the wind.
They are the seed heads of the Honesty plant, I thought they have done so well to survive this long in the cold and wet ..... they deserve a last Hurrah!

I brought them in and nestled them amongst the Holly .... pretty I thought.

I think this is the favorite of my WWWinkies ..... even Hubby P approves of the candles, although not for quite the same reasons .... he will tell you ....

'Yes Pet ....you go ahead and light your candles .... who needs central heating when you have a candle or two to warm the place!'

That's right ... its his preferred method of heating ... cheap you see .... he saves any and all candles, stubs of candles, half used candles .... anything resembling a candle, that he finds in the House Clearances and car boots sales.... and hands them to me with great pride.

So there we have it Candles .... different things to different people .... once a utilitarian thing, to be frowned upon as something the poor people had to use and now something we actively buy for pleasure (we wont think of Hubby P's attitude.... surely he's a one of a kind!).

How is it with you and candles? Is it just a Girl thing do you think?

Take care x

Update on Life....We're Still 'ere!

2011-12-14T11:53:00.000-08:00

Hello there.... its been a while .... well 'ya know Life an all that ...

But I must say .... its nice to have the time to connect with you all, although I have tried to blog in regularly and keep up with all you have been doing.

Just a few odds and sods tonight ..... ease myself back into blogging.

Life has been so busy, and you all know without me saying ... the frugal way is not always the quickest or easiest way of living.

I felt I had to have a fabric fix today .... only half an hour spare between log delivery and Tesco delivery (stocking up in every way). For weeks I have wanted to do something with the chair seat covers .... they had got so grubby ..... so I grabbed some odd scraps of something cheerful ....

.... and my trusty staple gun (the best toy a girl can ever buy herself!).

Chopped the fabric into 4 roughly square pieces and got to stapling it over the grubby offending seats.

Nice and bright and fresh ..... for a while!

Hubby P's old grubby work trousers .... encasing his ever busy person, have no respect for chairs and covers no matter how fresh and pretty .... so no doubt they will in time need replacing.

I know I could have/could make some washable covers, but I like the change and I can always find scraps of nicely aged pretty fabric .... I do have one or two 'heaps' around the place.

This fabric is the offcut ... someone has shortened some curtains ... its faded and ragged around the edged ( a bit like me some days!). Many would use it for dusters, or throw it in the dustbin .... so its at least had a last Hurrah! .... a last go at life!

Bit of a Thrifty Snippet I suppose ....

Wood pile looking good ...... as I said we have had another load today, that is two loads we have paid for this Autumn/winter, a princely sum of £250. A lot of money to me, but I dare say it would cost a lot more to heat the house with oil or gas.
This little lot should see us well into next year, supplemented with scrap wood we can find. The woodstove is all the heating we have, hardy folk here! No central heating just warm clothes, hotwater bottles and cosy blankets .... and we do just fine.

Thinking of fuel ..... and fueling Hubby P .... I've been stocking the cupboards just in case we have a bad spell of weather.
Not that we would ever starve ... I've been conditioned since childhood to keep a good stock cupboard.

Brought up in the wilds of the Pennines where Winters were long and cold .... being prepared for almost anything was a real necessity, no one made a big thing about it, no one mentioned being frugal, being prepared, it was just the way we lived ..... no one knew any different.

You knew Mrs Nelson would always have eggs, and Mr Wolfenden milk .... farms within walking distance if you trekked across the fields. If you were without something various neighbours would have supplies, if the water from the moorside well froze in the pipes, all would turn out with buckets to help carry from the main well.

I have strong links to my childhood, strong memories my Grandparents and Parents and how they lived their lives .... I always took an interest in the day to day .. the domesticity.

Perhaps that's why I love all the old tatty stuff, the everyday items, I use them all, I enjoy them!

I found this cute little Oxo tin the other day, such a little 'baby' one. Its been well used ... I wonder just whose Oxos it held, it holds just 6 cubes, so much nicer than a box.

How are your Winter preparations going, what is it you just must 'have in', and what is it motivates you?

Take care xx

Washin Me Pennies .... and other Thrifty Tales!

2011-09-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yes .. I know it all sounds a bit crazy ... I know you're thinking .... is the woman short of something to do? or is she simply crazy?

Well there is method in my madness .... I save um all .... every last penny gets tucked away in the jar .... every one I find... on the floor at the carboot sale, in the washing machine, in pockets when doing the laundry... and I claim them all for 'the jar'.

I was adding some more pennies today when I noticed there seemed to be a lot of silver amongst the pennies and 2p's .... silver as in 5p and 20p's. So I thought I would have a sort out a bit of a count up.... it was whilst doing this that I noticed how really dirty and sticky the coins were.... quite yucky really.

And I thought if I was the lady at the Post Office I really wouldn't like to handle this cash ... and that's where I take it... I use it for postage and stuff.... or rather Hubby P does (one of his little jobs... its obviously a masculine sort of job... and involves lengthy discussion with whoever is in the 'Post' whilst he remembers to pick up the newspaper too).

Anyway that's how I came to wash the pennies .... when you think of all the hands they have been through they must be smothered in allsorts of yucky germs and whatnot.

So it had a bit of a wash, and dry .... and I took the silver out .... the copper when back in the jar .. for now.

The jar stands by the phone near Katie ... handy for depositing oddments of cash from pockets and purses (and floors of course).

I managed a good £5 in 5p's and £3 in 20p's.... and off Hubby P trundled to the Post Office.

Its amazing how quickly it all adds up... you know what they say......
Many Mickle Makes a Muckle..... and all that!

What do you save your bits and bobs in?
.... a huge Whisky bottle use to be a favorite.... you can see we favor an old wine carafe..... we've had the same one for years, don't think its ever had wine in it yet.

Whilst I was 'Washin me money' the boys were playing outside with bits of wood.....Ooohhh how they love bits of wood....
the project at the moment it a large 'summerhouse'.....I know its September....fast approaching winter!

But they want to do it with recycled timber and whatnot where possible ....... and to be honest, financially it will have to be ... have you seen the price of timber?!
So its been a do a bit when the right stuff turns up kind of project.

Pleeese ... don't look at Hubby P's hair .... or lack of it, its a long sad tale, suffice to say don't decide to cut your hair late at night... in bad lighting..... crouched before your wife's too low mirror..... no glasses on and mistaking the guard number on the hair clippers!

It will grow again.... thank goodness!

Now they have caught me taking photographs!

Ooooo they are having a good time!

Have a good weekend ..... happy thrifting!

Socks and Jam .... Thrifty Snippets!

2011-09-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hope you are all well .... how's your Thrifting going?

What news? .... any bargains this week? .... who's stashed what away in their pantry or freezer for the coming winter.
I do love to hear what you're up to .. and its important to share our ideas and money saving tips...

My bargain of the week ...... socks!

I was down to a few washed out and oddly matched pairs.... goodness knows when I last bought some, so I was pleased I spotted these....

At the carboot sale (where else!).... the Chap was clearing his stock, packing up for the winter maybe...
I was attracted to the lacy bit around the top .... bit like little girls socks but obviously in adult sizes, bit girly girly maybe for me.... but pretty, and at least (fingers crossed/hopefully) when Hubby P and/or Richard is sorting the laundry they will know they are my socks. I think bras are the only thing for sure that don't get mixed up as to the ownership of ..... I could tell you a tale about my panties and Hubby P .... but I wont... I will spare his blushes!

Anyway back to the socks ... mostly cotton, pretty, three pairs to a pack..... 4 packs for £1!
So .... less than 10p a pair.

And they are real comfy!
I mostly wear boots so a bit of lace peeking out just adds a bit of a pretty touch... whatch think?

Apples .... still trying to get through the apples!

Chopped a load... stewed them and put them through a jelly bag.

Added some sugar and boiled to make some Apple Jelly.... I found a nice handful of this fresh mint.....
So I chopped it small and added to the jelly....stirring well, just before I put it into the jars.

Nice Apple Mint Jelly!

I think maybe I over did the mint .... looks a bit... well full of mint, but I'm sure it will taste just fine.

Take care for now x

Thrifty Snippety Tea .... So Good For You!

2011-09-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Turned out a nice day today ... so I made some time to try and bring some order to the garden ... it has been sadly neglected this year.

I donned my gloves and went forth to see the damage ... and where best to start!

Everywhere looked so overgrown ... I decided to start on the bed I can see from the kitchen window. I had bought a few bulbs at the weekend ... ever the optimist, I don't think a few bulbs will make this garden look cared for!

Whilst sorting this small bed I came across my bath of Nettles. I keep this old tin bath just for growing nettles that I eat ... they are clean (no car fumes from the side of the road, or dogs piddling on them), and I can keep them short, small and lush.

They too were a tad overgrown so I thought the thing to do was chop them down and let them sprout afresh.

Always with a nod to Thrifty living I saved the choicest nettles.

In the kitchen I picked them over ... evicted a couple of sleepy caterpillars and gave the Nettles a bit of a rinse.

How fresh and green does this look ... just bursting with vitality!

It knocks spots off any old weary looking cabbage you can pick up from the supermarket shelf!

I chopped up a bit of onion .... quite a lot of onion ... just because I had a lot of onions, and an odd potato (I have a few of these too). The potato thickens the soup nicely.

Sauteed the onions and chopped potato in a little olive oil .... salt and pepper to taste, added the Nettle leaves (stripped from the tough stalks) and stirred around a bit until they were wilted. Added a veggie oxo cube and water to cover .... simmered gently on a very low heat for an hour or so.
Blitzed with the blender and I added a spoonful of veggie gravy granules to thicken it up a bit.... I could have left the lid off and it would have reduced and thickened ... but I'm not that patient a woman!

I must say it was tasty... what an easy tea.
Bowl of healthy soup packed with iron, and cheese and crackers (we won't comment on the pork pie!).

So go on .... eat your weeds!

They are probably more nutritious than all that week old stuff we buy in the shops!

Bye for now xx

Thrifty and Local....Keeping Money On The Island!

2011-09-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Gosh its wet and wild here.... 40 mile an hour winds ... it feels really wintry. I truly hope its not the beginning of winter.... because it will mean a really really long (and expensive ) winter for all of us.

Just a few bits and pieces to share with you ... bargains .. and thrifty deals!

Remember the bathroom ... well I found a new light shade, I had to throw the old one away. It was just one of those cheapo paper ones and they get dusty and brittle after a time.
Anyway I was going to get a new paper one - cheap and cheerful... but then I found this one on a carboot stall .... as new (was still in its cellophane wrapper) and only £1!
I thought 'well - that'll do!'

Its quite nice ... kinda ... well ... stringy!

Hubby P did his stuff and put it up and it looks just fine ... be a great home for all the little spiders!

Whilst roaming around the 'Boot sale' I found this little hotwater bottle in its cosy little jacket ... new in its packet £1 ... just the job to go in the Christmas present box. Everyone needs a 'hottie' during the winter.

I'm finding everyone is thinking of winter ... must be this cold wintery weather .... and its certainly made me feel like 'Setting out my stall' as my Grandmother would say ... getting all ready for the winter months..... stocking up on supplies and whatnot.

Recently .. more than ever I have become aware of the struggle people are having just to get by.... just holding their heads above water. Jobs are scarce and if you do have one pay is poor... there are few opportunities here on Anglesey, we are an Island and in a way a bit out on a limb.
I've decided to try when ever possible to shop locally ... to help keeping the money on the island or at least in North Wales..... to help keep the small people in business.

Today I bought my first (of the winter) sack of spuds (potatoes)... locally grown and sold by a husband and wife team who stand the markets in all weather... always cheerful and often cold and wet!

They look like fine spuds to me ... haven't tried any yet ... but lots of ideas for meals .. how versatile is the potato!

£6 for the sack ... is that a good deal?
Cant say I really did much comparing prices ... I didn't have to travel to pick them up and I went for locally grown.

Filled .. or rather topped up the freezer (we have only a small freezer) ... the butcher's van has started coming to the carboot (getting more like a small market, which I think is a good thing)... so I bought some meat.
Business was slow (cold and wet) so I bagged 10kgs of chicken portions (legs ) that's 47 portions for £20. I split this with a friend £10 each (its a lot for the two of us to eat!).... and although my maths isn't too great ... this works out at under 50p a portion.

Hubby P did his utmost to fit it all in the freezer.... all but 4 portions he squashed in ... so we just had to have chicken and chips for tea (and stuffed ourselves with two legs each!).

Such wild indulgence .... must get a grip!

How are your winter preparations going.... any tips on the Frugal Front... any Thrifty Snippets?

Take care x bye for now

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

2011-08-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

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

Todays Thrifty Snippet ! Damsons....

2011-08-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

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

Back to Basics .... Thrifty Snippets !

2011-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

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

Wire and String.....A passion..!.?

2011-07-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share one of my 'Passions' with you today..... I could say 'My One Weakness' but that would be a lie..... too many weaknesses by half!

Wire and String .... on wonderful old rustic.... shabby as they come, spools.... or simply cute little balls of the stuff ... just love it.

This is an old favorite..... no idea what it was used for but its wonderfully bendy stuff.... I made a little 'birdcage-y thingy' from it. The spool has really seen some life ... Oh what tales it could tell if only it could talk.

This was the excitement of the day.... Hubby P came back from 'a wandering' at the Carboot with treasure indeed-y..... just look at this wonderful reel of twine.

'Thought it would do for your .....ummmm.... crafty.. whatnot... thingy's' he said.
Well.....what a prize for a girl.

Its a huge reel of what I think could be, or similar to Baler twine.... twine used for baling hay.... or at least the remains of a reel. It reminded me (took me right back) of hay time when I was a girl. The farmer would trundle the baler machine out of the barn and attempt to 'thread up' the machine with the twine.
Now remember he only does this once a year.... so he has forgotten just which way its done..... the air turns blue.... and in the end the farmers wife comes out of the house to thread the machine..... its a bit like her sewing machine!

As you can see I am getting a little collection together... these are the ones I keep on the windowsill..... just nice to look at.

And this is my special little string tin ... just fab!

I do use this string sometimes for wrapping presents..... it looks so pretty.

So this year.... Christmas presents tied up with baler twine? I think it will look lovely and rustic.... goodness knows what the children will think...

And a little peek inside that sweet little tin.
The string is such a lovely shabby.. old vintage-y rusty red colour.

So ?
I've given you a peek into my obsessive/possessive crafty soul ... what is it you crave, collect.... can't pass in a Charity shop window.
Share your deepest darkest dalliances..... leave a comment so we can all see and share....its nice to know we are not alone in our weird and wonderful passions!

xx take care xx bye for now xx

A Pretty Guest in A Sunshiny Garden!

2011-06-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hope you've all been enjoying the fine weather, its not been too hot here.... and it seems to suit the garden.... a good mix of sunshine and rain.

A pretty Guest the other day...

I was stood idly gazing out of the kitchen window as I washed the dishes ..... household chores are so boring... don't you think?
Anyway... I noticed a pretty fluttery creature on the lavender.... not one of the usual kind of butterfly.... a more exotic looking, splendidly coloured, lacy winged little lady.

I had a peek in the 'Butterfly Book' ... we have books for most occasions ... being that bit... ermm 'older' we still turn to the books rather than Google as perhaps younger people do.
Anyhow ... I think our guest may have been a Comma Butterfly, very pretty.

Any ideas on this? I may be wrong ... any experts out there?

'The Book' lists food plants as Stinging Nettles, Gooseberries, and currants all of which are in this area of the garden, although of course she was sunbathing on the lavender!
Well... what Girl wouldn't... smells lovely....but of aromatherapy does a world of good!

The sunshine is always welcome.... it makes the leaves zing with green.

And just look at the pretty baby Apples.... the tree is laden with them.... its going to be a bumper harvest.
That's Apple pies all round then!

And who's for Redcurrant jelly? They are almost too pretty to pick... little luscious red jewels... isn't nature a wonderful thing!

As you know I am fond of my garden and although I haven't been able to spend much time in it recently, I did scatter a few Poppy seeds.

Just love Poppy's.....

Their paper like petals and pretty colours are so gentle on the eye...

And just look at this teeny tiny baby one...

Lets hope the sunshine stays with us for a while .... not overly hot but a good English summer will do.... what say you?

Enjoy your garden..... bye for now xx

Thrifty Snippets ...Patchwork..Mending and Vintage Togs!

2011-06-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

A settled sort of day.... tackling some of the mundane, but necessary jobs around the home .... the sort of thrifty little jobs that give me a feeling of satisfaction .... a job well done and all that .... bit sad I know!

I managed to fit in a bit of patchwork here and there.
I gives me a silly little thrill to think I am using all the little offcuts of fabric (for the hexagonal patchwork) that perhaps would otherwise be thrown away. And it means I have a little reminder of all the lovely fabrics I have sourced and passed on to new homes.

So today I spent a good deal of time with my trusty old friend ... and a pile of mending!

My old friend Singer is looking a bit battered but works as well as ever .... she's a treadle sewing machine.... so the old legs get a bit of a workout too.

We found these Vintage woollen trousers for Hubby P ... they needed altering slightly to fit Hubby P's ... erm.... elegant, manly.... 'well built' figure ....

They have a label inside with details of who the trousers were made for and his measurements etc .... there were uniform issue Railway I think. Such care taken over the fitting ... nowadays you are probably be given a choice of Medium, Large or XXL and have to make do with an ill fitting uniform.

The trousers had stripes down the legs so I removed those ....

You can see they are 'fishtail trousers' .... they are worn with braces and have button fly. They had lots of 'spare' fabric in the back seam to allow for the letting out/altering of the waist. So sensibly made, the tailoring detail is amazing ... something that is made to last.

Hubby P has another couple of pairs of similar trousers, he wears them all the time and says they are so warm and comfortable .... no skinny jeans for him!

I actually got around to laundering these too...

Dress shirts from Harrods.

Again amazing tailoring and wonderful cotton fabric, these are destined for the Vintage clothes rail at the Emporium. Ladies like to buy these to wear over their jeans, shirts tend to be a bit on the small side for Hubby P .... Men tended to be on the smaller side years ago.

They are such elegant, well made garments ... makes clothes nowadays look positively shabby.

And a few buttons to sew back on ... what would we do without our trusty button jar!

So there we are ... not the most exciting day but lots done, and a feeling of thrifty smugness!

Bye for now x

Bed Jackets and Bloomers!

2011-06-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Out and about today ... sorting the stock for sale tomorrow.

Here's a few pic's of the bits and bobs that move in and 'hopefully' out of our lives....

I just love the little bed jacket someone has carefully crocheted ...... was a present for a dearly loved old Aunt? ..... does anyone wear bed jackets these days .... I bet ya any money they are Thermal these days!

Hubby P .... having a 'minute' whilst unloading ... you know .... when you get to his age!

Hats, hats and more hats ..... hats for all occasions!
Just look at this delightful Grannie hat .... how glam is this for an old dear, or indeed a young dear!

And is any home complete without a cherub or two?

We sell a lot of haberdashery .... vintage bits and bobs and of course the everyday staples.
There does seem to be a lack of shops selling reasonably priced sewing supplies, at least there is a lack in our little corner of the country.

Buttons and beads and pretty little bundles of lace ..... always go down well with the craft ladies.

Fabric ... glorious piles of fabric .... all the old and shabby, the hitherto hidden bundles of vintage joy. We source from all kinds of interesting nooks and crannies and find lots of lovely fabrics for the ladies to indulge their crafty passions.

Just look at this lovely little embroidered picture .... so sweet. Its got to be the find of the weekend.
I'm wrestling with myself at the moment .... should it come home with me for a little while ... or should I be 'sensible' and let it find its new home?

Early to bed tonight .. its a Trading day tomorrow..... I go and give a hand on a Tuesday... You never know I might just miss something delightfully shabby that just .. must ... come home with me!

Bye for now ..... x

Hello Again! A lovely Day Here On Anglesey....

2011-06-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Its a lovely day here on Anglesey so I thought i would take a few photographs and try and get back into the Blogging thing ...... i have really missed you all.

Sorry i have been away so long .... nothing really amiss.... just life sometimes gets in the way of the best intentions. We have had our share of lifes ups and downs .... Weddings, the sad death of Hubby P's Mother, Children moving away and the 'getting going' of Hubby P's new buisness venture.
Hubby P is keeping 'Bread on the Table' with his Trading buisness .... Vintage and Collectables dont ya know!
And just to be a Real Trader ... he has bought a van ....

And of course its a Big White Van ..... real white van man stuff!
(I have to have a little portable step to get in and out ... its so big/tall ... and I've only little legs! I feel a bit like the Queen .. bless her! )

Of course all my time has gone to helping with the buisness ... all hands on deck ..... its our livelyhood we are talking about ... and things were a bit lean over the early months. Its a good job we have had practise of the Thrifty lifestyle.

I must say its lots of fun .... hard work and tiring ... but fun. We find lots of interesting things and of course I want to keep them all ....

Some of them just have to come home ... if only for a little while and then we sell them on.

We managed to do some jobs around the house, and the cottage is freshly resplendant in a new coat of paint..... how do you like the pinky PINK look!

The lads were a bit unsure but hey .... I got the paint real cheap and anyway I just love the colour, nice and warm looking.

Let me know what you think .... is it a bit extream? Am I turning into a mad old woman.... or is it too late?

Is'nt this a nice little picture .... horse and foal in the field opposite the cottage.

Again this was bought as stock .... but could you believe it someone pinched the fuel cap lid (or something .. Hubby P knows about these things!) whilst it was on display so its unsafe to use .... never mind .... looks nice in my garden where it can happily weather its life away!

The poppies are looking just wonderful .... although dont look too closely the garden is dreadfully overgrown .... needs weeding when a have a spare hour or two.

Very pretty but a lot of it wild flowers .. otherwise known as weeds!

I do so like all the old and rusty .... could be said of Hubby P some cold damp mornings!

I will leave you with a couple of pretty flowers ....

xx Take care xx Bye for now xx

The Lentil Lads!!

2011-03-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

Say 'Hello' to the Lentil Lads!

No.... I've not been slacking ... I know its been a while since my last post ... but I've been a tad busy .... just work stuff ... just the boring scraping a crust stuff.

But anyway! ..... the exciting news is that we are to have a 'Special Occasion' in the family .... end of May.

This requires the attendance of a gang of Likely Lentil Lads .... well the request was - something handmade ... a bit different than the usual 'Favours' given to Guests to take home.

So here we are ... the beginnings of the gang ...

Its been a bit of a 'make it up as you go along.... with what you have' .... but then that's how I like to work, bit of a challenge. And then of course there is the whole 'green-y' thing about reuse, recycle, make do and mend etc ... so these little lads are very trendy in their own way.

I found a good piece of rough towelling type fabric for the bodies, made a simple shape and filled them with ..... you guessed it .... Lentils (on offer at Lidl's)..... nice and cheap .. make a nice soup if you are desperate!

I wanted a Beany Toy type of feel to them, and it seems to work a treat ... and as Hubby P says it brings them alive ..... Gives them a Pulse! ..... Yeh I know .. haha ... get it lentils... pulse!

They are all individuals .... like you and I ... no two are alike, some are taking the occasion very seriously and adhering to the dress code ... to the letter!

Others .... well you know the kind.. a bit wayward, a bit funky... they have their own slant on the dress code, it all adds to the colour and the fun.

Here's a bit of a funky guy .... Neville works in advertising during the day .... likes to go clubbing.

Give us a twirl.....

Nice footwork!

As you can see I'm only up to four at the moment ..... had a lentil crisis and had to visit Lidl!

But there will be a whole gang by the time I have finished ..... for the end of May .... so ..

no pressure then!

I'm off to stuff a bunny ...... bye for now!

xxx take care xxx

Shabby Prettiness.....All Ready For Spring!

2011-02-28T14:19:00.000-08:00

We had a bit of Sunshine today .... and a pretty blue sky ..... dare we hope Spring is around the corner?

How about these pretty little shabby baskets....

I spotted them in a box at the carboot sale..... just jumbled up with bits and bats of all sorts .... I just think they are so pretty.

They are made from metal/wire and painted a nice 'shabby' cream colour.

The Fellas were busy putting down some bags of blue slate chippings/gravel-y stuff .... we have it all around the house and paths, every now and again it needs replenishing and we have extended the area we sit .... and eat ... and chat ...and everything else! We spend a lot of time outdoors when the weathers is fine.

I was there as chief 'Pointer'..... you know the kind of thing .... 'put that there' .... 'move this here'... very important job .... essential in fact!

As is.... 'Head of Refreshments' .... chief tea maker.

But as you know being a Woman multi-tasking comes easily to me so I 'faffed'.... a Hubby P word you understand ...... other people ..... as I pointed out .... 'designer kinda people' would get paid hundreds of pounds for 'faffing' with baskets, terracotta pots a a few bedding plants!

It takes a bit of faffing to get the right size of pot ... the right combination of pot and basket etc.

To look truly pretty!

I gave the chairs and tables a wash over and moved them to the new seating area .... faffed some more with the little baskets ... and sat in the sun for a while!

All ready for the sunshine and lazy family lunches!

Bye for now xx

All Things Red ... Thrifty Snippet's and Frugal Finds!!

2011-02-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

Just a bit of a 'doing' and finding' post .... lots of photo's ...

All things Red this week..

Its got to be my find of the Winter .... don't you just love my new pink eiderdown/quilt/bedspread .... and the lovely ruby red honeycomb blankets, edged so prettily in satin ribbon ...and all for so very little, a real bargain.

But even cheaper than the bedspread .... for free ...

This was a fleece jacket that was given to me, it was the sort with a logo on the front ... you know the sort, a garden centre or some such place. I nice red colour I thought, and good fabric .... so I decided to make it into a hotwater bottle cover ... I need some new covers after the heavy use they get during the cold months.
So I found my homemade pattern .... and cutout the pieces (very simple construction).

The bit of the fleece that was left went into the dogs bed (we have an 'old Girl' who's personal hygiene isn't just what it was ... so I change her bedding often, and just bin it ... I use up all the odd scraps and old clothes as bedding ... works just as well as a fancy dog blanket!).

Bit of a whizz on the old sewing machine...

and here we are ... a perfectly good hotwater bottle cover.
A bit plain so ...

I picked up this rather splendid 'elephant-ish' fabric at the carboot .... turns out it is Ikea fabric... anyway I thought an elephant might cheer up the cover.

So here we are ... pretty little elephant and a bit of chunky running stitch .... just livens it up a bit!
Cheep and Cheerful.

And hows this for a new rug .... original 1950's in excellent condition, stored rolled up in someones attic .... all for £2.

Ideal for cheering up my somewhat worn and tattered carpet ... at least covering the dodgy bits!

At least the dogs approve.

Take care for now x

Nettles For Tea ..... And Shabby Finds!

2011-02-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hello there .... hows the world treating you this week?

It seems so full of doom and gloom ... some poor people are having a dreadful time of it, hope all is well with you.

We've had a busy old time of it ... and a wet one too, seems to have rained a good deal.

Just look what Hubby P found at the Household Auction .... isn't she just delightful ... shabby and pink ..... with such a tale to tell... could she only speak.

Hubby P had bought the little wash stand to sell on ... and I was 'helping' or rather standing around nosing at what he had bought, whilst he was unloading the van ... and I spotted 'her'.

Well ..... I just loved her ... but how on earth could I fit her into my tiny ... rather full little cottage.

After much deliberation we decided that she would fit into the bathroom .... just ... if we removed the bookcase/shelving that was holding all the .... um ... bathroom necessities.

I gave her a good wash down ... and she fits... just!

I may freshen her up a bit ... the whole bathroom is in a desperate need of a lick of paint, but not today.

I'm just getting use to her in the bathroom .... you know how it is .. may need to play around a bit.

***

Today was fairly dry so we spent the day outside, Hubby P had some wood to cut, and we had a general tidy up of the garden ..... everything looks so damp and dreary.

I found these darling little nettles .... just sprouted from the cold damp earth .... Oh Yum! just love the iron rich zingy little things.

There were just a handful, so I gave them a quick rinse .... and added them to some simple vegetable soup I was making ...

Gave them a quick blitz with the blender thingy....

..... and yummy nutritious soup for tea.
They do say Nettles are the Earths natural tonic and cleanser, one of the first plants to appear in early Spring, full of iron and vitamins and other goodies which it has managed to source because of its deep root system.

I didn't just happen across the Nettles... I have a Nettle pot, or old bath .... I just let the nettles grow in it ... keep it free of any other weeds ... and feed the nettles with rich soil now and again.

Its hard to see the nettles in this pic .... I've just 'topped' it up with some fresh rich soil to help bring on the new growth. I treat them as a crop .... and add them to meals to boost the nutritional value .... free frugal and healthy!

Oh .. and for tea .... I know we like to know these things .. hehe .... soup (although Hubby P declined ... I may have to disguise his Nettles a bit better.... maybe in a pie) ... jacket potatoes with lashings of cheese .... simple and tasty!

Looking around the garden the Daffs are on their way up .... not long now.

And here .... just for your delight .... a few Chicken pictures.....

How does she keep so clean and white ... and she's such an old girl.

Chickens, chickens everywhere!

Just a bit of grain .... helps with the yummy eggs!

That's all for now xxx take care xxx

A Treat to Make a Girl Smile!

2011-02-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Hope you are all well ..... life rumbles on here much the same.

Still a bit of the dreary damp weather but .... well... it is February. I'm sure Spring is around the corner.

Just thought I would cheer myself up with a few early bulbs....

I found this delightful little Bunny pot (think it was intended to be for cacti...?) ... how could I resist for 50p ..... and I just love baby blue hyacinths. Bulbs were 60p/pot... very cheap and cheerful...very me!

So here he sits ..... looking out at a very dreary wet day .... but he brings sunshine to my heart!

A couple of nice lengths of Vintage Laura Ashley.... yes... I've been sorting through my stash again.... trying to make room for new fabric.

If anyone is particularly interested in Laura Ashley .... this little lot will be on Ebay soon.

Have a cheery few days ... take care xx

When's A Mug...More Than Just A Mug?

2011-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

So... when is a Mug more than just a mug? .... well for me its when its a delightful Retro-y little trio like these.

We were having a bit of a Mug crisis here in the Allsorts household...mostly due to me dropping them on a regular basis (due to arm-y...neck-y injury problem) ...and Hubby P dropping the picnic box this morning...in the dark, as we set off for Carboot...and smashing another two!

So how pleased was I to spot these real retro 70's style mugs on an old ladies stall...and for the princely sum of only 50p each.

Cheap and cheerful....that's me.

At that price I won't be afraid of using them....chances are I will drop them at some point, although they are a bit sturdier than the china ones I usually favor.

I bought these too, sorry the pic's a bit blurred, anyone know what this pattern is called?

I use to have the canisters and tins and whatnot in this pattern, can't say I have ever seen the mugs before.

I do like blue and white....its so kinda 'fresh' looking.

And Fabric.....

how could I leave this piece behind... a seasoned stallholder had put this aside for me....he's quite aware of my passion for old fabrics.....although its quite beyond his understanding...but then again he is a Man! (so I think we can forgive him! lol)

Its a new unused length of what I think is 1950's lightweight cotton... just so cute with the little bunnies...... so Easter-ish.

The colours are so fresh and bright, and it has that crisp starch-y feel of new fabric.

A largish piece so I have done the usual thing..... shared it between me (for my stash... maybe an Easter project) and put a bit on Ebay to recoup some pennies.

Now lets see.... what can I make with these cheeky little bunnies?

xx Take care for now xx nite nite xx

Todays Little Thrills!

2011-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

Just had to share today's thrilling discovery....

........my seeds are up!

I was thrilled....Spring has got to be on its way. I just have to nurture these babies...grow them on so they will be nice and big and strong....all ready to be planted out.

Tiny things I know... but they give me a big thrill.....Well..you know what they say about 'Small things amusing small minds!!

And how about these... I think they are just so cute, came in the post this morning. I bought them to add to the sewing bits and bobs I sell in the Emporium. I have lots of ladies into all sorts of crafts, and they are always looking for something new.... a bit different. Of course I shall just have to keep one or two for myself.

And last of all Curtains!

How delightful is this.....bright and bold, glistening gold in the sunshine!

A friendly older Gentleman of the Church gave me a bag full of this sort thing....it is very grand, super fancy ....intended as net curtaining...sort of...I think

Its very beautiful anyway.... there are a few different sorts, and he intended that I sell it on rather than it sit in a cupboard, so I shall sell some on ebay....but of course some will be stashed so that I can admire it now and again!

xx Take care xx

Tickling the Garden Soil....And the Tastebuds!!

2011-01-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

A bit photo heavy this Post...but I've got to give you something to look at....its a bit grey and bleak out there.....Spring 'Must' be around the corner!

Look what I found peeking out from the cold earth.....Isn't she pretty!

The first Snowdrop....and if you look closely lots of green shoots.....the garden is coming back to life......its enough to make a Girl smile on a wintry day.

I managed an hour or two in the garden on Wednesday....just giving the beds a bit of a 'tickle'....

Giving the soil a turn over and general weeding/clearing of overgrown areas.

The Spring bulbs and whatnot are on their way...but I think I will look out for something bright and cheerful to liven things up a bit....maybe some pots of daffs or something (whatever is going cheap really)... I am in need of some flowery loveliness.

Clearing the veg beds I found some Elephant Garlic growing in a neglected corner, I must have missed an odd bulb/clove and it had divided and spread. So I carefully split and transplanted the bulbs to give them a bit more room....hopefully they will grow on and give us a tasty meal or two.
Elephant Garlic is a larger than life version of the regular garlic, but milder in taste. Nice to roast the whole thing with some peppers and tomatoes...yum!

Liz the chicken was out and about....giving a hand with the digging.

And this afternoon....

.....Well I was feeling a bit alone....Hubby P having to go away for a few days ... it always feels a bit strange....I often feel we don't live in the 'real world' and fear the he might come to some harm in the 'big bad world'....very silly I know...he's a very capable, grown man....but there we are....silly me.

So......lets make cake! ....its got to be a cure all!

Look at these yummy oats ....healthy stuff (well it is until I mix it with lashings of butter and syrup!)

But how nice are flapjacks......who just loves flapjacks...full of healthy oats!

And what about this..

.....how gloriously yummy does this look....who discovered treacle? fabulous stuff!

Maybe I went a bit mad with the quantities.....that's an awful big Gingerbread....Oh shucks...we'll just have to eat it up with custard on it!

Must admit I got absorbed in a book and forgot about the Gingerbread....it is a bit 'brown' on top, but Richard has eaten three pieces....just to check its OK.... just how yummy is Gingerbread!

So we have cake to fortify us....and nice, rich dark, turned over garden beds...So...what have you been up to?

xx Take Care xx Bye For Now xx

Frosty Frugal Day!

2011-01-19T10:48:00.001-08:00

Nice bright sunshine today, but cold and frosty....the ground stayed frosty white all day, so no playing out in the garden.

A day of the dratted housework and fidgeting about indoors.

I tackled the last of the stored apples.....about time too, many were happily rotting away.

Still...lots of good apple there, so chopped away at the bad bits and saved the good.

Enough to make a couple of apple crumbles, one for us and one for a friend.

Not very pretty 'Country Living style' dishes....but sturdy and practical...and the crumble will taste just as scrummy. The dark brown bits are caramelised 'dark.. dark' rich yummy sugar....I used up what was left in the packet....just love that dark rich stuff.
Just need a bit of custard!

So Hubby P's dream dinner ....pie.
And cheap and cheerful....nice and frugal.....good dinner with lots of roast veg (carrots and parsnip), peas and a heap of mash. Good warming stuff.

I managed to get a few seeds sown, ready for the early Spring.....I am hoping like mad we have one.....t'would be so nice to have a long warm Spring/Summer.
I've just put a few seeds in little tubs....trying not to end up with far too many seedlings. I sowed some tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers,onions, and leeks. They are just in the window bottom, fingers crossed they do ok.....I can keep them going indoors until its fit to plant them outside.
I know its early but I want to make a good start.

And Nuts!

Finally Hubby P got his Christmas nuts!
I wouldn't buy any over Christmas.... they were just too expensive, but they have been reduced a little each week until this week they were down to 30p/bag.
So Hubby P got his nuts!

Hope you had a good day.... the sun is getting brighter each day....soon be fit to play out!

I'm Carbooting again tomorrow... fingers crossed for the sunshine!

xx take care xx

New Year.....New Projects!!

2011-01-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

Just had to share this lovely photo with you!

Isn't he a magnificent Chap... or perhaps she's a Lady?

Her/His colours really were so bright.

New Year....New Projects!

And as the day was dry and fairly bright we made a start. The project is to clear the old pond (nasty smelly job)....it leaked and was just so overgrown, and the surrounding area.... move some sheds about....make a largest space ...in which to build a new summerhouse/shed type thingy.

Sounds easy....

Richard made a start on the pond....

Liz was at the forefront helping with the digging.....lots of tasty worms!

Such a mucky job!
Eventually they got the pond liner out.... now I am left with a big hole.....the garden looks like the Somme!
At least we got through the day without any incidents....just achy backs.
As you know Hubby P does have a history of spectacular injuries... something to do with his enthusiasm for playing with big boys toys......or/erm should that be tools!
I've found encouraging Hubby P to let the younger ones.... Richard and other various sons 'have a go'....
cuts down remarkably on the 'incidents'..... !

Unfortunately we disturbed the frog.... it was in the pond... Richard carried it off and found a suitable damp patch of garden to 'relocate' it.

Anyway Hubby P's day ended well ...we had to shop....and we scored!
Asda was 'Whoopsie-ing' on the bread produce...so we filled a good shelf of our freezer with 10p pies. Can't be bad....Hubby P loves a pie!

Hope you had a good day.... xx

A Thrifting Day....Snuggled By The Fire.

2011-01-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Well what a dreary day....no playing out in the garden today.

But I'm not going to moan... its January for goodness sake! January weather and all that!

A day for snuggling in front of the fire and planning for the Spring....I was very good, had a browse on Ebay but just bought what I needed.....Leek seeds and some pretty colourful Chard seeds. Its about time the Leek seeds were started, and I shall sow some Tomato seeds soon.....Spring is around the corner.

I had a good sort out of cupboards, which involved me emptying the contents of the Hubby P's shelves on to the bed....a huge pile of clothes.... and 'suggesting' he sort through them 'like Now'!

He has been promising to do it for weeks...there were so many old tatty unworn clothes, just taking up space. Many were old ink stained work clothes (Hubby P being a Printer), T shirts with baggy necks, things that he swore must have 'shrunk in the wash'.... although I think myself it has something to do with the 'maturing' of his waistline!

And well... the underwear drawer.... well we wont go into detail about that....needless to say a little trip to Asda and a couple of packets of new 'smalls' did the job.

At least now he can get run over by a bus, and we wont be embarrassed! lol!

Needless to say the old tatty clothes couldn't be just thrown away.....lots of useful.....if not pretty fabric.

So I spent 20 minutes roughly cutting them up....removing, and keeping any buttons and putting aside the decent sized bits to use as rags.

Hubby P is forever asking for 'a bit of a rag'.... cleaning the car/van, painting, engines, restoring bits of furniture...all seem to need rags, so my rag bag is a vital bit of kit.

I ventured outside briefly to say Hello to the chickens, Hubby P had fed them this morning and said they weren't for venturing out in the miserable wind and rain.... not adventurous sorts really!

All except this one..... she is out whatever the weather.....an All Action, Outdoorsy sort of Girl.....we call her Liz after my Outdoorsy kinda Sister!

Here are the others ....huddled in the comfort of their shed, watching the rain through the open door.

Liz busy scratting about....she likes a nice worm....the chicken.....not the Sister....although I don't know....she makes a habit of exploring wild places like the Amazon....no Mac Donalds there!

Well .... the day is just getting darker and darker....back to the fireside I think, and some of Hubby P's trousers to mend!

Gosh....I'm just Girl who how to live it Large!!

xx Take care xx Bye for now xx

Thrifty Ways and Waifs and Strays!

2011-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hello there .... Here's to a happy, sunshiny ... contented 2011!

Notice I didn't say prosperous or rewarding... I think we are all going to have to be more frugal than ever.... but hey....what the heck...we are all here to help and support each other, hopefully we have our health and with a bit of luck we may get a bit of sunshine....soon!

Best and Brightest and Cheery Wishes to you all.....I'm determined to step into this new year with a positive attitude.

Frugally Snippets.... well the dark damp days have me huddling by the fire, too cold to sit in the other room where my sewing machine is. So I set about hand turning the edges of some towelling fabric I had put aside for teatowels.

I don't know about you but I seem to go through teatowels like nobodies business. They soon get stained and go raggy.

So this jazzy pink towelling was ideal...it used to be a curtain... in the bathroom, if you remember...well I got fed up with it as a curtain, gave it a good boilwash and put it aside for teatowels.

I found this super sexy retro-y paisley towelling too ... twas a pair of curtains, just love this fabric, so it too became a couple of teatowels then I can see and use it daily!

Of course to try and recoup the some of the pennies spent on feeding the fabric addiction, I put a couple of the teatowels on ebay ... you never know someone might appreciate them.

Another project....this time to use up a bagful of those little skeins of tapestry wool, all oddments... not enough to really use in a tapestry project so I'm in the process of crocheting them into one of those twirly whirly scarves. I can put it away when its done....a little present for someone next winter.

Take no notice of Charlie Cat....he commanders all the furniture....and refuses to move, or even open his eyes when in the middle of a photo shoot!!

The Family has grown again..... how could we refuse a crust and a warm fireside to these Waifs and Strays!

Found at the carboot sale looking lost, abandoned and unloved!

This is Mummy Bear with her pretty little dress and sparkly necklace.

And a well loved little lady.....hand stitched no doubt with great love for some special little Girl.

I introduced her to Mucky Madge.....do you remember Madge, she too was a carboot waif. They are getting on fabulously, lots in common.

I think maybe we will find a new home for the new girl....the toy shelf is getting rather full of the 'waifs'.... but at least she's not ending her days in Landfill.

Mummy Bear on the other hand has fallen right on her feet..... and right into the arms of the

resident Hero!

Remember Sam?

Sam was also a 'Waif' and became my companion and co pilot extraordinaire, he travelled everywhere with me in the car. One night some 'naughty boys' stole the car and set fire to it. Sam was in it and helped beat out the flames to save what he could of my much loved Morris Minor car.

As you can see he still has the scars and injured arm. He received a bravery medal which he wears with pride on his waistcoat.

Well.......!? He and Mummy Bear!!!! What can I say!

I'm telling myself the twinkle in his eye is one of support and friendship ....but you and I know what these 'All Action' men can be like!

Chin up ...... I'm sure some sunshine will be on its way soon!

xx Take care xx

Bright Blessings....Welcome to the New Sun!

2010-12-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

Bright Blessings....... the year is turning....what will this new sun bring?

Just look at the lovely pink glow of the sky... this was taken about 3.30pm... just as the sun was setting on the shortest day.

This is the view from my doorstep.... the 'tower' is an old windmill, now home to bats and owls...and the odd pig!

What have you been doing today?

Its been too cold to venture very far....so baking seemed a good warming occupation.

Pies for tea.

And Gingerbread biscuits.... I haven't got any 'shape' cutters, Gingerbread men and the like... I fancied a Christmas tree shape.... must lookout for some. One will turn up at the car boot sale ... everything you could possibly need turns up eventually.

A little more Yummy Treacle toffee.... for gifts.

This afternoon a surprise bunch of the most glorious Holly from a friend... I've never seen so many berries!

I wired it up into swags and pinned up above the beam with my lemons.

I gathered some together in this pot.....this seems to be a less 'spike-y' sort of Holly... so many berries.

Do you like my new chenille style tablecloth? Its just one of a pair of old curtains....but it looks the part....very festive.

So glad I got my stack of logs in....and they say we are in for more snow!

xx Take care xx bye for now xx

Snow Bound Bits Of This And That!

2010-12-19T01:40:00.000-08:00

Well..... how are you all coping with the weather.... isn't it just beautiful! The sunshine on the snow this morning is just lovely.

Shame its such a pain too.... its okay so long as you don't have to go anywhere or do anything!

We have had a fair amount for Anglesey.... usually we get very little or miss out completely, but its had us 'snow bound'!

Our big 'useful' van we bought for carbooting is useless in the snow.... so we've had a few days mooching around at home.

Gave us time to appreciate the glorious spectacle....... the wonders of the snow, and care for our little birds. I've been putting lots of high energy foods out for them... peanuts and suet etc alongside their seed.

Mr Robin looked rather colourful and smart against the snow.

Its amazing how it sticks to everything..... coating everything in its path.

The back of the house must be a bit more sheltered, it seems a bit less snow-y.

I've started to think about Christmas..... not that we make a lot of it here. I think really we celebrate the season rather than the Christian aspect of it. We use it as a time to reflect on the year and spend time with each other..... gifts are are simple and often homemade.... a nice gentle time.

I managed to get some choccy treats made for presents..... always a winner.

On the thrifty/wholesome cooking front ..... its soup all the way!

My Girls... the chickens....need their warming 'mash' too, lots of nice veg peelings boiled up and mixed with a handful of porridge oats.

Ummm Yummy!

Not having a tree this year... I will only have a rooted one if I do have one, so that it has a chance of living on in the garden..... but they are so expensive I really couldn't justify the buying of something that was simply to be used for a few days.... and simply an ornament at that .... I know I sound a miserable Old Crone!! haha!

I would much rather have something that represents 'us' and our life here... a bit of greenery that we have grown in our garden... to celebrate our life and family.

I found some nice Holly.... buried under the snow! Gave it a shake off and together with some prunings of the Bay tree.... brought them inside.

Looking around the place for other natural materials......... I should have been more prepared and dried some seedheads from the garden .. but well .. I didn't! so I found a few dodgy looking lemons, sliced them up and dried them in the oven.

I found a jar of cinnamon sticks in the cupboard and some pretty, festive red ribbon.

Sat and watched an old film and strung them together.

They look rather festive hung along the beam of the inglenook.... and they smell good too!

I'm hoping we can get the van out today... provisions are running low.

xx Do take care in this slippy, slushy weather! xx

Keeping A Girl Occupied On A Winters Day!

2010-12-03T11:47:00.000-08:00

Another cold day..... too cold for me to want to be out and about.

I've been quite happy pottering about the house.... bits and bats of jobs, and happy family to visit.

I eventually got the 'summer' lightweight curtains washed and ironed and put away ~ somewhere 'safe', ready for the sunshiny weather returning in Spring.

Lets hope I don't forget where the 'safe' place is... like I did with the last set of Winter curtains... and have forever lost, resulting in me having to make some more for this Winter!

Anyway not very exciting but its a job done....

Poor Hubby P has the most dreadful poorly chest..... yet off he went today to earn a crust, I think lots of us have coughs and colds....

What we need is something soothing, something to sooth the throat and warm the cockles.... I looked in the store cupboard to see what I had....

Uummmmmm.... the makings of Treacle Toffee!

I know its well past Bonfire Night when its traditionally made, but I am sure its really a

Winter-y sort of thing... got to be good for coughs and colds.

I just made two little toffee tins of the delightfully rich stuff .... full of proper ingredients like real butter and rich dark sugar, non of your nasties in good old Granny's toffee.

Although you 'score' it well it never breaks as it should does it!
So I put all the odd shapes in an old sandwich tin .... a kind of help yourself tin.

And wrapped the larger pieces in greaseproof paper .... these can be sneaked into a pocket when venturing outdoors in this chilly weather. I'm sure I will need a stash on Sunday when we go to the Carboot Sale.

A sweet little stash on the dresser!

And for Hubby P ..... coming in from a long cold day....

his absolute favorite...... Shepherds Pie!

xxx Take care for now xxx

How Many Hankies Does A Girl Need!??

2010-11-29T12:34:00.001-08:00

Hope you are keeping toasty warm...

I have spent the day going through my boxes of treasures, trying to 'thin out' all the stuff I have collected over the years.

There is so much of it!..... there is no room for new finds!

These were in my hankie box .....

Just how many hankies does a Girl need?

I went through them and put some aside to go to the Emporium...... someone else can have the pleasure of them.

I do use 'proper' hankies ..... clean one everyday ...... although I don't tuck it in my knicker leg ..... me reachin for my handkerchief would raise a few eyebrows at the carboot!

I just love this spotty one and of course the retro blue colour delights ... I wonder who 'D' was?

And just look at all the embroidery and drawn thread work on this one.... its just lovely..... my hankies are just a little something that I enjoy everyday.

I found this too ..... its a cover for slipping over nice, 'best' clothes when storing/hanging them in the wardrobe. Another nice, thrifty ... gentile sort of thing we no longer do.

The cotton fabric, well its vintage now..... is just so pretty. I gave it a bit of a wash and thought I would keep it, and use it.... but maybe I will ebay it... still a few bits to get for Christmas and the old ebay account is a bit low.

Hay ho... where does all the money go.....!

How's your Christmas Shopping going? I went to Asda today.... got quite a shock at the prices, everything has gone up! I went to buy a vest .... silly prices!

Off to do a bit of crochet now.....

xx Take care xx

A Peek Into The 'Emporium' - Distract Us From The Cold!

2010-11-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrr ~ its cold here, I think it is everywhere, at least we haven't had tons of snow ... yet!

My Sister and Partner are coming to visit tomorrow ... they rang to say they were at a B&B in the Snowdonia mountains ... they had hoped to camp!!!!?? But no campsites would let them... I said she was a crazy person!

She laughed and said it..... 'craziness' ran in the family!

They hope to go walking tomorrow.. in the mountains... she said 'its beautiful here - the view fantastic!'.. I said 'it was a pretty good view from out of my window.. and it would do me!'

I will have something hot waiting for them tomorrow, they will come on to us after their walk and stay the night ... be nice to see them... its been a while.

They have the habit of travelling the world .... kayaking up the Amazon last time, and she's written a book about their adventures..... If your curious now look at the blogs, oh.... and they have an exhibition on in Manchester at the moment .... take a look...

General Blog - piecesofsky-chris.blogspot.com

Finding Manchester, lost in Bolivia (The University of Manchester).....

http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/

So .... on to the mundane ... I live the quiet mundane life ..... its cold ... so I think of food!

Warm hearty, happy food .... so today - industrial amounts of warm veggie soup, we go thorough it at an alarming rate!

Family drop by ... for soup!

Pies for tea .... allsorts pies ... eating up odds and ends pies.

And of course flapjack ... It couldn't even cool and be photographed before Richard had pinched a bit.

I've mentioned of course that Hubby P is now his own Man.....answers to no one (but me of course! - but don't tell him!) and has his own little business....... wheelin and a dealin!

Well the little Emporium we started has grown from strength to strength .... well its Hubby P's really..... I just play about doing the nice bits, helping out ..... playin shop!

Thought you might like a peek.....

Lots of Vintage-y stuff ... hats, bags..... stockings
and the like.

And Buttons .... lots and lots of glorious buttons...... well lots of bits and bobs of sewing and crafting stuff in general
.

More pretty scarves and .... well..... general prettiness!

And of course with all that access to lots of crafty/sewing stuff ..... some of my pretty heart corsages.... ideal for Christmas stockings!

Oh .... and some dingly dangly bits for your tree .....

So you see I have been busy .... and I must admit its nice to meet the Ladies who visit the Emporium..... as you can imagine it attracts crafty people .... so we have lots to talk about!

Lots and lots of talking!

Anyway enough for now! you must be bored rigid .... that's if you have made it this far!

xxx Take care xxx keep warm xxx

Make Do & Mend Curtains and Cosy Evenings

2010-11-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hello there all you kindly people!

Hope you are having a good week and getting prepared for the snow they are promising us - well, we in good old Blighty that is..... we still get all excited about the weather!

Well the nights are well and truly in, real 'Winter evenings' now, where the only warm place is around the fire, snuggled with a blanket around my knees.

I like a little candle light too, I find it soothing and gentle on the eyes..... no good for sewing or reading mind..... but nice for contemplation!

Busy busy here this week ~ I had a 'that's it - can't stand it any longer' moment.... the 'it' being the tatty paintwork in the sitting room..... well all the house really - but lets break it to Hubby P gently!

I rummaged about in the shed to see what paint we had, and came out with some large tins of 'Farrow and Ball' - posh paint...... indeed expensive posh paint. Obviously it was a 'find' from a carboot sale - there is no way I would or could afford Farrow and Ball prices.

Sooooo - ever so posh ere now with our posh paint on the walls!

Of course new paintwork makes everything else looks a bit sad and worn - still its homely and warm.... and its paid for!

I've been searching for weeks for my thicker 'Winter' curtains - I've put them away somewhere 'safe' - I can't find them.... anywhere!

So I looked to my stash of fabric and found some really rather nice, very old, heavy-ish cotton barkcloth curtains, 1940/50's I should think.... very very nice.

First of all in the spirit of Make Do & Mend I had to find some header tape - so I unpicked some from an old curtain (a rather nice Laura Ashley curtain as it happens - I think it may become a door curtain, so I can sit and look at it, and it can hang and look pretty!).

As you can see I have finished and hung the first curtain ( I really must get on with the other).

I just so love this pattern, and the muted old fashioned colours are just lovely.

Of course some of us ..... namely Charlie the cat.... didn't lift a paw to help!

xxx Keep warm..... Take care for now xxxx

Stocking Up For The Chilly Days!

2010-11-15T11:02:00.000-08:00

A quiet, thoughtful, winding down sort of day at the Allsorts.

The days are getting chilly and our thoughts are turning to snugly times by the fire.... I just hope its not too long and cold a winter.

This morning I donned my new carboot 'find' - how do you like my 'new' Vintage Gardening Gloves.... I must admit I was highly thrilled to spot them in a box. They remind me of the sort Margo Ledbetter wore in the TV series 'The Good Life' .... anyone remember Margo? wasn't she just Splendid!!

Anyway preparations were for the delivery of this wonderfully scented stuff!

Luckily Richard was at home - Hubby P having taken himself off to earn a crust..... a full load would have been a lot for a Girl to stack on her own... and anyway can't get my new 'Margo' gloves too mucky!

A good start to Winter preparations.

Richard had a good session raking up the leaves, I helped with the brushing bit .... the Margo gloves of course made all the difference..... adding a touch of style to the occasion!

I had the camera with me too, the sun was lovely, shining on the front of the house, and brought out the pretty colours of the few remaining flowers.

This simple sedum looked so striking.

A last few flowers, braving the cold.

I tried to capture the green of this pine .... it was so fresh and bright.

Piles and piles of leaves... surely they must be all down off the trees by now.

The sun was low in the sky and soon the rain showers drove us indoors.

But its a nice feeling to be prepared for whatever the Winter months may throw at us.

Hope you had a good day!

xxx Take Care xxx Bye for Now xxx

Frugal Food ~ Scratch Meal!

2010-11-11T13:30:00.001-08:00

I gathered together all the odd bits and bobs - nothing to be wasted!

Cheap and cheerful - instant mash ( Hubby P's favorite - can't stand it myself, so I just make up half a packet for him - thus half a packet in the cupboard) ~ half a packet of stuffing mix ~ tail end of a sorry looking cabbage, shredded ~ bits of peppers ~ an odd potato ~ shrivelled garlic cloves ~ and a couple of onions.

Fry up onion peppers garlic, quick boil potato and cabbage, mix together stuffing and mash with knob of marg and hot water.

Drain and mash cabbage and potato, mix everything together with a tbsp of flour.

Make little little balls of mixture, put in a roasting tin with oil and flatten balls (patties?) slightly with back of a spoon. Roast in oven turning to brown both sides.

Serve with the last of the salad - or in Hubby P's case baked beans.

And very tasty it was too!

The North Wind Doth Blow - and Boy Does It Blow!!

2010-11-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Bit windy ere!!...

Well more than a bit - pretty awful, I am so glad I haven't had to go out in it. I hope everyone is taking care out there.

This pesky wind is finding every little nook and cranny which will let a nasty cold draught in the house. I have so many clothes on to keep warm, I can hardly move!

Thank goodness I am lucky enough to have a nice log fire to keep me warm, I dread to think what some poor folks go through if they are homeless, or indeed just cant afford to heat their home.

I'm glad a chose yesterday to do some jobs outside, it was a pleasant day if a bit cold.

The leaves are coming off the trees thick and fast, I no sooner pick up a heap, then the ground is littered with a fresh fall.

Heaps and heaps of them!

I spent some time tidying around the chicken shed, and putting down Rat poison - just seen the odd one, its all part and parcel of keeping hens - the rats are attracted by the food scattered about for the hens.

The 'Girls' are looking a bit worse for ware at the moment - a bit moult-y, shedding some of their feathers.

Here they are enjoying a bit of cabbage.

I gave their quarters a good clean out and put them clean shavings down, all nice and cosy.

Ahhhh bliss! What more could a Girl want ... full tummy and snuggled down in soft clean shavings! Bit like I feel when I slip into a freshly made bed, with a cup of tea on the side and a nice magazine!

A last dash of colour, a fading rose, the pink standing out against the battered looking green foliage! Are we ready for this winter?

I'm off to raid the cupboards now - groceries are down a bit, I need to shop but I can't face going out in this wind. I think it will be a real scrape together meal tonight - real frugal stuff, I will let you know what I manage to cobble together!

xxx Take care for now xxx

Little Catch up! ~~ Frugal Doings!!!!

2010-11-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Well hello there!

Are you all ready? the layers of clothes are going on in the Allsorts household - Hubby P has his long johns and extra long - up to the knee, super dooper thermal socks on! -I know Girls! - just don't let your imagination wander.... it would be just too much!

Yes, its getting chilly, have you stocked up on your wood/logs, hotwater bottles and maybe even some of that luxury stuff they call oil - I believe its an awful price.

We have the snuggly blankets out, the woodshed stocked and I even have some grit/salt from last winter - all prepared if we have another icy spell. I know it all sounds doom and gloom but I like to be prepared. Especially now Hubby P has finally parted with the company he had worked for for - a long time...... too long probably ... you know what they say 'all work and no play'! Anyway he is now his own man ... much happier and working where and when he chooses. But of course we no longer have the luxury of a set amount of money every week - so I - being me - 'like to be prepared '- and stock up where and when I can.

I'm sure its a trait ingrained in me from childhood growing up in the wild moors of Lancashire - no shops, we had to stock up, we were often snowed in for weeks during the bad winters.

Stock up and be Frugal - that's my mantra at the moment.

Waste Not Want Not .... Make Do And Mend......

Richard received a parcel to day, it came in a useful cardboard box, I seized upon this useful ebay packaging and snaffled it away, and inside there was lovely white clean tissue paper - another useful wrapping ... I tell you nothing is wasted!

I gave it a quick iron to smooth it out - and chose a pretty little stamp to liven it up a bit. I thought it would look pretty enough as wrapping with a bit of ribbon around it.

I have my old hatbox of stamps handy, they serve me well, had them for years.

I've started on the Christmas wrapping paper, I just use any old interesting plain paper that comes my way.... adds a bit of that 'Special homemade/especially for you' to the gifts I give.

So the big C is hurtling towards us ..... have you made a start on your homemade gifts?

I must admit I quite like the making and the giving bit... the thinking of who would like what....the gathering together of bits and bobs to make with.

Made a bit of marmalade and whatnot..

And found this lovely basket on the carboot .... a nice hamper for someone maybe.

Of course Christmas always means needing extra cash - so good old ebay usually supplies the extra. I've been sorting through my fabric again - some has gone to the car boot - Hubby P has a stall every Sunday now and of course we have our Emporium which is open on a Tuesday. Choice pieces of fabric I will put on ebay.... and thus turn into Christmas gifts... bit like magic .. Tra laaaa!

I put this pretty little number on ebay tonight - how pretty is this... of course I've kept some for myself... nice cushion I thought.

And this other .. this bright, bright, in yer face! Retro!.. how wonderful is this!

I just loved this so much! Its a cover from the base of a vintage Silentnight bed - well you can see the label. I am keeping the label bit to make myself something - probably a bag - a 'in yer face Retro' bag! lol! Think I shall leave the label on too ... talk about carrying your bed about/on your back!

This other bit is on ebay .. lets hope someone likes it too.

Just a quick Thank you to Twiggypeasticks for the award - hopefully I will get around to sorting it out soon.

I don't seem to have time for anything these days - Ooooooo you should see the cobwebs ere!

xxx Take care for now xxx

Meet Neville!

2010-10-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Just sat here thinking of you all, so I thought I would just drop you a line - or two!

We're having a nice evening with Dean Martin - he was such an impossibly handsome man - and the voice! Tis' almost a Sin!

Anyway Hubby P did well and found me a whole boxed set of records, they are like new, in fact I would say they have never been out of the box. Perhaps they were an unwanted present - or maybe? just maybe? - the lucky lady receiving this little slice of the handsome devil couldn't trust herself to play them!

Well Ya Knooooow! We ladies of a certain age!?

(Mind you this is not one of the best pic's of him)

Enough of the nice music - I want to introduce you to a special visitor.

Meet Neville.....

Neville showed up a few days ago - he tells me he is an Internationally renowned Adrenaline Junkie.

He is on a Gap Year - too much study you know - makes a snail soooo boring!

Anyway he thought he would use the year to travel - see a bit of the world and visit the 'Wild Washers of the West (this translated I gathered to be washing machines of North West Wales).

Apparently we have a washer with a 'wild' spin cycle - I know the machine throws itself around terribly when it spins - I didn't realise this was a sought after feature for your everyday 'International Adrenalin Junkie'!

I must say it is impressive to see him in action - riding the spin! he hasn't once fallen off!

I was introducing him to Richard (Son No 3) this afternoon, and suggested he just wait and watch - see Neville in action! - he was daft enough to stand there watching for ages but got a tad bored! I mean! - everyone knows these adrenaline junkies wait for 'The Big One' - the biggest wave or biggest spin! These young people - no staying power!

I don't know now long Neville is staying, you know how these 'hip' characters are - he may just up and away at anytime - I keep you posted.

Back to the mundane - I haven't spent all my time watching the washing machine go round, I have pickled a bit more beetroot.

I thought it best not to press more beetroot soup onto Hubby P. His is an old fashioned 'system' and soon goes a bit 'wonky' - and causes us all a bit of consternation - too many baked beans have the same effect!

So pickled beetroot it is - there is only really me that eats it - but I do so like a bit of pickle!

That's enough waffle from me - take care for now xxx

How Goes Your Preserves?!!

2010-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well Hello!!!

And Cheers!!!

Here's a Welcome to the Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness!

Are you all ready? I hate to say it but the nights are drawing in, there is a damp chill in the air, how is your Preserve shelf/cupboard?

I do like to make the most of Mother Natures bounty, although I never do as well as I might - full of good intentions but - well - you know how it is, Life just gets in the way!

Hubby P is still off work and life pretty chaotic - or rather 'different' should I say. Any kind of shoddy 'routine' I may have had when he was out at work - as far as housework-y tasks - has rather gone out the window.

But Hey! I managed some squirrelling away of Autumn-y goodness.

Cheers! Here's some nice healthy/Good for You/Flu fighting Elderberry Cordial.

As you can see Hubby P and I gather lots of Elderberries - the trees were so heavily laden, lets

hope the old folk lore is wrong. The one that says that if the trees and hedges are laden with fruit and berries we are in for a very hard winter.

They looked so pretty - like tiny jet beads - just bursting with goodness!

I gave them a good simmering with lots of nice spicy things (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and the like) - strained through a cloth and heated up with sugar and honey - added some Brandy, and bottled. ( Let me know if you want the proper recipe).

Elderberries are supposed to be excellent at fighting or preventing colds and flu. A Lady virologist (I forget her name - hopeless with names!) has done lots of research into and around the flu - and her research suggests Elderberries have all the best flu fighting whatnot's!

The cordial - it is recommended, should be taken as a hot toddy last thing at night - sipped from a pretty glass/china cup in bed with a good book (well it did say taken last thing at night, as a hot toddy and in bed - but what the heck - a pretty glass and good book must just help a Girl relax - thus immune boosting and flu fighting!

I have honestly made some effort with the Preserve cupboard although I must admit I have not picked a single Blackberry this year - shame on me! And now its too late - the Devil is in them all (folk lore again - no picking blackberries in October - the pectin is greatly reduced, no good for jam, or so the saying goes).

I pulled a few of the jars out of the cupboard to see what I had achieved - a paltry selection I am afraid! - and Please!! don't look at the shoddy, hastily written labels - or no labels at all!

I managed a few jars each of Strawberry jam, Damson jam, Apple Mint jelly, the Elderberry cordial and a bit of pickled beetroot. Its just a good job we have the luxury of shops and all year round availability of all foodstuffs - or our diet this winter would be dire!
Housewives in the 'olden' days - or wartime even must have been so organised, puts us to shame!

Of course Hubby P not able to work at the moment does have implications financially - that's a nice way to put it!

Frugality, thrifty snippets, make do and mend - all needed to help ends meet.

We went shopping this evening - just around the time they were reducing the price of today's bread and whatnot - how I just love those little yellow stickers!

Just the thing to have with my Beetroot soup! Have you tried it?

If not I urge you to - a funny colour I know - Hubby P took some convincing (and was a little disconcerted - to say the least - the next day when he 'hum - went to the little boys room' - beetroot does come out the other end still pink!) - but he's a convert now.
It really is rather yummy and so easy to make - real hearty, Autumn-y soup!

And to finish - just a 'real pic'. I know we on Blogland all like to show pretty pic's - and its a delight to see them, but we are all real - or I think we are?

We all have down days - weeks - months? life takes over/gets on top of us - just look at the chaos I am living in at the moment!

This is my sewing corner - my poor sewing machine is buried!

Oh for an hour to sew!

Mind you I will have to find the machine first!

At least we are all hale and hearty - here's wishing you all well -

xxx Take care for now xxx

A Little Bird House For My Soul!

2010-09-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Sorry its been a while - what can I say? sometimes Life just takes over!

August always is the silly summer month for us - we have lots of family visiting, lots going on. Hopefully things have quietened down now and I can get back to my sewing machine - I do miss having my crafty 'fix'. At the moment its buried under a pile of fabric that's just waiting to me transformed into something nice and pretty.

We have been out and about a bit - Treasure Hunting!

Just look what I found at the Household Auctions !!! I was so thrilled to win the bidding - just £18 and mine to take home!

Hubby P did have a bit of a 'Wobbler' - whispering in a frenetic fashion (whilst the bidding was going on!) - something about where on earth/put the **** thing/no room - that sort of thing - but hey! it just had to be brought home to our little hovel. Fits in well with our - erm - 'eclectic' furnishings.

Just take a peek at the lovely woodwork and knobbly feet!

Its a 1920's 3 piece suite, all dandy woodwork and leatherette. Of course the cushions had seen better days, a lot better days - they had to be replaced. I managed to find some big, big cushions at the carboot sale and cut them down to fit, not perfectly, but hey - they will do well enough for me - cheap and cheerful. The original cushions were a lovely chocolate brown, real heavy cotton velvet - it must have looked stunning, I can just imagine the odd skinny Flapper Girl sat - cigarette holder in one hand, G & T in the other!

There was no way I could afford such opulence, no posh heavy velvet for me - so I looked at what I had. I really liked the grey vintage curtains I found the other week, and after having a sort of measure up I decided they would just about fit, and make four cushion covers.

I'm quite happy with them, they will do for us.
Although the suite does need some work still, it needs some new strapping underneath, and one side of the settee needs the leatherette replacing, but no doubt I will find what I need - everything turns up at the carboot eventually!

You see my little lamp matches the cherry blossom on the cushions, and on with the 'pinky' theme, I found a table and dinky inky stool and painted them ( Farrow and Ball paint found - you guessed it - at the carboot!) - the colour is called Dead Salmon, how cool is that! Just love this pinky colour!
Colour and design just fits in well with the new suite - don't ask where we have put all the old furniture! Shall we just say it was 'fun' fitting it all in this tiny house!

This weeks fun project - a pretty little bird house - Shabby Vintage Birdy Lodgings!

I should have taken 'before pic's' but - well - I forgot, and our posh new camera has died on us (not that there is ANY PRESSURE on Rob to get it fixed!!!) but needless to say once you are use to using something rather good - to go back to the old steam driven - almost - camera, its a bit rubbish!
So here we have the finished Birdy house/cage.

As you will have guessed I found it - or rather Hubby P did, at the carboot, just a sad scruffy unloved little house.

So I prettied it up with a bit of Dead Salmon paint (just love that word - who thinks up names for paint - what a good job!) and a bit of flower-y/rose-y paper - a touch of shabbying and - there you have it!

Pretty little thing - what for - well that's up to you, maybe to display your treasures, or maybe a nice trailing Ivy plant. I am sure it will lend itself to something pretty.

Its looking for a home (we cant possibly fit another teaspoon into our rooms, we have one or two chairs too many as it is!) - so little Birdy Lodge may end up in the Emporium.

Must go to bed now - you know when you are so tired your legs are all jittery!! :(

xxx Take care xxx Bye for now xxx

Just Had To Share - A Lovely Lady!

2010-08-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Life has become frantically busy - but such fun - much 'out and abouting' since Hubby P has been off work. Well it was what the Dr ordered!

'Go' he said - 'rest and enjoy your life, take some time - relax', so we took him at his word!

So busy, busy - but nice times and lots of treasure hunting!

Just had to share this lovely Lady with you!

Isn't she just Fab!

She was obviously 'slumming' it a bit at the carboot on Tuesday.

Luckily a friendly chap had rescued her from - well who knows what fate! - its enough to make a girl blush!!

My Man of a Tuesday and his hardworking team - they bring forth three vans full of 'Treasure' every week to the carboot - all sorts of everything to be found, and this week this lovely lady.

As you can see she is dressed in some style - her body is made of pottery or china maybe - I don't know a lot about dolls. The dress is wonderfully trimmed with lace and ribbon - what a 'doll'!

And if we dare lift her skirts!!

How great is that - she's a lamp!

I think she's probably from about the 1950's, the lamp still has the old Bakelite fitting, the sort that plugs into a light socket. Amazingly it still works - she lights up a treat. Although just to be on the safe side Hubby P will rewire the lamp - I don't think she will thank us for her underside going up in smoke!

Of course with all the pretty skirts and whatnot she does give off a very pink glow - Hubby P had his own description of the kind of establishment she came from - just so uncharitable! I'm sure shes a 'nice' girl.

Stuart Tuesday and his gang have lots goodies most weeks, and as you can see have an eye for interesting items, I just know you wish you too could have a delve in the boxes that come out of the vans. They do put one or two interesting things on their ebay site - redsky951 - I would hate you to think I didn't share some of the Treasure Hunting opportunities with you, so have a peek on ebay!

More goodies - how sweet is this bit of fabric.

I found a fairly biggish piece so again, as usual I shall keep a piece for me and put a bit on ebay - got to fund my fabric addiction!

All this outing and abouting is okay - but we've been eating out of the picnic box - and of course chips!
How sick was I of this snacking - it seemed ages since I had eaten proper veg;

So I raided the fridge tonight - dragged out all the bits and bobs of veg to concoct something fresh and colourful.

How nice it was to chop and cook, and catch up with Richard - he always hovers in the kitchen to chat.

Although of course he has to work - tasty home made pizza type things, with - because he was making them, mountains of cheese!

I even managed to jam a few strawberries.

There is a lady that has a fruit and veg stall at the carboot and she was selling off the strawberries for 80p a punnet - so I bought four, 3/4lb of fruit by the time I had de-stalked and whatnot. Not as cheap as growing your own, but I did just fancy some strawberry jam!

I used the sugar with the pectin in it - so very easy.

It made some good big jars full - not very glamorous jars but functional! And the jam tastes wonderful - just so summery!

Although I don't know where the summer has gone! Its been so cold the last couple of days - I'm sat here with the wood burner blazing away!

That's all for now - must be bed time xxx take care xxxx

Car Boot-y Finds - just A Quick Few Pics!

2010-08-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

Good evening friends!

Just a quickie post - mostly pic's - just a little something for you to look at - bit of prettiness and everyday stuff!

Some nice car boot-y treasures, pretty fabrics I couldn't resist.

How about this for a pretty pair of curtains - and all in good order too, I just love the grey and

pink together.

This is one huge length of unused fabric - fabulously floral!

Real Miss Marple era!

Someone must have bought it to cover that favorite armchair or settee even - its such a big piece, or perhaps some nice bright curtains? - anyway - they never got around to it - its been stashed in a cupboard. Such a pretty lump of fabric.

What is it about blue and white? Got a bundle of this - good sized, nicely faded, shabby vintage, salvaged remnants - Ohhhhh what to make? My fingers are itching to sew!

A nice big set of unusual curtains - unfortunately they are damaged at the sides, as often happens with vintage curtains the sunlight catches the edges weakens the fabric and it rots away. The middle portion of the curtains are just fine - they will have to be reclaimed pieces of fabric, nice big pieces ideal for - well almost anything - certainly an unusual design.

You can see the holes down the edges, I shall cut all that away.

Who remembers this type of old desk - who has sat and stuck chewing gum to the underside - yes! you know who you are!

Hubby P found this - in a bit of a mucky state - hes been spending time in the nice fresh air sanding it down and whatnot. Its done him a power of good - 'just messing'- its not often he makes the time to do anything sort of creative - if you know what I mean!

I think he needs some nice beeswax to finish it off - I just love that beeswax-y smell.

Just look at this Oregano, its growing in the window box - and it has both purple flowers and white flowers - I'm sure its the same plant.

Here it is nestled amongst the nasturtiums and whatnot - gives a lovely scent when you brush past - and tasty too in salads and pasta.

I've started saving the seed from the nasturtiums - I just put them on a saucer on the windowsill to dry, ready for next years pretty flowers.

I do believe you can pickle nasturtium seeds - they taste peppery - a bit like capers (mind you I've never tried capers - so I don't know!). I pickled some once - just to try - its not something we really took to - but if you like capers?

Made the jam this afternoon (gooseberry, apple, black currant, and rhubarb - all I had in the freezer jam!) - It tastes just fine, nice and fruity - just the job for my toast!

And chocolate crispy cakes - I haven't made these for years. I just fancied some rice crispies for a change, and saw they had chocolate at a good price in Asda - so I made a few for some 'littlies'. All little children should have the pleasure of a rice crispie cake now and again !

xxx That's all for now folk's xxx Take care xxx

A Little Emporium! and Allsorts!

2010-07-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been a while! I feel I have neglected you woefully!!

Even my Sister rang me to see if I was still alive - thinking - no blog - something must be amiss!

Well all is fine here, just busy busy!

These trusty boots have become Standard Carboot Issue! As you can see it was a bit muddy today - after the 'monsoon' that was Friday - the rain just never stopped all day.

We have been doing as many car boot sales as we can - boy have we got some stuff packed away! I've turned out all those nooks and crannies - bottoms of wardrobes, backs of cupboards, its amazing what I've found!

So here we are all packed ready to go!

Hubby P has become an expert packer, this little van can hold so much.

We pack everything in suitcases ( well we do have one or two suitcases here) - then we or rather Hubby P - simply lifts them out of the van, arranges them on the grass and opens them up. We can spread the contents out a bit - putting items in/on the lid. It seems to work quite well and people like to look at the old suitcases.

I found myself a nice old shabby vase/plant container. Here it is waiting for a suitable, pretty plant or something. I had to rather smuggle it home - as Hubby P keeps reminding me, we are supposed to be selling things to a make home less cluttered and easier to manage - can't see it happening myself - 'My name is Vicky and I'm a car boot Addict' !!!

Talking of clutter - a REALLY exciting little project - I've got myself 'A Little Emporium'!

We have 'taken' as they say, a storage -big - storage container - mostly to store all the stuff/er Vintage Collectables we had stacked in the house. The containers have been installed in the lockable/secure grounds of the carboot sale premises - so not only is it ideal storage, but on carboot sale days we can open up the doors and sell from it.

But what a job sorting it all out - mind you it will be fun - its like playing shop!

It has been taking up a lot of our time - and its still not just as I would like it - well frankly its a tip - stuff everywhere! No doubt we will get it sorted soon.

Its always nice to meet like-minded people - and if we can make it welcoming
hopefully they will come and browse.
Only this weekend we were talking to a couple who did WW2 re-enactments, they were looking for items they could use, items of Uniform and Vintage dress. It all sounded so interesting - its amazing the lives people lead.

And of course no self respecting Emporium would be complete without a touch of Bunting!

More photos when its a bit more organised!

On the Home Front!

The apples keep falling off the tree - its a huge crop, I can see us looking like an apple this winter - we will have so many to eat!

Still - An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor at Away!!

They are always good to put in the jams, jellies and chutneys.

Friends and family keep dropping off fruit and veg - it seems every ones garden is producing lots of lovely goodies - just need to make the time to 'deal' with it all. I do need to make some Jumble Jelly - its what one of my American friends calls mixed fruit jam - isn't it such a cute name!?
Surprisingly we are on our last jar - we must eat it by the ton.

All this standing out in a blustery - er - somewhat cold and wet fields - requires hearty carbooting food!

We've just eaten 'hearty' pie (made with all the nice veg a friend left on the doorstep - fresh from the allotment), and a coffee and walnut cake, made with nice fresh eggs from our chickens.

Don't look at the burnt bit on top of the cake - it was going to be iced - but needs must - I couldn't wait/was too tired to mess with the icing!

I just don't want to get the 'Hearty' ruddy cheeks that seem to be the 'look' of outdoors-y people - I'm hardly fragile and waif like as it is, Yes -I can definitely do without the ruddy cheeks!

Enough nonsense!

xxx Must be time for bed! xxx Take care for now xxxx

2010-07-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been so long!!

All a bit upside down here - the usual Summer 'full house' with family and guests and Hubby P being rather unwell - enough for the Dr to say he needs a break from work. Nice to have him home, but of course that means less money coming into the home - so as with many of you a further tightening of the purse strings!

And the RAIN!!!!!

We have had so much of it I thought we would be washed away!

At least the apple tree is loving it - all this rain is making the apples grow large and plump!

Hopefully lots to harvest for puddings and jam, maybe even some chutney.

The garden has taken a battering, but this large stand of Elcampane just loves the damp and is thriving

Elcampane I suppose is a bit unusual in a garden - it is usually found in the wild, I bought my cutting from a specialist nursery, having never seen it in the wild (although I have found some since, growing on some rough ground). I like to gather the unusual - well I did end up with Hubby P!

Elcampane is a very tall plant - easily reach 6ft and huge leaves - it needs a big space - it is a rather striking 'full on' plant.

It was used inn the 'olden days' to make a cough medicine, and was said to be especially good for curing Bronchitis. I think they dug up some of the roots mashed them and boiled them up, then made a syrup with the liqueur.

I love to explore all the old receipts and 'cures' - it amazes me what they made from everyday plants growing in the hedgerows, no wonder they called the old women with the knowledge 'Hedgewitches'.

And of course the flowers are so sunshiny and pretty!

Onwards and upwards with the thrifting - and now of course thinking of all and everything to make a few more pennies, so many of my recent finds will have go on ebay to help things along, and we may do a carboot or two if the weather brightens.

Do you recognise 'Julie's' ironing board - I covered it in some of the pretty pink and blue fabric, it looks so sweet. I found the little pink push along trolley today at the carboot - the cheery pink colour attracted me - and how about the Hobby Horse! Who remembers? Who had a Hobby Horse as a child? Hands up!!!!

Found these today too!

Delightfully vintage and shabby! Just the thing to sit under with your G &T - if it ever stops with the RAIN thing!!

A little collection of dusty leather bags, I've had these a while - just took me a while to gather the enthusiasm to get the polish out and deploy a bit of elbow grease!

They came up really quite well - I just love the shabby leather look!

Of course I want to keep them all - I have two already that I use - they are really very shabby, but all the better for that.

It wasn't that long ago, I was in B & Q and a complete stranger - lady of a certain age - stopped me and asked where I had got my 'wonderful' shabby bag from. She couldn't believe I had found it at a carboot and preceded to offer me larger and larger amounts of money for my bag!
Stood there - right in the middle of B & Q!

Of course I said no - it is a very nice bag - and valuable too - or so it seems!

I can never go into B & Q now without thinking of the 'Bag episode' as Hubby P calls it - of course he thought she was completely Bonkers!

The new ones have come up quite well with a bit of polish and plenty of effort - bit boring though - polishing!

Pity I can't find the B &Q lady now - I wonder if I hung around B & Q touting shabby handbags !!?

xxx Must be bedtime! xxx Take care! xxx

Weekend Treasure and Thrifty Snippets!

2010-07-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

We had a nice time - we had a car boot stall both Saturday and Sunday - exhausting! Mind you I think its more of a social occasion than anything - we saw so many friends and spent a lot of the time chatting to interesting people.

Saturday afternoon we called in a little village - Menai Bridge - and stopped by a rather lovely Antique shop - lots of lovely, lovely things!

Hubby P treated me to a very old and very lovely garden trowel - it is just such a lovely thing - and Yes - I do intend to use it.

I have even put an old oily rag in my tool bucket so that I will give the trowel a wipe over once I have finished using it.

Lots of nice finds this weekend - I did get to have a mooch about, seeking out interesting things to show you.

How about this for a pretty Vintage dress?

I think its from the 1960's and in wonderful condition, the fabric has that 'new' feel to it - as if its not been worn or washed - you know, still kind of starchy.

It is just so pretty - real Boho Chic!

This fabric intrigues me - I feel its a bit, well may be designed by one of the well known designers of the day - Heal's or someone.

Such a striking print - anyone know anything about it? any ideas?

~~~~~~~~~~

A quick Thrifty Snippet!

Lots of courgettes here - I have only two plants but they are going great guns - there are only so many we can eat in one week!

So I am doing as I did with the peppers - chopping them freezing them on a tray (flat) and then bagging them up. I should then be able to just get a handful out when needed, be nice to have courgettes in the colder months once the fresh courgettes have finished. I try not to buy out of season fresh veg - its always a bit expensive (and so it should be - the amount of precious resources that are used to produce it).

Spotted this little child's ironing board at the carboot sale.

So dinky and sweet!

It was Julie's ironing board.

Well it has Julie written on it - so forever it shall now be known as Julies ironing board!

I shall find some nice fabric to recover the board, give it a new lease of life.

Another quick Snippet!

I find lots of lengths of good useful fabric in the guise of unwanted
curtains etc.

I found this pretty cotton - it was a made into a blind, a bit grubby and unwanted - I bought it for a few pennies.

All you need is a zip stitch-y tool or a pair of scissors and a few spare minutes - I just keep it by my chair, and when I sit down for a cup of tea I do a bit of unpicking. I took off all the curtain header tape and unpicked the seams - gave it a good wash and iron, and ended up with some good big useful bits of fabric.
Fabric is so expensive to buy, for my bits and bobs of crafting these reclaimed lengths are just fine - and I find some nice unusual and/or vintage prints.

I think I may use some of this pretty cotton to recover Julie's ironing board - the blue in the fabric matches the blue paintwork on the ironing board.

Must be bedtime now - been a busy weekend!

xxx Take care xxx

Bit of This 'an That ~ Thrifty Snippet, Shabby Chic!!

2010-07-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

A little bit of everything tonight - just what I've been up to the last couple of days!

First of all my harvest - just look at these glorious little gems!

Its the first time I have had red currants to pick - the birds usually beat me to it, and last year the bush was stripped of leaves and fruit by ants. It seems to have recovered, although the other bush (I planted two ) is a poor scraggy thing.

I just have the two red currant bushes, I have them in the border with all the pretty flowers - they don't really get any attention, I just had a fancy, at the time, to grow red currants then I could make red currant jelly to have with roast lamb.

I don't have the garden space for a fruit garden, so I just make do -

although I don't think there is enough here to bother with jelly - all of 6 ounces!

I put them in the freezer - they will be used in something or other. They are a fabulous colour - Mother Nature has a wonderful sense of fun.

Playing about with my door again!

I put a little collection of Shabby stuff together in a boring sort of corner -its where we sit, so I wanted something to look at - if you know what I mean!

I dragged the old step ladder out of the shed - I had painted it up a while ago, a nice gentle green-y colour.

And nestled my little collection of vintage fish tank and cloche on the top. I have a little dish planted up with a teeny tiny fern, and some Navel wort - a fascinating little plant that grows like crazy on the walls, and in our hedgerows. I hadn't seen it before we moved to Anglesey - its called navel wort because it just looks like - well a navel - its round like a penny with a dip in the centre (I think its other name is Penny - something). It grows quite large in the wild, depending on conditions - mine is confined to the small dish - so is a dainty - fairy size!

I found this old shabby chair at the carboot - Hubby P was going to do it up - but I quite like it as it is. The old enamel potty is there to act as a sort of repository for Hubby P's cigarette butts, and other unsavory things - quite apt really, considering what it once perhaps used for!

We went shopping - we I couldn't put it off for much longer!

I managed a couple of Thrifty buys - some fruit and veg was on offer, so that was good, I bought quite a bit. Peppers were a mixed bag of 3 peppers for 50p - cheap and cheerful so I bought 2 bags. Now there is no way we will eat 6 peppers in a week or so, so I chopped 4 of them and lay them on trays and put them in the freezer.

They should be ok tomorrow to bag up and stay loose, so that I can just grab a handful for stir fries and the like - bit like I do with the frozen peas - everything gets peas in it here.

Hubby P does like his Shepherds pie, so we have to have minced beef, I like to buy British or Welsh - even more local, if I can. They had these big packs for about £2.80 I think, far too much for just Hubby P and I (Both Richard and William are veggies) - so I split the pack into three.

I think it said 400gms on the box/pack - it doesn't mean any thing to me, I know its shameful, but I cant get a grip on this metrication! My formative years I grew up with pounds and ounces - so that's how I think - so anyway - back to the mince - it madeapprox 8oz per pack and three packs, thats 4oz of meat per person which is plenty - it all gets padded out with lots of veg, or baked beans in the case of Shepherds pie.

A good deal there, and mince always gives good flavour to a dish - very versatile and quick to cook.

At the moment I am all for quick and easy - I have so much to do and not enough hours in the day - I've just noticed its after 11pm now - I should have been in bed ages ago - Ahhhh the things I do for you lot! hehe!

Lots going on here, big project ????

Here is a hint of things to come.

It must be said the 'Men' of the house are not too thrilled -but Hey! sometimes a Girl just Has to have her own way!

Show you some pic's next time - if the sun shines for me!

xxx Take care xxx

Use It Up an Eat It Up! Thrifty Snippet!!

2010-07-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Is it raining with you? 'tis a bit miserable here!

We went to the carboot sale today but I'm afraid I haven't anything exciting to show you, any goodies were a bit thin on the ground, and rather too expensive for me. Still - can't expect Treasures every week!

So I thought I would share a Thrifty Snippet or two with you.

Well really it was just a case of 'what on earth can I make for tea' when I knew I ought really to go shopping - although I couldn't face a busy supermarket today. I hate shopping at the best of times - and Hubby P was busy playing - oops sorry - - familiarising himself with his new sanding machine, a noisy power-tool thing-y, so shopping was out of the question.

Very little fresh veg left in the fridge, and some rather 'sprout-y' potatoes that needed eating up.

So - that's healthy/low fat oven chips made from the potatoes (chunky chipped, par boiled and roasted in the oven with brushed on olive oil).

What to do with the end of the cucumber?(now don't be rude)

I chopped a goodly amount for our salad - only Richard and I had oven chips and salad, Hubby P statin 'a Man can have too much green stuff' so he chose something else - more manly!

Now when I was a girl - 'in the Good old Days' - maybe? In my Grandmothers kitchen, and ours/my Mothers, during the summer there was always a dish (in my Grandmothers - I can 'see' it clearly, it was a huge cut glass dish) of cucumber and onion in vinegar - its a lovely pickle to have with just about anything, I eat it by the ton.

Its very simple - just use oddments of cucumber (skin cut off and chopped) and onion and put them in a dish/jar (I use a sealed jar - it can make the kitchen smell a bit pickle-y otherwise), pour some vinegar to cover them and I add a bit of sugar, give it a stir.

I keep adding to the jar whenever I have an odd bit of cucumber left, or bit of onion - or I just make more because I love it - especially on cheese sandwiches!
Eventually of course you have to start afresh with new vinegar - the vinegar will get cloudy.

Next out of the fridge was the last of the carrots, a cabbage and I always have a few onions - so coleslaw it is then.

Grate the carrot, finely -ish chop the cabbage and onion, and mix with a bit of Mayo.

Now Richard was hovering around in the kitchen (asking why I was taking pic's of his tea? -
I suppose it is strange behaviour!) - anyway I asked him to pass me the mayo from the fridge and he said that he preferred my coleslaw when I make it with half mayo and half salad cream. Well - things being in the desperate state they are - shopping wise, I said we didn't have any salad cream unless - we had any in the Saddam Cupboard.

Now the Saddam cupboard goes back a long way - when the children were little and the News was full of the threat from Saddam Hussein, and any conflict with him may lead to shortages - so I had a cupboard where I kept extra tins of food - extra emergency rations.

I suppose I was brought up (living in the 'wilderness' - no easy access to shops etc) with full cupboards, not fancy expensive food - just basic staples.

So the Saddam cupboard is still a feature - and the name stuck, its not a huge cupboard, but it holds all the necessary to get us by.

But as you can see - no salad cream! - Bad Mother!

So we had Coleslaw made with just mayo - and very nice it was too.
(pleanty left - we didn't eat the whole dish full)

Plenty of lettuce - did I mention I have a greenhouse?!!!

Today a friend kindly gave me some homegrown new potatoes (they do look rather good - tomorrows tea?) and some Garlic - rather small but all the same very garlic-y, and very welcome.

I decided to make some Garlic oil with it - I have quite a bit of garlic in the fridge, we don't eat it at every meal, so the garlic oil would utilise the fresh garlic - preserve it I suppose.

I made a lot of this oil when I grew garlic myself, a couple of years ago - I shall grow it again next year - did I mention I now have a greenhouse?!!!

Simply peel the garlic cloves and pop in a clean jar, pour some olive oil over them (or whatever oil you use to cook with) - in a day or so the oil will be flavoured by the garlic and you can use it to cook with. You can also of course use the cloves themselves, just fish them out of the oil, give them a chop up and add to your stir fry or whatever.

As you use the garlic oil from the jar top it up with fresh olive oil - lots of garlic-y power in those little cloves.

Its just one way of using up the garlic - I don't know about you but the ones I buy soon seem to sprout - give the oil a try, scrummy used when frying mushrooms - well, that's if you like garlic of course!

Sorry if its been a bit of a 'same-y - cooking-y' post, just thought it would be a bit different - Richard says 'hope you enjoy pictures of His Tea!' I think he thinks we are all mad!!!!

xxx That's all for now xxx Take Care xxx

Harvesting My Lavender!

2010-07-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie post - just to share these nice pic's of the lovely 'blue' that is my lavender!

So what have you been doing today?

I thought it a good day - at least it was dry, to harvest some of my Lavender to make little dried bunches of the summery flower.

I don't have a great many lavender plants - I would like to have great swathes edging garden paths, like you see in posh gardening magazines! - but unfortunately I have only a modest sized garden. But I must say, having lived with a small backyard - I am so very grateful for what I do have, and fill it to bursting with all the flowery delights I can find - on the cheap-ie of course!

My couple of little bushes have done me proud and flowered their little socks off - so before they 'go over' I thought I would save their delights, and their wonderful summery scent, by drying a few bunches.

I can scatter them amongst my linen, or in my drawers - a waft of summery lavender is always welcome in the depths of winter!

I simply snip the flowers with a longish stem and tied them in smallish bundles with cotton.

I have hung them on a little clothes hanger and knitting needle contraption I cobbled together, and hung them in the conservatory where they will dry nicely - smell wonderful too.

xxx That's all for now xxx Take care xxx

Rain! Treasures! And a Bit of The Geoffrey's

2010-07-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Bloggy week - where does the time go?

I don't mean to leave it so long between Blogs - I do have lots to tell you - and I do try and keep up with every one's Posts - it just seems there is not enough hours in the day or days in the week!

Weekend saw us off the Island (a great event for us - we don't venture far!) and all the way to Lancashire to visit family. It was our youngest Grandchild's Birthday party - a hot and sticky affair!

Hubby P swears he drove all the way home with strawberry jelly behind his ears! - I think he was just being a bit dramatic myself - whats a bit of jelly between friends!

Anyway an enjoyable time was had by all.

It was so hot over the weekend - we had wonderful, growl-y Thunder on Monday night and then the rain started - well its been pretty wet shall we say.

I quite welcome it in a way - the garden certainly needed it - no doubt the weeds will grow like crazy now.

But its fair bashed about the Elder trees, the flowers are falling like showers of rain, pretty - lacy, scented rain - the air is filled with the scent of Elderflower.

Just look at the steps up to the shed - it looks like confetti - just like outside a church after a lovely, romantic wedding!

Here they are scattered over the hood of my herb pram - just look how dainty and perfectly formed they are - there must be millions or trillions of them - twirling down from the trees, gracing my garden - what a treat!

The greenhouse is doing amazingly well - full to bursting! I've moved a good few things outside - so many its hard to walkabout the yard, but is so nice to pop outside and pick fresh salad and whatnot.

Car booty Treasures!

Just a couple of things to show you - how about this for a little cupboard!

How dinky is this - I know the blue is a bit extreme - and its badly painted when you look closely, so the idea is to give it a vintage shabby makeover. Once the rain stops and I have a spare couple of hours.

Just look at its dinky little feet - I think it will make a lovely, unusual little piece.

And I couldn't resist this! I couldn't walk by for just a couple of £££££ 's!

I just like the whole shabby green-y colour thing-y going on.

It must at one time have been a functioning outside electric light - all the internal lamp-y bits are missing and the glass. So its really just a shell of a lamp - a lamp at the end of its 'useful' purposeful life - maybe how some of us feel sometimes! ha!
So I brought it home to live with us.

I put a couple of old jam jars inside it to hold little candles - we had them alight the other night, and how pretty they were - still life in the old lamp yet!

A bit wet for the Geoffrey's tonight - but the other night we got some good pic's.

Geoffrey enjoys a custard cream biscuit!

Remarkably tame - the camera is almost inside the tree house.

This is one of the younger generation, lighter in colour and of course much smaller, helping himself to the peanuts. What do you think ? Is he a Marvin, or Billy? or perhaps a Gertrude - Gertie?

That's all for now folk's - I will try and get you some more interesting pic's once the rain stops, and of course there will be more treasure hunting at the weekend!

xxx Take care xxx

Vintage Shabby - Make Do and Mend !!

2010-06-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hope you're all having a good week.

I must just say I'm so sorry I haven't got back to all you lovely people who have kindly left comments - I know its so shoddy of me.

Its actual time or access to the laptop that's the problem - now we have Will home from Uni, so lots of people wanting access to the web. Its amazing really that all of life can be arranged, paid for, and friendships formed and nurtured all through the marvel that is the web - something that we can't see or touch!

But Sorry all the same - I do appreciate all and every comment you leave, its so nice to think anyone would want to take the time to read about my ordinary everyday life - so very slow and quiet, sometimes you must think its like watchin paint dry!

Well here's what I've been up to this week.....

Treasure from the car boot sale!

A lovely old chair in want of a makeover....

The seat had gone so trusty old Hubby P cut me a new one from some old hardboard from his 'Stash' and he painted the chair for me, in a nice pale shade of creamy white - Farrow and Ball paint no less. The paint was another 'find' at the car boot - its so useful to gather these things together as and when you spot them, and then use them to recycle something old and interesting - extend its life - give it a new life, and enjoy its Vintage qualities.

I rummaged in my fabric 'Stash' and found some pretty Vintage barkcloth - just the job.

I padded the seat slightly and covered it in the fabric - glued and tacked the pretty seat back on and - well - 'Bobs your Uncle' as they say!

One pretty chair - and I got completely carried away and made a little matching laundry box/toy box - anything sort of/handy box really.

~~~~~~~~~~~

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mine is growing madly - I think really it needs some attention, its a bit wild looking, but I must say I quite like it. I'm not one for very formal things - you may have gathered!

A bit - well - slap-dash, wild and woolly at the best of times...... and thats just me ...

Its easy to surprise me - I forget half of what I have planted, like this lovely - huge plant that's sprung up - I had noticed it growing - bigger and bigger - now its flowering, and its so pretty. But I have no idea where it came from - I guess I must have planted it, and I've even less idea what it is - again useless with plant names unless they are common herbs.

Is it a Verbena? I'm just guessing - maybe someone will recognise it - I'm thinking Verbena because of the leaves - no idea!

Its rather magnificent - so enjoying it!

And the Roses - so pretty!

It seems to be a good year for the Roses - mind you we haven't had much rain to spoil them..... yet!

Love this pretty little delicate one...

And this riotous red rose is going mad - flowering its little socks off by the gate. My youngest son bought me this one when he was younger - just a little cheapie one - bought with his pocket money - and its just grown and grown - bit like my little boy!

I just liked the pretty rusty red colour of the new fresh little leaves on this Oak tree, its a 'baby' I grew from an acorn. At the moment it lives in an old galvanised bucket.

How'd you like my new shabby old door?

I just love it - its an old greenhouse or shed door - wonderfully old, battered, weathered and shabby - bit like me!

I dont know exactly what I will do with it yet - I just like looking at it - it pleases me, the faded colours and weathered texture, it begs to be found a corner, to live out its life with my other Vintage finds....

Enough of the old door! am I alone in this love of all that's old and faded, is that why - dare I say - I am with Hubby P and he with me??

Think its time I left you good people and went to bed - Geoffrey says 'Good Evening' - William got some good pic's then the camera batteries died on him - will post them next time.

xx Take care xx