First Snowdrops Of The Year! A Cheery Sight!

Hope you've all had a good few days.

Look what I found this morning when I went to feed the rabbits!

The very first tiny, tiny snowdrops. Just peeking out, and shaking out their pretty little white dresses, like ballerinas getting ready to perform.

There was no sign of them yesterday. I wonder if I had hurried them on a little. You see on Sunday when we cleaned out the chicken shed, the last couple of shovel fulls of dirty bedding/litter would'nt fit in the bags for the tip. So a scattered it on the garden beds, thinking it will soon get dragged down by the worms and composted. Now as you know (or maybe not) animal bedding - when soiled with the muck and urine, heats up quickly, so I wondered if this little heap had warmed the soil enough to force the snowdrops. No snowdrops in the rest of the garden yet.
Anyway - they are pretty and a welcome sign of the coming Spring. Have you got snowdrops yet?

Just a couple of pic's of Carbooty finds - nothing too pretty, but useful!

Oh - and you will see my super new jam pan I found at the Recycling Centre.



Yes, another hotwater bottle - a Girl can't have enough! This one is so small and dinky, I shall have to make a little cover for it, its ideal for popping on my neck/back to warm the sore bit. Hubby P suggested I make a kind of haversack - a portable back warmer - going a bit far I think.
I managed to pursuade a stall holder to sell me the pinking shears he was using to cut up card to make labels. They were/are a really good sharp pair, I've been looking for some for ages, he sold them to me for £1 - a bargin I thought.
And a book - there are so many at the carboot, and for pennies - how can you not! This is rather cute - all about pigs, ideas for sewing projects and patterns and templates. I've decided what I will do is take copies of the templates - make a file for them or something, because its only really the templates that I use. Then I can sell the book on (ebay) or give it to the Charity shop - I think I will do this with a lot of my crafty books - they take up such a lot of room.
These little piggies are so cute - I can feel a piggie themed project comming on!

A lot of people collect pig things - they are such amusing animals. Hubby P has a thing for them, he would dearly love to have some pigs. He has to be content with his pottery ones for now - most Christmasses I buy him a new pig. Although this year I found him a sweet little vintage squeaky Donkey! - and Yes! he was delighted!

I found a pile of these too.

They are the very old heavy cardboard files with hessian spines, and lots of interesting age related knocks and stains. They have been used in some sort of engineering office I think. Not everyones 'cup of tea' I know - but I love old paper - printed, plain, stained, crumpled or whatever. I just love the colours, texture, and how they look when put together - well - you know what I mean!

I thought I could cover some of these, a montague even - with some of my stash of interesting vintagey magazines, newspapers, and childrens books.

Look - I even found an old Camberwick Green book - bit tatty and some pages show the work of some little busybody, working away with their crayons. But how nice it would be to have a Camberwick Green File! I could keep all my piggy templates and whatnot in it.

I'll let you know, and take some pic's when I've had a play around with them.

On to Thrifty Snippets!

'You'll have the shirt off my back' was Hubby P's initial response to my - well, what I thought was a tentative enquiry about letting go of his favorite jumper. I reasoned that although he liked the jumper, he had had it for many years - it came from a Charity shop, and Yes - I know it always washes well, but it was getting beyound even my mending/darning skills.

He only wore it for work, it often came home covered in ink, but it was dropping apart - curiously just around the neck and shoulders -- no holes in the body!

What I did'nt mention was the fact that I really fancied having some of those knitted cotton dishcloths. Trying to be Green you see - No more J cloths for me I thought, when I can knit some, which will wash and wash again!

It wasn't untill I looked at the price of the cotton for knitting on ebay that I thought Ummmmm

I could buy a dozen packs of J cloths for the price of that cotton. So I looked about for a cheaper option.

The 'option' was on Hubby P's back!

One nice big cotton jumper - that will do nicely. It was falling to bits - Honestly!

So I unravelled it, and experimented in knitting it up.

And it seems just fine. Admittedly it is a bit of a grey grubby colour, but then the wool/cotton is a grey with a dark fleck, so no pristine white/cream dishcloths for me. But Hey - so long as they do the job, and they wash well, they will just fine.

(Please don't look at the quality of the knitting - its not one of my - better skills shall we say. A dish cloth is about all Ican manage! lol!

And what have I spent my day doing ? Well! - polishing my suitcases - as you do!

Another exciting project in the planning stage - suitcases needed!

That will keep you guessing! More of the Suitcase Project later!

xx That's all for now xx Take care xx

Busy Weekend - Nice To Be Out In The Sunshine!

Well! How nice to be out in the fresh air this weekend, and it stayed fine.

Hope you all had a good one.

We made the most of it, we visited carboot sales both Saturday, and Sunday - saw lots of friends - carbooty type of friends, it was nice! And Hubby P got lots of interesting things, so he was happy! He is - as we speak - head buried in a book reserching something or other about corkscrews of all things. You know what they say - 'it takes all kinds to make a world!!'

We made good use of the fine weather and Saturday afternoon saw us taking all the large cardboard boxes etc (from Christmas) and rabbit bedding (I gave the rabbits a good clean out) - to the recycling centre.

Sunday afternoon whilst Hubby P sawed up firewood, we - that is Rich my son (who was hanging around doing nothing productive - always dangerous thing to admit to when I am around) and I cleaned out the chicken shed. Poor things were in desperate need of some clean bedding - but its just been too wet and snowy to attempt it. And they wouldn't thank me - whilst the bedding was deep - although a bit smelly, it was warm!

Anyway Rich set to, my days of actually doing a lot of digging or forking bedding are fading fast - I usually end up doing myself a mischief, so my role was one of Foreman, or Director of Operations and chief bucket/bag holder!

We soon had them sorted, and they love a good thick layer of woodchip. Billy the rabbit hampers things a bit, he does so want to sit on your feet and inspect each forkfull of muck!

Being out and about in the garden I noticed just the tiniest of signs that Spring is on its way.

Just an odd little flower, shining its little socks off.




And a few green shoots - all most welcome!

Cleaning the chickens out on Sunday ment another trip to the Recycling Center, and what goodies were to be found there!
As you know I always go along, to have a look what people are throwing away - I find it facinating - sad but true!
Anyway Saturday I was rambling along nosing in all the skips whilst Hubby P unloaded all the smelly rabbit muck. One of the workers there asked if I was 'Okay' (some nutty woman pokin about the skips - whatever next!) I said I was looking for old buckets and whatnot to put plants in - which has a ring of truth about it. 'Oh' she said -' there's an old pan over there, if you want it' - Yes, its a young woman who works there, and a good job she does too - gets a bit of stick I think working with all those men. So I went to find the pan - she must have pulled it out of the skip earlier - and what a good pan! It's a really good heavy bottomed jam pan, very clean and like new. So I said 'Thankyou very much' - I have never had a proper jam pan before.

On the way back to the van, I noticed this brazier thingy - a bit rust but fine and sturdy!




Ideal for burning all those twiggy bits in the garden, and I always burn all the 'sensitive stuff - you know letters with personal information, bank details etc, Usually I use them to light the fire, but in summer when we have no fire this will be really useful for disposing of them.
So I hoked this out of the skip too!

This was Sunday afternoons find - browsing the wood skip at the Recycling Center, I had to do a bit of ingenious manoeuvring with a chair to get it out. Hubby P just waits in the van - he's quite use to my browsing habits!

Isn't it cute - and I just love is battered shabby look - obviously too battered for someone - and they skipped it!

This afternoon I gave it a good wash and a quick coat of wood preservative, cut a bit of the hedge back and fastened it in position - all ready for the birds.

I do hope they like it!

Bit of a Thrifty Snippet!

Whilst I was searching for the bird seed and whatnot I found an old packet of fatballs at the bottom of a bucket - all wet and yucky! It was a full packet and I thought what a waste - they had gone soft and were falling apart. So I took them into the house and boiled them up with some water to remove the fatty bit - saving all the seed.

I melted some fresh lard and mixed this seed into it, I had a good scrabble in the cupboard and found some sultanas and porrige oats, oh, and a handful of rabbit food -not in the cupboard obviously - but you know from the rabbit feed bin!!!

I saved the nets from the old fatballs and using the little aluminium tins (from the steak and kidney puddings we had last week) as moulds I filled the nets with the mixture.

I thought the nets I could sew up and they could go in the fatball holder. The leftover mixture filled the tins, and this comes out quite easily when the lard sets - comes out as little 'bird puddings!

I put one in the new bird table late afternoon - it will be interesting to see how soon the little birds find it. Mind you we have Geofrey the mouse who lives just under where the bird table now sits, and he comes out at night - we see him sat in the apple tree and helping himself to the fatballs that hang from its branches. I bet he's found the birds pudding - a feast for a tiny mouse!

xx That's all for now, carbooty finds to show you another day! xx

And The Winner Is!!

Hi Everyone! Hope you are all ready for the weekend! I am - I've a list of jobs to do, mainly cleaning up after the snow. All the paths are full of dirty slushy stuff!

I promised you a New Year Giveaway - and here it is, a little goodie parcel all ready to go off to the winner.

And the Winner is Da Da!!! Tracey ( Tracey's - Crafty Scraps)

Well done you - email me your details and I can get Postie to bring it on over to you.

Just a quick and easy Thrifty Snippet!

I was just having a sort through my veg basket - as you do. I really needed to use up the shallots I bought at Christmas (I put them in a stew for Hubby P's tea). Looking at the little bags they came in, I thought how sturdy they are, and how awful to send them to landfill via the dustbin - they will never rot down (not to self - don't buy veg in nylon nets!), so what could I use them for?

Well earlier in the week I had sewn up the net bag used to hold the peanuts for the birds - the bigger birds rip big holes in it. So I thought I could use the onion net.
I made a bit of a funnel arrangement with an old envelope, and filled it with the nuts.




Then sewed up the hole, and made a hanging loop.

Works a treat, and just look - no sooner had I put it up and we had our first visitor, a striking Coal Tit (at least that's what I think he is - or possible a Large Tit? not very good with bird identification!)

There were a whole family of these Long Tailed Tits - so pretty!

Well that's all for today - off to catch up with Larkrise on i player!

xx Take care xx

A Treat To Read And A Little Thrrifty Snippet!

Just really a little quick post, just to show you I have Not Just Sat And 'Played Around' Reading Blogs All Day' - as was inferred by nameless persons - shall we say' of this family!

Although this cold weather - with a nice roaring fire - its very tempting!

No indeed-y I have been very industrious today - thinking in a Thrifty manner - of keeping warm.

But before all that - just look what Hubby P brought home for me today! A real delight - one more reason to keep the post short - then I can get stuck into Country Living

and the wonderful fantasy world they try to sell - can anyone ever afford to buy the stuff they write about?

Still we can dream!

I bet people with Country Living lives wont be messing about with old blankets and hotwater bottles!

Anyway - here's todays Thrifty Snippet!

During one foray to the carboot sale I managed to get a (new) hotwater bottle £1, and a childs fleece blanket 20p.

We do use a lot of hotwater bottles in this house - I am almost always to be found sat with a nice warm bottle at my dodgy back. So the more the merrier!

So I cut a rough pattern around the bottle (actually it was a pattern I cut a while ago) and cut the pieces out of the blanket - I've done it double thickness because the fleece is quite thin.

I had to sew the two edges of the 'opening' edges together because I using the fabric doubled up - otherwise - if single I would just hem them.
I always use my trusty 'treadle' sewing machine - no electriciyt used - Thrifty or what!
Mind you lots used in much making of cups of 'inspirational' tea!

Next pin the pieces together - remember you are going to turn the whole thing through, so get the opening bits in the right order.

Sew around the outside of the whole thing, and trim the edges.

Turn through and pop your bottle in!

One snug little hot water bottle.

The blue lent itself to our household quite nicely, there being a few - well all men apart from me, and you know what they are like - I think 'pink and frilly' can work in a lot of ways! - but they have a bit of a problem with it!

Here's a nice pink one I made earlier from an old bedspread, I mostly use this one - well its pink isn't it!

Not to be too hard on Hubby P - he does seek out nice things for me in his lunch hour. So I thought I would treat him to one of there for his tea.

I have just descovered where to buy them here on Anglesey, we hadn't had a pudding for years. These little puddings were a staple in the Fish and Chip shops of Lancashire when I was a girl. We even lived near the factory that made them, and I grew up with the smell of the cooking pies and puddings emenating from a big chimney with 'Hollands' written all the was up/or down it!

I believe a German company owns it now - as with so many places it has had to go abroad for he funding to continue, and yet it seemed to be doing so well, everyone ate Hollands pies, it employed a lot of the town, even had special 'Traditional' type vans sign painted with their well known name and logo - its a strange old world!

Still - we enjoyed the puddings for tea!

xx That's all for now - Country Living awaits! xx

Christmas Bling! and Thrifty Snippets!

I'm don't know about you, but I'm tired of pictures of the snow now. So I thought I would show you some of the pretties Hubby P found for me at Christmas.

Now weeks earlier he was kinda quizing me - I couild tell (he's hopeless at any kind of secrets or whatever) - I knew he was wanting ideas for Christmas, so I just happened to mention I would like some new earrings. All the pairs I had were no longer pairs, I have an awful habit of losing just one of the pair. Hubby P seemed to take this on board, and I hinted at the kind of thing I might like - something dangly, perhaps a bit sparkly - a Girl can't have enough Bling!

So come Christmas I was presented with a number of nicely wrapped parcels. One of them had a little tag saying something like ' Some Northern Lights for My Northern Girl' well! I was intriged to say the least! - afterall it could have been as humdrum as a torch or household candles!

Of course it or I should say, they were a delight - lots of wonderful 1950's Bling!

The Gem Stones are called Aurora Borealis or 'Northern Lights' and they sparkle, and twinkle and throw a miriad of rainbow colours in the sunlight - real pretty Bling.

I did a bit of Googling - Auoroa Borealis rhinestones have a special iridescent finish that shines with many colours. The iridescent surface is a result of a very thin layer of metalic atoms that have been deposited on the lower surface of the stone.

This process was invented in 1955 by the Sworvoski Company together with Christian Dior.

The photos really dont do justice to the prettiness of the pieces.

With my new found knowledege I now stalk the Car Boot stalls looking for 50's bling! Something else, something new, something pretty, and exciting to collect!

On Sunday I came across this pretty ring.

What a stunner! Huge great gemstones set in what I think is a bronze setting. I needed a good clean up but I managed to persuade the stallholder to sell it to me for £4.

Just look how pretty the setting is! The whole thing is in a way so big and chunky, just what I need on my chunky, plump little fingers!

Thinking of Spring, or rather not wanting to think of the cold Wintery weather, I sought out some pretty pictures in this little book. I so love the illustrations - those of you who can draw and paint are so clever, its not something I have a talent for. So I content myself my sitting and browsing other peoples work.

Just look at this delightful little guy!

On the 'Thrifty Snippets' front -

nothing too exciting - more of a practicle use than anything!

I've been looking for a warm dressing gown for a while now, being on the A'humm - larger size it is sometimes difficult to find nice clothes, without spending a fortune in specialist shops. Anyway the only ones I could find were rather frumpy, quilted things and I wanted more of a colouful wrap, but warm, if you know what I mean. So I looked around the house for inspiration, serched the fabric stash - nothing there which would do ( I was looking for a length of suitable fabric to make a wrap) - but I did have lots of patchwork-y sized pieces - you know - for that patchwork project you just know you will make one day!! The sort of bits you just cant throw away -just in case - and they are so pretty etc etc. Now I have a plain black wrap/gown thing-y that I am using at the moment its ideal - bit boring black - but right size style etc, just a bit thin for winter use - so I decided to patchwork the wrap!

As you can see I have started - its something I can sit and do in front of the fire, I am sewing them on by hand, in a kind of random fashion. I thought then I may do a bit of free hand embroidery over the top, to create a quilted kind of effect. Its amazing how the few I have sewn have made the wrap seem thicker and warmer.

Sorry this pic seems to be sideways on! But you get the idea. It may not be everyones cup of tea, but I quite like my little 'wrap of many colours', its cost be nothing and it will be warmer. Plus I suppose I can keep it going for years - just keep patching!!

xx Thats all for now folks - take care - keep warm xx

Car Boot Treasure Hunting, And Thrifty Firewood!

I saw this today, and thought of you!

I thought it was so pretty. Can you see all the pretty, frilly, fronds of fungi clinging to the end of this log?

The log is one of a heap of - usually the 'too knotted to saw into logs easily' variety, which we pile up in quiet corners of the garden to give a home to all the little creatures who live with us. We get a lot of toads and mice, and the odd hedgehog.

It makes a nice picture with its blanket of snow!

We ventured out today, to the indoor carboot sale. Gosh it was freezing in there. I was cold and I was wrapped up like Nanook of the North! These stall holders must be made of sterner stuff than me!

A few bits and pieces - keeping in mind I'm trying to be thrifty!

I found a good big Tupperware container for my porridge oats - remember I said I was hoping to get a bulk order from Suma, so I will be needing large containers to hold the dry goods. So this was a bargin at 40p!

I could'nt resist the little serving dishes, Alfred Meakin - now thats a good sturdy, trustworthy, old fashioned sort of name! I know its sad but that sort of thing appeals to me! A steal at 40p each! I do like to have a sort of mix of shapes sizes and colours on the table - I like to mix it on up - as they say!

And do you see it - did you notice? Another - another gloroius HAT! Just the thing for sitting in the garden amongst the pretty, pretty flowers! It was just so 'country living' how could I give it a miss! And for 40p too!
I got a handfull of Birthday cards 10p each - can't go wrong there - they are so expensive in the shops. I do make a lot of my own cards, but sometimes time is against you, and to be honest, sometimes the person you are sending it to, is perhaps not into crafty, handmade things, and does not fully appreciate all the time and effort and creative love you put into your mini works of art. So perhaps a shop bought card is just as happily recieved, and you can spend more creatve time on more fulfilling projects.

One thing I do love is a nice Vintage card, they do seem to be more flowery, big blowsy flowers, syrupy verses, and perhaps a bit more romantic!




I found an unopened pack of these today, a delight to the eye. It will not surprise you to know I have a little collection of Vintage cards, so this little handfull will join them - I couldn't possibly use them - unless you were someone really special - that fully appreciated Vintage cards!
Actually there were two packs - so I thought I might try and sell one pack on ebay - then in a super thrifty way the money I get for the one pack will pay for the ones in my collection! - thats if I manage to sell them!
The Christmassy fabric is a table runner and cloth someone has run up, I will give it bit of a wash and put it away for next Christmas - use the fabric for some nice Chrismassy projects. Again only 40p - the one stall everything was 40p each! My kinda stall!

This afternoon saw us - well Hubby P, sawing up wooden pallets for the fire.
Hubbp P gathers them together during the week - the lorry drivers who come to his workplace are very good, and save them for him. Then he has a sawing session at the weekend.





Here he is electric saw in hand! Super thrifty wood, and it burns really well!

My job is to chop all the thin plank-y (technical word!) wood into sicks with my trusty blunt axe (not so sharp - they worry about me chopping off my fingers - they know me of old!!).

We use these sticks to light the fire, and they do a fine job.

Even if I must say so myself - I am very good at this little job - never let it be said this Girl will be without a stick to light her fire and keep her tootsies warm!

xx Keep cosy xx

Some Pretties, Bit of Thrift, And a New Year Giveaway!!!

Bit of a long, photo heavy post I'm afraid!

Just thought I would show you some pretty, pretty Christmas gifts the wonderful Hubby P found for me - and of course sent to Father Christmas, all prettily wrapped!

I am such a lucky girl! these little scent bottles are just so lovely.

As you can see, they are so dainty,with delicate glass stoppers which act as 'droppers' to dab the scent behind your shell likes - or where ever really!

The glass is very fine/thin and has a 'collar' of silver over it. We think there is a hallmark, but it is so tiny - hard to read.
But are they not - such a delight?

Another 'wonder' he found me - that I must say I got over excited about - although some people would wonder at me - its a bunch of old metal!?

From the Sygun Museum of Wales - a Collection of Bronze Buckles Dating from the Medieval - Tudor -Georgian Periods.
How amazing is that!



As you can see there is a Certificate of Authenticity with the little lot. Hubby P found them on ebay of all places, the Museum was having a clear out of some stock.

I think they are just amazing, the work that has gone into such tiny buckles - and survived all this time.

What to do with them, I've thought of the usual -unusual features on an embroidered piece, a feature on a purse, on some handcrafted jewelry - they will make a stunning 'something extra' to a piece. Now would you clean them up - or leave them as they are ?

And just because I feel I am such a lucky person to have these nice things, I would like to share some of them with you - my friends.

So leave me a comment perhaps about the buckles (or anything else that has caught your eye but mention you would like to go in the draw) - what would you do, how would you use them ? And I will do a draw in a weeks time,and the winner will receive an original antique buckle and some other vintage-y sewing bits.

Just to start the New Year off to a nice caring, sharing time!

And on to the Thrifty Snippets - how are you all doing? Being thrifty I hope - save those pennies of the special things in life!

This is a bit boring but whilst shopping - thinking Thrifty, I saw Mince reduced to £1.50 a pack. It was British Beef - extra points for buying British/fairly local. Pack was a bit big for me to use in one meal (only two of us eat meat). So I halved the pack of meat, and using the plastic bags that the fruit came in (I gave them a quick wash) re-packed into said bags, and put the mince into the freezer. Not bad 75p/meal.

I did similar with a big container of milk. I buy most of my milk from the local milkman - he delivers every other day to the door and I think we are so lucky to have this service, I know milkmen are a dying breed. So I like to support him, plus the fact that he sells milk in glass returnable bottles. I prefer milk from the glass bottle, the stuff that comes out of the plastic containers always tastes like plastic to me, and I like the fact that the glass can be reused and recycled.

However milk from the milkman is more expensive (not very thrifty!) so I cheat a bit by buying the odd extra bit from the supermarket, I try and use this 'plastic' milk for sauces, custards and the like. So I buy a big (which works out cheaper tha two smaller) container of milk, but I will not use it that quickly, so I decant it into smaller milk containers before it goes in the freezer, this way I don't waste any, I can defrost it bit by bit, as I need it.

You just need a random selection of milk bottles in the cupboard.

I told you this was a bit boring - talking about milk bottles now - for goodness sake!!!


And another Thrifty bit - You thought you had enough with the milk bottles!! haha! - this is a bit more crafty!

Went to feed the rabbits the other day and -' Oh No' - where's my feed scoop? Hubby P had pinched it to use to spread the rock salt on the paths. Not that I could complain, he's mostly doing it for my benefit - I have a habit, as you know of throwing myself on the floor!

So I found myself an empty Fabric Conditioner bottle - you know the sturdy kinda bottles.

Give it a wash out, and cut diagonally across from the base of the handle to the bottom corner of the bottle.

I used a combination of my bread knife and the scissors - the plastic is easy enough to cut. I gave it another wash, and removed the label - just so it looked prettier really.

There you have one scoop - ideal for - well anything really - animal feeds, soap powder, -rock salt! - dry foodstuffs (the plastic is quite clean), my children , when younger use to take them to the beach to play in the sand (no sharp edges -child friendly).

This was a large bottle so it made a large scoop - you can play around with different size/shape bottles. Better to Reuse than Landfill! (some areas may take them to recycle - it depends here you are).

Its a hard job keeping the rabbits comfortable in this cold weather. I have to defrost the drinking bottles everyday - and fill them with warm water, to give them a chance of getting a drink before they freeze again!

I give them lots of fresh veg, at least that has got lots of juice in it to make up for the lack of water if it freezes during the night.

And I fill the hutches with hay, so they can snuggle down and keep warm. Mind you, they seem quite okay, I think its the wet that they find difficult to deal with.

They do have nice thick warm coats!

Anyway I've wittered on for long enough! Remember if you would like to be in the draw for a dainty little buckle leave me a little comment.

xx Take care xx