Tuesday 4 November 2014

Get ready for the big bang

Now now, don't get excited, I haven't been knitting. I just had to post pics of this Nativity scene, all hand knitted by Janet from our Chat and Craft Club. Aren't they just brilliant, so neat and so perfect, not a stitch out of place. No, she doesn't want to sell them, or give them away, they will be taking pride of place in her home for many years to come. 


Janet also makes bags. She made this one out of an old pair of jeans which no longer fit her. The needle felting motif on the front panel was also done by Janet. It's a handy medium size bag. 
Here are a couple more photo's of ladies hard at work at the meeting yesterday. This is going to be a woodland scene picture and needs thousands of tiny stitches. It's going to take ages to complete.

I'm not really sure what you call this type of crafting, but I do know the lady makes greetings cards.

I took along the patchwork I am making for the sewing machine cover. Another job I ought to be getting on with. So many things I want to make, need to sew some more shopping bags, and make some more of those fabric bowls. Another idea is lurking for the next piece of artwork.

This morning I started on the back garden at Helen's rental house. It's not very big so shouldn't take long. The cat pee smell is still there in the house, but not quite as bad as it was. She has some industrial cleaner on order which should sort it out. She has already painted all the walls upstairs, now is working on the downstairs, then the new carpets can be laid. It must be soul destroying knowing that she did all this fourteen months ago, and now has to do it again. I think if you take on tenants you hope they are going to look after the place and stay a long time. She was just unlucky, but is better informed for the next time.

Dinner tonight was a bit of a mishmash. I had some pasta left over, cooked extra on Sunday, so I microwaved that with some cheese sauce, and steamed some brussel sprouts, potatoes, and parsnips. I suppose it could have all gone in a pie dish in the oven, but I don't use the oven, so things got cooked separately.

The fridge freezer is buzzing a lot more than normal just lately. It seems ever time I go in the kitchen it is buzzing. Don't know what's going on there. Is it about to pack up, I wonder. I need to eat all the food in it, just in case. Maybe it needs de frosting. I've turned the thermostat down to 1, that stopped the buzzing, but it's started again. We shall see, I'll keep my eye on it.

I've got quite a lot of Tesco points saved up, and been thinking I might treat myself. I quite like the idea of getting a Hudl, has anyone got one? With the double up promotion I could pay a big part of it with vouchers. Something to think about.

Guy Fawkes night tomorrow night, are you ready for the bangs? Get your pets in early. Our fireworks started last Thursday, someone close by had a party. No doubt some will be saving theirs for Friday or Saturday night.

That's all, thank you for popping in. Toodle pip.

21 comments:

  1. Found this -not sure if it's any help: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/freezer-humming-noise-94649.html
    Lots of lovely craft projects. It gives you inspiration seeing what other people are doing. It's going to be a cold one tomorrow night so perhaps it will keep people indoors.

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  2. In the U.S. and Canada, there is a product called Kilz. It is essentially a paint that people use to kill pet doors, mold, etc. It is easy to apply on the flooring after the carpets has been removed; just roll it on with a paint roller. New carpet can then be laid on it with no worries of the smell leaking through as Kilz acts as a sealer, also.

    Perhaps you have such a product in the U. K.? It is sold at paint stores, hardware stores, and home improvement stores in the U.S.

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    1. Or enamel paint will work, too. My other suggestion is, if the landlord/tenant laws in the U.K. will allow it, add a clause to the lease that allows your friend to make impromptu inspections of the property.

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  3. Love your friends nativity. My friend at our craft group has also made one as we are decorating a Christmas tree in the local church. It is a festival of trees all decorated by local groups and businesses. The public pay 50p to go in and see them and the money raised goes to charity. Our share of the money is going to MacMillan as one of our ladies passed away at the age of 54 with cancer. 😞

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  4. Janet's Nativity figures are really lovely! Did she use a pattern? I would love to try knitting something similar.

    I had to look up Hudl and I see it is a tablet. I have an iPad 2 and I really love it. I think the Hudl would be great for your walks.

    My old refrigerator made lots of noises for many years so I don't think your freezer noises are a sign it is on its last legs. My refrigerator/freezer lasted 24 years but I'm sure that my new one won't last that long.

    Have a good day, Ilona.

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  5. Had to laugh at those Nativity figures, everyone of them apart from Mary looks as if they've got a mask on ready to rob a bank!

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  6. Love the nativity! Make sure you store it in a mothproof bag, Janet!

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  7. I think the figures are lovely, an awful lot of work has gone into them.

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  8. I really love my Hudl it is so quick and easy to use!

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  9. The nativity scene is really lovely. I've never seen a knitted version before.

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  10. Ilona, I had to look up what a hudl is, but I think it would be fun to have. Love the nativity scene done by your friend. Wonder if there is a pattern available for these figures...probably. I'll show you what I'm working on sometime probably next week. A gift for my granddaughter's wedding.

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    1. I Googled and found an image of a knitted Nativity that looks like the ones by Ilona's friend Janet. It is in a booklet called Christmas Special by Jean Greenhowe. The booklet is available in the UK and U.S. by mail. In the U.S. it looks like it is about $9-$10. I am going to see if I can find it at either Joann or Michael's and use a coupon.

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  11. I am loving the nativity scene, its simply stunning. She's a very talented lady. I do hope your freezer is ok, typical for it to be on the way out this time of year.

    I have seen the Hudl is Tesco but don't really know much about them, sorry.

    Our cat will be in nice and early tonight, don't want him scared.

    X x

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  12. My daughter has a hudl.she is going to upgrade to a hudl 2 at Christmas. She loves hers. Is very good value. Yes love the knitted figures a good old woman's weekly Pattern

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  13. Hi Ilona, About your friend's rental apartment, she should take pics of the apartment/house before she rents it again. Does she ask for a deposit from renters? I used to rent an apartment in my house but took a deposit of one month's rent and put it in a separate account at the bank. Then, when they were moving out, I would check that the apartment was the way it was when they first rented it. If not, I could deduct any expenses from the deposit before giving it back to them. It's legal to do that here in the US. I've had some awful tenants and one of them actually left their large dog in the bathroom overnight while they went away and he ripped apart the bathroom. I don't have an apartment for rent any more and I'm so happy for that. What a disaster some tenants make of the apartment. Why? I'll never understand that. Good luck to Helen.

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    1. Hi KG. Helen takes photo's of the before and after, room by room as she is renovating it. We have a bond system here, new tenants have to pay into a third party account, which holds the money until the tenancy is terminated. The tenants can then claim back all or part of the bond. The landlord can dispute the claim by producing photographs of any damage done. So far they have not tried to claim, but Helen has a good case against them, so they might not. I'm not sure if it is a set amount for all types of properties, maybe it varies with size of accommodation and area, but for a three bed semi here it's £750.

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  14. I like very much the idea of an unbreakable creche set! also I bet little kids love this one. probably have to restrain them from taking the baby home with them..

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  15. I love the Nativity set they're fabulous aren't they?

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  16. I love her nativity set! A lot of work went into that.

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  17. To get rid of the smell of wee, try Simple Solutions Odour remover from pet stores. Designed for when cats or dogs make mess and takes away the urine smell. Also works on human wee! Sorry to be Anonymous by the way. :)

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