Loverly jumbley

 Good morning. Still frosty but no snow. 

Does anyone remember Jumble Sales, or as we used to call them, Rummage Sales. We had them at the Village Hall in the village I grew up in. Rows of tables were put out and people dumped all their unwanted clothing, shoes and bags, and bric a brac, a day or two before the sale. No separate pitches like there are now. No one knew where the second hand clothes came from, no one cared. You take them home and wash them. 

On the opening day, before the specified opening time, a long queue of bargain hunters formed. Pay on the door to come in, usually a few pennies. Once inside people dashed to the table where they had seen something they wanted. The rummage began. 

I loved these sales. I saved up a little bit of pocket money to spend on clothes that we couldn't afford to buy from shops. I was a skinny teenager who wanted to look classy and fashionable. I bought stiletto shoes and stockings, preferably those with a ladder so people would think I must be grown up. Make sure the seams on the back of my legs were straight. I tottered up the garden path to show off. 

The Rummage Sale was the highlight of my week. I could wear my new secondhand clothes to the Youth Club on a Friday night. Dress to impress eh! Dance the night away, tottering about in my high heels. 😎😁😝  

Gone are those days when I was worried about keeping up with the fashions. Now I couldn't give a stuff. I don't have to keep up with anybody. The charity shop I sometimes go to has a rail or a big bin full of reduced clothing. Everything £1, I am diving in there. 

Happy Thursday everyone. I'll be putting out a video later.

Toodle pip.   ilona

Crafting - shopping - gardening.

I have been busy today. Made some more of these flower decorations for the garden. 

This is what you need if you want to have a go and make some. CD, pieces of plastic and or vinyl for the petals, a button, a knitting needle, and a piece of wire. Poke the wire through from front to back, twist it around a knitting needle, and secure it using a hot glue gun. 

I think I have fixed the sagging bed. I found a section of a wire fireguard in the shed and laid it across the width of the bed, and secured it with cable ties. It overhangs by an inch each side. I had a spare piece of board so I pushed that in as well, for extra support. 

Then I laid on it, and it doesn't sag. Plenty of room underneath it for storage boxes. 

A short shopping trip this afternoon to The Range, and Home Bargains, to stock up on cat food and bird seed. When I came back I got the lawn mower out for the first time this year, and cut the grass back and front. It's amazing how a cheap B & Q mower keeps going year after year. Mayze and Mickey enjoying the last of the sunshine. I think they are in love. 😻😺😸

A lovely sunny day again. Long may it continue. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

My bed is sagging.

How nice, another warm and sunny day. Crafty Club was jolly this morning. It was someone's birthday and we have this tradition now of celebrating with food. There was a smell of cooking coming from the kitchen and people were tucking into bacon and sausage sandwiches. They offered me a veggie sausage but I had to decline. I had a cooked breakfast before I left home because there was some steamed vegetables which needed eating up. I added some noodles. I was full when I arrived at the Village Hall. 

I knocked up this video yesterday as I sat in my summerhouse, and uploaded it today. 

This is the sunlounger frame which I use in the car for a bed. I have three layers of foam for a mattress. The cords which run across side to side, and top to bottom, are beginning to stretch. I need more support because the last time I used it I had a pain in my shoulders. The top of it rests on the upturned back seat, and it forms a perfect six feet bed.  

I have five metal rods, can't remember where I got them from. I can use them to strengthen the cords. Each rod is fixed by two cable ties at each end. 

They overhang by an inch on both sides but that doesn't matter. 

I put it in the car, added the foam, and lay down on it to see if it had stopped the sagging. It was fine from my bottom down, but underneath my body the metal rod in the middle had bent. I thought they would have held my weight. So, back to the drawing board. I need another solution. I'll play around with a new idea tomorrow. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Tarting up the Summerhouse,

Aye up me ducks. Work has started on tarting up the Summerhouse. I have some paint, but have found a quick and easy way to cover up the shabby front. It's a cover up. Have a look at this. The painting will start soon. Something to do over the winter period when the days are too short to go anywhere. Roll on the 21st of December. 

If you watch the video you get a detailed explanation of the new look. Many thanks to my friend Angela. Someone just sent me an email saying I have monetised my channel. Don't be fooled just because it has adverts on it. I haven't and I get no payment from the yoootooob. Click through the adverts. 

My hair needs attention and I am going to do that now. 

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

Job done - sort of

I've done my best but I don't have the correct tools. The strap comes from another watch, it was too long so I took about an inch off it. I have used wire to join the two pieces together. It doesn't look very tidy, but no one will see it under my sleeve. The watch itself looks scruffy, battered and scratched, but it works perfectly. I prefer a chunky watch. It will last a while longer. No need to get a new one. 

That's all for now. Not a lot happening at the moment. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Repair shop

I almost lost my watch yesterday. I constantly check it while out walking, even more so during these shorter days. Don't want to get caught out in the dark. The watch strap is a bit too long, so I have to push it up my arm a bit further and it gets lost in my clothing. I pushed my jacket cuff out of the way so I could check the time. Couldn't find the watch. Panic, oh no, don't say I have lost it after all this time. I could see me backtracking to look for it, even though I was almost home, and I was using the torch to walk the last bit on the road. 

I stuck my fingers up inside the fleecy top I was wearing and located a bit of metal. I stood under a street light and did a bit more digging. Pulled at the bit of metal, and bingo, out it came. Thank goodness it didn't drop off. 

I found this watch about 20 years ago on a track along a field edge near an industrial estate where I was working. It had a leather strap which fell apart a long time ago. I replaced it with this bracelet from an old watch that had stopped working. This Casio has been keeping perfect time ever since, with three or four battery changes.

I could take it into a shop and get it repaired. Hell I could even afford to buy a new watch, but I will try and mend it with a bit of wire. I rely on this watch for all my time keeping. I have one big clock in the living room, that's all. I take the watch everywhere with me. It stays on my wrist all night long. 

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Patching things up.

I will get another winters wear out of these slipper socks. Last year I patched the heels with green baize from a snooker table. It is stronger and thicker than ordinary felt. Now the soles are wearing thin so more patching is needed. 

They are snuggly warm, I wear them over one, sometimes two pairs of ordinary socks. I have got some slippers which I hardly wear now. I much prefer these.

Just a thought, if you have a pair of thick knitted socks you could easily convert them to slipper socks by putting patches on the bottom. I might try that with another pair, I have got a drawer full of them. 

It's the weekend. The weather is looking ok. Coffee with a friend this morning, a dog walk this afternoon. Keep busy folks.

Toodle pip.   ilona

A bit of mending

There comes a time when holes appear in socks, and a bit of mending is needed to extend their life. My slipper socks, or are they boots, are worn through under the heels. I wear them in the house over two pairs of socks. They keep my feet snuggly warm. There are two layers, the holes have not yet worn through to the inner lining, so they need mending now.  

I did attempt to darn them but the holes are quite large. Patching would be better and would give a much smoother finish. I have just the thing, still got some of the snooker table green baize left. It is extra thick, better than ordinary felt. Perfect job. As we move into summer I won't need them so much. They will be put away and will come out again later in the year. I think these will last through another winter. 

I think it would be useful to teach some practical household, make do and mend skills, to children in schools. I learnt mine from my mum, I don't think that happens now. 

It's a bit chilly this morning. If it doesn't rain I am due for a five mile walk. In the meantime I shall carry on with some sewing, and a potter in the garden. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Stuck

I see there is a big boat stuck sideways in the Suez Canal. 

Tug boats are trying to pull it out. Diggers are trying to dig it out. There is talk about bringing in some big cranes and offloading some of the containers, to lighten the weight so it can float off the sandbank. But access is difficult. It may be stuck there for a while. 

There will be delays of deliveries into the UK, About 50 large ships are anchored up, in a queue, waiting to get through. 

I don't care about the electronics, toys, and clothes, which are stuck in the canal. What happens if we don't get the deliveries? We make do with whatever we have already here. We manage, we repair, we repurpose, we recycle. We would do well as a country to become more self sufficient. 

What I do care about is that animals are stuck in the blockage. People can sort themselves out, animals are trapped in cages. I hope they are getting the food and water that they require. The trade and movement of live animals should be drastically cut, in my opinion. 

It's a tad windy today, don't know if I will get a walk, we'll see how it pans out. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.    ilona 

New camera arm...prototype 2

I have been searching high and low for a small hinge so I can cut the coat hanger into two pieces and make it foldable. But no luck, I can't find one small enough. I've got bigger hinges but nothing the width of a coat hanger. 

Then I found a long screw that isn't really a screw because it has a flat end. Must be a part made specifically to assemble a piece of furniture. Anyhow I tried this in the bottom of the camera and low and behold it was a perfect fit, the thread must be an exact match. This is better than the other screw which only went in a little way, and wasn't really safe. 

My idea was to drill the hole in the coat hanger a bit bigger so that this new screw could secure the two things together. But then I still had the long coat hanger arm to contend with. 

Another search through my junk box and I found a chrome handle. I remember buying two of these years ago when I made a cart to push around and sell my wares in the town centre. I was going to become a pedlar selling hand made soap. I built a smashing cart, but it didn't happen, I changed my mind. 

Using one of these handles might work. By jove I think this might be better. The long screw is fixed tight into the handle so it won't swivel. 

I know the camera isn't as far away from me but maybe it's better because I won't have to talk so loudly for the microphone to pick up my voice and my arm won't ache so much. I can have a firm grip on the handle so that might help to keep it steady. 

It's brain numbing this inventing lark, but it's fun.

I have two tents, and I only need one, so yesterday I set them both up on the lawn to compare and decide which one I want to keep. The bigger one is about 35 years old, a ridge tent which is a bugger for one person to put up. I used it a few times. The smaller one is newer, I bought it at a car boot sale a few years ago for £10, it is much easier for one person to put up. I will keep this one. So I put the bigger one on our facebook page, for sale. someone is picking it up later. This is part of my de cluttering strategy, not keeping hold of something I no longer need or use. 

Cheerio for now. Toodle pip.   ilona

Invent and make, or buy........

Yesterday I was rooting around in my boxes of bits and bobs, tools, screws, and metal bits, things that might come in handy for something. I need a longer arm when I am walking around making a video, because holding the camera in my hand does not keep it steady. It's hard to concentrate on the camera when I need to look at my feet. So what's the solution, a longer arm.

 

I suppose I could buy something that is made for the job, but you know me, I try and make things with what I have already got. After about an hour or so, fiddling around with screws, trying to find one which fits the tripod hole at the bottom of the camera. I eventually found one, now what? What can I use for an arm, and how can I fix it to the screw which fits the camera. 

Throughout this process I thought what the heck am I doing, it is now two hours since I have been messing around with this. Should I give up and take the easy way out and just buy the extension that I need. I stuck with it, hands now filthy with all the searching through mucky junk. Frustrations building up, I know what I need but I can't find one. Let's try this, or, maybe that will fit. 

Eventually I cracked it. A wooden coat hanger, a hole drilled into the end of it, a piece of metal from a door bolt, a piece of rubber, and two screws. 

Not perfect because I can only point the camera forward. Carrying a coat hanger with me is not very convenient, the extensions made for the job are telescopic and collapsible. Well I'll give it a try and see if it makes any difference to my shaky videos.

Throughout this I wondered at what stage do I give up. Is it worth the effort. Why not look through a catalogue and buy one? But where is the fun in that. If we gave up on every problem we have and threw money at it to resolve it, then that creates a need to earn more money. By choosing what we spend our money on means we can create opportunities to be inventive, with the added bonus that it exercises our brains. By giving in and buying and not trying to solve our own problems, we become robots. 

I know this is in contradiction to my recent post about spending money at Go Outdoors, but I cannot make a decent waterproof jacket and trousers, and I definitely can't make a pair of boots which will last three years or more. So, the message is, invent and make when you can, buy second hand if you can, but buy new only when you can afford it. 

Time for breakfast on this sunny Sunday morning. Toodle pip.  ilona

That's very nice.

The Directors chair is finished. It is updated from a scruffy black one......

To a pretty purple and greeny yellowy one. 

The purple paint is a Crown matchpot from the Scrapstore. I've left the bottom black and painted it with acrylic. It's been given a protective coat of varnish. 

I had to back the fabric, also from the Scrapstore, with plain yellow as there was only just enough. 

The fabric has purple in it, so it matches perfectly. 

I am not a fan of rubbing and sanding down wood, so I won't be moving over to furniture restoration. This was nice to do, mainly because of the family connection, my Uncle Stan sat in this, but I wouldn't want to do anything bigger. 

It's been nice weather most of the day, and just as I wanted to go out for a walk, the heavens opened. It's sunny now while I am eating my dinner so I had better go out when I have finished this. 

Thanks for popping in, Toodle pip.  ilona

Cat wants to come in.

I happened to have the camera handy, a short video. Oscar cat pops up at the window about twenty times a day, I have to stop what I am doing to let him in. He spends a lot of time outdoors but always comes back for food. He is an independent cat, knows what he wants, and it's a waste of time trying to teach him any kind of routine. He wants food, he comes and tells me, and I jump to it. 

I took Heidi cat to see David the vet this morning as she has been vomiting quite a bit. Humans are still not allowed into the building, there is a window open to the right of the front door, check in there, a receptionist sits just inside at her computer desk. Then wait and the vet comes out. Tell vet what the problem is, and he takes the cat inside for a check up. 

Then he brings cat out and tells you what to do next. I have some more liquid medication to put on her food to stop the vomiting, it works up to a point. He also gave me four tablets, with instructions to give her half a tablet if it gets any worse. She has to stay on her chemo tablets for her blood disorder. It is something we have to live with, all we can do is monitor it. Watch her poo, check the pinkness of her gums, and be aware that she could throw up at any time. As long as there is a long enough time for most of her food to go through her and the waste matter to come out the other end, she should be ok for a while longer. 

This was my uncle Stan's chair, Aunty Pat said I could have it when we emptied the house. It was destined for the skip. It's a strong and sturdy chair, I will have a go at tarting it up. The canvases can be removed, I will paint it, and make it look good again. Needs some coloured fabric. 

Thanks to the Walking Group members for checking in yesterday. I think the numbers might be tailing off a bit, but those still taking part are doing extremely well. Anyone who wants to check in, you can go to the page at any time. 

After a wet night I can see a bit of brightness coming over, so I will go for a walk after a bite to eat. Thanks for popping in, Toodle pip.  ilona

Sock it to me.

Do you like my new camera cover. It's very pretty, and stretchy, will fit any size cameras or phones. 

It's long, push the camera down to the bottom and fold over for extra protection.

 I found a child's sock on a pile of fly tipping. Pity there was only one of them, but the bright colours made me pick it up. I can make something with that. I turned it inside out, folded it flat, gripped the protruding heel and did two lines of machine stitching across, then cut off the excess. Put two lines of stitching across the toe, and cut off the excess.

There you are, close up. If the sock is a bit grubby you could position the stitching a bit further along to make it shorter. Or make it smaller still by cutting off the foot part altogether and just using the top.

Don't throw your child's socks away, make some little pockets to hold phones and cameras, or any small electricals. You could use them to hold small items if you are packing a case or bag. Easy to locate in a stuffed suitcase. There is a use for everything. Toodle pip.  ilona

Charity shop reject.

This lovely little chest of drawers came from Aunties house. It had marks on the top where hot cups had been placed on it. It's solid wood, no chips or scratches. 

I put it in my car along with some other items, including another small chest of drawers but not as good quality. I pulled up at the front of the Sue Ryder charity shop and the man came out to help me unload. The first thing he said was, 'I don't want those drawers, they are damaged', referring to the heat rings on the top. I said, it only wants a coat of paint, but no, he wouldn't take it. He took the cheaper ones, and some other things.

I took this to my friend, she said she would have a go at restoring it. I went back the next day and bingo, it looks lovely now. She said it only took ten minutes of sanding and polishing. She is dead chuffed with it.

So there you are, a charity shop reject. They missed out on a lovely set of drawers.
ilona

Problem solved

I use my little netbook quite a lot at home, it's the one I take with me when on holiday, it fits into my rucksack. I have taken the battery out because it is always plugged into the mains, I prefer a mouse, can't get on with those pad things below the keyboard. 

At meal times I always eat in front of the computer, I like to read as I eat, just eating is boring. With the netbook on the desk in front of me I find I am leaning forward, thus scrunching my stomach up so the food was getting stuck half way down. It was uncomfortable. I suppose I could have lowered the chair, but that would mean the whole desk would be under my chin, and I would have to raise it again when I went onto the big computer. 

Problem, how to raise the height of the netbook but not the desk. I need a plinth for it to sit on. Spose I could knock one together out of wood, but that would be too bulky on the desk. And I would have to paint it to make it look pretty. 

I know, all I need is a cardboard box, and cover it with white stickyback shiny paper. A box that had cat food pouches in is just the right size. So there you are, the netbook is now five inches higher than it was, and I can now sit up straight as it is at eye level, no slouching. Much better. 

Problem solved.  ilona

New clothes, looking ahead to summer

My very good friend had a clear out of her wardrobe and cupboards. She brought two bags of clothes destined for the charity shop and let me take my pick before she went to town. Wasn't that nice of her. After I had chosen she went through my clothes and said I ought to add more colour, she's like that, I am not offended at all. I prefer people to say what they think. I can look a bit dull sometimes. 

So here is my colour, 17 tops. Some of them will need alterations as she is a bigger size than me. Some of them fit me without alterations and I am wearing the vesty type tops now. 

I used to make a lot of my clothes but I don't do that any longer because they are so cheap to buy in charity shops. Everything £1 in Age UK. But these are better than £1, they are free, so I will make the effort and take them in at the sides. This is a size 16, I am a 12, sometimes a 10, sometimes a 14, depending on whether I am in a sloppy baggy mood, or a dressy tighter fitting mood.

The plan is to use one of my tops as a pattern, trim off the excess from the sides and sew it back together again. Methinks that is going to be easy.

That's my wardrobe sorted out for next spring and summer, no need to buy any more. Thank you my dear friend, let me know if I can help you in any way, I have time and two willing hands. Do you need any more shopping bags, the production line is in full swing again. It's nearly Newsletter time again, I can help you deliver those.  xxx  ilona

PS. I WILL SHOUT THIS SO YOU WILL READ IT. TOMORROW IS CHECK IN TIME FOR WALKING GROUP MEMBERS. DON'T FORGET, SEE YOU THERE.

Saving a few bob on an upgrade

My sun visor is looking a tad faded. Not sure how long it has been on my head, must be a couple of years. This is the third covering it has had, now it's time for the fourth. It started out as a cheapie pink one in a sale, a bargain at 50p. 

First remove the old cover. The original pink is looking grubby, having got wet a few times so it's a bit mouldy looking in places. Most people might bin it, but not me.

 Use these as templates to cut new pieces of fabric.

To recover, pin it down, sew it all on in tiny stitches, and bingo, a new sun visor.

Hopefully this should last a couple of years, then I'll do it all again. You can't beat a bit of make do and mend to save money.

Bye for now. ilona

Still a bit of life left in them

Hello. This morning I added a bit more colour into my world. My sad looking scruffy trainers have seen me through many miles of walking. They leak so cannot be worn in the rain, and the heels are unevenly worn down. However, it isn't time to throw them out yet, they are as comfy as old slippers and have many more miles left in them. 

You know me, get a bit more use out of old things, make them last a bit longer, make do and mend. Remember the old boots held together with tape, they did have to go eventually, but not before I repaired them several times. 

Cue fanfare......daub them with acrylic paint and marker pens, a couple of odd laces, and they have a new lease of life. I shall be hopping and skipping along in these for a while longer. Not bad at all considering I rescued them from a skip. I've had three years wear out of them up to now, and they cost me nowt. Now that's the kind of bargain I like.

It's very hot again today so I'm only venturing out for short bursts. I trimmed up some of the hedge at the front, then felt knackered so came back in. I see the last Dogfest event this weekend has been cancelled because of the heat. A good move, dogs should not be walked in the middle of the day when it's hottest. I see sensible people out at 8 or 9 o clock at night. Please keep your pets cool, have plenty of water available.



I have another art project floating around in my head, I will make a start on that. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

The evolving Shed of the Year.

Hello. This is my entry for Shed of the Year 2016. It's interesting looking back at these photo's and seeing what has changed. The flower beds had pallets around them, now they have bricks. There is now a porch on the front of it. Some of it has been repainted and is a different colour. The garden chair has been replaced with a cane conservatory chair. The brown old fashioned dining room chair has been repainted. I still have the black storage boxes, some of the plants have come up again this year. I have thrown out the dead pieces of monkey puzzle tree but I still have the vase. The sea view on the back of the garage has gone and is now a rainbow of colours. The stack of small pallets next to the shed has gone. The carpet tiles have gone, now vinyl flooring with a large carpet on top. The table has gone, now there is a board supported by two tressles. The roof now has a sheet of plastic over the top of the polycarbonate.

There will be some newer art pieces in there on Sunday. I hope I remember to make a video of how it is now.

Crafty Club this morning, and a coffee with Angela after. Now going outside, more to do. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip