A few charity shop bits

Thank you for your kind comments on the latest bag, I thought you might like it. I went on the bus to town and delivered it this morning, they all liked it at the Arts Centre as well. Here it is in the display case, centre position with the first one I made.


Took a few snaps of some of the others. This is quite nice, the motif has been ironed on, not sure if it was designed and made by the artist.

This design is simple but attractive. The motif is hand stitched on.

This one looks like it has a soft leather centre, with gold sequins round the outside. The whole bag is covered, you can't see anything of the canvas bag. Very sophisticated.

I had a long chat with the ladies who work there, and they said I should make some more bags, of my own design, and they would sell them for me. That sounds like a good idea to me, as long as I can make each one different and I don't have to churn out loads of bags all the same.

While I was in the town, I had a bimble around the charity shops. Mostly I don't find very much, but today I got a few bargains. All usefull stuff.

I like bum bags, having my valuables fastened around my waist to leave my hands free. I have got a small one and some bigger ones, but this one is an in between size, just the job, and it only cost 50p, and looks like new, still had the original tag on it. I have taken the label off the front, it looks better without it.

Next, a pair of sensible shoes for £2.50. In fact all my shoes are sensible shoes, I refuse to wear any that cripple my feet. These look nearly new, a lucky find. I prefer to get second hand shoes because someone else has gone through the pain of breaking them in, ha ha.

This little purse caught my eye, it was in the 50p box.

I opened it up to find another little purse inside. I like small purses because I don't carry much, a bit of cash, two cards, and my bus pass. It's got a piece of black elastic in one side, stitched at intervals. I am going to take it out and put a new piece in to hold the credit cards in place. The coins will go in the middle bit and the notes in the zip up pocket on the other side. I could probably get my phone in it as well. Very handy.

I also found a black, cotton, king size bed sheet for £1. I will get quite a few bag linings out of that. I couldn't resist a small porcelain picture frame with a cat on the front of it, I thought of Sue, she will love it, don't tell her it only cost £1 though. I must try and get to see her soon, we haven't had a natter for ages.

I walked the 5.5 miles back home as I managed to stuff my goodies in my rucksack. Toodle pip.

Third transformed canvas bag

Here is the recipe for a fab bag. First you need a plain canvas bag, undo all the stitching, take the handles off and unpick the side seams. Makes it easier to work on.

Then you need some colourful aluminium drinks cans. You cut the cans open and cut twentyfive squares, carefully picking out the best bits of the design. I use a cardboard template so each one is exactly the same size. Then you punch holes around the edges, equally spaced, a paper punch will do the job. Next you crochet around the edges through the holes. One more to finish and they are ready.

Then you stitch all the squares onto the front of the bag. Work out where you are going to put them first, move them around untill it looks right.

I chose red wool, and used matching red velvet for the lining, and handles. I covered the original canvas handles to reinforce them.

Nipped the corners on the inside to give it a flatish bottom.

Tow rows of machine stitching around the top edge, using the original needle holes as a guide.

Before I stitched the bag together I added a pink bead in between the squares.

And here are the twentyfive squares. The back of the bag is left plain.

Here is the finished article. It is too nice to be a shopping bag, and probably not big enough. I'm not sure if it can be washed because I don't know if the red colour of the velvet would bleed into the white canvas. It might make it pink. Probably best to try and keep it clean.

Now I must think of another idea for the next one :o)

Feeling fruity

I've just eaten two plums and a quarter of a melon, mushed up in the blender into a smoothie, lovely. I'm trying to eat more fruit but I only buy it when it is on special offer. I would love to eat more berry fruits, but they are so expensive, I will not pay the price, and foreign strawberries are so tasteless anyway. So I am going to experiment with the cheaper fruits, sometimes blending tinned fruits into the smoothie as well.

You are supposed to eat fruit on an empty stomach, because the part of the digestive system which deals with it is right at the bottom of your gut. If you eat fruit after something else it gets blocked and does not go through quick enough, and therefore ferments inside you. Yuk, sounds horrible, bubbling away. Apparently, in a book I have been reading about food combining, you shouldn't have fruit as a pudding. Also you shouldn't mix carbohydrates with protiens, because they are digested in different parts as they work their way through. Don't know what you do about cheese on toast though, eat it in two seperate stages, pick the cheese off first ;o)

I'm making some celery soup which I will have in about an hour, that will give the fruit time to go through. Lovely smells wafting through from the kitchen.

Almost finished the bag, hope you like red, Jane.

PS. bag finished, it's fabulous :o)))

B2GOF

I went out for a couple of hours this afternoon, too nice to stay in. Took a bag full of stuff to a charity shop, and picked up some holiday brochures from the Tourist Information Centre. I wanted some info on Edinburgh, and the east coast of Scotland, but they aren't in yet, bit slow it's February, c'mon get your finger out Scotland.

Popped in Tesco while I was there. I didn't need anything but I thought I would check for special offers. Nothing worth having in the reduced section, but they have a buy two get one free offer, on breakfast cereals and pet food. So I stocked up and saved £8.11p. Three bags of porridge oats for £1.50.

I also filled the car up with petrol. When I bought it they filled it up for me at a cost of £56. It was on a quarter full and I have just put £45's worth in. Spose I ought to check the MPG if I can be bothered. Can't do much about it if it is rubbish, I have bought the car now so I'm stuck with it.

Ah well, back to making the bag, chuck the cat off my knee. Saw your comment Jane, about the bag. It is not the same as the other two, but it is nice.

Only 707 posts to catch up on........

Hi Anne Marie, thank you for your question on a previous post.
I am chuffed that you like my blog and want to read the older posts, there are rather a lot of them, 707 to be exact, I've been at it for just over two years. Looking at them myself I think I ought to go back and check because some of them need tidying up a bit. Haven't got time at the moment, busy making another bag for the Arts Centre....... and it's looking good. It's sunny outside as well, what am I doing in here, should be out. Might go walking tomorrow.

Anyway back to your question, I've had a go at what you want to do, I presume, start at the beginning. You could click on the labels on the side bar if you are interested in a particular topic, but then you would have to click on older posts to go backwards to the beginning.

To go back to the beginning, go to Blog Archive and click on 2009. This will bring up the last post in 2009 at the top of the page, there was 294 of them in total. Go to the side bar again and click on January 30 posts. The first ever post was on 2nd January 2009, which you will find at the bottom, as it's in reverse order. Dont forget you have to read from the bottom upwards with a blog if you want to read it in date order. Use the slidey thing and drag it down the edge of the screen or you will wear your little wheel out on the mouse. I don't think there is a button for 'Go to bottom', unless someone knows of a quicker way by using the keyboard.

It's going to take you ages, so I suggest you read a month at a time, and make a note on a scrap of paper of where you are up to, then you can go back to that spot and carry on. Good luck, your friends will think you have become a hermit and send a search party out for you. If you add any comments I will see them because they come up at the top of my list on the Blogger Dashboard, even though they are on an older post.

I don't know if anyone goes back to a post after they put a comment on, to read other peoples comments. Sometimes the topic can be expanded in this way with more points of view. Toodle pip.

A little scrubber

Well, that's me scrubbed up then. I don't do dancing under a shower every day, I save up my water rations and have a bath every fortnight, whether I need it or not ;0) Having a soak for half an hour is very relaxing, I can gather my thoughts, take stock, and make a plan for what I am going to do next. I might nod off for a few minutes, then turn the hot water tap on and wait for the warm glow to creep up towards my chin. Bliss.

What only one bath in two weeks? Shock horror!!! Yep, I don't do a dirty job, I don't sweat much and don't stink, and even if I did, there is only me who gets close enough to catch the pong. Of course I do have my cat licks as I call them, wash the essentials with a bowl of hot water, the bits that show, or are prone to whif a bit, the three 'F's' as I call them. I'll leave you to work that out ;-))

It bugs me that after you have a bath you then have to clean the bath, what a pain. Well I have come up with an idea that gets rid of that chore. When I have finished scrubbing myself, just before I get out, I rub my hands all around the sides of the bath, (you could use a cloth) on the waterline or just above it, because that's where most of the grime sticks. No special cleaner needed.

It seems daft to me to let the water out, then turn the taps on again to clean it, why not use the water already in it, and while I am still sitting in it. It's much easier than drying yourself, putting your clothes on, then leaning over it to clean it. This way, all you do is pull the plug out, get out, then swish the last bit of water down the plug hole along with the toe nails. Job done.

Another idea I had for cleaning the bathroom sink is to keep an old wash up brush close by, then when you have brushed your teeth, or washed your bits, have a quick scrub round with the brush as the water goes down the plug hole. If everyone did this in a multi person household there would be no moaning about the sink being left dirty. Again no special cleaner required. Toodle Pip.

Fingers crossed for Rocky

Look at this cute little dog, isn't he lovely.

This is Rocky the dog who doesn't get to see much outside his own garden. Well I am pleased to report that things are a changing. After having a few walks with me he has realised that there is life beyond the garden fence, a whole new world out there, and he wants to explore it.

The crafty little fella has been making a break for it, but he doesn't run away, he knows exactly where to go to find comfort, food, companionship and a warm place to sleep. Barry's house.

Barry lives opposite Rocky, and has a dog called Scruff. He is a kind man and loves his dog. He did have two, both rescued, but sadly one passed away leaving Scruff on his own.

Rocky has been turning up at Barry's house at all hours of the day and night, and Barry takes him in, feeds him and walks him, and takes him back to the woman in the house. For him only to repeat the whole sequence over again. Barry has been keeping him longer and longer, in the hope that the woman says he can keep him forever. The woman does not seem too concerened where Rocky is. I don't think she is a horrible woman, seems ok to talk to, but she has no idea what looking after a dog is all about.

So keep your fingers crossed that she will let him stay in his new home permanently, because he couldn't find a better one.

This is Scruff, a lovely dog.

The two of them are perfect together, the best of pals.

Big Scruff and Little Scruff, having a walk on the village green.

Warms the cockles of your heart, doesn't it?

Where's me bag ! ! !

I went to the Arts Centre today to take a photograph of the canvas bag display, thinking they would have received some more in the post. What did I find, not more bags, but one less! My bag has been sold.

Don't know whether to be sad or happy. I'm pleased that somebody liked it so much that they wanted to buy it, but now that it's gone, no one else will be able to see it in the exhibition.

Normally when items are sold from an art exhibition the buyers can't remove them untill after the exhibition has closed. I have just checked the brochure and it states, 'There are sure to be some unique and beautiful new creations, all of which will be available to buy and take away.' So there you go then, that's plain enough. Flog them all and when there's none left the exhibition is closed.

I asked for two more bags, better make some more to replenish the dwindling stocks, ha ha.

How much do you love me?

I do like taking the mick, and can't resist this one. I have recieved a letter, well an advertising flyer actually, addressed to D. Richardson, that was me in a previous life. I used to run an introduction agency which I closed eight years ago, and I still keep getting their blurb. Spose I ought to tell them that I don't exist any more, but what the heck, it keeps the postman in a job.

This club must be desperately looking for customers because the flyer is about a Valentines Dinner, in a weeks time, cutting it a bit fine aren't they? Cost is £65 per couple, including live entertainment, a female artiste who must have appeared at every venue three times over in the local area. You could say, she's been round the block a bit, ha ha. Oh nearly forgot, there is also a rose for the ladies. That's a bit old fashioned isn't it, what about gay couples who want to book, do lesbians get two roses, and gay men have to fight over who is to play the lady for that night ;o)

Anyway, turn the page over and you get the menu, these posh descriptions do make me chuckle, so here is my version.

Creamy asparagus soup with salt and pepper croutons.

Asparagus soup with chunks of bread.

or

Fanned melon drizzled with honey accompanied by tropical fruit

and a lemon sorbet.

Melon with honey and a few bits of other fruit, and lemon ice mush.

or

Whitby prawn cocktail with baby leaf salad and marie Rose sauce.

Prawn cocktail.

............................

Braised British beef in real ale with a caramelised onion, wild mushrooms, and red wine sauce topped with parsnip crisps.

Beef in beer, with an onion, toadstools, and cheap plonk sauce.

Crispy parsnips chucked on the top.

or

Fillet of chicken wrapped in bacon with a creamy bacon, onion,

and taragon sauce.

Bits of chicken and bits of bacon, doused in sauce made from a packet.

or

Fillet of Scottish salmon with a prawn, dill, and lemon cream reduction. Accompanied by potato gratin and roasted new potatoes.

Salmon and a couple of prawns splashed with gunge. Mashed and roast spuds.

...........................

Choux profiteroles filled with chantilly cream, smothered in chocolate sauce.

Cakes stuffed with cream, and chocolate on the top.

or

Tart au citron with a vanilla pod ice cream

Fruit flan and ice cream.

or

Cheese and biscuit platter.

Cream crackers and rubber cheese slices.

and

Freshly filtered coffee, or tea, with chocolates.

Coffee and tea out of the machine, with an After Eight to share.

Cost per couple eating from my menu......£10. Book now for 2012 ;o))

My simple mind becomes ever more simple.........it's the little things.......

Sticky fingers crafts

This is an idea I pinched out of a book, Kirstie's Homemade Home, by Kirsty Allsopp. (Free out of the library) All you need is some PVA washable glue, fabric remnants, and an object to cover. I chose a small square shaped plastic cosmetic bottle and cut the top off. You could use a glass bottle, cardboard box, fizzy drinks bottle, or an old ornament that has seen better days.

You cut the fabric into small pieces, a bit bigger than a postage stamp, put dollops of glue on the backs with a small brush, and stick them randomly to the object, mixing the colours up. You can overlap the edges.

You don't need a flat surface to work on, you can scrunch the fabric up to fit the curves of a bottle. Then you add some bits of decoration, braid, pompoms, ribbon, beads, or any other trimmings out of your bit box. The glue takes a long time to dry, and you need lashings of it because it soaks into the fabric.

I put a few sprigs of plastic grass in mine, but you could put fresh flowers in if you use a plastic container. Or you could make a pen holder for your desk, or decorate a tissue box. You could make pretty home made gifts, and they are virtually free if you already have some glue lying around.

Control your spending

I do despair sometimes. I've just been reading through a forum where members set a monthly budget for their food shopping, and try to stick to it. Going over is not so good, and coming under is great. It's good to see so many people making a genuine effort to curb their frivolous ways. The reason for joining in with this is to gain support from other members, which all adds to the success rate. However, there are quite a lot of people who seriously need to think about making lifestyle changes, if they are to make any progress in the management of their finances. Hence my despairing.

Little sayings and comments are jumping out at me, I'll try and explain what is bugging me. For instance, someone used the phrase, 'needed to get, had to get, two bags of ultra clumping cat litter'. It cost £8.19 from Sainsbugs. I don't understand why 'ultra clumping', is better that the ordinary clumping I get from Son of Morris for £1.50 a bag. Why did she have to get that particular brand, she had a choice, why did she go for the most expensive, I am confused.

Another member said she 'ended up in Tes&co again', and then declared 'she must stop doing that'. She spent £20 on, 'things they could do with'. How did she end up in there? Was she dragged in kicking and screaming? She didn't know about these things she could do with, untill she was in the store, they weren't on display by the front door saying come and get me. If you can't trust yourself to walk past 99% of the stuff in the shop and buy the 1% that you went in for, don't even step over the threshold. This woman should have her shoe laces tied together to stop her from walking into shops when she doesn't need anything.

Fancy sending a man to do the shopping without a list, madness. Most men haven't a clue. One woman ended up with a lot of cheap meatballs and fizzy pop and chocolate. Don't send him again love, untill you have given him a few lessons on what not to buy. Give him a list and the exact amount of money. If he can't be adult enough to make the right choices, treat him like a child.

Kids have been raiding the fridge, so what does one woman do, she pops off to the Co operative, and buys the little dears some more yogurts and bananas. Now fruit I believe in, you can give kids loads of fruit, it's good for them. But sweet comfort food that they can graze on at a whim, a big no. She shouldn't be a slave to her kids, I know, easier said than done and I haven't had any, but she should be leaving the fridge bare for a couple of days and giving them lessons on household expenses, and teaching them money doesn't grow on trees. Sorry, purse empty till Friday.

Oh dear, confession time, one member 'failed miserably in January, and doesn't really know what happened'. I dont think there is much hope there if her money is disappearing without her knowledge. Has she had her eyes closed for a whole month? If ever there was a case for writing down every penny spent, she would be the one to do it.

Spending money is not just about opening your purse and handing over your cash or swiping your card, it's the psychology behind it that's important. It's changing your mindset, weighing up all the options, using the choices you have to your advantage, not just blindly going with the flow.

I am sure some people think money has a mind of it's own the way they are dominated by it. If a shop is there they have to go in, if they have a few pounds dip in and spend. They have no idea how easily it slips through their hands, then look bewildered when there is a bit more month left before they get paid. They work long hours, get stressed, comfort buy, the bills and credit card statements come in, the pressure is on to earn more to keep up the lifestyle.

For goodness sake, there is only one answer........

STOP STOP STOP BLOODY SPENDING

Are you correctly inflated?

Now that's an invitation I couldn't refuse, a free night out at Central Tyres to learn the basics of car maintenance. Not that I really want to stick my head under the bonnet, but now I've changed to a petrol engine, I suppose I'd better take an interest. I must admit, owning diesel cars for a lot of years, they seem to run forever without me fiddling around with them.

Now gather round everyone, this is how to change a wheel. This task I am familiar with. Dead easy in a clean well lit garage, but I remember doing it once in the dark, on the offside, in the rain, on a fast and busy road :o(

That's right, loosen the nuts.

This is where you check the water, don't forget the anti freeze.

This is Gary putting his nuts back on.

Simon demontrates how to use a puncture repair aerosol so that you can drive to the nearest garage. Sadly it didn't do the job it was supposed to do and he said he would take it back to the shop tomorrow and complain.

Here are our four tyre fitters. Gary, John, Simon, and Dave.

I have used this company for years, and have always had good service from them. Tonight was very informative, they took the time to answer all our questions, and........we were given free refreshments :o) I got my tyres, oil, and water checked, so thanks lads.

Look to the skies

Did you see the wonderful sunrise this morning? It only lasted a few minutes here, too good a chance to miss so a few snaps from the back garden. A beautiful start to the day.

Then it was gone and the grey clouds came over :o(

Todays bonus

It's been lovely reading all about your bonus days, there are some very touching stories. Thank you for taking the time to post them. I'm going to continue looking for a bonus every day, no matter how small. If something cheers me up, makes me feel better, or gives me a warm glow, then that's a bonus.

My bonus today is that I have made contact with a very good friend I used to know from my trucking days. Linda was a lorry driver in Ellesmere Port, she was a member of the Lady Truckers Club, and she played a big part in running it and helping to organise the Motorvation Truckshow.

Here we are in 1995 at Poplar Truckstop Services near Warrington, on the gate, collecting the entrance fee from everyone who arrived at the show.

I am hoping that we can get together again when I go to Liverpool for a few days this month. We are both quite busy so it's a matter of co ordinating our diaries. It would be great to see her again.

A walk to Castleton

Day three of my Edale trip. I thought I would go to Castleton today, I have walked around it before, but never been to it. Turn right out of the hostel drive, along the road a short distance, under the railway bridge, and take a sharp left turn up a track towards Back Tor farm and Hollins Cross. In this photo you can see the hostel nestling in the clump of trees, and the railway bridge.

A slow steep climb to Hollins Cross, when I arrived I recognised it, but took another photo anyway.

The views get better. Ahead of me is the ridge path to Mam Tor, I wasn't going to go there today, but the weather was lovely, sunny with a slight breeze and not a soul about. I couldn't resist it.

Arriving at Mam Tor, oh go on then, I'll take another photo.

Another sign with some interesting information.

I came down via Windy Knoll and veered left to Winnats Head Farm. Below is a photo of Winnats Pass, it is a very steep stretch of road with cattle grids at each end. It looked a nice easy stroll to the bottom so off I went.

At the bottom is Speedwell Cavern, it is open today, but I don't have time to visit. Shame that my time is limited by the short daylight hours. I wanted to get off the road at this point so I took a path on the right signed Peak Cavern. Across the fields high up on the hillside, I could see Peveril Castle, so I took a diversion and headed that way. It looked like it might be an alternative way into Castleton.

When I got to the top there was no access to it because there was a very deep and dangerous ravine. The barbed wire says it all, fall down here at your own risk, no thanks.

So another diversion was needed straight down to the bottom along the edge of a wood. Here is the entrance to Peak Cavern, access is in Castleton down a narrow street. The gates are closed today.

Time for my sandwiches, I found a bench outside the information centre, I love to sit and watch as people go about their daily business. Time for a quick look round before I head off. Here are four pics of this very popular village, it must be teeming with people at the height of summer. Shame about the ugly wheelie bins in this one, you'd think they could camouflage them for us tourists, ha ha.

There is a stream which runs right through it and when you walk along the side of it, the ducks follow, they're not daft :0)

A bit further along, a little weir.

And lots of little cottages.

Time to go, I took the Hollowford Road out of the village, which turned into a track. Past the Training and Conference Centre, past Only Grange Farm, and up to Backtor Nook, just along the ridge from Hollins Cross.

The photo below is Back Tor, I thought I must go up there and have a look. It was only when I was halfway up that I realised I had been there before, I recognised the stone I had sat on for my sandwich break. Oh well, worth a second look, and more photo's. While I was up there, I had a lovely conversation with a nice young man, I will talk to anyone.

The views as ever are stunning.

Time to go back down. I rejoined the path at Back Tor Farm, and was back at the hostel for 4pm.

I am always sad to go back to my house, because I feel that all this is my home. The great outdoors is the place for me. I can sit by a river bank, crouch on a hillside behind a rock, or find a big log in a forest to rest my legs. Absolutely wonderful. Now where shall I go next ;o)