Tuesday 31 May 2016

Car Booty

One roll of sticky address labels - (must de-clutter some more and list things on Ebay), one brand new notebook - (stationery is my new hobby), two Peter James' books - (I like this author's writings) and two stamps - (one labeled Home Sweet Home and one a Christmas words stamp). Oh, and one long 'doss about' stretchy dress.


£7 altogether - not bad and plenty of exercise walking round the CB.

The Monday CB yielded this little lot of card cutters.


I paid £11 and this included 3 embossing plates plus a Craft with Helix Craft Room which was only part there. I'm not concerned as this product does not have good reviews. Another walk in the sunshine and fun looking up my finds on the Internet. I've added to the clutter so now I'm hunting twice the number of items to clear out, donate, recycle or give away. One in, two out.

xx

Monday 30 May 2016

Slow and steady

Slow and steady does it on the weight front - only one pound lost this last week but the graph is heading steadily in the right direction.

My graph line is not as steep as DH's though. Perhaps I should cut my portions rather more. I'm still eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and my measurements are shrinking with nearly four inches off my waist, over three inches off my thigh and two inches off my hips. The measurement around the top of my arms remains the same - very odd.

This tortoise is winning the race at the moment. This week portion size is going to be reduced and any fattening foods rejected. Only one treat which will probably be a big one because we are going to a BBQ this weekend. My weight will probably be the same next week then!

xx

Sunday 29 May 2016

Made it

Filofax entry on the task list for the month of May:

Paint fences

Phew, I've made it. I kept writing in 'Paint fences' in the daily slots and finally, finally I've finished all of them. No more until next year. While painting these last few I've had a lot of practice at squats whilst dipping my brush in the paint bucket on the ground and reaching up to paint the top of the fences. It's a good job no-one was watching me.


Low down I was on my hunkers, peasant style squatting.


I also painted myself, while I was at it!


xx

Friday 27 May 2016

Rhubarb, rhubarb

Rhubarb, rhubarb?


Neigh, neigh.


Rhubarb, rhubarb?



Knot, knot.


Rhubarb, rhubarb?



Nein, nein.



Rhubarb, rhubarb?


Eye, eye.



Rhubarb, rhubarb



Diddly doo, diddly doo, do di do di doo!



xx











Wednesday 25 May 2016

Going green

I think I'm into green at the moment for the kitchen.


Having a black and brown kitchen means that I can add extra colours with pans and other kitchen paraphernalia.


All these 'extra' bits came from the same shop and just happened to fall into my basket when I was food shopping.


The chopping board, green container and baskets I've shown before but the latest green is ...

No, they are not all from the same shop - the baskets
came from I-keey-yah.

… a new ironing board cover that brings Spring into the kitchen.


I'm matching all the green that is outside now the warmer weather has come.


These aquilegia plants have contrasting whites and purples


The green of the iris contrasts with its purple flowers.


And the white flowers have appeared overnight on the mange tout.


We're definitely going green inside and out.

xx

PS 1. Please note the paper to be recycled in the baskets.
2. All our veggie and fruit waste goes in the compost and when DH moved one of the bins wonderful black compost was found underneath. That will help with all this growing.
3. A warm welcome to a new follower.


Monday 23 May 2016

By the seaside

My deckchair stripe cot blanket is finally finished. It's taken me an age.


The yarn is from my stash and is mainly made up of cooler colours with pops of bright green and red.


The backing is a recycled again fleece which began its life here.


I find Tunisian stitch quite calming to do and each strip was crocheted individually with all the stripes joined together at the end. It's similar to my other Tunisian blanket but a little larger at 36 inches square.


The edging I started as a dc followed by 2 chain and then I found this tutorial for a polka dot edging which is formed on this first simple row. This is a brilliant edging and grows really quickly.


DS and his wife are visiting with babes later in the summer and I wanted it finished before then.


It's quite thick and warm on both sides.



xx

PS Welcome to yet another follower. I hope you enjoy your visits here.

Sunday 22 May 2016

I fell off

It was only very briefly. Well it was only one afternoon but I did fall by the wayside. If an excuse will excuse me it was because a birthday needed to be celebrated with friends and I didn't choose chips. No, I chose a salad. Granted it had a couple of fried fishcakes with it plus a half or 2 or 3 of very good cask beer and granted I did sneak in a small chocolate bar - just to add to the celebration. Oh my! I'm going to get back on again now and to prove it here's my colourful selection of fruit and veg for the week.


Fruit for afters, folks plus lots of veggies for befores.

I shall complete the journey even if I fall every now and again.

xx

PS 1. Half a pound lost this week.
2. A very warm welcome to my new follower.

Saturday 21 May 2016

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Pincushion, that is!


Here's Bun. She's held my pins for a long time and is looking a little faded and jaded.


She hasn't got many pins in at the moment as they are holding the backing on to my cot blanket while I sew it.


Once I'd got most of the pins off her I took out the needles and hunted for more which were buried deep inside Bun's body. I must have fished out 20 needles and I've got pin pricks on my fingers to show for it.


Hiya Bun, as I'm working around the blanket I'll prick you now with the pins I take out!

xx

Friday 20 May 2016

I'll catch them all

I will, I'll catch all those side shoots on the tomatoes when they appear. I've noted down every other day in my Filofax - 

"Pick out side shoots."

That should do it.

Every year I always miss a few and great long stems appear that I haven't the heart to cut off, so my greenhouse has string everywhere to hold up all the extra leggedy bits. Not any more.


No it didn't do it. Every day I have to check each plant and nip out those shoots. They grow at an extraordinary pace. This little blighter is 2 days old - I missed it!

Now it's  -

"Pick out the side shoots every day."

I'll catch them all!

xx

Thursday 19 May 2016

Question and …

answer.

Q: What is to be done when the cat sits on the blanket and the blanket needs to be turned round in order to crochet round the other side?


A: Why - turn the cat round with the blanket, of course!


Round again.


Round again - she's started to notice that something's going on here.


No, must be dreaming.


xx

Wednesday 18 May 2016

10 question blogaround

Sue from Our Quiet Life in Suffolk answered 10 questions for the Leibster award. The Leibster award is for new bloggers but she answered the questions anyway and has set 10 questions out into the Bloggysphere for anyone to answer so here goes.

1.  How many different homes have you lived in?

Just 2 different homes - we don't like change.

2. The first record/CD you can remember buying?

I can't remember buying any but it may have been 'The Young Ones' by Cliff Richard.

3. A memorable holiday in this country?

When I was 16 I used to work at a Christian holiday home - call it a working holiday. My friend and I enjoyed the socialising rather than the work. I never ever want to clean a Gents' loo again.

4. Favourite job if you could choose?

No job thank you, I'm retired! :)

5. Worst ever road journey?

All of them - I get travel sick.

6. Last meal out? 

Can't remember, but next meal out is next week celebrating DH's birthday.

7. The station your radio is usually tuned into?

Radio 4, of course.

8.The colour most featured in your wardrobe?

Black

9.The oldest thing in your house?

I'll have to think about that one. I think we've got more second hand stuff than new. The house was built in the 20s and quite a lot of our 'stuff' is from the 30s onwards.

10. Best boot sale/jumble sale/charity shop bargain recently.

I blogged about the CB a few posts back. My best CS bargain was a leather Filofax at £1.

Here's 10 more questions for anyone who cares to answer them.

1. What is your favourite meal?

2. Do you have a party piece? If so, what can you do?

3. Do you sing in tune or out of tune?

4. What was your 'best bit' today?

5. What was your last 'good turn'?

6. Are you social or anti-social?

7. What is your most annoying habit?

8. What is your least favourite food?

9. Dieting or not dieting? (I had to put that one in.)

10. Name one form of relaxation that you enjoy.

Thank you to Mending, Making and Crafting for nominating me in this round of the Awards. I'm not nominating any blogs as I love all the ones I read. Please answer these 10 questions and set your own for this 10 question blogaround if you wish.

xx


Tuesday 17 May 2016

Drippy Dittie

(Chorus  - to the tune of the Galop in the Finale of The Overture to William Tell by Gioachino Rossini) 

To be sung with urgency, preferably out of tune. This ditty has particular impact when sung at speed!

(Spoken): Keep healthy - drink 2 litres of water every day.

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the looooooo, 
To the loo, loo, loo!

(Spoken): Go to bed, try to go to sleep, toss and turn and then - 

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

(Spoken): Before you go out.

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the looooooo, 
To the loo, loo, loo!

(Spoken): Before an important occasion.

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the looooooo, 
To the loo, loo, loo!

(Spoken): Pass by a public convenience.

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the looooooo, 
To the loo, loo, loo!

(Spoken): Sorry, have to go now!

Chorus: To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the loo, to the loo,
To the loo, loo, loo,

To the looooooo, 
To the loo, loo, loo!

xx

Written with inspiration from Rachael Radiostar.

:)


Monday 16 May 2016

Weight update

Veggies and fruit have always been a major part of my diet but the weight piled on with puddings and chocolate. This last week the focus was on 
no biccies
no chocolate
fruit for afters if I want afters and 
no sherry.

I'm full and feel guilty for being full. Here's a sample of one of my meals. I lightly sprayed a non stick pan with sunflower oil and stir fried some sliced mushrooms with garlic granules and soy sauce. I added some spinach at the end and this concoction joined ...


a small baked potato, some salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and one sausage - it's in there somewhere. The plate is not as artistic as Ilona's as I just tend to pile it on.


Afters was a fruit salad - just cut up pieces of strawberries, blueberries, apple, melon and grapes.


Thank you so much for your support. Going public has worked so far. I'm determined not to let you down.

Another pound and a half lost this week.

Go me!

xx

Sunday 15 May 2016

Me time


Good finds at the CB today with balls of wool, a scarf knitting kit, a bag full of patchwork squares, circular knitting needles and some mags. 


Peeping in at the bottom is a white dish which I thought would be square enough for a lasagne.

I spent £10 on this little lot and am well pleased. The scarf has already been started and one of the magazines read in the sunshine after I'd weeded the garden. I might hunt for some sock yarn now and christen my needles.

Happiness is finding 'me' items at the CB.

xx

Saturday 14 May 2016

Times they are a-changin'

No, it's not sherry time now it's


Water Time folks.

I've not missed the sherry and intend to partake only on the weekend - if needed!!! - and only if I've lost some weight the previous week. Oh, I am strict with myself, aren't I!

xx

Friday 13 May 2016

Storage

A comment from one post remarked on storage and I thought I'd show one of my prettier storage solutions. This storage box caught my eye in the CS...


and I'm having a great time filling it with various papers and bits and pieces.


My Filofax organisers echo the colours of this box. Two other boxes I bought at the CB for £3 each.


Just the job for organising my card making bits and pieces.


Pusscat is supervising here. She's after the pipe cleaners - not a good idea.


My I-key-ya boxes held an assortment of sewing paraphernalia but it was difficult to remember which box was which so ...


the second CB box came to the rescue to hold press studs (hardly ever use these), hooks and eyes (hardly ever use these), old zips rescued from redundant clothing (They'll come in handy some day - no, they never do!) and bits of velcro (hardly ever use these). I can't throw any of this lot away, though.


And I can't throw away wooden cotton reels so they went in to.


There, storage organised.


Next?

xx

PS Friday the 13th and I've had 13 emails and have sold 13 things on Ebay!

xx