Yes, We Have No Bananas..

 When I first taking some snaps for this Getting It Sorted train of thought I took a photo of my breakfast choices. Among them was this..

Yes, I do like bananas and was happy when I read about the health benefits for the heart of the potassium they contain. However, since that long phone call with my doctor they're now only making an occasional appearance. It seems that the potassium rush has to be balanced with the effect on my cholesterol levels! There are times when it all the advice feels a bit complicated to steer round. So, bananas are only allowed immediately before exercise. I can have them on Saturdays (before ParkRun) and Thursdays (as I play tennis early) so I'll have to be content with that. I can, however, indulge in apricots and get my potassium kick from them!

The other culprit in my breakfast that I've already touched on is porridge. Again a big surprise as I thought I was doing the right thing with it. Luckily I'm a fan of Greek yoghurt and according to the doctor that's okay - along with the chia seeds and berries (or apricots). Phew!!

On a creative note - I did finish the Valentine's card..

I was quite chuffed with it - some thought now on a 7 year old card. I can't find one for our March birthday girl. The other seven year old was easy - she loves unicorns and princesses and I found a card with them both. The March one though... unless I can find a kick boxing pianist on a card I'll have to create something.....

I have also been putting away some of the Christmas makes and finishing off some that weren't done in time - they'll be all ready for next year. 

 

These were really easy.. double sided squares with a line of stitching across the corners. Then a ribbon through the channels created, joined and decorated with beads and voila! gift bags, jewellery pouches, call them what you will...

So now I'm off to get my Substack offering for this week done - all about my inability to just do one thing at a time.. until next time...

Getting Sorted - Loving Betwixmas

 Now I did start this when it WAS Betwixmas, but somehow the posting slipped and I am now coughing like it's an Olympic sport and brandishing a nose that would do Rudolph proud! It's only a cold, nothing too serious, just irritating and producing the sort of brain fog that makes writing crazy...

Anyway, Christmas having been and gone has bequeathed out household with lots of yummy stuff...

 

And there's plenty of leftovers awaiting us in the freezer too.

Somehow I, rather perversely, love this in between period when there's lots to finish up. It reminds me of when we were small and Dad got the mincer out to grind up the leftover meat and produce rissoles and so on. I always enjoyed times when we got cheese and potato pie, or mini cakes or pastry. It wasn't till I was much older when I found out that these were always at the end of the month when money was running low! 

Getting things sorted often means shopping at home. Not the internet version. The type of shopping where you go round the house seeing what needs using up and making menus based on what you find. It's not just the food either. I love using the presents that arrive - bath stuff, moisturisers, whatever - far too good to put in a cupboard for 'later'. The only things I keep for another day are the small sizes or samples that I take on holiday to lighten the luggage load.

It's also a good chance to go through my clothes, sorting out those things on their last legs or the items that no longer fit. Previously it's been because they've got a bit tight, but since my new health kick inspired by that chat with the doctor, some are now too big - hooray! Some of the older stuff I'm again keeping for holidays - journeying in older, yet comfortable clothes makes sense, especially if that's the last wearing of a t-shirt that can be binned rather than transported home and washed, etc. I'm also acquainting myself with newer (to me) selling platforms to pass on clothes that are no good to me, but in good shape. And no I haven't forgotten the pleasure of passing on good quality gear to charity shops either.

So, this Betwixmas has allowed me the space to start a good clear out, making the most of what I've got and enabling me to save a bit of cash in not buying too...

Long live Betwixmas - and hopefully the clear out will include my coldy germs and I can get on with enjoying what 2024 has to offer!

Getting it Sorted - Smoothing and Soothing

 I was in my sister's kitchen chatting about nail polish and stuff! She, my nieces and my great nieces all enjoy a spot of nail colour. They also like smooth moisturised skin - I usually forget, or apply nail polish just when the garden is calling and it chips off immediately! I've never been able to keep my nails in any sort of shape - I guess all those years in the classroom removing wall display staples without using the right tools didn't help....

Anyway, I noticed that on the windowsill, right near the sink was a handy tube of hand cream....

So guess what I felt the need to do on the way home - yes, buy handcream and (even more importantly) put it right where it's required.

So now I have it staring me in the face to remind me to use it. In fact, I got two - one for the kitchen and another for the bathroom.

Let's see if it galvanises me into action - mind you it doesn't solve my inability to flash gorgeous nails around, but one step at a time I say!

I've also raided the loft after last Saturday's coffee morning/craft fair to see what I've already acquired for the looming festives. I uncovered the pack of cards I found in a supermarket clearance for 10p that I knew was up there and also two lovely cards that I bought last Christmas Eve at a fraction of their normal price. 

Some of the decorations I had ready to give as mini gifts needed some extra embellishment so I turned to videos online to work out how to add to them. Low and behold there were some tutorials on making tassels...

Oh my goodness, I'm addicted. These aren't quite finished and neatened off. They are so simple and satisfying - even better than pom pom making and use up odds and ends of yarn and beads! They may even make an appearance alongside the gift tags on presents this year.... More reasons not to throw away ANY yarn........

Another set of instructions for when I get round to them on my Substack....

Getting It Sorted - Read All About It

 This week I really am going to focus on my reading! I keep getting sidetracked online and with my Kindle, but the real issue is the pile of magazines that I seem to be building!

This lot were loitering in a drawer under the TV and I've found some more in the garden room. Most of them I've skim read and dived a bit deeper into one or two articles. All of them sit accusingly of.. well I was going to say a task, but it's not, it's supposed to be an enjoyable pastime, The thing that stops me enjoying it fully, I suppose, is the number of unread issues. So.... this week I'm going to carve out the time to finish them all (yes, even the one from April!) and indulge the fun of reading before moving them off to new homes....

I have, however, been busy with the sewing machine. A while back I needed some fabric with the characters from the Bluey cartoon series to make one of my great nieces a picture for her birthday - I've shared that photo before. The fabric seemed very expensive so I bought a duvet cover at a fraction of the price and had plenty left over.  I made some fabric pots with Bluey and family on them and a tote bag for each of the great nieces - there was still quite a bit left so I've made a few more bags and put them on the local sales page.

Amazingly they sold immediately and paid for the original duvet cover! I've still got some fabric, but the characters left are a bit big for bags so I'm off into town for some wadding. The girls can all have mini Bluey quilts for their dolls/teddies this Christmas!

I really ought to organise myself enough to take photos and write out instructions to show how to make these bits and pieces. It certainly spreads the cost of presents! I'll put it onto my to do list. Maybe I'll get around to sharing some of the 'how to make' ideas on my Substack once I've finished with Phonics!!

And Finally - yes I hope so..

 Okay, I know it's January and this should have been written almost a month ago, but as I mentioned last time the events of the end of the year caught me out.

This then is a sort of rapid romp through what I intended to write with photos showing some of the ideas in their making stages as I had to speed up to get them off to the right people and places as I went along!

The idea of making so much for the festive period is twofold. Making something specifically tailored to a person and spending time and care on it can make a gift special, it can also cost far less than a hastily bought 'pressure to buy' present. 

Here's the last elephant to see out 2022 (even if it is 2023 now) - good thing he's got a good memory aided by my notebook and photos!

Month 12 - Bite 1

With my Card and Present Lists all present and correct the countdown is on. Obviously the more time I allow myself, then the easier and cheaper things will be. Well, it should work like that, if everything goes to plan (you know there's a 'but' coming now don't you?)

Best laid plans and all that means that this is more of a list than a blog in an effort to note all the 30 bites for the final month of the 12.....

I did at least manage my first bite which was to stock up on stamps. If I'm honest this belongs to earlier in the year. Once I heard that the price of stamps was going up I took the precaution of buying ahead to make sure that all my Christmas posting would be at the pre-price rise level....

Month 12 - Bite 2

My husband always buys too many cards - not dozens too many, just a few. I'm off into the loft to find out what's up there from last year so that I know exactly how many I need once I've used up his 'last year's stock'.

                                                   

Month 12 - Bite 3

Now to make the rest of the cards I need.....

If you remember I went on a fern picking trip and pressed the ferns when I got home. 

These are now nicely dried and have worked well so now all I have to do is dress them up with some sparkle and a star, mount them on Christmassy backing paper and pop them onto card.

Apologies for the lack of before and after photos from now on... with the clock ticking I took shots when I could so that I could get the finished products in the post or wrapped or.....

Month 12 - Bite 4

For family I tend to make different cards to the ones for friends. For the children I found a few wooden letters that I bought a while back at really silly sale prices.

For each of them I'm decorating their initial by pasting on Christmas tissue paper left from last year and attaching a hanging string before putting them onto the card. That way they get a card and a decoration too!

  

          

Month 12 - Bite 5

Other family cards get the handmade treatment too..

A spot of simple cross stitch embroidery with sparkle and beads always looks effective and is pretty quick to do...

                               

Month 12 - Bite 6

Following on from the Christmas card stock I rummaged around in the loft to unearth the bags and boxes from previous years.  We tend, as a family, to recycle these between ourselves. I can't tell you how old some of these are, but it becomes a kind of game when giving presents or bags for each household to try and remember who gave which to whom the year or two or three before!

                                       

Month 12 - Bite 7

This particular box deserves a bite all of its own.

It's been going back and forth for a number of years. At first it was from my niece to me for a birthday when she filled it with bath bits and treats. The following year I returned it to her so she could fill it all over again. Then we moved on to vouchers to fill up my e-book. That was when my sister took it over and so she fills it each birthday and Christmas with a selection of goodies and after each celebration I return it to her for the next time!

                                 

Month 12 - Bite 8

And onto the other 'gift wrapping'. I found some origami pages online a year or so ago and by downloading free wrapping paper designs and printing them I can now make up some small gift boxes ready for little treats.

                                  

Month 12 - Bite 9

I also watched an online tutorial for making drawstring bags. Last year I made one or two so this year I'm using some of the fabric I got in the sales in January to make some more.

Month 12 - Bite 10

Enough of the wrappings! Onto the presents...

First up more makes using the sale fabric. Little fabric storage boxes - thank you online video tutorials!

 

Month 12 - Bite 11

Once again the fabric and tutorials come to the rescue with these rather clever bookmarks...

 

The joy of these is that they are light and slim so don't I won't need to pay much for posting them....  One or two of my friends and I swap little gifts like this - either decorations, coasters or the such like each year that fit into the letter or (at the most) large letter category. We usually send handmade things and try to think of something new each time so these fit the bill beautifully.

I've sent them mounted on photos of one in use on a book page as with the third photo above.

Month 12 - Bite 12

On the subject of posting - I need to check the last posting dates to make sure I can use second class posting to get my cards and presents to where they need to be (especially with the strike situation this year)...

Month 12 - Bite 13

One of the collections I made earlier in the autumn was of leaves. This was for a special project. I used them to make leaf prints and used these to illustrate a calendar for a nature loving friend. 

I matched each leaf to a month - mind you it was a challenge with some months. 

Where there was a simple shaped 'growth' - the acorn cup for October's oak print or the seed 'wings' for September's sycamore I printed that too...

Month 12 - Bite 14

And so onto decorations. Not the shiny expensive shop bought stuff, but the handcrafted (and extremely cheap in most cases) ones...

Firstly I'm returning to those craft kits that I found languishing in a box. The first was so quick and satisfying that I don't know why I left it so long to get on with it!

Month 12 - Bite 15

I've sewn quite a lot of these over time. They are quick and simple (and have sold really well at Christmas Fairs in the past, but these are just for us).

 

Month 12 - Bite 16

This one is folded rather than sewn - I'm making some extras so that next year they can be attached to card to make more Christmas Cards!

Month 12 - Bite 17

While sorting the decorations I found a number of these plastic baubles that were all faded and flaky so I'm recovering them with strips of spare fabric!

Month 12 - Bite 18

These are for wrapping as mini wreaths to hand from the tree...

Month 12 - Bite 19

More for the tree - some wet felted balls with added beads and bells from chocolate treats!

Month 12 - Bite 20

Remember those pine cones I collected?

They've been dried so that they open out and I'm ready with some ribbons and sparkle to glue gun them into hanging decorations.

Month 12 - Bite 21

This one I've been trying to get around to for ages! I saw it in a magazine last year and just had to have a go..

The idea is to use up some more of my yarn scraps making pom poms (a very soothing exercise) and then tie/sew/glue them to a polystyrene hoop to create a fluffy wreath with embellishments of ribbons, bells, small felted balls - you name it get it in there.

Month 12 - Bite 22

Just finishing off a scarf and socks for my sister and that will be that!

I know they look odd like this - once the heel is knitted in they turn out more like these!

That's probably enough for one post - a bit rushed, but done thus far.....

Sorry - looks like there'll have to be one final, final post for 2022 before it's done.....

And a final round up..

 Happy New Year!

As it happens I haven't quite finished with the old one - yes, even over a week into 2023. Lots happened at the close of 2022 which rather got in the way of me catching up with all the missing posts for the year.

So, this post and the one or two following will need to rely on that notebook of mine and the photos taken at the time to race me back up to speed.

To Month 11 then - here's a random mix of the final Bites for the month.

Month 11 - Bite 23

Having passed on and sold a lot of books and DVDs earlier in the year I've now found a small stash of more. Not enough to warrant posting them off to a buying website I came across this just round the corner from where I live,,,

Sorted!

Month 11 - Bite 24

A friend has decided to raise some money from gifts that she might have received for Christmas and her birthday by asking for cash instead to be donated to her chosen cause.. Great idea - she's using JustGiving, but other sites are out there too.. another idea to consider.

Month 11 - Bite 25

A regular email arrived recently from a charity shop I often drop stuff off to as well as a newsletter from a local charity. Both reminded sponsors/contributors about registering the fact that they are taxpayers when donating. This is a great way of bumping up any donation by a comfortable percentage as an additional amount can be claimed back by the charities concerned. I need to double check I've ticked that box so they don't miss out.

Month 11 - Bite 26

Knitting carries on apace ready for Christmas, but I have had time to add in some extra hats and scarves for the library warm rail so I must find time to drop them down as the temperature plunges.

Month 11 - Bite 27

It's nearly time for the Advent Calendars to make an appearance. Each year my sister's church does a reverse Advent Calendar. Instead of receiving something each day - a chocolate or far more extravagant gifts in some cases (!) - you put an item from a wish list into a box to be delivered before Christmas to make someone festive period a little easier. The list contents range from foodstuffs to essential household items - a tin of soup or a toothbrush for example. It's a really simple way to countdown to Christmas without adding to the more 'grabby' side of it.

Month 11 - Bite 28

One or two of our neighbours live alone and are generally fine, but just recently one has had a long drawn out bug and another a trip to hospital for planned surgery. Time to pop in or message them to make sure they've got the provisions they need or to have a chat to break up their time at home until they are fit and well enough to get back to normal.

Month 11 - Bite 29

While I was in the charity shop the other day I started browsing the Christmas card selection. Many of my cards I make, but when I run out of time (or inspiration) it's the charity versions I turn to. Why not use something I need to get into something that helps others too?!

Month 11 - Bite 30

Planning time now. The festive season is fast approaching and I need to start looking at the gifts I need to buy. Out with that list I made earlier in the year of Christmas card recipients so I know how many I need and a new list for presents to buy is about to be made.

By pooling out thoughts on who wants what we can make sure that the money we spend as a family goes into exactly what's required with no waste or doubling up... We've also still got time to get the requested items before panic buying and lack of time intervene...

Phew! - Sorry about the whistle stop trawl through the notebook, but I'm now only a month short on my blogging target...

Buying where it helps...

I'm aware that I do quite a lot of my shopping on the Internet for a variety of reasons. This next little group of ideas from my scribbled notes that I've been trying to implement look at how I've been using my purchasing power!

Month 11 - Bite 18

First of all I needed to move on some more of my clearing out so this first isn't so much shopping as going into a shop!

I've been into town with my bags of rather nice bits and pieces that need new homes. I deposited them in one of our many charity shops around here ready for others to pick up and use for their Christmas lists.

Month 11 - Bite 19

While I was there I took a good look round. I can see that I've only been doing half the job. It's no good just restocking the shelves there with my decluttering, however good the items are. I need to be shopping there too and I've already bought some yarn odds and ends (yes, I know I need more yarn like a hole in the head) ready for the dolls' clothes I've been asked for.

Month 11 - Bite 20

I've also noticed some flyers for local artists and makers so I'm looking out for exhibitions events so that I can support buying direct from the originators, especially where they are start-ups that need to get off the ground. There's some in our indoor market as well as around the galleries hereabouts. 

One of our local galleries/coffee shops also donates a percentage back to community art projects too so a double whammy from them (and some really nice Christmas cards too.

Month 11 - Bite 21

I'm also checking the local press and social media pages for other craft and art fairs many of which are being held in aid of schools and charities. Good place to invest some time - even if there's not anything directly on my wish list I can always support the tea and cakes!

Month 11 - Bite 22

The last place for this section is back to online. Not a national organisation this time, but the local neighbourhood pages where people around here list things they are passing on and where I can also put some free and cheap bits and pieces to help spread the cost of Christmas for others - some of my handmade decorations, for example, can be donated using this route.

 

Points mean Prizes

I forget the TV show with that as a slogan - seems to fit with the last few bites and one or two that follow here!

Month 11 - Bite 15

I've found that I've got some loyalty points for small amounts that need using up - I've discovered I can donate these too as they won't really buy anything I want .. that's next on the list.

Month 11 - Bite 16

I've also got cards or accounts that I buy things physically of online that will donate automatically as a reward for buying with them as long as I nominate a charity. No cost to me and a benefit to a good cause - win-win I'd say.

Month 11 - Bite 16

I did download a couple of apps that are supposed to reward you when reaching a certain number of steps. Most of those I've tried don't seem to provide any vouchers or rewards that I want or can accrue enough points to get - even if I do the whole South West Coast Path in the next few days! Again these provide the option of donating the points to charity so before I delete the apps that's what I'll do..

Month 11 - Bite 17

and finally (for this frantic catch-up) 

Some coffee shops also make it easy for you to 'buy' a coffee to be left for someone who needs it. You just donate the amount at the pay desk or from your app and they gift it to the ext person they identify as being in need of a hot drink!

Phew!

I'll get back with the next round up soon - just got some 'paid for' writing to catch up with - watch this space...