Category Archives: Homemaking

Savvy Spending

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Today was my day off and I had arranged to meet some friends at the coast.  We had morning tea and a long chat in a park and it was after 1pm by the time I headed off.  I had planned to use the trip and petrol consumption wisely by incorporating a visit to East Coast Fabrics.  I am regularly disappointed by the range and quality of fabrics available at Spotlight and Lincraft so when I heard advertisements for East Coast Fabrics on the radio recently, I made a mental note to check them out.

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Since I am working through my stash of existing fabrics I am loathe to buy too much so I was fairly restrained.  I bought these two pieces to make some more skirts.  The mint green piece is linen and the other is a lightweight denim.  The fabric plus a zip for each skirt cost $18.91 which I think is pretty good for two skirts.  I will be using the same pattern that I used for this skirt I made recently.

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I am planning to take these skirts when we go to Singapore in September.  I have worked out which tops I will wear with them.  There is this one that I made a few weeks ago.

2015-01-03 01I have chosen another three tops.

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My thoughts are that all of the tops will go with the denim skirt, all except the yellow can be teamed with the green skirt and the striped skirt can be worn with either the yellow or white tops.

I plan to add 2 pairs of sandals, a pashmina, bathers, sarong, hat, fabric shoulder bag and umbrella.  A pair of pyjamas and some underwear and I will be set for pretty well anything that a week in Singapore can throw at me.

What do you think?

Two Minutes to Tidy

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It is great to feel that the decluttering efforts are really making a difference.  This morning I noticed that the shelf where my recipe books are stored was very grubby and needed cleaning.  It was a simple matter of grabbing an armful of books and placing them on the bench while I wiped down the shelf and then replaced the books.  This took me less than 2 minutes.

2015-02-07 01I have never had hundreds of cookbooks but nevertheless it has taken about 3 rounds of culling to get it to this.  You can read about a previous effort here.

Cookbook shelf

That was about 14 months ago but a few more have moved on since then, too.  I do not miss any of them and have not have occasion to regret my decision to move them along.  Recipes are something that has really been revolutionised by the advent of the internet.  There is nothing you cannot find.  Also, recipes are like clothes – there are definitely trends and fashions.

Do you have recipe books?  Have you reduced your collection?

Project 333 – One In, Two Out

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I think we have all heard the mantra of “One In, One Out” in order to keep the clutter under control.  This week I have gone one better.  I made this skirt last week.

003Now I have sent these 2 skirts to the op shop.

2015-02-05 02I bought the navy/white one when we were in the USA in 2012 and it is wearing out.  The lightweight fabric is pulling away from the seams at the sides of the waistband and I noticed that it has actually split along the fold of the hem in a couple of places so definitely time to go.  The red/white skirt is one that I made a while ago.  I attempted to make a pattern from the navy/white skirt.  It was reasonably successful and I have certainly worn it many times but it is far from perfect.  Now that i have a perfect pattern I will be using that for future skirts that I make.  Time for these to go.

More To Go

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A couple of days ago I read a comment online by someone unknown to me that they had decluttered so much that they had nothing left to declutter.  I have no idea what their circumstances are or what they consider essential but I know that I have not reached that point.  In fact, I am not sure that I ever will or even want to.  We do not have a huge amount of stuff but for me it is more about carefully streamlining what we own to a selection of good-quality items that match our lifestyle.  Our needs change and therefore, our possessions will change accordingly.

On the weekend I was cleaning in the kitchen and one thing led to another and I ended up re-looking at the cooking utensils that I use.  I have supposedly decluttered these on at least 2 previous occasions but it never hurts to look at them with fresh eyes and a more detached point of view.

This is what I am taking to the op shop today.

2015-02-04 01There are a couple of sharp knives that have seen better days and I simply do not use them.  A scraper for cleaning a George Foreman grill which we no longer own.  A cleaning brush for something – I don’t know what and as far as I can see it has never been used.  Spoon and spaghetti strainer which are not used.  Meat mallet – I haven’t beaten meat for over 20 years – our diet does not include recipes that require it.  Spaghetti measure – was part of a corporate Christmas hamper a few years ago and has never been used.  Small aluminium skewer – I have a set of stainless steel skewers and this is no longer required.  Chip cutter – this came from my mother’s place when she was decluttering some years ago and I have never used it.  A good idea but I cannot remember the last time I made chips at home and I am quite capable of cutting potatoes into chips if the fancy happens to take me.  Anyway, aren’t “hand-cut chips” the latest craze on menus??

So what stays?

2015-02-04 02Electric knife
Carving fork
Scone cutter
Rolling pin
Fine grater
Metal tongs
BBQ tool
Pineapple peeler/corer
Apple corer
Cheese slicer
Cherry/oliver pit remover
Garlic press
Ice-cream scoop
Citrus zester
Grapefruit knife
Skewers
Vegetable peeler (not shown)
Jar opener
Tea strainer
Tea infuser
Wine vacuum sealer
Cork remover
Bottle/can opener
Measuring spoons
Corn cob holders
Egg rings
Knife sharpener

The electric knife/carving fork and cherry pit remover are the only items that would be rarely used.  Everything else is used regularly, mostly on a weekly basis.  Some, like the grapefruit knife and corn cob holders are seasonal but still essential.

2015-02-04 03I also have 2 jars of cooking utensils that I use almost daily.  There location on the bench means that they are easy to grab as I am cooking and preparing food.

Wooden spoons x 4
Metal whisk
Potato masher
Metal spatula
Non-stick spatula
Non-stick spoon
Slotted spoon
Small sieve
Can opener
Pizza cutter
Rubber scrapers x 3
Brush
Citrus juicer
Pie slice

I also have a knife block with 6 assorted sharp knives.

To a hard-core minimalist this probably looks like a huge number of utensils, however, I prepare and cook most of our meals and use these items very frequently.  It is important to keep and use what works for you.

There are lots of areas of my life where I could reduce my possessions but I think I have completely decluttered the kitchen utensils to my satisfaction.

What utensils do you use every day?  Are they much different to what I have shown here?

Sew My Stash Sunday – 4

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Just a short post tonight but I can show you the completed skirt.  This afternoon I inserted the zip, finished the hem and facing on the yoke.  It is now ready to wear.

060aThe fit is absolutely perfect so I am very pleased with the pattern making which is based entirely on the hip measurement for this skirt.  I will definitely be making other patterns from the system.  I will share more of the details with you next week.

The yoke on the skirt sits nicely and means that it can be worn with a fitted top like the one in the photo.  The skirt is lightweight and will be perfect for our Singapore trip but in the meantime I will probably wear it to work as our weather is hot and humid at the moment.  I will probably team it with this blouse.

2015-01-03 01I am pleased to have been able to create an entire summer outfit using fabric from my stash.  The total cost was $2.70 for the buttons and $1.15 for the zip.

Tracking 2015

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Today is Saturday.  Where did the week go?  I am very busy at work so although I have been thinking about my blog that is as far as it went.

Not only is it Saturday, it is Saturday 31st January.  The final day of the first month of 2015.  1/12th of the year gone.  Have you already forgotten what you resolved to do better/differently/more consistently in 2015 already?

BudgetingOne of my goals was to actually track how much we spend.  We have never worked to a real budget – actually allocating a certain $ value to each item/category but we keep careful track of the regular bills – rates/insurances/phone/internet but is the variable spending that is more difficult to calculate.  I do not have a specific amount of money for groceries each week as I tend to bulk shop for dry goods and meat and buy perishable items on a weekly basis.  I need to average my grocery spending over at least 6 months to get a fair and accurate idea of how much we spend.

As I said it is the last day of the month and we have been shopping so there will be no more spending today.  The grand total of our variable spending in January was $5,134.53 – yes, over $5K!  Almost exactly half of that was airfares and accommodation for our Singapore holiday later in the year. So, $2,618.73 looks somewhat better.  This figure includes food, clothes, gifts, hobbies, eating out, entertainment, alcohol, car fuel and maintenance, haircuts, public transport, pets, medical/dental and incidentals.

Apart from the holiday spending which is really a one-off, the categories with the highest spend were food $623 closely followed by public transport $620.  This is really interesting because what finally prompted me to track our spending very carefully was that I wanted to know how much we would need to live a comfortable lifestyle on our terms in our retirement.  Giving up paid work is a few years away yet but it is important to budget for life without regular employment.  We will still need to eat when we are retired but public transport will cease to be an issue as all of that expenditure is related to our lengthy commute to the office.

Do you know how much you spend?  Working or retired?  I would love to hear your comments.

Sew My Stash Sunday – 3

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As promised, here is an update on how my sewing from my stash is progressing.  This week I have done pretty well, albeit with a couple of hiccups along the way.

This is the polo shirt for The Duke that I started a couple of weeks ago.

001I have put the collar on and finished the tab front, however, when he tried it on it is way too big.  How did I manage that?  I chose the size of a multi-sized pattern based on an existing polo shirt that fits him well.  Anyway, now I know.  So, it is back to the drawing board with this one.  The sizing does not influence the neckline/collar or tab front so I think I should be able to cut it apart along the side, underarm and sleeve seams and recut the pieces to a smaller size while maintaining all of the neckline and collar.  Here’s hoping!

In the meantime I decided to make myself another pair of boxer shorts for pyjamas.  This was another sizing issue as I could not remember whether I had previously used the medium or large sizing of a multi-sized pattern.  I went for the medium and of course I was wrong but all was not lost.  I went ahead and completed the boxer shorts and a camisole top and have given them to my sister.

002I have now cut out a pair for myself in the correct size but have yet to start sewing them.  It is a quick and easy task so I may do that after dinner.

002A few weeks ago my mother gave me a book and equipment for making your own custom-sized patterns.  It is not for the faint-hearted or novice as there are no real instructions, just an expectation that you are familiar with dressmaking techniques and construction.  There is a selection of nearly 300 designs so there are plenty to choose from.

I decided to start with a fairly simple skirt using a piece of navy/white striped seersucker from my stash.  Once I had created the pattern I checked it for fit and felt that it would be OK.  Today I cut out and made the skirt apart from the zip and finishing the inside of the facing and the hem.

003It has loose inverted pleats off a wide, shaped yoke with side pockets and a centre back zip.  The fit is absolutely perfect so if the other patterns work similarly, I will be very happy.

I also managed to re-fashion one of The Duke’s long-sleeved business shirts into a short-sleeved one as the cuffs had worn out but the rest of the shirt was still in good condition.

I am not sure what my next project is as I need to finish these first but stayed tuned for more sewing next Sunday.

Adding More Life

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It is nearly 3 years since I wrote this post about extending the use of a pair of 3/4 trousers by making them into shorts.  That project worked extraordinarily well as I still have the shorts and wear them almost every weekend during the summer.  They are lightweight and comfortable and great for gardening and generally hanging about at home.  Imagine my despair a few days ago when I realised that the zip had broken.

001I thought that they were finally destined for the bin but after rummaging in my stash of extra zips I found one that would be suitable.

002I decided that I had nothing to lose as they were no use with a broken zip so I set to work.  In my opinion, there is only one thing more challenging than putting in a zip and that is replacing one because when putting a zip in a new garment it is inserted near the beginning of the construction rather than at the end.  Due to the purpose of the shorts, I was not too worried about the finished look.

003While it is somewhat rustic, I was very pleased with the end result which is a perfectly functional pair of shorts.

004This whole project took me about 10 minutes to complete.

Feels Like Friday

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I have not posted anything for the past couple of days as I have been totally committed to work.  We have had colleagues from interstate working with us for a few days and I had to give it my undivided attention so as to maximise the results from being able to work face-to-face.  Despite all of the advances in technology which allow us to connect via, phone, email and videoconferencing, there is nothing quite like being able to sit down and look at the same work together.

Everyone has headed back to their respective locations and I am now home with the prospect of 5 days at home stretching out in front of me.  It really does feel like Friday!  I will be doing some work from home tomorrow but other than that my time is my own.  As an added bonus we have a long weekend due to the Australia Day holiday on Monday.

I hope to make some progress on a number of projects around the house and garden and I am sure I will have lots to show you.

We have the prospect of slightly cooler weather for the next few days and possibly some heavy rain.  I think the first thing I will do is make sure all of the washing is up to date while the weather is still fine.

TowelsIt is lovely to have time to look forward to spending as I choose rather than having a diary crammed full of appointments.RelaxingDo you plan every moment or do you go with the flow, so to speak?

Bedroom Blitz

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First of all, here is an update on the things I am not writing about.

Sewing My Stash Sunday is not happening this week because I simply have not done any sewing.

War on Weeds Update – I am glad I didn’t rush out and buy a heap of vinegar because although the leaves definitely wilted and browned off somewhat the weeds are certainly not dead.  I think this would be ideal for liquid weeding the edges of paths and between pavers or even for random weeds that survive the heavy mulching that we generally do when the garden areas are completed.  However, it is simply not heavy-duty enough for the widespread weeds that are well-established.  Back to the drawing board or more importantly the gardening gloves and get on with pulling out the weeds and getting this particular garden bed established with more shrubs and lots of mulch to naturally suppress the weeds.

On to the focus of this blog post – our bedroom.  I decided to seriously clean the bedroom and while it is not completely finished, I did get the wardrobe doors and the 2 large windows cleaned.

The wardrobe was built almost 6 years ago and I must confess that the doors have never been cleaned.  There were a few insect spots as well as some fingerprints and some small patches of mould on the off-white vinyl-finish doors.  I cleaned the doors using a damp cloth and some of my home-made cream cleanser.  The most difficult part was rinsing it off as I could not splash water everywhere due to the carpet on the floor.  I finished it off by cleaning all of the metal surrounds as well as the tracks.  I do the tracks every few months as they get really grubby.  All of the shoes were removed, the carpet in the wardrobe vacuumed and shoes replaced.  I have more shoes than I really need but I did not discard any as they all have a purpose and are worn, albeit, some not terribly often.

2015-01-17 01The other task was an even bigger undertaking.  I dislike cleaning windows at the best of times but the two on the side of our bedroom really do my head in.  The accumulated dirt and cobwebs made these unsightly and since we have no curtains, that is the view I wake up to each and every morning.  They are sliding windows with Crimsafe screens.  This is not so much for security to stop intruders but to prevent anyone falling out through a normal flyscreen as there is no verandah on this side and it is quite highset.  I can remove the sliding panel of glass and clean that but I have no way of cleaning the outside of the fixed panel nor the screen apart from washing it from the outside.  Due to the height this entails assembling the scaffolding that we have and using the Gerni to blast the window and screen from the outside.  I did these 2 windows as well as the screen on a small panel of louvres at the top of the stairs and the window in the sewing room which has the same outlook.

2015-01-17 02These two jobs took the best part of the day but I also managed to vacuum the cornices to remove any cobwebs as well as vacuuming the carpet.

The things which didn’t get done were the window above the bed which is easy because it is over the verandah, dusting and polishing my dressing table and cleaning the light fittings.  All of those will need to wait for another day.