A Plastic-Wrapped Impulse Buy

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Posted on May 18, 2012

If it was a perfect world I would not have bought these.

But we all slip up from time to time.

These are 2 rolls of birthday wrapping paper that I bought this evening from Aldi when we called in to buy some milk. I had not even thought about buying wrapping paper until I saw it.

Now for the debate:

The Good

Multi-purpose – suitable for child or adult birthdays
Bargain – 1m x 5m roll for $1.99
I had virtually no new birthday wrapping paper and have not bought any for over 10 years

The Bad

Wrapped in non-recyclable plastic wrap – contributing to waste
Made in China – transport costs, probable exploitation of workers
Impulse buy – do I really need it or could I have continued being innovative in my gift giving

It seems ridiculous to be buying gift wrap when I am currently working on making a series of re-useable bags from Christmas fabric for Christmas gift-giving. However, even if I find I do not need it all I am sure my granddaughters will be able to use it when going to friends’ birthday parties. You need to strike a balance between environmental and economic concerns on one hand and ensuring that children are able to engage with their peers on an equal footing without being made to feel odd or extreme.

Would you have bought this paper? What impulse buys have you made? I have heard of people who go out to buy the Sunday paper and end up buying a new car. Now that is a bit ridiculous in my opinion!

Shopping For Scraps

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Posted on May 17, 2012

Today I went to 2 op shops looking for fabric suitable for my patchwork project.

Here is what I found.

A skirt

A dress

A blouse

A single bed sheet

2 identical U-shaped pillowcases

And a ruffled single bed valance.

These will all be washed and unpicked ready to use. The valance is big enough to use for the entire backing of the quilt.

Although these items were not super cheap it will still be quite a frugal project. I will mix and match them with existing pieces from my collection.

Thanks to Froogs at Frugal Queen for the inspiration.

Holiday Planning With A Difference

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Posted on May 16, 2012

We have decided to try get someone to housesit while we are on holidays. We are in the process of finding someone suitable who we trust to care for our house and animals while we are away.

Instead of planning what to take I need to think about what to leave behind.

This is going to require some planning and organisation to be able to hand over the running of the household. It is a reminder of how much knowledge and information is carried in my head.

Things like instructions for the washing machine, location of the booster switch for the solar hot water, how much food the dog eats, what day the rubbish is collected and so on.

The upside is that the house is pretty well decluttered and organised so it will be easy for someone to find where things are. There is also plenty of space for extra clothes and belongings.

I am determined that I am going to have all the planning done well in advance of our trip so that the last week or so will not be a mad rush. I want to simply pack my bag according to a pre-determined list and go to the airport, knowing that everything has been sorted out.

In the past, sometimes the last week before a holiday is so frenetic that I just want to get on the plane or in the car before my head explodes.

I would love to hear if anyone has had experiences of someone house-sitting for them. How did you choose them and was it successful?

Just Because It’s Free…………

10 Comments

Posted on May 15, 2012

…………does not mean you have to accept.

When you are given the option of free stuff, whatever the reason, try to fast forward to how you will feel about the item in 6 or 12 months time.

Will you love it?
Do you really need it?
Will it be back in the donation box for the op shop or garage sale?

Today at work someone was handing out giant-sized mugs with corporate branding on them. After having refused pens that were being offered last week, I was approached with a half-hearted comment about me not wanting their gifts. I simply assured them that it was nothing personal but that I really did not need a mug. Suddenly there was a chorus from the rest of the office about how they loved freebies.

If I see a particular use for a freebie I will accept it – otherwise I do not.

Also today, it was interesting to see that one of my colleagues had a new knitting pattern and next thing I knew it had been photocopied numerous times and copies were being handed around to everyone. While I could appreciate the pattern I have no intention of knitting it so I turned down the offer of a copy. It is a waste of paper and will clutter up my home and I could even end up feeling guilty that I had not used the pattern. Much simpler to just say , “No thanks”.

The other freebie was a little more insidious. A cake recipe sent via email. This came from another work colleague. There had been no discussion or request for the recipe – it was just there in my inbox. It had probably been discussed by 1 or 2 people and when it was sent to them everyone in the department was included – I expect so that nobody felt left out or forgotten. A nice gesture, I suppose but the recipe is now in the deleted box because I do not need it.

After spending time and effort decluttering, I owe it to myself to remain vigilant and stop all sorts of stuff before it gains a foothold.

What have you refused lately?

Project Streamline – Trousers

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Posted on May 14, 2012

It is now the middle of May and halfway through the 3 month period of my participation in Project 333.

I flouted the ‘rules’ on Saturday and wore a plain red knit top, white ¾ trousers and red/white striped overshirt. None of these were on my original list. The weather was unseasonably warm and all of these items are on my ‘big picture’ list.

Let me explain. Ever since I started the challenge of wearing only 33 items for a period of 3 months, I have been mentally working on creating a master list. This means I will not look at my wardrobe in terms of the next 3 months but rather the whole year encompassing all 4 seasons. I am identifying what works and what doesn’t and rather than have a major cull it will be a matter of removing things as they wear out and replacing only if required.

The first part of the journey is to catalogue what I really have instead of simply saying that I don’t have many clothes. Each week I will photograph and discuss one type of article of clothing. Today is trousers so you can judge for yourself.

TROUSERS

This category includes everything from trousers to wear to work to trackpants that I do not wear outside the boundaries of our property.

Charcoal grey work trousers
PROS – colour, weight, style
CONS – too big in the waist, slightly too long, only one pair, about 7 years old
DECISION – wear for the rest of the winter then send to op shop. Replace with 2 pairs of well-fitting trousers.

Black ¾ trousers
PROS – good fit, nice fabric, suit work and casual wear
CONS – nil
DECISION – keep wearing until they wear out, consider something similar as a replacement

Jeans No 1
PROS – perfect fit, op shop jean which I bought and altered to fit
CONS – nil
DECISION – keep wearing them

Jeans No 2
PROS – good fit, well-worn
CONS – getting threadbare in places
DECISION – keep wearing till the end of winter, send to op shop, look for another pair to replace them

Black Cotton casual 3/4 trousers
PROS – good fit, basic colour
CONS – a few years old, won’t last forever
DECISION – keep them continue to wear

I also have an identical white pair (the ones I wore on Saturday). Same as above.

Striped 3/4 cotton trousers
PROS – there are 7 nice matching buttons that I can salvage
CONS – 6 years old, a bit faded, the top I always wore with them has gone to the op shop, not really my colour, a bit tight
DECISION – remove buttons, send to the op shop

Navy 3/4 trousers
PROS – go with most tops I have
CONS – starting to fade a bit, am a bit over navy
DECISION – they get a reprieve at least until next summer. Op shop if I find that I am not wearing them

Navy trackpants x 2
PROS – comfortable
CONS – unflattering
DECISION – keep wearing them at home

Grey drawstring pants
PROS – comfortable
CONS – unflattering
DECISION – keep wearing them at home

Cotton 3/4 pants x 3
PROS – comfortable, suitable for home and local activities
CONS – not my colours, starting to wear out
DECISION – keep wearing them at home

Sage green lightweight jeans
PROS – good condition, bought from op shop
CONS – not my colour, don’t wear them them much
DECISION – back to the op shop

Charcoal travel pants
PROS – comfortable, zip-off legs, love them
CONS – nil
DECISION – keep wearing them and buy another identical pair before we go overseas later in the year.

Beige travel pants
PROS – zip-off legs
CONS – not super comfortable, dry more quickly than the other style
DECISION – keep until we go overseas then decide their fate

This has been a cathartic exercise and if you are trying to minimise your wardrobe I would strongly suggest trying to convince someone else either verbally or in writing why you should keep certain items. It has also been useful to do all of one type of garment together and then you can see just how many you really have and the range of occasions that they cover.

Watch out for more posts on the same theme each Monday for several weeks. Categories will include skirts, dresses (that will be short as I only own 1 dress), shorts, cardigans and so on.

Now that I have laid bare the inner secrets of the best and worst of my trousers please feel free to comment – the number, quality etc as well as my thoughts and decisions.

Sunday Sewing

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Posted on May 13, 2012

Today I took a break from the patchwork and did some other sewing.

First though, I did the ironing. While I was doing it I discovered a tear in the ironing board cover. I had noticed recently that it was getting close to wearing out.

So it was time for a new one. I decided that it could not be that difficult to make one so set about deconstructing the old cover.

Here is what I salvaged: padding which I reused and also used as a pattern, bundle of polyester binding from the edge, elastic and clip from the edge, 2 velcro straps from underneath, edge strip which I used as a pattern.

The fabric I used for the new cover is part of an op shop quilt cover that I bought last year. I used the front to make a tablecloth for a work event and I had the backing left over. I don’t think the quilt had been used and the fabric is 100% cotton.

This the almost finished cover. I just had to do some adjustments to the velcro straps which go underneath the board. They were not long enough to go across my board so I had not used them previously. I replaced the short end with some cotton tape so that I could use them.

Just like new.

This is the view under the board and you can see the modified velcro strap.

I re-used most of the original cover when I made the new one. The pile on the left is the cotton fabric which has gone into the compost. On the right is the rubbish pile – remnants of foam which has almost disintegrated in places, the polyester thread from the unpicking (not visible) and the 2 short lengths of velcro that I replaced with cotton tape.

And a preview of things to come – starting from tomorrow and continuing each Monday for several weeks, I will begin a series titled ‘Project Streamline’. It is a natural progression (for me) from my participation in Project 333. Please drop in and feel free to offer your thoughts/advice or you may like to join in.

See you tomorrow.

Something Different

2 Comments

Posted on May 12, 2012

I have always eschewed patchwork groups and my comment has been, “Why would you spend heaps of money on fabric just to cut it up into little pieces so that you can sew them back together again?” I simply don’t see the attraction and in my opinion it is a waste of money. In fact many of the creations are just for display and serve no practical purpose. Once again, why?

However, I have recently discovered that this is not the case with all patchwork and quilting. I have been reading Frugal in Cornwall and if anyone knows how to do something for nothing (or not very much), it is Froogs. She has been quilting for some time but has really got into it recently. This post is just one of many where she discusses upcycling fabric for these gorgeous quilts.

Anyway, I have been inspired and finally capitulated. At the moment I am just creating some blocks out of scraps of fabric from my cupboard. Most of it is new – offcuts from completed projects or pieces that have been given to me. A couple are garments that have been unpicked.

When I looked through my stash it seemed that pink seemed to be the dominant colour. Not entirely surprising, since I have 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters. These are the blocks I have made so far. There will be some blue as well with touches of purple and green. I am not sure how many blocks I will be able to make with the fabric I have got. Nor do I know what I will make. I am wondering about a quilt for Izz, whose birthday is in August.

Watch this space for more progress.

Friday Favourites – Stuffed Capsicums (Red Peppers)

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Posted on May 11, 2012

This is a meal (can’t really call it a recipe as such) that rarely ever makes it onto my menu plan. I make it when I happen to find suitable red capsicums (peppers) at a reasonable price – generally $2.99/kg or less.

There is no right or wrong way to make these. This is simply how I do it.

Allow 1 medium red capsicum (pepper) per person. Cut in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and stalk.

Place halves skin side up in an ovenproof glass dish. Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Then transfer to the oven (180C) for about half an hour or until skin is starting to loosen and char.

Remove and invert the halves and stuff.

For the stuffing I use pre-cooked short grain rice. Heat the rice in the microwave – this makes it easier to mix in the other ingredients. I add grated tasty cheese, dried onion powder or veg stock powder, black pepper and one or two things from the following list – diced ham, bacon or salami, chopped baby spinach, chopped parsley, Tabasco, chopped mushrooms. The stuffing is really limited only by your imagination.

When the stuffing ingredients are combined use it to fill the capsicum (pepper) shells. Return to the oven or grill to heat through. Top with some grated cheese for the last 5 minutes.

You can include breadcrumbs with the cheese. In the illustration (last night’s dinner), I sliced avocado on top then added the cheese.

Serve with a side salad.

This is a relatively quick and easy main meal which can easily be gluten free and/or vegetarian.

Autumn at Home

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Posted on May 10, 2012

When we travel to the USA later in the year, I am hoping to see some of the famous fall scenery in New Hampshire and Vermont. We will probably be a little early for the best of it but I am sure we will see some, especially in the mountains and northernmost areas.

In the meantime, here is a glimpse of autumn in our own backyard – literally.

It is only one tree, a liquidamber, but it in a climate that does not have many deciduous trees that produce a colourful autumn display it makes a lovely contrast to the surrounding evergreens.