Wednesday 20 July 2016

Gadget Pouch for Upper Arm with Dog Bag Pocket

These warm days have presented me with a problem, now while they are lovely and I'm not knocking them  I do usually have to wear either jeans, a jacket or both when out walking in this country.  So this usually means I always have somewhere for dog bags and my mp3 if I take it.

Summer dresses however do not have the necessary pockets so I have been finding that I sometimes have to take a bag, a bag with three dogs in tow is not very practical, I just feel too overloaded so tonight before we went out I quickly stitched this little pouch to go on my arm.

I know you can buy them but it is just a pocket with a strap after all so I just recycled a bit of denim and it was ready in about fifteen minutes.
It is nothing fancy but it serves the purpose and I can fit the dog bags in the front and tuck the excess wire down the side of the gadget.  A couple of bits of Velcro to make it stay put and it didn't fall off so success.
The good thing about making it myself is that it is exactly the right size for my mp3 (creative Zen x-fi, I have had it about five years, amazing sound) just fold and place on where you need to stitch.
There we have have it, I didn't set out to make anything today but things you need in a hurry are always the most satisfying however rough around the edges, if it does the job that's what matters.

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Charity Shop Finds and Cruelty Free Hair Care

I have had quite an absence here again with the main reason  being I haven't really had any new makes to share. There have been a few new recipes tried out but in the teatime rush they have been whipped up and consumed before any snaps have been taken and before you know it,  it's a new day!

So now the summer is here I hope to be a bit more organised and not leave so long between posts. On the topic of being organised I began to declutter yesterday, I have taken two large bags full of clothes to the charity shop and there is still more to follow.  I bought the two items I am about to share with you a few weeks ago but even then I had in the back of my mind that quite a few things needed to go.

I don't like waste so I always try to get a lot of wear out of my items or modify them but there does come a time when some things are no longer looking their best or you just shove them to the back of the wardrobe all the time.  When this happens as it did to me, a big sort out is in order.

Quite a few of the items came from the charity shop to begin with or were handmade, there was a time when I couldn't let handmade stuff go but I had to get over this or have no hanging room.

Here are the two dresses I picked up for £4 a piece...
I like this as I have another floral one and they do not require an iron.
Now this one will need tweaking as you can see how it hangs on my mannequin, the sides need taking in, shoulders taking up and some adjustment under arm but then it will be fabulous.

So really when I keep finding super items like these I don't have much of a need to make anything just resize. This is something I have been doing for a few people recently and in particular with maxi dresses I don't where all the giants are that these things are supposed to fit!

Moving on, I have been doing a lot of research this week on trying to find a hair colour that has not been tested on animals.  You would think that would be fairly straight forward but it appears that unless you want to dye your hair violet, electric blue or green there is not a lot to go on as all articles direct you to these sorts of items.  That is great if that is what you are after but I just wanted a blonde shade.  I did find some good reports about Naturtint (available from Holland and Barrett) but then I read as many bad reviews and that put me off.

Well after seeing a comment that Boots do a lot of cruelty free as do Superdrug I had an aha moment as I already use the naturals make up from Boots and I knew that was ok and the body lotion from superdrug.  So I went off in person to see what I could find.

Here is what I came back with...
I will let you know how I get on with the colour, it is £3 pound cheaper than my usual as well and it may not lift as well and I will do a patch skin test first.  I also found Daniel Field are cruelty free and have really good reviews but you cannot lighten only add colour with those, worth remembering or one to try when I have more grey. The superdrug shampoo I bought is half price at the moment also.

It was a whirlwind visit to Meadowhall to get these items as I can't spend too long in there, back now so I really should do some more sorting. Now I saw a little video by Marie Kondo who said if I don't feel joy when I hold an item it has to go!  Well I don't know about that, because some days we would be throwing the whole contents of our wardrobe out wouldn't we?  I have not read her book has anyone else? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.   I am certainly trying to make more of a conscious effort to control the contents of the house, items just seem to breed don't they?




Saturday 11 June 2016

Holidays and Charity Shop Finds

It's been a while I know but I have been so busy!  No new makes to share as there is nothing I am really inspired to put the time into at the moment with other things going on.
We had a week  away at Whitby for half term but that was cut short due to the horrendous weather, when we left Sheffield I swear the sun was shining and, despite the forecast I had hopes it would not be a total washout.  I was wrong, as we got closer the sky got blacker and it didn't really stop raining until Thursday evening when we came back.  The worst of it was the wind which was so icy I pretty much lived in a hoody with a coat over the top.

Now as we live in England of course we are used to this kind of thing on holiday, the problem is as we have three dogs we can't even go off and do indoor types of things because we can't take the dogs in and for some ridiculous reason you are not allowed to leave your dogs in your own caravan.  I don't understand this as on a cool day with a window ajar they would just settle down and go to sleep!

So all we could do was walk around in the cold and wet or sit in the caravan. We did manage to travel over and see my sister in law at Bridlington which was good and she allows dogs!
Here is the scene from Whitby Abbey which is beautiful but it really was cold.

Before we left we also had a bit of a drama with the caravan and the motor mover battery went flat, it rolled on our drive and scraped underneath.  My husband now needs to repair this, after looking around for a 'new to us' caravan we have decided we will make the repairs then sell it but not replace.

After eight years of caravan holidays it is a little sad but with my boys being older now they do not really want to be cramped if we are confined due to bad weather. We are restricted as to how often we can use it as I follow term times but my husband has to book his holidays way in advance and we are still met with restrictions as to which ones will take three dogs so enough!

After doing a bit of research we have found some delightful cottages in England that accept three dogs and while we still will not leave them unattended, at least I won't have to pop on a coat and waterproof shoes to go for a visit to the toilet/shower block.  There also won't be the ongoing costs of insuring and maintaining a caravan that is not used so often.

Now don't get me wrong I still think caravan holidays are incredibly cost effective for families, our first was only £900 we did it up ourselves and had lots of cheap, fun holidays in it.  My children were younger then and I have to say camp sites have become more expensive especially if you take pets.  One that I looked at wanted an additional £7 per night per dog! Why for goodness sake? They stay in the caravan with us or are on a lead as we leave the site. Plain ridiculous, so for a weeks holiday that is an extra £147 (for our three dogs) on top of pitch, awning and extra  people (your pitch cost only covers you for two adults) all that so your dogs can sleep in your property while it is parked in a field.


I know I am starting to rant so I will stop. Of course it was good to get away and be together it just felt like the end of an era for now at least.  I think if you are retired and you can take off for a trip when the forecast is good then that is just great.

So in addition to the holiday I have been working on a short course on Future learn, introduction to Italian.  It runs for 6 weeks and I am on week 4,   I am really enjoying it and had there been an internet connection at the site I could have got a bit done there, but there wasn't.

We had a walk to the local charity shops today, a glance on the rails didn't reveal anything suitable to wear or use for fabric but I did get a number of good books, a couple for my son and the rest for me.
The Hundred year old man who climbed out of a window,  I have to say I have had before from the library and I didn't get far with, but everyone has told me it is really good so for 79p I thought I would maybe give it another go.
The bottom three look a bit different so I thought I would try them, I do find I want to read something of a different genre sometimes but don't know where to start.

I read this last week...
This was really good, if you enjoyed 'Outliers' or 'Blink' and have an interest in motivation and what drives people this is worth a look.







Sunday 15 May 2016

Pyjamas from a Duvet Set (Re-fashion)

Well I kept on staring at the duvet set that I bought from the charity shop and it was telling me it should be pyjama bottoms. Other ideas were passing through my mind but this one was recurring so I got on and made them.  They were complete in under an hour and I am sure they will be really comfy to sit around in the evening.  I am not a fan of nightwear but it is good to wear around the house when you come home and just want to be comfortable.  I usually change out of work clothes into jeans when I get in to walk the dogs but late evening these will be ideal.
I had to put them on to get a clear daytime shot.
Obviously I won't be wearing them outside with shoes normally! I am only on the back garden here.


So that can be my 'me made May' for today, I have been having a look and the only rules I can see is that you wear something handmade by yourself every day.  I have been doing that but forgetting to photograph and post, so that is today sorted.

We have had a lovely lunch I made the curried aubergine slices from the Prashad at Home cook book I got from the library, meat eaters had chicken and a taste of the veggie food. We also had chickpea burgers that I made and froze the other day, a home made slaw of all kinds of veg whizzed through the food processor (a present from my husband on Friday) potatoes and chutney.  Desert is the berry vegan cheese cake I made last week and froze, off to eat that now!




Saturday 14 May 2016

Banana Loaf (GF Vegan), Charity Shop Fabric and Books

I'm sure there are many things I have missed out on posting about these last couple of weeks.  I keep finding myself thinking oh I forgot to take a picture of that and so on.  The reason I feel this is happening is not that there isn't anything going on, but rather I have been trying to fit too much in.  Then on the occasions that I do have time planned to post and catch up something unexpected happens like a visitor unannounced.

So for the last few weeks I have been writing down  what I intend to get done as I find for me this works, if it has to be crossed off then I will do it.  I printed off some free weekly planner sheets and wrote down things I would be disappointed if I did not do.  This has worked but time being what it is, I was overly optimistic as to how much you can fit in at the end of a working day therefore there hasn't been much time left.

So as well as trying new recipes I had wrote down guitar every day, Spanish, Dutch, dog walk (which can be 45-60 minutes) reading (fiction &non fiction) and TV usually after 9.30.  Well when you consider we don't usually finish our meal until about 6.45 that is a lot to cram in. Reading I fit in anywhere and bit before bed, any sewing is often done at the end of the week.

I have decided to give myself a break, I will still make the lists but maybe alternate the days for some things. I also have beginners Italian starting next Monday with Future Learn so I need space for that!

Anyway here is a little catch up, after the cheese cake went down well last week I made a GF vegan banana chocolate loaf from the book  Vegan and Gluten-Free Baking, that I shared a few weeks ago.  This one is fabulous again!  If you have not got this book you have to try and get a copy everything just comes out wonderful.  I have only one, dark, evening photo as it came out of the oven so here it is...
It was just so tasty and a good size, we were all taking it to school and work until Wednesday and I was coming home and having a bit more as it is so good when there is food for me to have with a cuppa.
I have taken a picture of the recipe, I only used two bananas in mine and it was enough.

Yesterday I had all sorts planned for my day then my mum turned up just before lunch and stayed all afternoon so that changed things a bit.  I was going to visit at that end of the day and we had agreed on that but she decided to change her mind. I had only just got back form the shops so she nearly had a wasted trip!  Anyway we had a walk down to the charity shop and she got a Regata fleece which she was very pleased with and I spotted this lovely single duvet set for the fabric.  If I had a guest room or girls it would definitely be going on a bed but I don't, so fabric it is.

You can't see the colours clearly in this picture but it is really nice, a sort of duck egg shade.  I had wanted something for backing for when I start a quilt so I think the stripy part will be that, the front however could be anything, a skirt, pyjama bottoms, I'm not sure I will have to ponder it a bit.  My husband said 'you are not using it for clothing though are you?  Well I don't see why not it would just be a hard repeat match up with the pattern being on a large scale.  I might also add the duvet cover with a pillow slip was £3! Such a good buy.

I picked up a couple more books from the library, one that I ordered on crochet and the other is one I just spotted on Indian cooking.


I have already planned to make the curried aubergine slices to have with lunch tomorrow form the Prashad at Home book and Ruby and Custard's Crochet has been flicked through lots already (I picked them up yesterday). Both are full of lots of inspiration and I took a few pictures from the crochet book.
I know it's not the time of year but I will be making this at some point.

Again not the time of year but this dove is so cute.

Now I don't have any little princesses but if I did I would be making these tiaras.

There are so many lovely ideas in this book it may have to go on my list of ones I love, so will buy at a later date when I see it at a good price. Have a lovely weekend.










Sunday 8 May 2016

Vegan Berry Cheese Cake

Well it looks like summer has arrived and I have made the most of it by sitting outside, and generally making sure I don't miss any because who knows? It is England it may be snowing next week.  I'm going to appear really old now but getting all the washing dry, how good is that after months of hanging things indoors.

I saw this recipe for a vegan berry cheesecake here at Pure Ella I've looked at it a couple of times and thought I'd have a go while the weather is so good (it is a cold pudding after all).
The only thing I changed was I put banana in with the strawberry mix and left out the raspberries as I wanted to save them for another day.
 Those are cranberries you can see in the base, my base mix was not very well ground up as I don't have a food processor but I am going to look out for one as I make so many things that require one now.  It didn't take away from the taste though and as a bonus it is completely healthy as everything in it is natural.

The rest of the family had real cream on it completely missing the point of it being vegan!  I had soya cream on mine.  There are six portions left in the freezer for another day, you just take it out and let it defrost in the fridge for 30 minutes. Thank you Pure Ella.

Lots of things starting to come to life in the garden which is nice so just some of the pots that will need filling. Hopefully it will be fine again next week so we can do that, here are a few plants that are currently adding a bit of colour.

I love these little flowers, the colours are so bright.
This has been coming back for years but is now quite large and faded, also as you can see the slugs keep having a go at it.
This is the same age but looking healthier.

I have had a few alterations to do today as well, there are still more to do this week for my husband, son and friend so no new makes in that area to show at the moment.

Monday 2 May 2016

This Week

Just had a lovely long weekend despite the rubbish weather and I have resolved to always feel this gratitude whatever the weather is doing, I admit to being a bit of a summer girl and living in England this can result in disappointment.
Today I had a really good long walk in the pouring rain, and the trick is loud rock music and a good coat. Although when I got home my raincoat had let water through but never mind I just got changed.

Books this week, I have finished The Girl Who Fell from the  Sky, I started it a few weeks ago but as usual I have had a few on the go along side it, philosophy and crafts and stuff. I also read As A Man Thinketh  which came yesterday and I read this morning but it was short but amazing!  The third book I read was The Story this is a Christian book and worth reading if you are interested in this area/faith.
I really must try and read my books as I acquire them but I always tend to dip in and out of them. I've always been that way since I was a child, I always have a few on the go.

I have just added Semper app Semper to my tablet to help with learning Spanish vocab it is quite good as it gives you a little quiz every time you switch it on.

Currently listening to  'Away from The Sun, Three Doors Down', I've had this a month or so but just really getting into it now.  Also listening to lots of Snow Patrol today just enjoying them again right now.

Another thing this week is check lists, I fall in and out of doing these but I'm currently in favour of them as you sometimes feel you haven't accomplished much when really you have done an awful lot.  So as well as keeping you on track they also provide a bit of evidence just for you that no you haven't wasted your day, you achieved rather a lot and be proud!  So yes, ticking things off right now.

 Right off to watch Game of Thrones.




A Slow Week, A few Books and Pretty PJs

 Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well.  So this week has been brought to a bit of a standstill for me.  I have somehow injured my b...