Replenishing the food

Replenishing the food

budgeting shopping food make a bag sewing

Hello. Thank you for the tremendous amount of support you gave me on the post yesterday. I will read through your comments again to refresh my memory. You have given me a lot to think about. I am a person not to be rushed, things sink in better if I take my time. 

This morning I did a Jade dog walk. Regular walker Ken has gone away again, so I am helping out. I told the owner I don't want to commit to every day, she will have to find someone else. As luck would have it I bumped into Joanna in the High Street, remember the 1939 house? She loves dogs, and immediately took to Jade. Since her own dog died about a year ago she has missed the dog walking, and guess what, she said she would love to walk Jade. So that's a bit of good news. It will fit in nicely with the other things she does. 

This afternoon I made three shopping bags. I think this is fabric that Brenda gave me. It is cotton fabric so I made them double thickness, they are plain green inside.   

Tonight I did the yellow sticker dash to Tesco. Not as much there but still a few bargains. Bananas 14p, mushrooms 10p, bread 21p and 23p, salad leaves 10p and 10p, onions 10p and 10p, houmous 11p, macaroni cheese 82p and 82p. Not much off the macaroni cheese because it isn't out of date yet, I'll divide it into four portions and freeze it.

I've picked up a few things I don't normally buy, to get a bit of variety into my diet. Tagliatelle is £1.25, I can get four portions out of the bag. Frozen cheese sauce, £1.50, no idea what that's like, worth a try. Garlic baguette 32p.

Soya milk is 59p, same as Aldi. Potato salad 35p, two custard tarts 70p.

Six small yogurts £1, two packs of 6 vegetable grills £1 each, six eggs 89p, two blue cheese £1 each, Value quiche £1. That will make four meals with some veg. 

Value plain yogurt 45p, I fancied a milk shake, this was £1.

 A few tins. Peaches 35p, fruit cocktail on offer two for £1.50, rice pudding 20p, mushy peas 20p.

Other bits and bobs were, butter £1.09, cream crackers 35p, pack of 12 scones £1, milk 45p. Total shop was £24.55. I have got lots of vegetables in the freezer so I will be using them up before I buy fresh. I have enough potatoes and bread for a couple of weeks. I should have enough food to last ten days or more.

It's getting late so I'm off to bed. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Recycling Upcycling Queen

Recycling Upcycling Queen

free make a bag recycle sewing

Hello, and welcome to Tightwad Towers Recycling Centre. There was a knock at my front door this morning, my friend Bob was on his way to the council dump when he decided to call in here first in case there was something in his car that I could make use of. Most of it was packaging, but I had to rescue a few things. I'm not sure if I actually need them, but I couldn't see them thrown away. I can probably use the two big frames, but the smaller ones might go to the charity shop. 

I do need a small lamp shade, but I these are going to be too big. Probably charity shop. Three cushions. Don't need them myself, but I could take them apart. They have too much stuffing in them, I could make four cushions for the church. My goodness I've got loads to do now, I'm going to be busy trying to keep up with all this recycling upcycling lark.

I made a sign to go on the lamp post on the High Street near to the Village Hall. It's simple, didn't want to spend too much time on it, as it will only be up for six days, then put away till next year.

Two shopping bags made today, with the fabric from one of the beds. They are a slightly darker shade than they are here on the photo.

So, that's what I've been doing on this chilly but dry Sunday. The days are very short now, it's a job to get everything done in reasonable daylight. I've got to go. There's a ginger cat demanding my attention, he wants to snuggle up to me. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Another hippy bag finished

Another hippy bag finished

crafty stuff make a bag sewing

Hello. This bag has been hanging around for a few months, waiting to be finished. Today I got my finger out and bingo, it's done. I forgot to photograph the back, which is a dark red, same fabric as the handles. It has a red satin lining, and is 12 inches by 13 inches, and the handles are long enough to hitch over your shoulder. 

Some machine stitching and some hand stitching. I made the front and back as two separate pieces, and sewn them together by hand with blanket stitch. They have several layers so won't go floppy.

The bluey greeny one I made earlier, not sure which I like best now. 

I've been on the phone today, booking another short break, not so far to go this time, three days walking in Derbyshire. Thought I'd try another hotel in the Christian Guild group. They have a special offer of £39 a night at the moment. Have a look at Willersley Castle, it looks very nice. It's not far from Matlock, plenty of good walking in that area.

The car is empty, all wood put away. I've washed the fabric which I salvaged from one of the beds, it's a lovely shade of blue. I'm making a sign for the Christmas Fair to put on the lamp post near the Village Hall. Will get that finished tomorrow. I'm not sure when they will be building Santa's grotto, if it's the day before I won't be able to help as I may be out walking with my buddies, if the weather is ok. Perhaps I can do it on Thursday, we shall see.

That's it for now. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Home made shopping bags are in fashion

Home made shopping bags are in fashion

make a bag Scrapstore sewing

Hello and Good Morning. Here's another colourful post for you. Why do shopping bags have to be dull, boring, plain, brown, grey, plastic, or covered in advertising logo's? There are alternatives. Let's brighten things up and make shopping bags a fashion accessory. Let's have them in a multitude of colours and designs. Let's use up all the spare fabric we have and make pretty fabric bags which can be washed and used for years. Here's my latest selection just finished. 

Made from fabric sample books so the two sides are different. I found some extra fabric for the handles so they don't match, but it doesn't matter. The sample books were included in my £5 basket when I last went shopping in the Scrapstore, so these cost virtually nothing.

If you don't have a Scrapstore, you could look in car boot sales and charity shops for cheap fabric. Curtains work well, bed throws, as well. Anyone with a sewing machine can make shopping bags. Let's all brighten up the High Street, the shopping malls, the markets and supermarkets. Are you game for this? Go on, give it a go. Show off your own home made shopping bag with pride.

How to make a shopping bag.

Thank's for popping in, I've got things to do, we'll catch up soon. Enjoy your Sunday.
Toodle pip.
PS. When I say, 'we'll catch up soon', there is no particular time scale on that, it could be anytime.

What can you do with a tin of peas

What can you do with a tin of peas

food make a bag sewing vegetarian

Hello. There are some days when I don't mind what I eat, as long as it's cheap and fills me up. Saying that, you won't find any meat or fish in my fridge, unless it's cheap white fish for the cats, I no longer buy ready meals either. I will sometimes splash out a bit more dosh for something extra delicious, but not very often because I can make tasty food from scratch myself. So, I buy my food on price. My meals don't always look appetizing, my aim is to eat it, not to step back and admire my handiwork. 

A while ago I picked up a dented tin of mushy peas from Tesco, maybe I ought it eat it. 

My lunch yesterday was a spud in the microwave and half of the peas. Scoff scoff, it filled my tum, and at only 15p, it was a bargain. Bags of spuds are in season and cheap at the moment.

Dinner last night was steamed sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, and an onion, topped with the other half of the peas. Another tum filler at possibly 40p, a wild guess.

This is ten shopping bags waiting to be assembled. I had a fabric sample book from the Scrapstore and took it apart. The pieces weren't big enough to make a complete bag and handles, so I have used other fabric for the handles. I don't think it will matter, the two sides will be different anyway because there is only one sample of each. Best get on with it then. Need them for the Christmas Fair.  

Thanks for all your comments on the previous post, it's good to hear that we are all on the same wavelength. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

My hippy style bag

My hippy style bag

crafty stuff make a bag sewing

Hello. I've been busy getting on with stuff, plenty to do at Tightwad Towers. Thank you so much for all your kind wishes, I am overwhelmed by how many people take the time to send in their comments. But, life goes on and I have a lot of memories to look back on. Uncle Stan had a long and full life, and I hope to follow his example and fill mine with what makes me happy, and that is mainly keeping busy doing things I enjoy. 

I spent this morning finishing off this bag. It's 12 inches by 13 inches, and made out of scrap fabric, some hand stitching and some machining. I made the back and front as two separate pieces then blanket stitched them together. It is several layers thick so it isn't floppy. The handles are long enough to go over one shoulder, which is how people like to hold them. 

I have added a tab with a piece of black elastic to the back, which fastens onto the button on the front.

All the stitching is random, I didn't have a plan, just added it where I thought it would look nice. I frayed some of the edges of the fabric. 

The back is a plainish piece of fabric.

I am very pleased with it. I have made another bag front with a mixture of red and pink fabrics. Another work in progress to join the other projects. I need to do some work in the garden in the next week. The lilac trees are down but there is still a lot of trimming up on the other bushes, and the front garden needs some attention too. Thank goodness for the electric hedge trimmer.

I'll get off I've still to do the walk yet, don't want to get behind. Shed of the Year is about to start but I'll catch it later. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Guess the magic word

Guess the magic word

funny imagination make a bag

Hello. I've been making more shopping bags to sell on our cat stall at our Village Fete next month. Fourteen in total now, blues, reds, and greens. It's very strong fabric, and waterproof, they will last for ages. 

I have one bag to give away to a lucky winner. All you gave to do is include the magic word in your comment. I did have it written down somewhere, but it has disappeared. It was on this piece of paper, but I can't see it. Well that's strange. Anyway, you'll have to guess what the word is, so have a go, and the one to guess it correctly wins a bag. Easy innit  ;o) Closing date Wednesday morning 1st June at 10am BST.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.