Sunday, 25 January 2015

A different finish

I decided to make a birthday card for my sister early
She is not a blogger, so it is safe to post,
 she is into retro and purple.
 I have used a mixture of skills, and some items I already have.
I'm not into butterflies, but she is. 
 We popped to town this morning, just to visit Wilko's, it's rewarding to go to town and visit just the shop you require, hubby did linger as we walked past BHS, but I reminded him we have enough clothes. One bargain I hoped would be there was the items below. Last week there were loads at just 25% of the 85p, but I waited and hoped. This week just 5p each pack of 8, bargain.
 My lemon and Lime plants,
which are now in one pot, have shot up a bit more,
this is such a warm spot, in the sunshine and over a radiator. 
When spring arrives I will pot on and put out in my green house, I really want these two plants to grow together and have lemons one side and limes the other. 
I started both from pips back in July.
Another day in, I am feeling the cold this year, so I am warm and snug inside. My eye's sting when I go out in the cold. Which is a good excuse for doing nothing in the garden. I am itching to start seeds, but as Fliss is using our spare bedroom, I have nowhere I can put the trays. I will start some in February.
I did start a small stitching project last night, which I will finish later and show you the complete item next time. Thank you for your comments regarding which sites you use to add to your stash.
I have some patchwork to try, after seeing everyone's beautiful quilts, I fancy having a go, but can't decide on using my machine or hand sewing, but it will only be a cushion cover or a nice tote bag.

I am now looking at other ways to save around the house, our biggest bill is heating, I don't like the cold, on the plus side I don't like to be too hot. I have dropped the day time heat down, I do spend a lot of time in the mornings in our office which is sunny. We had the walls done in 2010, and the attic space (which is very small) hubby added to and double glazing, so we are as best as we can be. The kitchen, dining and sitting rooms are all open plan on the hall space, but we do manage to keep warm, with three adults in the house we generate so much warmth ourselves. Our bedroom radiator is always turned off, and we sleep with the window open, I love a cold room, as a child we never had heating in the bedrooms.
Over the years I spent so much time turning off lights and switches, we are both good, hubbies one failing is his computer, I often find it on whilst he is elsewhere, it's running now, whilst he is upstairs in the attic space!
We will never be frugal, I love the standard we are at, but if I can eliminate waste any where I will. It is so enlightening to step back from our crazy commercial world, simplify our lives.

8 comments:

  1. Your sister's card is lovely. I hate being cold and wonder how I managed as a child when the bedreooms weren't heated and there was no central heating. Mick always leaves doors open when he goes out of a room and it drives me mad, I just get it warm and he goes and lets all the heat out.

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  2. I remember ice on the inside of the windows and having to get changed downstairs in front of the open fire because it was too cold upstairs. Mum used to have our clothes warming by the fire. Our fronts were roasting but our behinds were cold.
    xx

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  3. Good buy, Miss Bargain Shopper :)

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  4. I am with you on a cold bedroom Marlene, I can not breathe or sleep if I am hot. I have the heating on fairly low as I am usually busy, if and when I sit and watch TV I have knitting or crochet on my lap and Ben as close as he can get. If I do feel chilly there is always a quilt or blanket about.

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  5. The heating is only on for a couple of hours in the morning and a few hours in the evening but still seems to cost us a fortune. I miss our old cottage with 2 feet thick walls and tiny windows. It kept the heat beautifully all evening.

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  6. The card is lovely. I am with you with the cold bedroom. We have heating on downstairs, if the doors are left open, heat rises equals to warm rooms upstairs! I even dry washing this time of the year at the top of the stairs. Dry enough by the next day to iron and put into the airing cupboard,
    Julie

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  7. Beautiful card finish. Great bargain from Wilko, might just pop into our branch next time I am passing (hopefully nothing else will fall into my shopping basket!)

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  8. I can't believe how many posts I've missed! Love your Sisters card. Lights.....my husband is terrible - it's sometimes like Blackpool Illuminations! I try to turn everything off but with having an old house it does seem to take a fair bit of heating which is why we are looking to downsize.

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