Goodbye Telly!

We finally said fair well to the enormous TV thats been doing nothing for the last six months. Also got rid of the Freeview box too. Recycled it via Freecycle so someone came round today to take it off our hands. Its quite exciting as we now have a play around with the room and move some furniture around :) I'll post some piccies when we've come up with something we're happy with.
On that note, we can also cancel our TV license too now which we've worked out will save us about £100 a year :).
Also considering getting rid of the insurance on my mobile phone too. It's only £5 or £6 a month but I've had a look through the policy and its very tight and unfortunately doesn't cover stupidy and clumsiness, which are the most likely ways I'm going to come a cropper.
Hit a bit of a creative block today. I think its because I've got several little projects on the go which need finishing. Hmm I'll have to get down to some work later on today.

Hot and Steamy

Baking hot day today so slapped on loads of factor 40 and went with bf to a Steam Fair. As there was a nice breeze we decided to walk it. Its about a 40 minute walk but nice as we stopped off a a couple of the good charity shops on route and got an ice lolly at the newsagents :) Worn to a frazzle now but it was a really nice day.
Also picked up some cool beads from a couple of the charity shops. Some nice black and white, wooden ones and some pinky, purpley ones that look like glass but I suspect they're probably plastic. They catch the light really well and together they only cost me about a pound so will turn them into something at some point.
Wearing teabag earrings today which I made a few days ago. I really like them and have even listed a pair on Etsy :). I wonder if they'll sell.
Nearly finished goody bag for the swap I'm doing with someone in the US. Its my first swap and its through Cut out and Keep, which I have a link with my inspiration sites :). I hope she likes the bits I've made. I'll post a pic when everything's done. I'm planning on posting it this Wednesday.

Katnip

Been making some more date and walnut rolls :P. I've already nommed a couple with cheese for my dinner. Yummy :)
Also repotted the Catnip yesterday as its getting quite big. Its almost ready to be planted out down the allotment. We're going to have to get on a clear a space for it. The plan is that we'll have it growing at the end of the plot with some lavender. We tend to sit at the end as it gets the light. Hopefully allotment cat will like my plans :)
The Sweet Peas and Labelia are also growing well. They can go out on the balcony soon. I just need to wait for the Labelia to grow a bit more. We're already got Passionflower and Sunflowers out there so hopefully we'll have loads of colour in a month or two.

Zombies

A bit warm and muggy today so I've been doing a bit of sitting around and chilling. I had a little walk out to pick up a few bits for jewellery making. I'm doing a swap with someone in the US and she likes zombies so I've found some really cool beads which look like skulls and although they're plastic they look like bone. I've made some earrings, a bracelet and a necklace using them. I hope to stick up a pic of two later on.
Also finished my batgirl vest. A bit home-made looking but I like it and it has been just the thing for the muggy weather. I have been wearing it with pride all day. \o/
Thinking of having a go at making my own beads using paper and plastic bags fused together with an iron. I saw a how-to on CO+K a while back that inspired me so I may give this a go later.
Also set myself up an Etsy shop as I'm thinking about having a go selling some stuff. I need to keep practising and trying out new things but thought it maybe a good way to make a little extra cash, nothing ventured ......
Also updated my blog and personalised it a bit more. It looks a bit more me-ish now :)

Batgirl

Discovered that I have a local Bat Society so I'm going to email them tomorrow to find out if they still do a bat information and bat walk once a year. If their programme is anything like last year, it will be next month. :) Cool. In celebration I have modified one of my old tops into a vest top with a bat hanging from a branch on the front with 'bat girl' underneath. I need to finish hemming under one of the arms and iron it. I will have to post a piccy tomorrow.

Recipe for Date & Walnut Rolls

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs of Strong, Wholemeal Flour
3 tbsp of Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
7g of Powdered Yeast
400ml of warm water
2oz Dates roughly chopped
2oz Walnuts roughly chopped

Method

• Mix together all dry ingredients
• Add Olive oil
• Add Water
• Add dates and walnuts
  
• Mix with hands into dough and turn out onto floured surface and knead for 20 minutes.
• Cover over with clean tea towel for 1 1/2 hours until dough has doubled in size.
• Knead again for 2 minutes.
• Shape ping pong ball sized balls and put on greased baking tray. Mix should make between 20 and 30.
• Bake in oven at 200oC for 20 minutes or until browned.
• Leave to cool.
• Eat :P.
  

More bread, less dough

I had a great day today. :) After going for a little wander around town and the market, I came home and made my first ever bread rolls. They were wholemeal and date and walnut flavoured. The recipe was my own adaptation of a recipe I had for raisin and hazelnut rolls but I just changed the fruit and nuts and used just wholemeal as opposed to a mix of wholemeal and plain flour.
We ate some tonight with cheese down the plot and they were yummy. A definite success \o/ and loads left.
The allotment was lovely this evening. So sunny and not too warm. Planted out the peas and gave everything a good water. I also had a little lay while my bf made the frame for the peas and watered. I was lovely just listening to the bees and the birds doing their thing.
I think after a productive day I have earned a nice long soak in the bath. Unfortunately baths are a bit of a vice of mine. As much as showers save energy and water, its not the same when you feel really achy and tense. You also can't put essential oils in the shower (well, not in the same way as a bath) and have just a few candles or a good book. I do try to limit myself though to one or two a week and have showers the rest of the time.

Zzzzz

One of my creations to the left. Its a necklace I made a couple of weeks ago from an old curtain ring. I like it :) Just hoping the cord doesn't dye my neck black when I wear it :/.
Still working on the bag I'm making. I've done all the basic stitching on it, I just need to finish decorating it. I'll post a pic when I'm done.
I have also had a sort out of my clothes yesterday. I try and do this about every 6 months. I've weeded out about 2 carrier bags full. It was mostly stuff that I hadn't worn for ages or were bad buys that I felt obliged to hang onto. I just need to go through the collection now and work out which will go to the charity shops and which I want to hang onto for the fabric/for reworking. I have found that dead socks make great dusters as you can put your hands in them and get into all the fiddly places :)

Wet Sundays

Just come back from a little potter round town. Picked up a couple of craft books from the library so I may have a little play around with potato printing later in the week. It looks far more effective than I imagined.
Also I've been doing some more work on the bag I've been making. Its going to have a fairy painted on the front and is coming along okay. Also finished the picture frame I was making.
Need to use up a few of the bits in our reuse box. We have 4 recycle boxes, one for glass, one for plastics and one for paper and one for reusing. This one seems to be filling up so I need to think what I could reuse the bits in there for. I am going to make myself a small light box for photographing some of the smaller bits I make, like the jewellery. I'm also planning on making a holder for our carrier bags.

Busy, busy, busy

After six months of not watching telly we have finally decided to take the plunge and get rid of it and cancel the TV licence! We're just trying to have a think about what to put in the big space it will leave. Hmmm....
Spent a bit too much money this week :/. Thankfully payday in just over a week. I've been trying recycle as much as possible, support our local markets and small shops and buy things that have the minimum amount of packaging. Unfortunately I've been a little too supportive of late, oops! Next week will have to be a cheap week.
The Sweet Peas I planted last week are already starting to come up \o/. Also one of our Amarilis's is flowering which is really pretty. Also the Aloe Vera has grown tons this year. It probably needs repotting so will try and remember to do that tomorrow.

Bead, Beads, Beads

Been sorting out my beads into colours and its become an enormous job. It seemed so simple initially but then I realised I've not only got beads in every colour of the rainbow, but I've got brown, wooden beads, metal beads, clear ones, you name it. Having a break for now so I can get the feeling back in my legs again.
Uploaded a few more photos yesterday. Feel like I'm getting the hang of what makes a good picture now :) I especially liked the photos of buttercups. I love wild flowers and buttercups are lovely. I did devote a whole patch on the allotment to flowers but that hasn't gone so well :/. We had some crocuses come up earlier in the year but since then there hasn't been much going on. I planted tons of bulbs on that patch so there should be something happening. We also planted some wild flower seeds but not seen any sign of them yet. Hopefully they're just taking their time.
Really addicted to Chai Lattes at the moment. I've found a really nice powder mix at Sainsburys but I keep forgetting where it is in the store. You'd expect it to be with the teas but its not, its by the hot chocolate drinks and Horlicks.

Tales of the City

Finally finished reading "Persuasion" by Jane Austin last night so am now onto something new. Brought "Tales of the City" from the library for 10p a couple of weeks ago so that's what I'm reading now. I'm already a few chapters in and really enjoying it :) I like reading a mix of different stuff. I've got another Sean Stewart queued up for when I finish this. I love his stuff but they seem to be really hard to get hold of in the UK. I've been ordering them second hand from Amazon in the US. I've also got A Passage to India on the pending shelf too so lots of reading to do.
In other news, the peas are starting to come up. I've got them growing on the bathroom window sill. The Catnip is also growing well and almost ready to pot up. The plan is to plant a few down the plot for Allotment Cat and then pass the rest out to friend's cats. :)

Chairman of the Bored :/

I appear to have run out of potter :/ I have checked all my favourite sites, had food and started making a picture frame. May do a bit of planting. Picked up some Labelia and Sweet Pea seeds yesterday to grow on the balcony. I figure one could climb up the railings and one could trail :) Already got some sunflowers out there and some passionflower seedlings doing their thing so some company might be good for them.
Popped down the plot after W just to sit and enjoy the sun. Loads of growing going on. Also watched 3 Magpies fight over the peanuts my bf had sprinkled by the shed. It was very odd. Initially there was only one nomming the nuts and then a bit later 2 more joined him. He was not impressed and let the other 2 know about it. And rightly so :)

Busily doing nothing.....

An enjoyable day of pottering gently, spodding, gardening and making :)
Created this Blog, my first ever! Had a potter round town and bought myself a new sketch pad, with the novel selling point that the front and back cover are made from canvas so you can paint your own front and back cover. Cool :) Also picked up some more beads. I have millions already so will need to start my bead diet tomorrow.
Popped down the allotment for an hour. Did a bit of weeding so we can now see our onions. Also discovered a couple of Strawberries hidden in amongst the weeds by the raspberries. Also picked some fresh herbs for the freezer.
Also did a bit of crafting while my bf napped. I've been working on a bag for a craft swap and its turning out better than I was expecting :) I may have to make myself one when I finish.
Finishing with a last bit of spoddery and maybe a spot of nethack or drawing. Hmmm. Decisions are not my strong suit :/