Happy New Year: Welcome to 2015

I'm going to write some targets for this year. 

I don't believe in resolutions but I can happily work towards a target. 

I did a few last year, but life got in the way. 

Targets for 2015

To get healthy. I have let my health slide over the last few months. Bad planning, dreadful scheduling and life has meant I'm not sleeping as much as I should, definitely exercising less than ever, and obviously eating some really tasty but not good for you foods. 

To build some savings. I need to adopt a more frugal outlook to life and live in a more streamlined world.  I have a slight ostrich approach to finances at times and that never ends well. 

Find a good work/life balance. This is a tricky one. I work a lot of hours. Often upto 57 hours a week, before blogging, volunteering and housekeeping. So yes, a balance needs to be found. Either by cutting down my hours in the office, blogging more effectively and on a schedule and outsourcing cleaning (I like this one most!). 

Try new things. Like many people I find it really easy to fall into a comfort zone, and I forget that there is a world out there full of new experiences just waiting for me to say yes to. I can be a bit of a homebody at times and often find it difficult to step out of my box. 

Develop a regular skin care routine. I'm really bad at this, and I'm also very lucky that at my age I'm not as wrinkled and lined as I could be. Considering I rarely moisturise. I have the odd swollen bump that hormones like to offer me, however that's about it.

Valentines DIY: Jar of Love

To make your Jar of Love you will need:

Pretty paper, the origami/scrapbooking type.
Glue dots or glue stick.
I love you, either written or printed out in the style of a fortune cookie.











Instructions

1. Cut circles. My circles have a diameter of 4.5 inches, but you could go smaller – down as small as 3 inches – with no problem. Find a saucer, bowl, Tupperware, or some other round object with a diameter of approximately 3 inches and trace it over and over and over. 

2. Fold one of the circles in half, but don’t crease it. Hold it shut at the edge where the two sides meet. Once you've made a few cookies, you’ll be able to put the fortune in at this step. 

3. Using your other hand, grab the two “corners” – the places where you would have creased it if you were creasing it. Using your thumb and ring finger, gently pinch those two corners together, while pushing the centre backwards with your pointer finger. It sounds much more difficult than it is. When you do this, one of the pieces will crease underneath the other piece (or, if you are holding it, they will form a crease with both edges in the same direction – both ways look nice, so it doesn't matter). Crease the centre a little on the outside. 

4. Add a glue dot/dab of glue between the two ends of the cookie to hold them together. This is what will keep the cookie in the cookie shape. 

That’s it. Your paper fortune cookies are done. Now repeat three or four dozen times and put them all in a nice jar or bowl.

Valentine's DIY: Easy Crochet Bunting

I was looking for something different to do, and I came across this idea while I was googling. 

Simple Crochet Bunting

The only stitches you need to know are:-

ch - chain

dc - double crochet (single crochet in US)

I'm using a 4mm hook and double knit wool.

***

Row 1.  First, chain 2.

Row 2.  Work two dc into the second chain from the hook (ie. the first chain you made).

Row 3.  Turn your work.  Ch 1.  Dc twice into each of the two stitches.

You should now have four dc stitches in your row.

Row 4.  Turn your work.  Ch 1.  Dc twice in the first stitch then dc once in each of the remaining 3 stitches.  (5 stitches in row.)

 

Row 5.  Turn your work.  Ch 1.  Dc twice in the first stitch then dc once in each of the remaining 4 stitches.  (6 stitches in row.)

Row 6.  Turn your work.  Ch 1.  Dc twice in the first stitch then dc once in each of the remaining 5 stitches.  (7 stitches in row.)

 Continue working two dcs in the first stitch of each row and one in each of the rest.

Turn.  Ch 1.

Keep going until you are happy with the size of your triangle.

Fasten off and sew in the end of the yarn.

You can do the same with the original end of the yarn (at the bottom) or thread it through a glass bead before knotting and cutting.

To join your bunting triangles together, select your choice of yarn.  I chose cream.  Chain 30 (or more if you want a longer tie) and then, right side of your triangle facing you, carefully double crochet along the top.

Carry on chaining (I chained 6 in between each triangle) and dc-ing along the tops of all your triangles and then chain an additional 30 for the other end of the tie.  Turn your work, chain 1 and then dc your way all the way back along both the chains and dcs.

Fasten off and sew in your ends.

What do you think?

Valentine DIYs: Valentine's Wreath

I thought as Valentine's Day is looming, and I've been scrolling through different decorations on @pinterest, that I would try my hand at making a wreath.

As we are still feeling the pinch of the post Christmas/Birthday season I have made this from items I already had in the house.

Here I have an offcut of red material, a wire coat hanger and the inside of a laundered old pillow.

I made a rough circle shape out of the hanger, don't worry if it's not totally round as you are adding the wadding next. (apologies for the lighting, daft Yorkshire mid afternoon drizzly weather)

Then I took the red fabric. This offcut already had a hem on there which made then next step slightly easier/neater.

I wrapped the material around the wadding and sewed it with a rough running stitch. I did this all the way around the circle.

Then my mind moved to how do I decorate this?

BUTTONS!!! I have so many different styles, colours and shaped buttons. So I selected a few.

What I've Been Watching

We were channel hopping the other day and came across this little beauty of a show, Extreme Cheapskates.

Fly-on-the-wall cringe inducing escapism.

TLC have some amazingly odd, yet magnetically charged programming.

Extreme Cheapskates is centred at watching how a group of uber-frugal men and women save every last cent from their dollar.






From splitting a 2-ply toilet roll so you get 2 rolls for the price of one, gold-finger material if you ask me - although if he could get my eldest boy to reduce his consumption of the stuff that'd be great, to dumpster diving for food that restaurants and shops have thrown out.


It's part inspirational, as you can see people trying to get more for less and doing their bit for the environment, and part job-dropping oh my work what the actual heck are you thinking of.

But in a world where people are looking to save money in any way possible could you see yourself turning, even just a little bit, in their direction? Or are you more of a couponer.