A day out and a Freebie.

This morning I drove to Spalding and took 2 neighbours, Nev and George. George is 87 and I had to trot to keep up with him, his car is in dry dock and he likes to visit the market.
I was pleasantly surprised, the market has grown considerably since I was last there. I do not often visit as it is 7 miles further than Wisbech or Lynn and less to see than either. However we had a side trip to Baytree Garden center on the way home.
I got some Nadine seed potatoes, I like these as an early maincrop although they are classed as a second early. I was really pleased as I have not seen them for a few years, I will also grow Arran Pilot and Rocket, all in tubs and bags round the paved area.
I was given 2 bags of bulbs at Baytree, which are now in pots, it is late to plant but if they don't flower this year they will next.

There were several varieties to pick from but I had these, they are fragrant and will make a show in 2 pots 1 either side of my door.

I have completed 2 more cushion covers and am very pleased with them.

I will be repeating this idea through my year of 52 challenges, not just cushion covers, I love bright colours and my head is buzzing with ideas. I saw a display of chiffon scarves in Spalding Market, if I can pick some up in the CS I think that they will make a good replacement for net curtains. 

Dinner tonight was Cottage pie with a sweet potato topping, roast carrots and parsnips and sprouts. Followed half an hour later with a slice of apple and mincemeat sponge with a little cream, yummy.

I earned that walking about  miles round Spalding and Baytree, not to mention the 3 walks that Ben had.

Tomorrow I am sorting out the big greenhouse, scrubbing the potting bench and generally getting ready to start some serious gardening. I am looking forward ti rolling my sleeves up and getting busy.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. A good day out with good company.

2. Sunshine, and lots of it.

3. Free flowers, lovely.

4. I have found a replacement slow cooker, half price. HAPPY.

5. The garden has emerged from swamp, it is looking better each day.

My slow cooker is 6.5 litre and I collect it tomorrow, it is also technically FREE as I have 2 £10 gift cards from work, and there is more than enough on my Nectar points to make up the rest. 

No sewing for a couple of days my garden is singing a siren song and I am on the way to being bewitched.

                TTFN                                  Pam

Monday, Sunshine, Sewing and National Yorkshire Pudding Day

Welcome to a new follower, Lindjemp, I have been and had a quick look at your blog and will be returning later. I intend to have a curl up in the corner of the sofa with a brew and maybe a slice of Apple and Mincemeat Sponge. That is if I have room, it is National Yorkshire Pudding Day and I am making Toad in the Hole, with onion gravy.

I spent yesterday in a whirl of activity, 3 loads of washing line dried, ironed, aired and put away in daylight, Woo Hoo. I don't normally do laundry on Sunday, but have been going through cupboards and found a few things that needed refreshing, and did not want to miss the fine weather. 
Another bag of things for the CS sorted, a few books and magazines as well. I changed my bed, through the windows open and vacuumed through, a quick dash round with polish and cloth, and 2 days jobs done and dusted.
A tidy round the little courtyard garden, 3 walks with Ben ( who also went in the bath) and several tea breaks took me till 5.00. 
A few phone calls, dinner and I read till bedtime. I got so into my book that I did not have time to blog. I finished the book, Steve Irwin's story written by his widow, let Ben out and fell into bed.






My project for this week is to make something pretty for my home and spend no money. Although I have 2 projects on the go I decided that I needed to get cracking with this one. Sewing was the obvious choice, so out came my scrap bins and the Leaders and Enders box. this what I came up with, cushion covers.

I make 9 and 4 patch blocks as I sew other projects, then when I want to create in a hurry the tedious work is done.

The turquoise strips were from my scrap bin and were left over from a quilt and pillow sham set.

I also had a play with some of the fancy stitches . The wadding was left over strips from quilts and I joined pieces together with a zigzag stitch rather than cut into a roll. The binding was also left over from a quilt.

This shows quite dark, the light had gone by the time I had finished the first one, I have 2 more with half the quilting done so far. I am even using up all my part bobbins and reels of white cotton thread.

While I was out with Ben I saw these, unfortunately they were in the shade. If you focus on the little twiggy branch on the left you can see that the buds are swelling.

This is at the entrance to the Park hence the ivy and dandelions.

Two hours have gone since I wrote the last line, a phone call and I had to run.

I will have to close now, nothing disastrous, just a friend in need of time and comfort. Back tomorrow.

TTFN                                          Pam

Penny Pinching 1st of the Month

Firstly I want to extend my apologies to all the people who have left comments, after Blogger drove me mad, 3 days running by putting comments in the wrong place and transposing the words I decided to skip a few days. Frustrating as I like to leave a response to every comment, I will try tomorrow.

I managed to walk Ben 3 times yesterday without getting rained upon, after getting back from the last one I had no sooner shut the door when down it came. The wind was positively Arctic and very strong, Ben was most reluctant to go out later but needs must and all that.

I did a little trip to see Mr T this morning and picked up a bargain or 2. All is now safely stowed away and the cupboards are groaning nicely.

The sun is streaming down today although the wind is much the same as yesterday. Washing is duly blowing on the twirly whirly, the vacuum has had an outing and all the debris has been sorted.
Dinner is in the slow cooker and was based on the RTC beef that I could not resist buying this morning.

Here it is ready to go in to the preheated slow cooker, some dishes are just so much better for being started on the stove top.

 Here are the ingredients, there was 334g of "slow cook beef" AKA shin, I trimmed a little fat off which weighed 32g and that pack cost me the grand sum of £1.78 and will feed 3.

Here is the recipe, just in case someone would like to try it.

1 Tbsp  veg oil

the beef as above

2 Tbsp plain flour

1 Red onion peeled and sliced

3 Cloves of garlic peeled and sliced

2 Tsp dried ground ginger

2 Tsp smoked Paprika

2 Peppers, deseeded and sliced

I also added a few lonely carrots that were lurking in the fridge

1 Tin chopped tomatoes

1 Tin kidney beans rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp Brown sugar

2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar

1 sachet sweet chilli sauce

salt and pepper

100ml  Beef stock, I made my own but a stock cube would do.

Dice the beef and toss in the flour, brown in the veg oil in batches, Add the onions and garlic to the pan and put all the browned beef back in. Cook slowly for around 10 minutes, stirring so it does not catch, add the beef stock and bring to the boil, make sure to stir all the little bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring back to the boil, stirring. Tip into a preheated slow cooker and cook 6 hrs on low. It should be so tender that it melts around the fork. I will serve this with steamed green veg, it goes well with potatoes, pasta or rice if you are hungry.

I think that the ingredients came to around £2. 80, Half a cabbage will cost 25p and half a head of broccoli is also 25p so dinner for 3 will be £3.80. A bit more than I would like to spend, if I add carbohydrate it would feed 4 at a cost of around £4.25. I want to have a pudding, Apple Something with custard, probably Eve's Pudding as it is a favourite. The apples are from the garden and a 2 egg sponge with a pint of custard would come out at around £1 50, and would serve 4-6 depending on how greedy hungry you are.

This would work with pork shoulder but I would use a white bean and probably add some celery, use white onion and chicken stock and a chopped apple.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Dinner done and dusted.

2. Washing done and dried.

3. Sunshine.

4. Steve Irwin recording for me to watch later.

5. My copy of "Love Patchwork and Quilting" to read.

The magazine came yesterday but I was too uncomfortable to settle down and read. I did skim through it and found a cushion that I just have to have, so I have it all cut out and ready to sew. This months edition is chock full of wonderful things to make, even more so than usual, and that is no mean feat.

I have carried on sorting and removing items from the cottage and have 2 baskets full of "stuff" to take to the CS. I could be a lot more ruthless but there are some things that I can not part with just yet. 

I am off to check that the kitchen is put to rights then out with Ben, I am looking forward to walking in sunshine.

     TTFN                                                       Pam

What to do on a Rainy Day.

With a little bit of this and a little bit of that I can fill my day with sunshine, well warmth and the golden glow of the oven light.
I couldn't sit still today so between the showers I took Ben and Greg out for 2 walks.
 I sorted out my sewing patterns and cut out another full skirt from my new to me pattern. The first one will have to be refashioned, I felt that the fabric was just a touch too heavy so am rethinking. The white on red polka dot is cut out and pinned together, I have a zip and will probably use a hook and eye fastening on the waistband.

At mid afternoon I had to get into the kitchen, I started by getting my pastry mix, homemade, out of the fridge and making a ball of pastry to rest back in the fridge.

While it was chilling I made this.

1/4 of a roast chicken, 1 bacon chop simmered in a little water  for 15 minutes, 2 leeks some buttery stuff, plain flour, milk and stock.

Slice the cleaned leeks and sweat off in some buttery stuff, when soft stir in the plain flour and cook for 10 minutes stirring gently. Add in enough stock and milk to give a fairly thick sauce, season and stir in the diced meats and put to cool. roll out the chilled pastry and make pies or pasties.

I got a pie for the freezer, another for my neighbour  Nev, and a pastie for lunch tomorrow, maybe.

I had some pastry left and knowing that both my neighbours have a sweet tooth I made a Paradise slice.

Line a greased swiss roll tin with pastry and spoon in some jam to cover the bottom. Weigh 3 eggs, 2 if very big, and use the same weight of caster sugar and buttery stuff, beat together with a wooden spoon, then use the same weight of half and half SR Four and Ground Almonds and stir into the mix, then add around 100 gs coconut and 400 g luxury mixed fruit (RTC if you can find it is perfect.) I have used homemade mince meat and added a little extra almonds to counteract the extra moisture, dollop on to the jam and spread level cook at 180c for 25 -30 minutes. I like this warm with a little cream, others like it with custard. I made a small round one from the excess pastry and filling mix, waste not want not.

I phoned the surgery this morning for my follow up test results, only to be told that it had been tested and on seeing the results the sample had been sent to "the lab", and no there was nobody available to give me any details, and no they could not prescribe anything until the results are back.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. A happy productive day.

2. Treats for my friends that cost little more than my time.

3. Missing the rain on my walks.

4. Despite the weather laundry and ironing done and dusted.

5. Seeing a mole pop out of his hole and sit up sniffing the air, luckily Ben and Greg were charging around on the other side of the field.

They are pretty little creatures and surprisingly fast, a blackbird sounded the alarm and in the blink of an eye the mole had turned a somersault and was gone.

I have stocked up with lemon barley water and cranberry juice, I will try the surgery Friday afternoon but in truth I expect it will be Monday at the earliest before I get any answer.

I have 6 items on my shopping list, I will go to see Mr T. on Friday and see if I can stock up enough things to get my £6 off. I have checked on line and some of my regular buys are on promotion.

Time for Tea,

                        TTFN                                             Pam

What a Wonderful Day

This morning the postie brought me a very special packet, well it may not be everyone,s cup of tea but it is certainly right up my street. I found it on Anglesey Allsorts on Saturday and it had my name all over it.

I may have totally ignored the stack of fabric ready to be cut for my next quilt.

I may have spend time pulling a wonderful piece of lightweight home dec fabric that I think would be perfect for the skirt and blouse.

I bought this 100% cotton print in Dunelm ages ago, I just knew that the perfect use would come along.

I also have some bright red polka dot that would be ideal for a lighter version, I will line it though as I can not be doing with petticoats. I have also added pockets to the side seams, on the polka dot skirt I may add patch pockets.

Dinner tonight was Spicy sausages and oven cooked chips, I used some red unnamed potatoes and was not impressed. They came from a bag that was a gift and I will try as many ways of cooking them as I have to until I find a way that they like. If all else fails they will become game chips and Bubble and Squeak.

I was talking to a friend earlier about our shopping habits, she was shocked at the fact that I actively hunt out bargains and stock pile on items when they are on promotion. I am certain that she thought that I was on my beam end.

Now I do not feel the need to justify my actions but I took the time to explain.

It is not a case of what I CAN afford but what I WILL afford. When I find things, that I usually buy, at a reduced  to clear price or on a very good special offer, I snap them up in as large a quantity that I can store. I am a winner in the game. If I have to pay full price I have lost. To me it is a game, it is also a safety net for the future. I am healthy and hope to have many more years of good health. If this does not happen I will have substantial savings to enable me to remain independent with support. Plus I enjoy it, I went to the Co op in Sutton this morning and large chickens were RTC to £3.50 from £5.00, all the same price but with a weight variation of 200g, that is over 6oz. I took the time to sift through and pick out 4 of the heaviest. To me that was a win win double. I could easily pay the full price, they are very good quality and a fair price but I like to play the game.

There have been times when shopping this way was the only option for me, certainly it was how I was raised. Now it is second nature to me.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Today I made a convert to careful shopping.

2. Today I stocked up on lean protein at a bargain price.

3. Today I walked in sunshine, three times.

4. Today I had exciting post.

5. Today I started making a skirt, for the spring that is on it's way.

I have had a good day today, I hope that you all have also had good days.

Do I feel guilty for not sewing quilt blocks? Not in the slightest, it will happen and once completed I will be having a layer and baste day or so, followed closely by a quilting fest. I have not made clothes for a while and it felt good to do some "for me" sewing today.

I am going to look around for a dress form, I had one years ago and goodness knows what happened to it, lost in a house move probably. 

That is it for today, oh oh, I nearly forgot, I told you about the bread tins that I found in London for £ too much. Well I had a ride out with Nev this morning to a large rambling sell anything kind of place, he wanted photo paper for his printer and I found sturdy bread tins for £3.99 and snapped up 2. When I use them I will show and tell.

               TTFN                                                        Pam

Busy Doing Nothing, Working the whole day long.

I have been pottering around all day, in and out of the garden, pushing the vacuum cleaner round the whole cottage, picking things up and putting them where they belong, walking Ben in the sunshine and the rain. Sorted out a few things to take to the CS, and filled a recycling bag with very elderly magazines, all glossy so no good for compost.
I am sure that lots of you have days like that, butterfly days when you flit from room to room and job to job. Perpetual motion without doing much of anything. It does not feel as though I have been working but looking round I see more space, empty flat surfaces, nothing glaringly out of place.
By 3.00 I was starting to feel hungry, I had taken a bacon chop out of the freezer (Cooking Bacon from Mr S), I diced it small and poured boiling water over it to take out the salt and put it to drain after 15 minutes or so. I had a dish of homemade chunky veg soup and I strained the veg out and mixed with the bacon. That was the filling sorted, now what to wrap it in? Ding! I have some herby dumpling mix from AF. I put a pan of water on to boil and got busy. I made the mix up and rolled it out to a rough square, spread the filling over and rolled it up like a Swiss Roll, wrap loosely in baking Paper then foil and drop into boiling watere onto the trivet from my pressure cooker. I let it simmer and steam for nearly 3 hours. Now I did think about using the pressure cooker but I like the crust to be brown and a bit crisp and that needs time.

Served with cabbage, 3 hungry servings, it,s a good job that I have 2 neighbours, I turned the stained soup into a tomatoey gravy and it disappeared at an alarming rate.

I put an old fashioned steamer basket on top of the pan and in that I put a basin with around 3/4 pt of water and a chopped up chicken carcass. That gave me some concentrated stock and a dish of meat for Ben.

I had boned the chicken out a while ago and put the bones in the freezer, there was not a huge amount of meat left on the bones, I use a very good, very sharp boning knife.

I think that dinner worked out at around £1.50 including the electricity, not bad for such a good dinner.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Lots of little jobs added up to a good days work.

2. Good food, great cost, minimal work.

3. Bones is on TV tomorrow.

4. Bright sunshine for most of the day, heavy rain was forecast.

5. Mr T has sent me some very good vouchers, I haven't been to see him for months he must be missing me.

Needless to say I will be shopping there this weekend, I have a £6 off a £40 pound shop voucher and some money off coupons for various items that I often buy, I may not need to buy them this time but I will as the savings will be worth it.

I am going to start cutting the next quilt top tomorrow, there will not be too much to cut as I will be using my scrap stash to make Courthouse Step blocks.
I am off to the wool shop this week to get some yarn ready for when my crochet hooks arrive, they have to come down the Amazon, delivery date is next Monday. I have decided on my first project and will share it however it turns out.

I feel a cup of tea is called for, then I am going to get my fabric boxes out and some fat quarters ready for the morning.

                 TTFN                                    Pam

Quilt in a Day, Very Nearly.

A warm welcome to 2 new followers, Jozzie and Caryl W, I hope you find something to interest you.
An apology to those who commented yesterday, I like to reply to each but Blogger had other ideas, words were transposed and replies put in the wrong place so I threw the towel in.

Another Announcement.

Quilt top number 3 is finished. I was reading my new book from  Camille, of Bonnie and Camille, and I saw her "big block" version of Churn Dash. It has taken an old block and made it thoroughly modern, I fell in love there and then.
I slept on it and remembered that I had some Savanna Bop in my stash, I bought it ages ago at a really good price. So I made a block and used some bright Turquoise for a bold splash, then I made another with a different print, they looked so good together that I made 2 more and a quilt was born.
I have 2 more prints from the collection and a plan is fermenting for number 4. 
There is a great deal of white space in this and I am thinking of using a bold cotton for the quilting or a little applique here and there.
If I had only spent the day sewing I could have made 2 like this with no problem, I normally make quilts with lots of small pieces so this was very new to me. I would not want to make every quilt with big blocks but a fast finish gives you a feel good glow.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. One step nearer to my donated quilt total.

2. A gift of an old Randolph Scott film on DVD.

3. Sunshine this afternoon.

4. The viral video from BBC Radio 2 today is brilliant, I have only watched it 3 times.

5. I thought that I had to have an external door replaced, but the nice man who came out to look at it found that it was any easy fix and charged me £10.

I don't watch the Radio 2 things usually but was listening to Steve Wright and he played the sound track, I logged on to Facebook and watched it and watched it and watched it. Ben was watching as well but was not impressed.

An easy dinner tonight, minced beef cobbler with roast root veg. At less than 90p a serving and very tasty I am happy, and very full.

I may have a day off sewing tomorrow, I have sewed my way through 3 quilt tops and want to do some other bits and bobs before I start the 4th. I also want to vacuum all the threads up, they have trailed all over the cottage, it is also time I washed all the paintwork down. I do not like housework but equally I do not like being in a muddle.

In my quest to learn to crochet I have bought a set of hooks from up the Amazon, I now have to get some yarn, I have a "how to" book and have found some tutorials on You tube. I will not give in, I have seen some truly gorgeous crochet on some of my blog list and I want to do that.

Oh My, it is gone 7 and the sink is full of dishes, I need to shake my tail feathers.
       TTFN                                                                  Pam