Bargains!!

Bargains!!

Oh I love a bargain. I had a trip into Sainsburys  yesterday and all there Christmas gifts were on sale.

I wanted the tagine and the red and white jug before Christmas but refused to payfull price for them.

I got them yesterday for £5.70, Oh and the cute candle tin was £1.00. Any one who knows me knows I cat resist a candle.

We are staying in tonight. I am on the early shift in the morning, so I think I will make lamb Tagine and Mr SD and I can have a little dinner party at home!!

So I will say 

Happy New Year to all my Blogging friends

 Whatever you do this evening have a great time be merry and be safe HAPPY NEW YEAR to each and every one of you xxxxxxx

Rhubarb Wine Champagne

Rhubarb Wine  Champagne

I am going to try my hand at wine making this year. And apparently this is simple to make.

First wine of this year for me is rhubarb, as soon as there is  plentiful supply of the stuff and many people have a glut. I'll update this post as I proceed with my less than technical approach to frugal winemaking. I prefer the champagne-type sparkling fizz to the sweet or the dry, so mine doubles up as a refreshing drink for summer picnics and celebratory cheer for special occasions. Like Christmas or New Year.     SPARKLING RHUBARB WINE 1kg chopped rhubarb 1kg white sugar 1/2 cup vinegar (I used cider vinegar) 1 sliced lemon 5 litres boiling water Thoroughly clean and sterilise your bucket. Pour in the boiling water, lemons and sugar, stir to dissolve. Add the chopped rhubarb  top it, tail it and wash it, I don't peel it. Stir the contents of the bucket, cover and leave to stand in a cool, dark place.  Give the contents a stir every day for about 5 days, then strain off all the fruit through muslin or fine net before bottling in glass bottles with secure caps. This wine does get a champagne like fizz. Best to check the bottles and caps frequently. The wine is ready for drinking within a couple of weeks of bottling but if you  prefer leave it  a bit longer than that. If storing it for longer, don't forget to check the bottles & caps every so often. I wonder if you could use Frozen or tinned rhubarb?.

What have you got lurking in the fridge from Christmas?

What have you got lurking in the fridge from Christmas?

I looked in the fridge this morning and I had  Turkey  left over  and a big piece of ham.

Well one of my goal is to use food up and not throw it away. So after a quick cup of coffee I started to put a couple of pies together

That's a couple of dinners sorted for January.

And tonight's dinner for for me and Mr SD. I will have mine in work.

I have had a NSD today so shall put extra in my jar.

An update

An update

I went back to work today feeling fine. My shift started at 12.30 I came home like this at 21.00.
I have had to dose myself up with this And this
  I have to get well I am on four more late shifts.....

Back to work

Back to work

Well I went back to work this afternoon. I am so tired after all the celebrating We had all  the extended  family round on Christmas day. My eldest daughter called round to drop presents off and open hers. She wanted to spend Christmas with her partner and make her own dinner for them, as it was there first Christmas in there new home.

I have joined a challenge I want to de clutter the spare room. This room is going to be my craft room, so I must, must, must de clutter it.

• I want to empty my freezer and my cupboards I really don't need to shop until at least March 2013 I have a food mountain in that kitchen
• I am going to put one of these

  in my sealed pot every day along with all my other loose change. I did that last year and managed to save quite a bit.

• I want to start crafting again. I kind of stopped when I had an operation on my hand and got out of the habit. I have lots of half finished projects to complete.
• I want to do more of this
   
  
  
• 
  
   To this
   
   
  
  
  And this 
  
   

I am going to try and find more of these



And turn them into this
 





I am sure I have more goals I am going to jot them down as I think of them. And then post them on here, that should keep me motivated!

Have you got any goals for 2013?

A Very Long Day

A Very Long Day

After a very long day making these.

And cleaning the house ready for Christmas.

I am ready for my Christmas bed!!!

Even the spare bed got a Christmas duvet!!

This room will be my craft room next year. I big make over is on the cards.....

Finished Work

Finished Work

Well that's work finished until Thursday..... I went in yesterday and walked into a mountain of food and presents, all had been donated by local churches, and charities working with the homeless.

It took us all day to sort through it all and give it out to the families who will be accommodated  with us over the Holidays.

We have kept some back in case we have an emergency.
It still amazes me how generous people are. I should have took photos because really you can't imagine how much had been delivered to us .

We had just finished. And sat down to a cup of tea when the door bell  went and MORE  TOYS   arrived.

The children were very excited seeing all these presents wrapped up and getting delivered to there flats..
We had to tell them them Santa could only get in reception. They seemed to believe us.!!

And the look on there little faces was worth all the back breaking sorting and parceling.....

      Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends!!

 

 

Slow day at work

Slow day at work

Yesterday was a really slow evening at work, so I toddled off to Sainsburys to have a mooch at the magazines. There always seems to be new ones this time of year.And I wasn't disappointed  there were a couple, I decided on this one. Have a look. http://homemakermagazine.co.uk/welcome/#


I liked it that must I subscribed for the next three issues. As there's an offer in the mag 3 issues for £6.00.  My thoughts being  If I don' like it I have only lost £6.00

Recycling

Recycling

I was looking through old photographs. And I am going to do more of this next year.

I love painted glass its so pretty. And It keeps the jars out of the recycle bin.

We used them in the garden, and they looked lovely twinkling in the trees.

Miracle on Market Street

 Miracle  on Market Street

Not really done much today, apart from going to work the topic in work all day was this http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1596370_homeless-manchester-city-centre-busker-hands-in-lost-purse-full-of-cash-and-bank-cards

People have since been and handed in hundreds of pounds for him and one person donated £1000.00. He has also been offered permanent accommodation.

Christmas TV!!

Christmas TV!!

I am going to settle down and watch this. today. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/kirstie-and-phils-perfect-christmas

I scrubbed my Kitchen yesterday. My thoughts were I would take everything down, wash, sort and throw. And then take photos.

Corners  of my kitchen!!!

Ginger bread house in the making. Home made alcohol made caramel vodka, butterscotch schnapps, and Amaretto!!.

I even got this out. Do you know what it is?. I will tell you later.    It's a bread  dough proover.

Here's a couple of little treats we bought in the £1.00 while we were out.


My eldest has just rang asking if I will go shopping with her this afternoon. I will show you what I get later.....

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea

We went out shopping and Tasha treated me to afternoon tea. Of course I had Coffee. I must say it was lovely.

The price of things

The price of things 

I saw a retro sweet box yesterday and it was £18.00. In one of the High street chains.
Here is one I made in 2006, it cost all of £3.00. It wouldn't cost too much to make now, certainly not £18.00!!

Making me happy today

Making me happy today

The little Robbin Red Breast that seems to have made his home in my Garden.

 

Finally finished present buying and wrapping yeahhhhhhhhhh

 

 

 

New cushions from Primark cheep as chips 

My little carousel 

My delightful necklace that arrived this morning from Ebay.

And Finlay sat watching Christmas films with Tasha. And drinking hot chocolate from my favorite cup.

We were going to make the Ginger bread house we were meant to make on Sunday. But it was so cold we decided to have  a couch day and watch Miracle  on 34th street and it's a wonderful life. Both films I had never seen before.

Whats making you happy today?.