Make it easy on yourself ...

Good morning my lovelies!

It's a bit of a blustery day here on my little island, nothing on the calendar, so a stay-at-home sort of day I think ... if I've got nothing planned I don't mind this kind of day, now and again of course ... all the time would be a bit tedious. I've been moving furniture round and sprucing it up, as you know what they say "a change is as good as a rest" and I feel like I've decorated or done something really drastic as it all looks fresh and .... different.

The cupboard above was a lovely find from Freegle,  (I already had the top cabinet) ... a new coat of paint, a swish of wax and some careful shabbying, and voila! ... a complete new look for ... well, nothing!

I've been pondering about simplifying chores (to free up time to do more pleasurable activities, like pottering about with phrases and needles and reels of Sylko) and I'd like to share my top tips with you for making life just that bit easier.  My husband thinks I have chronic OCD, and that may not be far from the truth, but hey, if it makes me more organised with very little effort, that can only be a good thing, can't it? I have mentioned some of these tips before, so if you've already seen them, I apologise!

Top Tips

• ALWAYS have a 1 litre spray bottle, filled with plain tap water and 2 tsps of bicarbonate of soda handy.  This mixture is invaluable for cleaning your oven  as mentioned here, but also works on any burnt on spills (old or new) on the hob.  Just spray on and leave a few seconds. Wipe off and it will completely disappear.

• ALWAYS have a 1 litre spray bottle, filled 2/3 with tap water, the remainder with white vinegar, and a tiny drop of washing up liquid.  This concoction is marvellous for cleaning bathrooms, but gives brilliant results on windows and mirrors too ... spray on, wipe off and then polish with scrunched up newspaper ... dazzling results!

• When filling the dishwasher, try to put like with like as you go, ie, plates of same size, mugs, bowls, etc ... then all you need to do is pick them out in one fell swoop and put in cupboard, without having to sort through them.  The same goes for cutlery ... if you put just forks in one compartment of the cutlery basket, they can just all be put straight into drawer.  The same goes for knives, spoons, etc.  More hygienic too ... especially if the children are helping!

• While you're doing the 'big' shop, try to put similar items together into the shopping trolley. Place tins together (preferably at the bottom), bread, fridge stuff, frozen items, etc.  Load them onto the belt in this way and then when  you pack them at the other end they will be in this order.  Bag them up separately, ie, tins in one bag (careful, it's heavy!), fridge stuff in another, toiletries in another, etc. When you get home the chore of putting away is a lot easier and this is were you can delegate ... bag of toiletries in the bathroom, veg in the rack, freezer stuff straight into the freezer, without having to sort through every item and making unnecessary journeys. It might sound complicated, but trust me, it will soon become second nature.

• After you've washed your bedding, keep one pillowcase aside and fold the duvet cover, remaining pillowcases and sheets and place inside the saved pillowcase.  This way you always have a complete matching set to hand ... no more turning the airing cupboard upside down looking for a matching pillowcase! They stack into neat piles too ...

• Staying with the 'laundry' theme, when you go on holiday, take some bin bags or large carrier bags with you and sort laundry each day.  This saves the mammoth task of turning 6 suitcases onto the kitchen floor and sifting through 2 weeks of smelly washing.  I did this once, and vowed never again! All you need to do, when you get back, is take each bag out at a time and it's not such a big deal.

• If you're having a 'big' celebration meal, such as Christmas Dinner, or even just a family get-together Sunday roast, about an hour before it's due to be served, place the plates and serving dishes in the dishwasher and put on a quick wash.  Don't open the door until ready to serve and everything will be piping hot and saves space in your oven.  Put your gravy in a teapot, much less dribblesome, and keeps warmer longer too! (And looks very pretty, especially if dressed in a vintage cosy).

• If you break a glass or china object, after you've picked up the big pieces, take a piece of fresh bread and wipe over the surface ... the bread will pick up the little splinters that you may otherwise miss.

• If you drop a raw egg, rather than try to pick it up and risk spreading the mess, just give it a blast with a hairdryer ... this will cook the egg making it easy to pick up and dispose of ... or give to the dog so not wasted ...

I didn't think I'd be able to do ten, but I've racked my brains, and here's top tip number 10 ...

• If fussy visitors are coming at very short notice, say an hour, there isn't time to spring clean, so just get a carrier bag, put everything in it that's cluttering the place, plump up the cushions, tidy papers and magazines, and pick a big bunch of flowers from the garden and light candles.  They'll be so taken with the welcoming ambience that they won't notice the dustballs under the sofa ...

After all that hard work, put your feet up, pick up your favourite magazine ... and relax with a treat.  Enjoy! You deserve it ...

Hope you all have a Wonderful Wednesday ...

Love Claire xxx

Picture Day

Hello my lovelies, hope you're all having a Wonderful Wednesday? Ever since my working hours reduced quite drastically, I don't seem to have enough hours in the day to get things done! I'm a childminder, and now I'm not as tied to the school run as much as I was, I still get up at the same time and try to get chores out of the way by 9am, then I have the day to do what I like ... if only! I'd just like to take you through my day ... in pictures.

When Steve has gone to work, and Millie to college, I make the beds, run round tidying up ... picking things up and putting them where they belong; collect washing and crockery that has been deposited around the house, and put into the corresponding machines. If I know what we're having for tea I'll prepare this or put something into the slow cooker.

 The time this frees up later in the day is invaluable ... I don't have to worry about getting a meal on the table on time because it's done. If I haven't already done so, I'll have breakfast.  By this time I am getting looked at ...

Walkies around my little island is a treat when the sun is shining but not so great when the wind is roaring and the rain relentlessly pouring from the grey skies ... people seem much more friendlier on a sunny day too!  If it's a nice day, once I get home I'll hang the washing out,

and feed the girls ...

I do love to be at home all day ... I know this isn't for everyone, and I am lucky that I can do this ... but I do work hard, honestly!

 This is how I'd like to spend my day ...

And this is the reality ...

Most of my day is spent cleaning the most filthy, smelly pieces of furniture and giving them a new life.  I know that I can't keep everything ... but sometimes it's very hard to let go! I've just finished this little cupboard ... it was very fiddly and took a long time as it has lots of nooks and crannies ... but I got there in the end ...

I think it will have to go though, I just don't have any spare walls left ...

This is another piece I've just finished ... my favourite part is waxing and distressing, it can surprise me sometimes how this simple process can really make a piece 'sing'.  I love setting up my furniture at fairs and displaying my bits and pieces on them.  I'd secretly love a job as a window dresser or house doctor!

Sometimes I have to put my paintbrush down and pick up a needle and thread instead, I have a commission to finish today for a very lovely lady who is collecting it tomorrow, so can't stay chatting too long ... If I am running out of projects I might just go for a runout to my favourite places, looking for treasures, but otherwise, I'm happy to stay at home pottering ... and if I'm very lucky, a friend will drop in for tea and cake

This is a little lamp I upcycled last week. I'm definitely not adept at sewing, but I've worked out a way of revamping lampshades that doesn't test my abilities too much!

I hear the door opening ... is that the time already?

Hopefully tea will be ready, and afterwards I'll pick up my sewing or do a bit of crochet while watching the telly (wasn't The Great British Sewing Bee fab?) and before I know it, The News is on and I'm back to where we started ... a good night's sleep and I'll be ready to do it all again tomorrow ...

N'night, sweet dreams!

Love Claire xxx

All is quiet ... on New Year's Day

Happy New Year, my lovelies, and I hope you've all had a lovely time? We don't really 'do' New Year's Eve here at Thriftwood, so after a festive bowl of ice-cream, laced with the last of the Bailey's off we went to bed at about 10.30.  Harry thoughtfully brought the New Year in noisily at about 4am, but thanks to my industrial strength earplugs, I slept through it ...

Looking back over the year, it's not been a bad one ... a lovely summer, with lots of sunshine and al fresco dining, one or two mishaps that are not worth dwelling on any longer, but best of all, my family were all safely gathered in for Christmas, and for this alone I feel very lucky.

It was Christmas Day in the Workhouse ...

Christmas has now almost completely been removed; although I love preparing for it, and enjoy the rituals that go with it, for me, once it's over ... it's over.  The trees are down, the baubles wrapped and packed away, but usually there is always a little something, lurking somewhere, that I've completely forgotten about, that will make itself known in the middle of January ...

I don't know about you, but this year I'm not going to make long lists of resolutions that are unachievable, and will just make me feel bad when they fail ... this year I am taking for myself one word ...

SIMPLIFY

I am going to try to simplify my life ... not in one great sweep but in small ways.  I am going to take each day as it comes, and try to simplify something each day.  For a start I want to stop making mountains out molehills, one of my major faults! Rome wasn't built in a day, but if I try to turn a negative into a positive, it will be a step in the right direction.

I am going to cut down on spending (even more!), simplify the way we shop, cook and eat. I want to simplify my surroundings and I want to rid myself of things that clutter up my head with unnecessary thoughts and not give them a moment of my time. If I need something new, I want to first make sure I haven't already got it, or something that will fit the purpose.

This year, when asked what I wanted for Christmas, instead of saying I didn't mind, I asked for things that I need and use all the time.  My favourite shower gel, moisturiser, make up etc, were all given to me and now I have drawersful of my favourite things which I won't have to go out and replace when I run low. 

From my lovely husband, among other things, I received a voucher for 6 sessions of sewing lessons at one of my favourite shops, Suzie B's ... I can't wait to start in the New Year and will keep you posted of my progress! Each session something different is made, a cushion, bag, doll ... I can't actually imagine being able to do this, but have wanted to for ages so this is my chance ...

Now the decorations are down, I'm filling the bare spaces with bowls of Spring bulbs, which brighten up the dullest corner with colour and scent.  It's just a tiny reminder that this bleak, wet and windy Winter weather won't last forever, and that Spring is in fact, just round the corner ... Not wanting to wish my life away though, I'm going to use this time to plan for the year ahead ... family time, finances, home, garden and Thriftwood Vintage ... although no longer contained in a shop, still my passion! I'm looking forward to this year's fairs, my second garden sale in the summer, and meeting lots of lovely people in the process. 

So how about you? Do you want to join me in simplifying our lives or are your lives as simple as can be? Maybe you love the hustle and bustle of a busy life and can't think of anything worse than living simply? 

I'd love to know ...

Love, Claire xxx

Bits and pieces ...

A rather random post today my lovelies, hence the title! Sometimes a song pops into my head and I think "I'll have to do a post around that" or I think of a post and then try to find lyrics that fit.  Does anyone else do this? Erm, probably not! I'd love to know how you think of your post titles though ...

Have been a bit thrifty this week, not only with the treasures that I usually bring in, but at the supermarket too ... I don't want to bore you all with shopping lists, but on the way home from school this morning, I bought this little lot for less than £13 from the Co-op ... I would have bought more,  but wasn't in my car! Vegetarians please look away ... 'Best' crumpets,  Lean minced steak, 6 free range chicken breasts, 3 pork steaks, 4 Thai fishcakes, hummous, bread, red onions, and four packs of canneloni, which come in when sustenance is needed very quickly.  Oh, and the beautiful roses above were a bargain last Monday and have lasted a whole week for less than £3! My freezer is full of red, orange and yellow stickers, but who cares? We eat well for very little and it's getting to the stage were I don't want to pay full price for anything. Then again, we are Thriftwood, so it's to be expected!

I've been enjoying some lovely reads (I love the Autumnal covers on the mags out right now)

and I've been busy with my Tattypics ... I've sold this one and received several commissions ...

Quite a cottage industry ... except I don't live in a cottage ...

Last week I visited the lovely little market town of Kirkby Lonsdale (forgot my camera, doh!) and went for lunch in a swanky restaurant.  It was my friend Tracey's special birthday and I was treating her to lunch.  We had been before and opted for our favourite dish Gambas with Chorizo and Tagliatelle.  It cost about £11 and was delicious, but thought I could probably recreate it for much less.

Tagliatelle with Tiger Prawns & Chorizo

First of all I make a basic Tomato Sauce (with a few additions!) no weighing or measuring, this is just how I've done it, but I'll put some in the freezer.

Sweat 2 red onions and 2 white onions in olive oil.  Add finely chopped chillies, garlic and ginger (I strongly recommend using a Kenwood Mini Chopper, they are worth their weight in gold!) and fry for about 2 mins.  Add 3 tins of chopped tomatoes and any tomatoes that may be lurking in the fridge,  bring to the boil and simmer for as long as you like.  The longer you do it for (up to 5 or 6  hours in a slow cooker) the more intense the flavour will be, and your home will be filled with delicious, rich aromas.

When ready to eat, cook some tagliatelle (I usually use 2 rounds per person), chop some chorizo, add to pan, and then add cooked King or Tiger Prawns and heat through.  Serve on a bed of tagliatelle with a lemon wedge, black pepper and a sprinkling of Parmesan.  It cost me less than £6 to make all this and there is probably 10 portions! (Using Aldi Chorizo and King Prawns).  You can of course add your own ingredients to the tomato sauce.

Thought I'd just leave you with these two cheery chappies! Wonder where they are now, and what on Earth he's pointing at?  Love a man in a balaclava ...

I've done a fair bit of advertising today, but swear to God I'm not sponsored by anyone ... just over-excited to share my bargains!

Have a warm and wonderful week!

Love from Claire xxx

Ch-ch-ch-changes ...

It's getting to that time of year again my lovelies, the time that I always start to feel queasy about ... September and the beginning of Autumn.  I love the colours of  Autumn, and once it's in full swing, even celebrate its loveliness ... but it's this bit ... nights starting to draw in, that 'back to school' feeling, changes in the air ... they fill me with a feeling of dread and melancholy that I don't really understand.

I don't want to depress anyone, or have you all feeling sorry for me ... other people have these feelings about Christmas, and even Summer, it's just a fact of life with me, that I always feel like this towards the end of August, and then it leaves me as quickly as it arrived ... after the changes.

We had great news and celebrations last week! Harry was accepted at his first choice of University, Salford, to study Physics, so he will be starting his big adventure in the big wide world in about 3 weeks time ...

Millie has now left school and is waiting for her GCSE results, and is starting at 6th Form College also in September.

I find it so hard to believe that my two youngest are now young adults ... it doesn't seem like 5 minutes since they were playing together. More flutterings in the nest ... something that is happening all over the country at this time ...

Moving on to something completely different ... I found a bright orange, pine shelf at the car boot sale and thought the perfect place for it to go would be above our bed.  I got the Annie Sloan Old Ochre out and you can see the finished product above ...

Of course that then made our bed look shabby, so that had to be dismantled and also given the AS treatment.  Luckily it was a bright, sunny day, so I painted in the garden and it was back in situ within a couple of hours. I'm really pleased with its new look!

Lurking in my workroom was another bright orange nightmare ... a set of drawers that I though would be perfect as a bedside table ... you can see the orange of the inside in this picture ...

While waiting for the paint to dry (not long in this case) I popped onto Facebook, where a local seller had a beautiful granny square blanket for sale.  I quickly contacted her, as things like that don't hang around for long ... when I arrived at her house she turned out to be a lady I have bought from often at one of my Sunday car boot sales ...

The work that has gone into this is immense, and I can't imagine how much the wool would have cost as it has 168 squares! After a quick wash and freshen up with Lavender and Camomile Comfort, I took great pleasure in watching it dry in the sun, impatient to take it to its new home ...

I will just give you a little rundown of my bedroom makeover ... it has not been painted or decorated for 5 years, but just with a bit of tweaking and an afternoon's work, I feel that I've got a new room!

Shelf  - car boot sale - £3
Cupboard - charity shop - £7
Blanket - Facebook selling page £15
Bed - old one I already had
Paint - dregs of 2 tins lurking in cupboard

I've never been one to completely change a room - whenever I decorate I look forward to putting my old stuff back in - even when  I moved house, I visualised how the existing furniture and accessories would look in my new home.  I like it to evolve, with different things here and there, constantly changing, but forever staying the same ... Putting things in different rooms seems to give them a new lease of life too, as you see them with a new eye when they're placed in different surroundings.

I've just discovered a great site (is that what you call it?) on Instagram, for those of you who subscribe to this amazing time-guzzling social network.  Polargram (wearepolargram if you want to follow them) develop your favourite Instagram pictures ... they look like Polaroids ...and send them to you very quickly (mine arrived within 2 days).  The cost is £5 for 12, £7 for 25 and free post and packing.  I have not been sponsored by them to advertise their product, I just thought I'd like to share a great service with you.  Think I may use them as price tags on my furniture ...

That's all for now my lovelies, as I have to go to town to buy duvets, pillows, pots and pans, etc ... I'm giving Harry cookery lessons too, and lectures on 'how to eat well on a thrifty budget' ... Hettie Brown would be so proud of me ...

Have a wonderful week, won't you?

Love, Claire xxx