Red hot babe.

Hello. It had to be done, this mane is driving me potty. Hate it hanging around my face, in my eyes, makes me feel grubby. Gotta come off. 

Bingo, the back door hairdresser was open today, although it was flippin cold. I set to work with the scissors, chopping here and there, lifting a clump with my left hand, and slicing the ends off with the right.
I bought the colour yesterday from Savers, I checked the prices in Superdrug and thought they were a bit expensive. I was right, cheaper in Savers. This is not a permanent colour, it will eventually fade with washing.

I think I look pretty darn cool.

Total cost of new hairdo, Cutting free, colour £3.00. They don't do red in the cheap brands, I looked. Excited to show it off at Crafty Club tomorrow.

Right, before I go, maybe our readers can help with this. Rebecca asks, has anyone got any good money saving tips for a frugal Christmas. I can't suggest much apart from home made presents, because I don't spend any money on Christmas, it is banned in my house. So maybe you good ladies and gents can suggest how Christmas needn't break the bank. What do you do to keep the cost down? Thank you for joining in.

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your Sunday, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Lucky find

Hello. Just a short one tonight. I've been nattering on the phone tonight for absolutely ages. Nephew rang and it must have been almost a year since I last spoke to him, so there was a lot of catching up to do. He has a busy life with a full time job, a long commute, and three young children. I could hear them in the background. It went quiet when they went to bed.

I've been wanting another short break away somewhere before the clocks change and we have shorter days. I've searched for the right accommodation, at the place I want to be, at a price I want to pay. It's taken ages and flippin ages. At last, I found somewhere. I fancied a bit more luxury this time, not a hostel, but not so silly expensive. A nice-ish hotel. Have a look here. What do you reckon, good innit. 

Look what I found in Wilko yesterday. I was checking cat food prices, and saw a shelf with REDUCED on it, worth a look. Tester pots of paint at 10p each. Might as well stock up, you never know when you might need it, always comes in useful for those little crafty jobs. 

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

My new business - refurbishing boots

Hello. How about this then. The new look designer gardening boots. Everyone will want a pair like these. I'm thinking of going into the refurbishing boots business, could make quite a packet with my quirky designs. I think a price tag of around £75 will cover the cost of my time, and materials used to upcycle a pair of boots. 

Planting flowers in them was suggested by quite a lot of you. I tried it once and the flowers died. I'm not sure why because my feet are not particularly smelly. They get a wash once a month whether they need it or not, ha ha.

This quick makeover took all of three minutes, and I expect my gardening boots to last at least another couple of years. They will be great in the summer because I have incorporated a complex ventilation system in the design. You will note the open grid at the front, this enables air to enter the boot in the toes area, which then circulates around the whole foot and exits around the ankle. A blow through draught will ensure the feet are continually kept cool when other parts of the body may be sweating profusely.

I can see that there might be a problem during the winter months when the ground is sodden after a rainfall. There is a possibility that mud and water will enter the boots, which could cause some problems, like dirty socks and feet which will have to be washed upon entering the house. I will have to put my inventing cap on and come up with a solution. Perhaps two plastic carrier bags could protect them, the handles could be tied around the ankles to prevent them from slipping off. At least the plastic bags will get another use out of them.

Anyway, I am taking orders for my new boot refurbishment business. Send me your boots with the cash, sorry can't do cards or cheques, and I will do my best to give them an attractive makeover. You will be delighted with the results, if you are not then tough, like it or lump it as my mother used to say. There may be a delay in sending them back to you as I expect demand for this service will be pretty high, so do not expect miracles. If you find you need the boots quickly I suggest you go out and buy another pair to tide you over.

Now I must go and do other things, so I'll leave this with you. Admire my genius inventiveness and if you would like to have a go at boot refurbishment yourself  just send £65 in cash and I will dispatch to you a comprehensive kit which will contain everything you need to redesign your boots to a high standard like my own.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Why was Brenda laughing?

Hello. What is so funny about my boots? Can someone tell me why Brenda almost collapsed into fits of laughter when she looked down at my feet? 

I can't see anything wrong with them. Isn't it normal to get as much wear out of something as you can before it becomes useless and has to be chucked? These boots have served me well, I got them from a charity shop  a few years ago, about five I think. For a couple of quid, they looked decent enough to go to town in. Then when they began to show signs of scuffing they were relegated to walks around the village. No one bothers what I look like round here, they are used to me looking a bit odd.

They then became a bit loose on my feet so I thought I'd better just use them for gardening. I tie the laces like that so I can just slip my feet in and out of them without too much bending down. While in the garden I am often popping back into the house for something I have forgotten, so I don't want to be bothering with tying laces every time I wear them.

There isn't much gardening to do at the moment, but these boots are not for chucking just yet. I still have to hang the washing out, or put some waste in the bins, or water the pot plants if it doesn't rain. They will be sitting by my back door for a while yet, there is still a bit more wear left in them. I think they could do with a bit of tarting up, I may paint them lovely colours  ;o)

I'm off to the library van, I haven't seen Stan in weeks, he will be wondering what has happened to me. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon
Toodle pip

Mankinholes YH Walk. Day 3.

Hello. Are your legs aching, are your feet hurting, have you any blisters? Nope? Then good, you can walk a little further with me. After another breakfast of beans on toast with pasta left over from the night before, I was ready to set off on my third day. I checked out of the hostel putting my bags in the car, and off I went again. This time it's the orange mark on the map, so I can check the mileage later. 

Here is the Calderdale Way, lovely stone footpath to walk on, heading towards Cragg Vale. It's sunny but a bit chilly, not as windy as yesterday. 

Crossing the Pennine Way at Withens Gate.

I can't get enough of these wonderful views. Somewhere down there is the hostel.

Withens Clough Reservoir comes into view, now the wind is getting up a bit, after that climb. There is a path all the way around it, but I am only going to pass by on the north side of it. 

Isn't it marvelous that all this water will be cleaned and at some point will come through the pipework into thousands of homes and businesses. We should all be mindful about the processes that take place to give us drinking water, it's a very precious commodity and if we didn't have the infrastructure in place we would all be going to the rivers and collecting it in buckets.

I love the way the dam holds it all in, a wonderful piece of engineering.

As I left the reservoir down the track I came across a couple of workmen with a machine, digging up an underground pipe, to replace it with a new one. They had to move to one side to let a van pass, and while they waited a few minutes for the van to come back I had a bit of a natter with them. Me being the nosy one I wanted to know what they were doing. They were full of banter, especially the one sat in the digger machine. I don't think I have ever met an unfriendly Yorkshire person yet. He said he would guess what I did before I retired. Ha ha, he got it wrong of course, he said I used to be a teacher. It's funny that, because other people have guessed the same in the past. They must think because I am not afraid to talk to anyone I must have the balls to stand up in front of a room full of kids. Of course then the trucking stories come out, I said I used to carry machines like his on the back of a low loader, ha ha.

I digress, onward along the Calderdale Way. This is a big house I saw as I came to the end of the track at Cragg Vale and onto the road. Looks rather grand, doesn't it.

Next to it is this gate house. I would love to live here.

I went up the road a little way to get a couple of photo's looking down on the church and surrounding houses. It's a very small village and the houses are spread about a bit. 

The fast flowing river is down in the valley running alongside the main road above it. I took the path to the river walk, which at times was elevated to give views looking up and down. Someone's back yard, what a mess.

This walk is part of the Heritage Trail, there are several places where the water has been channeled to meet the demands of the mills that used to be here. Lots of evidence of brickworks still standing. Note the tree trunks growing through the brick wall.

The path starts to climb up above the river, and at one stage it gets quite narrow with a steep slope. Best not to look down to the right, yikes!

Phew, back down to the bottom again. Sunlight making the water sparkle, lovely.

I left the river walk at Clough Foot Bridge to get onto the road. I've still a bit more to do and time is getting on.

On arriving at Mytholmroyd I had in mind a path to the left which would take me back to the hostel. I took the first road turning on the left, which eventually petered out into a farm track. From then on it was wide tracks easy to follow. As I mentioned before there are hundreds of paths to choose from, and as time was important I stuck to well defined tracks so I wouldn't get lost. A beautiful place to sit for a bite to eat.

From then on it was easy, Kilnshaw Lane and onto the Pennine Way took me back to Mankinholes. Almost there and I remembered I hadn't done a selfie. How lucky it was that I caught up with three chaps just as we got to this bench. One of them kindly did the honours and pressed the shutter for me. 

You will note that I am wearing a skirt, I have decided that this attire is better for walking in than trousers, which make my legs hot and sweaty. Underneath I have a pair of shorts just in case the skirt blows up around my face. Trousers are alright when it is really cold, but once the legs get moving it's nice to have a bit of breeze around them. 

I arrived back at the car at 3.30pm, and after some scoff, I set off back at 4pm. Traffic was a bit heavy through Halifax and again on the M62, so I arrived home at 6.15pm.

So, with the nine miles I did on the last day, this took the total to 28 miles, and a lot of ascents. What did the three days cost? £14 for two nights at Mankinholes Youth Hostel, plus my petrol there and back, that's all. I took all my own food and didn't need to buy anything. I didn't even have an ice cream, it was too cold. There is an eatery a few minutes walk across fields from the hostel, the menu looks a bit pricey but nice if you want to treat yourself. I don't eat out because I am a slow eater, and don't want people watching me while I take ages to chomp through a meal. Self catering suits me fine.

As you know I write about my Youth Hosteling trips because they fit in with my simple and frugal life on a pension. But did you know there is another organisation which also offers cheap accommodation? The Independent Hostels have a lot of places to stay in the UK, and worth a look. Some of them are ex YHA buildings which have been bought and taken over as independent hostels. They offer much the same facilities and are similarly priced. I have been to a couple of them in the past. Have a look if you are planning a trip. Independent Hostel Guide.

Right, that's me done, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my Sunday, I hope you are too. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

How to make cheap 'no stitch', bunting.

Hello. As the second key holder for the Village Hall, I opened up this morning for the Crafty Club, as Ann was having a day off. We had a small turnout, a few missing, but no matter, we still have a good old natter. I made a start on more felt hearts, this time in orange and green.

I think bunting is quite popular at the moment, so I thought I would make some. I have an old park guide from Legoland when I visited in 2002, fancy keeping this for 14 years, I must be daft. I have lots of memorabilia from places I visited with my last boyfriend, blimey was it that long ago.

The bunting looks quite pretty and it cost virtually nowt.  

Remember Woolys, I am still using bits and bobs I bought from them when the store was closing down. This sticky back clear film was only 20p.

I cut the paper into oblongs, then trimmed them into flag shapes. If you are going to do this make sure you get them the right way up. You can have them any size you like, and if they are printed on both sides make sure you have the right side up.

First of all I cut a strip of sticky back twice the height of the flags, took the backing paper off, and laid out the flags with a length of cord along the top edge. Then folded it over to enclose the paper and the cord. When the two sides were stuck together I trimmed off the excess plastic. I found it quite difficult to work with the plastic, getting it smooth and not wrinkled. 

I thought there must be an easier way, so I decided to cover the flags individually, which worked better. Cut the sticky back into smaller pieces.

Put a crease mark along the centre and peel back the backing to expose the crease. Stick on the flag, a fraction from the crease mark.

The cord should be as long as you want to make the bunting. Lay it along the crease line, and fold over the rest of the plastic enclosing the flag and cord. 

Then cut off the excess plastic. add the flags one at a time, until you have enough.

I positioned these one inch apart.

Next I made a Christmas bunting, a good way to use up old Christmas cards. I have used a gold coloured cord here, and laid them closer together. If you are going to do this, the sticky back doesn't stick very well to glitter cards. You could use ribbon instead of cord. 

A cheap way to make Christmas decorations. You could probably get a roll of the plastic from the £1 shops, and you would get a lot of bunting from it. You could use anything colourful, like brochures or magazines, or maps, or what about using cat food pouches? Now that's an idea, I must try that.

The sun is shining so I'm off out to do a bit of hedge trimming. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

A look at Youth Hostels

Hello. I haven't been doing much Youth Hosteling lately, but as you are aware I am always a fan of cheap and affordable accommodation. I don't like paying silly prices in a posh hotel, and don't need all the trimmings. A comfortable bed with use of a clean shower and toilet is all I need. Breakfast I will have if it is included in a cheap B & B, or a reasonable price in a hostel, or I don't mind preparing my own food in a self catering kitchen. 

My recent stay at Helmsley was just perfect, the hostel wasn't busy so I was lucky enough to have a six bedded room to myself. No queuing for toilets or showers. I might mention that some hostels now have en suite facilities, they also have private and family rooms you can book, so if you don't fancy sharing a dorm there are other options. Prices vary, the cheapest being £10 a night, a bit more if you choose a popular month. 

I always find the wardens very helpful, and the people I meet are always friendly. It's the ideal place to stay if you are a single traveler.  Just to give you a taste of some of the hostels I have picked a few out to show you. 

Grinton Lodge is near Richmond in North Yorkshire. If you want to go this coming weekend it would cost you £10 a night on Sun/Mon/Tues. And if you are a member there is a reduction of £3 per night. You won't get cheaper accommodation than that unless you put a tent up in a field. Have a look here. 

Hartington Hall, near Buxton, Derbyshire.This is just the bees knees of hostels. A 17th century manor house with log fires and oak paneling. Have a look here.

Want to stay in a castle? This is St Braviels near Lydney in Gloucestershire. This is a grade 1 listed monument which is over 800 years old. It certainly does have the WOW factor. It's looking like beds are £20 for this month and next. Have a look here.

Fancy a bit of Shakespeare? This is the Youth Hostel at Stratford on Avon. A Georgian mansion set in three acres of grounds. Beds from £17. Ideal base for Stratford and Warwick. Have a look here.

This Victorian house is at Streatly on Thames in Berkshire. Lots of places to walk and cycle around here, close to the River Thames. Have a look here.

As my blog is about saving money I am not going to advertise a posh hotel at astronomical prices just because they have given me a freebie, I am telling you about some of the cheapest accommodation that is available. YHA is a charity, they rely a lot on volunteers to run things. Cheap doesn't mean they are tatty, they are continually updating their buildings. I don't get a freebie for this, I believe they provide an affordable service for low income households. Another thing to note is that you can get a breakfast at a hostel which does food, even if you are not staying there. Served between 7.30 and 10am.

I'll leave it with you. Consider hostels when planning your holidays, check out the web site and see the list of benefits they offer. Breakfast at a city hostel on a Sunday? No bother, just pop in before 11am.

I must get on. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

The fireplace is reborn, cost 20p

Hello. Hey, what about this then, good innit. I have been sitting in this living room for twenty years looking at that horrible brown fire surround, why didn't I do something with it earlier. Look at the transformation, it makes the room a lot brighter.  

I used the sample pots I bought from Woolies when it closed down, 4p each. They have come in useful for all kinds of tarting up and crafty jobs. 

Whoever cemented the facing bricks in didn't do a very good job, there are a few holes here and there in the mortar. I've tried to disguise them with dollops of white paint. It looks better if you step back from it.

I am well chuffed with it. The walls are plain lemon and the fireplace is now a nice feature. Still got some paint left, I wonder what else I can find which needs a facelift, ha ha. Got the bug now.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Look and you shall find

Hello. I had a bimble round the car boot sale this morning, I haven't been for ages and ages. It's held at the football ground, not far away, and it was a sunny morning so off I went. It starts at about 6am, there is no need to go that early, even though I am up at that time. Coffee and breakfast first for me, I got there at 9am. 

I was looking for something decorative for my craft work, very small beads needed in bright colours. There was a lady who has been crafting but is packing up because she can no longer hold tiny objects due to her arthritis, I had a rummage through her redundant stock. I have seen buttons like these in craft shops, but don't buy them because the prices are a rip off. I got this lot for £1.50. A bargain I thought. 

Moving along I found a couple of pairs of earrings for 50p. These can be stitched onto fabric as embellishments.

Then I found some tiny red beads, the man wanted £1 for it but I put it down I said I only wanted the red beads. He changed his mind and dropped it to 75p, I hesitated and he said, ok, 50p then. Deal. 

Quite pleased with my little haul. I went across the road to Tesco, for some cat litter and to see if there were any bargains. Always worth a look if passing. Too early for the yellow sticker bargains, they had started marking down but the best prices will come later on about three o clock, and I am not going back. I happened to see a neighbour in there, they know I like a bargain or two, and they said have a look in the freezer. I wouldn't normally look in the frozen food department, so I made a bee line for it with this information. Yep, he was right, reduced veggie style spag bol made with Quorn 50p each, I'll have four please. Two packs of Quorn Tortilla, 44p each, and two packs of Quorn kebabs, also 44p each. Just the job. I had to have a bit of a shuffle round in my freezer to get it all in. Good result, worth a look.

Too nice to be indoors, I'm off out. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip

Hey big spender !

Hello, back again. Oh Lordy, I've spent some money today, stocked up on pet food mainly. Heidi will only eat the small pouches of Sheba, six for £1.50. Bugsy has taken a liking to Gourmet Gold, three small tins for £1. Mayze likes her sliced chicken or turkey or ham, around a pound a packet. All the cats like the Ultima dried food, can get it from the £1 shop. And Rocky likes the Chicken Jerky and the Frolics. Me, what do I get? Anything that's reduced from Tesco, or cheap from the cash and carry. 

Here's the breakdown of spends.

Wilco £4.10. cat and dog food.

Poundland £10. Ultima dried and cooked meats. 

B & M discount store £9.93. Sheba cat food, deli dog treats.

Home Bargains £11.05. jerky fillets, vinegar, bleach, body lotion, Nivea soft.

Poundworld £5. Gourmet Gold cat food, chicken dog treats.

Cash and Carry £8. Tripe dog treats, wet dog food, muesli, linseeds, malt loaf. 

Market £4. Frolics and dog treats.

Tesco £9.81. Cat litter, cat food, milk, bread, pasta salad, salad leaves, yogurts. 

Tesco filling station £40.31. Petrol fill up. 

Good grief, £82.20. 

Ooops, nearly forgot, add one more pound to that for this skirt from Age UK charity shop. It would look lovely on someone of a more senior disposition, 75 or 80 perhaps. Lovely fabric and it looks brand new. Fabulous vibrant colours, not for me to wear, I can see cushion covers. 

Time to clock off. Thanks for popping in and thanks for all the teef stories, seems I am not the only one who was scared out of her pants at the school dentist. At some point I will be doing a disappearing act, but do not despair, I will be back with lots of pics. Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip