Painting the easy way.

Hello. That's another one finished, I think. I say I think because I'm not so sure that the frame is right, but it will stay like this for the time being. I found a frame yesterday at a charity shop for £1, which was the exact size I needed. It's a metallic gold and there isn't a mark on it. 

The paint is household emulsion from the sample pots, the black outlining done with a fine liner felt tip pen. I found a small Body Shop lip brush in my ancient makeup box, it was perfect for this job. Doubt I shall ever be using lippy again.

And this is the piece of fabric before I started. It's quite thick, like a heavy curtain fabric. Some of the colours only needed one coat, some two coats. 

I did think that a black frame would look good to give the colours extra vibrancy, so I stuck some tape around the edge. Not so sure now. I am now thinking paint the gold frame silver, that might give it a more modern style.

The picture size is 10 inches by 12 inches. I love it. Think I'm going to keep it.

The bad weather is here, snow this morning though it was gone within an hour of falling. It's still windy and cold. I might do the yellow sticker dash tonight, if I can be bothered. Need to fill the car with petrol as well.

Thanks for popping in, the weekend is here, enjoy, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

The beginnings of a picture

Hello. I'm playing again. Colourful mesh fruit bags, there must be something I can do with them. A friend has been collecting these, she gives me anything that might be useful for artworks. 

At the moment I'm just jiggling them around on a piece of foam board which I will use for the base. They are mostly red, I will look for different colours.

I quite like this, lay them out as a backwash.

There will be a lot of stitching as the foam is strong enough to support lots of holes where the needle goes through, without falling apart.

Emails in this morning from Lithuania and Australia. Might be able to fix up a TV appearance down under, and a newspaper/magazine article in Lithuania.

I'm off for a walk right now to ponder further. I have a magazine to deliver to my friend Joanna down the hill, she is in Woman's Weekly.

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

Oooops, got carried away :o)

Hello. My lovely charity shop bootees are looking a bit tired, and need tarting up a bit. I want to wear them tomorrow and they must look nice. Remove dirty white laces. I tried scrubbing around the white bits at the bottom with a toothbrush and toothpaste, then wash up liquid, didn't make any difference. 

So, paint it's got to be. Vinyl silk emulsion from the tester pots.

Oh wow, I just couldn't stop myself. The grey fabric was a bit grubby, so let's give it the full works, blue, green and purple. I had a new pair of laces in my stash to complete the jazziest trainers ever. They would cost a lot of money in the shops. I bought them for £2 a few years ago, have had a lot of wear out of them, now they have a new lease of life, all for a couple of bob.

Love, love, love 'em. I hope they will make people smile. Not to be worn in the rain maybe, ha ha.

I'm going AWOL a bit later today, something important to do. Can you mind the shop for me, no skiving. I'll be back before you know it.

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

An ugly chair transformed

Hello. I was up early this morning, so I think I might be going to bed early tonight. I'll try and stay awake while I do this. I've had this chair a very long time, I can't remember where I got it from, I have another one the same. As I already had a tin of red paint open, to paint the vase, I thought what else can I paint. I know, this chair is in the Summer House, I think it needs a makeover. Yesterday it was warm enough to work on it outside on the garden table, so I gave it one coat.  

Today it was windy and cold so I finished it off on the dining room table. I have re covered the seat with a piece of fabric I got at the Scrapstore. The splodges of red paint on it are in the pattern, so it matches the chair. I'm really pleased with the result, it looks fab in the flesh. I think I might do the other chair in a different colour.

The bin men came today, and my garden waste bin didn't get emptied. They stick a label on it to say why. 

This is where the machine on the back of the lorry grabs it to lift it up. I first noticed a while back that the lip had started to break up and rang the council to let them know. They said it will be alright, ring up when the bin falls into the lorry and we'll deliver a new one. Well it has happened now so I shall expect a new one in a few days. I hope they take the old one away with the rubbish, and don't expect me to transfer it into the new bin. 

I took the car to the garage today for a service, and went a walk around the town while they were doing it. I wanted some garlic powder from the Asian shop so I took a walk up to the top of the High Street. There is a Scope charity shop on the way, and I was surprised to see big posters in the window, 'Everything £1', worth a look. I found a jacket and a fleecy top, the jacket was £4 and the top was £3. Two items for £2, a bargain.

The jacket looks very smart and fits perfectly, I'm amazed I can get into a size 10. The fleece is bigger and will be worn in the house over layers.

I'm not walking tonight, it's blowing and cold, and I'm tired, so I'm off to bed. I will announce the winner of the bag in the morning after 10am when the competition closes.

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

Guess the magic word

Hello. I've been making more shopping bags to sell on our cat stall at our Village Fete next month. Fourteen in total now, blues, reds, and greens. It's very strong fabric, and waterproof, they will last for ages. 

I have one bag to give away to a lucky winner. All you gave to do is include the magic word in your comment. I did have it written down somewhere, but it has disappeared. It was on this piece of paper, but I can't see it. Well that's strange. Anyway, you'll have to guess what the word is, so have a go, and the one to guess it correctly wins a bag. Easy innit  ;o) Closing date Wednesday morning 1st June at 10am BST.

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

Everything in the garden is..........pink

Hello. It's been lovely weather, I think we are going to have a real hot summer, I feel it in my bones. Finally, I have used up the pink paint. See this gate? It's plastic. I picked it up after a motorhome show about eight years ago. I was there to collect a vehicle and drive it back to the depot after the show had finished. Some of the traders chuck out stuff that is damaged because they can't be bothered to take it back home with them. I picked this up and thought, that it might come in useful. 

I bashed two metal rods into the ground in the gap between the garage and the hedge, and this just slots onto them. The upright posts are hollow. It's beginning to look a bit tatty and could do with a face lift. No problem. 

Paint it pink. Looks great doesn't it. Not bad for a freebie, even the paint was free, given to me for the summerhouse. I'm well chuffed with it.

I think I might turn my garden into a pink theme park, ha ha.

Heidi is watching me from the rough patch of grass in the middle of the lawn. I leave it rough so the cats can snuggle into it in the sunshine.

Dinner tonight was a bit of a mishmash. I managed to get some yellow stickers last night, not as many as usual but enough. Chopped up baby sweetcorn, sliced mushrooms, and egg noodles on a bed of salad leaves. Very nice, quick to make in one pan. The turmeric makes it yellow.

I'm finding that it's too hot in the daytime to do my three miles, so I'm leaving it until the evening. The other night I didn't go until 9.30pm, and it was lovely, still warm but with a cool breeze. It's just gone 8pm now, so I think I'll get up and go.

Thank you 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

How many other uses does it have?

Hello. Has anyone else got bottles of lotions and potions in their bathroom cabinet they no longer use? I gave up using conditioner on my hair ages ago. It takes too much faffing about, wash then rinse, condition and rinse again, several times until the water runs clear. I now skip the faff, and towel dry after rinsing the shampoo off. 

So, what to do with these? The VO5 I found in a skip a couple of years ago, and the Tea Tree, I must have had it about ten years, probably longer. I'm sick of seeing them and want them gone, but I'm not chucking them out, I'm finding other uses for them. 

Last night I had a long soak in the bath, when it came to scrubbing myself clean, I didn't reach for the soap or the creamy body wash, I applied a squirt of conditioner onto the rough side of my sponge, and used that. It worked perfectly fine.

This morning I washed my hair, don't like going to bed with wet hair, and the hairdryer is only for use in emergencies. I always let my hair dry naturally. I skipped the shampoo stage, and gave it a scrub with conditioner. My hair is clean and soft.

It got me thinking of other uses for it. I read somewhere that you can use it instead of soap when you shave your legs, and it leaves them silky soft. I am not about to try that, I don't shave my legs, not much point when I only wear trousers. And even if I wear shorts, where's the harm in a few hairs sprouting out above my socks.

Another idea is that any left over and unwanted conditioner could be used to refill a pump action hand wash bottle. Or perhaps a spoonful could be put into a washing machine as a clothes and bedding conditioner. Maybe it could be diluted and put into a spray bottle and used to clean the bathroom sink, and wipe around the toilet and bath. There must be other uses, anyone any ideas of their own? Being frugal is about using up what you already have before buying new.

Once these two bottles are empty I won't be buying any more conditioner. If I find any in a skip I will rescue it, or if someone gives me a bottle they no longer want, I would happily find a use for it.

Crafty pictures tomorrow. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip

Love my sea view.

Hello.
If I can't have my beach chalet next to the sea, then let the sea come to me. Ha ha.

Nearly ready. Pics coming soon.
Toodle pip

Hi Ted

Hello and Good Morning. Sounds of the Sixties on Radio 2 is getting me in the dancing mood, can't stop jigging. Another humungous storm last night. I woke at 3am to flashing lights and booming thunder. Had to get up and look out of the window. Torrents of rain, a river running down the street, overflowing gutters that couldn't keep up with the deluge, and the sky lit up like something out of a science fiction film. It was wonderful. I must put a chair in the summer house so I can go out there and sit in it next time.

Has anyone found Ted? It's a channel on yooootooob, hundreds of vids about all kinds of topics, most have a thought provoking message. I found this one yesterday, while looking for Judith Tebbutt. I thought it so reflects the way I feel at this moment in time. The simple message on a simple life appeals to my own common sense thoughts, you might like watch it. It's not long, you must listen to every word carefully to get the message. As you may guess English is not the speakers first language, so turn on the subtitles to make it easier to understand.



Jon has a very simplistic view of life, his splattering of humour is entertaining, and compliments the very essence of the message. A simple life free of all the trappings of a hectic consumer driven merry go round, leaves plenty of time for humour. Listen and watch and tell me if you agree with Jon.

Have a lovely weekend. Sounds of the Sixties is finished, time to get on with my hobbies.
Toodle pip

How to grow chairs

Hello and Good Morning.
I've been at the yooootoooob again, there is so much good stuff on there. I urge all of you to ditch your boring old TV, stop watching the goggle box, and explore around the tooob.

This caught my eye on the BBC web site. There is a short and very interesting video to give you a taster of an amazing concept in furniture making.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32977012

Something told me to explore further, and I found this longer video of 15 minutes.



I like this man's way of thinking. It takes 40 years to grow a tree, which will get chopped down, transported at various stages, from the forest, to the factory, and shipped thousands of miles to the shops which will sell the finished furniture. He can grow his chairs on the Derbyshire hillside in six years. We need inventive people like this, and we need to explore new ways of creating things.

Thanks for reading. Have a nice weekend. Toodle pip

My party political speech

Good morning. I see the political circus has kicked off, we are now to be bombarded with endless reports of what each party has to offer, promises that may or not materialize, and slanging matches that would be better suited to a kids playground. Why not go the whole hog and and have a bloody good punch up, with the last man or woman standing, to be given the job of Prime Minister.

Back stabbing and scoring points off one another with their caustic remarks is not my idea of a productive and positive campaign. As the following few weeks go on it is inevitable that tempers will escalate, wild accusations will become even more outrageous, and promises to solve all the current problems of what's wrong with the world are set to come crashing down and ground to dust once the votes have been counted.

So how is one supposed to make up ones mind on where to put the cross on the ballot paper? Does one vote for the person or the party, a question I often ask myself when it is time to pick the winner. Perhaps putting the names in a hat and going for the prize draw would achieve much the same result. I read, I watch, I listen, then I go back to the beginning and study form all over again. Like picking out a racehorse. Perhaps I'll go down the eeny meeny miney mo route, the politically correct version of course.

VOTE FOR ME...VOTE FOR ME...VOTE FOR ME

Here is my election campaign, with a bit of help from Nellie Knowitall

I would ban three course meals. No one anywhere should be stuffing their faces to the point of bursting or throwing up. Restaurants will be banned from dishing up starter, dinner, and pudding all in one sitting. It's about time we broke free of this out dated tradition, and go for one plate of wholesome and healthy food.

All rubbish bins to be checked by the bin men before they are accepted. All re usable stuff  should be re used, by law. It would be an offence to throw away anything that could be re purposed and used again. Huge collections sites will be set up where people could take and collect stuff.

Dog poo bags will be available from dispensers in all public places, next to dog poo bins where deposits can be made. Incentives to pick up dog poo would also be given. 20p to be paid from a machine every time a full bag lands in the collection point. Could be a little money making business, our parks and streets would be cleaned up and made safer for children.

Kids living less than half a mile from school should be escorted there on foot every morning by a responsible parent or guardian. Whatever the weather, no exceptions. As an incentive, every child who has walked will be given a 'bank' book, and issued with credits, then at the end of term the credits can be exchanged for book tokens to encourage them to read proper books

No more licences will be issued for selling alcohol. There are already enough outlets for people to buy their booze. When these naturally close no new ones will spring up in their place. People should be encouraged to find alternative ways to enjoy their leisure time instead of drinking themselves into oblivion. I will set up booze free social clubs where people can go to make real friends instead of the fake ones they latch onto  when living in a befuddled alcohol induced fog.

Breeding animals to make money will be outlawed under my leadership. Puppy farms will be closed and all cats, dogs, and rabbits will be removed and taken into care. Money will be set aside to facilitate new and loving homes for these pets, and they will all be neutered/spayed. People who breed animals purely to make money will be monitored and prosecuted if they are found to be in breach of the new law.

If I am elected as leader I would ban all pictures of tits and bums from the media. Won't be much left to read in the Daily Mail then. Not just the page three type stuff, but all the provocative selfies which are prolific on the social networking sites. There is nothing appealing about a massive pair of plastic bazookas, and a fat arse with a piece of dental floss disappearing between the cheeks. Please, let's have some modesty, all this bare flesh is affecting our children. If you want to do the naturist thing don't parade yourself in public, there are places where you can take your clothes off in a designated space.

So, are you with me on these crucial points? Can I count on your vote?  Elect me and I will make improvements in all the above areas. Get yourself down to the polling station next month and put your cross against the, 'Common Sense' party, that's me, Meanqueen, and my sidekick Nellie Knowitall. I hope I can count on you to do the right thing.  

Oh, and before I forget, it will be an offence to show a miserable face in public. Everyone will be required to be cheerful and greet your fellow human beings with a smile. For God's sake bloody smile, no grumping allowed. If you must be a miserable old git do it in your own home. By the way, a public place is defined as anywhere that the general public might congregate, including the internet.

VOTE FOR ME...VOTE FOR ME...VOTE FOR ME 

Have a nice Easter weekend.
Toodle pip

A day in selfies

THE NITTYGRITTY Z LIST CELEBRITY GOSSIP COLUMN,
FOR ONE DAY ONLY. 

There is an insatiable appetite for selfies which has been raging for almost a year now. Everywhere you go people are pointing their camera at themselves and posting the pictures on social media networking sites. Prime Ministers are joining in, film stars, TV personalities, sports stars, and even Z list bloggers are becoming obsessed with the notion of  getting their mush out there on the world wide web. Here is the latest batch to arrive at the offices of NITTYGRITTY, the magazine that everyone reads. 

The email accompanying these photo's states that the subject is keen to break into the modeling world. 'After all', she says, 'why should Katie Price get all the best jobs, she should move over and give others a chance.' 

This 65 year old pensioner has issued these publicity shots in the hope that she is spotted by a scout and is offered a lucrative modelling assignment, preferably in the Bahamas, as she would like to get away to the sunshine to top up her tan. Meet Meanqueen. 

This first shot is amazing, it shows her dogged determination to scrub those teeth till they shine Go for it girl, you've got a great set of  choppers there. 

Meanqueen has oodles of patience, once she sets her mind on doing something, she will more often than not stick it out to the end. Here she is busy stitching away on her current piece of artwork. She works that fast the needle almost sets the canvas alight.  

Meanqueen's super fit body is all down to eating good healthy food. Here she is sitting outside in the sun, scoffing a plate of  salad. There's lettuce, cucumber, beetroot, cheese, quiche, carrot, and pickled onion. A great combination for a tasty salad. 

A few swigs of cider to wash it down and a few minutes to relax before she goes outside again to tackle some jobs in the garden. There's no stopping this girl, she has to keep busy. 

Meanqueen looks after her plants like they are family, There has been no rain for a few days so the first job is to give all her babies a drink. Watering can at the ready, it's not tap water she uses, no that would be wasteful, but the rain from the sky is free. She collects it in an assortment of buckets and bowls and uses it for washing the car, watering the plants, and flushing the toilet. 

Oh dear, that doesn't look too healthy Meanqueen. With a look of sadness on her face she deposits the remains of the stricken plant unceremoniously onto the compost heap. 'So sorry dear plant, but your life will not be wasted, you will live again another day when a new plant will spring up from the seeds I scatter.'

Wow, that's a big nail, Meanqueen. She gets to work with the stanley knife and a screwdriver, taking down the old plastic greenhouse, carefully removing all the nails with the hammer so that the wood can be used again. Such an innovative woman, recycle is her middle name.

The jobs are finished in the garden, time to go inside and sit down for ten minutes. She reaches for a Liberte real yogurt Greek style from the fridge. No wonder she has a smile on her face, she managed to get a pack of four of these little beauties for the knockdown price of 44p. A massive saving from the original price of £2.19. A little taste of heaven for 11p, marvelous. 

The day has not quite ended, she still finds time to practice her modelling poses. Just look at that fantastic bikini body. Who would know that this svelte lady is underneath all those bulky clothes she wears to keep herself warm. Surely it's only a matter of time before we see her on the cover of one of the glossies, and then she will be able to drop the Z list and move up to the top of the A list.  

Thank you Meanqueen for your collection of selfies, you sure did pick some good ones there.

Visit to the Festival of Christmas Trees

Hello. I've been to church today, the Old Brumby, United Church. It's not an old church like those I visit on my travels, it's a mere fifty years old, so quite a modern building in comparison. Every year the Rotary Club hold a Festival of Christmas Trees to raise money for Lindsey Lodge Hospice. Entry is free, a donation is appreciated, and refreshments are available.

I've seen it advertised before, but never been to it, so I thought this year I would. It was very busy and seems like a popular event. There are over eighty trees to view, all decorated by local businesses, schools, groups, clubs, charities, and the council. Some of them are stunningly fabulous, all of them are super. Here are a few of them. Enjoy.

This had to be my favourite, I love quirky. Driftwood picked up from the beach, cleaned and sanded smooth. Each branch has a hole drilled through the middle and is threaded onto an upright post, the longest piece at the bottom and the shortest on top. Amazing isn't it. 

And the band played Christmas Carols. There is other entertainment throughout the two weekends, choirs are booked to perform as well. 

A lot of the decorations are hand made. There are colourful Suffolk Puffs on this one.

Another quirky one, by the council recycling department. I'm not sure I like this one very much. The idea is good but I think they could have been a bit more imaginative with the construction.

 Small knitted socks covered this one. Cute.

Looks like all the children in the school made a fairy out of a clothes peg. Great idea to get them all involved.

I've got some more photo's but I'll save them for later. Hope you like them.
Toodle pip.