This is what Heidi did

Hello and Good Morning. What a lot of fun that was, life would be pretty dismal if you didn't have fun. Thank you for your funny answers to the question, What did Heidi do? Some very good suggestions there. Yes, my cats do climb into the sink and wait for me to turn on a tap. Yes, they do get in the bath as well for the same reason. Kitties like drinking from a running tap. I have seen videos where cats balance over a toilet and do their business, and flush after use, and pull off loads of toilet paper from the roll. But Heidi didn't do any of that.

There was a clue in Monday's post, you might not have seen it. I had a bath, and as usual I left the water in there for flushing the toilet. She didn't step up onto the side of the bath and fall in, like a couple of you suggested. There was one clear winner who got it spot on. I had just stood up and was pulling my pants up adjusting my clothes, when quick as lightening this furball dashed into the room at full pelt and hurled herself into the bath, which was half full of cold water. There was a few frantic attempts of doggy catty paddle sending spray everywhere, before she managed to launch herself out of it like a rocket, and land on the floor. She left the room as quick as she had arrived, dashed downstairs and jumped up on the kitchen worktop where I quickly threw a towel over her. She was none the worse for her shock and spent the next hour grooming the underside of her belly. It was hilarious.

So, who won?

dawn rose, you are the winner. 

Send me your postal address in an email, address on the side, or send it to me in a comment which I won't publish. A lucky bag of goodies will be coming your way.

I'll be back later. Toodle pip.

What did Heidi do?

Good morning. Here is cheeky Heidi, I call her HideyHi. 

Last night I had a quick visit to the bathroom, when Heidi did something which caused me to dissolve into fits of laughter, and I have been chuckling ever since. It all happened in a flash, I don't know who was more surprised, me or her. She seems to have overcome her health problems, but another blood test is on the cards in six weeks time, just to monitor her condition. In the meantime she is back to her energetic self and is darting around like any excited four year old would.

So, this is my question to you, get your thinking caps on. What did Heidi do last night, which I suspect she will never do again? Ha ha, it was so funny, pity I didn't have a camera rolling. It could have made me £250 if I had filmed it and sent it to, You have been Framed, but I am not in the habit of taking a camera to the toilet with me.

All ideas in the comments please, I will give a prize to the one who comes up with the right answer. If no one gets it, I'll give a prize to the funniest idea. The competition will close in 24 hours so you have until 10.00am tomorrow morning, UK time.

She is now parked right in front of the keyboard and I am typing with one hand. What a sweetheart she is.
Catch you soon. Toodle pip.

A crafty treat

Hiya. Cold and damp outside, so better off indoors today. Yesterday was the Crafty Club as usual, and this time I did take my camera, just in case there was anything of interest to photograph. Luckily Carol brought our Christmas Tree again, because some people haven't seen it. So here is a picture. All made with the snooker table green baize, hasn't she done a great job. It will be floor standing and she has a cardboard tube to slip over the metal stand, which will be covered in fabric. Everything hanging on it will be hand made, someone has made the sparkly garlands draped over it here. 

Now here is a treat, Crafty Janet brought in this wall hanging she is working on, I think you will agree her stitchery is simply stunning. She took the elements from a magazine and adapted them to her own design. She has incorporated a good mix of fabrics from cottons to satin, and the black borders are felt. The colours are just perfect for this design. Janet is often self critical of her work, and I can never understand why, I can never fault it. 

This picture shows the tacking stitches holding the layers together. 

The effort she puts into the detail is commendable. Janet, your work is amazing.

If this has whetted your appetite for textile art, take a look at the latest post by Brenda in the Borough, on her blog. She has made two small quilts A4 size, using thread and coloured pencils. Her designs are fabulous.  

Here is my simple crafty offering for today, I found this heart design in a book, and using the template I made my own version with colours of my choice. Not my favourite heart shape, I prefer something more chubby and rounded. The stitching in the book was back stitch, I like chain stitch better. The back is plain, I wonder if it would be better with some couching to outline the shape around the edge, maybe I will do that.  

I hope the crafty posts inspire someone to get their needlework box out of the cupboard and make a few decorative pieces for Christmas.

It's stopped raining so it's time to take the pooch for walkies. Thanks for popping in.
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

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

A good swap

Hello. I've had a super Saturday . Didn't go anywhere, just stayed around the village and found things to do at home. This morning me and Rocky had a walk to Janet's house to deliver the pet quilts. She is hopefully going to sell them tomorrow at a car boot sale that she goes to with Sue. The kettle was on so we sat in the posh room and had a natter over a cup of coffee. Then I picked up the Times newspapers from Irene who lives in the same street. 

My next door neighbour has had a lad in to weed the front borders around the lawn on the front. The trouble is that he has removed clumps of earth as well as the weeds, which has left deep furrows in it. They like to plant flowers in their borders, the lack of soil is going to make that difficult. Then I had an idea, I have plenty spare compost in my raised beds, which I don't need. Simple, fill up their holes with it. I got my wheel barrow out and loaded it up with plastic boxes of compost, and filled all the borders in. That's brought it up to the level of the lawn in the middle, and the pavement at the front. Job done. I see they have planted it up with wallflowers, it should be a good show. For my reward I got three fleecy sweatshirts, Jane was sorting her wardrobe out and they were surplus to requirements. I gratefully accepted them, and thought it was a good swap. 

This is Heidi's favourite spot when the sun is out. She always has been a climber, usually getting onto the roof of the summerhouse. I sit inside and she peeps through the window at me. 

Mayze in her usual spot sunning herself on the wooden shelves at the side of the garage.

 Lunch today was a portion of veg stew out of the freezer, couldn't be bothered to cook. I had an early dinner and made an omelette with mushrooms, chickpeas, and spinach. It was almost as big as the plate so I didn't need much to go with it. It was lovely, I put garlic powder and coriander in it, very tasty. I always finish it off under the grill so it stays in one piece, rather than trying to flip it over. I took this meal out into the summerhouse and ate it there, then sat and read the papers. It's been a lovely day again.

On the sewing front, I've finished another string of small felt hearts, and made two fabric bags. There is only a small piece of this material left now, I've got such a lot out of a £1 set of curtains from the charity shop.

Right, that's me done, chill out time now. I'll have a look what's on the free tele. Enjoy your Sunday.
Toodle pip

Flower Power

Hello. Someone asked about making felt flowers, well here you are, your wish is my command. In fact you can make felt anything, just find the picture you want to copy in a book or magazine, draw around the outline onto greaseproof or baking paper, and make a template out of cardboard, which I have done here. 

The bits I need are a back and front for the flower, a smaller flower shape to add to the front, and  spot of a different colour. A loop is needed to hang it, I have some gold coloured elastic. You could use ribbon or wool, or you could sew a clasp onto the back and make a pretty lapel badge. 

First add your embellishments to the large flower shape, incorporating the smaller flower and the spot. I have used an assortment of small beads. You can use sequins, buttons, lace, ribbon, anything you like. When you are happy with the result you next sew the front to the back.

First attach the loop to the back, with a couple of stitches, in the same thread you are going to use for the edging, taking care not to go through to the outside..

Then start your blanket stitch to the left of the hoop. You need to stick your needle through the actual loop to secure it, or it will pull out. I am using a matching thread, you could use a contrasting thread but your stitches need to be perfect. If you prefer, you could do a running stitch close to the edge.

Carry on all the way around the edge, holding the two pieces close together between your finger and thumb to ensure that they match up exactly. 

When you are coming towards the loop, stop when you have a small opening to insert the stuffing. You may not want to stuff it, you can carry on and leave it flat. Put a couple of stitches through the loop at the end, to secure it, then make a neat finish and cut the thread.

I've made three flowers now. They would look nice on a Christmas tree, or just hung anywhere. Another idea is to not stuff them and put some wire stalks into them so they can stand in a vase as a bunch. It would be easy to make some leaves to go with them.

Anyone else having a go? Look through magazines for ideas. I fancy making some bells next, or maybe an angel or two.

It's sunny today. I'm off outside. The weekend is looming, whatever you are doing, enjoy it. Catch you soon.
Toodle pip