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I make a lot of things using a lot of different materials, and I fail to blog about the vast majority of them. Here are the few things I have written about though.

(For more posts about stuff I’ve made, read my simple living blog: The Really Good Life)

Makes for #makealong

11/4/2010 / / 0 Comments

I’d planned to spend all Saturday deep in the world of make, inspired by Do Stuff‘s Lee’s 24 hour #makealong. But since it was a gorgeous sunny day, we ended up going on a lovely walk with Team Slater (around the Chevin in Otley) and had to pick up a new-used swing set from Huddersfield and I didn’t get to start making until 9pm. Still though, I made:

  • A list on the back of an envelope (where all the best lists are made) of all the things I wanted to make ;)
  • Labels for my seedlings – cut out of a plastic bottles
  • A ginger beer starter
  • A sourdough starter
  • About 10cm of a necklace – it is quite elaborate beading so it took me 1.5hrs to do that
  • And I started doing some fun atomic-style embroidery on some boring plain knickers but I didn’t do a very good job so unpicked it straight afterwards.

Still on the list to make this weekend (although I’m not really sure where I’ll find the time):

  • A crochet hook reusing/recycling something
  • A purse
  • Embroider those knickers
  • And finish the necklace

Wish I’d had more time to do more exciting things – next time, next time :)

10 goals for 2010 – progress update

1/4/2010 / / 0 Comments

Right, we’re a quarter of the way through the year – am I a quarter of the way through my goals? Nope.

1. To make a meal using only ingredients I’ve grown, raised, caught or killed myself.
This feels like it’s moving on a bit now as the sun is shiny and there are potatoes chitting, seeds in pots of soil and many more seeds to meet their soil this weekend. Plus, there is more wild food about now – I “caught” some wild garlic the other day and have plans for the nettle shoots springing up everywhere (and maybe even try the cleavers).

2. To travel to a place on my “top ten places to go before I die” list.
The only places I’ve travelled to this month have been Liverpool and Bingley. So, not got any further with this one.

3. Finish writing my second novel.
Thought about it this month than I did last month. Have yet to apply pen to paper. Sigh.

4. Learn how to make sausages – wet English style ones and cured ones too.
We unfortunately couldn’t make the wonderful course at Old Sleningford Farm last month but are trying to organise going on another one with them, maybe later this month. Still can’t wait – was gutted about having to miss the last one.

5. Spend at least a day fishing out on the North Sea.
There has been preliminary talk of a week in a cottage on the coast in May-ish – my fishing may coincide with this.

6. Finally finish learning how to drive.
Nothing happened with this. Buses from Bingley still frustrating but I’m now passing the time crocheting & listening to TTC lectures — much more productive than if I drove.

7. Make a full outfit’s worth of clothing for myself – including spinning any wool used.
I’ve pretty much stopped playing WoW again for now so I’m crafting more. Working on a (dog) blanket at the moment but I’m determined to start something clothes-y soon.

8. Learn how to program and make a mini-game/application using Ruby.
My progress has slowed with this but I’m still doing bits. My book suddenly got less usable though so I’m looking for other resources.

9. Climb a mountain or at least a jolly big hill.
Last month, I alluded to something happening that would make this goal a lot easier to accomplish – the arrival of Lily. We’ve walked so much this month! Actually, it’s lessened a bit over the last week or so – the initial excitement of her new environs has worn off and she’s happy to run about everywhere off-lead while we dawdle a shorter route behind. Still, way more exercise than we used to do.

10. Participate more in the real world – plan/run a real life green event or scheme.
Getting out and about more with the dog has made me a) talk to more local people (albeit just doggie small talk so far) and b) see more of the area. The brain cogs keep turning.

My favourite British green/simple living/craft blogs

25/3/2010 / / 2 Comments

I read A LOT of green/simple living blogs – some religiously, others only when the subject particularly appeals. There is such a wealth of knowledge out there and inspirational actions, not from proclaimed experts or media stars but from a range of people living (or trying to live) “simpler” lives. (I share my favourite posts here – http://www.google.com/reader/shared/louisa.parry)

However, the vast majority of the bloggers are from the US and while a lot of the information transfers over here, it’s nice to read stories from British bloggers too – their photos show familiar hilly landscapes not alien prairies or mountains, they talk about tea & Jaffa cakes, and they have small, climate-challenged gardens & no chance of an allotment this side of the year 3000.

So anyway, on with the links:

10 goals for 2010

1/1/2010 / / 4 Comments
  1. To make a meal using only ingredients I’ve grown, raised, caught or killed myself.
  2. To travel to a place on my “top ten places to go before I die” list.
  3. Finish writing my second novel.
  4. Learn how to make sausages – wet English style ones and cured ones too.
  5. Spend at least a day fishing out on the North Sea.
  6. Finally finish learning how to drive.
  7. Make a full outfit’s worth of clothing for myself – including spinning any wool used.
  8. Learn how to program and make a mini-game/application using Ruby.
  9. Climb a mountain or at least a jolly big hill.
  10. Participate more in the real world – plan/run a real life green event or scheme.

Old shirt into cute hankies

5/8/2009 / / 0 Comments

We needed some hankies and I remembered I had an old pink gingham school shirt in my scrap bag.

I’d got the shirt secondhand from a charity shop in Liverpool in about 1999 but I’ve put a littleweight on since then so it didn’t fit any more, and it had little sweat stains under the arms and it had a run-in with something dyed at some point so wasn’t good enough for a charity shop. For something to wipe our noses on though? Perfect.

I got six hankies out of the sleeves and front panels – I’ll save the back for something else.

Dragonflies on flowers

11/7/2009 / / 0 Comments

Just playing with some wire this afternoon. Fingers hurt now.

wire dragonflies

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