I have finally knitted a wearable sweater! I found this 1950s pattern in a local charity shop, and bought it because I’ve always wanted to try a vintage sweater pattern. In fact it was very easy to knit, and I did big portions of it watching TV and on the train into London, nearly finishing Read More…
Category: Homemaking
How to Get Rid of Things
One thing I enjoy about January is the chance to reorganise, de-clutter, and generally take stock of my commitments and routines. I enjoy these things anyway, but January feels like the time of year when re-evaluation is most appropriate, and I don’t feel guilty devoting some time to these activities. The part I have the Read More…
I’m Back! And (Surprising) DIY Successes
I’ve been absent for a while, I know – mainly due to travelling, illness, and then simply having gotten out of the habit. I actually think about blogging all the time, and am often jotting notes for posts I’d like to write, but often feel too tired by the evening to sit down and write Read More…
Recipe Alteration and Pumpkin Bread
Look what I found at Whole Foods on our recent shopping trip: My American friends will recognise this very comforting product. Overpriced as it was, I was delighted to stock up with a few tins of this and am hoarding some until Thanksgiving. However, I wanted to use one for some early autumn baking: pumpkin Read More…
Autumn Plans
Autumn came in quite abruptly at the start of September, and this weekend is the official first day of autumn. I always have mixed feelings about this season. On the one hand, like many people I certainly love the changing colours, the excuse to start baking, and, yes, a seasonal Starbucks latte. Those blustery days Read More…
Charity Shopping
I’ve already posted about my recent plan to try my hand at refashioning clothes from charity shops, both for the creative satisfaction but also as a thrifty way of adding to my wardrobe. Of course, much of this goes back to my discussion, much earlier in the year, about finding ways to save money. As Read More…
Timed Tidying
One problem I routinely encounter, working at home, is something I can’t remember reading about anywhere in all those blogs about work-at-home productivity. This is the problem that, when I’m trying to work at home, any sort of mess at home bothers me much more than it otherwise would. I never like waking up to a Read More…
Make Do and Mend
One trend I’ve noticed in recent years is that of ‘refashioning’ clothes (or ‘restyling’). This is different from simply altering clothes which don’t fit, but usually involves making some significant style changes to the garment as well. If you start looking online, you’ll find dozens of blogs chronicling the transformation of old tops, sweaters and Read More…
Applesauce
A while ago, I found some Kilner home canning jars on sale and bought six of them. I then resolved to lie in wait for the apple season to start and see if I could obtain some inexpensive apples to make applesauce. I had begun to contemplate which weekend to buy my apples when, serendipitously, Read More…
Some Thoughts on DIY and Natural Beauty
I started this post at 9:30 last night, when I had just cleaned up from making coconut oil moisturiser and hair oil, with all the oily measuring spoons soaking in baking soda. I have, perhaps inevitably, drifted into the DIY beauty trend for homemade lotions, lip balms, and acne remedies.