February 10th 2015 - Shortening curtains
Today's pin inspiration comes from here. A pin on how to shorten curtains, most of the pin is about cutting and stitching, but it does say at the end about just folding and stitching the hem.
The nice dyed curtains of a few days ago are starting their transformation - well one is. One of them is going as a door curtain (when I get as far as adding the old curtain to it - was going to use a towel but already have the door curtain just wrong colour.) and the other one is going on the landing window, but obviously being a door curtain it needs shortening.
But instead of cutting and re-heming and then adding a lining to it I decided to simply fold it in half (still abit long for window but not much) and stitch the sides and the top together. This is easier said than done! The material is very thick cotton and I have bent 1 needle and a handful of pins already, so I am now using a leather needle and still strugling. My thumb is very red from pushing the needle through and I don't have a thimble.
I will get them done and hung up, but I need to go and buy anotehr curtain pole as only got 1 and have 2 curtains to hang. lol. I cant even use the existing one that is up as that is for the curtains with the little hooks on the back, and it will need to be fitted in the toilet with the existing curtain.
Tuesday, 10 February 2015
Monday, 9 February 2015
February 9th 2015 - Depression
February 9th 2015 - Depression
Today I had a telephone conversation with a counsellor I was referred to by my GP for Depression. After going through the answers to the questionaire I was sent and answering her questions she conifrmed I am suffering from depression - well yes luv thats why I was referred to you!!! Tell me something I don't know!
So this hasn't helped my mood much. So for todays pin I don't have 1 pin but a whole new board linked to depression.
There are many factors linked to my depression and low mood, and they stem back over 10years to when my Mum died, add to that 2 years later my Dad dying, move forward a few more years and my Hubby has a serious road accident of which had he been in a car wouldn't be alive today, filter into this lack of money, moving away from my friends and family (don't get me wrong I love where I live now, but I do miss my close friends), then there is the chronic knee pain resulting from twising it 2years ago and surgery almost 1 year ago, plus probably loads of other little things that on their own would be fine but altogether are a big problem. I have tried to be strong and hide it for too long and it has just got to the point I can't do it any more. I have spent the past 10years on and off anti-depressants.
I am fed up of not sleeping but being tired all the time, being hungry but not wanting to eat, being in constant pain, having no energy all the time. The list goes on.
Anyway, hopefully the counsellor I see in person will be more use and come up with ideas to sort me out.
My Gp said I was a negative person as I came up with a reason why I couldn't do what he suggested - errrr no its genuine reasons. He said "wrap up warm and go for a long walk" - I can't as recovering from knee surgery - some days just walking around the house hurts. He said "go to the pub for dinner with your Hubby" - I can't as we can't afford to as on benefits. He said "go to the pub for drinks" - just told you we can't afford to. He said "go shopping with your lady friends during the day" - errr that involves money that I don't have and most are at work during the day. He said "visit family" - I can't they are 5hrs down south in a car and I don't drive and can't do it in time for school, so he said "do it at a weekend" - can't afford to as nearly £100 return in fuel. So yes they maybe negative answers but they are genuine ones and not made up excuses.
Onwards and upwards is the only way.
Today I had a telephone conversation with a counsellor I was referred to by my GP for Depression. After going through the answers to the questionaire I was sent and answering her questions she conifrmed I am suffering from depression - well yes luv thats why I was referred to you!!! Tell me something I don't know!
So this hasn't helped my mood much. So for todays pin I don't have 1 pin but a whole new board linked to depression.
There are many factors linked to my depression and low mood, and they stem back over 10years to when my Mum died, add to that 2 years later my Dad dying, move forward a few more years and my Hubby has a serious road accident of which had he been in a car wouldn't be alive today, filter into this lack of money, moving away from my friends and family (don't get me wrong I love where I live now, but I do miss my close friends), then there is the chronic knee pain resulting from twising it 2years ago and surgery almost 1 year ago, plus probably loads of other little things that on their own would be fine but altogether are a big problem. I have tried to be strong and hide it for too long and it has just got to the point I can't do it any more. I have spent the past 10years on and off anti-depressants.
I am fed up of not sleeping but being tired all the time, being hungry but not wanting to eat, being in constant pain, having no energy all the time. The list goes on.
Anyway, hopefully the counsellor I see in person will be more use and come up with ideas to sort me out.
My Gp said I was a negative person as I came up with a reason why I couldn't do what he suggested - errrr no its genuine reasons. He said "wrap up warm and go for a long walk" - I can't as recovering from knee surgery - some days just walking around the house hurts. He said "go to the pub for dinner with your Hubby" - I can't as we can't afford to as on benefits. He said "go to the pub for drinks" - just told you we can't afford to. He said "go shopping with your lady friends during the day" - errr that involves money that I don't have and most are at work during the day. He said "visit family" - I can't they are 5hrs down south in a car and I don't drive and can't do it in time for school, so he said "do it at a weekend" - can't afford to as nearly £100 return in fuel. So yes they maybe negative answers but they are genuine ones and not made up excuses.
Onwards and upwards is the only way.
Sunday, 8 February 2015
February 8th 2015 - Word Art
February 8th 2015 - Word Art
Today is a very dull and gloomy day outside, its really foggy and I can't even see the houses across the road! This doesn't help me with feeling low and depressed.
So I decided to find some word art to colour in via the paint programme on my laptop. I chose this image on pinterest for todays pin. It says:
Today is a very dull and gloomy day outside, its really foggy and I can't even see the houses across the road! This doesn't help me with feeling low and depressed.
So I decided to find some word art to colour in via the paint programme on my laptop. I chose this image on pinterest for todays pin. It says:
"some days you have to find your own sunshine"
Which I thought was great for the weather and my mood. I will add a pic once it's coloured in.
Here it is:
Here it is:
Saturday, 7 February 2015
February 7th 2015 - Halloween apothecary labels
February 7th 2015 - Halloween apothecary labels
Today my new ink arrived for the printer so I can now get on and print the apothecary labels similar to these (and various others I have on pinterest).
These are going on the bottles and jars that I have been saving to make halloween bottles/jars for a witches shelf for one of my best friends as she fell in love with mine last year at halloween and asked me to make her some.
Here's some of my bottles from last year, I can't find the picture of them on the shelf:
They have all been handmade by myself, most are from old food jars and medicine bottles. The contents vary from things I have had in the craft box (feather shaped sequins) to shop bought items (the grow your own brain). The labels were all found on the internet and edited to how I wanted them. In total I have about 30 different jars/bottles on my shelf and where I am making a set for my friend and have had new ideas I will be adding to mine as well. Once the contents are in the jar either dry or with coloured water/hair gel/hand gel/baby oil etc they are sealed with a hot glue gun to avoid them being opened by "little people".
Some of the new jars I am making include leprechauns gold (gold cake decorating icing balls) and ground unicorn horn (silver sparkly cake icing dust) and I have white glittery clay to make an actual unicorns horn.
There are many ideas on the internt for making apothecary jars, some are very simple others not so. But the only limits are your imigination and purse. I've had great fun in making those that I already have and i'm I sure I will enjoy making more.
I plan to actually make a "life-size" witch to be sat with her potions over a couldron, she will be made from a £1 shop painters suit (stuffed) and then dressed in a witches outfit (including tights and hopefully shoes) and a witches mask. This will be a depending on time make but as i'm not at home this year for halloween its not urgent.
A few of my new labels to go on bottles. Please feel free to copy them.
Today my new ink arrived for the printer so I can now get on and print the apothecary labels similar to these (and various others I have on pinterest).
These are going on the bottles and jars that I have been saving to make halloween bottles/jars for a witches shelf for one of my best friends as she fell in love with mine last year at halloween and asked me to make her some.
Here's some of my bottles from last year, I can't find the picture of them on the shelf:
They have all been handmade by myself, most are from old food jars and medicine bottles. The contents vary from things I have had in the craft box (feather shaped sequins) to shop bought items (the grow your own brain). The labels were all found on the internet and edited to how I wanted them. In total I have about 30 different jars/bottles on my shelf and where I am making a set for my friend and have had new ideas I will be adding to mine as well. Once the contents are in the jar either dry or with coloured water/hair gel/hand gel/baby oil etc they are sealed with a hot glue gun to avoid them being opened by "little people".
Some of the new jars I am making include leprechauns gold (gold cake decorating icing balls) and ground unicorn horn (silver sparkly cake icing dust) and I have white glittery clay to make an actual unicorns horn.
There are many ideas on the internt for making apothecary jars, some are very simple others not so. But the only limits are your imigination and purse. I've had great fun in making those that I already have and i'm I sure I will enjoy making more.
I plan to actually make a "life-size" witch to be sat with her potions over a couldron, she will be made from a £1 shop painters suit (stuffed) and then dressed in a witches outfit (including tights and hopefully shoes) and a witches mask. This will be a depending on time make but as i'm not at home this year for halloween its not urgent.
A few of my new labels to go on bottles. Please feel free to copy them.
Friday, 6 February 2015
February 6th 2015 - Clowning around
February 6th 2015 - clowning around
Near Easter as part of my St John Ambulance Badgers Entertainment badge we are having a circus evening. The plan was that the kids all dress in bright coloured/baggy/spotty/striped clothes as clowns, and had their faces painted and I was going to make them all a clown wig and I was going to go as the ring master (as i'm the leader in charge). Well this won't be happening fully as 1 of the children doesn't like clowns, but has said as long as no-1 is completely covered with face paint and a wig etc she will be fine, she said as long as she can see its us even with just a red nose she can manage.
Well I started to look for a ringmasters out and top hat, I found a jacket in my size on ebay and have been watching it but it has gone up to a silly price and still has 4days to go. I also looked at making a top hat rather than buying one, but in order to cover it with felt it worked out more expensive than buying one - £3.99 to buy one and £4.50 for the felt.
So I thought I would make myself a clown outfit (today's pin) like the one on pinterest - very easy and cheap to do. I had to go into town for a few bits and was on the hunt for animal print fabric as cheap as possible for another SJA event later in the year. I didn't find any cheap animal print fabric but I did find a blue with multi-spots onesie in the charity shop. I had seen it last week and left it as I was going as ring master. But as I said to hubby the fact the ring master outfit was selling for a lot and this onesie was still in the shop it was fate I was meant to go as a clown! Hubby reckons it means that everyone else in our town has sense and wont be see in it! LOL!
The onesie:
I think I will pass a bright clown! However, I have a suspicion that the night I need to go as a clown will fall on a night that I need to stay to the adult section of SJA for training or a unit social evening down the pub - but that's fine with me, I think the adults will be embarressed by what i'm wearing more than I will!!!
The evening will be a fun one for the children, where we will be trying out an assortment of circus skills. I have plastic eggs and spoons (from my children's summer bag of outdoor toys), we have a plate spinning set, soft balls to juggle with, there is a set of plastic stilts they can walk on, try and balance a ball on their finger, I plan to make a set of weights from balloons with rice in them attached to a pole, walk the plank (from pirate party last year) and i'm getting some modelling balloons so we can try and make balloon animals - I know how to do a snake and an earthworm (inflate balloon and tie! lol!) but hubby said no!
Near Easter as part of my St John Ambulance Badgers Entertainment badge we are having a circus evening. The plan was that the kids all dress in bright coloured/baggy/spotty/striped clothes as clowns, and had their faces painted and I was going to make them all a clown wig and I was going to go as the ring master (as i'm the leader in charge). Well this won't be happening fully as 1 of the children doesn't like clowns, but has said as long as no-1 is completely covered with face paint and a wig etc she will be fine, she said as long as she can see its us even with just a red nose she can manage.
Well I started to look for a ringmasters out and top hat, I found a jacket in my size on ebay and have been watching it but it has gone up to a silly price and still has 4days to go. I also looked at making a top hat rather than buying one, but in order to cover it with felt it worked out more expensive than buying one - £3.99 to buy one and £4.50 for the felt.
So I thought I would make myself a clown outfit (today's pin) like the one on pinterest - very easy and cheap to do. I had to go into town for a few bits and was on the hunt for animal print fabric as cheap as possible for another SJA event later in the year. I didn't find any cheap animal print fabric but I did find a blue with multi-spots onesie in the charity shop. I had seen it last week and left it as I was going as ring master. But as I said to hubby the fact the ring master outfit was selling for a lot and this onesie was still in the shop it was fate I was meant to go as a clown! Hubby reckons it means that everyone else in our town has sense and wont be see in it! LOL!
The onesie:
I think I will pass a bright clown! However, I have a suspicion that the night I need to go as a clown will fall on a night that I need to stay to the adult section of SJA for training or a unit social evening down the pub - but that's fine with me, I think the adults will be embarressed by what i'm wearing more than I will!!!
The evening will be a fun one for the children, where we will be trying out an assortment of circus skills. I have plastic eggs and spoons (from my children's summer bag of outdoor toys), we have a plate spinning set, soft balls to juggle with, there is a set of plastic stilts they can walk on, try and balance a ball on their finger, I plan to make a set of weights from balloons with rice in them attached to a pole, walk the plank (from pirate party last year) and i'm getting some modelling balloons so we can try and make balloon animals - I know how to do a snake and an earthworm (inflate balloon and tie! lol!) but hubby said no!
Thursday, 5 February 2015
February 5th 2015 - Dying curtains
February 5th 2015 - Dying curtains
Back in January when we went down to Peterborough my sister gave me a pair of really long (longer than door height) cream/beige cotton curtains that were brand new. They were given to her but she had no-where to fit them and asked if I could make use of them - errrrr yes please. I had the thought to dye them a turquoise/teal type colour to go by my front door and the seond be cut to fit the landing window, as my walls are a colour called aqua.
Since then they have been sat on the back of my sofa waiting to be dyed. Well today was their lucky (or unlucky if goes wrong) day. I found this tutorial on pinterest about how to dye curtains, but it was by hand not machine, but its still the base of todays pin. I bought the bahma blue dylon dye on tuesday and set about changing their colour today. I followed the inscturctions on the pack, dye in machine drum, salt on top of dye in drum then the curtains into it. shut the door, turned dial to 40c and hit start.
This is the progress half way through cycle, and they are looking a very nice colour and very near to what I hoped they would look like.
I have put them onto a wash cycle as it says to do. So it's now a waiting game to see how they turn out. Fingers crossed they are still good colour. I do plan to line them to make them thicker and keep the warmth in and I plan to do this with a giant bath towel/sheet in a similar colour - i've dont this to other cutains and it makes them darker and warmer. Not traditional but who cares.
EDIT/UPDATE
They are now in the dryer and are a lovely shade of blue and will look great against my walls, I need to get them lined and get a new pole for them to go on. Will add a pic later once they dry. Really chuffed they worked. Just praying that theres no dye left in machine, have done a blank wash and think i'm going to do a bleach one just to safe, as it my luck that the kids white school shirts will end up with hints of blue. lol!
Back in January when we went down to Peterborough my sister gave me a pair of really long (longer than door height) cream/beige cotton curtains that were brand new. They were given to her but she had no-where to fit them and asked if I could make use of them - errrrr yes please. I had the thought to dye them a turquoise/teal type colour to go by my front door and the seond be cut to fit the landing window, as my walls are a colour called aqua.
Since then they have been sat on the back of my sofa waiting to be dyed. Well today was their lucky (or unlucky if goes wrong) day. I found this tutorial on pinterest about how to dye curtains, but it was by hand not machine, but its still the base of todays pin. I bought the bahma blue dylon dye on tuesday and set about changing their colour today. I followed the inscturctions on the pack, dye in machine drum, salt on top of dye in drum then the curtains into it. shut the door, turned dial to 40c and hit start.
This is the progress half way through cycle, and they are looking a very nice colour and very near to what I hoped they would look like.
I have put them onto a wash cycle as it says to do. So it's now a waiting game to see how they turn out. Fingers crossed they are still good colour. I do plan to line them to make them thicker and keep the warmth in and I plan to do this with a giant bath towel/sheet in a similar colour - i've dont this to other cutains and it makes them darker and warmer. Not traditional but who cares.
EDIT/UPDATE
They are now in the dryer and are a lovely shade of blue and will look great against my walls, I need to get them lined and get a new pole for them to go on. Will add a pic later once they dry. Really chuffed they worked. Just praying that theres no dye left in machine, have done a blank wash and think i'm going to do a bleach one just to safe, as it my luck that the kids white school shirts will end up with hints of blue. lol!
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
February 4th 2015 - the Pentagram/pentacle
February 4th 2015 - the Pentagram/pentacle
Today the Pentagram/pentacle has arrived for the cover of my Halloween Spell Book. It is much bigger than I thought it would be, but it does fit (just) on the front of the book.
This is it as it has arrived. I have since Given it a coat of silver paint, and it is going to need a 2nd and maybe a 3rd as its quite patchy at the moment. I plan to make it really pretty with purple gem stones - my plan is to end up something like this one, obviously without all the swirls and stuff but the with purple stones.
Today the Pentagram/pentacle has arrived for the cover of my Halloween Spell Book. It is much bigger than I thought it would be, but it does fit (just) on the front of the book.
This is it as it has arrived. I have since Given it a coat of silver paint, and it is going to need a 2nd and maybe a 3rd as its quite patchy at the moment. I plan to make it really pretty with purple gem stones - my plan is to end up something like this one, obviously without all the swirls and stuff but the with purple stones.
This was my inspiration for todays pin, but I also thought I would use this one which has information about the Pentagram.
The Pentagram is NOT a bad symbol nor is it linked to devil worship like many people believe. The Pentagram is a 5pointed star that is used for protection, all of its lines are interlinked and are enclosed in a circle. The 5 points all have a meaning, the top is for the Spirit or Goddess, the rest represent the elements, the top left is for Air, the top right is for Water, the bottom left is for Earth and the bottom right is for Fire. You can find out more about it's meanings here.
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