Update on my 365 day challenge.

Well its been quite a productive week and I have been very good with my 365 day challenge. I had one very slight lapse however!! Hubby and I went away for the weekend. Unfortunately in the rush to leave we only packed half of my clothes. While I managed to get around most of the items, I had to buy some socks and undies. Andy assured me that he would take the purchases into consideration when planning my Christmas present. So it looks like Santa's sack wont be quite so full this year!!
The challenge has given me lots of ideas for xmas presents so I have been crocheting and looking at recipe books. Cant give too much away as I know my mum looks at my blog and I don't want her to know about the multi coloured knitted socks !!

Finally sorted...........

At last I have completed the boxes. I didn't want to do anything overstated. I think it works though. Yes I know I should have been a little more adventurous. Maybe next time!!

Xmas Past.....

I was getting all nostalgic about my childhood Christmases and in particular the trips with mum each year to Debenhams to chooses new glass baubles for our tree. Remember the ones? Just look at them and they would shatter into minute sharp slithers. Some were quite beautiful elongated droplets with bulbous centres and smothered in glitter, some for obscure reasons known only to the producers were shaped like pipes (the smoking kind), ducks? bells or Santas (ok I get that).


Anyway, in view of my 365 day challenge and the wish to get back into the spirit of a traditional tree this year, I went onto Ebay this evening to see if I could find anything suitable…….



Imagine then the horror to discover that many of the baubles currently used on my tree are classed as Vintage? Either Vintage is getting younger, or I am seriously due a tree overhaul!


Some of the trimming on offer are scary and I think should carry health warnings, especially if there are young children or elderly parents visiting over the festive period. So what I thought is we should start a bad taste trimmings feature. One of the best places to start is Ebay!!


If anyone can find anything garish and inappropriate to hang on a tree, post a copy here! for us all to see... How’s that for a challenge, all done in the best possible taste…… How many days to go?

What a great day, went to Cheltenham to the Veggie Roadshow with Katie *(number 4),
I was really pleased as I was able to get some sprouting seeds that I have been unable to purchase locally. Then into Cheltenham shopping. It was so much easier shopping knowing that I was committed to the 365 day challenge. However I had as stroll around Vinegar Hill, Laura Ashleys' and Whittards just to glean some ideas and be smug regarding the amounts I was saving! Barnardos books is a great store, unfortunately today they didn't have anything suitable, but we were able to buy some wool from Mind (2x50gram balls of Sirdar at 50p a ball) bargain.
This evening we had a big family gathering to celebrate Baileys 10th birthday. She is the eldest grandchild and growing very quickly.

Off on the thrift trail.....

So... went into Monmouth today in an attempt to find something in the charity shops to use as decoupage for my boxes. Unfortunately not much luck on that front so I am hoping to have more sucess on the Boot front Sunday. Meanwhile, the boxes are all sat half naked on top of the freezer.

I have started xmas presents and am currently crocheting a dolly's blanket for my cousin. I have had some good luck with this as my mum had a sort out and gave me some part balls of wool. Hopefully this will be completed over the next few days. I did however purchase a metre of ribbon at £0.27 to thread through it, (I think this is allowed as it's a gift). Another good buy today was a patons knitting pattern/booklet with five attractive cardigans (red cross £0.50p). I will start knitting for the grandkids for xmas. I just hope they will like them.

365 day challenge officially commenced 21st September 2009

All set and ready to go. I was so impressed with dottie angels challenge that I decided to have a go. Being an avid booter and ebayer, it won't entail a great deal of hardship for me either!! So this week I decided that my magazines needed sorting, the containters were Ikea and looking a little jaded as I hadn't got around to doing anything with them..... Enter Andy, the ever suffering husband who is a great DIY'er but even better in this situation..... a hoarder. He managed to turn up some tins of paint that were purchased for a project that didn't materialise (I think will prove to be a good source of handouts over the next 12 months). So keen to start I rounded up all my shoddy boxes and....

Here are a few of the boxes I hope to transform......

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Even Darcy was surprised! ..........

Its all so green

It was a beautiful day so I decided to take my camera into the forest. There is a little hint of whats to come, some of the beech are just showing signs of that early yellow that tells us autumn is only around the corner. Chelsea and I decided we should pick some blackberries before the birds had cleared the last of them. I had aspirations of making some pots of bramble jelly and perhaps a nice crumble to finish off tea. Unfortunately Chelsea had other ideas !

One of several fence posts no longer used but aged very well, the textures are soft and have mellowed with the forest weather.

These old boys have matured with me over the years, they remind me of centurions stood to attention lining my route home.