Sunday 23 December 2012

A couple of things i made earlier........

Every year I write a 'lessons learnt' note to myself as a reminder of how to have a smoother running run up to Christmas. Like many  hundreds of others I have spent many Christmas Eve's painting, sewing or embroidering and then wrapping and generally getting annoyed at myself for not having tackled some of this sooner. 
I store this note to myself, along with this years present list (as a reminder of what i gave) and the Christmas card list , in the box of Halloween stuff in the attic, because if I put it with the Christmas decorations then its just too late.

Things on the list.....
1. Start making cards/presents in November.
2. Wrap fudge as soon as its made so you don't eat it.
3. Wrapping takes half a day - don't leave it all till the last minute.
4. Aldi's version of Baileys is just fine.

For some reason, I have never managed to achieve Christmas preparation completion, and i hope i don't speak too soon, but this year has been the best yet.



Every year i make a wreath for the door. I left it a little late this year, next year, i'd like to have it done even before the tree goes up. No berries on the holly this year so I added the toadstools. I like them.


Mr Thrift Bee insisted I dug up the parsnips to day, to ensure that 'if they looked like the elephant man, we would still have time buy some supermarket ones' Dear God man, even ugly homegrown vegetables taste better than supermarket ones.

I think you'll agree though, that my slim and tall parsnips are the handsomest in the land.

Thanks to those of you who commented on Pine Cone Bob at the end of my last post. He came about after I had made my snowflake. I made several of them and they all sold at the flea market last weekend. 

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Pinecone snowflake/Making something for nothing

I gathered up bag fulls of pine cones when we felled some trees this year. They have been drying off in the shed for months. I love making something from nothing I was intent on making pinecone and beeswax firestarters. Unfortunatly they are the wrong kind of pine cone, because these little beggers only smoulder and don't catch alight.

So what to do with two large bags of scutty fireproof pinecones.......and came up with this.....


I cut out a large circle of card.


Drew a rough snowflake shape.


Cut it out.


One glue stick was the sum total expense of this project, all other materials free or produced on the ranch.
It took about half an hour in total and.....

Ta-dah!


Light faded when i got it hung up, so excuse the dark photo.

Linking to the lovely Lakota's 





Tuesday 4 December 2012

Thrift Haul - from breakfast to cocktails!


Another thrift haul that seems to have a bit of theme going on. The first find is two fibreglass rectangular trays on a stand. Anyone know what how this was used? Is it for sandwiches?


Anyway the colours were nice and they just happen to go with my second find


These cannisters with cork lids are in great condititon.


A really heavy solid wood nut dish.


I've recently acquired one of these stove top coffee maker and I've become a bit of an espresso freak. But I've picked up another now to sell. The old Alpen cannister would make a great home for homemade granola. Its also for sale.


This little coffee set has a gold snowflake design and was made in Japan. Perfect condition.


Moving onto cocktails, the ice bucket is very festive.

Mission Complete.

Linking in late with Magpie Monday and Apron Thrift girl