Potato & Corn Soup !

Potato & Corn Soup !
This is a really hearty,easy,delicious soup.Its also very economical,its one of Kev's favourite soups.
Ingredients.
3 large brown onions.(chunky diced)
2 kilo potatoes.(chunky diced)
2 cobs of fresh Corn.(can use tin creamed corn)
1-2 Zucchini.(chunky diced)
Salt & pepper to taste.
1 cup red lentils.
water or stock.
Its quite a chunky soup but that's optional you can make it however you like , I fry diced onions in a little olive oil, then I fry the potatoes and zucchini,
then I chop all the kernels from 2 cobs of fresh corn and puree in a blender with water then add to other ingredients in the pot , then you top up with either water or stock, I use water because I use celtic salt for flavouring. Then I add red lentils, mix well then bring to a boil then simmer until cooked. Serve with fresh cracked pepper and salt, it's delicious. Some times I finely cut some red capsicum and green spring onions and stir through or some finely chopped fresh parsley. Makes 6 litres!

Free Cellophane Bags !

Why Not Reuse Cellophane Packaging !

Just lately I thought when I was about to open a box of tea bags, why not open it carefully and reuse the cellophane bag. I got a pair of scissors and carefully cut the top off and slipped the bag down off the box.You could use them for packing gifts in, like home made biscuits, truffles, chocolates etc or home made crafts. You could fold them all neatly and store them until needed , great for Xmas time or use them for lolly/chocolate/truffle bags...You have paid for them why not re-use them, great to use for lunch boxes to store biscuits,muffins and cakes. I try to reuse most packaging, if you have a really big box of tea bags cut in the middle then take both ends off box, then you have two bags. I love reusing,  reducing & recycling ! Does any one else do this, is it something you would do !

A Healthy Snack ! Great For When Watching T.V

Here is a great healthy snack for when watching T.V.
The last three nights I have been having this snack at night while watching television .You know how it is you have finished dinner and watching television and you feel like a snack, well here is a healthy option, especially after Easter with eating all that chocolate.I love this combination, the crunchiness of the cool celery, the sweetness of the sultanas and the milkiness of the almonds. So into a bowl put about a handful of each, sit back and enjoy. You could eat it any time, have a bowl near the computer while blogging to keep hunger at bay... What other healthy snacks do you all eat. I some times like celery sticks with fresh nut butters & of course my homemade chocolate truffles, but its nice to have a change. Please post and share your healthy snack ideas with us ...

I Just Received A Kreativ Blogger Award !

I Received this lovely Kreativ Blogger Award from the gorgeous Kimmie from The Serendipity Cafe I feel very honoured ,Thank you very much Kimmie. The rules are to pass it on to other Kreativ bloggers and to list 10 things about myself.  After receiving a few other blog awards and having to write things about myself I'm running out of things to tell you all about myself. I will add them as I think of them .
1.Love having a good hearty laugh.
2.In winter I love making big pots of soup.
3.I love lying in bed at night listening to the rain on our tin roof.
4. I love watching good English period dramas.
5.I'm addicted to eating my homemade chocolate truffles.

These are the bloggers I have chosen to receive the Kreativ Blogger Award !

http://iloveorganising.blogspot.com/

http://cottageinarainbow.blogspot.com/       
http://justlikemynanmade.blogspot.com/

Easter Giveaway! To enter post a great tip to help stay organised !

Easter Give away !

All you need to do to enter is be a follower of my blog and leave a great tip for helping to stay organised !

After starting to clean and organise my sewing /craft room, I was sorting through my craft magazines and I found I had two copies of Country Craft (Patchwork issue)Magazine Volume 19 No 8. Its a few years old, but its brand new, it has lots of patchwork projects, so if you love patchwork, you may like to enter. I will also include in the give away a few fat quarters of fabric... So please enter by posting your favourite organising tips , you can enter as many times as you like and the best one will win... Only available to Australian & New Zealand residents. So what are you waiting for ...post away ...

I have just been through all my materials and 5 fat quarters will be included in the prize. I hope that may tempt you all to enter and come up with some great tips for helping all of us to stay organised. I'm looking forward to hearing some great tips to help me keep my sewing/craft room clean, neat, tidy & organised all the time. Two big tips are having lots of storage containers, well labelled and put every thing away when you have finished with them or if not possible try to put it all way asap. Or at least put every thing away before you start your next project.
I will select the winning tip and post it on my blog on Tuesday night 26 th of April .

So the lucky winner is Tracy from Sunny Corner Farm .

Sewing/Craft Room 30 Minutes A Day Challenge Update !

Sewing/Craft  Room Update !
When my eldest two sons where home I didn't have a sewing room, we have a 4 bedroom house, very modest in size. The 3 boys had a bedroom each and ours makes 4. So when boys left, my middle son Anthony's room became my sewing room. So where you can see the bookshelf that I brought in today from outside in our swimming pool room, he used to have a chest of draws there. I was thinking the last few days how can I make this room function better with out loosing room space. When Kev and I got together in 2000 he had his house and I had mine, which was interesting how we would fit our stuff in this average size house, its a bit small, not so bad with just the 3 of us here now. Any way we have a swimming pool that is fully enclosed you have probably seen it in earlier posts on my blog it has all the solar panels on the roof, we had a book shelf in there from Kev's old place it had pool supplies in it . So yesterday I decided I would give it a good clean and bring it into my sewing room so I can have some more storage. Kev has said on numerous ocassions he would built some shelves for me in there, I keep saying I will wait till we get wooden floors, but after making the decision Sunday to clean it this week I think the bookshelf looks great I wish I had of brought it in a few years ago.Any way you cannot rush these things lol:) When we travelled around Australia in 2007 we said we would update some furniture and get wooden floors in all the bedrooms, I hate carpet. Now we are saving for our trip around  Europe in 2014 for 6 months. So Kev said today we will get wooden floors when we get back from our Europe trip I said yes ok. Its funny how we put of things, saying we will do when this or that happens etc...makes me laugh.. So after waffling on , that's my update in my sewing room. Nearly all those shoe boxes are empty, my plan was to cover them all put metal labels on them all then fill them with sewing/craft supplies. So through out my challenge, I will fill them and label them, so I'll be more organised and I'll look forward to working in there, every thing will have its own home. "That will be nice" So how is every one going with their own challenges, great I'm sure! It's so nice to be motivated, I'm really pleased with myself.

My 30 Minute A Day Challenge ! To Clean/Organise My Sewing/Craft Room!

My 30 Minute A Day Challenge !
To Clean/Organise My Sewing/Craft Room!

 Today I took three photo's of my sewing/craft room, I cannot believe I'm going to show the world how messy and disorganised it is. Some times I decide to clean it I open the door have a quick look in and think to myself maybe another day. Well after reading the lovely Sam's blog yesterday about being organised, http://myendlesstodos.blogspot.com/ I thought that will be my mission this week, I will set the timer on the stove for 30minutes every day and I will de-clutter/clean & organise this space of mine...Can I do ..Yes I can.I do tidy it from time to time, then I sew and craft and this is what happens. again, I don't put things away, then I miss place things and spend valuable time looking for them when they are virtually right under my nose. I said to Kev the other day I need to buy elastic as I've was making boxer shorts for myself for pj's and Jack, but I did think I had some. Well while I was cleaning today what did I find,you guessed it, a roll of elastic.This is what happens when you are disorganised, you end up spending more money on supplies you already have,because you cannot find them. Does this sound familiar to any one else. You will notice inside the door and in opposite corner a pile of shoe boxes, my plan is to cover them all and

use them for storage containers for all my sewing &craft supplies, and in the corner opposite the door I'm going to put a bookshelf there to maximise the storage area to free up floor space. I will also make a cover for my over locker I have an old Paper bag over the top, how shameful. Well it keeps the dust off. Well after the sewing room is clean, I may splash out and buy myself a new one, that one is a singer that I brought brand new from Myers over 20 years ago, Kev always says buy yourself a new one, I was never happy with it, I have had it back to the factory a few times before it was even a month old, so a new one would be lovely. You will also see my old Janome in there which I was using yesterday, I was going to get rid of it when I brought my new machine but when I got it home, I realised you wouldn't be able to hem jeans and mend knees etc because it has a flat base, I mainly brought it because it had a large throat area for quilting quilts. So my old machine only comes out of the cupboard when necessary, it when back in its home today. So if all goes to plan at the end of the week we will all see my lovely clean,de-cluttered,organised sewing/craft room ..I cannot wait to see it myself, maybe these before photo's may keep me motivated... Any one else have a sewing/craft room like mine if so please join me on my challenge.I still cannot believe that I'm showing the world ...oh well it may motivate some one else ..

Use Vinegar For Multi-Purpose Cleaner !

Use Vinegar For Multi-Purpose Cleaner !
I don't use toxic laden chemicals in our house, for health reasons, but it also saves us heaps of money, that's a win,win  good for our health and our bank balance. Vinegar is such a great cleaning agent, I half fill our spray bottle with white home brand vinegar and half with water. Great for cleaning windows, mirrors, benches, ovens, stove top, wiping out the sink and draining area. So I recommend stop using deadly toxic cleaning products in your homes, and try using vinegar. Make up a few bottles and keep them in the relative rooms, bathroom,laundry & kitchen. Most of the time I just use water, but some times we need something a little stronger. Also great to use as a fabric softener and it also cleans all the soap scum from the washing machine. I don't have a dishwasher but I have heard people using it for a rinse aid in their dishwashers. A great way to clean your toilets and drains, you put about a cup of vinegar and about a cup of bi-cab it will all fizz up, put lid down or plug in and leave overnight if possible or as long as possible.I also use it to wipe over door handles, also light switches, but I spray some on the cloth then wipe over light switches. What other uses around the house do people use vinegar for, please post and share them with us.

Free Electricity From The Sun ! No More Power Bills For Us.

No More Power Bills For Us.
We receive our power account every two months here is the West. This is our first complete power account in credit, which is very exciting they paid us $449.90 and the last account they paid us $124.45
So far in total we have received $574.35. Its so much nicer receiving money from them, rather then paying them. We need to ring them every two months and then they send us a cheque, others wise we need to wait the year and they will automatically send us a cheque. We will ring every two months as the money is better being in our account earning interest then theirs.... Any one else have solar panels and receiving cheques. If you are thinking about getting solar panels installed I would say yes do so. Its also a great feeling knowing we are doing our bit to help clean up our planet .

Hair Removal- A Great money Saving Appliance !

Hair Removal.
A Great money Saving Appliance !
I brought this appliance in 1998 it has saved me so much money I use it for my legs,underarm and bikini area, some times a few stray hairs on my chin, I have two that regularly grow. So this is my 14th year of using it and its fabulous, No more plastic disposable razors to buy and send to landfill,no razor blades to buy for refillable razors. that's the best part no waste of any kind. It cost me about  $100 I cannot remember it was so long ago that was 14 years ago , money well spent I can tell you, no more trips to the salon to have hair removed by waxing , save lots of petrol by doing it at home. So every 6 weeks or so I get it out remove all my unwanted body hair, its great its convenient,great for travelling, I highly recommend it. Two tips, no 1 Its not a good idea to do it a few days before period time, but I'm sure most of you will know a few days leading up to our periods the body is more sensitive to pain and No 2 Under your arms, pull the skin a little taut that way the tweezers won't grab your skin. Any one out there use one.....I know it's made from plastic but I'll probably have it the rest of my life. A great little gadget I think every girl should have one. Another tip if you find you get a few ingrown hairs just body brush your skin with a loofah .....

Thermal Cooker A Great Energy Saver !

Our New Thermal Cooker !
The first meal we made in our thermal cooker was lamb and vegetable curry it was so delicious. We thought about buying one of these when we travelled around Australia for 6 months in 2007 but couldn't justify $299 which they were selling for at the time. Well last year Aldi had them on sale for $79 but as we don't have an Aldi here in the West I asked my good friend Kerrie who had just moved back to Sydney if she would purchase one for me and send it over which she kindly did, she is an angel. I payed her for the thermal cooker and $25 postage so all in total it cost us $104 which I was very happy with. It will be great to use for when we go camping and at home, it saves our electricity. Its so easy to use you just need to bring the food to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes in the stainless steel pot, then you pop it in the thermal cooker leave for 3-6 hours to cook, it couldn't be simpler. Very Energy Efficient . I would recommend them to every one. They would be great for taking dishes to friends and family for get togethers. They can be used for hot foods and cold foods. I might give it a try for making yoghurt, also would be great for making porridge over night and eat in the morning for a large group of people. Ours is 6 litres you can buy different sizes. I will experiment with ours and let you know the outcomes. So far we have made only two meals and are very impressed so far. I'd love to hear from others who have one, what are your best meals you have cooked in your thermal cooker, please post and share them with us.

What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles ! Part 5

What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles !
The tops of the bottles are great for using to protect young plants, from grubs, strong winds and rain until they get a little more established. Or they can be used like a terrarium to grown plants inside, easy to do just pop it over a pot plant and water it by unscrewing the lid on top.
Another great use for the plastic bottles is to fill them up with water turn upside down push into the soil in your flower pots to slowly water them for a few days if going away.Does any one else have any other great ideas to share with us all. If so, please leave a comment .Rob from http://bitsouttheback.blogspot.com/  suggested making scoops for dry chicken or dog food by cutting the tops off  from plastic vinegar or cordial  bottles with a handle, that way you can scoop the contents using the handle to hold, what a great idea. We don't have chooks or dogs, but we plan to get chooks one day and I will make some then. thanks for sharing your great idea with us Rob :)

What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles ! Part 4

What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles !Being that Easter is nearly here you could make an Easter basket from the bottom of a plastic bottle, cut a ring from the plastic bottle and cut in half to make a handle, then just staple the handle to the bottom hey presto a little basket. You can decorate with ribbon or lace fill will shredded paper and top up with chocolate eggs. You could make these for any occasion, they would also make great little lolly baskets for a party, or fill with lollies for Christmas. The other one is just two plastic bottle bottoms that I just filled with eggs, you can stick a banner around wishing the recipient a happy Easter.

What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles ! Part 3

 What To Do With Those Plastic Bottles ! Part 3

These are so easy to make and so much fun to use, so if you have made the containers using the bottoms of the bottles then here is a great use for the other end of the bottle, make ball catchers. Its up to you what size you want to make, all you need is some heavy cotton or string ,plastic bottle of course and a little ball , you could use a ping pong ball, a plastic golf ball a rubber super ball , i used a plastic ball covered in velcro that was used for a game Jack doesn't have any more it fell apart. So how to make I tied the string to the ball as it has velcro cover it I tied it around that , but you can make a hole in another ball with a large needle threaded with heavy cotton or string and pierce the ball thread through and tie a few knots at the other end then tie the other end around the neck of the bottle. The length of the string again is up to you, you could experiment to see what works best I just guessed , my ball will sit in the bottom of the catcher so I would say double the lenght of the bottle. Now the object of the game is to try to get the ball inside the catcher with out touching the ball while holding the neck of the bottle. Its lots of fun, make one for all the family and have competitions who can get it in first, then who can get it in the most, lots of fun and lots of laughs. Also it is great for hand eye co-ordination . Just another recycled project , so for very little money you will have so much fun , they could be great to make for a child's party or adult party ....lots of laughs +lots of fun +very little cost. So stay tuned for part 4 coming soon to a computer near you !lol !:) 

 

Another Use For Those Plastic Bottles ! Part 2

Another Use For Those Plastic Drink Bottles !
So you're all probably asking if I use the tops to make some funnels, then what can I use the bottom for ! That's a great question ! It was sitting on my table the bottom of the bottle that is and it got me thinking & thinking what else could it be used for, then I thought why not fill them with lollies,
truffles for gifts for family and friends. use for bowls to take dips, nibbles, snacks to parties or picnics. fill with pretty soaps, hair accessories for gifts. fill with lavender to put into rooms in the house to smell nice, fill with bi-carb to put into fridge or any where to remove unpleasant odours. I remember seeing years ago in a magazine using them to make a pomander you get the two ends put in some holes then fill with lavender or potpourri then glue them together tie around the middle with some lace/ribbon and hanging in clothes cupboards. You could also fill with herbs & spices to keep pantry smelling fresh. You could put a lovely row of lace around the top edge and use on dressing table/bathroom to fill with things like, eg make-up /hair accessories/ nail polishes etc. You could use it for a jelly pudding mould. As you can see in the photo I have made a few containers to store all Jack's bits and pieces, I'm really impressed with how great they are, I have used one for his tiny Lego car, his tiny Thomas collection & track, his rubber collection and his magnet sets. They could be used for so many things, they are great  for kids stuff as they can see whats in them. Jack has so many collections he is a collector. These ones are made using the 2 litre drink bottles, I made two more using the one litre drink bottles. We don't get plastic bottles very often, I save most for my ginger beer making,I like to buy soda water occasionally.Well when I get some more I'll be making Jack some more to store all his stuff.  All you need to do is cut the desired size with a craft knife and neaten up with a pair of scissors, cut one for the bottom and one for a lid, you can make what ever size you like.You are only limited by your imagination as to what they can be used for. If your kids have lost boxes and packets for puzzle pieces make some of these, then they can see what's in them. I'm so looking forward to hearing what every one else thinks , I'm impressed  with my idea.This is my latest mission and if you are a regular follower you will know I get really excited about recycling and making useful stuff instead of just throwing it away. I'm always looking for storage ideas. I have some more uses for the tops as well so stay tuned for the next exciting adventures of ideas for using plastic bottles, I bet you're all on the edge of your seats waiting lol :)") well you'll have to wait until tomorrow all going well. You all have a great day , its raining here today which is lovely,we never got any rain last month, so hope we can get our rainwater tanks full, well our drinking one at least. Don't you just love the smell after its rained, one of my all time favourite smells.

Make Your Own Funnel !

Make Your Own Funnel ! 
I made my own funnel from recycling a 2 litre plastic drink bottle.Just by cutting the top end off the bottle with a craft knife, about half way, that way it can fit more in it and saves spilling any thing.Its really great to use for transferring things like herbs & spices,flours, rice & lentils from bags or packets to glass jars or other containers, because of the wide neck it rarely gets blocked up and if it does just push a knife in that will unblock and get the contents flowing again. It saves so much mess by not spilling stuff all over the kitchen bench. If you haven't already made one give it a try. You can use if for liquids as well of course. Just another recycled project and its free

Clothes Peg Carrier !

Clothes Peg Carrier !
Here is my latest recycled project.
We buy envirocare sensitive body and hair cleanser. It comes in different sizes but we buy the 5 litre container and it lasts us a little over a year.I have been thinking other then putting them into the recycle bin, what can I do with them. A few years ago we used to take them back and they would be returned to the company and refilled,but apparently for health reasons they stopped doing this, which was a shame.Any way back to thinking of ways to reuse them,I thought what about a peg container/carrier. So I cut the section out as you can see in the photo with a cutter, which was very easy to do. It has a handle so makes it easy to carry out to the clothes line. What do others think, would it be some thing you would make yourself. I would love to hear your thoughts, please post and share.  What  else could they be used for ? You could put a few drainage holes in the bottom and grow herbs or plants maybe a strawberry plant or two.