At this time of year our herb pots provide more than we can use so I like to make fragrant posies. This time I used some well soaked oasis to support the stems in a wide necked pot and found they lasted much better than in water.
Long life cut herbs
Use What You Have
Shirt conversion quickie
Blame me if the weather breaks … I have just converted his shirts (some of them) to short sleeved.
A simple chop and hem job using a ‘proper’ short sleeve shirt to get the length right. Just cut off an inch and a half below the intended hem line. Keep the chopped off bits for crafty projects.
Turn shirt inside out, press a hem along the intended length and then turn under the raw edge about a quarter of an inch. Press again, pin and stitch around the sleeve.
Tip: remove the bed from your sewing machine so you can turn the fabric as you sew. Tip 2: start stitching at the under arm seam so if there are any gathers (if the sleeve tapers) they can be hidden underneath.
Flip flop flip
My desperate purchase (no access to summer shoes or clothes this year) cheapo flip flops are so awful I can’t wear them even in the garden so I had to do a mini makeover.
I used a thin decor ribbon but could have wrapped with yarn or fabric strips as these are a bit big for me.
After 10 minutes wrapping, no glue just tucking ends inside, the job is done and once on they look ok. Until the shops open…
Liberation day under lockdown
The bunting is up but we need to accessorise for our special day , just a little. Scan n cut to the rescue. worn with pride.
Hand stitched cards
A labour of love but deeply satisfying. Inspired by the excelllent Craft World blog I sketched, punched and stitched on to some strong paper.
This is a great ‘use what you have’ project especially if you have time!
Walnut Windfall
The things we find during a lockdown cupboard clean…in this case a big bag of walnuts gifted by our neighbours last autumn. Determined to put them to good use here are some of the recipes I found on walnuts.org (California walnuts promo site)
Walnut pesto (replace pine nuts in the classic recipe)
Walnut and Parmesan ‘cream’ a veggie pâté alternative
Walnut ‘meatballs’ where mushrooms are used
Walnut honey butter, a sweet chunky ‘peanut butter’
Smoked spicy walnuts to nibble on with aperitifs
(Re) Waxed food wraps
These waxed wraps really come into their own when you are cutting down on cling film and foil.
Today I ‘re-waxed’ some of my older fabric squares to renovate and extend their life. It is more efficient than starting from scratch, even after months of use the fabrics still hold quite a lot of the original wax.
I sprinkle a teaspoon of wax pellets over the cotton square then sandwich it between parchment paper (baking or waxed paper will do) and run a hot -no steam- iron over it until the wax has melted in. I turn the fabric over and iron again so that excess left on the paper can be absorbed by both sides.
Subsequent sheets to be ironed need less wax (you can shave a beeswax candle if you don’t have any other wax) because you will have some residue left on your parchment paper.
These wraps fold nicely over bowls, around cheese or seal opened packets in the fridge. The warmth of your hands helps shape them enough to fit and they just wipe down between uses. You can see I store mine on the side of the fridge with magnets so I have them to hand.
Scattered words
I love it that people pick up the painted pebbles I put out from time to time. Last week I saw a family photograph one – much joy to me the anonymous ‘artist’.
Some are glittered, others have greetings and the latest batch have cuttings from a dictionary of proverbs mod podged in place. I used outdoor mod podge so they can stay outdoors awhile.
Silver lining, cooking discoveries
New menus and cooking methods have flooded into our kitchen recently. Many discovered when browsing digital magazines courtesy of our library card. So here are the tastiest (we think) so far …
1.Savoury bread and butter pudding: basically fried leeks instead of jam on the bread and cheese in the ‘custard’ rather than sugar
2. broccoli pasta – cooking broccoli in with the pasta for the last 3 minutes makes it a lighter, tastier dish, even for the broccoli hater in the household. Top with your usual pasta sauce
3. Frozen bananas found lurking at the back of the freezer work brilliantly in banana bread. Made more mix than fits your loaf tin? Dig out the mince pie tray to make Muffins
4. Ingredients intended for stuffing that never made it to the Christmas table combine to make great meatball replacements. Why these hid behind the frozen bananas is a mystery.
5. Jamie Oliver is an inspiration. His no frills gnocchi (mashed potato leftovers with just enough flour mixed in) are lighter and lovelier than bought
6. Dredging steaming hot, par-boiled parsnips in flavoured flour means the flour sticks without need for egg wash. You can roast them immediately or freeze them ready floured so they can be roasted at a later date
Lockdown drawing distraction
A new routine in lockdown life is trying my hand at doodling and drawing. I am following the weekday uploads by claritystamp on you tube (rather than the 10am lives, I catch up in the afternoon.
This doodling, drawing stuff is outside my confirm zone but hugely enjoyable. Pick up your pens and have a go.
