Sunday, January 30, 2011

Weekend craftiness


 Finally finished my shirt. This was a pattern I have adapted from Weekend Sewing. It's my first attempt to make a blouse for myself with sleeves and I'm pretty chuffed. The fabric is a little thinner than I would normally use, and I'll be needing a cami underneath it, but all in all it's turned out well. I am intending to adapt it more and make some other shirts with yoke necks and maybe some with longer tunic style bodices.


Two pairs of trousers for the boys from a simple Burda patterns. Master Beehive the elder's in red are a brushed cotton and have a pocket on the leg, like a cargo style. Master Beehive the younger's are the cheap Ikea fabric I mentioned before, he has an extra pocket on the back. Again, this is an easy and very adaptable pattern. MB the younger chose a brass effect button for his fastener, but MB the elder will have a press stud fastening.

We took the kids to see Tangled today. It was a fantastic film, really enjoyable for all of us. Yesterday I was at work and so Mr Beehive cooked dinner for me. He is also cooking this evening, so I have been truly spoiled this weekend and haven't cooked a dot!

I have a new job on Monday for a few weeks, working with a new mama whilst she just adjusts to life and I've also had another article accepted for publication, so am just doing some edits whilst sat on the sofa drinking tea and listening to Mr Beehive scurrying around in the kitchen. Heavenly!

On other things, I've just found a way to cut down both my shopping bill and hopefully, some packaging by buying in bulk from here. I'm just using it to buy in the dry goods and cleaning things that I would normally get as and when.
We have had a friend here this weekend, so I've been "bin diving" at odd moments to ensure that nothing extra is being thrown that we can recycle. Fortunately she's from Germany where there is a recycling system that puts ours to shame in this country, so doesn't look at me funny when I fly out of my seat to grab a plastic bag that's heading to the trash or fight my way around carrot peelings to give them to the pigs.
I am still struggling with some variants of plastic that our council won't take, that the bag people at the Norfolk factory won't take and that I can't take to the recyling centre. I may be able to take the pot like plastics to a nursery, but they're not going to want to be inundated with my cast off recycling and ultimately, all I'm doing is passing the buck knowing full well that this stuff will actually just end up in the landfill anyway, only via someone else's bin!
I'm aiming to reduce supermarket packaging myself by using my cloth bags for loose produce, buying large pots of yoghurt and syphoning it off into small steel containers when the kids take some for school, trying to use the deli more and fresh meat and fish counters, but it's still there...there's still the stuff that won't recycle, the wrappings that no one will take.

Ah well, another week...another rubbish diet!

2 comments:

Emma Bliss said...

Curious to start some kind of debate here about buying online... I do it too - heaps, and yes food too, thought mainly because I live in hickville and the stores don't stock what I call 'real' food, just processed crap. My favourite place to shop is http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/script/home.html. I just add things to my basket when I am getting low and then once the order reaches £35 (cut off for free delivery) I purchase. BUT it is packaged, (jars and bottles and stuff often come individually wrapped) and it does travel miles so there is an incredible amount of waste. Meanwhile I am not supporting local businesses in my community which is something I am very passionate about, and I'm doing nothing to help improve availability of healthy food in my community. Some items I could get in Holland and Barrett, others, lets face it, I could be less precious about... it's a conundrum!

Unknown said...

I know! I agree. I suppose the train of thought could be that for every trip you make to the supermarket and back for buying the things separately, you save the emissions in bulk. Perhaps that's clutching at straws? I do try to ensure that the product I buy start in the UK or at least Europe, but it's not always possible. Ideally I'd like to be able to buy at a market each week, but markets here are Saturday only and I can't commit with three children and a weekend job, making it down there to buy. It's a treat, not regular.
I want to do a blog post soon on seasonal produce and holisism and this will be sourced from your own country in order to be truly a "whole food".