Crafty Moments

I am still trying to get back to normal (well as normal as I ever am) however still not quite back to my usual organised self.  After a long day at work, got home and made tea (on tonights menu was pasta amatriciana homemade sauce from the freezer heated through and just had to cook some pasta, easy peasy J) The realisation dawned that tomorrow is the last posting day to ensure that hubbys dad would receive his fathers day card on time.  Normally I look forward to my card making sessions but this was literally grabbing a few crafty moments to quickly make his card.

Whilst I was there I quickly made a card for hubby from DD our Cavachon – I know sad but it makes us happy cxx

Cooking & Cards

I write this in an exhaustive state, my day started a little after 8am and I have just stopped at 7pm, its been a busy but highly productive one.  All household chores are done, I can finally see the bottom of the ironing basket, a rarity I must say and I have had a mammoth batch cooking session. 

The freezer was looking a little empty so I thought I would stock it up for May.  These are my mid week homemade ready meals, not only a life saver as they are low cost, healthy and scrummy; they just require warming through (and at most cooking some pasta/rice or fresh veggies), but they also stop the expensive picking up something quick on the way home from work which is often the ruination of my healthy eating plan and also my budget.

So in this session I made (for two people)

• 2 Lasagne's (enough for 4 meals)
• Bolognese (left over from making the lasagne's but enough for one meal)
• Sausage & Bean Hotpot (enough for 3 meals)
• Pea & Ham Soup (enough for 2 meals)
• Vegetarian Curry (enough for 4 meals)
• Chilli Con Carne (we had one for tea but I have enough for 2 more meals) 

So that’s 16 evening meals sorted, as we always have a toast night midweek, that’s pretty much all our workday teas done for May – hard work but phew it will be worth it.

A good friend of ours just got a new job, so I knocked up a card this afternoon to post tomorrow.  All made from recycled cards. 

Going to make a brew and have a bit of r&r in readiness for the morning commute Cxx

A little bit crafty

I am in no way gifted in the arts; I have a relatively creative mind but sadly no actual creative skill.  I stand in awe of people like Frugal Queen with her quilt making and Mean Queen and her bag making, both incredibly talented.  I don’t let the fact I lack creative talent stop me though (perish the thought) and offer my own meager contribution as I dabble in card making.  I love to both send and receive cards; particularly an unexpected card from a friend I think is one of the nicest things to come home to J 

You can buy cheap cards for pennies, in home bargains for example you can pick up a card for 29p however they are on very cheap card (nearly paper) and whilst serve a purpose I prefer to send quality cards, however these don’t come cheap and you can end up spending anything from £1 - £3.

Without counting Christmas, I send in the region of 70 cards a year (birthdays, anniversary, thank you, note cards, get well soon, sympathy, thinking of you etc.).  If I were to buy these cards they would cost me anything from £70 - £210 per year – ouch!  However all my cards cost just 5p (£3.50 per year), ah much better. 

I manage to keep the cost this low as about 2 years ago I bought 500 high quality blank cards (in assorted colours) and envelopes for £10 on eBay, so 5p each, and the embellishments come for free.  I recycle all the cards I receive, cutting out any lettering, pictures etc. that I can use in another card, my mum also gives me all the cards she and my dad receive so again a bumper supply of cards to recycle.  I have two birthdays coming up, one for my nephew, to create this card I simply recycled a Happy Birthday postcard I received last year and stuck this onto a yellow card (how simple is that) 5p for a high quality, bright card. 

It’s also my Dad’s birthday soon and to create his card I cut out the DAD lettering from his father’s day card from my sister last year (I checked the price she paid for this card on-line and it was £2.95) I’ve added some blue ribbon down the side and e voila a card for my dad for 5p. 

Whilst I really shouldn’t mention the C word in April, I will be starting to make my Christmas cards this weekend (I will make 4 - 5 cards each weekend to ensure I have the 100 I need in time for the festive season, whilst each card costs a mere 5p, they take time, effort and come with my love.  Cx