Recycled clothing

I've just brought one of my charity shop finds down to hem earlier which I bought in the summer. ( It was intended for the winter it's always good to get out of season clothes they are cheaper) I was wondering how I will layer it up then got to thinking about some of the other items in my wardrobe that I tend to wear with the same things. If we mix up what we have it gives the illusion of newness without the price tag. I like to look at refashion  ideas on the internet as someone else may have a new way of wearing clothes you hadn't thought of. For example I have been wearing long sleeved tops under dresses through the winter for years in different colours, a friend a couple of years ago said to me I'm going to do that so I can wear my dresses for longer.  I thought it was obvious but it just shows we can get ideas and not have to buy a load of new stuff.
I found this great blog recyclart (take a look) in which someone has made a dress out of upholstery fabric samples. It just show unexpected sources of fabric can be used for something original.
I love these looks below but I won't be dashing out to buy any of them, I love the colours and the use of scarves and belts.

So I have decided to try and mix things up a bit over the coming weeks and wear things in a new way, I will try to remember to photograph and post on this. Lets face it we all have enough clothes and if you sew they can be reinvented or updated. I personally don't like the whole capsule wardrobe thing as it means people tend to get rid of lots of stuff, buy items that supposedly go together and then you can bet in a few months when the novelty wears off they will be missing some of those items. ( Or I would, think of all the wasted fabric!)

Five frugal things

Hello, so far so good with the resolutions I know it's only early days but they do say if you can stick to a routine for thirty days you have cracked it. I'm trying to be really aware of little spends as well this month because we have had a few unexpected pay outs mainly the vet. My little dog has had an eye infection which meant a costly trip to the vet, we went back this week to be told oh it's not gone he needs more antibiotics so another bill, then he needs to go back next week.  Also my husband's phone decided to just pack up on Christmas day so he had to buy a new one, really annoying as we don't go mad at Christmas just gifts for the children so I was disappointed at the  amounts adding up here and there.  Fortunately we are savers so we can cover these things but I do like to make sure I try to keep a tight reign on things so I remain positive that the way I live ensures these unexpected things are taken care of.
Here are five frugal things I have done this weekend.

1. I made a birthday card for my friend using card and paper I already had. I always save cards for the paper that can be recycled but use my own designs I also make the envelopes sometimes using magazine pages.  This one I used pink paper for the envelope.

I also made a retirement card for someone else. ( I sealed the envelope and forgot to take a picture.)

2. We needed a new calender for the kitchen and I really like the one I bought last year because they were all our photos on it but to buy another was £5.99 so just went online and printed off new months to stick on top. (You might be thinking it's only £5.99 but these amounts quickly add up.)

I thought I'd show April as this is a lovely image of Cromer    

3.  I made a lovely wholemeal loaf using ingredients I had in and also fulfilled a resolution at the same time. I'm really pleased with how this turned out just had some for sandwiches this evening and it's big enough that there is plenty for pack lunches tomorrow.

4. I listed some car seat covers on ebay, my husband bought them for me last year and they have never been used as I decided to change my car as my old one just needed so much doing.  My husband also listed a few things, hopefully if these things sell it will replenish some of the vet bill money!

5.  I exercised using my xbox game Your Shape Fitness Evolved. The good thing about exercising at home is you don't need to worry what what you wear. When I go to the pool I see some people going up to the gym looking like they are going to a fashion show, ( ladies not men)  that's great if you like that but I just like to wear the same old joggers to get sweaty in.  I've had my game for over a year so it's not new and I bought it on offer. You could probably get it cheap on ebay  now.

I'm keeping up with my reading and I have finished last weeks book and on to the next which is called The Book Thief. It started off a bit strange and dark so I will let you know.

Back to work tomorrow so it will be interesting to see if I can keep to all my good intentions when I have been at work all day.

Recycle and Re-use

I've been looking around today and thinking about taking the decorations down but not quite got to it as I know it will look dark without the lights from the tree and village. I usually do this New Years day so I think I will wait until then.  Also need to store again the little gift bags and bits that are ok in the top of my wardrobe as I always re-use the bags and bows if I can.  I also have some coloured envelopes which just have our names written on which can be used for card making or making your own gift bows, I did one earlier and it turned out ok here it is..

As you can  see it is quite a decent size, I put it beside my cuppa so you can get a good idea but you could make different sizes and its a good way to use up odd bit of paper. I got the instructions from another blog here but it was basically cut three strips of paper 27cm, three at 24cm then one at 5cm.  You just twist them into a figure eight shape and glue, then layer them up, just loop the last one.  I stitched through  the middle of the pile of mine to make it secure. it was very quick and you could do them multicoloured or out of fabric.  Thank you Thrifty Magpie for that idea.

I've started my resolutions already as I never see the need to wait for new year to make positive changes, had a good walk with my dogs and started this weeks book it's one I had on my wish list  and bought for myself ( it couldn't be ordered from the library or I would have). It's called  Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic, such an amazing person, I am half way through it  already (oh lovely holidays!).

If you want to find out more about Nick you can do so here, there are also videos of him surfing (yes surfing! that cover photo is real.) with Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm to a shark in 2003 another inspirational person. If you haven't seen the film Soul Surfer I suggest you watch it, but you will probably cry ( I did). 

There are some amazing people out there doing incredible things, try and remember that when the evening news shows you all negative stuff that's happening.