Kitchen cupboards makeover and some bargains

I thought I'd share a few of this weeks money saving bits that we have managed.  They did involve spending a bit of money but in all they have saved us quite a lot.  Firstly my husband came home last week with these fabulous bargains from the Tesco. They are selling off Christmas stock as they do at this time of year but I never quite understand why as they will be selling all the same stuff again next year.  Four rolls of wrapping parer at 10p a roll, three packs of Christmas cards and a pack of Christmas napkins, again all at 10p each.

Not bad for 80p, so now I just need to put them somewhere safe so I can find them easily later in the year. 

The next thing we did is to finally get around to changing the handles on my kitchen cupboards, I've never liked them and we have lived here six years but as I liked the cupboards I just kept putting off ordering any. Well this week I decided they were going and I found ones I liked on eBay at a pound a piece. My husband went one better and found them elsewhere at 80p each (there's that magic number again) so we ordered them. We needed 26 but my husband ordered 30 just in case we need spares.  He put them on in no time and I think it has transformed the cupboards.

These are the offending handles

Here are the shiny new ones

Now I'm not sure if I want to change the tiles later, they are ok but I would have chose something plain or a pale colour but not beige! Brilliant white or very pale aqua and none of the embossed tile bits. Any thought anyone?

I finished the book thief and it was amazing it had me in tears, I'm currently reading two books one with my son which is Ketchup clouds and he picked it up from the teen section and has now decided it has inappropriate bits in it (I agree) but we want to know what happened with the main character so I'm editing it as I read. (ha,ha).  I'm also reading The Woman in Black the sequel by Martyne Waites.

I just picked this up at the library and it is yet more WW2 stuff at the start so i hope I won't be all emotional at the end of this one, but if the original is anything to go on it's more of an eerie tale than a sad one.

Not a lot of sewing this week but I have altered some curtains for someone so that has brought in a little extra but as my little dog still has his sore itchy eyes (he is still at the vets every week) that little bit extra will probably be going to the vet along with a bit more.  

Fabric covered recycled belt tutorial

I finally got round to covering that belt I mentioned last week with the sarong fabric from years ago. I took pictures of what I did step by step so here they are below.  The colours as always look better in reality as I was losing the light again as I photographed it. I'm not sure about the gold on the buckle though and as there is some metalic craft paint in the cupboard I may change that to silver. My son doesn't like it and said you are not going to wear that are you! well! I know it will look different when put together with an outfit as things always do. Plus it is an exercise in learning to do something with something I didn't want as the elastic on the black belt was looking saggy. I also have enough black belts.

This is the original it's hard to see but the elastic has made it lose its shape

I cut the fabric 15cm longer than the belt, folded it then lay the belt on top I then hand stitched it around the buckle.

    

I stretched the belt and put pins in place so the fabric would not be too tight when stitched on. I then hand stitched it all the way along.

I machine stitched three rows  of top stitching on the right side while pulling the fabric so it would gather in the elastic. (You will not need to do this if your belt is flat and not elasticated.)

I used a zig zag stitch number 7 on my Toyota machine.

Here it is, it may not be to your taste but you can choose what fabric or style of belt you want to cover.
When I had finished that there was a bit of fabric on my table from a dress I hemmed the other day. It was just wide enough for a headband and I am fed up of my hair going in my face when I wash my face and take off my make up at night so this will come in handy.

I just folded the raw edge in and machine stitched it along, then measure my head making sure it was a bit smaller so it had to stretch a bit ( it is jersey) then sewed up the end.
You could use up lots of bits this way if you have girls to make Alice bands for them, you could add fabric flowers, leaves or a butterfly.
This week I have read Noah Barleywater runs away, with my son.

This is a really good book, it has lots of laughs in it and can seem quite bizarre in places which left us saying 'what?' a lot of the time but we enjoyed it. It is sad too, as you here about why he is running away. I will not say too much but definitely worth a read.
Right I need to go now and do some exercise. Xbox  fit game.

Using up fabric, doll, notebook and gadget cover

I thought I would share today a couple of my favourite little things that I made when I was using up bits I had left. I said recently I would make some dolls soon but this is one I made a while ago when I was on holiday and using up some leftover fabric.  Now her face is a little odd shaped I think and I hand stitched the features, the hair is felt, the body an old t-shirt, jacket is from old jeans. Just bits and bobs really and she was my first attempt so she sits on my sewing table.

She is 30cm and like I said not perfect but I bet a little girl would love her mum to make her a doll that no one else has, she could choose the hair  colour, eye colour and maybe even have matching clothes. If you sew and have leftover scraps it wouldn't cost you a penny.  (Just an idea, I don't have girls myself, two boys).

Another thing that  I use all the time is my cover for my MP3 again it was made from leftover denim and cotton plus a little felt. I just lay it on top, cut around it, cut the same pieces again from felt, stitched it all together, turned it through and added a loop and button. 

As you can see I don't have an iPod it is a creative zen xfi, my husband bought it for me four Christmases ago I think it was, and it is really good, great sound and no problems and it cost less then the iPod too, always a good thing. 

Finally here is a little note book I covered for myself now the stitching is a bit crooked and if it was for some one else I would have redone it but as it is just on my computer table it's ok. I also put a little motivational piece I found online in the front to remind me to stay positive.

I suppose any of these things could be made as gifts and I have given friends phone covers before, you could make them more personal by adding themes that suit the recipient.