Four frugal things today

This week I have been reading 'Divergent' by Veronica Roth  and I'm sorry to say  I'm not enjoying it at all.  Sorry mainly because this is a book I bought and usually I try to get as much as I can from the library ( we do all pay for the library you know through our council tax so get using them!) but his time based on the good reviews I bought it.  It is dull I feel and yes I know it's aimed at the teen audience but so was the Hunger Games and it had  a good story and likeable characters.
So on to frugal thing number one, I ordered four books from the library online this one...

  and this one...

and these two...

                          

The Thrift Book and Fractured are not even in at the library yet but they are on order so you can still reserve them.  So that has saved me some money and using the library is recycling remember.

Frugal thing two is lunch at home we always do this but I know some people like to go out for dinner on Sundays and if it's five pound a head tell themselves its cheap. Well that is fine if that is what you like but it is not cheap, you don't usually get desert with that and there are drinks on top.  I think for a family of four that is still working out quite expensive.  We like to save meals out as a treat but even then I usually feel our cooking at home is better.  I think being a vegetarian also means me and my son don't have that much choice and I'm sat thinking well I could have done better than that.  If that sounds like you maybe you should cut down on the meals out.

Frugal thing three is a walk with the dogs, the sun made an appearance this afternoon and we had a nice walk I actually took off my jacket because I got warm, that has to be a good thing. 

Frugal thing four is after sorting through my box of fabric I found two items that I think I will turn into a dress  this week they are straight out of the box so that is why they are crinkly..

I also had a little bit of red fabric, so after yesterdays post I thought maybe three panels in the dress but looking at the colours in that skirt I think another panel would just be too much.  I have pinned where the straps need adjusting on the top and I will need to remove the big bow and ruffle from down the front of the skirt, it also has pocket but there is a join beneath so I think they will need to stay.  

So that will keep me busy for a few days. I am swimming tomorrow evening so I doubt it will be finished by then.

Spring Fashion Ideas

I had a little look on the desigual website today and found this little dress that I think would lend itself  very well to using up fabric.  You could choose three of your fabrics that are not quite enough to make anything with on their own, or you could look in the charity shop.

 I think I would make it longer as I want to be bare legged in the summer and that is too short as it is without tights or leggings I think.  I also think I would make the top panel a little bit shorter so that when you add darts to the top of the shift dress you don't have an interruption where the two panels meet.  I can't see any darts on the one in the photo but I would want it fitted with a central back zip.
I also think the colours of fabric you  use do not have to be similar you could use contrasting ones.  I think there are lots of possibilities here and I am going to have a look at what I can do.  If you use jersey fabrics there would be no need for fasteners you could just pull it on over your head.
So that dress is item number one I'm going to make for little or no cost ( a small cost for zip maybe).  I did say I had enough clothes for my holiday but that means I won't get to sew anything so scratch that! As long as it is very little or no cost it's ok.
The other item I would like to make is a black jacket casual but ok if I was dresses up, I don't want a formal jacket and I already own a black leather jacket so something more suited to spring.  I saw this but I don't like the shiny parts on it...

My mother in law works in a charity shop and said they are having a sale  around now everything 50p or £1 so if I can just get a larger black jacket in a cotton maybe I could come up with something I like.  ( The jacket above is £48 and the dress £78)  I will put these two images in my ideas book so that I don't forget.

I'm going to go and have a look now if there is anything I can come up with for idea number one.

Spring project ideas

This week has felt more like spring is here despite the strange smog/Sahara sand that has been hanging in the air.  The lighter evenings and less need for heating has had us thinking about holidays and doing the garden.  We have removed the children's trampoline as they did not use it at all last year even though they said they would so we replaced the net.  The net has just perished and left it looking like an eye sore, so my husband took it all down.  They did not even mention it was gone!  We have decided a pergola and seating area will look nice in that corner of the garden but we do not want to pay too much for this.
My husband is very good at building and repairing stuff so he has been weighing up whether or not it is worth making the pergola and bench or buying a second hand one from eBay.  Sometimes the price of wood means it is not worth starting from scratch but you can pick up some good pieces if people are moving or bored with them that might just need retreating and a bit of attention.
I found this gorgeous idea on instructables ....

Follow the link above to see the original and full instructions

How fabulous is that bench!  It is made from ordinary dining chairs that have had their padded seats removed,  secured with batons at the back, arms added and panels across the seat tops.  This is what the chairs looked like before..

I'm sure a lot of people have old furniture in their family that gets thrown out or donated as it is not the current fashion.  If you have something similar it could be something you  could use in your own garden rather buying expensive garden furniture.  If you are not skilled enough to tackle the arms I'm sure it would be fine without and the straight bits of wood you could have cut for you at the DIY shop.  ( Make sure you measure correctly first) It would also need to be treated with appropriate outdoor protection.

I also think this piece of furniture would look good inside the house, you could have thick foam cut  (Dunhelm Mill do this, I've had it for seating before) and make a cover for it.

If you have not looked on the instuctables site have a look now there are ideas for all kind of things.