tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39284207330446438352024-03-26T16:16:24.050+00:00Our Handmade HomeDIY Home Renovation and Handcrafted Daily Life.Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-77909403379693116512020-03-27T09:13:00.003+00:002020-03-27T09:32:13.843+00:00Home-Education - Advice for New Home-schoolers<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 5px;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">I see that lots of schools are giving out learning packs or getting older ones to follow timetables, I am concerned that parents will be overwhelmed by the extra workload. This is going to be a steep learning curve. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-size: large;">I have created this post as advice for parents and carers who are finding themselves teaching their kids at home for the first time in the wake of Covid-19.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Most home-educators I know learned the hard way, and there were lots of tears... home-school is not school at home, it can't be and it shouldn't be (for this reason we mostly use the term 'home-education') </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I hope it is helpful to share; m</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: inherit;">y daily schedule looks roughly like this:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>8am</b> - Everyone gently wakes up - music or podcasts are generally on in the kids bedrooms at this time, then everyone bundles downstairs for a relaxed breakfast.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>9am</b> - Chats and chores - This is usually centred around the kitchen table, I let the kids start chats about what they heard on podcasts or whatever (this is secret school-time, these Big Fat Conversations (BFCs) teach comprehension & narration and give a great opportunity for them to ask questions) While chatting, we do the basic household chores (fold laundry, empty the dishwasher, clean up after breakfast, etc)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>10am</b> - Schoolwork - 13YO has maths everyday and another 2 subjects, 6YO does some basic writing, maths, activity books or drawing (I follow his lead, he often has little projects he is working on) We sit at the kitchen table for this, I help 13YO if she needs it, by this age they should be self-led but still need some help when they don't quite understand the text books.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>11am</b> - Reading time - on the sofa - 6YO reads his reading book and flashcards. Then I read a couple of chapters from chapter books, and maybe a page from a science encyclopedia or dinosaur book (depending on what the days interests are) The 13YO sketches, knits, sews or does some other kind of 'handicraft' - she likes listening to the stories too.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>12noon</b> - Outside -Sometimes I structure our outdoor time - bug hunts, cloud sketching, bird spotting, seed planting. Most of the time is run-about free time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>1pm</b> - Lunch and school is over - the afternoon is free for play, projects, adventures or reading (I don't allow them TV or video games time before 4)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">My 5 top tips</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">1. Get Outside</span><span style="color: #222222;"> - if you can manage it, in all weathers, for about an hour, it will make a massive difference to your mental and physical strength. The more you can do outside the better.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">2. Read</span><span style="color: #222222;"> - books should be many, varied and often - there are lots freely available as e-books, if you need reading suggestions ask me. Building this in to our daily routine has created a passion for reading alone, to each other and as part of the family and I cannot over-emphasise the importance of reading with your kids.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">3. Play </span><span style="color: #222222;">- Kids will process all this stuff that is going on through play, let them play, let them get messy and muddy and silly and noisy - play with them too, it will help bonding.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-large;">4. Talk</span><span style="color: #222222;"> - Our best, most educational moments are in those Big Fat Conversations. They need to be telling you how they feel and what they think, they will need to ask questions and sometimes you won't know the answers, then you find out together and it is a lovely life-long-learner lesson for everyone - sometimes there is no answer, and you help them accept that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;">5. Don't attempt 9-3 school work</span><span style="color: #222222;"> - You <b>will </b>burn out within weeks, they will be fractious, your home will have a negative vibe (man!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Keeping a positive family relationship is infinitely more important in these trying times than ticking the boxes for the teacher, so be kind to yourselves and hug your kids more than usual.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I am a home-educator with 9 years experience. I have been home-educating my 2 children, 13YO and 6YO, since birth. They have never been in a school, nursery or formal learning environment. I use various free online curricula to match my kids' learning styles and abilities to the wider expectations of the school system.</span></span></span></div>
Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-39042048516597440382018-12-19T16:48:00.001+00:002018-12-19T17:17:56.012+00:00The Sixth D.I.Y of Christmas - 6 Pot Holder Gifts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
These were made by Small (age 12) for giving as gifts to some family friends. She has made some as gifts before, and also for selling at craft fairs to raise money for charity. They make up quickly from scraps and are fab little gifts.</div>
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We're almost at the shortest day and the light was fading by the time Small was making these, so please excuse the poor light in the photos - These are made out of 100% cotton scraps on the outside and 2 layers of cheap recycled fleece fabric on the inside.</div>
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An 8 inch square carefully stitched together inside out (leaving a small space for turning inside out) trimmed closely and turned the right way round, adding a loop for hanging. Then stitched round the outside and in an spiral shape towards the middle.</div>
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A little stack ready for wrapping.<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-66444189638808752002018-12-18T12:00:00.000+00:002019-01-16T10:23:24.290+00:00The Fifth D.I.Y of Christmas - 5 Paper ChainsPaper chains are one of the simplest homemade decorations. My kids (Small and Teeny) make them together and there is quickly enough for decorating a room.<br />
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All I do is cut a load of coloured A4 paper into 2cm strips and give the kids staplers to make chains. You could just as well use white paper or newspaper if you were stuck, or wanted to keep things ultra-retro.<br />
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We use staplers after a bit of a gluey flop a few years back, Small is mature enough to keep safe, but be sure to keep a close eye on younger (or more mechanically curious) fingers, staples are quick and strong.<br />
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Total Time: 30 mins<br />
Total Cost: £0.30 worth of paper and staples maybe? (It's all stuff we have lying around anyway)<br />
Total Christmassy Factor: 7/10Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-83540997051809157612018-12-16T16:13:00.001+00:002018-12-16T16:13:22.308+00:00The Forth D.I.Y of Christmas - 4 Handmade StockingsI can't think of anything nicer than a handmade Christmas Stocking hanging by the fireplace waiting for Santa. Apart from, maybe, a stocking filled with goodies on Christmas morning!!!<br />
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I struggled to find the right pattern for me and was uninspired by the photos accompanying the patterns that I did find, however I eventually settled on <a href="https://blog.hobbycraft.co.uk/how-to-knit-a-christmas-stocking/" target="_blank">this hobbycraft pattern</a>, but knitted them 2/3 of the pattern (i.e cast on 40 stitches rather that 60), using aran 100% wool on 5mm circular needle (using the magic loop method)</div>
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There is one stocking with random stripes (not a huge fan of it though) and one with 2 row stripes (which I think is much cuter). The spots were embroidered onto plain stockings after knitting, to avoid holes.</div>
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The yarn I used is 100% wool spun at <a href="https://www.newlanarkshop.co.uk/wool-aran-balls-of-wool.irc" target="_blank">New Lanark</a> mills in the UNESCO world heritage site. It is available to buy online too.</div>
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Total Cost - £20 ish (but most of the yarn was left over from other projects)<br />
Total Time - Probably 6 hours per stocking<br />
Total Christmassy Factor - 9/10Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-11222281426121709722018-12-15T17:01:00.000+00:002018-12-15T17:01:09.453+00:00The Third D.I.Y of Christmas - A 3 Day Sourdough StarterThis is a Gluten Free Fail-Safe Sourdough Starter. Strictly speaking this is a cheats' method, as I use a pinch of yeast and milk just to get the right kind of lactobacteria started.<br />
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Since being diagnosed coeliac I have really struggled with the texture of Gluten-free bread products - Especially pizza and naan bread, where the chewiness is quite important to the enjoyment. Gluten-free flour has no, well, no gluten in it, so it lacks the spring and thus, chewiness that comes with a wheat flour. The sourdough replaces this springy texture perfectly.<br />
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A few binned attempts at coeliac friendly sourdough and I discovered this method in an old Nigella Lawson book. My main alteration is the use of rice flour instead of rye flour. I don't know why rice flour works and other GF flours don't, but having spent megabucks on other attempts just trust me on this... it works.<div>
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<br />You need:<br />
150g rice flour (available in large supermarkets or online)<br />
200ml warm water<br />
1/2 tsp milk<br />
pinch of instant yeast<br />
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STEP 1 - Put everything in a bowl and whisk it all together.<br />
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STEP 2 - Cover the bowl with a lid (or clingfilm) and leave for 3 days - it should buble away nicely and smell a bit like natural yogurt.<br />
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STEP 3 - (make sure you wait 3 days) Use 1/2 cup of the starter to make something yummy.<br />
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STEP 4 - Pour the remaining mixture into a jar and 'feed' it regularly with equal parts rice flour and water.<br />
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Theoretically your starter can live forever, as long as it is fed regularly, the flavour and smell improve with age. Try to use it every day or 2 and always replenish what you have taken out. If any runny stuff appears on top just pour the liquid off and 'feed' as usual. If you prefer you can keep it in the fridge and feed it only once a week.<br />
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Uses for your sourdough -<br />
I use it mostly for pizza (<a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2012/11/recipe-focaccia-bread.html" target="_blank">click here for my pizza base recipe</a>) and pancakes, I just add a 1/4 cup of starter to my regular batter/dough. However I have also used it for naan, gingerbread and regular little buns and loaves.<br />
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Total Time - <b>3 days</b><br />
Total Cost - <b>£2</b> ish (for the rice flour)<br />
Total Christmassy Rating -<b> 2/10 -</b> which is a bit lame for the 12 D.I.Ys ... but when you consider sourdough pancakes on Christmas morning, its an easy 8/10<br />
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Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-23952132949185192672018-12-14T17:15:00.000+00:002018-12-19T17:16:39.632+00:00The Second D.I.Y of Christmas - 2 Christmas HatsTeeny has been asking for a Christmas Pudding hat for a couple of years, and of course Small had to have an equally novel hat, so we settled on a tree.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqESwdVZ0QQ/XBp32zG4sGI/AAAAAAAAZkw/6c-h4KfchWgCdL4yiB25vIpxSp47p4mVwCLcBGAs/s1600/xmas%2Bhats%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Tree Pudding Hat - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="600" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqESwdVZ0QQ/XBp32zG4sGI/AAAAAAAAZkw/6c-h4KfchWgCdL4yiB25vIpxSp47p4mVwCLcBGAs/s1600/xmas%2Bhats%2B1.jpg" title="Christmas Tree Pudding Hat - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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They are both knitted in the round with <a href="https://www.garnstudio.com/yarn.php?show=drops-big-merino&cid=19" target="_blank">Drops Big Merino (100% wool, non-scratchy)</a><br />
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The Christmas Pudding hat is on the big side, but Teeny loves it and I guess it means it will fit him for many Christmases to come.<br />
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The Xmas Pudding hat made in Mocca 05 and Off White 01 with details in Forest Green 14 and some scraps of red wool I had lying around. Very roughly following the <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/luuk" target="_blank">Luuk</a> pattern on ravelry, but without the purl rows and reducing the amount of rows by 5 before the decreases (which wasn't enough, hence the too bigness)<br />
The transition from brown to white I just made up as I went along. The holly leaves are made following <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holly--berries-pin" target="_blank">this pattern</a> but omitting the YO sections, so as to make for a tighter knit.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfMQ0-JLpio/XBp328wikiI/AAAAAAAAZks/cS2955Y4liALyjWceSTYAVN5a366H9PtwCLcBGAs/s1600/xmas%2Bhats%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Tree Knitted Hat - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfMQ0-JLpio/XBp328wikiI/AAAAAAAAZks/cS2955Y4liALyjWceSTYAVN5a366H9PtwCLcBGAs/s320/xmas%2Bhats%2B3.jpg" title="Christmas Tree Knitted Hat - Our Handmade Home" width="240" /></a></div>
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The Christmas Tree is made following the <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/luuk" target="_blank">Luuk</a> pattern on ravelry in Forest Green 14 with the star made in Off White 01 following <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stars-from-the-east" target="_blank">this pattern</a>. I sewed 2 stars together and mounted them on the hat, used little colourful buttons from my stash as 'baubles'<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqESwdVZ0QQ/XBp32zG4sGI/AAAAAAAAZkw/6c-h4KfchWgCdL4yiB25vIpxSp47p4mVwCLcBGAs/s1600/xmas%2Bhats%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="handknitted xmas hat pattern - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="600" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqESwdVZ0QQ/XBp32zG4sGI/AAAAAAAAZkw/6c-h4KfchWgCdL4yiB25vIpxSp47p4mVwCLcBGAs/s1600/xmas%2Bhats%2B1.jpg" title="handknitted xmas hat pattern - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Total cost - £10<br />
Total time - roughly 8 hours<br />
Total Christmassy rating - 10/10 (I mean, what is Christmas without a novelty hat??)Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-12732520951489682272018-12-13T19:16:00.000+00:002018-12-13T20:33:47.337+00:00The First D.I.Y of Christmas - A Wreath For The Front DoorI've made our own wreath for the front door every Yuletide since forever - Before we had a garden I would beg for polybags of hedge clippings from friends and relations, over the years I've adapted my method and love the resulting natural wreath.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGCo1g73WNA/XBD7i71WppI/AAAAAAAAZgQ/x9Gb_fTs3O0IgMshtgycE9cLTaas7WUMwCEwYBhgL/s1600/wreath%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Rustic Wreath - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGCo1g73WNA/XBD7i71WppI/AAAAAAAAZgQ/x9Gb_fTs3O0IgMshtgycE9cLTaas7WUMwCEwYBhgL/s1600/wreath%2B3.JPG" title="Christmas Rustic Wreath - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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You will need:<br />
<ul>
<li>Rigger Gloves (I eventually found some decent ladies size at a good price - huzzah)</li>
<li>An old metal coat hanger, or about 80cm of strong pliable wire</li>
<li>Secateurs</li>
<li>Green stuff from a garden</li>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AIlFiIzWKVE/XBD7i5QK1-I/AAAAAAAAZf8/XA_2PDEVq7Y09WKjMKndCSTwb6nI_ifGACLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to make a Christmas wreath - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AIlFiIzWKVE/XBD7i5QK1-I/AAAAAAAAZf8/XA_2PDEVq7Y09WKjMKndCSTwb6nI_ifGACLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B1.JPG" title="How to make a Christmas wreath - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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STEP 1 - Raid your garden (or ask permission to raid another) for anything that is still green - Ivy and Holly are the best - aim for nice long lengths of 50cm + if possible. This year I found some nice Privet with interesting flowers on, Privet can be nicely bendy too, as is Laurel.<br />
Herbs, such as Rosemary and Lavender, seem like a great idea, but I have found them to wilt quickly once picked.<br />
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STEP 2 - Bend an old wire coat hanger into a rough circle - a plastic waste paper bin helps get the shape right if you are finding it tricky.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hg_uMHt9R0I/XBD7iwkUbVI/AAAAAAAAZgE/StrsUJ1kpOA3Lgmpm5tSU13trXIsr_o9wCLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Basic DIY Wreath Instructions - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hg_uMHt9R0I/XBD7iwkUbVI/AAAAAAAAZgE/StrsUJ1kpOA3Lgmpm5tSU13trXIsr_o9wCLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B2.JPG" title="Basic DIY Wreath Instructions - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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STEP 3 - Begin weaving round and round with your lengths of greenery. This might take some trial and error, I just keep twisting the twigs round and round the wire until I'm happy with the balance and shape.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rY3QmR2qjcw/XBD83-dQfJI/AAAAAAAAZgU/hiSi3zUkaww02qDyGegN6X8vpk7yV16kwCLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Make a Xmas Wreath - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rY3QmR2qjcw/XBD83-dQfJI/AAAAAAAAZgU/hiSi3zUkaww02qDyGegN6X8vpk7yV16kwCLcBGAs/s1600/wreath%2B4.JPG" title="Make a Xmas Wreath - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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STEP 4 - Trim the bits you don't want, add more of what you do. Once the wreath has some structure to it you can poke in extra little bits to fill the bald patches.<br />
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STEP 5 - Hang on a door. I've looped string round and over the top of the door, securing it with a drawing pin on the inside.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGCo1g73WNA/XBD7i71WppI/AAAAAAAAZgQ/x9Gb_fTs3O0IgMshtgycE9cLTaas7WUMwCEwYBhgL/s1600/wreath%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Natural Christmas Door Wreath - Our Handmade Home" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGCo1g73WNA/XBD7i71WppI/AAAAAAAAZgQ/x9Gb_fTs3O0IgMshtgycE9cLTaas7WUMwCEwYBhgL/s1600/wreath%2B3.JPG" title="Natural Christmas Door Wreath - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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You will see that my style of wreath is very rustic and a bit wild looking - feel free to let your artistic flair be reflected in yours by adding ribbons, lights, sparkly things, teddy bears with wires up their butts.<br />
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Total Time = 30 mins<br />
Total Cost = £0<br />
Total Christmassy Rating = 7/10Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-10208670378130662742016-09-28T14:50:00.000+01:002016-09-28T14:50:08.089+01:00Lobby Renovation - Part 5I've been up to loads of other stuff this month so we've not made much progress in the lobby, just tinkering round the edges.<br />
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I've put up hooks, loads of hooks, more hooks than you could shake a... yeah, OK, 12 hooks ... which is 12 more places to hang a coat than we had last month. Woot!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H7RjmFJREZw/V-qksixIQkI/AAAAAAAATiQ/ARXTiRoJNecL-LPRJJmKz1Tw73bCJCDqQCLcB/s1600/lobby8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hooks on a brick wall" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H7RjmFJREZw/V-qksixIQkI/AAAAAAAATiQ/ARXTiRoJNecL-LPRJJmKz1Tw73bCJCDqQCLcB/s1600/lobby8.jpg" title="Hooks on a brick wall" /></a></div>
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We dug out an old picture frame which we bought 14 years ago, for our first flat.... awwww! We spray painted it matt black and I mounted an <a href="https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ordnance Survey</a> Explorer map in it.<br />
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Who doesn't love a good OS map?<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sef6WqgJOso/V-qksrv7tRI/AAAAAAAATiM/2Qbp-kmhV0ES6ObcKYywWGdlnliZ5IXsQCLcB/s1600/lobby7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Framed OS Explorer Map - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sef6WqgJOso/V-qksrv7tRI/AAAAAAAATiM/2Qbp-kmhV0ES6ObcKYywWGdlnliZ5IXsQCLcB/s1600/lobby7.jpg" title="Framed OS Explorer Map - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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We like to walk lots and live in a good location for it, I thought this would be a cute addition to a hallway, though I can't tell you how wrong it felt taking scissors to an OS map.<br />
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I still need to decide where it is going and drill into a stone to mount it. I absolutely love how it has turned out, reminds me of a walkers pub somewhere in the highlands.<br />
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Then, in a moment of inspired madness I painted the front door yellow.*<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hMG2IRAEK3M/V-qk0KugzPI/AAAAAAAATiU/RSg-Oe96VvUeuiOirYeNcgTjYFdhjHnagCLcB/s1600/lobby9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="yellow door hallway renovation" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hMG2IRAEK3M/V-qk0KugzPI/AAAAAAAATiU/RSg-Oe96VvUeuiOirYeNcgTjYFdhjHnagCLcB/s1600/lobby9.jpg" title="Yellow door in hallway - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Its growing on me and certainly brightens up the room.<br />
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*Painting the INSIDE of our scabby front door led me to filling, sanding and painting the OUTSIDE of our scabby front door.<br />
Which led me to filling, sanding and painting some tiny little cracks in the masonry around the outside of the front door... the old paint in the tin was not the same colour as the old paint on the wall after fading for 6 years...<br />
Which led to a trip to Homebase, £50 on new paint and a weekend painting the front of the house.<br />
Which explains why I haven't made much progress in the hall.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sorry, no photos of the front of our house, less we get mobbed by unruly blog fans demanding autographs.</span></div>
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-48893467358740195842016-09-09T18:13:00.001+01:002016-09-09T18:13:49.475+01:00Lobby Renovation - Part 4Our main problem in the lobby was storage for all those jackets, coats, bags, gloves, scarves, umbrellas. I'm guessing that is the same problem most people have... I don't think I know anyone who has enough storage in their hall...<br />
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Our lobby is long and narrow with a door at each end and no cupboard space.<br />
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Having dealt (in part) with making the old bookcase more useful and sturdy by <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/09/lobby-renovation-part-3.html" target="_blank">modifying it to fit around the fuse box</a>. I concentrated on the opposite wall. Those pipes were going to be a problem, but they could not be altered or moved.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s7AiI2v7Z5E/VrZYlzUiVtI/AAAAAAAARDk/I9TdkjlcmSYNleOTEFXJYbug7G2k-PauQCPcB/s1600/hallbefore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lobby before" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s7AiI2v7Z5E/VrZYlzUiVtI/AAAAAAAARDk/I9TdkjlcmSYNleOTEFXJYbug7G2k-PauQCPcB/s1600/hallbefore.jpg" title="lobby before renovation - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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Again we lightly plastered the brick wall (<a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/09/lobby-renovation-part-3.html" target="_blank">to create that Rushemian look</a>) I set to work on a storage solution that would somehow encompass the pipes. We settled on <a href="http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10031987/" target="_blank">storage boxes from IKEA</a>. We have some of these in our utility room and they seriously help with the clutter. A whole wall of them ought to do the trick in our lobby.<br />
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They are plastic so withstand the mud and the wet, which are common factors in rural Scotland. The boxes are deep enough that they will hide the pipes and they also provide a handy shelf.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jU5bVOezeCc/V8_10aShe4I/AAAAAAAATVY/Yol669IDmrcsLpm4Aq9lDM5USS52kLaMACLcB/s1600/lobbytrones2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hot water pipes in the lobby - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jU5bVOezeCc/V8_10aShe4I/AAAAAAAATVY/Yol669IDmrcsLpm4Aq9lDM5USS52kLaMACLcB/s1600/lobbytrones2.jpg" title="Copper pipes coming through a wall - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Our woodburner sits on the other side of this wall and heats all our hot water during winter. I removed the scabby insulation and began cutting a box to fit around the pipes. A drill (fitted with a hole saw) and a fine tooth saw was all I needed, the plastic was fairly easy to cut. I gave the pipes about 1cm clearance, you wouldn't want the plastic in contact with hot pipes. Once mounted on the wall I knew this was the right solution for us.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYlg8ni8fFo/V8_10omfx3I/AAAAAAAATVc/orfonXN2jl8x9MDPe-DKMfK1kATKCzGYQCLcB/s1600/lobbytrones3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cutting IKEA trones box - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYlg8ni8fFo/V8_10omfx3I/AAAAAAAATVc/orfonXN2jl8x9MDPe-DKMfK1kATKCzGYQCLcB/s1600/lobbytrones3.jpg" title="Cutting IKEA trones box - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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I mounted them with substantial wall plugs and screws - so I know they will stand up to the kids swinging on them....<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kids, if you ever read this... DON'T SWING ON THEM!</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uvx9W3FvS98/V8_z-ita4dI/AAAAAAAATVM/Ica31Y96PUcO1KaRvhAVft4LweWenZ9JgCLcB/s1600/lobbytrones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wall of Trones boxes in Lobby - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uvx9W3FvS98/V8_z-ita4dI/AAAAAAAATVM/Ica31Y96PUcO1KaRvhAVft4LweWenZ9JgCLcB/s1600/lobbytrones.jpg" title="Wall of Trones boxes - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Looking pretty good, even if I do say so myself.<br />
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Oh and this was my first time drilling into brick, I nailed it... I mean... I.... never mind...<br />
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With 7 on the wall already I have 3 left to mount. They hold LOADS of crap (I'm not showing you inside, cause it's mess in there, but that is kinda the whole point)<br />
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The box where the pipes are, I'm thinking will be for wet gloves etc during winter? We will see. I will be putting some insulation back on the pipes before then... lest there be melted plastic.<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-72613615041836470582016-09-02T17:51:00.001+01:002016-09-02T17:51:34.206+01:00Lobby Renovation - Part 3Our lobby is well on the way to becoming an actual lobby - rather than being a storage solution for tools we were to lazy to take to the shed.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are at all interested you can click to read <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/02/our-next-big-renovation-project.html" target="_blank">PART 1</a> and <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/02/dry-rot-victory-over-our-arch-enemy.html" target="_blank">PART 2</a> - I know y'all will, cause it is such an intriguing tale.</span><br />
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One of the first things I did after treating the <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/02/dry-rot-victory-over-our-arch-enemy.html" target="_blank">dry rot</a> was start to get the walls plastered.<br />
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We are going for that rough painted stone look (maybe there is a name for it? I don't know) We have a wall like this in our livingroom and in <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/01/teenys-bedroom-big-reveal.html" target="_blank">Teeny's room </a>too... it is a kind of rustic-bohemian-industrial look...<br />
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I shall call it <span style="font-size: large;">'Rushemian'</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZiFLQqH6Go/V8hX5_6nNNI/AAAAAAAATRw/tWGda9314rYUvYaBr3Nvl5WE-phxz-sbwCLcB/s1600/lobbyplaster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rustic white wall - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZiFLQqH6Go/V8hX5_6nNNI/AAAAAAAATRw/tWGda9314rYUvYaBr3Nvl5WE-phxz-sbwCLcB/s1600/lobbyplaster2.jpg" title="Rustic white wall - our handmade home" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Rushemian rough plastered wall</td></tr>
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Just for comparison, this is (a blurry photo of) how we started.<br />
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To get the look I 'paint' on a top coat lime plaster over a cleaned up stone, brick or rubble wall - standard construction of old Scottish cottages is 'rubble wall'. After it is painted it gives a really tactile surface.<br />
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So the walls are mostly finished *squee!!<br />
only the trickiest bits left *boo<br />
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Anyways...<br />
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So there was this old billy bookcase (you know, the one from IKEA that EVERYBODY has) You may remember it as the 'bookcase full of crap' from <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/02/our-next-big-renovation-project.html" target="_blank">this earlier post</a>.<br />
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Well despite it being a good and sturdy bookcase we didn't look after it and well... the back fell off a long time ago, I don't know what happened or where it ended up but it has been backless and used for crap dumping for about 5 years <span style="font-size: x-small;">*embarrassed face.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tyia9g_aQTI/V8hUrSCreoI/AAAAAAAATQE/D51ipUWPPJIMzhG2M29eK0Twvu1biPVsgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tyia9g_aQTI/V8hUrSCreoI/AAAAAAAATQE/D51ipUWPPJIMzhG2M29eK0Twvu1biPVsgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Anyway, long story short and looking to find a quick 'do for now' solution. I took a saw to the old boy.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJeYF1MC9io/V8hUsLh7WaI/AAAAAAAATQM/eMWHwF0jd-QEXNsOPoIZ6hfECbik9achgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sawing - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJeYF1MC9io/V8hUsLh7WaI/AAAAAAAATQM/eMWHwF0jd-QEXNsOPoIZ6hfECbik9achgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly2.jpg" title="sawing - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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I grabbed a couple of brackets from a box of miscellany to screw it in place...<br />
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then a tin of white paint...<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux_ksqFxlNU/V8hUr8m9wgI/AAAAAAAATQI/EtHyTH-miNofnqeE-fsuJxpzBW04V24AgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="billy bookcase to box in fuse box - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux_ksqFxlNU/V8hUr8m9wgI/AAAAAAAATQI/EtHyTH-miNofnqeE-fsuJxpzBW04V24AgCLcB/s1600/lobbybilly3.jpg" title="billy bookcase to box in fuse box - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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I mean, it's not brilliant but it serves as storage and boxing in all our fuse boxes and gubbins... and it is sooooo much better than before. We'll probably stick a couple of doors on it, the rest of the old plaster will be chipped away, conduit for those cables and the gaps at the sides will be filled so it will be much more fitted ... but I am chuffed it looks this good already.<br />
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More updates on the lobby coming soon (y'know, when I can remember to take the photos and get them up here)<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/_Snowdrops_" target="_blank">Follow me on twitter</a> for up to the minute renovation updates...Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-83648756223970457932016-07-12T17:15:00.000+01:002016-07-12T17:15:18.070+01:00Sorry I Missed You, I Was In The Garden...I don't know quite what happened there with the blog... the rest of life just took hold for a while<br />
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Since February I have continued to build, paint, fix, plumb, plaster, saw, sew, knit and generally handmake our home... I have taken far fewer photos than usual but I have been focussing on enjoying the process, which can escape me sometimes.<br />
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Today I thought I'd give you a peek at what I have been up to specifically in the garden.<br />
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Back in March I built a willow den or 'Twig-Wam' for the kids.<br />
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I asked for willow cuttings on our local <a href="https://ilovefreegle.org/" target="_blank">freegle group</a> and was delighted when a friendly couple turned up at our door with several bags full of long willow sticks. (not as long as you get in the kits, but at a much better price)<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7cHDDN3MPFc/V4TuEKi_NzI/AAAAAAAASvM/CoTVrrJhza8WKTp3LkoH4vRkS-hWQyPugCLcB/s1600/willow%2Bden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7cHDDN3MPFc/V4TuEKi_NzI/AAAAAAAASvM/CoTVrrJhza8WKTp3LkoH4vRkS-hWQyPugCLcB/s1600/willow%2Bden.jpg" /></a></div>
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This was my first attempt at a project in willow and I was on a steep learning curve. Small helped plan it out on paper first. We marked out the general shape with string on the grass before poking sticks of willow into the ground (the newspaper acts as a weed suppressant) The Twig-Wam features, as all the best dens should, a secret entrance, a tunnel and 3 windows.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-diOHQuHJVIU/V4T52gZXpvI/AAAAAAAASxU/Aessbm_dSj4524JxOoS0uUfuZHDaIDbjgCLcB/s1600/willow%2Bden%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-diOHQuHJVIU/V4T52gZXpvI/AAAAAAAASxU/Aessbm_dSj4524JxOoS0uUfuZHDaIDbjgCLcB/s1600/willow%2Bden%2B2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Most of the willow is growing and it is now (July) in full leaf, though it'll be a year or 2 of weaving and pruning before it really fills out - next time I build a willow structure I will do a tutorial, promise.<br />
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During March I also put a serious amount of drainage in the back garden, where our patio will be.<br />
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Again a disturbing lack of photos, (sorry peeps)<br />
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I dug a trench by hand, around 18" deep and 18" wide (I used the water as a level for most of the trench before cutting through to our outlet) It is wet clay, heavy, sticky, messy work. Also it was raining... I just cranked up my iPod and pretended I was at a music festival... there may have been dancing.<br />
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I lined the trench with landscaping fabric and put a couple of inches of pea gravel down before laying and fitting a perforated 4" flexible pipe. Filled all around the pipe with pea gravel and topped it off with some more landscaping fabric and then hardcore on top to give us a base to lay the patio on.<br />
John was mostly on childcare duty through-out, though he did wheelbarrow 2 tonnes of hardcore and 1 tonne of pea gravel through the house for me (big kisses for him)<br />
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We have had some very heavy rain over the past few months but for the first time since in 6 years we have no puddles in our garden!<br />
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Once that drainage was in I was able to start building and filling gabions which create the retaining wall for our terraced herb garden, and access to the rest of our <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2011/07/our-mini-holding-intro.html" target="_blank">mini-holding</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-quRtaSunRzg/V4TvE1cHjxI/AAAAAAAASvY/tXjctCRsvRMzXbHbW7eBiyjIyKaXB0t2gCLcB/s1600/herb%2Bgarden%2Bterrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-quRtaSunRzg/V4TvE1cHjxI/AAAAAAAASvY/tXjctCRsvRMzXbHbW7eBiyjIyKaXB0t2gCLcB/s1600/herb%2Bgarden%2Bterrace.jpg" /></a></div>
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Gabions are easy to build and can be filled with almost anything (bricks, stone, rubble, logs, slate, even glass bottles) to create a strong retaining wall. They improve drainage and are great for wildlife and mini-beasts. They do look a bit 'industrial' and I am not averse to that, but I am hoping to soften it a little over time by planting some climbing and spreading plants in the crevices.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MgLSdg1duiY/V4UNshZmWKI/AAAAAAAASzM/gRMjROziacQUCwqZyJSAJziq-Fppl0piwCLcB/s1600/gabion%2Bherb%2Bgarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MgLSdg1duiY/V4UNshZmWKI/AAAAAAAASzM/gRMjROziacQUCwqZyJSAJziq-Fppl0piwCLcB/s1600/gabion%2Bherb%2Bgarden.jpg" /></a></div>
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I still have a way to go obviously with the back filling and the laying of the patio but some of our herbs are already planted up and getting established over this summer.<br />
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The garden is a huge part of my life, having been the prime reason we bought the house in the first place. The vegetable garden, the polytunnel and the orchard have been somewhat abandoned while we have a very young child and concentrate on improving our day-to-day living conditions closer to the house. We will get back to it all someday.<br />
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As well as all that since February I have...<br />
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Continued to work on our lobby,<br />
Continued home-educated both children,<br />
Went on a walking holiday in the Lake District,<br />
Painted some window frames,<br />
Baked lots of cookies, bread and cakes,<br />
Been a politics geek (and there has been enough politics happening in our wee part of the world to make a grown woman weep... several times over)<br />
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But also I've been a Mum, and a Wife and occasionally just a little bit a Me (that's nice sometimes)<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-55217087060596291872016-02-23T16:05:00.002+00:002016-02-23T16:05:37.412+00:00Dry Rot - Victory Over Our Arch Enemy!Within a few months of moving into Snowdrop Cottage (back in 2007) we found dry rot in the front wall of the house, it was horrendous and scary. The whole front of the house needed stripped back, sprayed and re-roofed... It was pretty much the start of our journey to hell and back with this house.<br />
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So imagine my joy when, on returning from a nature walk with the kids a few weeks back I found this on the wall in the lobby.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGG2qDVolSU/Vsx0_axQAAI/AAAAAAAARYY/EthKdCcfQN4/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dry rot on brick wall" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGG2qDVolSU/Vsx0_axQAAI/AAAAAAAARYY/EthKdCcfQN4/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot2.jpg" title="Dry rot on brick wall" /></a></div>
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I recognised it as dry-rot immediately and panic set in. It was a tiny amount, though it can spread rapidly. I'll admit to sitting on the kitchen floor in tears, before picking up the phone. Our friend, (who happens to be a damp and restorations expert) came round within the hour and gave me the advice we needed to fix the problem ourselves.<br />
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A quick ebay purchase and couple of days later the chemicals we needed arrived.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YwpR_EseB08/Vsx2eAbCnlI/AAAAAAAARYk/KR-RafZguyE/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brunosol dry rot treatment" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YwpR_EseB08/Vsx2eAbCnlI/AAAAAAAARYk/KR-RafZguyE/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot3.jpg" title="Brunosol dry rot treatment" /></a></div>
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Oh, by the way, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME! These chemicals are for professional use only, not for DIY eejits like me... achem...<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9q12wfFZSQ8/Vsx9cslsq9I/AAAAAAAARZI/27MVRcTQFN0/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chisel wood out of wall" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9q12wfFZSQ8/Vsx9cslsq9I/AAAAAAAARZI/27MVRcTQFN0/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot6.jpg" title="chisel wood out of wall" /></a></div>
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I chiseled out the wood from the wall - I think they are called 'nailing blocks' - they are pieces of wood built into the structure of the wall for nailing something to, in this case a door frame. The fronts were fairly solid and dry but as I got further in, it was clear there was our problem. Rotten and brittle, by the very back I was pretty much just scraping out dust. I also scraped all signs of rot bloom from the wall. and burnt all the bloom and wood to get rid of it instantly.<br />
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With all the wood and bloom removed I got dressed to the nines - I was warned <b><u>DO NOT</u></b> GET THIS ON YOUR SKIN, I was taking no chances.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PynH7qSip8/Vsx43pIXvII/AAAAAAAARYw/aQvjL_jbV_U/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Goggles and dustmask for messy jobs" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PynH7qSip8/Vsx43pIXvII/AAAAAAAARYw/aQvjL_jbV_U/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot1.jpg" title="Ann McG Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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I made up some of the concentrate and applied it liberally to the wall with a paintbrush, I got right to the back of the nooks that I had just removed the wood from, and painted it on 2ft+ in all directions from where the blooming had been. I only needed a tiny amount of the concentrate.<br />
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Then I packed the gaps in the walls with slate, as I had been told to. Slate is used as a damp-proof course and does not compact under pressure, which is why you use it to fill gaps in walls.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaL5HvgFPxY/Vsx8JIE8R1I/AAAAAAAARZA/TP4cZXeCSLk/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaL5HvgFPxY/Vsx8JIE8R1I/AAAAAAAARZA/TP4cZXeCSLk/s320/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIltKi92nyA/Vsx8I7dAv8I/AAAAAAAARY8/isb8KrmVzWA/s1600/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIltKi92nyA/Vsx8I7dAv8I/AAAAAAAARY8/isb8KrmVzWA/s320/lobby%2Bdry%2Brot4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The photos are pretty bad, but it looks much better now and no fungus!<br />
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The stink of the chemicals took me right back to that horrible autumn of 2007 but I am so grateful I was able to do this myself this time round. Before the lobby is finished I will give this section of the wall 2 more applications of the Brunosol. When spring comes around we need to make some alterations to the wall outside to stop moisture penetrating here.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">The Nitty Gritty</span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>The chemicals I used are for treatment of dry rot in masonry - we got them on <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRUNOSOL-CONCENTRATE-6X-DRY-ROT-TREATMENT-KILLER-/190740769787" target="_blank">eBay from Platinum Chemicals</a> cost about £45 including delivery.</li>
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<li>I wore overalls, rubber gloves, a hat, dust mask and oversized safety goggles to protect myself. I was very careful not to splash the stuff around.</li>
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<li>DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME - <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/p/disclaimer.html" target="_blank">See our Disclaimer for further info</a></li>
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<li>If you are in central Scotland and have problems with damp, rot or woodworm contact <a href="http://russellpreservation.co.uk/" target="_blank">Russell Preservation</a> - I cannot recommend them highly enough.</li>
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-62952883640828826202016-02-18T16:54:00.000+00:002016-02-18T16:54:10.858+00:00Thrifty Thursday - Meal Planning - With Free Printables<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">My Thrifty Thursday series is all about sharing money saving tips I've learned while raising a family under a mountain of debt in half a house. For years we lived on a £50 a week budget (not including housing, bills or travel) while we paid back all of our debts. Now we are able to save for the future because of all the skills learned through those difficult days.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">This week I'm talking about meal planning. I'll explain how I save money by planning our meals <b>every week.</b> While cutting out waste and eating home-cooked nutritious meals every day. The key parts to this system are:</span><br />
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Making a list of the meals you regularly eat</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Moulding your menu around other activities</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Knowing what you already have</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Building a reliable meal plan</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Before I go on, in our house we have lunch (at 1pm) and dinner (at 6pm) You may be a dinner & tea, lunch & supper, or tea & supper family, I'm sure you'll figure it out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">There are 2 free printables this week: </span></span></div>
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<li style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/sf91zyizfr6k1dt/MealsWeLikeToEat.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">A basic list of meals you like to eat</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wmds5dnkn5w51il/GroceryShoppingList-printable.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">A meal plan and shopping list</a> - This printable is designed to be printed double-sided then cut the paper length ways, which will give you 2 meal plans with shopping lists on the back.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">NB. As with all my printables these are free for personal use only, if you want to share them with friends or on your own blog please credit our-handmade-home.com fully. If you steal my stuff I will cry, and you don't want me to cry do you?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">OK - Lets get started</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Making a list of the meals you regularly eat.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">You only need to do this once and it will make your meal planning much easier. Most of us have a staple of the same half-dozen dinners we cook all the time, with maybe another 20 things we eat occasionally. It couldn't be simpler - get a piece of paper (<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/sf91zyizfr6k1dt/MealsWeLikeToEat.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">or use our free printable</a>) and write down all the meals you like to eat.</span></div>
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Keep your list for future reference.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">We have a ringbinder in a kitchen drawer where ours lives</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.4;"><b style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Moulding your menu around other activities</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">On your meal plan (you can make up your own meal plan or use <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wmds5dnkn5w51il/GroceryShoppingList-printable.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">our free printable</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">Note down the activities of the week that will affect meal times - Being a family with 2 kids we regularly have after-school clubs, piano lessons, visitors, special events and day-trips.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Each week I also make time to cook 1 HUGE pot of food and freeze it in family sized portions - this means I always have a few home cooked 'ready meals' in the freezer for busy days or emergencies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Knowing what you already have.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Now it's time to clean out the fridge and pantry - not a deep clean, just a quick wipe and re-order. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">In the fridge I start on the top shelf move everything down to the lower shelves, give the top shelf a wipe, then move everything up again, tidying as I go and throwing out what will not be eaten. Then I move down to the next shelf, </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">this means I get right to the back and there is nothing lurking, this also means I can stop if I need to change a nappy, answer the door or play candy crush saga.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">In the cupboard (we have a huge and poorly designed pantry) I just have a look around and a quick tidy, so I know what is there.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">I usually have a quick look in the freezer, but only clean it out once every 3 months or so.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.4;">The first time you clean out your fridge and cupboards can be frightening, but just put on your safety goggles and elbow high rubber gloves and get stuck in. When you do a quick clean every week it becomes so easy.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><b style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Be honest with yourself and throw out the things past their best that have not and will not be eaten.</b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">There is space on the bottom of our <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wmds5dnkn5w51il/GroceryShoppingList-printable.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">meal plan printable</a> to note down what you already have.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Building a reliable meal plan.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Take all the information you have now and fill in the gaps on your meal plan.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">On busy days plan simple meals - For us that is Tuna Pasta, or something we already have in the freezer</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">On quiet days plan to cook a big pot of something - Friday is quiet for us this week so I'll make Chicken Tikka Masala, it is an all day venture, but makes enough for 3 family meals.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">If you are out of the house until late plan something in the slow cooker - I make chilli straight after breakfast and it sits in the slow cooker all day, it also makes enough for 3 family meals.</span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Sometimes I'm in the mood for certain things, sometimes I pick things off the list at random, sometimes I try new recipes. Other family members often have requests.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Lunches are always more random than dinners.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.4;"><b><u>MY MONEY SAVING TOP TIPS</u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;">Go shopping once a week</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;">'Dropping in' to the supermarket costs more money - shops are experts in getting us to buy more than we need. The less time you spend in the shop, the less money you will spend.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;">We get our groceries delivered once a week - our budget for food and drink is around £35. We eat well, lots of fresh healthy, homemade food. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">I always do my meal plan the day before visiting the supe</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">rmarket (or website)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">I'll cover more about shopping lists in a future blog post.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Use what you have</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">The average family in the UK throws out <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/british-families-waste-60-tonnes-of-valuable-nutrients-a-year-research-reveals-10324812.html" target="_blank">£700 worth of food a year</a> - my entire budget for 4+ months. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">If you put your mind to it, you could probably feed your whole family for a week on what you already have in the fridge, freezer and pantry.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Learn to cook</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">I believe the only reason my family eats well is because we cook everything from scratch. If you buy prepared or ready-meals you'll struggle to keep the costs down.</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0751532754/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebogdia-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0751532754" style="color: #296695; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4; text-decoration: none;">Cooking for Blokes</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"> was the book that got me started cooking.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;">Love your freezer</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">For storing homemade 'ready meals' and leftovers, my freezer is indispensable.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Get some storage boxes for leftovers.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Stackable, microwaveable, freezer safe boxes with well fitting lids that hold enough for a family meal. If you don't have the funds for new boxes, plastic margarine tubs do a fine job (but don't microwave them!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Learn to label</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">I used to just chuck leftovers in the freezer, and find them 6 months later... 'what is this?'... fast forward 30 mins and we are digging into a plate of curry with spaghetti... hmmm... So I learned the hard way. Either write on boxes with a washable marker or buy inexpensive little stickers and get into the labeling habit.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Be part-time vegetarian</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">Good meat is expensive. Try planning a few meat-free meals a week.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">When cooking a meaty sauce (chilli, bolognese, etc) I add plenty of grated carrots, mushrooms, courgettes, etc and a handful of lentils along with a stock-cube to keep that meaty flavour.</span><br />
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That's me signing off for this week - Feel free to share in the comments any of your own top-tips for meal planning.<br />
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Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-92107194678317827752016-02-16T17:32:00.000+00:002016-02-16T17:32:00.890+00:00Hacked Off - Stripping Walls to Bare Stone and BrickA couple of weeks ago (actually it was before Christmas... I'm a bit behind on my write-ups) We decided that the first thing to do in the lobby was to strip the walls back to the bare brick and stone.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bZPnZ3Wt4s/VsNHByqPbGI/AAAAAAAARMg/V2KmyTHaya0/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Plaster Whacker " border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bZPnZ3Wt4s/VsNHByqPbGI/AAAAAAAARMg/V2KmyTHaya0/s320/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B1.jpg" title="plaster whacker" width="320" /></a></div>
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We started with partially plastered/wallpapered/painted walls that were nothing short of an eye-sore<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YsuU8m30zw/VsNJI-rFmxI/AAAAAAAARMo/hEPKsIC6B-g/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ripped wallpaper" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YsuU8m30zw/VsNJI-rFmxI/AAAAAAAARMo/hEPKsIC6B-g/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B3.jpg" title="wall 1 with ripped wallpaper" /></a></div>
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We wanted to take the plaster off because (a) Plastering to a smooth finish is really difficult, (b) we didn't want to lose any space by battoning and boarding, and (c) we really like rough lime-washed walls.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGqi20DkzEw/VsNJI5ZaMdI/AAAAAAAARMs/tQrJqoMo2Ws/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Wall with pipework" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGqi20DkzEw/VsNJI5ZaMdI/AAAAAAAARMs/tQrJqoMo2Ws/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B4.jpg" title="Wall before" /></a></div>
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We have used this to great effect in both our <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2012/10/our-rough-rubble-wall.html" target="_blank">living room</a> and in <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2016/01/teenys-bedroom-big-reveal.html" target="_blank">Teeny's bedroom</a>. Here is a photo of how the brick-work in Teeny's room came up, it is really beautiful and tactile, though it is taking a lot of vision to imagine it in the lobby.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSxHFpx9wUc/VsNSO0eil1I/AAAAAAAARNI/IPxQ8tkZAN0/s1600/chimney%2Bbreast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nursery Brick Wall" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSxHFpx9wUc/VsNSO0eil1I/AAAAAAAARNI/IPxQ8tkZAN0/s1600/chimney%2Bbreast.jpg" title="Chimney Breast White-Washed Brick Nursery" /></a></div>
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Clearly the madness of having 35 Christmas dinners to cook was not enough drama for us so a few weeks before Xmas we hired a <a href="http://www.hss.com/hire/c/breaking-and-drilling/chipping-hammers" target="_blank">chipping hammer</a>. We've been hiring all our heavy machinery from HSS and we have had brilliant service from them.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bZPnZ3Wt4s/VsNHByqPbGI/AAAAAAAARMc/YeuofFI9zeo/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chipping Hammer HSS - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bZPnZ3Wt4s/VsNHByqPbGI/AAAAAAAARMc/YeuofFI9zeo/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B1.jpg" title="Chipping Hammer HSS - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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John had the unenviable task of whacking all the plaster off the wall and it was remarkably quick and unbelievably messy. The dust got everywhere in the house, despite taping up doors and keeping the hall well ventilated. To add to the joy, our hoover (vacuum) broke during the clean up... luckily it was under warranty and we had it replaced 3 days before Christmas... phew!<br />
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We discovered the wall on the right is beautiful stonework. The wall on the left is brick and caused us some problems.<br />
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Everything below 4ft was plastered in really tough cement which we couldn't get off... 1 metre of it it is already gone(done when rising damp was treated) so that leaves us with about 1 ft of cement plaster in a band half way up the wall that won't budge.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4x9_lLvsHXg/VsNXzHCnngI/AAAAAAAARNY/68QHI6zweTA/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Raw Brick Problem Wall Plaster" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4x9_lLvsHXg/VsNXzHCnngI/AAAAAAAARNY/68QHI6zweTA/s1600/lobby%2Bdemolition%2B5.jpg" title="Raw Brick Problem Wall Cement Plaster" /></a></div>
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My current plan is to tidy up the top edge to blend it into the rest of the wall. Below we'll mount some storage which should disguise the lower edge.<br />
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Anyone got any other suggestions, I'd love to hear!<br />
<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-26080403333151225952016-02-13T16:04:00.000+00:002016-02-13T16:04:12.283+00:00Our Next BIG Renovation Project!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We still have a long way to go in our renovations. This next room we are about to tackle hasn't been touched since we bought the house. It is the most disgusting, embarrassing and difficult room in the whole house.</div>
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When I say we haven't touched it, well, that's not quite true - When we moved into Snowdrop Cottage the hallway was decorated with wallpaper and paint and laminate flooring... and rising damp.</div>
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So we had the rising damp treated - the bottom metre of plaster was stripped off of the wall. Most of the wallpaper was peeled off or fell off, and I ripped up the (now-trashed) laminate flooring.<br />
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That is just how the hallway has stayed, we had the extension built and re-built - Snowdrop Cottage is a terraced house and EVERYTHING for the build had to come through this hall. And so it came to be forgotten... well not forgotten exactly, I mean we walk through it and use the hall several times every day... but we try to ignore it, we close our eyes and move fast and sing *la la la la la la*<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ae4Fcg4UjAw/VrZkRy2-s-I/AAAAAAAARDw/Bu3-rx4lpsA/s1600/hallbeforeannoted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ae4Fcg4UjAw/VrZkRy2-s-I/AAAAAAAARDw/Bu3-rx4lpsA/s1600/hallbeforeannoted.jpg" /></a></div>
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So this is our hall, as it stands - what a god-awful mess! It's a terrible embarrassment when anyone comes to the front door.<br />
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There is just not enough space, it is badly arranged, it is long and narrow, there is nowhere to hang a coat or store the buggies, we need to squeeze through the wheelie bin and fire-wood deliveries, it is always messy and dirty and cramped and I hate it.... bleuch!!<br />
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But I have plans, BIG PLANS and I will share them with you soon my friends, soon...<span style="font-size: x-small;"> No idea why I had to turn into a Bond Villain just there, but I did</span><br />
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Before we go any further... is it a hallway or a lobby do you think? I like the word 'lobby' it seems grand 'Lobby' hmm.... yes I think so... "Lobby"!Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-64838137606511423602016-02-09T15:23:00.001+00:002016-02-09T15:30:58.543+00:00Taking the 'Dot Com' PlungeWe finally made the leap to our own .com !<br />
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Last night John and I sat side by side on the sofa, pressed all the buttons and tweaked all the knobs... not like that... you people, honestly... tsk.<br />
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It was a bit of cutting and pasting of chunks of code in the backrooms. We followed several sets of poor instructions. Then we crossed our fingers and pressed 'save' and IT WORKED!<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Instructions we followed included this out-dated one from <a href="http://www.thewonderforest.com/2013/08/how-to-set-up-custom-domain-in-blogger.html?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7+DAY+BLOG+BOOTCAMP+DAY+5%3A+It%27s+Your+Domain&utm_campaign=20150430_m125580160_Day+5&utm_term=I+wrote+this+guide" target="_blank">Wonderforest</a> and this incomplete one from <a href="https://support.google.com/blogger/troubleshooter/1233381?p=customdomain&hl=en&rd=1" target="_blank">Google</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We are now - www.Our-Handmade-Home.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">mini-woot!</span></div>
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We bought the domain name an age ago from <a href="https://uk.godaddy.com/" target="_blank">GoDaddy</a> and always planned to do the big switch but it was daunting, in fact several months ago I was just <a href="http://www.our-handmade-home.com/2015/10/tinkering-behind-scenes.html" target="_blank">ready to make the leap</a> but then, well I just couldn't do the deed. Like most things procrastinated over, I wish we had made the switch much sooner.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PZxN88By6es/Vrn_SOtQ1uI/AAAAAAAARII/XlmjpeYAZJs/s1600/skinny%2Bskinny%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PZxN88By6es/Vrn_SOtQ1uI/AAAAAAAARII/XlmjpeYAZJs/s640/skinny%2Bskinny%2B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
I still have to update all the places I've linked to the blog over the years and there is still an uncomfortable amount of internal links that we need to manually change *yawn*<br />
<br />
Worst of all, and this is something I find baffling and frustrating, we can no longer link google+ comments to the blog so all our lovely readers<b> </b>comments got left behind.<br />
<br />
I was fully aware it would be a step back before we can move forward to <strike>world domination</strike> a more professional and tidier appearance.<br />
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It is exciting though!Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-59634166246542035172016-02-06T11:12:00.000+00:002016-02-06T11:12:06.900+00:00Deliciously Simple French Crêpe RecipeWhen I was 15 I had an exchange trip to France, my counter-part was from Brittany. Marie-Eve visited us for a week, and I remember very little of her visit, other than crepes and roller-blading. When she went home she left us with this recipe for her mother's Breton Crepes.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-96F0UvmR4Ks/VrSH6enBPII/AAAAAAAARDM/ACrOnJjnaNw/s1600/crepe5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="French recipe for crêpes, simple and easy to follow instructions in english - tastes delicious!!" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-96F0UvmR4Ks/VrSH6enBPII/AAAAAAAARDM/ACrOnJjnaNw/s1600/crepe5.jpg" title="French recipe for crêpes, simple and easy to follow instructions in english - tastes delicious!!" /></a></div>
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My mother however, is no cook, and after a failed attempt to fry lumpy milk, the recipe became lost. 17 years later I found it in an old book and whipped up a batch.... They are stunning, wafer thin homemade crêpes!<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The word doesn't look right without the circumflex, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35496893" target="_blank">but apparently it is no longer correct</a>?? </span><br />
<br />
So here is the recipe, handwritten and ripped from a notebook, in french - I suspect ALL the best recipes are written on torn out notebook pages in french<br />
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<ul>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>400ml milk</li>
<li>125g Plain flour (sieved)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niSW9JQsnls/VrR4f1WptVI/AAAAAAAARCo/WBGaublJics/s1600/crepe3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Crepe recipe in french - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niSW9JQsnls/VrR4f1WptVI/AAAAAAAARCo/WBGaublJics/s1600/crepe3.jpg" title="Crepe recipe in french - our handmade home" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the original hand-written recipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The directions - not given on my original recipe, but I followed my instincts and got perfect results.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Beat the eggs thoroughly</li>
<li>Add the milk and the flour</li>
<li>Whisk and whisk and whisk, until it is a bubbly smooth mixture.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBr3J_vY15k/VrRrzfbo6iI/AAAAAAAARCI/eQODS1D7C20/s1600/crepe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="crepe batter" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBr3J_vY15k/VrRrzfbo6iI/AAAAAAAARCI/eQODS1D7C20/s1600/crepe2.jpg" title="crepe batter" /></a></div>
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Cook as you would pancakes<br />
Use a ladle to put the mixture on the pan and swirl it to give even coverage<br />
Don't use too much batter, remember they are supposed to be paper thin<br />
The crepes are ready when the sides curl up.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueyN0U7DR1A/VrRy6WH6ZfI/AAAAAAAARCY/b4GkPeM3IRQ/s1600/crepe4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="crepe pancake in frying pan" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueyN0U7DR1A/VrRy6WH6ZfI/AAAAAAAARCY/b4GkPeM3IRQ/s1600/crepe4.jpg" title="crepe pancake in frying pan" /></a></div>
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For the best results use a smooth, non-stick pan rubbed with a little oil or butter to prevent sticking.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdr7QpMBQiU/VrRrxrcOv0I/AAAAAAAARCA/6_vBXhsmxko/s1600/crepe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="French crepe recipe - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdr7QpMBQiU/VrRrxrcOv0I/AAAAAAAARCA/6_vBXhsmxko/s1600/crepe1.jpg" title="French crepe recipe - our handmade home" /></a><br />
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Once you have made a small stack of crêpe they are ready to eat.<br />
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The best way to eat your crêpe is probably with nutella (lidl's own-brand is just as good) or with sugar and lemon-juice, maple syrup is delicious too.<br />
Crêpes work just as well with savoury fillings I like to fry some herby mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. Grated cheese is a wonderfully simple filling though.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPf7W12sgq8/VrSAESKRjfI/AAAAAAAARC8/K7nJ9pargRk/s1600/crepe6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="crepe with mushroom filling" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPf7W12sgq8/VrSAESKRjfI/AAAAAAAARC8/K7nJ9pargRk/s1600/crepe6.jpg" title="crepe with mushroom filling" /></a></div>
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I don't imagine Marie-Eve's family was too impressed by the porridge I made for them</div>
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- with water and salt -</div>
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I am a proud Scot, but even I couldn't stomach it.</div>
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Sorry, Marie-Eve, sorry.</div>
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-40712318226695246662016-02-04T15:48:00.001+00:002016-02-04T15:48:38.917+00:00Thrifty Thursday - Basic Budget Planner - With Free Printables -Aaaaaages ago, I wrote some posts about <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/50-week-budget-introduction.html" target="_blank">our £50 a week budget</a>. I'm bringing the whole series bang up to date with new 'Thrifty Thursdays'!! I like alliteration, I do :)<br />
<br />
I'll start by explaining how to build a really quick and simple budget plan.<br />
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A quick household budget plan is a brilliant, easy way to keep you in financial tip-top condition. If you DO have financial worries, this can be a gentle kick start (but you might need to seek further help - I'll share some links at the end of the post)<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/znz8ez3rhhbvjsm/BLANKBasicMonthlyBudgetPrintable%20%281%29.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><img alt="Basic Budget Planner Free Printable - our handmade home" border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ePXLJAn39Xs/VrNvO5jmhiI/AAAAAAAARBc/WdWFgQX5W9Q/s1600/budget.jpg" title="Basic Budget Planner Free Printable - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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<br />
Get yourself a pen and paper, and a cuppa, this shouldn't take too long. The first time I did a basic budget we had 1 bank account and used debit cards for everything. So I just used a couple of monthly statements.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Otherwise gather together credit card and bank account statements, shopping receipts, and as much of that kind of paperwork you have available from the past few months. </span><br />
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I have made 2 printable PDFs available to download: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/f50n7avhtcqqp4b/BasicMonthlyBudgetPrintable%20%281%29.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Our basic monthly budget sheet</a> or a <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/znz8ez3rhhbvjsm/BLANKBasicMonthlyBudgetPrintable%20%281%29.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">BLANK budget sheet</a> (if the downloads don't work for you let me know and I'll see what I can do)<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/f50n7avhtcqqp4b/BasicMonthlyBudgetPrintable%20%281%29.pdf?dl=0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Basic Monthly Budget" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-beAp8HdbO5M/VrNcOcVOgWI/AAAAAAAAQ-w/n_RUMjAtyHk/s1600/Screenshot%2B2016-02-04%2Bat%2B14.11.53.png" title="Basic Monthly Budget" /></a></div>
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or... grab a sheet of paper, a notepad, the back of an envelope, whatever... and draw a line down the middle.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">On the left hand side write down:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What payments you have <b>incoming</b> during an average month?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">including employment, benefits, pensions, income from investments,etc </span><br />
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In the other column write down:<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What payments you have <b>outgoing</b> in an average month?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Including any direct debits, rent/mortgage, council tax, gas, electricity, internet, phones, insurance policies, petrol, bus/train fares, loan repayments, grocery shopping, nights out, subscription packages, charity donations, etc </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Don't forget the big annual outgoings</span> (Add these together and divide by 12)<b> </b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Including one off insurance payments, holidays, Christmas, clothing and footwear, furniture, gifts, etc</span><br />
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Now take <b>outgoings</b> away from <b>incomings</b><br />
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You should have a positive number.<br />
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If you have a negative number, you need to go through all the <b>outgoing</b> figures and see where it is sensible to cut back <b><span style="font-size: large;">as soon as possible</span></b>.<br />
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Now that you have gone through everything perhaps you can see where you overspend?<br />
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What can be gently tweaked to save you an extra few pounds?<br />
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Try cutting 10% off your grocery bill, cut clothing and footwear in half (the budget that is... not your clothes...obviously) Shop around to get a better deal with car insurance, electricity, mobile phone, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/znz8ez3rhhbvjsm/BLANKBasicMonthlyBudgetPrintable%20%281%29.pdf?dl=0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DKSX6Ahztt8/VrNcuobDqWI/AAAAAAAAQ-0/paISwULLba0/s1600/Screenshot%2B2016-02-04%2Bat%2B14.13.39.png" /></a></div>
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We do a simple budget at least once a year just to keep us on the right track.<br />
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If you want to dive in at the deep end and do a full warts-and-all audit, I highly recommend getting your planner from Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert - available <a href="http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Budget-planning">here</a>. It is completely free, horribly detailed, will take an hour+ to work through and will ensure you don't miss anything out.<br />
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If you are struggling to cut back, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>please get help</b></span>, a sensible friend is a good place to start if you have one available. Read through some of the information on the Money Saving Expert website - <a href="http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Budget-planning">here</a> - or contact your local <a href="https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/" target="_blank">citizens advice bureau.</a><br />
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* * *</div>
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<br /></div>
Without going into the gory details our story is that we got ourselves deep in debt when our house was trashed by an evil arsehole builder. We leaned on family a lot, and had to fix up our house using credit cards and loans. It took a while but we got everything back under control. We paid down our debts, reluctantly bought a car, finally paid off the credit cards, paid back family, had a baby. Through it all we pinched every last penny and budgeted to within an inch of our lives.<br />
Now that we are on the other side of debt, we realise that forcing ourselves to live on a strict budget in the past has conditioned us and we are better placed to prepare for our future.<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-31786044342844704572016-02-02T10:10:00.000+00:002016-02-02T10:00:35.669+00:00Striping Down in the ShowerSince Christmas we had noticed our showers at night being cold and getting colder, and colder, to the point where I was shivering.<br />
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SO I plodded around on t'internet and discovered that the thermostatic valve inside the shower may be clogged up with limescale. Who knew there was something INSIDE the shower that needed maintenance?? not me.<br />
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A thermostatic valve mixes hot and cold water to a safe and stable temperature to avoid scalds, especially with children. A thermostatic valve can be in a tap, a shower or at the outlet of a hot-water tank (or theoretically anywhere on a hot-water pipe)<br />
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We had 2 options - replace the shower - try to clean the thermostatic valve. Being a Make Do and Mend kind of gal, I found a youtube video, rolled up my sleeves, and got stuck right in.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Should you be inspired to fix your own shower - remember to read <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/p/disclaimer.html" target="_blank">our disclaimer first.</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IkEKePXyrf8/VqXp76b4ohI/AAAAAAAAQkY/5798lh0wnb4/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stripping down and servicing a thermostatic valve on a bristan gummers bar shower" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IkEKePXyrf8/VqXp76b4ohI/AAAAAAAAQkY/5798lh0wnb4/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B1.jpg" title="stripping down and servicing a thermostatic valve on a bristan gummers bar shower" /></a></div>
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We installed the shower ourselves 4 years ago. I should say we bought the shower straight from the manufacturers - Bristan, and I contacted their customer service line and technical support team first, they were no help, didn't carry spare parts for this model, but also wouldn't give me <b>any</b> technical advice on how to service the shower. This really annoyed me, how hard can it be to give some technical support on something you run a technical support line for?<br />
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Anywhoos, it is a fairly standard bar shower and it was worth attempting to fix it before replacing it.<br />
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Here's the brilliant video that showed me how (thanks for nothing Bristan):<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VV_9s5qGm_I" width="560"></iframe></div>
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At the 'temperature' end there is a little cap that can be prized off with a flat- head screwdriver, once that is off you can undo the grub screw taking the end off and exposing the internal gubbins.<br />
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Frustratingly we had a plumber put in the pipework for our shower during the building of the extension - he didn't leave space for an isolator valve - so the water had to be off at the mains throughout - <u>THIS</u> is why we do everything ourselves.<br />
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Now in theory I should have removed the thermostatic cartridge then - but as I pulled I was concerned that the tiles would break. I decided I couldn't manage this in situ and so I unscrewed the shower from the wall at this point. On our shower we can just unscrew the pipe fittings at the back so that is simple enough (and I probably should have done it at the start)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVQG7VPkazM/VqskUThP9zI/AAAAAAAAQuM/ALjD8A01xZk/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fixing a gummers thermostatic bar shower" border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVQG7VPkazM/VqskUThP9zI/AAAAAAAAQuM/ALjD8A01xZk/s320/shower%2Bstripping%2B4.jpg" title="fixing a gummers thermostatic bar shower" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyway, it was a bit of a struggle but once I removed the thermostatic cartridge and checked, it didn't seem to be clogged up. I put it in some very hot water with a good splash of vinegar to get rid of any limescale.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CgQejKaQ0nA/VqsrwCXI9AI/AAAAAAAAQuc/y6m7KUNt-NI/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="remove thermostatic valve - soak in vinegar to remove limescale" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CgQejKaQ0nA/VqsrwCXI9AI/AAAAAAAAQuc/y6m7KUNt-NI/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B5.jpg" title="remove thermostatic valve - soak in vinegar to remove limescale" /></a></div>
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While I had the shower off of the wall I realised how filthy it was so sat with a cup of tea and took the whole thing apart and gave it a thorough clean inside and out.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6Me-7w4-Oc/VqXp6yIKHmI/AAAAAAAAQkM/mc115qOBywI/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Servicing a gummers bar shower" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6Me-7w4-Oc/VqXp6yIKHmI/AAAAAAAAQkM/mc115qOBywI/s1600/shower%2Bstripping%2B3.jpg" title="Servicing a gummers bar shower" /></a></div>
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After I had left the valve soaking for around 30 mins I put the nice clean shower back together and back on the wall.<br />
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Showers were no longer ice cold but the water was still not coming through hot... our next idea was to climb up to the loft and adjust the thermostatic valve coming out of our hot water tank. This was a little trickier at first and really deserves its own post but, it was dark and we couldn't take photos.<br />
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Basically John removed a safety cover from the thermostatic valve and slowly adjusted the tap underneath - All the while, I was on the phone to him with a thermometer under the bathroom tap reading back the temperature to him. When we started the maximum temperature was only 34°C (a warm shower should be calibrated to 38°C) we increased the hot water temperature to 44°C so now when it is mixed through the immaculatly clean, good as new, shower - it comes out lovely and warm.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">YIPEE!!</span></div>
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We think the problem came from the cold weather dropping the cold water temp down to 3°C which, when mixed with our hot water just made it too darned cold. It had always been wrong, we had just never noticed before.<br />
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Now the problem is all sorted. Nice warm showers for one and all.<br />
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If you have read this and are inspired to fix stuff in your own house <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/p/disclaimer.html" target="_blank">read this first</a> - Thankyou x<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-41573288723704269242016-02-02T10:00:00.001+00:002016-02-02T10:00:02.774+00:00Launching a Singer ID ServiceToday I am launching a service to identify Singer sewing machines. (pre-electric models only)<br />
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You can see the details <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/p/singer-sewing-machine-id-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/p/singer-sewing-machine-id-service.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tension discs 15k Singer Sewing Machine" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K07PrqkwYaU/VrBncjcujnI/AAAAAAAAQ5w/bGtB180CXws/s1600/tention%2Bwheel.jpg" title="Tension discs 15K Singer" /></a></div>
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This morning at 7am I received yet another message via this blog containing a serial number of a Vintage Singer Sewing machine.<br />
<br />
Literally this is the entire content of that message:<br />
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<i> "My serial # is ********"</i><br />
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<br />
That was it, not... <i>"hi, I wonder if you can help" </i>not ... <i>"I can't find out any information about my machine" ... and </i>no <i>"please"</i> or <i>"thank you"</i><br />
<br />
You know what, I make my kids ask me again if they haven't asked nicely the first time. *stern face*<br />
<br />
I have given all the resources I use in <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/identify-your-old-singer-sewing-machine.html" target="_blank">THIS POST</a><br />
<br />
I currently spend about an hour a week looking out information for these machines from all over the world, I have become quite the expert, and I find the work intriguing. But it eats away at time with my kids, time DIYing and time sewing on the machine that brought me here.<br />
<br />
While I am typing this post another message flashes up on my screen <i>"I have machine ********"</i><br />
<br />
So I am <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/p/singer-sewing-machine-id-service.html" target="_blank">launching a service</a> where I will do the identification for a small fee in line with the amount of time I spend looking for the information. Prices vary from £3.50 to £20<br />
<br />
Much as I hate to turn people down asking for help I must have identified over 100 machines now and I think it is fair to be asking for compensation for my hard work.<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-65778012449025693962016-01-28T11:42:00.000+00:002016-01-28T11:42:10.558+00:00Best Educational Toys to Build into a CollectionWe have amassed a couple of toy collections that have been built up from small gifts, hand-me-downs and charity shop finds over the years - the collections would now be the envy of any nursery. I source toys that tick all the boxes when it comes to <a href="http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Value_Play/" target="_blank">what kids need from play</a>. We have 2 children with a big age gap (7 years) the toys have great longevity, so kids won't outgrow them too quickly.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYGHSKRUOKA/VqZJsxkF8UI/AAAAAAAAQo0/sJTkPd8z1hg/s1600/best%2Btoys%2Bwords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="best educational toys - our-handmade-home.com" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYGHSKRUOKA/VqZJsxkF8UI/AAAAAAAAQo0/sJTkPd8z1hg/s1600/best%2Btoys%2Bwords.jpg" title="best educational toys - our-handmade-home.com" /></a></div>
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It took us a while of researching, and experience to find out what works, all these toys have lasted a lot of play from our kids, family and friends.- here are our family favourites.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Play Kitchen</span><br />
All children mimic the world around them and this is an important part of learning. It is simple enough to start off a collection; old mixing bowls and wooden spoons, and of course a tea set, then there are little pots, pans, plates, ladles, play-food. We turned an old set of shelves into a play kitchen as a birthday present, and it has been a big hit with all the kids who visit our house. Allowing your children to play with appropriate regular kitchenware would be just as good and would cut down on the clutter. I certainly wouldn't bother with fancy ceramic plates and cups again, much too fragile.<br />
All the children who visit our house are drawn to the play kitchen - from around 1 year they pretend to stir pots and bowls, the older ones run cafés and write menus.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Duplo</span><br />
If you are looking for construction toys for pre-school children Duplo is THE brand to go with. We began with Duplo from around 12 - 18 months. It aids hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, colour matching, counting, concentration, problem solving, imagination, story-telling the list is endless. It lasts FOREVER but I have found after the age of 7 you really need to move on to something more challenging, which brings us to...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buphzGfN4O4/VmMVacYaOcI/AAAAAAAAPKw/P6HvIi43j7w/s1600/duplo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Duplo play scene" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buphzGfN4O4/VmMVacYaOcI/AAAAAAAAPKw/P6HvIi43j7w/s1600/duplo.jpg" title="Duplo play scene" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lego</span><br />
Lego does all the same as Duplo and infinitely more. From counting blocks for maths to building elaborate sets for mini-movies, we just love Lego; our collection is more that 30 years old and still being added to. Many (myself included) call it the <a href="http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/reasons-lego-best-toy-ever" target="_blank">best toy in the world</a> and there is certainly a reason <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/30267635" target="_blank">Lego is the biggest toy company in the world</a>.<br />
'Easy Builder' sets are a good place to start, add a couple of extra mini-figures and a box of basic blocks and you are well on your way to having an enviable collection. Architects, engineers, artists and designers use Lego frequently to construct models and prototypes. It is not just a toy, the educational applications never stop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B4SGwU9axQg/VmMYvtXbjKI/AAAAAAAAPK8/_8SOKoZRwgw/s1600/lego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lego fireman in cafe - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B4SGwU9axQg/VmMYvtXbjKI/AAAAAAAAPK8/_8SOKoZRwgw/s1600/lego.jpg" title="Lego fireman in cafe - Our Handmade Home" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fire Chief was receiving a free coffee in thanks for his courage<br />
rescuing priceless artwork from a burning building.<br />
(I told you, it gets elaborate)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Train track (Brio)</span>- Train tracks teach problem solving, engineering, physics, planning, creativity, roll-play and imagination. Our train track is wooden Brio built from different ages of track and vehicles. Around age 3 or 4 they move on from pushing a train round a basic figure 8 track and you need to add points, bridges, turntables, sheds and so on. We get lazy and like a battery powered train to watch it going round our increasingly elaborate structures and designs.<br />
We have only recently bought into a canal building toy 'Aquaplay' which we have found to be amazing, great fun, and educational... but only outside on the patio as leaks are just too frequent.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IHnDXIWbMpU/VqZG2yVA6MI/AAAAAAAAQog/UbUheshcGVI/s1600/Best%2Btoys%2BBrio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="brio train best toys" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IHnDXIWbMpU/VqZG2yVA6MI/AAAAAAAAQog/UbUheshcGVI/s1600/Best%2Btoys%2BBrio.jpg" title="brio train best educational toys" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dolls house </span>(ours is <span style="font-size: large;">Pintoy</span>, but there are many available)- You can get various 'dolls house' structures from fire stations to mansions. I would recommend starting with a family and a basic set of furniture. A cardboard box or an empty bookshelf makes an ideal 'house' at the start. Young children benefit from being able to simulate real life with figures, which is why a family of characters is important. This chunky playset is pretty solid, though we have had a few accidents. The eldest, Small (age 9) likes to tidy up everything and have it 'just-so' she also makes her own dolls house rooms with cardboard boxes, wallpaper scraps of fabric and lots of glue. Our youngest, Teeny (age 2) likes to have the family making cookies, watching TV, going for baths... and pouring a toilet full of poo on everyone's heads, which is, evidently, hilarious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OagwxLqqZ9Y/VmMVYsPCfXI/AAAAAAAAPKk/kJ9Zb22O1Xk/s1600/dolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pintoy dolls house - our handmade home" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OagwxLqqZ9Y/VmMVYsPCfXI/AAAAAAAAPKk/kJ9Zb22O1Xk/s1600/dolls.jpg" title="Pintoy dolls house - our handmade home" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children like to play out normal life situations<br />
Mama appears to have fallen flat on her face in the middle of the living room... I am a little concerned.</td></tr>
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The brands I have given are what we have found to be the best quality <b>and </b>readily available. Whatever you decide to go for I recommend you stick with one brand, to avoid any potential compatibility problems... don't even start me on megabloks!<br />
Know that whatever you go for, add just a little at a time - it is the accumulative play-value that is the awesome thing and your collection will build over time.<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-67545215298699981092016-01-25T08:56:00.000+00:002016-02-16T16:36:28.868+00:00Teeny's Bedroom - THE BIG REVEAL!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes - We did it!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Ex3-T12oNU/VqXqrY5bc2I/AAAAAAAAQko/st7k3uFSUw4/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Red toddler bedroom - our-handmade-home.com" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Ex3-T12oNU/VqXqrY5bc2I/AAAAAAAAQko/st7k3uFSUw4/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B1.jpg" title="Red toddler bedroom - our-handmade-home.com" /></a></div>
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The Spare Room that was full of an astonishing amount of crap has slowly but beautifully become our wee man's bedroom... it is finally finished and, for the first time we get to do a BIG REVEAL on the blog...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8YGbkkri9I/VajfXp4y4nI/AAAAAAAANAI/biID-qgV0-Y/s1600/part3-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8YGbkkri9I/VajfXp4y4nI/AAAAAAAANAI/biID-qgV0-Y/s1600/part3-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFpjyYRsNaA/VqXqtUV3ssI/AAAAAAAAQlI/f9b4KXOkyzk/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="toy storage toddler - our-handmade-home.com" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFpjyYRsNaA/VqXqtUV3ssI/AAAAAAAAQlI/f9b4KXOkyzk/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B4.jpg" title="toy storage toddler - our-handmade-home.com" /></a></td></tr>
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Teeny is so thrilled to have his own space to play in we've kept the furniture to a minimum to allow for more floor space. The toy storage is simple to allow for a quick tidy up at the end of each day. We have too many, far more than will fit in this small unit, we keep them in storage boxes above the wardrobe and rotate them every few months.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dj00EJTNQ08/VqXqtyBv0WI/AAAAAAAAQlM/0PwLvpxEpQE/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="rast toddler baby drawers" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dj00EJTNQ08/VqXqtyBv0WI/AAAAAAAAQlM/0PwLvpxEpQE/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B5.jpg" title="rast toddler baby drawers" /></a></div>
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The little chest of drawers doubles as a bedside table. A spare dummy and a couple of board books keep the little man happy to stay in his cot that little bit longer in the morning, Bliss I tell you, SHEER BLISS!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Ex3-T12oNU/VqXqrY5bc2I/AAAAAAAAQks/0cCXzZs1rvU/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="baby boy red room- our-handmade-home.com" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Ex3-T12oNU/VqXqrY5bc2I/AAAAAAAAQks/0cCXzZs1rvU/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B1.jpg" title="baby boy red room - our-handmade-home.com" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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Last weekend we fitted the radiator, door handle, hooks and a dimmer switch. Then we had to just wait a few days for the 'new room' smell to dissipate before moving in the toys. A few days later we moved in his cot and Teeny was more than happy to sleep in his new Big Boy Room - a few weeks ago we had some tears at the suggestion, so we were relieved that in the end, he made the transition easily.<br />
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We had been in two minds about leaving the room white - but now that the colourful curtains are in place I'm glad we kept the rest of the room simple.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9UfhqQO1O0/VqXqszn6CtI/AAAAAAAAQlA/SIvm69evLkw/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="little boys room dala horse curtains our-handmade-home.com" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9UfhqQO1O0/VqXqszn6CtI/AAAAAAAAQlA/SIvm69evLkw/s1600/teeny%2527s%2Broom%2Bfinal%2B3.jpg" title="little boys room dala horse curtains our-handmade-home.com" /></a></div>
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Thanks for following us along on this journey, next project TBA.<br />
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You can read more about Teeny's room here:<br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/project-spare-room-part-3.html" target="_blank">A quick recap of the insulation, and plasterboarding</a><br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/project-teenys-room-part-1.html" target="_blank">The taping and sanding of the walls</a><br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/floored.html" target="_blank">The Floor</a><br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/the-light-fantastic.html" target="_blank">The Lights</a><br />
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<a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/teenys-room-all-white-now.html" target="_blank">The Painting</a><br />
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Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-73030335732411790312016-01-21T17:43:00.000+00:002016-01-21T18:07:38.664+00:00Our #RealHomeEd DayOn Tuesday of this week a group of like-minded home-educators over on twitter documented our day using the hashtag #RealHomeEd<br />
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I was happy to join in, sharing what we do with other home-educators and anyone else who is curious.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D4zj-N5EMBw/VqESziFFkqI/AAAAAAAAQYo/RIwGl7htw34/s1600/home%2Bed%2Bat%2Btable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kids Drawing at The Kitchen Table - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D4zj-N5EMBw/VqESziFFkqI/AAAAAAAAQYo/RIwGl7htw34/s1600/home%2Bed%2Bat%2Btable.jpg" title="Kids Drawing at The Kitchen Table - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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For those that don't know here's a little about our kids -<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Small is 9</span>, she has never been to school. For the first few years we just played, read and cuddled lots. At age 7 we started with a <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/our-home-education-approach-age-7.html" target="_blank">more formal home-education curriculum </a>which we have tweaked over the last 2+ years.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Teeny is 2</span>, he hasn't been to school either (some kids around here do actually start nursery at 2) His education is just as important as Small's but is very different. We are in the 'play, read, cuddle' stage and enjoying it immensely.<br />
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Today is very quiet we have no visitors, no appointments, no clubs or groups or lessons. I must say, it is a fairly typical Tuesday in our house. We usually do go for a long country walk on a Tuesday but I was back on crutches for a few days when <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/a-pregnancy-pelvic-pita-my-spd-story.html" target="_blank">my pelvis</a> played up big time - I couldn't walk unaided around the house, certainly wasn't about to push a buggy for 3 miles.<br />
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Here is a blow by blow account of our day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">0800</span> Teeny has woken up and is bouncing happily in his cot while I get up and get myself dressed and fetch a cup of tea, Dad was up and off to work early.<br />
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I get Teeny dressed and get the table set for breakfast. I remind Small to get up - being 9, she finds it hard to get out of bed in the morning, but today she managed for 8:30. We always have breakfast together and chat about what is happening during the day. There was lots of singing too, quite normal.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">0900</span> Time for chores. We each have a checklist of chores, though there are large overlaps (obviously I do the biggest or dirtiest jobs) and sometimes it is just a matter of whoever gets to it first.<br />
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Teeny gets to watch 'Bing' and 'Something Special' on CBeebies - We try not to have the TV on too much but he enjoys these shows and learns from them, plus I can get housework out of the way first thing.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1000</span> Schoolwork starts. Small works through a checklist of schoolwork for each day that I set at the beginning of the week (She is not particularly self-motivated just now, and we have found that this helps her understand what is expected by the end of each day)<br />
Morning session is always Reading, Writing and Maths -She likes to do it in her own room, it usually takes about an hour.<br />
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Sometimes writing takes the form of 'copywork' She copies a couple of lines of text from a classic book or poem - This week it is Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns in preparation for our family Burn's supper where she will recite it.<br />
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In retrospect I realise us playing with musical instruments downstairs probably doesn't help Small's concentration... oops!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1100</span> Now we have the Duplo out all over the floor. 2YO and I build various structures while Small finishes off her morning school work reading the David Walliams book Awful Auntie. She picks her own reading materials, She knows not to read 'Princess Rainbow Fairy Starlight and her Glittery Unicorn' type books during school hours - though it isn't explicitly banned.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iiFKdUhVAfM/VqEX_x8bBeI/AAAAAAAAQY4/ASUlIBMVHsM/s1600/duplo.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="toddler with duplo - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iiFKdUhVAfM/VqEX_x8bBeI/AAAAAAAAQY4/ASUlIBMVHsM/s1600/duplo.jpg" title="toddler with duplo - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Then this happens</div>
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This is sadly typical behaviour and we can't figure out how to beat it. Each strategy we try works for a limited amount of time. It isn't EVERY day and no one ever gets hurt, but is very sad that it happens at all. Divide and conquer is the only sure fire way to stop it...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1200</span> Small goes to read 'Little House On The Prairie' by the woodburner in the living room. Teeny brings me stacks and stacks of picture books which we snuggle up to read before lunchtime.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1300 </span>Small helps prepare lunch and set table, it is tinned soup today, which she can prepare on her own. I get dinner started (slow cooked pork in tomato sauce... if you are intersted) and we chat at length throughout lunch about all the books read in the morning.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1400</span> We have subjects assigned to each day of the week, trying to encourage a range of activities throughout the week. Tuesday's subjects are Geography and Nature Studies Small's geography project is a map of the River Clyde; she is currently working on a final draft for the kitchen wall.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1500 </span>Teeny goes down for a nap (after a couple more stories of course) We can then focus on any tutoring or help that Small needs. I've tried with Teeny around but it just doesn't work. This is our chance for some one-to-one. Today after a little assistance with geography we cover some Khan Academy on the computer, Small asked for some help learning how to measure angles.<br />
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Tuesday's nature studies usually involves a walk in the local countryside, but over the weekend I hurt my pelvis badly and had to get my crutches back out again - there is no way I can safely take both kids out in this condition - and besides, it is cold out there, with snow still on the ground.<br />
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Small has a hot chocolate while watching out the window and listening as the birds in the garden sing.<br />
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Afterwards the Wii Fit gets set up (an interactive sports computer game type thing) and Small plays various sporty jumping about games. It is not the same as a walk and fresh air, but it will have to do today.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1600</span> with Teeny up from his nap time for a snack<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1700</span> I put The Gruffalo on the iPlayer for Teeny - he gives a running commentary throughout<br />
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"Own scared Gruffalo"<br />
"Wee mouse walking"<br />
"GRUFFALO CRUMBLE!!!! NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!"<br />
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Small is playing with lego.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1800 </span>Dinner will be a little late tonight; to keep spirits up I put on some music and we all dance around the house singing and dancing till Dad comes home. It's part of their musical education<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1900 </span>During dinner both kids will give an account of their day to Daddy. Small is very good at this and needs to be reminded to eat. Teeny needs quite a bit of prompting, but will recount books that he has read or games we played quite happily (if incoherently)<br />
During the tidying up of dinner things Small puts 3.14159265 up on the fridge in magnets and asks "What is Pi for?" (I can't find the symbol on my keyboard) We have a quick lesson while Dad gives Teeny a bath, now she knows how to calculate the circumference of a circle.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2000 </span>Teeny is off to bed and Small has asked to watch the final episode of Victorian Bakery on BBC2 before bedtime.<br />
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We only watch the first half because it's bedtime and Mummy needs the living-room for exercises, to see if I can sort this pelvis thang out.<br />
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What a dull day... but as I said typical of a day at home.</div>
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Had this been another day of the week we might be off to a club or lesson somewhere, or on a field trip, in summer we might have been outside all day building dens and climbing trees.<br />
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We don't do anything very exciting but there are always smiles and giggles, we rarely have raised voices and we are never bored. </div>
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Have a read of some other #RealHomeEd Blogs and see how different our home-education days can be.<br />
<a href="http://lynnblair.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/realhomeed.html" target="_blank">Making Clay</a> - Lynn came up with the idea of us all sharing our days on twitter (thanks Lynn)<br />
<a href="http://scarf-lady-chronicles.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/realhomeed-day.html" target="_blank">Scarf Lady Chronicles</a> - Read about her lovely long walk to the library<br />
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-88130066267175959112016-01-17T22:14:00.000+00:002016-01-17T22:14:44.501+00:00Teeny's Room - All White Now!The skirting and door surround has been fitted, the chimney plastering has been completed and the painting is finally finished in Teeny's room... It is ALL white. White walls, white windows, white skirting, white door, I know, not very imaginative.<br />
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We toyed with painting the chimney wall lime green or peacock blue... and I am still tempted by the idea of some kind of hand drawn mural, like we did in <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.com/2011/06/garden-bedroom.html" target="_blank">Small's room</a>. I'm being a bit indecisive, so all white it shall be, for now.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SmVZzGH6hhY/VpwLse_E-PI/AAAAAAAAQOk/L76Pjq49Jdg/s1600/Painted%2Bwalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SmVZzGH6hhY/VpwLse_E-PI/AAAAAAAAQOk/L76Pjq49Jdg/s1600/Painted%2Bwalls.jpg" /></a></div>
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And, after so much darkness and mess in this room I love the brightness and the cleanliness of it all, and of course once it is full of toys there will be enough going on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KmGBKJVfX18/VpwPxt5w6oI/AAAAAAAAQO0/Bo-XDcXLJTI/s1600/Painted%2Bdoor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KmGBKJVfX18/VpwPxt5w6oI/AAAAAAAAQO0/Bo-XDcXLJTI/s1600/Painted%2Bdoor.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually the door needed one more coat after taking this photo, it has been done now.</td></tr>
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The paint had barely dried and I was just peeling the masking tape off of the floor when the kids decided to have a wee dance in it, what a beautiful moment.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWPPwUYslYU/VpwLsMBBJWI/AAAAAAAAQOg/tuHbSLDzfN4/s1600/Kids%2Bdancing%2Bin%2Broom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWPPwUYslYU/VpwLsMBBJWI/AAAAAAAAQOg/tuHbSLDzfN4/s320/Kids%2Bdancing%2Bin%2Broom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-align: start;">To Do List:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-align: start;" /></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><strike>Paint and fit skirting (base) boards and door surround.</strike></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><strike>Finish lime coating the chimney</strike></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><strike>Last coat of paint on everything</strike></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Little fittings (i.e. hooks, a dimmer switch and a door handle)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Move in THE TOYS!!!</li>
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<br />Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928420733044643835.post-37003068951409820992015-12-17T10:34:00.001+00:002015-12-17T10:34:22.929+00:00Holiday Village - Free PrintableLast week I wrote about <a href="http://our-handmade-home.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/handmade-winter-window-decorations.html" target="_blank">decorating the front windows of Snowdrop Cottage</a>.<br />
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Today I'm making my village silhouette printable available to you to print out for your own use.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NMQyLNQKd4g/VnKNDNsIteI/AAAAAAAAPjI/naPEGMegXj0/s1600/window2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close up of window silhouette" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NMQyLNQKd4g/VnKNDNsIteI/AAAAAAAAPjI/naPEGMegXj0/s1600/window2.jpg" title="village window decoration free printable - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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I have used the printout in the window and along our mantel piece to great effect.<br />
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I printed on to normal paper and laminated it (to strengthen and protect it) then cut it out with a craft knife to give a crisp detailed finish.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Un4tdVCmcu0/VnAraHtzTPI/AAAAAAAAPiM/Ev_fYieuihs/s1600/laminator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="laminating window silhouette" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Un4tdVCmcu0/VnAraHtzTPI/AAAAAAAAPiM/Ev_fYieuihs/s1600/laminator.jpg" title="laminator for craft project - window printable - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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For the 'stained glass windows' use a little sticky tape over the apertures (either stick it on to the window or put tape on both sides) then colour in the tape with a colourful sharpie.<br />
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Use the stars however you like - I sewed them together with invisible thread into short garlands to hang above the Holiday Village in the window.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WlR0iBgh71s/VnKKSC1Zt6I/AAAAAAAAPi8/gqb2IvgIW4Y/s1600/window3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Holiday Window with stained glass - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WlR0iBgh71s/VnKKSC1Zt6I/AAAAAAAAPi8/gqb2IvgIW4Y/s1600/window3.jpg" title="Holiday Window Decoration Free Printable - Our Handmade Home" /></a></div>
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Other uses for the printout:<br />
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<li>Stick it around a glass jar and pop a candle inside (or place it on the inside of the jar and use a battery powered fake candle)</li>
<li>Stick the village cut out along the bottom of a notice board or picture frame.</li>
<li>Use 2 pieces of card as a stand - cut slits and mount 2 or more lengths of the village scene one behind another.</li>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U6tcFJ6hZ4/VmnsXg8Q9tI/AAAAAAAAPYI/8UX8h_ewsY0/s1600/window1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Black Cut-Out Houses in Window - Our Handmade Home" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U6tcFJ6hZ4/VmnsXg8Q9tI/AAAAAAAAPYI/8UX8h_ewsY0/s1600/window1.jpg" title="black houses in window decoration - our handmade home" /></a></div>
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The printable is in black and made to print onto A4 paper. Feel free to change the colour or size using editing software.<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/y1dpl35c8y0enk9/window%20silhouette%20template.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> - For the village printable - with some stars<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/p9rthpxgnp8g09k/star%20template.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> - For a printable of just stars<br />
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All rights reserved. You are welcome to print this village silhouette for your own personal use only. If you feature your makes on a blog or microblogging site (instagram, twitter, etc) be sure to link to this blog... and pop a link in the comments below so I can see your lovely creations.Ann McGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12659212514949895285noreply@blogger.com0