This Week - Week Ending 26th November 2022

This week started with a bit more sewing on Sunday. I finally finished the grey hexi patchwork cushion that goes with my lap quilt. It took most of the afternoon, as I needed to put a zip in, which was a little tricky, but it turned out okay. Not perfect, but good enough. Here's a picture:

I also received some online orders on Sunday, so I spent a little while packing them up ready to post on Monday and I also prepared a little more stock, which made things a little tidier in the sewing room. It felt like a productive afternoon.

On Monday, I did my shopping before and after work again. I was late getting off work, as it was a really busy afternoon. I was glad to get home. unpack the shopping and just chill.

Tuesday was my day off and I was going to go to my usual class at the gym, but then I got a message to say that something I'd ordered for LB for Christmas, was going to be delivered and there was also a delivery of manure at the allotment that someone needed to be there for, so I went there instead. I did a bit of pruning of the raspberry, gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes whilst I was there. There's more to do, but it was nice to pay a visit and make a start, as I've not been there since the summer. 

I also cut a few bits of rosemary at the plot, which I'm going to attempt to root in water. I'll see how it goes. It might not work, but I could do with some more plants and don't want to buy any.

I spent the afternoon ironing as the ironing basket was full, and that's after I stopped ironing many things. I managed to get most of it done, just some summer clothes left to iron and then put away until next year, but they weren't a priority. Interestingly, I checked the electricity usage for the 2-3 hours I was ironing and it cost about 50p, which I thought was very inexpensive. I watched a mini series on Netflix whilst I ironed about a young guy who took on PEPSI Co for false advertising. It was interesting.

On Wednesday, I had booked to get a Covid booster, so I headed off to do that and pick up a prescription, before heading into work for 2pm. Work was busy and I was a bit preoccupied, because of something that LB had contacted us about, so it wasn't an easy shift. I was glad to get home and talk to LB on the phone. She seemed okay and it was nice to catch up.

Thursday, I was up early and off to my voluntary work. I really wasn't feeling it and when I got there I gradually started to feel worse and worse as the session went on. I was so happy to come home and go back to bed. I think the effects of the Covid booster had taken hold. I spent the afternoon in bed sleeping. I got up a bit later and had some supper and watched the movie House of Gucci on TV. OH has signed up for a free trial subscription to Amazon Prime. I still didn't feel good when it was time to go back to bed. I wasn't really expecting a reaction, as I felt fine the last time I had a booster jab. It was a bit of a lost day all things considered.

Friday, was Black Friday and I was due at work for 5pm. I thankfully felt much better today, so I tried to make the most of the day, by catching up on a few jobs that I'd fallen behind on. 

I was happy to get my first wage from my current employer today, but then a bit of one of my teeth broke off this morning whilst flossing, so I had to book a dental appointment for next week. If I have to have the tooth extracted, it will be uncomfortable and expensive, so it wasn't a good start to the day. 

I then got stuck in traffic for two hours on the way to work, partly due to a fatal accident that had happened in the early hours of the morning and partly due to the rush of people trying to get home to watch England play in the World Cup. Needless to say, work was very quiet when I did eventually get there.

Saturday, was another disastrous day. I mistakenly ventured out in the car in the morning to a Zero Waste event to take some donations and got lost in a traffic calming system on the way back. It felt like being a rat caught in a trap. Eventually, I asked a very kind man who gave me directions to get out of there, but I think I probably earned at least one fine, so I was very upset by that. I then had to get home through gridlocked traffic before heading straight out again to get to work for 2pm. Never again.

Work was manic today, more than making up for it being quiet on Black Friday. The last two hours of the shift were spent tidying the store, which gets very messed up on a Saturday. I got to tidy up the premium bedding displays, which were beautiful. It was like a little slice of heaven in this section.

It's been a bit of a manic week, one that I don't wish to repeat.  Horrible if I'm honest. I can't wait for a calm Sunday at home, going nowhere.

This Week - W/E 19th November 2022

Now that I'm back working in retail, Sunday is the only day on the weekend that I can do as I please, so I always enjoy and appreciate the freedom it brings. I seem to be less mentally tired these days and feel able to do creative pursuits when I'm not at work, as I'm not constantly thinking about work. I can actually switch off in this job, for the most part anyway.  I'm trying to make a point of using my time off productively doing things that I enjoy. It might not last.

On Sunday last, I did a bit more sewing. I did a bit of finishing to a quilt I'd made previously, but wasn't quite satisfied with. It looked much better once I'd sewn around the edges to finish it off. I also started a new patchwork project. This one is going to be a quilt for LB's bed, using up some blue coloured fabrics from my stash. I'm really into stash busting at the moment and making space in the sewing room. It's crazy cluttered in there and I'm trying hard to sell/donate things I no longer want and use the things that I do want to keep.  I've posted separately about this project.

Later in the evening, I decided it might be a good idea to complete one of the several outstanding quilt projects, so I finished piecing a cushion panel and it now just needs making into a cushion cover. I did this whilst watching the first episode of the new series of The Handmaid's Tale, which was a bit gruesome.

On Monday afternoon, I was at work. This week, I set off early and did most of the weekly shop before work. Work wasn't too busy and I got a chance to do a different job off the tills. It involved picking out the online orders to be collected. I enjoy this job, as it helps me to find my way around the store and become more familiar with where everything is and the kind of products the store sells.

After work, I completed the shopping, (just fridge and freezer items) and then went home to a supper made by OH, which was nice. 

Tuesday, was another rainy day, so I wasn't able to get out with the dog. I decided to try to get back to a class at the gym today, so I went to that first and OH took the dog out later. After missing three weeks of classes since starting this new job, it felt so good to do some exercise again. It's good to just take it where I can at the moment.

I had a few online sales to post today and then I needed to wrap my Operation Christmas Child shoebox ready to take to the toy store this week for drop off.  I find wrapping the shoe box the most difficult thing about the whole process. Most of the rest of the afternoon was given over to my new project and making a veggie sausage casserole for supper.

On Wednesday, I got up and took the dog out. When I got back I headed out to Soca Aerobics which is now held in a leisure centre closer to where I live.  The facilities aren't as nice though and the builders were hammering away in one corner as we did the class.

When I got back I made sure to have something a bit more substantial for lunch and then got ready for work. I was working late tonight from 5 till 10pm, so I take a sandwich with me as it's too late to eat when I get home. I set off a couple of hours early and before heading into work and I went to a huge Tesco store and did an Xmas food shop. Just dry goods such as nuts, crackers for cheese, Xmas cake and pudding, individual cards for close family members and other treats and bits for the festive season. I also bought a small present for LB and a nice Xmas candle.

I had a £7 off a £50 spend voucher to use, which was too good to pass up, plus another £1.50 in Clubcard vouchers to use. I have two more of these vouchers which are both £5 off a £50 spend to use over the next couple of weeks and the next one I intend to use for Xmas meats, such as a lamb or beef joint and pigs in blankets, etc. I'll buy them now and put them in the freezer until Xmas. I couldn't really buy these today, as they'd have sat in the car for 5 hours whilst I was at work.

Work wasn't too busy with customers, but there was plenty of other work to do, so the shift passed really quickly. For the last hour, I was rushing around trying to tidy several areas in the shop, which was a challenge. I think I managed to do what I needed to, as much as was physically possible in the time anyway. I was glad to get home and just chill for an hour before going to bed.

Thursday was a busy day this week. I got up super early to get to my volunteering for 8.30am, on the bus again this week, as it was raining. When I got home, I had some lunch and then needed to go out again to our local mall to drop off the Operation Christmas Child box at the Toy Store. I also needed to go to the bank to pay a cheque and some coins in. 

I took a look in a few shops and bought a few small things, some gifts for Xmas and some things I needed myself. I didn't spend a lot as I haven't been paid yet and I aren't sure when I do get paid. I am looking forward to being paid a wage again.

Whilst walking around the big mall, it did make me grateful that I didn't get a job in one of the shops there, despite it being closer to where I live, as it is so busy to the point of being overwhelming. The store I work in stands alone almost on a retail park, and although it gets busy, it has a completely different feel. 

When I got home, I then needed to take the dog out, before I could finally sit down and put my feet up for the evening.

On Friday, I was on another late. This means I do have time during the day to do jobs at home which is nice.  I walked the dog and set off early for work again because Fridays get busy with traffic quite early with everyone trying to get home early to start their weekend. I used the time to do some Xmas shopping at a large TK Maxx store. I managed to find a few presents for LB and OH.  I'm going to do my shopping this way this year, before work, so that on my days off I don't need to go shopping and I can relax at home during my time off.

Saturday, I was back at work and it was busy this week as the buses and tubes were running normally. I was glad to get home and start what was left of my weekend. OH had gone out and got us a takeaway supper, which was nice to come home to.

A busy week, but I'm finding time to do some Xmas shopping and some creative activities which makes me happy. I hope you have had a good week.

A New EPP Patchwork Project

This week, I started a new English paper pieced patchwork project. I've got four on the go at the moment, as I like to give myself some variety and I've come to the conclusion that one of them isn't really working for me, so I've laid it aside for the time being.

Another one I've finished, but I need to sew it into a cushion panel and the third, I've almost finished the top, but need to piece the bottom, as it's going to be a reversible table runner. Anyway, I'll continue to work on this one, but it's going to be a slow burner, as is this new one that I've started.

The new project is going to be made in a similar fashion to the Hexi lap quilt I made recently, (pictured above) where I made multicoloured hexi diamonds on a dark grey background. I liked the contrast of the plain and patterned fabrics in this quilt. The only difference is going to be colour and shape of the pieces.  

This new quilt will be made with small rectangles pieced together as in the photograph below:

This is the first completed block. It took quite a while to piece together. Probably a whole afternoon from scratch, but I think it will take less time as I get used to the construction process. There are 25 rectangles in each block and I will be making three blocks in each of 4 fabrics, which should produce enough blocks to complete the quilt. 

The infill between blocks will be a plain blue fabric, probably a dark blue or navy, but there may be smaller configurations of rectangles between each row of blocks. I haven't quite worked out the pattern fully yet. That is half the fun. 

I'm looking to use a linen fabric again as the plain fabric, as I like the weight and texture and it makes the quilt a bit heavier. I have ordered a sample of some navy linen on eBay and may purchase this if I like it, but for the moment, I will just focus on making the patterned blocks, until I have made as many as I need.

I completed a second block this week, which is pictured below:

And another fabric I will be using for blocks is this one:

The one's I've chosen are mostly vintage florals, but I may add other fabrics into the mix.  I'm excited to be starting a new project to keep me occupied during the autumn/winter months and I'll keep you posted on progress.

This Week - W/E 12th November 2022

This week got off to a lovely slow start, thanks to the rain. As it was raining again on Sunday morning, the dog was not interested in going for a walk, so I got to have a slow leisurely morning in my dressing gown.

It was during this slow morning, that I realised I hadn't read any of my favourite blogs for a whole week, so I spent a couple of hours catching up with the week's posts, commenting and blogging. It was lovely.

Later, when the rain had eased, I got dressed and walked the dog and inspired by some of the blogs I'd been reading in the morning, I spent most of the rest of the day sewing. It felt so nice to get back to doing something creative. I have already posted seperately about what I made or started to make.

On Monday, I was due at work at 1pm again. The scaffolders came to put up some scaffolding on the front of our house, as OH is going to paint the front of the house over the next few weeks and also remove some dead climbers.  

I got up and ready and walked the dog, posted a parcel and then set off a little early for work. It was just as well, as there was traffic on this occasion. Work was super busy and by the time I left, my head felt like it was going to explode. So many decisions, questions from customers, complicated till transactions and refunds. It was so mentally exhausting. Very different from the previous Monday when I'd worked and it had been relatively quiet by comparison.

When I left work, I needed to do the weekly shop again. I only did it after work because I was using a 10% off my next shop voucher, and I wanted to get the most from it.  In future, I'll be trying to get to work early and do most of the shopping (minus fridge and freezer items) before work and will then just top up with these items after work. I'm too tired to do the full shop after work.

Anyway, shopping done, I headed for home, but it was raining so hard, a road sign was covered with branches and I inadvertantly came off at the wrong junction and then got a bit lost. I ended up in a bus lane and will possibly get a ticket. I'm hoping not, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

On Tuesday, I had a bit of a lie in before getting up and going out with the dog. I just wasn't feeling like rushing off to the gym, so I missed my class again. I was still feeling a bit out of sorts from the previous day.

OH started work on the front of the house today. He's tidied up the brickwork and cleared the climber and now just needs to fill and paint. The weather isn't being co-operative with lots of rain showers, but it's quite exciting.

In the afternoon, I did some more sewing. It felt so therapeutic to spend time in my sewing room, working on projects. It really helped me recover from the stress of the previous day.

On Wednesday, I had another leisurely start to the day, as OH took the dog out as she was up and chomping at the bit. As a consequence, I got to take my time. I decided not to go to the Soca Aerobics class again and to do a bit of cleaning in the sewing room instead, as many of the surfaces were looking dusty. It felt good to get it all looking clean and decluttered again. I managed to remove a lot of junk from the desk, giving me more room to work/sew, which feels great. I'm going to try to get back to classes next week. I just don't like all the rushing around in a morning trying to get the dog walked and get to them.

I was due at work for 5pm, so I spent the afternoon pottering and then took the dog out early before setting off for work. I actually don't mind working late, as the last hour is spent tidying up the store, which makes a change from being on the till. It just messes with your meal times, that's the worst thing, but I can handle that.

Anyway, Wednesday's shift was quiet, so I got to check out where things are in the store a little more and was given a different area to tidy when the store closed. I welcomed a quieter shift after Monday's shift.

On Thursday morning I was able to go to my volunteering on my bike. It always passes really quickly when I get there and I do quite enjoy it now I'm getting more familiar with what we need to do. It's a nice group of volunteers too.

When I left, I was riding home and saw a pigeon stuck in some netting on someone's balcony. I stopped to ring the RSPCA, but they are too busy to deal with such things and the bird was very distressed. Every time it flapped it's wings to try and free itself, a couple of other birds would come over to it, as if to give it support. 

I couldn't just leave it like that, so I worked out which flat in the block it was, from the front and went around the back and knocked on the door. Luckily, a young man answered and asked me in to help free it. I was a bit reticent at first, as I didn't know him, but he seemed okay, so I went in and managed to cut the bird free. It had got it's head and wings through a hole in the net that was only a couple of inches square, so cutting the net was the only option to free it. It looked completely exhausted.

Once freed, I held and stroked it for a while until it had calmed down and recovered a little. Eventually, it flapped itself out of my hands and scuttled off under some big wheelie bins. At least it would have some shelter there from predators until it recovered properly. Hopefully, it will be able to fly off once recovered from the shock. There wasn't really much more I could do. At least it was free and not exhausting itself to death in a vain attempt to free itself.

On Thursday afternoon my grey Irish linen fabric offcut arrived, that I ordered from eBay at the weekend. It was really good quality, the colour match was good, and there was more than enough of it for what I needed, so I was very happy with it. I proceeded to cut out and stitch together the paper pieces and fabric pieces ready to add to my cushion, which made for a relaxing way to spend the afternoon of my day off.

On Friday, I was back at work in the afternoon. I didn't do an awful lot before work, just the usual dog walk and posting off the odd parcel. Life has quickly settled into a new routine, which I enjoy.

On Saturday afternoon, I was back at work again. The traffic was very busy getting to work, due to bus and train strikes in London. Luckily, I had allowed sufficient time, so I wasn't late. It wasn't too busy at work either, for I suspect the same reason. I was glad to get home on Saturday night and chill and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

A Super Small Charity Shop Haul

Today, whilst out walking the dog, I decided to drop into our local RSPCA shop. I hadn't been in for a couple of months and thought it might be nice to have a look around.

I didn't see an awful lot that I wanted to buy, but I did come away with a few items. I spent a total of £5.50 and for this sum I got the following:

The first item was this Burda sewing pattern for a loose fitting dress with pockets. I thought it looked relatively easy to make and might be a good one for next spring/summer. It is uncut and goes up to a size 18. For £1.50 this was a bargain. I prefer the version with short sleeves. I'm thinking that it could be made with either a knit fabric or a cotton fabric.

The next item was this A5 filofax insert for 2023. I have to admit that I don't own an A5 filofax folder as yet, but for £2 it was good value. I could always use it on a bulldog clip as a daily to do list/diary, especially now I'm working and need to put my hours down somewhere, as the times I work vary from week to week.

I then bought two non-fiction books, which looked vaguely interesting. Both cost £1. Having looked at them, the one on mimimalism looks the more interesting of the two as the money book seems to be aimed at a younger readership.  Might be more useful for LB in the future to be honest.

So, there you go, small but sweet. The best kind.

A Sunday Afternoon Sewing

On Sunday, I got the urge to go into my sewing room and do some sewing. I hadn't done any sewing or making for a good few weeks, mainly due to looking for a job and then starting a new job, so it felt so good to do something creative again.

I was inspired by a couple of the bloggers I follow regularly, so a big thank you to Jackie and Marlene, who are are always making beautiful things.

I decided that first of all I would make something practical. I regularly use curling irons and when we go away I just throw them into my bag, but sometimes, after I've used them they are still a little warm and I thought it might be a good idea to make quilted case to carry them in.

I kept it very simple, using two pieces of the same fabric with some wadding sandwiched in between. I sewed these three layers together around the edges and then quilted them along vertical lines. I used a small piece of a second fabric to bind one edge and then folded the quilted fabric in half to make a pouch which I then turned out. It closes by way of a couple of press studs, which is quite old fashioned, but was the best and simplest solution.

Here's a picture of the finished case:

I don't know when we will next go away, but I will definitely use it at some point. This small project cost me nothing but my time and it was satisfying to use up more fabric from my stash.

I then decided to try to use up some very small Xmas fabric scraps. They are about 2" square or slightly larger and are a by product of some items that I make to sell online.  Although the pieces are very small, I hate to throw them away, as they could still be used for a variety of purposes. 

I've been trying to sell some of them online and thought I'd try and make something out of them that I could photograph and use in my listings, as an example of what can be made with them. When I started, I had no idea what I was going to make, I just sewed a few together into a strip.

I then decided that I would sew strips together to make a cushion cover, as I had so many of them. It took most of the afternoon, but it was quite enjoyable just adding one strip to another, quilting as I go. It's quite a random design, but here's a picture of the finished cushion:

I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  On the reverse, I have used this red and white spotted fabric. 

I didn't use a fastening. I just sewed it closed and I will wash the whole thing if it ever needs it.

I also cut some fabric to make two sturdy reusable shopping bags. It's a project I've been intending to do for a while, but just haven't got around to it. I wanted to use this shiny red star print denim fabric for this project, as I've had it for a long time, it's strong and thick and I really like it. I completed one bag a couple of days later, it's a good big size for shopping. Here's a picture:

The fabric has a slight stretch to it, but this shouldn't be a problem for this purpose. I'm thinking I might give one to LB for Xmas and keep one for me to use when out shopping. 

Finally, I've also ordered some grey Irish linen offcuts on eBay this weekend, to use to finish my patchwork cushion cover that matches the lap quilt I made. Here's a picture just to remind you of what it looks like:

They cost about £3, which I'm happy to pay, as I just need a few more hexies for around the edge of this cushion panel. It may not match the fabric I've used perfectly, but hopefully it should be a good enough match to finish this project.

On the subject of sewing, I just have to share with you a new YouTube Channel that I've started watching lately. It's called Shabby_Style and the sewing projects featured in the videos on this channel are great. There are some super ideas of how to recyle all sorts of fabrics into useful things. I'd recommend taking a look.

This Week - Settling In and Trying to Find a Balance

This week, has been pretty busy, but a little less frantic, with not quite so much new information to take on board, thankfully.

On Sunday, we packed up and left the hotel in Yorkshire. I visited a family grave at the local churchyard to leave some flowers, as I hadn't been for probably a couple of years and felt a visit was long overdue. OH and I then explored the village allotment site where my father had a plot many years ago. It was unlocked, so we went in and took a little look. It was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me.  OH then went off for a run, whilst I walked the dog and we met up again at his parents house, before eventually heading back to London.

To be honest, I was glad to get back home and get sorted before another working week began. My hours this week were more spread out and the shifts were all the same length.  My official hours are 20 each week, usually worked over four days, with days off inbetween. I will be working my first weekend shift on Saturday, which will be interesting, as it is supposed to be very busy.

When we got back, I did some unpacking and then we watched some TV before heading to bed.

On Monday, I had a few things to do prior to going in to work for 1pm. I needed to walk the dog, post some parcels and also write a shopping list for the weekly shop.

Work was a bit quieter today. It wasn't constantly busy on the tills, so it did pass a little less quickly. When I left work, I needed to do the weekly shop, so I ended up getting home quite late at 8pm. After unpacking the shopping, I had some supper and then did some financial housekeeping and blogging before going to bed.

Thankfully, I wasn't working on Tuesday, so I was able to have a homey day and catch up with myself. I had also hoped to get back to my favourite class at the gym, which I'd missed the week before. Unfortunately, though, it had been cancelled this week for some reason, so I did a couple of circuits of Hackney Marshes on my bike instead. It was nice to get out in the fresh air and get some exercise at the same time.

In the afternoon, I did some laundry, posted a parcel, made some Calendula balm and caught up on paperwork and jobs at home. I even took a nap for an hour in the afternoon, which felt like bliss. It was so nice to have a day to myself, doing exactly as I pleased. It restored the balance a bit.

On Wednesday, I was working my first late shift starting at 5pm, so I had most of the day to do my own thing. I was going to go to the Soca Aerobics class in the morning, but after rushing the walk with the dog to get home, so I could rush off to the class, I started to wonder why I was rushing around trying to go from one thing to another on my day off. I decided to miss the class this week, as it should be moving back to my local leisure centre very soon, so I'll go again then, if my work hours allow.

Instead, I took my time to get ready for work in the evening and set off early so I would miss any traffic build up that can occur at certain times of the day. This allowed me time to go to Home Bargains and do a bit of shopping that I didn't have time to do on Monday. 

I then went into work, where it was pretty steady all night. It felt strange working so late until 10pm. The store closes at 9pm, but then we need to tidy the store for an hour. There was torrential rain on the way home, which was a bit scary, but I just took it steady.

On Thursday morning, I had to set the alarm to be up and off to my weekly voluntary work session for 8.30am. It was still raining, so I had to get the bus today.  The bus was so full, mainly with kids on their way to school. I then had to find my way to the venue on foot, making it there in time. 

The session was very busy again. There were a couple of volunteers I hadn't met before. We seemed to get quite a lot done, which is always satisfying, but I was glad to get home and just chill for the afternoon. I even had a nap again. Hopefully, once I get used to my new job and the voluntary work, I won't need to do this on my days off, but if I do, then so be it.

On Thursday evening, I headed out to the local library to return some books. I bought some more audio books whilst there. (More about these in a seperate post)

Friday, I was due to be at work for 9 am, so I set off at 8 am in case there was a lot of traffic. Unfortunately for me, there wasn't, so I was half an hour early. I sat in the car and caught up with a bit of YouTube on my phone. The shift was very busy and my head was a bit scrambled by the time I left at 2pm. I'm gradually getting used to it though. 

By the time I got home on Friday, I chilled for an hour and then it was time to take the dog out before it started to get dark. 

On Saturday, I was due at work for 2 pm, so I was able to get up in a very leisurely manner, do a few odd little jobs about the house, walk the dog and then get ready for work. It was my first Saturday at work and it was busy, with a constant stream of customers.  The queue at the till got quite long at several points, so it was very intense, but it passed quickly. I was glad to get home though and chill with OH and the dog. It was Bonfire Night and the dog always gets very anxious, so we never go out and leave her.

A busy week, but I think I'm slowly settling into my new job. I'm enjoying not having any responsibility for anyone but myself and can come home and not really bring work home with me, which is good.

I hope you had a good week.

More Audio Book Purchases

This week, I needed to go to my local library to return some books. Whilst on a dog walk, I took a look at the opening times displayed on the door and as I did, I saw a table full of audio books for sale in the library foyer.

I mentioned in a previous post that I've been having trouble settling down to reading in recent months, so had bought a couple of audio books to listen to in the car. I've now almost finished these and needed some more, so I made a mental note of the ones for sale in the library and took some cash in with me when I took my books back.

Unfortunately, when I got there the next day, the table had disappeared, along with the audio books. I was a bit disappointed, so I asked the librarian if they still had them and she brought out a couple of boxes full from the back room and I was able to go through them and pick the ones I wanted.

All of the audio books were 50p each, which was a steal, so I bought the following ones:

These two consist of 6 or 8 discs,

the next two had 12 or 13 discs

and the last two are 26 and 6 discs respectively.

I'm particularly looking forward to listening to William Makepiece Thackeray's Vanity Fair, which is 26 discs long, as I've watched a few TV adaptations and I always enjoy them.

In total there is 71 hours worth of listening here, which should keep me entertained on my drives to and from work over the next few months. The one's I've already finished, I will pass along via a local Little Free Library, so that someone else can enjoy them too.

Making a Calendula Salve/Balm

About 18 years ago, when LB was a baby, I did a short workshop on making herbal remedies. The teacher was a local herbalist and she talked to us about how to make decoctions and concoctions and I found it fascinating. I can remember buying one of her herbal salves at the time, a Calendula salve that is both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. At the time I suffered from Athlete's Foot and I found it to be very effective in treating this and re-bought it from her another time.

In recent years, I've not been troubled so much by Athlete's Foot, but LB has recently been diagnosed with Psoriasis on her hand. When we went to Devon, I bought her a calendula cream in a shop that seemed to work quite well in relieving her symptoms. I felt really relieved at the time, but when I tried to use it, I found that it caused my skin to sting. When I looked at the ingredients, I realised that there were quite a lot of chemicals in it, so I decided to make my own.

When I saw Vivi's (from What Vivi Did Next) YouTube video about making cold macerated calendula oil, that can be use to make salves and for other purposes, I decided to try it. I bought some sweet almond oil and some dried calendula petals on eBay and set to making calendula oil, that could later be made into a calendula salve/balm.

To make the oil Vivi added half a jar of the dried calendula petals to half a jar of sweet almond oil, shook them up together and then left them covered on a warm windowsill for 6-7 weeks, so that the calendula would infuse into the oil. The oil is then sieved through muslin to remove the petals and can then be used as an ingredient in a calendula salve.

Fast forward 6 or 7 weeks and the oil was ready to go. It wasn't as dark in colour as Vivi's, possibly because her calendula was freshly dried and used straight from her allotment, but I'm hoping the therapeutic benefits will be the same

Here's my oil and petals mixed in a jar when I first combined them:

Once the 7 weeks were up, I separated the petals from the oil using a muslin jam strainer and was left with the lovely calendula oil, which I then used to make some salve/balm.

Vivi's recipe for the salve was:

1/4 cup beeswax

1/2 cup Calendula Oil

1/4 cup Coconut oil

You can also add essential oil such as Calendula or Lavender or whatever else you wish and 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin E oil which acts as a preservative.

The ingredients are then heated over a bain marie until they have all melted and then can be poured it into small pots and allowed to set. This made two good sized pots of salve and there's probably enough oil left to make another two.

This is a super simple recipe, that is so easy to make.

Here's a picture of the finished salve:

I'm hoping this might work even better for LB, as it is completely natural.  It's also a good thing to have in your medicine cabinet for burns, cuts, grazes, etc. I'll let you know how well we get on with it.