Bits of this and that

I love this time of year when there's a chill in the air and you can wrap yourself up in layers and layers of clothing and snuggle up on the sofa under lots of blankets.  The unfortunate thing is that it's really difficult to get the washing dry, especially my little boys nappies.  At the moment we use some indoor airers and a dehumidifier and that works ok but it makes my house look very messy.  So we're getting a 2nd hand condenser dryer.  We use pocket nappies so we'll be able to tumble the inners but not the PUL outer layers.

The slow cooker is coming out ready to make lots of nourishing stews and soups.  I've had some lovely fluffy post recently from Greencycle cloth pads and Beau Bespoke and I must say they are both of exceptional quality and very comfortable.  I'll be doing some reviews very soon.

Go Sober

This year I've decided to participate in the Macmillan "go sober for October"  challenge.  I'm doing this for a number of different reasons.

1)  The Macmillan nurses are excellent and provide much needed support and care for people with cancer, especially in end of life care. 

2)  I know several people affected by cancer and have seen that this charity does help people face life and manage money etc.

3)  I enjoy a couple of drinks in the evening and it'll benefit my health if I cut them out.

I'll let you know how I'm getting on with it as we go.  I start in two days.  If you can it'd be lovely to have some sponsors as I know it'll be difficult at times.  My page is at http://www.gosober.org.uk/profile/charliroberts 

Custard of loveliness

Sorry about the lack of posts of late, I've been quite poorly.  Today I made proper custard for the first time (successfully) and it was well worth the effort.  It's about 100% better than shop bought (apart from the fresh stuff next to the milk). 

I have had very little time or energy to do anything other than what I normally do lately but I have started to go to the gym. My GP prescribed this for me a little while ago so I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm taking baby steps and it hurts but if I can increase my level of fitness and stamina it should lessen my fibro symptoms. 

Courgette cake

My husband suggested that I should make some courgette cake with our glut of courgettes.  I chose to bake a lemon and courgette one with cream cheese frosting that I found on BBC good food.  The first time I made it it was too wet  so it collapsed and was more like pancakes.  The second time I strained the courgette through a clean tea towel and the end result was a lot nicer.  I was really impressed with the cake as it turned out lovely and moist, you can't taste the courgette either.  I just wish I had a picture!  In the future I'd like to try baking with other vegetables, beetroot sounds good.

Tie dying with friends.

A couple of weeks ago some friends and I did some tie dying, it was soo much fun.  I'd looked up a few different techniques a while ago and tried a couple out.  I think it was pretty successful.  We used a selection of different dylon hand dyes which took a lot of stirring to dissolve and Lucy laid them out in rainbow order. 

I wrapped my dress up in a spiral then spooned the dye over the top of it, making sure I got the other side too.

 

Then I wrapped it up in a plastic bag overnight to let the dye soak in.  In the morning I rinsed then washed it and it looked like this.

 

I really enjoyed making my own unique clothes and will definitely do this again with some of my little boys' vests and my socks etc.  My friend Diana made a knicker monster.

 

 

We used lots of take away trays for the detailing, they're really useful for this activity.

Rosehip Syrup

It's cold season in my household, which means it's time to make rosehip syrup.  Rosehips are known to be high in vitamin C. This afternoon my husband and I and our 2 year old boy went out to get some.  We came back with plenty.

Here's how I do it.

I top and tail the rosehips then boil them in lots of water and the same amount of sugar as rosehips.  I keep boiling til they're soft then blend the mixture.  I tend to let it sit a while at this point and add some water so it's not so thick, let it cool then strain it through muslin into a sterilised container.  It should keep about a month in the fridge or you can freeze in an ice cube try and take one out whenever you need it. 

Rosehips can also be ground up to make itching power.

Zero Waste week

This week is zero waste week.  I have pledged to stop using plastic bags and use reusable ones instead.  I have changed a lot of my wasteful habits over the past few years.  I cloth nappy my toddler and use CSP rather than disposables.  These reduce what I put in landfill and reduce the chemicals that are next to our skin.  I also make my own soaps and reuse the packaging as much as possible. 

There are loads of things you can do to reduce the amount you put into landfill.  I personally use freecycle a lot.  Recently I got a loft bed for free and I'll be passing the old bed onto someone else to use.  My husband is a skip rat.  He comes home with various finds that others have thrown out.  Big wire reels make the most amazing tables!  I have two boxes of clothes that were going to be thrown out that I'm going to mend/ up cycle into something different.  I've seen some really funky earrings and necklaces made of ring pulls and I just love how inventive people can be with 'waste'

Subversive Constructs

Subversive Constructs sells high quality, hand made pewter jewellery, pins and other things. The look of the jewelery speaks for itself really, I chose the heart and anchor necklace which I've been wearing virtually non-stop since I got it. 

 

The pewter is hand cast and of amazing quality, all of the items sold are limited edition runs.  The chain is just the right length for a necklace such as this it rests very nicely on my chest and there is lovely detail in the claspy bit.  (I'm not really sure what this type of attachment is called)

 

 

There are some really cool things on the etsy shop and facebook.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/SubversiveConstructs

It's well worth a look.

In the garden

Sorry I haven't posted recently, there's been a lot of "stuff" happening.  Meanwhile in the garden I've been picking courgettes and watching the caterpillars munch. Some of my tomatoes have been attacked by the dreaded blight which was a pain.

 I've been in the kitchen quite a lot baking crumbles, apple cake and bread.  (I've given up on gluten free) I love the feel of kneading dough by hand and the results are very yummy too.

Responsibility for the Environment

I'm kind of shocked to see that a new product being sold by a major brand name is harmful to aquatic animals and wildlife.  I am appalled by the lack of responsibility shown by the company that sells it and am really concerned  about the impact it will have on the environment.  I only hope that consumers have some sense and see the warning on the back and throw the stuff away.

Mermaid Mama Moon Pads

I found Mermaid Mama Moon Pads on facebook a while ago and loved the look of them so decided to treat myself to some pantyliners.  I love the fact that although they are all the same shape they are all uniquely made with different fabrics on the top and bottom.

These are cotton topped and backed and have a swirly 'S' pattern stitched into them.  They are secured with a button and loop which can be a faff but you get used to it.  They are lightly padded and are suitable for light days as well as cup backup and when you just want a bit of comfort and reassurance. 

They are 8.5 inches long and 2.5 inches wide and I wear them with the long part at the front as that's more comfortable for me.  They are held together with zig-zag stitching and are very comfortable and suitable for wearing with pants that have smaller gussets.  I like to wear mine with my boy shorts.

You can find Mermaid Mama Moon pads here: https://www.facebook.com/mermaidmamapads

Courgettes

I'm really glad to have friends around me who grow their own veg.  I always end up with lots of yummy homegrown food which is way better tasting than supermarket bought.  At the moment I have loads of courgettes which led me into thinking "what can I do with all these?"

No 1: Salad with raw courgettes in is great.  I love Jamie Oliver's recipe which uses chilli, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, mozzarella and courgettes.

No 2: Grate them and stir fry with butter and garlic, add some cheese and you have a pasta sauce.

No 3: Cut into rounds and sauté in olive oil.  If you add garlic it's even better.

Enjoy!

EcoSewer

I came across Sam from EcoSewer a few months ago when I was looking for a wetbag.  I bought one and was so pleased with it I wanted to review her pads.  So I did.  I choose the pink owl cotton flannel print and I was really happy with the pretty fabrics that were on offer.

 

This is approximately 8.5 inch long, 2.75 inch wide cotton flannel topped, PUL backed regular pad.  It has a flannel core. It has lovely rounded off edges and neat stitching.

I wore this on a regular flow day for 3 hours (I could have worn it for longer) then again on a light day. It soaked up well and didn't feel to damp.  Because of the PUL back I worried it might slip around in my knickers, but it doesn't. The size is just right for me it's so comfortable I couldn't even feel that it's there.

 

You can find the shop here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EcoSewer?ref=s2-header-shopname

Look what was waiting for me

These were waiting at the sorting office today.  I bought them from Jacqui at DDB Secrets.  They are even more stunning in real life.  Beautiful.

A Diagnosis

Hello.  Apologies for my silence the past week.  I've had a diagnosis at last and I've been trying to get my head around it.  I have fibromyalgia.  It's a relief that it isn't all in my head to be honest.  The NHS website gives some useful information about the condition and how to relieve symptoms.  http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/pages/introduction.aspx

This means I need to make some lifestyle changes including ensuring I keep active and exercise.  The problem with this however, is getting the balance right as if I do too much the backlash is not pleasant.  Also, getting the right amount of undisturbed sleep is a big deal for me and then there's getting my medication right. 

My aim is to get well enough to return to work at least part time if possible.  If anyone has any tips about managing with fibro please do not hesitate to get in touch, these are just my personal experiences, I am definitely not an expert.

Period Panties

I recently ordered these from littlebooteek.co.uk and they are fab for using in conjunction with your CSP.  They are not your normal dingy, 'orrible period pants.  They're colourful and funky.  Made by Harebrained, they are 95% cotton 5% elastane so they have just the right amount of stretch to them.

Unlike most pants the gusset is stiched right from the top of the pants to just behind where the wings of your pad would sit (the seam).  This means that there is no slippage or moving about of the pad.

How to live on a budget

Because of my health, money is very tight at the moment.  I've decided to write a series of blogs about living Eco friendly and not breaking the bank.  For me, this is a big issue and I often have to compromise.  A lot of the time it does mean a bit of extra effort is required.

I grow my own veg for the cost of the seeds and compost and use dishwater and the water butt for watering.  This means that when the time comes I'll be able to freeze produce for the future if I have too much. I use white vinegar instead of rinse aid in the dishwasher and for getting smells out of nappies. I use a few products for a multitude of tasks around the house which means I don't have to get loads of  different ones when I'm out.  I bought some Eco balls a while ago which means I don't need washing liquid/powder and it's safer for the environment.  Bicarbonate of  soda is a good for cleaning the bathroom.  Make it into a paste and leave on for a while then scrub it off.  It is also a fab deodoriser. I make my own shampoo, rinse and soap. I make my soap in large batches so I only have to cough up money for ingredients once in a while.

All this being said, I shop at Aldi and Lidl for the majority of our food as we can't afford to eat organic.  I will in the future be posting about the cost of living from local shops instead of the supermarket as this is definitely something that I believe in and I would like to swap if we can. 

My Favourite Things. 2- Tea

When Jo from Boobalou asked me to review some reusable tea bags for her I jumped at the chance and was also intrigued.  I love tea, any type.  The teabags are handmade by Made by Gutice and they are very, very cute.  Made of food grade muslin, organic cotton string and a wooden bead (which is functional as well as looks pretty)

There are two sizes, small and medium.  The small is perfect for one or two mugs of tea and the medium was great to use in a tea pot for a couple of uses.  I filled them up using a tea spoon, tightened the drawstring then used it in place of my normal tea bag.  Afterwards I just turned them inside out and gave them a rinse to get off any tea leaves and to get the residue out.  I also had a go at washing them after a few uses.  I used ecoballs and put the bags in a mesh laundry bag to protect them.  You don't want to be using detergent with them as you'll end up with really nasty tasting tea and lets face it.  Who really wants to eat detergent?

As you probably know already, tea does stain so they do come out looking darker than when they went in which is to be expected.  I used jasmine green tea in mine, it was given to me by a friend who came back with it from holiday and I didn't have a strainer or anything to put it in until now, so I'm a very happy bunny.  I wasn't paid for this review.

My Favourite Things. 1- Music

Music is a huge part of my life.  When I'm happy I sing, when I'm sad I just listen.  From hard, industrial heavy rock to classical, I'm very eclectic.  I listen To Emilie Autumn, The Stone Roses, Enya, Clannad, Ludovico Einaudi, Muse and in the car at the moment I've got Pendulum.

Today I'm focussing on Einaudi.  My favourite track is I Giorni, because it takes me to a place where I can really relax.  His chord progressions are completely stunningly beautiful and I love how his music builds and builds and then changes and I can get lost in it.  So lost that I can listen to it at bedtime.

I also play the piano so I really appreciate how hard it is to do things which are different in each hand.  As well as being a really talented pianist he also uses orchestral instruments on his newest album "In a Time Lapse" which gives a different dimension to his music.  I listened to his album recital broadcast from home and it sounds so different but amazing just using the piano.

Daisy Rock Designs-The Poppy Pad

A few months ago I volunteered to review the Poppy Pad by Daisy Rock Designs (found her on Facebook) Daisy Rocks designs is a WAHM that creates beautiful dresses, dungarees, bandana bibs and CSP.

The pad consists of a cotton pad backed with fleece with another smaller pad poppered into the top.
The bottom pad is 10.5 inches long, 3 inches wide with a wider nearly 4 inch flare at either end.
The Poppy part of the pad is 2.5 inches wide with a slight flare at either end of  about 3.25 inches at the widest point.  This part is 10 inches long and backed with cotton.

I am really excited by this pad and I love the idea.  The pad is really comfy, I couldn't feel the popper when I was wearing it and it didn't move about in my knickers.  It is a lovely design and is great for times when you are going out and want to do a quick change as you can just take the topper off.  Also, there are seperate toppers available you could just swap one topper for another if you wish.

I thought the seller kept in contact with me really well and I will be buying from Daisy Rock Designs again.  Sorry for the poor picture quality the pad had been used and washed quite a few times and I wasn't paid for this blog post.

Uses of coconut oil

There are many uses of coconut oil.  I thought I'd write about a couple.

1. It can be used in cooking and baking  instead of  using butter to create dairy free recipes.  In the past I've made some lovely dairy free biscuits by replacing the butter with coconut oil and my friends said they were delicious.

2.  Coconut oil is very moisturising and can be used to moisturise the scalp (especially popular with Afro hair) and it can also be used on the skin.

3.  It can be used to make deodorant on its own or combined with other ingredients. Eg baking soda, shea butter.

4.  It can be used as a skin cleanser, to do this I rub it on my skin then take it off with a reusable make up pad.  This is great as a cleanser and moisturises your skin at the same time.

5.  I use it in my home made soap, it creates a really rich lather and is very moisturising and cares for sensitive skin.

I guess you know by now that I have a real soft spot for coconut oil and I always have some in the cupboard.

Eco Dreams

I recently bought 2 Butterfly cloth liners (7in) and a Uterus cup pouch from Eco Dreams (www.ecodreams.net).  I also got two free cup spots and some information about cloth pads.  I was really pleased with how they kept in contact with me.

Now for the actual liners, they were absolutely beautifully made.  They were made of cotton with a fleece backing and the stitching was perfect.  The poppers matched the colours on the fabric and they were really comfortable to wear.  7 inches long and 2 and a half inches wide in the middle.  They have a slight flare at the ends.

The cup pouch was crocheted by Lucy at http://thepiepatch.wordpress.com//  I love it cos it's fun and quirky and made well, very unique. 

Wheat Free Diet

Someone suggested I try a wheat free diet for my pain and fatigue.  After researching on the subject I decided to try it for a while.  So this week I've tried making wheat free bread. The bread was dry, didn't have the right texture and didn't taste right at all, it looked nice though. Next on my list will be cakes.

Today I went to a BBQ and a kids party and I broke.  I've had some things I'm not meant to have and I'm paying for it now.  I'm really bloated  (a friend asked me if was pregnant) and feeling pretty pukey.  So I think being wheat free is the right thing for me to do. 

Does anyone have any good wheat free recipes for me to try?

Low Poo

The subject of many of my online conversations this week has been the Low Poo and No Poo shampoo method.  Basically using hair washes and rinses that are low in chemicals or have no chemicals in.  I'm doing this as I'm trying to lead a simpler life and use less chemicals, I also need to use things that don't leave residue in my hair otherwise I'll end up with mouldy hair.  (Sounds nice doesn't it?)

I have tried a couple of different methods.  First I tried a coconut milk and castile soap mix with nag champa oil.  I find this works really well for my hair. (I have dreads)  It leaves it really clean and smelling lovely.  I then tried using aloe gel and coconut milk.  I found that with this my hair got greasy quicker and felt quite waxy after I'd washed it. 

Next I tried a rinse for afterwards.  I used jasmine green tea but you can use green or black tea.  I find it makes my hair really soft and smells lovely.  I have yet to try apple cider vinegar but it is on my 'to try out list'.

Fleurcup Review

Time for my first ever review...

I chose the Fleurcup as I didn't get on with other types of menstrual cup and I was recommended this by some lovely ladies on facebook. I have had a baby so I chose the larger size. I kid you not, this is brilliant, great value for money and looks pretty. (it was £8 when I got it)  It's just the right softness for me and has four diagonal holes in it to help with the seal.  I found that I didn't even need to trim the stem as it was quite soft and didn't get on my nerves. It popped open well once it was inside. (I just folded it in half) As I said, I've used cups before and this is definitely good for me.  Functional and pretty, what's not to like?

I wasn't paid for this review

Coconut oil soap

This afternoon I decided to make coconut oil soap. I think it turned out ok for my first attempt but I could have done better.  I combined the lye (sodium hydroxide) and water first. Then dissolved it and added it to my melted coconut oil in a pan on a low heat and stirred it til thick.  I added more water at this point as I wasn't sure if the lye had dissolved.  (This I probably shouldn't have done) I kept it on a very low heat till all the water had evaporated out of it and it didn't 'zing' on my tongue.  I added nag champa oil then let it set.  I'll know whether it's any good after 3 weeks of leaving it to rest.  Apparently one of the problems with this method is that it creates a lot of foam, I live in a hard water area so let's see how it goes and I'll let you know.

The Garden

Well I feel a lot more positive since I last posted.  The garden is looking like a garden centre with all the seeds that my little boy and I planted coming up in their tubs.  We'll have radishes, tomatoes, chillies, rocket, and peas hopefully. (It's the first time I've planted my own food.)

We used worn tyres from freecycle to plant in and so far they're working out well, they're the right depth for potatoes (3 stacked up) and best of all, they were free.   There's something about the green in the garden that makes me feel much more positive and I like seeing the outcome of what we've done together.  On the other hand it's really disappointing when you see something eaten by slugs that you've put effort into growing.

I'm really looking forward to sampling the results of our work later on in the year.

An introduction

I decided to start this blog to write down my thoughts and feelings about my life with a long term illness.  Hopefully it'll build into other things as well but I need to rant...

Right now I have been suffering with a condition similar to ME and fibromyalgia for nearly two years, this kicked in after I gave birth to my lovely little boy.  I suffer from chronic pain, fatigue, brain fog etc and I'm getting pretty pigged off with it to tell you the truth.  I am so far undiagnosed, but hopefully this will change soon.

At the moment I feel  like I'm in a downward spiral.  I've been fighting this illness but today I feel as if life's crashing down on me.  I'm struggling to work... I tried going in this morning only to fall over and break down in tears.  It's been recommended that I have a few months off to concentrate on my health.

I'm really into trying to live a more natural, sustainable life.  I enjoy gardening (when I can) cloth nappying and CSP. I love music and making things  as well.  I'm usually very positive and happy-go-lucky :)  My posts will be on a variety of different subjects when I'm feeling up to it.