Another no spend day

Since Christmas my spending has been reduced but I haven't recorded it. I am going to from now on.  I am determined to think about what I'm spending and why. I know I can reduce our grocery shopping and as we have quite a lot of food in the fridge, freezer and cupboards, I'm determined only to buy items such as bread, fruit and veg for a while. Buying more food in Aldi will also keep the grocery shopping bill down.

However I do know my spending on sewing will continue as I have two courses booked and I also need to look carefully at the lighting in my sewing room. Sewing is my passion and I feel justified in spending on this but will still need to ask myself if the item/expenditure is really needed. One area I can cut down is on fabric. I have lots and am determined to use what I have rather than buy new.

The decluttering is continuing and I'm quite pleased with how it's going. I have got better at getting rid of items but it's an ongoing project that will take possibly another couple of years. What I must be careful of is replacing the clutter I'm getting rid of

Hi all.
Have decided to restart this blog as a record of my life in 2015. I took early retirement in 2011 and although have achieved quite a lot since then it is easy for time to slip by without being fully aware of what you have done and what has been achieved. That is no longer. This blog will record it all.....

The new year started with celebrations in the Bosley household that lasted from 7pm on the 31st to 5pm on the 1st with a few hours off to sleep. We all had a great time which included quite a lot of alcohol, board games,  a jig saw and  a lovely evening meal and a fully cooked brunch on the first. Reluctantly we returned home and chilled.


Friday the 2nd saw Harry returning to work and I took the opportunity to get lots of the Christmas decorations down....they are all in the conservatory now awaiting the bags to put them in. Evening meal was soup which was made from a packet found in the back of the cupboard and dated 2011.....the start of our 'eat all we have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer before we buy more campaign'. It tasted fine...those best before dates really annoy me as so many throw good food into the bin because of those dates.

Yesterday was Toby's second birthday. As Harry was still so unwell I drove over to take his present and spend a few hours with them all. Toby was in great form and loved all his presents. The dustcart with wheelie bin that I'd bought him was a great success especially as the bin could tip into the dustcart just like the real ones.....result lots of screwed up bits of paper everywhere!  Tea was another packet of soup and was just as good as the previous one.

Watch "Bounty Hounds -Live at The Apex" on YouTube

Weekend sewing

I'm doing this on my mobile so not sure how it will work.  Have made 2 orders . .a liberty fabric cushion and a dress. Both have worked out fine.

Snow yet again

 So yet again we wake up to snow. Here in East Anglia it has snowed all day and is forecast to snow all night too. When is it going to end?  This was the view from my craftroom this afternoon taken whilst I was cutting out a girl's dress - there's nearly enough for a snowman!

I found this picture on facebook and couldn't resist pinching it as it seems so appropriate.....















What's it like where you are?  I suppose I should be grateful that I don't live in other parts of the country where it is a lot worse but still I am finding it hard to keep motivated when winter seems to have lasted so long.
Really what I want to be doing is sorting out the garden and potting up some plants....

 Hi all......again I return to my blog.
 A cup of freshly made cappuccino to help the creative juices to flow sits on my desk ready to be sipped and I browse through some really inspirational blogs....surely I can do that too, I think. The most inspirational belongs to Lynne at Textile Treasury. If you get a chance do visit her blog.  So here goes; yet another attempt at getting my blog to flow.
I'll start by showing some places in my home:

My favourite seat in the house. It's by the front window so if I wish to be the nosey neighbour behind the net curtains, I can be. Lots of books are nearby to read and browse . A reading light so I don't strain my elderly eyes is positioned by my side and the obligatory small table at hand to put coffee cups, books, pens, notepads, wool , crochet hooks [the list is endless].





The conservatory, a room that has been largely ignored during the winter, except for my weekly teaching session. How I long for the sun when this is an amazing room to be in. With the sun shining the temperature soon rises and it becomes a really relaxing and pleasant place to be. However the winter months have taken their toll and the room needs a good sort out and declutter - a job maybe for this weekend.

 My desk, where my laptop lives most of the time. I try hard to keep this area tidy but am not always successful. This weekend I have a few more pictures I want to put up or should I admit, get Harry to put up for me. The shelves are full of history books including family history, maps and a few craft and hobby books. Both Harry and I have been researching our family history for years and it's certainly a hobby that never ends.

I have several other places to show you but I'll leave that for another day as I must get on ....catch you later , Viv

Happy New Year

Tomorrow will be the start of a new year and yet another new beginning. As a family we are eagerly awaiting the birth of Toby but he seems quite settled in Sian's tummy and is not showing any signs of wanting to leave.

In the true spirit of a new year I am going to make some resolutions:

Lose at least 3 stone
Be more organised in meal planning
Declutter more of the house

These are quite general purposely so as to make easier to achieve.

Hope you all have a good year ....xxxx