Recycling and Reusing stuff where possible

I think saving things or bits of things has been part of my family's make up for many years.  You learn much at the heels of your family members and as  you become an adult you start carrying on family traditions.  It's something you do without particularly thinking about the process just reciprocating.  My Nan was one for recycling paper bags or pretty paper bags and they used to be kept in the drawer of a little kitchen table that she had together with useful pieces of string.  If you needed anything then it was sure to be found in my Nan's stash.  That was not the only thing she kept though.  Anything that she thought might be useful used to get stashed away.  I think this was as a reaction to the war years when so many items were restricted and so in her practical way my Nan made sure that there was always something that could be useful to someone.

The cats have demolished my kitchen blind by jumping up into the window to sunbathe.  There has been a phase of this but I refused to replace the blind whilst I have been working on the kitchen.  I also had to buy a new net because of the same issue.  However, although the blind fabric part was wrecked a lot of the fittings were still very useable if only I could get them clean as they were a bit grubby.  So last evening before going to bed I popped the plastic parts and pulling chain into a pot of hot water with some Astonish stain remover powder a little soap powder and a splash of vinegar.  This morning when I have checked everything has come up nice and clean.  

A few months ago I bought some blind fittings from Dunhelm as my mum had given me a couple of cream blinds which I wished to use.  Somewhere along the line the fittings had gone walkabout and yet the blinds for me are ideal for the computer room and also the back bedroom window.  We need new windows in both rooms something that is on the long list for the Landlord's Agent.  But to try and keep the house warm in the meantime I have in the back bedroom popped up a thick pair of Raspberry Pink velvet curtains to try and stop the draughts.  The small computer room has a pair of Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady curtains Spring Bouquet design as shown on the duvet cover below.  Sorry I am a bit of a fan of Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.  However there is a third blind which I did not have any fittings for so the derelict blind fittings will carry on doing sterling duty but with a different fabric blind and it has not cost me a penny which is even better.

I did this for my step-children as well.  Any part sets of crockery or cutlery any decent curtains that I did not have up at the windows or nets, blankets, rugs that sort of thing I kept stashed and so when they both moved into their own homes they had something to be going on with to get by with until they could save up to buy their own things.  My mum and my Nan did the same for me.  The other thing I do with part sets of this and that is I try and match them up.  Sometimes it takes ages but often all it takes is being in the right place at the right time.  I have done this in particular with fancy drinking glasses and have managed to match up some that I inherited from my Nan to make a full set.  That is very satisfying when you can do that.  Most kids today expect brand new this and that but in reality this cannot always be achieved and at least this way on they have something to be going on with.

So with the assistance of OH I think I may soon be getting the blinds up in the computer room and also the back bedroom. I have full nets up in both rooms as the neighbours can see in if they are upstairs so the blinds will just give that little bit more privacy and indeed warmth.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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