Freecycle Printer

I have had some bad luck with printers this year and am currently sending the second faulty printer back. I was informed that I could not replace it, I would just be receiving a refund. I was ready to start the search for a new printer, when I received a very opportune email from Freegle (if you haven't joined, you should)
I contacted my fellow freegler and was delighted to discover there had been no other interest. We arranged a pick up time that would suit us both (en route to a match for me - very environmentally friendly) I am currently setting up my new printer now - cannot wait.

I will keep you posted with progress!
It also has a scanner!

No kindle - return of the paper book

I was bereft this week. I had been visiting my parents and getting some selfish me time. I squirrelled myself away in their beautiful garden for a relaxing read. In the processes of packing myself up to return to the big smoke I left my Kindle at their house.
Don't get me wrong, I used to be a hater of ereaders. Their cold clinical interface was no match in my heart for a beautiful well used book - until my family bought me one for Christmas. All my prejudice went out the window, I was in love! That slim & sleek device is a staple of my handbag - a library at my fingertips. As a treat for the heavy year I've had I had been carefully devising my summer reading list. All the books I have had to forgo during this year because of my squeezed timetable have been patiently sitting in a folder on my laptop. SO naturally on my first week off I leave my kindle behind. A super long bank holiday weekend no less. My local library doesn't open on a Saturday - I was devastated!

Until I saw a notice for a booksale for a local charity. There was a stall and an honesty box in the local shopping centre and volunteers restocked over the weekend. I managed to get quite a haul. It has been difficult trying to readjust to this primitive form of information upload - nice not to have to worry about the battery life though

Qualified and Broke

I have finished my PGCE year and am now a qualified teacher - it has lived up to all the gruesome predictions! Sorry, I don't want to put anyone off. The year is doable, the tasks are not that difficult but the whole thing is very time consuming.

Anyway, I am now finished and as mentioned above - broke. I have some part-time work lined up for the summer, so I should have enough to get by. I want to go on holiday, I feel like I deserve a holiday! But, just to reiterate, I am broke!

So, I have signed up as a teacher at a summer camp. Three weeks, on the coast, board and lodgings covered and I get paid at the end of it! Too good an opportunity to miss out on. Granted the pay is not great, but I will be having fun in a beautiful part of the countryside and it will be great experience for my CV = win win.

Cleaning made EASY - Vinegar Spray

All DIY enthusiasts, frugalists or environmentally conscious folk know the numerous uses of vinegar. I have bottles of it stowed all around the house, because I always like to have some at hand. It makes an excellent mouthwash, leaves glass streak-free, disinfects my kitchen and has long since replaced fabric softener. Because I use it so frequently (and because I always like to take the lazy route) I keep it in spray bottles around the house. If I have 2 minutes to spare then I can quickly wipe down the shelves in the bathroom or my bedroom windowsill.
I use old spray bottles that have been thoroughly cleaned out and mix the vinegar with water. For the spray bottle in the kitchen and the bathroom I use a strong 50:50 ratio. For the rest of the house closure to 30:70

Saying Thank You - without overspending

Normally people spring for a bottle of wine or big box of chocolates - but one thing that is surprisingly easy and yet looks quite good is a batch of butter cream cupcakes:

A little bit of food dye and some sparkles and you have a very nice gift. Trust me - icing buns is very easy! You can pick up the icing tips in a pound shop and they will eventually pay for themselves.

Recipe:
3 Eggs (Basics 33p)
6oz Plain Flour (Basics 16p)
6oz Caster Sugar (28p)
6oz Unsalted Butter (Basics 80p)
1tbsp Baking Powder
Icing:
8oz Icing Sugar (38p)
6oz Unsalted Butter (Basics 80p)
1 drop Vanilla Extract (2p)
1 drop pink dye (1p)
Decoration (5p)
Cases (6p)
Cupcakes: £2.89 per dozen

 

How many of these will actually make it to my intended recipient? I am not sure..... I have however sickened myself of butter cream icing

Organisation: Outfits

If you are like me and have to dress professionally for work it helps to get organized. This may sound painful to some people, but having your outfits at least planned for the week makes everything run a little smoother.

If I don't organize things in advance I wear mutations of the same outfit (ie black trousers and some variation on a dark jumper) What works for me is to lay out 5 outfits for the week. I don't have to wear them in any order (and usually change one out) but it makes things easier - one less thing to organize

Zebra Rug

I found this amazing post for a humane zebra rug! I haven't time to try and make it at the minute, but I will be finishing my course soon and might find myself with a lot of free time. Watch this space!