Unbought Delicacies: First things first.............

Thursday, 26 May 2011

First things first.............

The cabin is all cleaned out, swept and dusted, ready to go. First thing is to fit the insualtion. I did quite a bit of reading on the net - seeing what was available, how easy it is to install, etc. I decided against the rigid types as I felt the squashy 'woolly' type ones will be easier for me to deal with. Part of all this is doing as much of the work myself as I can, so it has to be do-able by me. I'm willing to have a go at anything! Another criteria is that it should be as 'green' (for want of a better expression) as possible.
One consideration was sheeps' wool, either bought in or made myself.
I ended up having a look in the local B&Q depot, where I spotted this HUGE roll of loft insulation, 100% recycled from plastic bottles, for £12.98 - result!
I now need to have a look on the net for some hints and tips on getting it in place, but research and note taking is half the fun for me, so I'm fine with that. When it's up, it's time for lining and painting. Ever the optimist, I came home with some paint charts as well lol
The other things I came home with are the components for making my off-grid fridge. Watch out for the next post when you'll get a look at that!

3 comments:

Mad Madam Mel said...: morning mrsl :)

if you fitting any sort of fibrous insulation i definately rcommend wearing clothes that cover all skin, i.e fasten up to ur neck and cover your arms, even tho it is hot work, either that or a shower straight after, also a dust mask mae a big difference when we fitted ours.
we found the best way to cut it was a long narrow kitchen carving knife :)
also if you need to cut long stips it is easier to measure the gap when still in its roll and cut it with the paper/plastic still wrapped round that way the excess doesn't unroll everywhere and it is easier to cut an even strip :)

its all starting for real now, how exciting :)

elf x; 27 May 2011 at 07:36
Val Grainger said...: Its certainly cheap but recycled plastic is still plastic....and would be better being recycled and recycled again and again. One in a loft, shed, wall or what ever its next destination is usually land fill....where its still....plastic!!!; 27 May 2011 at 08:02
Jayne said...: We used this recycled insulation when we were doing some work last year and found it quite good. It's much nicer to work with than the old fibre glass stuff that was already in our house, that stuff made me itch like crazy, even through my jeans!
As far as the plastic issue is concerned I would of thought that to continually keep recycling plastic again and again must use energy, whereas as isulation in your Walls it is saving it. In an ideal world we wouldn't have plastic, but better serving a purpose in your walls than in land fill.; 27 May 2011 at 12:23

I have found such joy

I have found such joy in simple things;
A plain, clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread,
A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,
The shelter of a roof above my head,
And in a leaf-laced square along the floor,
Where yellow sunlight glimmers through the door.
I have found such joy in things that fill
My quiet days: a curtain's blowing grace,
A potted plant upon my window sill,
A rose, fresh-cut and placed within a vase;
A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,
And books I long have loved beside me there.
Oh, I have found such joys I wish I might
Tell every woman who goes seeking far
For some elusive, feverish delight,
That very close to home the great joys are:
The elemental things- old as the race,
Yet never, through the ages, commonplace.

~ Grace Noll Crowell

Ideas for handmade gifts

Small knitteds - gloves, scarves, hot water bottle covers, hats, tea cosies, phone covers, little toys,,cushion covers, bags. Some of these can be felted/fulled for extra interest.
Edibles - chutneys and jams, pickles, nice teas in a vintage/retro tin, sweeties, toffees, mustard, home made wine and liqueurs, home dried fruits, ketchups.
For the home - trimmed tea towels, handknitted dishcloths, quilted wallhangings, small samplers, restored picture frames, pot pourri, lavender bags, covered coathangers, little scented bags for hanging on handles, framed photos of family,etc you've taken yourself, pincushion,needle book, scissor keeper, book of promises (eg babysitting, 1 hour's housework, the ironing, etc)
Bathtime - homemade soap, bath oils, bath salts, knitted washcloths, herbal bags for the bath, hand sewn toilet bags, trimmed hand towels, homemade lotions and potions packed in pretty jars and bottles.
For the garden - home saved seed in handmade decorated packets; homemade handcream, exfoliating soap, wheat bag for those digger's aches and pains!

Handmade books, personalised printed notepaper and envelopes.
Hamper of bits and bobs from the above lists, packed in a pretty lined basket.

I'll add some more as and when I think of them; These can be used all year round and easily tailored to the recipient - everyone loves a homemade gift. :)

Inspiring thoughts.............

I saw a man, an old Cilician, who occupied an acre or two of land that no one wanted.
A patch not worth the ploughing, unrewarding for flocks, unfit for vineyards;
he, however, by planting here and there among the scrub cabbages or white lilies and verbena and flimsy poppies, fancied himself a king in wealth, and coming home late in the evening, loaded his board with unbought delicacies.
Virgil

I had no theories to prove. I merely wanted to try living by my own hands, independently as far as possible from a system of division of labour in which the participant loses most of the pleasure of making and growing things for himself. I wanted to bring in my own fuel and smell its sweet smell as it burned in the hearth I had made. I wanted to grow my own food, or forage after it. In short I wanted to do as much as I could for myself, because I had already realised from partial experience the inexpressible joy of doing so.

Harlan Hubbard, Shantyboat: A River Way of Life

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Thursday, 26 May 2011

First things first.............

3 comments: