Only 7 months late

Finally! This morning I finished the last of these teeny tiny stockings. It's taken me quite a lot longer than I expected - hence a project intended for a birthday present last November has only been completed now.

Addicted to folding

Squee! I have discovered this method of folding towels/sheets/blankets. It's so simple but it makes so much difference - not just visually, but they hold their shape so much better, and don't subside into a disordered pile, with some blankets escaping back behind the table and getting dusty.

Is it so sad that I'm actually really happy about this - it's a tiny little thing but it makes me smile...

No poo: Week three and a half

So three and a half weeks in to the no-poo experiment - it's beginning to look a bit greasy (but then I did last wash it two days ago). I've been trying to get as little baking soda as possible on the length to avoid stripping them out, but I think that's making my scalp greasier quicker, too, as the oil accumulates on the hairbrush.

Bread successes

This week, I had a go at making bread more simply - used more water, warmed it up first, and added extra yeast and a few linseeds. It worked better! Felt more bread-like after kneading, and it actually rose!! I think there were definitely too many linseeds in the other loaf, and also not enough water, so somehow the magic couldn't take place.

Yay! for minor successes - do you think I can keep this up?

Homemade shoe polish

So this week I had a go at making this from a recipe in my new book - it's just beeswax and olive oil melted together. One thing I learned by trial and error - it needs to be stirred while cooling, otherwise you get a layer of olive oil floating on top of a layer of solid beeswax.

Today I had a go. I did the right shoe of a pair of black court shoes and of a pair of brown boots - and it's come up a right treat! Chek 'em out:

Progress on my knitted socks

Ok so this really is abysmal! This is the sock I started knitting last August, and I have done almost nothing! It's mostly my fault - for choosing an elaborate pattern with thin wool and small needles, so it's taking aaaages to knit up. I've thought several times about ripping it out and making something else with the wool, but so far no brainwaves so perhaps I'd better just finish.