Saturday 14 January 2012

Sorting, Cooking and Sewing!

I love January, I find it a real sorting month. It's a month where nothing much happens so you have a little more time than normal to get things sorted, I also like to get things organised in January as it gives me a good start to the year!

This year has been no different, but I'm making some bigger steps in sorting that I hope will be permanent solutions. I bought some little clear bags from ebay, super cheap, and they have revolutionised my sorting!! I bought them to sort my earrings originally. I had them stored horribly and altogether, stones were forever falling out of earrings and getting lost and I knew I had to do something, so now they are all sorted. This is how it all started eeek


Everything now clearly in little bags, and the advantage of this is, if a stone does come lose it does so inside the bag and doesn't get lost YAY!


Back in storage containers but now not all messed up!!


Then I thought hang on this would be great for my buttons too! I do have them in lovely storage jars which look cute but to be honest everytime I look for buttons I have to tip the whole jar out and search for a matching set, so I went through those too! Yes I know they don't look as pretty in the jar now but much easier to find!


I bought these lovely ones the other week, can't bear to remove them from the card yet, well until I use them.


I'd forgotten about these, love them!


Another tip, if you wear vintage clothes, when they drop to bits and are beyond repair, always remove the buttons before disposing of them. These came from a pair of very cute peddle pushers (capris) that would have fallen apart on wear!


If you're looking for novelty type buttons there are some great modern ones around, I bought these intending to make a tropical blouse with Carmen Miranda influence!!


Something else new I'm trying at the moment are some recipes from this book. As you know I'm vegetarian, but I'm not vegan, I don't really have any desire to be vegan but I've heard great things about this book so wanted to give it a try. I'm sharing just in case anyone out there is veggie/vegan and is looking for inspiration.


I highly recommend this, I've made a couple of recipes from this so far and OMG they were both delicious, not to mention healthy and low in fat, in my book that's a winner! Here's one attempt, Black eye peas and greens, with mashed sweet potato, YUM!!!!


And last but certainly not least, I have been saving hard to buy myself an overlocker (serger to my US friends!!) I was so excited when it arrived yesterday, except I didn't have time to set it up or try it until last night. It took me forever to thread it, boy that is complicated and I gave it a test. I'm so excited that my sewing projects will now have a much more professional finish, can't wait to get going. I'm going to play about with it a bit today, I'm brand new to overlocking so I need to learn how to use it properly before I launch into making something, but I'm super excited about it all!!



Right I'm off to play with my overlocker now......

BTW please excuse all my dark pictures, it's so hard to get good pictures in the depths of winter when it's constantly dark!

15 comments:

Used-to-Bees said...

Hope you're having fun with the overlocker! I haven't got one, but used one once when I was helping with costumes for a show - so handy and straightforward (apart from the threading!) Lots of lovely buttons there - I wonder what they'll end up on?
x

Ivy Black said...

Good on ya! I love to see a good sort out...especially when I'm not. Lovely lot of buttons. The bananas would be terrific on a fruity blouse.
I couldn't do without my overlocker. I think I love it!xxxx

BethBird said...

As a longtime vintage button collector (and President of our local button collecting club), I hate seeing vintage buttons used on things because I like to see them preserved and displayed! But I'm also a lover/collector of vintage clothing, so I understand! At least you're using these buttons as originally intended, rather than gluing/pasting them and destroying them for crafts!

Just stumbled onto your blog and checked it out the other night. Really like it and hope we can be friends!

BethBird said...

By the way, in the button collecting world, your banana buttons (awesome that you have a whole set!) are called "realistics." A Carmen Miranda number is perfect for them!

Dolly Cool Clare said...

I am also having a 'sorting' time this month. Hate doing it, but it feels so good when its done and as you know, mine is for a reason! That book looks fab - I'm going to add it to my wish Amazon wish list, and yay for the overlocker. They do look complicated when they are all threaded up don't they?! :)

Coedith said...

I love sorting. It is like a new start. I am interested in that cookbook. We are not vegetarian/vegan but I try to not over consume animal products for the health of it. And now my oldest is veg. so lots of incentive.

Unknown said...

oohhh you have been busy that must have taken you ages and a lot of patience sorting through all that, but a great idea ;-) I have never used an overlocker or seen one but i know they are fab, enjoy yours ;-)) dee x

Zoƫ Winters said...

Oh dear you make me feel so unorganized! I'm a vegan and it's the best! Isa's books are wonderful! Oh if you want a book tip for the new year, Brendan Brazier's books changed my life vegy cooking wise, and exercise routines! :) x

Miss Elly said...

I love that table!

Anonymous said...

Spent the whole weekend sorting my sewing room too and managed to fill 5 bin bags with stuff I didn’t want! It is such a good feeling! Found loads of vintage fabric etc I had forgotton I had. Love all your buttons so lovely!

Miss Magpie said...

*please* come to my house and sort for me. I'm at that stage where I can't seem to achieve anything :-(

Roxie Roulette said...

I love fun little buttons! My nan has a phobia of them (I know, very odd) so I get all the ones from her vintage clothes :D

In The Heyday said...

Must. Separate. Buttons. From. Card.
Yeah I can't do that either, would almost rather buy cheap looky likey modern buttons than break up a vintage set still on their card

doradadama said...

I wish I could sort like you do. my stuff is all over the place. those buttons aregorgeous!
besos

Mim said...

I'd never thought of using plastic bags for jewellery - it does make sense. I found a random diamante the other day and have no idea where it came from.

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