Fabric from the Scrapstore

I laid the fabric I got from the Scrapstore out on our king sized bed, so you could see the size and colours of the various bits of material I acquired.



Oh how I wish there had been enough of the biggest bit to make a cover for the bed....I would LOVE a cover in this fabric! I am planning to redecorate the sitting room in these colours.

The cream and brown piece nearest to the camera is actually two bits, the other bit is underneath!

Ah well, perhaps I can make it the main fabric in a BIG quilt.....the one I WILL get around to making...one day...when I have more time....

Colours of the Autumn Equinox.....

taken from my garden last night...what a fabulous sunset!

Master Composter Conference 2009

One thing I DID enjoy during the 6 weeks in the summer when I was not blogging, due to illness, was going to the 2009 Master Composter Conference at Garden Organic in Ryton. This is always a really good event and full of inspiring speakers. Mixing with several hundred fellow compost enthusiasts is always a treat as well!



I went to a wonderful workshop on insects given by Peter Smithers, co author of a really good book of bug ID. The workshop was wildly oversubscribed and there really were not enough microscopes etc which was a shame but he gave a fascinating talk and was very informative. He also gave a talk to the whole conference about how little is known on the insects etc which actually live in a working compost bin and so we Master Composters are all going to be part of a very large scientific survey to establish what,species are actually in there. Very exciting!

I was yet again nominated for awards, I made it into the final 3 for the Master Composter Achievement Award and also Herefordshire and Worcestershire Master Composters were finalists for the Master Composter Group Award, although I/we didn't actually win... but still, an honour to be nominated!

Alys Fowler gave an interesting talk



and also presented awards and cut the cake, she was very interesting and friendly to chat to as well. Wiggly Wigglers sponsored a wonderful cake, made in the shape of
(you guessed it!) a Can O Worms wormery! It was very tasty and not at all wormy!

Alys cutting the cake...


I was very tired by the time I got back home that evening,as I really was not feeling very well but it was good to go and share my passion for all things composty with a few hundred like minded souls. I also had a lovely wander around the gardens, they were stunning in July!



Wildflower meadow with the Giant Flowerpot in the middle!



Look out for me in the Oct edition of "Grow Your Own" magazine as well ;-)

Visit to the Scrapstore and some things I have made....

I had a trip to the Scrapstore in Worcester last Friday. I am running various recycled material based craft workshops over the next few months, so I needed to stock up on supplies. I went with my friend S, who I run Eco Club with, and we had a very successful time over there!

The Worcestershire Resource Exchange ( aka Scrapstore) is very well run, clean, tidy, well thought out and with loads of really good items for the bargin price of a trolley load for £10 ish, if you are a member. membership is worth while if you go more than once or twice a year!





I got lots of material ribbon and also lots of plastic ribbon







I turn the ribbon into recycled material wreaths or weavings like this



I also use paper packaging strips as weaving materials in my workshops with children, here is something made from paper packaging, which looks rather nice I think?





I also got an amazing whiteboard/A1 flipchart board for only £5!! They retail at about £100!

I am running some Bat and Spider based workshops over the half term break in October, which is the week before Halloween/Samhain, so I have come up with some simple craft ideas for the children to make, on the theme of bats and pumpkins and spiders and suchlike...We shall be playing some games and talking about bats and spiders and why they are so important and such a Jolly Good Thing.











Compostgirl is helping me test out the various designs to make sure they are "do-able" for her age group...

I hope the participants have as much fun making these items as I have done :-)

Sunday catch up

Well I thought a catch up post was in order, as I have been doing lots here but haven't posted much lately (apart from about the chickens )

I was up early again this morning (couldn't sleep due to brain whirr), so have done lots and feel very content BUT am now flagging ( as you do...)

I was woken by Treacle the beautiful Black Star



laying her very first egg!



So 2 of the POL pullets are now laying :) Ginger started a few days ago and is very vocal about it! Good job someone is laying as the "old girls" all seem to have gone off in a huff and decided to moult and/or just stop laying

It has been a beautiful day here today, I got 3 loads of washing out and dry before lunch! I have mowed all the grass and it is all piled up ready to go in the compost bins.

I have cleaned Fudge the Guinea pig's house, all 4 hen runs and houses as well, so Fudge, the hens and Ruby and the chicklets are all nice and clean and cosy :-)




All the throws and cushion covers from the sitting room are in the wash or have been given a good beating on the line to get the dust out, the kitchen, halls, sitting and dining rooms have been vacuumed and generally tidied up

20 wine bottles have been released free of labels and washed and upended to dry,





We need lots of clean bottles to reuse, as we have 72 bottles worth of wine on the go at the moment!



I refilled all the various washing up liquid and liquid soap dispensers, I buy Faith in Nature and Bio D in bulk bottles to save on packaging and resources and then reuse or recycle the big bottles when empty.



I tidied up generally, cleaned the small bathroom with an e cloth and hot soapy water, I cleaned various windows and mirrors with an e cloth and vinegar.

Compostman and I started loading up my car for me to go to the Household Recycling site....



Then we picked apples ...lots and lots of apples.....and pears....



This is what 50 lbs of apples looks like..and we have lots of these tubs filled up....

Compostman picked beans, and blanched and froze a load of courgettes while I picked the pears from the other pear tree (Conference)and I think I shall have to make pear leather with the remaining Beth pears as they are very ripe now.

I will be making chutney later on from the Victoria plums in the fridge, the Damsons are finished now on our tree so we are leaving what is left for the insects ( especially butterflies!) to ea. We have lots of wine on the go and lots in the freezer to make jam out of in a few weeks time.

I now have to think about making cider and juice from the apples.

One of the cats took exception to some mending left in a pile on the floor by my chair yesterday and wee'd all over it (and my knitting..grr) so I spent ages cleaning up the mess with the special spray from the vets ( which works!) and washing out wee from previously clean stuff yuck!

I had a lovely, if busy week here, one day last week my fellow Eco Club leader (who is a teacher at Compost girl's school) came round so we could sort out the Green Flag application for the School. We had a really productive session and got lots sorted and it makes me SO proud of the children to see what progress has been made over the last 4 years. I have also re started the Eco club I run at another school nearby, as well as "pitching" for some craft workshops during half term in October (happily I got the work, so am now making stuff for it and Compost girl is helping me!)

So a busy and productive day, and week, here at Compost Mansions!