How to make your own Plug-In refills (and save £££'s)

I do love my Ambi Pur pling-in air freshener but its enough to make me weep handing over £4.98 per refill every 4-6 weeks (especially when i have 2 of them). It works out at £79.68 minimum a year on air fresheners!!!!

Instead of buying refills i will show you how to refill the little bottles yourself for about £5 a year!! Not only will it save you lots of money but it means you can customise it to what ever fragrance you like ( i am currently on fresh christmas wreath and christmas pudding, getting in the festive spirit)

All you need is:-

Used Ambi Pur plug in
Pair of scissors
Bottle of baby oil
Any essential oils you like

• First of all pull the little bottle things out of the bottom of the plug in and using the scissors to grip the plastic bit around the top of each bottle that folds the wick in place plug them all out of the bottles. This leaves all the bottles open.

• now virtually fill each of the little bottles with the baby oil and add a few drops of your essential oils. You can either have all 3 one scent or a different scent in each bottle.

• Replace the wick and plastic stoppers and wipe the whole thing over with kitchen roll. Then give it a shake to help mix the essential oils with the baby oil.

• Replace the refill part back into the plug in unit and TA DAR your own refill
• Plug in and enjoy

Gingerbread Skeletons (and ghosts, bats and mummies)

While i had the ginger out from the Parkin and Pumpkin bread i have been making i thought i would share my gingerbread recipe and with Halloween just a few days away what better to do with it than make cute gingerbread skeletons (and other ghouls).

 
Ingredients

350g plain flour
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp bicarb soda
125g butter
175g brown sugar
1 egg
4 dessert spoons golden syrup

For icing

1 egg
icing sugar

Method

• measure out flour, ginger and bicarb and mix together in a bowl
• measure out the butter and add to the bowl

• rub the butter into flour mixture to form bread crumbs

• measure out the sugar and add to the butter flour mixture
• beat the egg in a separate bowl
• add the golden syrup to the egg and mix well
• add the eggs and syrup to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough

• flour your surface and roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick
• using cookie cutters cut out your gingerbread men (and bats and ghosts in my case)
• put on a lined baking sheet and put in pre heated oven at 160 degrees for 10-12 mins
• when lightly golden remove and leave to cool 

• once completely cool they are ready to ice
• separate the white from your egg
• whisk until white and fluffy
• add icing sugar until it forms a thick mixture (like lightly whipped double cream)
• put the mixture into a disposable icing bag and cut off a tiny bit at the end

• for mummies just drizzle the icing all over like bandages
• for skeletons you can use mine as a guide or create your own design
• for bats and ghosts i just pipe around the edge

hope you enjoy this recipe, its a great one to do with the kids

happy halloween x

Pumpkin Guts Bread

I told you not to throw away the guts of your pumpkin away after scooping them out to carve your pumpkin and this is the reason why.

This recipe is absolutely delicious (and i dont even like pumpkin), its kind of like a spiced carrot cake crossed with a banana bread and its so moist.

Ingredients

3.5 cups of plain flour
3 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp mixed spice
1.5 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups of pumpkin guts
1/2 cup of water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
large mixing bowl, measuring jug, wooden spoon, measuring cups and spoons, 2 loaf tins

• measure out flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and spices and mix together in the large mixing bowl
• measure out water, oil and eggs and mix together in the measuring jug

• mix the wet and the dry ingredients together
• using a pair of scissors chop up your pumpkin guts (just snip through the pump in a bowl)
• mix the chopped up pumpkin guts into the mixture
• add the chopped nuts and mix well

• line and flour your loaf tins

• divide mixture between the 2 tins

• place on he middle shelf of a pre heated oven at 200 degrees
• bake for 1 hour then check (put a skewer into the middle of the loaf if it comes out clean they are done)
• if not quite done return to over and check every 10 mins (mine took 1hr 20 mins)
• turn out of tins and allow to cool. 

From 1 large pumpkin i had enough guts to make 4 loafs so will be sharing them with my mum, gran and mother in law.

Hope you enjoy this easy recipe and it stops all that pumpkin going to waste xx

How to make fake scars and cuts

Well with Halloween just around the corner and all the kids wanting a cool costume i thought i would post a tutorial on how to make realistic cuts and scars that the kids (and adults alike) will love. They are a great way to add a bit of gore to any costume and are made from make-up you can pick up from any fancy dress shop, hobby and craft store and even most super markets at this time of year.

 The things you will need are:-

Snazaroo special FX wax
Snazaroo gel blood
Snazaroo blood cake
stipple sponge
Snazaroo black and red face paint (could use black liquid eyeliner and red eyeshadow)
Thick black cotton or thin black wool
(top 4 you can get in a pack together for less than £10)

• make sure where you are adding your scar is clean and dry
• take a small blob of the wax and roll into a sausage shape (its can be sticky so you have to work quickly)
• lightly push the wax onto the skin in the shape you want your scar (it looks more realistic if its not straight)
• smooth the sides of the wax down to join your skin

• with a plastic spatula (or butter knife) make a cut through the middle of the wax 
• with the black face paint or eyeliner paint a thin line down the middle of the cut in the wax

• pat the red over the whole scar and a little on the surrounding area
•  using the stipple sponge add some of the blood cake over the top of the scar
• add the gel blood down the middle of the cut in the scar
• cut small pieces of the black wool or cotton and lay them over the scar like stitches (add 1 or 2 in a cross for a bit of interest)
• carefully push the ends of the wool/cotton into the wax to hold it in place

• add a little dot of the red face paint/eye shadow to the stitches where they are pushed into the wax
• blend the edges of the red paint into your skin for a more realistic look 

hope you enjoy this tutorial and this bit of gore adds to your costumes. Have a happy Halloween xx

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds done 3 ways (salted, spicy and sweet)

As much as i love craving pumpkins with the kids i hate the fact that you are basically buying a vegetable just to let it rot and be thrown away, its just such a waste and those that know me know that i hate waste!

Well this year i was determined this wasn't going to be the case so after much searching i have found ways to use the seeds and the guts of the pumpkin so wanted to share in the hope that less pumpkin will go to waste this Halloween season. First i split the seeds from the guts as they are used separately

this post is dedicated to the seeds and the yummy things you can do with them.

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds
oil
sugar
mixed spice
mild chilli powder
smoked paprika
salt

• wash the pumpkin seeds to get off any left over guts
• put them in a pan of salted water and boil for 20 mins (this makes them go crisper when cooked)

• drain the seeds and pat dry
• split the seeds into 3 bowls and add a little oil to each

• add 1 tsp of salt to one bowl and mix so all seeds are coated
• add 1 tsp of mixed spice and 1tsp of sugar to another bowl, mix to coat
• add 1 tsp of mild chilli powder and 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika to the 3rd bowl, mix to coat
• tip the seeds into 3 different baking tins as flat as you can (try not to have any on top of each other)

• put them in a pre heated over at 200 degrees for 10 mins
• shake the tins to move the seeds around and put back in over for a further 10-15 mins
• remove from oven and allow to cool 
• put in 3 air tight tubs and snack away

These are so tasty and there is a favour for everyone in the family. The kids will love the sweet ones and mum and dad will love the salty and spicy ones and best of all no pumpkin seeds in the bin xx

Pumpkin Carving

Well its that time of the year again when everything gets all spooky, children get dressed up for trick or treating, houses get done up and the pumpkins get carved so i thought i would share some of my hints and tips for carving your pumpkins.

All you will need is a pumpkin (obviously) a large knife, a hacksaw blade (or pumpkin carving saw) and a spoon.

• Start by cutting the lid off your pumpkin in a large circle

• next take your spoon and scrape out all the seeds and guts of the pumpkin
• then decide which side is going to be the front on your pumpkin where your design will be
• scrape the inside of the pumpkin until its about 1 inch thick

• where you will be carving your design keep scraping until its only about 1/2 inch thick (this is where a lot of people go wrong and find it difficult to carve as they leave this side too thick)
• draw your design onto your pumpkin (i have pinched this design from a similar one i have seen on the internet)
• if you are not great at drawing you can pick up great cheap templates at this time of year

•  take your hacksaw blade (or carving saw) and start cutting out your design
• start with the little thin bits as its more stable before you have taken big chunks out of it)
• don't try and turn corners with the saw, when you have to change direction take the saw out and put it back in at the right angle

• make sure the inside base is flat (as this is where your candle will stand)
• put your candle in and light it
• turn off the lights and enjoy your creation

DO NOT THROW AGAIN THE SEEDS AND GUTS

I will be doing 2 more blog posts with yummy things you can make from what you would usually throw away.

Traditional Yorkshire Parkin Recipe

Autumn is by far my favourite time of the year, not only does everything look so pretty with all the yellows, golds and browns of the leaves and everyone wrapping up warm in new hats, scarf's and gloves but its also the time of the year for the yummiest food.

I love all the thick warming soups and the slow cooked chunky meaty stews as well as all the stodgy comforting foods like root vegetable mash and roasted squash, but most of all i love the puddings, desserts, sweets and treats. Along with the treacle toffee, bonfire lollies, gingerbread and spiced carrot cake this recipe is just the taste of autumn.

It has been handed down my mums side of the family from my Great Grandma to my Grandma to my Mum and now to me and its just to scrummy for me to not share so here it is.

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup oatmeal (or normal porridge oats will do, whiz in a blender if you have one to make them finer)
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
2 tbsp black treacle
4oz margarine (not butter)
1 cup of boiling milk

Method

• Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together
• Add the butter and the black treacle

• bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan
• pour the hot milk onto the rest of the ingredients
• mix well together until all the margarine has melted and all ingredients are well combined

• line a loaf tin (or a square cake tin in my case as couldn't find my loaf tin)
• pour mixture into tin (don't worry if it quite runny its supposed to be)
• put in a pre-heated over at 180 degrees for 45 mins
• remove from tin and leave on a large piece of grease proof paper to cool

• wrap the cooled Parkin in the grease proof paper and LEAVE IT ALONE
• DO NOT EAT

Ok maybe i need to explain the last to points.

You can eat it straight away if you want (and i usually do) but if you leave it wrapped in the grease proof paper in an air tight tin for a week it gets even yummier and stickier. If you can resist this little package looking at you everytime you open the cupboard i promise it will be worth it.

hope you all enjoy this as much as me and my family do and hopefully you will pass this recipe on just like we have xx

The Singing Swede

This afternoon whist chopping up vegetables for tea and having a full on fight with the swede I got thinking if you were a vegetable this is one veg you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of, Swedes are well 'ard!! I mean if you were a carrot or a turnip you wouldn't want to pick a fight with one would you??

As much as i love the taste of this well 'ard vegetable i hate having to hack my way through it and fight with the peeler everytime i fancy a bit of carrot and swede crush with my sunday dinner or some scrummy mashed swede with butter and black pepper  with my meat and potato pie, so i did what any normal frustrate veg lover would do and vented my frustration with the swede on facebook. Well aren't i glad i did?

Thanks to the wonderful world of facebook (and the lovely Diane Mathews) i have been introduced to "The Singing Swede".

For anyone that hasn't heard of this neither had i before today and now i dont know how i lived without it all these years, i will explain.

I can't class this as a recipe because well its just swede and a microwave.

No peeling, no pricking, no chopping, no anything.

Just take one swede and place in the microwave for 15 mins (20 mins for a really massive swede) and now here is the tricky part, are you paying attention? i wouldn't want anyone to struggle with this bit. Take out of microwave and eat. Yep thats right you just scoop all the yummy cooked swede out of its skin and eat (i add butter and black pepper).

No more fighting with knifes or peelers

For those of you that are like me and thinking but why the singing swede? it has been given this cute little nickname as while its doing its thing in the microwave it kind of whistles, hence the signing swede.

I was so amazed by this amazing new discovery i felt i just needed to share it with all you lovely people.

please go forth and enjoy hassle free swede and share this post with as many others as possible

NOBODY NEED PICK A FIGHT WITH A SWEDE AGAIN!

Halloween Cookie Recipe

This is a great easy recipe to make, especially with children and because it holds it shape well when cooked its ideal for using some fun cutter so can be used for any occasion.

INGREDIENTS 

2.75 cups of plain flour 35p
1/2 tsp salt  2p
1 tsp baking powder 10p
11 tbsp butter  £1.20
3/4 cup sugar  23p
1 egg  15p (or free from my chickens)
1 vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)  £1 per pod                  Total cost £3.05 or 8p per biscuit

1 large bowl
1 smaller bowl (or in my case a measuring jug)
1 wooden spoon
sieve
baking sheets
grease proof paper (optional but i find it easier)
measuring cups & spoons
rolling pin (a bottle of wine also does the trick)
clingfilm
cutters

• Start by measuring out the flour, salt and baking powder into the smaller bowl
• Measure out the butter and sugar into the large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy
• Add the vanilla and mix well

• Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder mixture into the butter and sugar mixture (do this in 3 parts)
• To fully combine use your hands to kneed and form into a ball

• At this point the dough will be too soft and sticky to work with so split into 2 parts and flatten into flat discs, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

• Once chilled roll out on a floured surface roughly 1/4 inch thick and cut into what ever shape you want. I am using some Halloween cutters but if you don't have any cutters at all you can use a glass to cut circles them just squash them down a little (into an oval) and you can then ice these like pumpkins, or use a knife and free hand cut them.
• Place onto a baking sheet leaving about 1/2 inch between them
• Cook on middle shelf of oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 6-9 mins depending on size
• Place on a wire rack to cool

Once fully cooled decorate however you want, let your imagination go wild 

If you like this post please follow and share there will be more Halloween recipes and ideas coming soon xx

The results are in........

OK so first things first, i am so sorry for not updating with a week 4 meal plan and shopping list but a nasty little virus decided to get a grip of my laptop so internet has been limited to my phone until i have managed to get rid of it and get things back up and running.

Now the 1 month challenge is over as promised this post is dedicated to the results and here is the main one

Yep you have seen that right in just one calander month the grand total for savings we have made is £435!!!! (it would have actually been more but i have bought step-sons birthday present a month early as it was on offer and cost £50 and also bought a few christmas bits).

It really has shocked me, i cant believe how much you can save by just meal planning, shopping smart and generally living a bit more frugally that you may usually do.

Even though this set out to be a 1 month challenge, with the savings we have made me and my other half have decided we would be crazy to not carry on with this frugal way of living so from now on i will be posting about other ways i have found to cut costs and save those pennies.

Before starting this challenge i really never thought it would be possible to cut back and save this much money, i always thought i was pretty good at watching the pennies but this just goes to show when you really concentrate on every penny you spend and ACCOUNT for every penny spent you soon realise just how much money you fritter of rubbish.

As well as setting my little family up on a much better way of living i hope i have inspired more people the think, plan and be accountable for what they spend and also what they waste and i hope you will all continue to follow this blog and share it with others.

I would also like to thank Charlie Rowe because without her and her great facebook page i dont thnk i would have every been as motivated to start and keep this challenge going, also without the hints and tips to have gotten from the member of this page i dont think my savings would have been quite as good as they are. Anyone on facebook go and take a look at this page and join in the frugal way of life

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1408557216022790/

Now i am up and running again my next post is going to be all about how to throw a great Halloween party on a budget, i will be sharing my frugal spooky recipes and great home made costumes and decor ideas.

hope to see you all following along xx

Week 3 Meal Planner & Shopping

Well i knew this week was going to be a much more expensive shop as it was my monthly shop, by this i mean the shop where i get things like washing powder, pet food, nappies and oil. Even though i was expecting it to cost more i was shocked at just what the grand total was.

I had spent the grand total of £57.03!!!!!

I couldn't believe quite how much i had needed to spend and i was actually a little annoyed and upset about it, well until my other half pointed out we used to spend that much and more every week and almost always double that for the monthly shop.

This is this weeks list

1 packet corned beef
1 pot mild chilli powder
1 pack night time nappies
2 packs day time nappies
3 packs baby wipes
1 packet chocolate bars
1 pastry mix
1 deodorant for me
1 deodorant for lee
2 multipacks crisps
1 tub soured cream
1 roll tin foil
1 garlic
1 pot paprika
1 bag table salt
3 large bottles milk
2 packs flavoured water
1 bag dog food
1 box washing powder
1 box cat food
1 bottle fabric conditioner
1 bag carrots
1 bag potatoes
1 bag onions
1 bottle sunflower oil
1 can chopped toatoes
1 tub soft cheese
1 block mature cheddar
2 packs part baked rolls
1 pack minced turkey
1 box chestnut mushrooms
1 family box mushrooms
1 pack mixed peppers
1 pack bananas
1 bag rice
1 tube tomato puree
3 packets biscuits
1 box wheat biscuits (weetabix)
1 bag porridge oats
1 jar coffee
3 loafs white bread
1 bag chicken food

and this is the weekly meal plan

Wednesday - Chicken curry and rice
Thursday - mushroom stroganoff
Friday - Chilli con carne and rice
Saturday - being naughty and having pizza
Sunday - Meat and Potato pie
Monday - Mushroom stroganoff
Tuesday - Chilli con carne

The pizza and garlic bread on Saturday will cost another £4.50 so the total will actually come to £61.53. Even though this is what i now consider a big spend i have been looking at the finances for week 4 and we are still looking good.

Normally the day before payday we have nothing left in the bank account and are usually down to the last few pounds in my purse (occasionally we have even had to borrow of the mother in law to buy essentials or put petrol in the car) i cant remember the last time we put anything into savings. I never want to be in that position ever again. As it stands at the moment we are on track to have left at least £500 i cant believe it :-) :-)
The night before payday i will transfer whatever we have left into the savings account (which has had a very sorry balance of £0.00 for at least the past 8 months) i cant wait to see what the grand saving total will be.

Plan of action for week 2

Well this week my plan of action is Christmas prep and before anyone says it, I know what you are all thinking, you're thinking "WHAT??? Christmas is she mad? The answer is NO i am not crazy and there is method to my madness, i will explain.

As a lot of you know i love growing my own fruit and vegetables and now is the time to plant my potatoes ready for my Christmas dinner and this got me thinking about the festive season and the costs associated with it.

So as well as planting my potatoes i will be getting the rest of my winter veg planted out (sowed the seeds indoors a few weeks ago to get them started). I will be growing onions, turnips, carrots, swede, cauliflower, beetroot and as mentioned potatoes. Nothing beats the taste of your very own grown and freshly picked veggies.

As well as making my Christmas dinner as frugally (and tasty) as possible i am determined to have as much of a handmade Christmas as i can. This isn't just for cost reasons either i really believe that handmade presents are so much nicer than shop bought. It takes no thought, effort or love to nip to your local Boots and spend £15-20 on some smellies that are mainly all fancy packaging and nothing else anyway, where as to make your own personalised soaps, bath bombs, candles etc takes time and thought and they are totally unique, just one offs just for the person they are meant for. Now how much nicer is that?

Once i got thinking i realised there are so many more things i could make for gifts. Everything from chilli jams and herb oils (from my own grown chillies and herbs) to scented wardrobe hangings and knitted/crocheted hats, scarfs and glove sets.

So far my main ideas are:-

• Crocheted little stockings (24 of them) numbered so i can hang them on the Christmas tree and fill them with little chocolates so the kids have a reusable advent calender. This is a picture of a few of them i have made already

• Making my little man a Minion (from despicable me) hat, scarf and mitten set. i have already made a start on this and have completed the mittens and most of the hat here they are so far.

• Soaps and bath bombs. I am still trying out different scents and colours but they are so cheap and easy to make and who doesn't love have a nice relaxing soak in the tub with some nice smellies? here are some i have already made.

• Scented wardrobe hangings. For anyone that doesn't know what these are they are basically little stuffed pillows joined together with ribbon with essential oils in them. You hang them up in your wardrobe to keep your clothes smelling nice. You can also do individual ones to go in draws. Here are some i made for a friends birthday.

• I am going to make my little man a "Stuffy" toy. He loves the programme show me show me from CeBBies and you can't buy the toys so i am making him one myself.
• Herb oils and chilli jam with chilli truffles made from my home grown chillies and herbs.
• Hot water bottle covers personalised with initials
• Mug Huggers. These are cute little covers for a round coffee cups (knitted or crocheted) usually with faces on. I am making snowmen ones and giving them around a mug with little jars of hot chocolate powder, mini marsh mellows and chocolate chilli truffles in them. This is the pattern i will be using, i love this woman and have crocheted loads of her patterns.

Now do you all understand why i need to start the Christmas planning now? I am going to be a very busy lady over the next 15 weeks and i will keep you all posted with how i am getting along with it.