Selfsufficientish.com

I'm hoping the financial crisis will make people think more about trying to reuse and revamp things they've already got rather than just chucking things and buying new. Afterall, its something we should all be doing for the environment's sake and if it it takes a crisis situation to make people do i...

I'm going to try and have a much more "homemade" Christmas next year. I tend to buy stuff from charity shops or eco catalogues for people, but I admit I'm the type of person who often gets people what I think they should have rather than what they would really like! My Dad and step sibling...

LBR, I didn't know you could use borax for laundry. How much do you use per load? And can you only use it on certain fabrics? I've recently been experimenting with cutting down on the number of teabags we use by making tea in a pot instead of a bag in each mug. It works fairly well. For the first po...

I like this thread. Makes me feel all warm! I love: reading a good book watching old movies that make me cry (Goodbye Mr Chips, Mrs Miniver and It's a wonderful life are corkers for that) watching the birds in the garden (even when they're ruining my seedlings I can't help loving them) staying in my...

thats a really gorgeous cardigan! I really envy people who can knit. I can do straight knitting but can't seem to get the hang of other types of stitches, not even simple purl. I think its because I'm left handed. My mum can knit really well but she's right handed so she finds it hard to teach me as...

I know this is off topic somewhat but this thread seemed to be heading a bit towards a general moan about the standards on Grand Designs so I decided to join in because that programme drives me mental sometimes! :angryfire: Did anyone ever see the episode where a couple were converting an old chapel...

I'm thinking this sounds like Ben Law's house in Sussex. I had the honour of actually seeing it close up when I attended one of his courses in his woodland. It really is the most beautiful house, although a lot smaller in reality than it looked on tv. He has written a book about it "The Woodlan...

I love naturalcollection.com for clothes. Yes, they do tend to be on the expensive side but I have learned to delay satisfaction and wait until the new season's catalogue arrives. It's usually only about 5 or 6 months later and as soon as it comes it means that all the stuff i loved in the last cata...

A lot of people I know have had problems getting allotments. I don't have one myself but learned a very interesting piece of info the other day. I got "River Cottage Spring" on dvd for christmas and according to (his highness) :king: HFW, if a group of people get together and approach thei...

Firstly, sorry for putting this question in the wrong section! Still don't know my way round very well :oops: Thanks for the comments. I think, based on what you've all said it would probably be safest to move the bushes. I'll just have to resign myself to a bit of hard labour! Not being quite so bo...

My partner and I are hoping to soon become first time chicken owners and I have conflicting information on where is best to situate their run. Unfortunately the garden they will be in is not secure enough for them to have the free run of it entirely, but the ideal spot for the potential run is curre...

This thread has been out of use for a while but I'm so excited about what I found I had to tell you all! I worked next door to a shop that sold and installed woodburners. Our rubbish bins were in the same area and I went out there one day to chuck some stuff and found a beautiful woodburning stove i...

I use plain brown parcel paper which can be be easily recycled. I try not to use sellotape so the paper doesn't get torn when the parcel is opened (although if its a really awkward shape this is sometimes difficult). I tie them up with real ribbons or some very pretty string I've got thats made from...

1. Declutter and keep house relatively clean and tidy! This I hope to achieve out of guilt more than anything. My partner is one of lifes hard workers and I am the complete opposite, but since he has been kind enough to say he will allow me to give up work if I keep house properly the least I can do...

Parma violets, candy cigarettes and cola bottles were my faves. Does anyone remember spacedust, that stuff that used to crackle on your tongue and bounce about in your mouth!? Also, I lived in a seaside town full of tacky gift shops and they always used to sell sweets that looked like pebbles off th...