On My Mind Today...

Poetry Tea

Memories of a delightful afternoon spent with my family. My children were invited by written invitation. They each used their delicate porcelain teacups that they haven't seen in over two years, recently unpacked since our move. Dad joined us unexpectedly. We read our favourite poems aloud to each other while sipping tea and not so delicately munching on spiced apple tea bread. 

Cost of the afternoon's entertainment - priceless

What is on your mind today? Take a look at Down to Earth to join in the Friday photo fun.

Recipe for Elastic Scatter Cushions

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Start with one Elastic Mom
Add in one free Saturday afternoon and one recently dusted sewing machine.

Take one old, out of shape pink pyjama top that was in the scrap pile (mine)
Add some crocheted granny stripes that have been gathering dust for a year (my daughter's)
Cut the pink top and sew it to cover an old, ugly scatter cushion.
Cover the now-pink cushion with the cheerful stripes.

Then take some orange fabric that was intended for a school project and never used.
Add a serviette decoupage made in an art class four years ago. (my son's)
Sew the leafy print onto the orange  fabric and decorate it with yellow stitching.
Then sew it into another cushion cover.

Take a large square of moss stitch knitted five years ago...

using unraveled wool from an unfinished baby jersey (my son's) that was started 12 years ago ...

using leftover aran wool from a  jersey (my husband's) knitted 17 years ago, 

and sew it onto a piece of unbleached cotton bought 18 months ago.

Sew up a creamy cover for another scatter cushion.

Make button holes and use three cream-coloured buttons cut off an old tatty cushion to decorate the back.

Continue in this fashion until your weekend runs out.

Send the stripy cushion to your daughter's pink bedroom. Keep the blue and red cushions on the couch.
Arrange some of your Autumnal cushions on your bed along with the fluffy blanket knitted by your daughter for her daddy and the beaded cushion from your sister.

Smile.

On My Mind Today...

Sore-throat-soothing, lemon, ginger and honey rooibos tea made in an almost empty honey jar.

SHAKING JARS:
My mother taught me to save every last drop of whatever's in a jar, by shaking up the dregs in the jar with something a little more liquid.

So I ...

... make tea in almost empty honey jars
... shake up mayonnaise jars with milk to add to a salad dressing and sauces,
... shake up tomato sauce and chutney bottles with vinegar or water to add to soup or stew,
... shake up relish and chutney jars with salad dressing to add an extra zing to salads,
... shake up jam jars with water or milk to use in porridge, or baking,
... shake up Marmite jars with hot water for gravies and soups,
... shake up shampoo bottles with hot water and pour them in my hair,

Shaking jars adds extra flavour to my cooking and in true Elastic Mom style,
USES IT INSTEAD OF LOSING IT.

P.S. My son loves farm lollipops - teaspoons with the last bits of honey sticking to them.

Rhonda at Down to Earth inspired this Friday On My Mind post.