Improving your Ish in 2010

[indy]

Along with all the little ish things...my goals for 2010 are to sort out my heating so that the rayburn once again heats the radiators instead of the header tank in the loft and to save upm enough to buy an apple press

[boboff]

I am going to give up drinking for six month, get a six pack, and build a polly tunnel and convert my allotment patch to raised beds, move the strawebrries, build a greenhouse, erect 4 meter high netting for sweet peas and runner beans, finish levelling the drive with another 50 ton of hard core, plant at least 20 apple trees, cement the base for a new 8 x 9 metal shed, build the shed, clear the hedges of wood and replant, keep the grass cut and the weeds down, cut split and store at least 10 ton of logs, and all before breakfast!

[John Headstrong]

one small step that I am taking is not supporting fat cats.

I am currently changing my phone line over to the phone coop via some friends at bristolwireless http://www.thephone.coop/bristolwireless (affiliate link)

I will also be moving most of the money in my savings account to the local credit union

and I will probably start the local food group up again in autumn

oh, and seize control over more land to grow food !

[Susiwaa]

Hi!

We managed to starty 2010 with money in the bank and food in the larder which is a huge leap from how we started 2009

So, this year we want to make better use of our wee garden by re-siting the shed and using the small space to its max. Growing our own produce, making our own preserves and more homebrew!

Less waste, more use of what we have and better conservancy of gas/electricity are on the list too but with the weather being as it is thats been a bit difficult! So cold!

Feel positive about it so getting stuck into it but having a massive clear up rather than out in the house while the weather prevents us from getting out (or even finding!) the garden.

Good luck everyone!



Susi

[liskeardjane]

we're going to pay off our debts - we cut up the credit cards last year - have given up holidays - we're moving to a tiny cottage in Feb and will be debt free by 2012! get my masters degree and go to teach teachers instead of nose miners and ankle biters! easy when you just have to say it!

[Thomzo]

Well, having whinged for long enough about not being able to find clothes that fit, I'm going to make my own. I've got a tunic top on the go at the moment. I put the sewing machine away for New Year but it'll come out again tomorrow. I want to finish this thing before I go back to work.

Zoe

[Susie]

I love all your aims. I shouldn't have read this thread because it's doubled the things I want to do!

I'm intending to: learn to sew better so I can make more of my own clothes and complicated things like coats,
Make a vegetable garden! I've dug a patch and now I'm planning what will go in it,
Cook more from scratch and do things like jam and marmalade. I made chutneys before Christmas and gave them to everyone I know and they've been a huge success, I'm quite encouraged.

And I'd like to:
Make my own soap. I have a soapmaking book I keep looking at but I'm scared, and I'd have to buy proper scales...
Make wine & cider - but I hardly ever drink (how did this happen? ) so I would be mostly giving it away. Would still like to do it though,

And a completely random one:
I really like tie-dying (and I understand I may be entirely alone in this! ), I experimented with it a bit last year, and I'd like to get good at it and design unusual things.

Good luck everyone!

[countrygirl]

I have so much that id like to do i just dont know where to start.

I think my downfalls is i am so disorganised. So i maybe need a list and stick with it.

I bought everything i need yesterday to try and make my own bread so i suppose thats top of my list.

That's a great one to start with, learn to make bread and you will get such a huge sense of achievement that it will drive you on to try more and more. Good luck!

Thankyou SusieGee,
Well all is going well so far.



My first bread making attempt was ok.
... and my second was even better. So its encouraging that i can see improvement.

And a completely random one:
I really like tie-dying (and I understand I may be entirely alone in this! ), I experimented with it a bit last year, and I'd like to get good at it and design unusual things.

Good luck everyone!

You're not on your own there. I love tie dyed head bands. No good at it myself though.

[gdb]

Dried fruit!

I've never bothered before but I had a go this autumn with apples. They dried really well above the CH boiler - the CH boiler uses wood pellets and it's a big big thing in a big cellar so there is plenty of space and a woody flavoured air circulation.

They were delicious. But I've already eaten them all. And that's not very ish. I should have kept them for the spring.

So, this year, lots (and lots) more. And keep my hands off them until after Xmas.

[ellie12022]

That bread looks great, country girl

Funnily enough I actually made my first loaf of bread for ages yesterday, mostly white spelt with a bit of white flour mixed in. It's the first one I've attempted in the oven rather than the breadmaker. Looked interesting but tasted quite nice, hubby watched/helped and was quite enthused about it all.

So this year I will try & make more bread again, hope to be making loads of soups.

Get the chimney cleaned so we can start burning some rubbish & have the occasional fire. (plans to do it by Christmas didn't quite work!)

Hopefully manage to grow a few more things in the garden..

Continue reducing debts!

[bonniethomas06]

Oooh I love new years' resolutions too!

1. Not set foot in a supermarket. For various reasons (I won't start a rant here!) I am certain that the supermarkets are to blame for most of the worlds' evils and am determined not to spend a single penny with them.

2. Pay off my (rather considerable) debt. This is the main obsticle stopping me from switching to a lifestyle that would make me happy. I am going to make a concerted effort to pay it off this year.

3. Raise my own xmas turkey (and a few for friends/family)

4. Give up diet coke (for health and environment)

5. Get a job that doesn't make me want to throw myself out of my office window. May possibly involve ditching law and getting a job as a gardener.

Happy new year!

[crowsashes]

And a completely random one:
I really like tie-dying (and I understand I may be entirely alone in this! ), I experimented with it a bit last year, and I'd like to get good at it and design unusual things.

Good luck everyone!

You're not on your own there. I love tie dyed head bands. No good at it myself though. [/quote]


i love tie-dye! depends on what kind of pattern you want, and i find it works much better if you use dry fabric rather than wet ( all the guides tell you to wet it for some reason!) i had some fun with it a few months back, used up a big load of whit/cream lining fabric that was surplus to requirements so i made a big batch of tie-dye for crafting, quilting and whatever other uses i can find for it!

actually that is a good new years resolution! to share more of the things ive made!

[indy]

I would like to learn to knit and would love to quilt also would like to relearn the art of rag rug making

[floydster]

we've had fish and chips twice

I've not gone veggie but I'm trying my hardest to eat humanely treated animals when I do eat meat. After some investigation I've stopped eating fish due to the horrific death they usually have Possibly not the most appropriate link I could have posted but it's pointer for anyone who wants to look into the subject a bit more.

Anyway, more ishing I'll be doing in 2010 is brewing nettle beer

Floydster

[ElizabethBinary]

I am looking forward to working up on my fiancee's family farm and building it up for Mother to work on so I can kidnap her harvests when the occur. We're going to rotary her whole veggie patch after we pull the good bits that are left after the drought and then replant them along with all the seedlings I am currently working on.

I will have chickens before the end of the week. Too young for laying. Too young for sexing even, so I hope I get hens!!

I can already knit but my fiancee has a half-finished hat in the glove box that I need to do before winter.

I also really really want to figure out how to get rid of my massive amount of green ants attacking my backyard without using toxins. Ergh.