We have compiled together some of our ideas for you new year resolution.
Eat a different fish for every day of January
This is a great way of starting a diet as fish is generally low calorie - if you can avoid it battered and with a big pile of chips. Why not try to eat a new fish for every day of January. We did it - and it is easier to get to 30 fishes than you think - even without getting to a well stocked fishmonger. Click to read more…
It’s time to do something about global warming. Here we look at some very simple steps that you can do to make your first steps towards reducing your carbon footprint.
1. Look at where you go on holiday
Flying is one of the highest consumers of carbon. Reducing the amount that you fly will have the greatest impact on the environment. Avoid long haul holidays. You may want to consider even having a holiday at home. Longer holidays (e.g. 3 weeks) less often will typically use less carbon than going away for lots of short breaks. Click to read more…
You hear a lot of talk these days about how good vegetables are for you. The daily allowance is of five portions of fruit and veg today. But it costs a lot to buy fruit and veg at the supermarket. Despite all the guff about supermarkets being low cost places they still charge a lot for vegetables. It is not uncommon for a couple of lettuces to set you back over £1. You can get veg much cheaper if you go down to the market, but it can be out very cost effective to grow your own.
Easy to grow vegetable ideas
You hear a lot of talk these days about how good Click to read more…
Gift Basket Ideas
A gift basket is a great way of making a customised present for your friends and family.
Here are a few ideas…
Gift Basket Ideas
Hamper
This is the original gift basket. Simply fill it with a range of foods that you think would work well. Generally it is best to use a selection of jars, tins, packets and bottles as there will not be any problems with preserving their contents for a while.
Suggestions for contents include
Coffee lover’s kit
Include a nice cafetière (the polished chrome ones are very smart) and a range of good coffees and posh sugars (e.g. cane sugar crystals). Or you could also put in a small stove-top espresso maker.
Champagne lover’s kit
A bottle of champagne with two glasses. This could easily be extended into champagne and chocolates - usually a favourite with the ladies.
Mushroom kit
This is ideal for the autumn. Include a number of packs of expensive dried mushrooms and a wild mushroom identification guide.
Sewing kit
Include a selection of materials, patterns, scissors, threads, etc.
Camera kit
Include a camera, book on photography, camera cleaning equipment, mini tripod.
Honey basket
Include a selection of different types of honey, a honey pot and a honey spoon, and maybe a book about honey.
Foods of France
This could include a bottle of wine, and various French bits.
Foods of Italy
Put in olive oil, pasta, mushrooms, pasta sauce, pesto.
Gardening basket
Artist’s basket
Include paint, brushes, pencils, paper etc.
White Christmas
This was an idea that I did for my wife a number of years ago. It was quite simple - all of the gifts had a white theme. Here are a list of ideas, all of which are available in white. It works best if all of the individual items are white. Some can be nice, some can be trivial - it is all about doing a nice selection.
Part of the fun is going around the shops to see which items are available in a white colour.
How to make a gift basket
Making a gift basket is very simple.
The first step is to source a basket. I tend to buy mine at IKEA, but it is also possible to source them on the Internet. If you get really keenly into baskets you could also try basket making - just as my mother did. (She even went on to teach basket making at evening classes at the local technical college.)
An alternative to using baskets is to pack the gifts into a box. You could use a shoe box or a cardboard box from the supermarket. This will work best if you can paint the box first or cover it in crepe paper. There are now a wide range of plastic shoe boxes that make a nice alternative.
You then need to add the packing. Straw or coloured tissue paper tend to work well. A good alternative is to put paper through the shredder. This could work well if you use coloured paper, but scrap office paper would be fine too (make sure there is no sensitive stuff on it).
Finally, cover with the basket with plastic. Cling film is the easiest but you will need a wide roll if you do not want to cheapen the effect.
Any other ideas?
If you have any other ideas - why not add them in the box below.
Looking for something special to do for your next wedding anniversary?
We have compiled this list of suitable ideas. We hope that you enjoy it. If you have any more ideas please drop us a line and we will add it in.
Wedding Anniversary Ideas
Romantic meal
This one tends to speak for itself. You can either go out for a meal or you can cook one for the two of you. If you have grown up children you could invite them round too.
Ransom letter
Send a ransom note to your partner. This is made up of words and letters cut from the newspaper. The note should tell them to meet you in a pre-arranged location at a certain time. You can then go to a restaurant for a nice meal. Needs to have some child care organised.
Go for a long walk
How far is the furthest distance that you have ever walked from your house?
Message in the newspaper
Put an announcement in a national newspaper expressing your love (this is a bit like a valentine’s message, just on a different day.
Theme Party
You could have a theme party from the year you were married.(e.g. Ruby Wedding could be a sixties party)
Hire a boat
A boat is a great idea. I hired a boat for a cruise down the Thames from Central London down to The Thames Barrier and back. We invited all our family and friends along. (Sent in by Chris)
Star gazing
If it is a clear night go out and look up at the stars in the sky. (Sent in by Amy)
Other wedding anniversary ideas
If you have any more wedding anniversary ideas please drop us a line and we will add it in to the page.
We were thinking recently about ways in which we could save money in our household.
We have compiled this list of money saving ideas. We hope that you enjoy it. If you have any more ideas please drop us a line and we will add it in.
Money Saving Ideas
Saving Electricity
We had a request from one of our readers for a list of hobby ideas as she was looking for a new passtime to occupy herself.
We have compiled this list of hobby ideas. We hope that you enjoy it. If you have any more ideas please drop us a line and we will add it in. Click to read more…
I have often thought about a small survival kit that I could carry in a tobacco tin.
It would be small enough to carry in the pocket of my barbour coat. Although unlikely to be needed in an extreme survival situation it would be very useful if you went out for a long walk.
When I made my first one - it got used within a few days when one of the kids fell over and needed a plaster!
Survival kit candidates
Party! party! party! Let the kids go wild with creativity ….. have a Craft Party!
Craft parties are lots of fun for kids, they love it. Friends, crafts and birthday cake ….. fantastic!
Click on an image
See kids faces light up to a table covered in colourful, sparkly and imaginative crafts.Watch in awe as kids create some wonderful crafts. Give them the tools and its amazing the results and ideas they come up with. Children’s crafts are great fun for a birthday party. We have provided craft party kits for hundreds of parties.
What is a Craft Party?
A children’s birthday party idea full of activity, fun, excitement and calm children, every parents dream. Kids love to create crafts at any time but its even more fun with their friends. They will have a great time surrounded by fun, colourful craft accessories, decorations and paints. An opportunity to let their creativeness shine. What’s even better, at the end of the birthday party the kids have something wonderful to take home with them and you don’t need to source all those little things for party bags, they make what they take home.
Individually packed craft kits for each child including all materials and instructions needed. We have designed specific craft kits for girls and boys. We have only selected kids crafts that can be completed within 45 minutes to make sure all fixing and paint is dry ready for the children to take home at the end of the party. Party accessories including plastic table covers, aprons, paint palettes, glue spreaders and party bags are also available to complete your party experience.
I’m bored
Here are a few things to do if you are feeling restless.
Other websites to visit
Things to do
Party! party! party! Let the kids go wild with creativity ….. have a Craft Party!Craft parties are lots of fun for kids, they love it. Friends, crafts and birthday cake ….. fantastic!
See kids faces light up to a table covered in colourful, sparkly and imaginative crafts. Click to read more…