tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470127791892733862024-03-14T04:25:21.806+00:00Thrifty LodgeFun and frugal craft and cookingLucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-28465084190560467702014-02-22T21:34:00.000+00:002014-02-22T21:34:14.408+00:00Tie Dye PantsRemember when I <a href="http://www.thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/dyeing-clothes-in-washing-machine.html">dyed my trench coat</a> tropical green? Well, I also managed to sneak a little tie dye project in... You see these very plain pants that are no longer at their bright white best and might otherwise be consigned to pant heaven?<br />
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After simply applying a few, carefully-placed and tightly-wrapped elastic bands:<br />
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And popping in the washing machine with the Dylon dye and salt on a 40 degree wash, you end up here...<br />
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...and finally after removing the elastic bands you end up here in 1960s-pants heaven!</div>
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PS After the success of the <a href="http://www.thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/dyeing-clothes-in-washing-machine.html">trench coat</a> and these pants I can't stop looking around for more things to dye... watch out wardrobe!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-30493409091113044812014-02-18T13:00:00.000+00:002014-02-22T21:32:39.440+00:00(6p) Banana BreadI snapped up 7 bananas for 6p at the supermarket the other day. Slightly past their best, they were just perfect for making banana loaf. I made a couple of loaves by doubling the recipe below. The first was plain and the second had 100g of dark chocolate chips thrown in for good measure and stashed the latter in the freezer for a rainy day.<br />
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Loaf cakes like these freeze really well - I just left mine in the greaseproof paper and popped it into a freezer bag with the date on. Bananas are often reduced in the supermarket as they go from ripe to overripe so quickly, so keep your eyes peeled if you want to get in on the banana bread action!<br />
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This is adapted from a Mary Berry recipe and is the quickest and easiest recipe for banana bread that I know. It makes a loaf that's pretty even in texture, but if you wanted chunks of banana, I'd suggest stirring with a wooden spoon rather than using an electric mixer.<br />
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Ingredients<br />
100g softened butter<br />
175g caster sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 ripe bananas, mashed<br />
225g self-raising flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
2 tbsp milk<br />
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1. Pre-heat the oven 180℃/360℉/Gas Mark 4 and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper<br />
2. Mix all of the ingredients with an electric mixer<br />
3. Spoon into the loaf tin and flatten the top with a spoon<br />
4. Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for around 1 hour, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean<br />
5. Leave to cool in the cake tin for a short while and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully<br />
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Enjoy warm with cream or ice cream or with a cup of afternoon tea.Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-15175344450728302202014-02-09T18:13:00.000+00:002014-02-09T18:13:22.077+00:00Gluten Free vs Regular Sponge Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This weekend we had lots of Birthday celebrations to enjoy, which gave me a chance to do a side-by-side comparison of a gluten-free sponge and a regular sponge.</div>
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For the regular sponge I used <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/strawberry-bah-humbug-sponge.html">this recipe</a> (but with 2 layers) and for the gluten-free cake, I opted for <a href="http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/recipes/gluten-free-victoria-sponge/">this recipe</a> from Dove Farm. The two aren't really a direct comparison as the 'regular' cake uses 4 eggs and the gluten-free just 2, but I'm not yet confident enough to play around with quantities.</div>
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Gluten Free</div>
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Unsurprisingly then, the gluten-free didn't rise as much as the regular sponge and the top was fairly prone to cracking, but both were quite light and tasted pretty similar (particularly after the addition of a generous helping of jam and whipped cream!)</div>
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'Regular'</div>
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I'm pleased to say both cakes were enjoyed by their recipients and I will be looking up some more gluten-free recipes to make with the remaining flour I now have waiting in the cupboard!</div>
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-36932241240836945442014-01-27T21:21:00.000+00:002014-01-27T21:21:16.654+00:00Chinese New Year: Leftover RiceIt's Chinese New Year this Friday and if you're looking for a thrifty dish, how about using up leftover rice* to make egg fried rice?<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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Leftover rice<br />
1 egg<br />
2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
Handful of frozen peas<br />
Salt & pepper to season<br />
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1. Heat a glug of olive oil in a non-stick pan until sizzling<br />
2. Add the rice and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, breaking up all of the rice<br />
3. Add the frozen peas and soy sauce and continue to fry until hot through<br />
4. Crack the egg into a mug and whisk with a fork, adding salt and pepper<br />
5. Push aside the rice in the pan, then add the egg, leave for 10 seconds to set a little before breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring through the rice<br />
6. Serve immediately<br />
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I had my egg-fried rice with pork stir fry, thriftily made with leftover meat from the Sunday roast for a delicious week day dinner.<br />
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* See <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/Can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51&SubCategoryID=215">here</a> for advice on storing and re-heating rice safely<br />
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PS 31st January will see us usher in the year of the horse, but what animal are you? Find out <a href="http://www.topmarks.co.uk/chinesenewyear/Zodiac">here</a>... Apparently I'm a snake!<br />
<br />Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-19391087234043258782014-01-26T22:52:00.001+00:002014-01-26T22:52:16.935+00:00Dyeing Clothes in the Washing MachineI had this cream trench coat stuck in the back of the wardrobe for years. It was an impulse buy (most unlike me!) and I never quite managed to make it work, but nor did I quite manage to part with it, as it's a nice fit and length on me.<br />
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I decided it was time to try <a href="http://www.dylon.co.uk/products/dyes/fabric-dye-for-machine-use/">Dylon washing machine dye</a> and that if I was going to do this, I might as well do it properly, so I went the whole hog and ordered a box in Tropical Green from eBay:<br />
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When it arrived, I initially got cold feet (it's pretty darn bright!), but decided as this jacket has been languishing in the cupboard for so long unworn, I had nothing to lose!<br />
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How to use Dylon washing machine dye:<br />
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Empty the whole packet of dye into the drum and then add 500g of ordinary salt (some retailers sell this with the dye but I found it cheaper to buy separately). Place the fabric you wish to dye on top (the box suggests you'll get the full effect of the colour on 600g of fabric or a paler colour on a full-load, e.g. bedsheets) and run a 40 degree cycle.<br />
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Once you're done, run the washing machine empty on a 40 degree cycle to rid of any traces of the dye (just in case there was any residue, I ran a coloured wash on the next use, not a white one!) then voila, stand back and admire your handiwork:<br />
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I love the green and am so glad I didn't go with a 'safe' colour, although it's worth noting that the thread hasn't taken such a bright shade and is a minty green, as you can see in the picture below.<br />
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I'm really pleased that for £6.50 I've got myself a 'new' jacket that I can't wait to wear and that I'm hoping will make me feel like spring is just around the corner!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-35751002837206504082014-01-22T21:28:00.001+00:002014-01-22T21:28:26.888+00:00Pina Colada Curd CakeCurd is one of those fridge lurkers; you buy it for a recipe and then it sits there, taking up precious space (or worse, being thrown out)... but no more; this cake is a great way to use up curd leftovers.<br />
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Today's recipe uses a pretty cool curd - pina colada curd! I got given a jar of <a href="http://www.cherrytreepreserves.co.uk/Online-Shop/Curd/">Cherry Tree curd</a> as a Christmas present and it's delicious, but you could use any curd - lemon, passionfruit or mango would work well here.<br />
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Pina Colada Cake<br />
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Sponge Recipe<br />
175g butter<br />
175g caster sugar<br />
175g self-raising flour<br />
3 eggs, gently whisked<br />
1 tsp vanilla essence<br />
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1. Pre-heat the oven to 190℃/375℉/Gas Mark 5 and grease two 20cm round cake tins<br />
2. Soften the butter, then combine with the sugar and vanilla essence using an electric whisk, until pale and fluffy<br />
3. Gradually add the eggs, whisking well between each addition<br />
4. Sift in half of the flour and fold into the mixture using a metal spoon<br />
5. Fold in the remaining flour<br />
6. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and well-risen<br />
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Leave the cakes on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, spread a layer of pina colada curd across one of the cakes and sandwich the other on top.<br />
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Pina Colada Curd Icing<br />
125g butter<br />
250g sifted icing sugar<br />
4 tbsp curd<br />
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1. Soften the butter, then whisk together with the icing sugar and curd until thick and creamy<br />
2. Spread generously over the top of the cake.<br />
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PS Another of my favourite curd recipes is this <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/lemon-no-bake-cheesecake.html">no bake lemon cheesecake</a><br />
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PPS Did you know that the pina colada is the official beverage of Puerto Rico?Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-91881017127069738622014-01-12T19:41:00.001+00:002014-01-18T20:14:10.078+00:00January Seasonal Recipe: Brussels Sprout SaladBrussels sprouts are not just for Christmas and if you try this salad you'll see why! I grabbed a couple of bargain bags of sprouts post-Christmas and this 10p pack is going a long way.<br />
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This salad is best served warm and would go nicely with a vinegarette, or is also delicious on its own.</div>
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<b>Brussels Sprout Salad (Serves 2)</b></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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2 handfuls Brussels sprouts</div>
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1 leek</div>
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Small pack pancetta</div>
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2 cloves garlic</div>
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2 tbsp olive oil</div>
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Juice of 1 lemon</div>
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Salt and pepper to season</div>
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1. Cut the ends of off the sprouts and peel off the outer leaves</div>
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2. Slice the leek and peel the garlic</div>
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3. Pop all of the above, plus lemon juice and seasoning into the food processor and blitz until everything is shredded</div>
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4. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan, then add the pancetta</div>
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5. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the contents of the food processor and cook for another 4 minutes on a medium to high heat, stirring often until everything is tender</div>
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6. Serve warm with fresh bread</div>
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-74401196154714439982014-01-10T18:00:00.000+00:002014-01-10T18:00:01.257+00:00Terry's Chocolate Orange CupcakesDo you still have Christmas chocolate lurking in the cupboards?<br />
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If so, why not try baking some 'leftover chocolate' cupcakes. I made mine with Terry's Chocolate Orange Segsations, but you can substitute any chocolatey leftovers into the buttercream.<br />
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The recipe I used is the chocolate cupcake recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (find the recipe online <a href="http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/hummingbird-chocolate-cupcakes.html">here</a>) and is suitably thrifty with only 1 egg and 40g of butter. It makes 12 normal-sized cupcakes or 8 large ones using muffins cases.<br />
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<b>Terry's Chocolate Orange Buttercream (for 12 cupcakes*)</b><br />
75g Segsations<br />
100g Icing Sugar<br />
75g Butter<br />
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1. Melt the segments in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and leave to cool<br />
2. Cut the butter into cubes, then sift in the icing sugar<br />
3. Beat into buttercream, then add the cooled chocolate and mix well<br />
4. Decorate (I used a star nozzle to pipe these)<br />
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* This quantity would cover these cupcakes more generously than I did, but I find too much milk chocolate can be a bit sickly - I used about 2/3 of the quantity (and popped a Segsation on a few of them to compensate!)<br />
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I'm going to resist a 'they're Segsational' pun to close!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-83439134607218033522014-01-06T21:06:00.002+00:002014-01-06T21:06:41.063+00:00Epiphany - Taking Down the Christmas Decs<br />
<header style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.796875px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="entryPronunciation headpron" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Pronunciation: <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/key-to-pronunciation" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #1a63ab; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">/ɪˈpɪf(ə)ni, ɛ-/</a></div>
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<div id="entryPageContent" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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<section class="senseGroup" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h3 class="partOfSpeech" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 5px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span class="partOfSpeech" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">noun</span> <span class="inflectionGroup" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><h:span class="neutral" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">(</h:span>plural <span class="inflection" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">epiphanies</span><h:span class="neutral" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">)</h:span></span></h3>
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<li class="sense sense-type-core scrollerBlock" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; list-style: none; margin: -2px 0px 0px 15px; overflow: hidden; padding: 1px 6px 1px 1px !important; position: relative;"><div class="senseInnerWrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=347012779189273386" name="epiphany__3" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #1a63ab; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></a><span class="iteration" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">1</span><span class="variantGroup" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> (<span class="variant" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Epiphany</span>)</span><span class="definition" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12).</span></div>
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<li class="subSense scrollerBlock" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; clear: both; list-style: disc; margin: -2px 0px 0px 60px; padding: 1px 6px 1px 1px;"><div class="senseInnerWrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=347012779189273386" name="epiphany__5" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #1a63ab; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </a><span class="definition" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">the festival commemorating the Epiphany on 6 January.</span></div>
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<ul class="sense-entry" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="sense sense-type-core scrollerBlock" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; list-style: none; margin: -2px 0px 0px 15px; overflow: hidden; padding: 1px 6px 1px 1px !important; position: relative;"><div class="senseInnerWrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=347012779189273386" name="epiphany__6" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #1a63ab; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></a><span class="iteration" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">2</span><span class="definition" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.</span></div>
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<br />
Epiphany 'the festival commemorating the Epiphany on 6 January'<br />
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Twelfth Night, which marks the coming of Ephiany and the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas is believed by some to be the last date to take down your Christmas decorations, else bad luck will befall you. Whilst I'm not sure I believe in this bad luck, there does come a point when you're ready to pack down the Christmas decs and start afresh. <span style="line-height: 1.7em;">Here are a few things to do before you forget Christmas for another 11 months:</span></div>
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1. Cut out old Christmas cards to make gift tags:<br />
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2. Keep any flat pieces of wrapping paper big enough to cut out and use next year:<br />
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3. Shop for a few Christmas bargains in the January sales:<br />
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String reduced from £3.50 to £1 and 24 Gift Bags reduced from £8 to £1, Ikea</div>
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4. Put everything away neatly in a 'Christmas box':</div>
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5. Relax and eat leftover Christmas chocolate:<br />
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Epiphany '<span style="line-height: 1.7em;">a moment of sudden and great revelation or realisation'</span></div>
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I came to the realisation over the Christmas break that I can't do everything all the time. I have a demanding job, a long commute, I'm often all over the country and when I get home, I'm pretty knackered. So I need to stop giving myself a hard time; the house won't always be clean and tidy, dinner won't always be made-from-scratch, the ironing pile might start spilling out of the basket and I won't always go to the gym as often as I maybe should. Instead I will pursue the things that make me happy, enjoy each day as it comes and not sweat the small stuff.<br />
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So that means more cakes, more sewing and more blogging in 2014, cheers to that!</div>
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-13174375154500460362013-11-17T17:18:00.001+00:002013-11-17T17:18:24.808+00:00Free Things to do in Liverpool<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">This weekend was my maiden voyage to Liverpool and I had an amazing thrifty weekend exploring the city.</span></div><div><br></div><div>I completely fell for it, so here's my top five free things to do with the snaps I took on my phone along the way:</div><div><br></div><div>1. Liverpool Central Library</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZgHwHcDfL_I/Uoj6XW4BpHI/AAAAAAAACAc/-lZ2Z7ESY5o/s640/blogger-image--1313930759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZgHwHcDfL_I/Uoj6XW4BpHI/AAAAAAAACAc/-lZ2Z7ESY5o/s640/blogger-image--1313930759.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Incredible newly refurbished library with panoramic views from the rooftop terrace and an incredible reading room that looks like something out of Harry Potter.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Walker Gallery</div><div><br></div><div>Conveniently located next door to the library. Has a great blend of old and modern art, something for everyone.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2fLzKPFhQC8/Uoj6THR2btI/AAAAAAAACAM/_Gh83nuIpeg/s640/blogger-image--1231718413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2fLzKPFhQC8/Uoj6THR2btI/AAAAAAAACAM/_Gh83nuIpeg/s640/blogger-image--1231718413.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>3. Liverpool World Museum</div><div><br></div><div>Dinosaurs, a planetarium, a 5th floor cafe with a stunning view, a man who makes life-like model birds out of peanuts and cotton wool (!), an aquarium and great exhibitions of world culture.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_Mw6T8dwvDg/Uoj6RMxNMhI/AAAAAAAACAE/lVa2Hvgg8qM/s640/blogger-image-6930123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_Mw6T8dwvDg/Uoj6RMxNMhI/AAAAAAAACAE/lVa2Hvgg8qM/s640/blogger-image-6930123.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">4. Albert Docks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Incredible juxtaposition of new and old, amazing views, tall ships, restaurants and bars galore.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VeHTRS2TCRg/Uoj6LwDpROI/AAAAAAAAB_0/B6mGS4L5Qoo/s640/blogger-image--2129707559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VeHTRS2TCRg/Uoj6LwDpROI/AAAAAAAAB_0/B6mGS4L5Qoo/s640/blogger-image--2129707559.jpg"></a></div><br></div>5. Liverpool Maritime Musuem</div><div><br></div><div>Fascinating exhibits, Titanic replicas and even a u-boat sinking missile!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oOJCCsC6eT0/Uoj6Ot2AcUI/AAAAAAAAB_8/C05ai9TJ1ms/s640/blogger-image--499667309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oOJCCsC6eT0/Uoj6Ot2AcUI/AAAAAAAAB_8/C05ai9TJ1ms/s640/blogger-image--499667309.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>If you ever get the chance to go, do! Although there's much more to it than The Beetles, I can't help leaving you with this amazing jelly bean art...</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Dc6DrhTvOyg/Uoj6VYnA5TI/AAAAAAAACAU/4728CtuavE0/s640/blogger-image--1540850931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Dc6DrhTvOyg/Uoj6VYnA5TI/AAAAAAAACAU/4728CtuavE0/s640/blogger-image--1540850931.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-3347989863663827302013-10-15T22:21:00.001+01:002013-10-15T22:22:56.360+01:00Home Sweet (New) HomeWhy hello there! I'm back. Complete with a new job, a new town and a new flat!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AP4G5Lam7Ow/Ul2x5UfzIFI/AAAAAAAAB_E/MaJ1eXe2kAA/s640/blogger-image-1739923750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AP4G5Lam7Ow/Ul2x5UfzIFI/AAAAAAAAB_E/MaJ1eXe2kAA/s640/blogger-image-1739923750.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Ok so the new flat is definitely not there yet, but I'm looking forward to sharing it with you soon :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HJKP3TDkLHg/Ul2x3i7I06I/AAAAAAAAB-8/FhnCUOLR57k/s640/blogger-image--1993944491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HJKP3TDkLHg/Ul2x3i7I06I/AAAAAAAAB-8/FhnCUOLR57k/s640/blogger-image--1993944491.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But for now, the priority unpacking...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A1QtZPg4czE/Ul2yLui6jyI/AAAAAAAAB_M/8wzKmyfkqh4/s640/blogger-image--1561729872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A1QtZPg4czE/Ul2yLui6jyI/AAAAAAAAB_M/8wzKmyfkqh4/s640/blogger-image--1561729872.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div>Home sweet home.</div><br></div>Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-78966749175547262792013-09-23T22:10:00.001+01:002013-09-23T22:10:36.053+01:00Summer Salad Season VI<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The MacBook is still not fixed, but hope is not yet lost (and I was secretly pleased when the man in the Apple Store referred to it as 'vintage') and so we venture into the final summer salad season post, wonky photos and all. This week's salads are not for those of you who eat lunch in close proximity to your colleagues as the theme seems to be 'slightly whiffy'!</span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PTN0h9-cYH0/UkCtcznfUtI/AAAAAAAAB-E/t5QkohB4Kns/s640/blogger-image-376749397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PTN0h9-cYH0/UkCtcznfUtI/AAAAAAAAB-E/t5QkohB4Kns/s640/blogger-image-376749397.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Egg and mackerel on mixed leaf salad</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IFtepiC5cPY/UkCtnY29FDI/AAAAAAAAB-M/YGFJHLa7nBQ/s640/blogger-image-1106544361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IFtepiC5cPY/UkCtnY29FDI/AAAAAAAAB-M/YGFJHLa7nBQ/s640/blogger-image-1106544361.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Pesto pasta salad - leave stirring on the pesto as late as possible to keep it tasting fresh, but you can cook the pasta and prepare the salad the night before </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SegkQj5Yz8I/UkCtub2CbhI/AAAAAAAAB-U/B4YTCUxkpcc/s640/blogger-image-759612910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SegkQj5Yz8I/UkCtub2CbhI/AAAAAAAAB-U/B4YTCUxkpcc/s640/blogger-image-759612910.jpg"></a></div></div>Tomato and mozzarella - can't wait to start growing basil again for the perfect accompaniment to this classic salad</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wavZ9RC-E5M/UkCuSfQMRBI/AAAAAAAAB-k/U_xvjNJ-qTg/s640/blogger-image-297894556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wavZ9RC-E5M/UkCuSfQMRBI/AAAAAAAAB-k/U_xvjNJ-qTg/s640/blogger-image-297894556.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Healthy home made coleslaw salad - mix shredded white cabbage with grated carrot, 2tbsp plain yoghurt and a dollop of mayonnaise</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NgvaFoPT-Ek/UkCt2QPmgAI/AAAAAAAAB-c/ZgLWgWcdNUk/s640/blogger-image--44775816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NgvaFoPT-Ek/UkCt2QPmgAI/AAAAAAAAB-c/ZgLWgWcdNUk/s640/blogger-image--44775816.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Tandoori chicken - I love how the avocados take the edge off of the spice in this salad (and 6 avocados for £1 in my local green grocer makes this deliciously thrifty!)</div></div><br></div>Next time, we're onto more hearty autumn salads (and I may have my eye on a few soup recipes too!) but for now, let's enjoy the last of the warm weather :)</div>Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-13158493642687107082013-09-16T20:42:00.001+01:002013-09-16T20:42:33.096+01:00Broken Laptop/Instagram WeekendMy laptop appears to have given up the ghost (this may have something to do with it being a veteran of 6.5 years) but I refuse to give up on it. Whilst I attempt to rescue my poor sick computer, here's an Instagram update of my weekend...<br />
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I'm trying out this £1 night cream from Tesco and will report back on my findings</div>
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I ate far too much delicious triple chocolate shortbread</div>
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I spent a sunny afternoon in Cheltenham</div>
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I had a free Starbucks coffee with my rewards voucher (a strawberries and cream Frapuccino, in case you're wondering)</div>
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I got given a beautiful, freshly-picked pumpkin- looking forward to cooking with it this week</div>
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I enjoyed the last of the summer sunshine watching a friend compete in a triathlon</div>
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Hope you had a fun-filled weekend!</div>
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PS You can follow me on Instagram @thriftylodge</div>
Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-2769188489082228022013-09-04T18:00:00.000+01:002013-09-04T19:41:42.262+01:00Back to School Blues Cure - Cornflake CakesI spent last week in sunny Cornwall and went back to work on Monday, which felt just like the first day back at school, when you accept that summer is over and feel the long year stretching out ahead of you. There's also a chill in the air in the mornings, dew on the grass and my calendar has flipped over to September.<br />
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I therefore decided I needed comfort food and made one of the best school-age snacks; cornflake cakes!<br />
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I can't call this a recipe, as all you do is melt some chocolate over a simmering pan of water and then stir in your cornflakes (mine had gone soft, which was the perfect excuse to make cornflake cakes!), but I can tell you it tastes delicious and thoroughly recommend you get making right away...<br />
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PS I love my polka dot cake cases, but how amazing are <a href="http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16187/Lakeland-6-Flowerpot-Muffin-Cases">these</a> flower pot cake cases from Lakeland?<br />
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<br />Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-72470462945270181402013-09-02T18:00:00.000+01:002013-09-02T18:00:00.586+01:00September Seasonal Recipe: Apple and Blackberry Crumble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The blackberries are ripening beautifully here in The Cotswolds (and especially in my 'jungle garden'), which is the perfect excuse to make an apple and blackberry crumble.</div>
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Ingredients</div>
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2 cooking apples</div>
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400g blackberries</div>
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50g caster sugar</div>
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Topping:</div>
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150g plain flour</div>
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75g caster sugar</div>
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75g butter</div>
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1 tsp cinnamon</div>
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1. Pre-heat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas Mark 4<br />
2. Peel, core and slice the apples and then wash and drain the blackberries<br />
3. Pour the fruit into an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle the caster sugar over the top<br />
4. Sift in the flour and sugar into a clean bowl<br />
5. Add the butter to the bowl and rub until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs<br />
6. Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes or until lightly golden<br />
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Apple and blackberry crumble is a classic, but if you want to branch out further into the blackberry realm then Pinterest is full of inspiration as always. How about coconut, blackberry and lime ice cream <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/211458144977095206/">here</a> or some blackberry lemonade <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/56083957832601250/">here</a> or if you're feeling really out there, blackberry glazed salmon <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/269723465156340478/">here</a>.Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-40890671509645328292013-08-28T18:00:00.000+01:002013-08-28T18:00:01.007+01:00Lemon No-bake CheesecakeA jar of lemon curd goes a long way and is a great thrifty way to add zing to a cheesecake. This recipe also doesn't require much butter, which tends to be what makes baking expensive. It's also super quick and easy and the results taste delicious. In my opinion, this makes it the perfect summer desert.<br />
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Lemon Curd Cheesecake Recipe<br />
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For the base:<br />
200g digestive biscuits<br />
70g butter<br />
30g lemon curd<br />
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For the topping:<br />
250g marscapone cheese<br />
150g lemon curd<br />
1 tbsp Lemon juice<br />
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1. Place the biscuits in a sandwich bag and seal to close. Bash with a rolling pin until crushed into fine crumbs<br />
2. Melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan over low heat, then add the biscuits and lemon curd and stir until well combined<br />
3. Line a round cake tin with greaseproof paper and pour the biscuit mix into the base, press down firmly with a potato masher and pop in the fridge<br />
4. In a clean bowl, beat the marscapone, lemon curd and lemon juice until smooth<br />
5. Remove the cake tin from the fridge and spoon the topping on, smoothing with the back of a spoon<br />
6. Return to the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours<br />
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This is a super thrifty version, but if you wanted to make an impressive dinner party desert, you could double up the topping to make it taller!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-83726553635328468872013-08-26T18:37:00.001+01:002013-08-26T18:37:40.562+01:00Free McDonald's Frappe<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">McDonald's are offering a free frappe
through their app at the moment. I decided this was a good chance to try one as
I was skeptical about the concept of a frappe from a fast food restaurant!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">To get a code, you just need to log onto
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<span lang="EN-US">They offer a choice of caramel and mocha, I
opted for the latter as I was in the car and in need of some caffeine. It was a
bit over sweet with the whipped cream and chocolate sauce they pile on top (and was probably therefore horrendously bad for me), but was not a bad effort, especially for
free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Click to download the app for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mcdonalds-uk/id363559703?mt=8">iPhone</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mcd.ui&hl=en">Android</a>. Hurry though as codes expire on 29th August!</span></div>
Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-83258299416978974882013-08-20T18:00:00.000+01:002013-08-20T18:00:00.982+01:00Home Made HoumousMaking your own houmous is a no-brainer. A tub of houmous costs at least £1 and a tin of chickpeas to make your own can cost as little as half of that. Plus it's fresh and you can flavour it however you like.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
1 tin chickpeas<br />
1 glug olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Pinch of nutmeg<br />
<br />
It couldn't be easier- simply drain and rinse the chickpeas, then blend with a generous glug of olive oil and seasoning until your achieve the desired consistency.<br />
<br />
I made houmous and roast vegetable wraps with sweet potato, butternut squash and peppers:<br />
<br />
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This would make the perfect picnic lunch. Store leftover houmous in an airtight container in the fridge, where it should keep for a couple of days.</div>
<br />
PS When I have some more time on my hands, I want to try this <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2837666/butternut-and-harissa-houmous">butternut and harissa houmous</a>, sounds delicious!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-43702553987146140172013-08-17T20:09:00.001+01:002013-08-17T20:43:11.129+01:00August Seasonal Recipe: Blackcurrant CupcakesIt's blackcurrant season, so go forth and pick fruit! Then bring it home and make these delicious cupcakes...<br />
<br />
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Blackcurrant Cupcakes (12 servings)<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
110g plain flour<br />
110g caster sugar<br />
65g caster sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
125g blackcurrants<br />
<br />
For the icing:<br />
100g butter<br />
200g icing sugar<br />
Handful of blackcurrants<br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200℃/400℉/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases<br />
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy<br />
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition<br />
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir to combine<br />
6. Spoon into the cases and bake for 20 minutes until golden<br />
7. To make the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar with an electric whisk, then add the blackcurrants by pressing through a sieve using a metal spoon<br />
8. Spread the icing over the cupcakes when cool and decorate with a few blackcurrants to finish<br />
<br />
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<br />
Simply pop in a tin and take to work to be everybody's favourite colleague!<br />
<br />
PS If you still have blackcurrants left over, check out <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/blackcurrant">these ideas</a>Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-40353377014338026112013-08-14T08:21:00.000+01:002013-08-14T08:21:10.762+01:00Summer Salad Season IV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week, I'm mixing it up a bit a bit with some picnic leftovers and also using up some veg from the fridge for five super thrifty, super tasty salads:</div>
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1. Simple mozzarella, cherry tomato and pesto</div>
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2. Grated carrot, olive and mozzarella</div>
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3. Pork pie (yes this might slightly defeat the point of eating salad)</div>
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4. Courgette</div>
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5. Couscous, red pepper and goats cheese</div>
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Happy salad making!<br />
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-23961104196910161552013-08-08T08:59:00.002+01:002013-08-17T20:38:32.109+01:00Free Day Out: Natural History MuseumWe are lucky to have so many fantastic free attractions in our capital city. One of my favourites is the <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/">Natural History Museum</a> which I have very fond childhood memories of, but is somehow even better as an adult. Here are my thoughts on a day at the Natural History Museum to help you plan your visit.<br />
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The first thing you see when you walk in is 'Dippy' the dinosaur, who is housed in the most amazing entrance hall:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jc34d531OyE/UgFLBo3X-FI/AAAAAAAAB3k/UJsQNpCI2Ec/s1600/P1040355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jc34d531OyE/UgFLBo3X-FI/AAAAAAAAB3k/UJsQNpCI2Ec/s320/P1040355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Entrance Hall</div>
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The museum is then divided into colour zones- red (changing planet), green (earth), blue (mammals and dinosaurs) and orange (Darwin Centre). We tried to see as much as possible, but you'd need a full day there to see everything. The museum is open Monday to Sunday 10.00-17.50, which should give you plenty of time to do just that!<br />
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It was quite busy when we went, which I guess is to be expected on a Saturday in the school holidays! The dinosaurs gallery (blue zone) was particularly crowded, but you can <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/galleries/blue-zone/dinosaurs/index.html">book in advance</a> to beat the queues or try and go on a weekday when it's a bit quieter.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKzkiLiFGfc/UgFLSjhHRHI/AAAAAAAAB3s/dquBKLY1qcw/s1600/IMG_0464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKzkiLiFGfc/UgFLSjhHRHI/AAAAAAAAB3s/dquBKLY1qcw/s320/IMG_0464.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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T-rex</div>
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Whilst the red zone is still impressive, the 'Power Within' gallery which houses the impressive earthquake simulator is closed until January 2014 and this month the 'Vision of Earth' gallery is also closed, so don't go expecting to see any of these. You can use the time saved to hang out with the mammals for a while longer in the blue zone and admire the life size model of a blue whale, whose sheer enormity never ceases to amaze me.</div>
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When you start to get hungry, I'd recommend sitting in the Wildlife Garden (orange zone) to eat lunch whilst admiring the 'cocoon' architecture of the new building. From there you're well placed to explored the Darwin Centre and, if your legs start to get tired, to take in a short film in the new Attenborough Studio.</div>
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Then it's time to admire the wildlife exhibits in the green zone before re-energising in the Central Hall Cafe, which is in a beautiful room with high ceilings. Finally, head outside to admire the 'Sensational Butterflies' temporary exhibit (tickets can be booked in advance <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/sensational-butterflies/index.html">here</a>).</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hXSQ6bKNcr8/UgFd1PL1_dI/AAAAAAAAB4c/q0iZT3jigf8/s1600/P1040353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hXSQ6bKNcr8/UgFd1PL1_dI/AAAAAAAAB4c/q0iZT3jigf8/s320/P1040353.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Central Hall Cafe</div>
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For other great free days out in London, I've been using the <a href="http://www.visitlondon.com/">Visit London app</a> on my <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/iPad">iPad</a>. Visit London allows you to filter all attractions to show free days out and to shortlist your favourite places to go. The app and website are kept up to date with daily events as well as details of hotels, parks, museums, exhibitions, stadiums, river cruises etc.</div>
Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-75648340058777401422013-08-06T07:53:00.002+01:002013-08-06T07:53:28.260+01:00Summer Salad Season IIIStill in need of <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/summer-salad-season-ii.html">summer salad inspiration</a>? Here are five more ideas for your lunchbox this week...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlK3fZ2CQu4/UflyaKaL1ZI/AAAAAAAAB1k/-jaH0jE6Gww/s1600/IMG_0421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlK3fZ2CQu4/UflyaKaL1ZI/AAAAAAAAB1k/-jaH0jE6Gww/s320/IMG_0421.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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1. Cheese and pickle</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKmXmeVha-c/UflyoLxVxRI/AAAAAAAAB1s/Lt8KfcGrYTk/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKmXmeVha-c/UflyoLxVxRI/AAAAAAAAB1s/Lt8KfcGrYTk/s320/IMG_0445.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Roast potato and sweetcorn</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIVW8wbrq3Q/Uflyx-53i9I/AAAAAAAAB10/OogASD8WNWk/s1600/IMG_0487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIVW8wbrq3Q/Uflyx-53i9I/AAAAAAAAB10/OogASD8WNWk/s320/IMG_0487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. Mozzarella and beetroot</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnFwH1hkVEQ/Ufly7mesqcI/AAAAAAAAB18/B4L2uIImSGI/s1600/IMG_0475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnFwH1hkVEQ/Ufly7mesqcI/AAAAAAAAB18/B4L2uIImSGI/s320/IMG_0475.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/super-thrifty-cheats-potato-salad.html">Super thrifty cheat's potato salad</a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oq6C7rFM4lw/UgCcO6j2YGI/AAAAAAAAB28/znP3d5ioCK4/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oq6C7rFM4lw/UgCcO6j2YGI/AAAAAAAAB28/znP3d5ioCK4/s320/IMG_0529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. Mushroom and goats cheese</div>
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I've seen loads of good offers on salad cheeses in the big supermarkets this week, so stock up! The goats cheese for the salad above was £1 in Tesco, but I've also seen offers on ricotta, feta and mozzarella in the last couple of days.</div>
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-97804568165523382013-08-04T21:43:00.000+01:002013-08-04T21:43:00.918+01:00Super Thrifty Cheat's Potato SaladThis potato salad would be fairly thrifty at the best of times, but when you manage to grab some supermarket bargains (and these items are ones I commonly find in the reduced aisle, not just a one off), it costs just pennies!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3aFMWeJ53o/Ufl0lWyi9aI/AAAAAAAAB2M/KdLjq1ng7Jg/s1600/P1040369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3aFMWeJ53o/Ufl0lWyi9aI/AAAAAAAAB2M/KdLjq1ng7Jg/s320/P1040369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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One quarter of a tub of dip</div>
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2 spring onions</div>
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Handful of new potatoes*</div>
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Salt and pepper</div>
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*I went to thrifty extremes as I had a tin of potatoes that my Grandma had given me (don't ask why, it's a Grandma thing!) but I would recommend normal potatoes, as tinned ones are a little questionable, if very thrifty!</div>
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1. Cook and drain the potatoes (or open the tin!)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-es0ymhOyTDA/Ufl2ZCZy1dI/AAAAAAAAB2k/HIJUlE6z4Dw/s1600/P1040370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-es0ymhOyTDA/Ufl2ZCZy1dI/AAAAAAAAB2k/HIJUlE6z4Dw/s320/P1040370.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Dice the spring onions</div>
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3. Put the potatoes and spring onions into a bowl and mix thoroughly with the dip, season to taste</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBFXDgdmZPI/Ufl2jVdkNHI/AAAAAAAAB2s/roURCOn5IM8/s1600/P1040374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBFXDgdmZPI/Ufl2jVdkNHI/AAAAAAAAB2s/roURCOn5IM8/s320/P1040374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As you can see, I only paid 11p for 4 portions of dip and 11p for 3 spring onions, which makes this a pretty good way to <strike>disguise the taste of tinned potatoes</strike> make a cheat's potato salad!</div>
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Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-7141037082161791902013-08-02T21:14:00.000+01:002013-08-02T21:14:00.037+01:00Free Newspaper When You Spend £5Waitrose have improved their newspaper offer; now when MyWaitrose card holders spend £5, they can pick up a free copy of any of the following newspapers:<br />
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Daily Telegraph<br />
Daily Mail<br />
The Guardian<br />
The Sunday Telegraph<br />
The Mail on Sunday<br />
The Observer<br />
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So now there's something for everyone!<br />
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Although I don't usually do my weekly shop at Waitrose, I do often pop in on my lunch break for a <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/my-waitrose-free-tea-or-coffee.html">free tea or coffee</a> and sometimes need to pick up a few bits. I went in yesterday to grab some baking supplies (watch this space!) and picked up my free newspaper:<br />
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Although Waitrose is generally a little pricier, they do price match on a lot of items and their <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/essential_waitrose.html">Essential Waitrose</a> range tends to be competitive with Sainsburys, Tesco and the like, so if you choose carefully, you can get a free newspaper worth £2 without spending a penny more on your shopping!Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347012779189273386.post-40307631597408241372013-07-31T21:01:00.002+01:002013-07-31T21:01:59.090+01:00Ikea Pax Built-in Wardrobe Hack- Part IISo in <a href="http://thriftylodge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/ikea-pax-built-in-wardrobe-hack-part-i.html">Part I</a> of the Ikea Pax wardrobe hack, I showed you the frames and the Komplement drawer re-sizing. In Part II, I'd like to share the clothes rail hack and the construction of the wardrobe doors and 'roof'.<br />
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Re-sizing the Komplement clothes rail was pretty straightforward, as the ends could easily be removed so that the pole could be cut to size (using a jigsaw) and then re-fitted.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-weAD5Vuqk2o/Ue7jPMwNyxI/AAAAAAAABzY/aPfVKElWDNA/s1600/P1030756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-weAD5Vuqk2o/Ue7jPMwNyxI/AAAAAAAABzY/aPfVKElWDNA/s320/P1030756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These were then screwed into place. Owing to the design of the clothes rail, we needed to fit another piece of 4x2 below the frame to affix the rails to:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUgE8u4SXDE/UflseDdTm-I/AAAAAAAAB1E/wU0uKvZzPTU/s1600/P1040404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUgE8u4SXDE/UflseDdTm-I/AAAAAAAAB1E/wU0uKvZzPTU/s320/P1040404.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Designing the doors was really surprisingly difficult. We liked our original Pax <a href="http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S59867730/">Bergsbo</a> doors because the panelling gave some interest, but we didn't want the new design to be quite as complicated (mainly because we worried that so many panels would show any imperfections). I spent a lot of time on Pinterest, eventually settling on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/45599014948953020/">this</a> as my favourite style.<br />
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The doors were measured up and then transferred onto free 3D modelling software <a href="http://www.sketchup.com/">Google SketchUp</a> to check the proportions.<br />
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Once happy with the design, we purchased the MDF from B&Q, who offer a free wood cutting service in their larger stores. We had them cut the 24mm sheets for the doors to size and also a 6mm sheet into strips for the detailing. This is it all laid out (we did the final cut on the strips ourselves as this was fairly straightforward and allowed us to make it fit perfectly):<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6Pl9PTU3g4/Ue7i_2Q7oDI/AAAAAAAABzQ/3b5-um4iNPw/s1600/P1030739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6Pl9PTU3g4/Ue7i_2Q7oDI/AAAAAAAABzQ/3b5-um4iNPw/s320/P1030739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Each strip was glued and pinned into place using lost head nails, we then left them to set under every heavy object we could find and crossed our fingers that they'd stay stuck down:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIln-aoGsA0/UfVlS4A1cLI/AAAAAAAAB0A/swgstYQ-nME/s1600/P1030750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIln-aoGsA0/UfVlS4A1cLI/AAAAAAAAB0A/swgstYQ-nME/s320/P1030750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happily, they turned out pretty OK and were then ready to seal (with watered down PVA glue), prime and paint (apologies for the strange picture below!)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MoO-HiNUQZg/UfVlsR6VQkI/AAAAAAAAB0I/lORZT02hecs/s1600/P1030745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MoO-HiNUQZg/UfVlsR6VQkI/AAAAAAAAB0I/lORZT02hecs/s320/P1030745.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The doors and frames are painted in Little Greene 'Clockface' intelligent emulsion. We opted for butterfly hinges (from <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-X-BLACK-ANTIQUE-IRON-UNEQUAL-FANCY-BUTTERFLY-HINGES-/190513046894?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160">eBay</a>) as we were worried that butt hinges would make all the measurements too difficult and result in gaps around the doors and I'm really pleased with the visual interest that they add.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ajwHmSGgFQQ/UflqNrFz4YI/AAAAAAAAB0o/wTG06Vm-vVI/s1600/P1040392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ajwHmSGgFQQ/UflqNrFz4YI/AAAAAAAAB0o/wTG06Vm-vVI/s320/P1040392.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The final step was the 'roof', which sits on top of the frame; we decided there was no need for glue or screws on this, providing the fit was good. To allow a bit of airflow, we used a router to cut two holes in the roof, as below and then slotted the roof into place.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hoO2fBG9Og/UflpbBAb4VI/AAAAAAAAB0c/8eU9V58dXd4/s1600/P1040400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hoO2fBG9Og/UflpbBAb4VI/AAAAAAAAB0c/8eU9V58dXd4/s320/P1040400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the result. The wardrobes are a real focal point in the room and maximise the available space, well worth the hard work!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H6qJ0AOuM5M/Uflrfjn0SmI/AAAAAAAAB04/ryMFYYaq5Wo/s1600/P1040393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H6qJ0AOuM5M/Uflrfjn0SmI/AAAAAAAAB04/ryMFYYaq5Wo/s320/P1040393.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613462129613296160noreply@blogger.com2