Insourcing #21...My DIY Life...Roses everywhere...

 

Well, last week was a great one.

 

Not only did I find this magnificent Kleopatra Rose for my garden, but we also planted 2 Black Genoa Fig trees, 2 variegated Cumquat trees, 2 Mulberry, 2 Dwarf Pineapple Oranges, 2 Meyer Lemon trees, a Tahitian Lime and a Kaffir Lime. We have dwarf Avocado, dwarf Mango and Tropical White Peach still to come.

 

I'm beside myself.

 

Two of my sons are also getting into self sufficiency in a big way, and have planted a staggering array of veges and herbs in some fab new pods they've sourced. Guaranteed to grow, folks. Guaranteed.

 

Savings? I don't really know yet, but with figs at $20-$40 a kilo here, I'm thinking our $350 outlay on our 12 fruit trees, will be repaid in figs alone within a few months! Of course the potential to gift baskets of organic fruit and berries, and lavish bunches of Kaffir Lime Leaves to friends, family and local charitable organisations is enormous too, and the feel good factor in that cannot be calculated!

 

Having plucked two of my new roses from their respective Mother plants, and displayed them proudly for a few days, I was determined to find a way to utilise them to their last breath.

 

 

Rose petal hand and body scrub was the solution.

 

 

Equal parts salt and macadamia oil, the petals of one each of my Kleopatra and Just Joey roses, and a drizzle of Rose Geranium scented oil whizzed for no longer than 3 seconds in the food processor, and a gift was born in the blink of an eye.

 

Decanted into a recycled jar, gold heart sticker attached and lush baby pink double satin ribbon holding a bamboo spoon in place, and we're done.

 

The bamboo spoons are available at catering supply warehouses, and they're the perfect thing to scoop this divine scrub into your hand. I'll probably paint the end of the handle with metallic or pearlised paint to tone with the ribbon I think.

 

Savings...well a lavish little gift like this would normally set you back around $20...mine cost about $2. Happy me. This is where it's such a bonus to have clean, recycled jars, gorgeous ribbon, and pretty stickers on hand. You never know when inspiration or the need for an impromptu gift, will strike!

 

 

I knitted two notebook covers (don't ask, you'll see soon enough), scribed a pile of white butchers paper with suitable festive slogans in cursive script with a fat black pen, made some keyboard dusters (yes, you'll have to wait for that one too!), and finished some pillow cases for my granddaughters.

 

All in all, I added to my gift pile to the tune of about 17 gifts, at a saving on similar retail items of around $20-$40 each. That's a budget saving of at least $340. Just as well because Christmas is just 60 days away!

 

Of course, my fruit trees didn't save us anything this week, but cleaning, dog washing, catering at home for a small celebration, and baking, certainly did. I would estimate that those things in tandem would have set us back in the realm of $600 if we'd paid someone else to do them. Which, had I been working full time, we most certainly would have, and not thought twice!

 

How did you save this week?

...Mimi...