I know that you know that I've been banging on about this topic since...well...forever. DIY may as well be my middle name. It's a peculiar passion, that even now, when I don't NEED to DIY, I still find I WANT to.
I'm also fascinated by the societal changes, that worship buying ready made everything, whilst also bemoaning being locked out of the housing market due to rising prices. Amongst other things.
When we were kids, we actually felt sorry for the kids who only had 'bought stuff'. Everything we had, from cupcakes in our lunchboxes, to hand embroidered, pure wool, satin lined Winter coats, was made-from-scratch.
Where did that mentality, that level of skill, go to?
Me? I couldn't make a hand embroidered, satin lined Winter coat to save myself. But my Nanna could.
She could also behead a fowl, pluck it, remove it's innards, and have it in the dinner pot, before you could say Chicken Soup. Apologies for that visual. I couldn't do that either.
BUT.
I can make a dang mean vegetable flan, complete with made-from-scratch gluten free pastry. When I say made from scratch, I mean I made the home made Bisquick multi-purpose baking mix on one day, and turned it into pastry on another. I'm not completely immune to time saving tactics.
Waffles. We craved them. I made them. Gluten free of course. Courtesy of the same Bisquick stuff.
And when you decide that you love a good statement necklace as well as those cute brooches, what else is there to do, but buy a couple and upcycle those into something uniquely 'self'.
Of course, the Daughter continues to need the occasional bulk cook-up, and not wishing to have rusty skills in this area, Mother provides.
Another necklance, meanwhile. This one is indicative of the next stage of my life.
And in the midst of it all, there's always cupcake decorating with the granddaughters. A special pleasure, always. Why would we pay for entertainment, when it can be had for free at home?
Custom statement necklaces can be up to $300 each on Etsy. Mine were $50 each, plus vintage beads at around $10. Three necklaces at $900 all up, mine, $160.
Savings $740.
Ready made meals...two weeks worth. Around $350. Cost to me...around $25.
Savings $325.
Those gluten free waffles are $14 for a pack of 4 at the local posh deli. I make a dozen at a time for about -75c. That's a saving of $41.25 on waffles for petes sake!
Time with the granddaughters...well I dare not put a price tag on that. If they really wanted an outing, we'd have one and not think twice. But they look forward to just hanging round the place.
Savings of $1131.25 this week on equivalent bought items.
DIY wins. Every. Single. Time.
Tell me about your DIY in the home. I'd love to hear!
...Mimi...