Save like Nana did. Be busy with our hands!

Both of my Nanas were very creative.   Nana L was especially good with spinning,  crochet and knitting and Nana B was amazing with flowers, arrangements, drying and harvesting...      Saying that though they both sewed, darned and a million other things and probably things long before I came along to remember. 

Nans idea of rest was sitting doing something.   They (Nan and Pa) would never have sat and watched filth or drivel on the TV in the day.   Actually filth wasn't on TV at that stage.   But sitting motionless for hours on end in front of a TV wasn't an option,  it was reserved for evening.  To pre date myself I was allowed to stay up late and watch Elvis in Hawaii as a very special treat.  Sitting doing nothing was a waste of time.  And time was precious.    Here is the thing... time is still precious.   Hours and hours a day lost to TV is idleness.    

So when Nan sat down and needed a rest she had her projects next to her chair and would pick them up.  Here lies a huge tip,  always have something you are working on ready to go where you sit.   It is ready to work on at all times.   The same applies to going out the door... if it is a car trip and I am not driving or I will be away for the night I take stuff with me.  I can just grab and go! I leaned this from Nan and Mum. 

Mum was always sewing or knitting as well.  She still is!   My first memory of her sewing was she was making bassinet sheets when she was pregnant with my brother,  4 years younger than me.  She knitted blankets for our beds which have lasted until today!   Every baby has had everything needed made by Mum.  And Mum has donated hundreds upon hundreds of knitted hats and blankets to missions, orphanages, hospitals, mens shelters and everyone else within a hundred mile radius that had a baby haha! 

Nana always made us all hand spun and knitted hats,  jumpers, she made me gorgeous things and I remember wearing a jumper she made to one of my first job interviews.   There was no December rush for Christmas she simply worked all year on things.   The last few years I resolved to do the same and this is how  The Tuesday Afternoon Club was born.   The first second of January is time to begin making things for the years gifts and Christmas.   I keep a present cupboard which I add to all year.  Not everything is handmade but a lot is.  I stash really good deals I might find and also thrift store items that will make perfect gifts.  I tend to find amazing brand new and current cook books for a dollar or two so they go in.  I also keep paper and make cards so that I never have to go to a store especially.   When Christmas paper is out on clearance I stock up.  I also watch for plain gold, silver,  solid colours as they are ok for any occasion and not just Christmas!    

For many of us we would like to make things but we don't know what to make.  What will people like?  What works out to be economical to make?   

I wrote a series that covers how to use your talents to make things using your resources that people will love! 

You can find it here.

The Tuesday Afternoon Club is also there to help ie if you have craft times but don't know what to make then ask!  We have a couple of thousand crafty members who will offer suggestions!    

Then there is another category...  people who have no one to make things for but would love to be making things.   There is so much need if you can knit, sew, crochet or anything at all you could be helping a hospital, charity,  someone cold...   You could also get yourself a sideline and sell your work.  

Apart from making a lot of gifts being busy with our hands is a huge saving.   Mending,  alterations, hems,  buttons replaced....  it all saves money.  Both Nan and Mum were always mending something.  Mum patched my Dads jumpers and pants so many times he had patches on his patches!   Because of the internet and You Tube we can fix so many things because there are super easy instructions.   Not all of us had Grandparents or parents who taught us these skills and thats ok because if we want to learn there are endless online Grandmas who will help us.   mmm I guess I am one of them! 

The photos are some of the things I have made as gifts in recent years.   I am up for the challenge for 2023 with a whole lot of fresh new things to make.   Some things I repeat such as cards since each year everyone needs them.  

Even if you are not crafty you can make things.  One of my friends Wendy told me she was not crafty.   I disagreed with her!   Now she sews and makes the most beautiful cards and soaps.... she even sells them.   Her blog in on my list My Abundant Life.   And her life is abundant as she is always busy with her hands!

If you missed it The Cheapskates Club on You Tube or on the Tuesday Afternoon Club... Cath posted her handmade Christmas in review and there are an absolute stack of beautiful ideas, some that I am pinching for this year.   The video is here.   While you are there please give Cath a like and subscribe! 

There is an extra side benefit here.  I always notice and I feel it,  you feel happy and content when you have something to work on.   You are not wandering the mall when you are busy at home!   It is hard to think bad thoughts when making something beautiful!  It is truly uplifting!    What a deal, increasing contentment and saving at the same time!  Oh and ....  we can give more and help others as well as a result. 

There are so many things I would love to hear... what do you make, create,  mend...  and what did your Nana make with her own hands?   I have knitting my Great Grandmother made when my Mum was born!   We have kept a lot of these treasures.   What would you like to make this year?  Are there skills you want to learn?  Do you have supplies on hand or natural resources you could turn into gifts or items to trade or sell?    One thing for certain is making things all year long means we arrive in December with many of our gifts ready to go and now is the time to start! 

See you tomorrow for our first "Bluebird on the ground" report from Canada.   Also the first Tuesday Afternoon Club get together for the year over on FB.  xxx