National Anti Pollution Day - what more can be done

 I am already sorting everything in my house. 

What more recycling can I do?

1 Choose less packaging. Or re-use. 

2 More recycling.

3 Join or start a whatsapp group for your street or area, offering things you don't want to throw away so other people can get them for free.

Recycle goods at your clubs and meetings. Used paper, for stapling into small notepads. Or made into papier mache. Or for school art and craft Saturdays.

Campaign for a shop in every high street that runs repairs to umbrellas and pots and pans and clothes, and teaches teenagers and the unemployed. In another area teach cooking from leftovers, growing from leftover seeds and fruit stones.

Persuade your local council to run two days a year when like other cities and countries, everybody leaves furniture and good on the street outside their house or business and passers-by take what they want. At the end of the day, charities and local councils collect items which are left over.

Start a city improvement group. Collect ideas from around the world and add at least one a year.

Get the immigrants 99 per cent in work, keeping up skills, contributing, not being a burden on space and taxes. Get them into a new city on wasteland not prone to floods.

Start a senior's skills club. Adopted a skilled granny. Grannies can teach crochet and knitting and using sewing machines and cooking and bike riding and swimming.

Get all immigrants paired with others to teach English and their native languages and translate government documents online, to save paying for translations and printing documents in 12 languages.

Celebration Day

Why have a day celebrating anything? One advantage is that if nothing else, it just gets bloggers like me talking about it. You can discuss it on the phone with friends or in a restaurant or pub in the evening.

National days? Which nation?

Have a ten year limit on empty buildings, after which a charity renovates and rents out and can sell off to the original owner or another or the new tenants.

International days are set by the United Nations.

Every packet should include recyling instructions. Every equipment should have a repair or buyback number from the manufacturer.

Corks - what can you do with them?

Corks - such a shame to throw them away. I keep mine. Then I wonder what to do with them. Framed Corks I saw a set of corks in lines in a picture frame in a charity shop. I had to buy it. Then I thought I could do the same with my own corks. They cost nothing. I also have picture frames with broken glass. I'd been wondering what to do with them. Stick corks onto the backing. What about those thick double display frames? You can buy empty ones in craft shops. I bought some in Spotlight in Singapore. It's the sort of frame you often see in charity shops (which Americans call Thrift stores). Cork Doorstop At the Fulham Wine Rooms, in the Ladies toilet, I saw a cork used as a door wedge. You can also display corks in bottles. Make them as backgrounds or surrounds to clocks. Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. See my other posts on blogger.com More about Angela Lansbury on Facebook, LinkedIn. See me perform on YouTube. Read about Angela Lansbury's books on Amazon.com and Lulu.com

Converting shirts into cushions and cushions into bags

Re-using Shirts as Cushions with Pockets
A video on YouTube (Credit Menudo Menurito) shows you how to cut up an old shirt to make a square (or oblong) cushion. 

You have a straight edge to cut and a straight edge to seam. If you are sewing by hand and don't sew neatly or don't have matching cotton, sew a seam with the item inside out. Then turn it the right way around and the seam is hidden. Most shirt material is both strong and washable. 

When the collar and cuffs are frayed, your item has a second use. 

A smart white dress shirt can be turned into an elegant ladies' bag.

I have another thought. Great for cushions and pillow cases for men, students, sons, military, who don't like flowers. Pocket for pillows for an afternoon nap or bed time - paper tissues, phone with alarm, pencil and notebook, other vital but unmentionable items. Alternatively, use it as lining for a bucket bag which lacks a closure; or an old tote bag or shoulder bag which has an old fashioned size phone holder pocket too small for an iPhone or iPad. 

Other uses for an improvised bag:
Bag for storing scarves in drawers at home, on a shelf, or in a suitcase for tidiness and quick finding when packing for holidays. 

Bag for a man's handkerchiefs. 

Bag for keeping or carrying a barmitzvah boy's or Jewish man's prayer shawl and skull cover cap.

Does he have two shirts in the same pattern, or same pattern and different colours? When the first shirt wears out, make it into a bag to match the other shirt.

Turning Cushions Into Handbags
Fold finished item in half along the button side with buttons at the top, sew on a ribbon as a shoulder strap, to make a beach bag or tote bag filler with two sides, one for beach shoes, the other for a drink of water or towel. Sew lower corners together, or attach with shorter ribbon to look neat but allow for expansion. 

Use two or four safety pins inside to secure cut up bin liner or replaceable kitchen bin liner for waterproof lining. Or use as Dad's or Grandad's tote bag filler for baby's nappies on one side, baby food on the other side. 

I also converted a wine coloured satin cushion into an evening bag to match a wine coloured skirt and jacket. I left it as a large square tote bag. 

For an evening, if you are petite or want to look neat, fold cushion horizontally for a high or wide bag, with small ribbon for a pouch and long one for a shoulder bag, attached, or detachable using D rings from an old bag or bought from eBay sewing suppliers or Hobbycraft. 

Cheap satin cushions, unfilled or filled, from supermarkets or department stores are often cheaper than evening bags or are just the colour you need. Many of them already have zips which saves your contents falling out and is some protection agains pickpockets.

All you need is a pair of scissors, a need and thread, and a running stitch.

If you don't have these, what can you do?

No knife?
If you don't have scissors, you can cut with:
a Stanley knife in an office, or from a tool kit, or a razor blade cutter, or a sharp knife, fold fabric in half along cutting line and cut away from you; or nail scissors, or sewing scissors, or large wallpaper cutting scissors. Best cutters are serrated pinking shears which help stop fabric from fraying.

Angela Lansbury, author of How To Get Out Of The Mess You're In. Buy from the author. Get a signed copy.

Widening a skirt hem

I have a second hand Ann Balon three-piece outfit (bought on eBay) with a long skirt. I love it. I have worn it all week. Standing around at a meeting, or walking slowly at home, the tight skirt was no trouble. However, when I travelled into London, galloping after companions who raced for trains, I found the skirt was too tight around the ankles.

It was an annoying nuisance. More importantly, I was in danger of falling.

I had to pull it up to my knees to climb steps on the London underground stations. Most inelegant.

I worried that I would fall into the gap we were told to mind as I ran towards the train. It was equally stressful when I rushed to get off a train before the doors closed.

I nearly fell over trying to step off a bus in Singapore. I nearly didn't make it, leaping from the bus platform onto the pavement a foot or two away.

I had looked at the inside seam several times. It was very highly sewn. The edges were overlocked. The seam had two rows of very tight and short stitches. You could hardly prise the tip of a pair of nail scissors underneath. I could not find my seam ripper.

My initial preference was for cutting the original seam. The part you haven't yet cut is strongly sewn together. You might sew a horizontal stitch across it, plus some reinforcing if you like upwards, vertically, following the original sewing.

I considered the alternative. Cutting with pinking shears along the material beside the seam.

Disadvantages? The stretchy crochet might fray. I might end up with a wobbly line instead of the original edge cut by the garment maker.

In the end I gave up trying to prise open the original seam. I had delayed days, now hours. Minutes were ticking past. Nothing was happening. I had to start. It was quicker to grab my pinking shears and make a small exploratory cut.

No instant disaster and fraying. So I cut a bit further. To my surprise, although I'd had to pull my skirt up to knee level to climb up steps, a mere hand width slit, to my lower calf, was enough to enable me to climb steps. I tested walking up steps in my home.

What if you don't have indoor steps because you live in a one storey bungalow or ranch house or flat? I considered using a step stool. Even climbing up to a dining chair. (I wouldn't want to risk falling off. I visualised what I or you should do. We must have somebody nearby to grab or do it beside a table with a cushion on the floor and no sharp edges nearby. I had steps to both the back and front of a one story bungalow. Amazing. The small cut is sufficient. Maybe the garment is stretchier or wider higher up, once you have released the tight horizontal hem.

I had considered preserving the elegance of an ankle length skirt by inserting an A shape plaque of matching material. The technical term for this is a godet.

I looked at my ribbons for edging. Shiny brightly coloured ribbon looked out of place against the matt crochet. I looked at paler bias binding. Could I dye it? My dyes were not a good match.

What if the garment had colours which run? Eventually, after washing once or several times, the leaking colours of the garment would run onto the upside down V shape patch.

In the end I found in my jars of ribbons and bias binding an edging strip of bias binding.

Now the great news, the good news. The part I had cut had only one seam needing overstitching with the bias binding. Because I had cut close to the original vertical seam, the original strong maker's stitching was sufficient and neat enough to hold the left hand seam. Only one cut edge to bind!

Also, your eye does not look too closely at the hem of a skirt when you are standing nearby. Especially if the garment has eye-catching detail at the top. The skirt has an inset of crochet lace on the opposite side.

I have now learned a new trick for making a slit. Cut next to the original vertical hem. You have only one edge to bind.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker.
Please follow me on Facebook. Like my pages. I'm on LinkedIn.Many more amusing and useful blogs and posts to read. Books on Lulu.com with free excepts to entertain you.

China sends a size too small top - what can you do?

I was sent a pretty lace bolero in red lace from China. It cost me only £2.70. But was at least two sizes too small. Could not go over other clothes. Would not look neat on arms, and too tight across the back. In danger of splitting it.

What to do? Unpick the seams. Which seams?

Turn it inside out to expose and check the seams. Not enough to let out more than a fraction. But no choice. Lay it down against a garment which I know fits ok.

Now what? Insert a ribbon. How to get one to match? Take the bolero into a big store such as John Lewis. Last time I looked, ribbon which was wide, sold on a roll, cost about £5, as much as the garment.

Could I wear the bolero split, as if it's meant to be like that? Maybe.

Or with slashed arms, like slashed jeans? No, because the lace might fray.

What a pity they can't send me a piece of matching ribbon. Wait a minute - the item only cost £2.50. It's cheaper to buy a second garment and cut strips out of it to make matching ribbon. I could make a contrast with black lace. But I'll want to keep that, and not use it to  expand the red one.

Some people order two sizes and send one back. (If the seller accepts returns.) Not worth the trouble. One size fits all. Or fits nobody. I realised this would be a problem before I bought it. But now I plan to buy another - quickly - before they change styles, go out of business, change the fabric.

Angela Lansbury, author of How To Get Out Of The Mess You're In.

Xmas cards: how to recycle them into mini cards and gift tags

For years I have cut Xmas cards into two, saving the picture from the front in my box of all occasions cards. I have kept the other half of the cards in the address book to check the spelling of names, and the spouses and children and parents - and to remind me who must receive cards from me.

This week I was delighted to receive a hand written note from somebody who sent me a to they had sold me on eBay. The tiny card had such a pretty picture, colourful and curly, with little gold stars, that I kept it on the kitchen table which doubles as my desk. The tiny card did not take up much room and it brightened my day.

It was not until I placed it on a coloured surface that I noticed the edge on one side was white and slightly frayed, showing that it had been torn from a larger picture. I was even more delighted and intrigued by this discovery, and the possibilities it suggested.

Step One: Card one
A Christmas card, Jewish New Year card, seasonal card, birthday card, anniversary or wedding card can be cut twice. Make sure your message goes over only one side of the inside.

Step Two: Card two
The first time you cut, you can cut it in half, or even cut it into strips. Then fold it to make a mini-card for messages with gifts or, as in the one I received, with items sold to customers, wishing them well, hoping they enjoy using or wearing the item they have bought, and asking for positive feedback.

Step Three: Gift tag
If you are careful to write on only one side, and only one half, you can re-use your mini card yet again by cutting it in half.

Why go to all this work, if you are working or on holiday and have the cash to splash? I have tried to buy a card and matching envelope and gift tags on holiday or working in Singapore. I'd have suddenly run out of gift cards.

You are invited to a wedding. You brought the present back in your home country but did not wrap it because security will ask you to unwrap it. At the last minute you are going to the party, taking a bottle, but the maid or caterer at the door will take the bottle and your host will never know you bothered to bring a gift, let alone a nice one, with a goodwill message, so you need a gift tag.

Punching Holes
It's easy to make neat holes by saving tags which already have holes.

What if you need to make a hole. Punching a hole with a hole puncher, and making a gift tag. If you are in an office you will have a hole punch. If you are in a hotel, go to reception or the office and ask to borrow one. Or ask if they will punch a hole for you.

Hole punchers can be bought cheaply on line or from cheap shops. Failing all else, make a hole with a needle or nail scissors and plait thread to attach the gift tag.

Neat Edges
Scissors make a neater edge than tearing. A larger pair is more likely to make a straight line. Buy the largest scissors you can find. Wallpaper scissors have long blades.
Better still, invest in a guillotine. I would not buy the ones with a blade which drops. Too dangerous for my liking. I like the sliding sort. Look for them reduced at sale time. No idea what you want for Xmas? Craft items or a sliding paper cutter 'guillotine'.

Recycling Ribbons
Do you need a piece of fancy ribbon for a gift tag? Save from other gifts and keep in a re-used jam jar labelled ribbons.

Buy a roll of cheap ribbon in the post-Xmas sale. Buy knitting wool cheaply from a charity shop.

Menu ribbons and tassels

Save fancy gold ribbons with tassels from special occasion menus. You will see lots of leftovers at weddings and other special events.

I always ask in hotel whether they will be re-using the ribbons or throwing them away. I would not take supplies which the hotel intends to re-use. But if the items are being thrown away, and you reveal that you are keen to keep ribbons, often the staff will obliging search out more of the same, or similar ones in other colours, so you off with not just one but two or more.

Cut old table cloths or clothes into strips of ribbon. Save the plaited handles of carrier bags. I've seen broken bags discarded in waste bins bins and retrieved lovely ribbons from the handles.


Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper which would otherwise be thrown in a bin can be recycled. Cut into neat oblongs. Fold around the large rolls of wrapping paper, and secure small pieces with a rubber band - or ribbon!

You can fold paper to make matching or colourful envelopes for small or large cards.

A coloured envelope can be cut to make gift tags.

Wishing you a creative and happy holiday and wonderful weekends and enjoyable evenings and delightful days.

Agnela Lansbury
Author of How To Get Out of The Mess You're In.

Traffic light colours for timing speeches

Have you ever arrived at a Toastmasters speakers meeting and found the lights were missing and didn't work? Or have you arrived early and wanted to rehearse your speech? Here's a solution.Make your own traffic lights. Keep them in your 'emergency box' which you take to every meeting - even if you leave it in the boot of your car permanently and never bring it out except at the contest at the new venue, when you must start on time but the Sergeant at Arms is stuck in traffic.

To make traffic lights for timing speeches, use coloured pieces of paper or cardboard. For example: from the inside of Cafepod boxes. You could even use red yellow and green peppers or tomatoes at home in  your kitchen with a friend to hold them up as signals.

Coloured card or paper saved from envelopes and junk mail.


The green felt back of a table mat.

Here's the green felt back of a table mat.

A yellow table napkin.

A Caffepod box.

The espresso Cafepod coffee boxes come in a range of colours. You can even use three sections with the readymade folds to make a standing triangle on a table.

See my other posts on travel.

(Pictures to be added later. I have loaded them up to my computer but it takes a while for the blog and the pictures to be able to connect.)
Angela Lansbury, CL, ACG