Making Candles

Decided this would be something I could do as stuck inside for a time owing to not feeling too great.
Thank goodness for the internet and Ebay as I was able to order all supplies needed and make a start from the comfort of my bed.
Went on short outing with GF and was really lucky to spot a candle making kit in a charity shop for £4, but have spent about £25 on supplies and equipment.
As an experiment started with some old bits of candle that I melted in a metal jug I had bought for this purpose in a saucepan of boiling water like melting chocolate.
No water must come in contact with the wax.  The resulting liquid was a bit grey so I added some blue colour to it to disguise it which worked very well.  The dirty bits also seem to sink to the bottom so just discarded that bit of wax.
I had bought wicks and little metal bits that hold the wick in place.  Some molds came with the charity shop kit but I also used two small glass containers and some teacups.
Geri helped me to make them but we found the most important thing was just not to leave it at all but we had a saucepan lid ready to plonk on the top in case of emergencies.
So we ended up making two largish blue candles, two blue candles in the little glass containers and two purple, getting a bit flash now, candles in teacups.
This was all using old wax which was very satisfying apart from breaking one of our large glass holders trying to get the wax out but never mind.
Will certainly continue to make some and use some of the new wax too.
We lit the two blue candles and they burned lovely. Magic

Things left to do 10/20

101 Things in 1001 day Linda's List
Left to do


Now have 20 things left to do from this list by 28th November 2011


Have only till November to finish my 101 list so need to get a wiggle on.  some I know just won't get done because of time constraints and money as well soooo will concentrate on ones I can achieve including new additions.
no point in having targets you cannot achieve so it is a good compromise.


1. Try a first class lounge at the airport 2/2
2. visit all pubs in Surrey bit of 2010 good beer guide with fire with David 30/30
3.  Make use of library go at least five times 5/5

4. Read a Turkish book or newspaper 1/1 have bought a Turkish cooking magazine
5. Make £50 to £100 pounds to help finance Turkey- music magpie and quidco £50
6. Go to Ritz for high tea 1/1 or maybe some other posh hotel went to high tea with my Mum and sister in Tiptree at the jam factory
7. Make a quilted picture 1/1
8. File all papers in new filing cabinet- completed 25/08/2011
9. .Make some candles 5/5
10. Go first class on a Train going to Lisa's wedding tomorrow first class
11. Declutter every cupboard in house 12/15 made a start on this cos of mouse
12. Spring clean every room- not me!! 4/8 Geri is doing this for me
13. Pay off half credit cards 7000/9000 (18000)
14. see a 3D film
15. Make some soap 0/4 soap on order
16. Visit 5 London markets 3/5  Covent Garden, Camden Market, Wimbledon Farmers Market
17. Insulate loft space and put flooring 0/1 loft space insulated by Tom but no flooring put in yet so half done
18. Write five thank you letters to people that have helped or inspired me. 2/5
19 . Try Sushi
20. Visit 5  Museums  4/5 John Soan Museum, Tiptree Museum, Horniman Museum, British Museum-on line to Look at Egyptian exhibition
21. Go to tea dance in afternoon 0/1 hoping to go to Spitalfields Market as they have a teadance on Friday afternoon
22. Have family portrait done 0/1
23. Go to Bath for a holiday 0/1
24. Go to a play by Shakespeare maybe at the Globe

25. Go on a narrow boat holiday or trip
26. Go to a gig and bravely in the mosh pit hopefully to see the Dualers- Dualers split up so will have to see someone else
27. Go to a foam party
28.. Go to a ballet
29. Dance with Anton DuBeck the American Smooth or Waltz
30. Go to Istanbul 0/1
31. Take part in a flash mob
32. Go Glamping
33.  Go to Ladies day at the races
34.Lose 30lb and keep it off -9/30 
35. Play on Wii 3 times a week for a month 4/12
36. Save towards emergency fund  200/1000
37. Go to cinema that has sofas in Knightsbridge 0/1
38. Stay in Belleek Castle 0/1
39. Go for a ride in a hot air balloon 0/1
40. Make air raid shelter into house 0/1
41. Learn to play ukulele one song well 0/1

  Have a real tattoo when I complete my 101 of the number 101
purple=completed bold = working on

Take Some Good photos and enlarge and Frame Them

Have completed this now by making an enlargement of the lavender Fields photos from Carshalton Lavender Fields.  They are really beautiful to see and I had taken one of Ellen and Rosie and about 100 of the fields themselves so had a hard job choosing which one to use but eventually chose one that had a tree along one edge which I hope looks good.  I was trying to take notice of my friends tips for good photos but am hoping to go on a short photography course to help me get the most out of my photos for the future.
I also have a lovely enlargement of Catrina in her paddling pool with her little feet sticking up behind her like two little ears.
I am going to also go through a lot of photos online and make a collage of family photos to have for our living room in Turkey.

Visit 5 London markets- Covent Garden

Had a hospital appointment in Russell Square so decided to leave early and pay a little visit to Covent Garden Market as I hadn't been there for years.
If you haven't ever been it is very interesting with many street performers shops cafes and market stalls.  as it was a Monday it was mostly antiques but other days have other specialities.
As you approach from the station there are a few performers who are painted gold and silver including Elvis and a cowboy.  You need to pay a bit of money to make them move although several youngsters were enjoying trying to get them to move by blowing and tickling them but I guess they are well used to all the tricks and it must be worth it to them.
In the main square the performers seem to change hourly and can be complete rubbish or really good mostly magicians but the audience seem indifferent to their skills and cheer on cue for each and every one of them.
My favourite were a small group playing violins and a double base down in the lower food courtyard who although playing classical music were doing a fine job of being entertaining by can caning and general messing about.
A Chinese couple dressed as bride and groom and taking photos were also wandering about but don't think they were an actual newly weds, it was the baseball boots she was wearing that gave it away but no idea what they were doing other than what a good place to take photos.
The stall holders in the antique market were a motley crew of young and old watches comics and other bits and bobs.
I enjoyed a hotdog from the traditional cafe onions and red sauce of course, had a Thorntons double ice cream cone and then off to hospital appointment. I think will go to Portobello next.  i am enjoying being a London tourist although I have lived here all my life I really have not been around much of it so this is a good way of doing it. and fun.

Ride a Horse

Who would have thought that the opportunity to ride a horse would just turn up when visiting the ancient site of Miletos in Turkey.
Just walking around with my good friend Kym and another couple we spotted a shepherd who was offering rides not really quite the same as donkey rides at the beach but still.
After telling Kym it was on my list a deal was struck and I was led over to a large flat piece of stone to get on.
The "saddle" was his coat upside down and the reins were hang on tight to the main.
I was very glad to know the Turkish for slowly and had a hair raising ride- for me that is while saying "Yavash yavash" every few seconds.
So didn't fall off or go very fast and think you must need to be really fit to really truly go horse riding but hey 5 Turkish lire well spent and another off the list .
While there with Kym I got her to share a skill with me as she is a fantastic photographer so she gave me a good few tips although we were hampered by the fact that I had forgotten my own camera.

Do all fitness DVDs in cupboard

Have tried all these DVDs now and am keeping only one of them,  I realise that even fitness goes out of fashion and some of these are laughable with the outfits they are wearing as well as being too fast or too difficult for me.
I guess that home exercise DVDs are not really for me am better going to a class or swimming.
Am really enjoying the pilates class I am going to so will stick with that for a while and then try to give the wii another go.

London Bus Trip

Have received a lovely gift for Mother's Day of a trip on a London Bus Tour from number one son.
Just need to work out when to go and it is sorted,