Seven Things Week 7

"Happy is ... the woman who needs only one pair of good shoes and a library card."

MargB had a link to this excellent article on consumerism by Catherine Deveny.

In (21)

• 1 jar key. Fabulous articles, don't know how I managed without one. This is about the 5th one I've bought. I keep giving them away in a proseletysing manner.
• 1 pair of sock's worth of yarn. My mother went to Scablight and all she bought me was this yarn. It was $2 a ball. Do you think Mum is trying to tell me she wants more socks? She made a point of saying she didn't want socks in this yarn, though, but apparently her black socks will need replacing soon. At least she appreciates her handknits. She hasn't stopped wearing the Clafoutis since she wrenched them from my grasp, I gave them to her and has been showing them off to the neighbours.
• 1 postcard of sheep from Nanna's collection
• 4 magazines from The Shopping Sherpa.
• 3 pieces of fabric from Aunty Marg's craft stash. 2 pieces of Christmas fabric and 1 piece of unbleached calico. I intend making Christmas bags out of this fabric to replace wrapping paper (idea courtesy Jejune).
• 1 pinny with teddy bears. Yes, it's very childish and certainly wouldn't be my fabric of choice, but Aunty Marg made it when she was making teddy bears. It's good and big with excellent pockets. I love a good apron, so this stays.
• 1 white damask table cloth from Nanna's stuff.
• 3 white cotton cushion covers with an embroided circlet of roses. Also from Nanna's stuff. These go well with one of my doona covers but as I don't have cushions on the bed, I'm going to make these into stash/project bags, either by putting zippers in the top or by sewing a casing and threading a tie. Will depend on what zippers I have lying around.
• 6 Enid Gilchrist sewing pattern books. These come from Mum. She's been doing a bit of clearing out herself. She used to make our clothes from these pattern books and they are never leaving me.

Out (35)

• 2 padded coathangers that were a speaker's gift last week. These have gone to Mum, she wants some for her sewing room. The wrapping paper has gone into the recycling bin. It had been used at least once before I received the gift, which is absolutely fine by me, but it wouldn't do for another outing.
  
  As a guest speaker of MANY years experience I'll let in on the gifts speakers enjoy receiving; not that they expect to receive gifts, but if you're going to give them gifts, make them something that is a pleasure to receive.
  
  1. Book tokens. Not often given because groups don't like to put an obvious monetary value on their gifts but very, very welcome.
  2. Alcohol. It's mostly the blokes who score the wine, so it's extra good when I receive a bottle. The commemorative, self-bottled port with the screw top, however, is really sweetened paint stripper - it is NOT a suitable gift for someone who has given up their spare time to talk to you at your request. Giving them two bottles does not make it any more palatable. Also, many organisations, particularly government ones, insist on the declaration of all gifts on a gift register and insist on the sharing of such gifts among colleagues. All alcohol I receive goes to the Christmas party each year and very welcome it is, too.
  3. Food stuffs. Chocolates are good - a small box of good quality is better than the large box of cheap Eastern European imports from the local discount store. Homemade jams and preserves are a lovely speaker's gift, too. I once received a small tin of homemade shortbread. The tin was obviously recycled, but such care had been taken with the presentation and the shortbread was so beautifully baked that it remains one of my favourite gifts. I still have the tin. Again, these are things that can be shared with colleagues.
  4. Nice stationery. I recently received some beautiful notecards that were a very welcome gift.
  
  Most speakers do not need (another) commemorative spoon, tea towel, mug, letter opener or bell unless, of course, they are collectors of these items.
  
• 4 key rings. The Tupperware ones have gone to TSS for use in her miniatures collection, the sheep and the fish are going to the SALVOS. The fish came from the Huntington Museum and Library in the USA. A gift from a colleague. The sheep was also a gift from a colleague who found it in an op-shop. As I no longer run the Body Corporate for a block of strata units, I don't have as many keys as I used to. Once was, all of these, and others, were in use for spare flat keys, utility room keys etc.
• 1 jar key. This is for TSS. She needs one, despite the efficacy of the hammer and nail trick, so I bought a coloured one and she can have the white one. They don't make the white ones anymore.
• 6 magazines. It's taken a while to read and pass these on. GIFT
• 1 spectacles case. SALVOS
• 1 pair pressure stockings last used many years ago when I was hospitalised with a thrombosis. SALVOS
• 15 books. BOOKCROSSING
• 4 postcards, greeting cards etc. 2 postcards passed on to a collector, unaddressed envelope retained for reuse and 2 stamps harvested to send a charity which sells them to raise funds for good works, the rest into RECYCLING
• 1 Tupperware container. Mum needed a container for rolled oats - happy to supply
• 1 bath cushion. An inflatable cushion for the bath. My bath is storage for towels and a dog grooming station (I had a timber cover made for it). Don't need a cushion for it. SALVOS
• 1 CD folder. I used this to store circular needles in at one stage but I've come up with a better system now. SALVOS
• 1 TTWC. Mum promised an old bloke who goes to pulmonary rehab with her that she would bring him a beanie. GIFT

SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT (3)

• 1 This and That Tam
• 2 Time Thief Watch Caps

IN 21
OUT 35
nett out 14

SIAA 3