Friday 17 July 2009

More presents

More presents but this time not for me! I don’t want it to be said that I am ungenerous. This time it is presents for teachers – the last day of the summer term has dawned, as usual catching me unawares. If I had a better-regulated household I should have anticipated the request for five presents for teachers, which was made just before breakfast-time today, but I am flattered that my daughter has such a touching faith in my ability to conjure up suitable gifts in under an hour. However, I am glad to say that she went happily off to school with these.




All in all it was a satisfactory conclusion to a momentary panic, and I felt that these presents also remained true to the permaculture principles which are so important to the way we run our smallholding. The principles are ‘earth care’, ‘people care’, and sharing your surplus, which I have mentioned before. The jars are reused, the fabric lids are from my inherited scrap stash (you might recognized some from the bunting I showed you), the raffia out of my recycled present wrapping drawer, the fruit from our garden, and even the sugar used was fair trade. So for permaculture read thrifty, green and friendly, and you’re there!

And for those who are interested, if you draw round a saucer, then cut the fabric out with pinking shears, you have an instant lid, which is the perfect size for almost any jam jar. I also use an elastic band to anchor the fabric, which means tying the bow is so much easier and quicker. Red elastic bands can usually be found lying on roads and pavements in most areas in England if you look carefully, so they, too, can be recycled rather than bought. (In case international readers are slightly mystified by this comment, this is because they are UK Post Office standard issue, and postmen tend to drop them accidentally as they deliver the letters, which is a great gift for scavengers like me!)

10 comments:

sarah said...

nice! just surfed on in here and had to comment on the elastic bands tip - great one

Pomona said...

It saves on that feeling of needing an extra hand to hold it all down!

Pomona x

Hen said...

Im just pondering pressies for teachers, but I have until Wednesday, thank goodness. Preserves look fabby and glad to hear I am not the only one who scavenges the red elastic bands!
Have a good weekend.
Hen x

Heart in the country said...

Thanks for dropping by my blog, and good luck in the giveaway!

Great presents for the teachers, I always prefer homemade to mass produced any day....and so sweet that you little one has such faith in your conjuring skills :0)

K

Pomona said...

Hen - it's got to be cherry jam, hasn't it?!

Pomona x

A Farmers Wife said...

Hey! Thanks for 'discovering'my blog, ive just very quickly scanned through the first page of yours and we seem uncanily on the same page mentally!-Im a brambley hedge girl too!!!
Im off to tend to our new chickens now and then the school run but promise to pop back asap to have a more in depth read!
Kirsty xxx

andamento said...

Nice blog! I'll be visiting regularly I think. We get the red elastic bands here too, must confess to having my own little stash!

Pipany said...

Hi Pomona and thanks for popping by. Off for a read through yours now x

French Knots said...

We collect the red rubber bands too, so many of them round here!

Pomona said...

I'm so glad that the red bands are not going to waste!

Pomona x

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