Reviewing Gifts To Keep Loved Ones Warm In Winter.

With cold weather fast approaching and along with it rising energy costs many people are concerned how to pay for their energy bills to heat their homes and keep warm. Many people may well be thinking of not putting the heating on so high or so much this winter. 

This may especially apply to older people who can feel the cold more, or maybe less able to keep moving around to keep warm. The very old and the very young and those who have conditions or are on medications that  make them feel the cold more will be the most affected in the colder weather. 

So I was thinking how to help people in this situation who perhaps will not accept money to help with bills, but who would consider it normal to receive a winter birthday gift or Christmas gift.

While it is important that the heating is on for some part of the day to keep the home free from damp, it might be thoughtful to give a gift of something that will help to keep them warm and cosy this winter. This thoughtfulness may also extend to yourself.

Depending on your budget, some of these suggestions are affordable, others more considered purchases and perhaps the more expensive ones could be purchased by a family or  friends clubbing together for a present. Or you may like to purchase these as a treat for yourself, as we did. 

So gifts that are lovely, cosy, warm and beautiful like these can be a lovely thoughtful present for any person to help them keep warmer and more relaxed in the colder months of the year. 

 

Heated Throw

The first gift idea and one that we have found very useful is a heated throw. These are blankets or throws that you put on over yourself to keep warm and have a timer facility so you can choose the temperature the throw warms up to and the length of time you have it on. 

The best ones have a cut off function once the time is reached so I consider this a vital function, especially for elderly people or anyone just busy, so it cannot over heat or be left on all night. 

We have a couple of these throws for use in the living room when watching TV and for one to go over the bed which we put on an hour before bed to warm up the bed and the room. We find that these do heat us up very well and also put some heat into the room which is useful in winter.

One is a Faux Fur heated blanket and one is a Sherpa Fleece Blue heated blanket. They are deliciously cosy! We have used the heating far less since we got these blankets and so saved on our heating bills, while still keeping nice and warm.                    

Read more about my personal experience of using these in my article Reviewing Benefits And Considerations Of Heated Throws 

 SEALY Electric Throw Blanket, Flannel & Sherpa Heated Throw with 6 Heating LevelsCheck Price

 

Warm Wearable Hooded Fleece Blankets.

We have two each of these warm wearable hooded fleece blankets and we really appreciate them in the autumn and winter. Wearing them can certainly delay us needing to put the heating on. 

They are great during the day when at home as you can move around freely wearing them, yet you are warm and certainly cosy! However you still feel Ok answering the door to people which I would not be Ok with if I was in a dressing gown! In the evening they are just wonderful and snuggly and so warm.

 Wearable Blanket Hoodie for AdultCheck Price

 

We especially like to wear them first thing in the morning when getting breakfast and once we settle down for the evening. I also like to wear mine when doing computer work and we both wear them watching TV or playing games in the evenings.

Read More about how we enjoy wearing these in my article Reviewing Warm Wearable Oversized Hooded Blankets 

Warm Bedding 

In the autumn we start switching out our bedding to warmer fleece and blankets to go with our duvets. It makes more of a difference than you might think and is an easy switch.

 As long as you know the persons bed size, a warm bedding set would be a lovely thoughtful gift. I love this Microsoft Sheet Set with a flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases for its warm, cosy and beautiful look on the bed. This set is available in a wide choice of beautiful colours to suit any person and any bedroom decor. It has deep pocket fitting on the fitted sheet and is machine washable on cold, tumble dry low so easy care

Even if you are not sure of the bed size, then a comforter to go over the bed would be a great gift and less dependant on size especially if you size up so you can be sure it covers the bed. 

My friend and contributor Barbara wrote this useful article about her personal experience of owning this Warm Sherpas Comforter Set. 

 Microsoft Sheet SetCheck Price

 

Warm Cosy Bed Socks

I don't know about you but if my feet are cold I am cold. So it is vital to keep feet warm and cosy. There are many choices of lovely bed socks for everyone in different colours . So if you know the persons shoe size a special cosy pair of socks can be a thoughtful gift.  

I especially like these Non Skid Gripper Fleece Socks as in addition to being warm and cosy, they have grippers on the soles so are more non slip that most socks and so safer if you forget to put on slippers when you first get out of bed or go to get a drink in the night.

My friend and contributor Olivia writes in her review about how bed socks and the subsequent warm feet can equal a happy marriage ! How Bedsocks Can Equal A Happy Marriage

 Non Skid Gripper Fleece SocksCheck Price

 

Shoulder Wrap Heating Pad

This is a great gift idea especially if you know the person has any shoulder issues or feels the cold around their shoulders. 

I know if my shoulders are cold I find it hard to warm up. I carry any tension in my shoulders and a warm wrap does help to relax the muscles. A definite benefit is that you do not need to hold this wrap against your neck, it stays put there by itself! 

 My friend and contributor Sylvestermouse reviews her personal experience in her article about the Sunbeam Shoulder Wrap Heating Pad.

So a few well chosen gift ideas that we here have found lovely and beneficial can really be a beautiful and warm, lovely present for a loved one who may feel the cold this winter.

 Whether it is a Fall/Autumn Birthday present or a Christmas gift or just because you love them, any of these items will help towards keeping you and your loved ones warm and comfortable this winter.  

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Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part Two

 

This is part two reviewing making a sensory garden for a person with sight loss. As I explained in Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part One  my husband is having to adjust to losing his sight and we are both learning how to handle this development. 

So I have been looking into how to have a garden that will be beautiful, fun and interesting and safe as his sight declines and how I need to change my gardening style. 

There are always five elements when making a garden and these revolve around the five senses.

We covered Smell, Hearing and Touch in part one. 

In part Two we concentrate on Sight, Taste and Safety.

We are very much working together on this project and we aim to retain as much of my husbands independence and gardening skills as possible too.  

In this article we will be using the terms sight impaired, blind, low vision, partially sighted and sight loss as these are the current acceptable terms in my country for people with sight loss. This may change over time and be different in different countries. No offence is intended by any of these terms.

Sense Of Sight -Colour and Light

Now it might seem odd to include sight in a garden for people with sight loss. However my husband and many other people with sight loss, severe sight impaired and partially sighted will have some useful sight. 

It will be a case of finding out what sort of useful vision they have, what if any colour they can see easily and what if any leaf shapes they can visualise. The best way to do this is to work with them, visit other gardens, check what they can see in terms of plants and shrubs.

So with my husband we started by checking which colours he likes and can see easily. This may be different for other people. 

These for him are red, yellow, purple and white so we will concentrate on these colours especially for check points around the garden. For example yellow daffodils, red geum, white snowdrops, red bottlebrush, purple clematis. We may include other colours, but these will be secondary to him. 

For my husband colour contrast is important so we need to work that in for example a red poppy against a white wall is more easily visible. 

In terms of how the plants look we discussed having at least some plants with large leaf forms or bold shapes so that he can use these as anchor plants whether they are in flower or not. 

For example:-

 Tree Peony 

 Bamboo

Small round shaped  conifers. 

Tall columular conifers

Elephant ears

We also discussed light in the garden. We have security lights but also would like softer mood lighting for dusk. 

While we would love real candles, they are not perhaps the safest choice for a person with limited sight.

So we agreed on safe flameless outdoor candles and string lights to use when we are out there at dusk. We will turn these off when we go in so as not to confuse wildlife. 

 Homemory 6”x3” Outdoor Waterproof Flameless CandlesCheck Price

Sense Of Taste

We did not think there would be food to taste all year round, yet it will still be an important element. Many of these plants also have scent.

It is crucial that I do not include anything poisonous, an irritant or just ill tasting. Accidents can happen when you touch poisonous plants and we cannot risk this. 

So in terms of positive tastes we intend growing a lot of herbs and salad crops. As we hope to have an allotment we wont be growing lots of veg or fruit in the garden but smaller edible plants are welcome. 

We have grown vegetables in outdoor containers before and will continue to do this. 

So we will grow:-

Different mint varieties such as chocolate mint and peppermint. These will be in separate pots as they can be invasive and take over a whole bed. 

 sage

rosemary

 curry plant

distinctive salad leaf crops such as rocket. 

baby carrots in tall pots

radish

Strawberries

Fennel

Safety In The Garden

Gardens needs to be safe for every person and there are some specific considerations when you are design for a sight impaired or severe sight impaired person.

We mentioned previously to avoid any plants that can be poisonous just in case they are touched. Also to avoid any that can be irritants such as euphorbia plants 

To avoid very prickly plants such as prickly Holly , pyracantha unless they can be positioned at the back of a border where it is difficult to touch them.

Flat ground is easier for my husband now. As he is new to sight loss he still finds steps a bit of a barrier I need to help him with so we will be aiming for a flat garden if possible. If we do have steps then I think we will need a handrail. Also the steps need to be highlighted in some way with a different colour or texture.

Any ponds should be highlighted in some way depending on the level of sight. So for some a border of a different material around the pond will be enough to know to avoid it, others may feel happier with a grid over the water so falling in is not an option.

For other people a pond in the ground is not desirable but perhaps a raised pond in an old barrel made waterproof would be a good option.

Trip hazards are something we need to avoid as my husband has already had a couple of falls over things he did not see. So the aim is to have raised beds but a little higher than normal so that he can feel them with his hands. A low below the knee height is no good as they will just be another trip hazard, they need to be higher. 

This also achieves that scented plants will be at a better level rather than having to bend down all the time.  If necessary we can also paint them different colours or at least the top section a distinctive colour so that he can see more easily. 

For him the ground needs to be flat as possible. A lawn is fine and we would still like some lawn, but we will probably go for more paved areas in large slabs that have some grip and do not get slippery in wet weather.  

So with a little planning and discussing the needs of the person I do believe it is perfectly possible to make and maintain a beautiful garden. 

When we take into account smell, hearing, touch, taste and safety, which should be cornerstones of making any garden we can make a lovely garden suitable for someone with sight loss and beautiful in every respect. 

 Wrought Iron Handrail, Step Handrails for Outdoor Steps Fit 3 to 4 StepsCheck Price Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 Gallon Raised Garden Bed with Self Watering Planter Box and Drainage Plug, Dark GreyCheck Price

Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part One 

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Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part One

 

My husband has been gradually losing his sight and this is something we both need to learn and adjust to.

One of the areas I have been looking into recently is how to have a garden that will be beautiful, fun and interesting to him as his sight declines. We are also anticipating a house move in the next few years  to make life easier long term so I am looking into what will work and how I need to change my gardening style. 

There are always five elements to take in to account when making a garden and these revolve around the five senses of

Smell, Hearing, Sight, Touch and Taste and then the next important area is safety.

It is vital that we work together on this project so that I understand what he wants and needs from the garden. Our aim is to retain his independence as much as possible in all areas of life and that includes the garden.

We aim to arrange it so that he will know where he is in the garden by the location of key plants and structures and take notice of the five senses.  

In Part One we will discuss the senses of Smell, Touch and Sound and in Part Two we will discuss Sight, Taste and Safety. 

I have presented these elements in the order my husband would like me to concentrate. I find the best approach to be led by him in what he needs and wants in the garden. 

In this article we will be using the terms sight impaired, blind, low vision, partially sighted and sight loss as these are the current acceptable terms in my country for people with sight loss. This may change over time and be different in different countries. No offence is intended by any of these terms.

Elements To Address in The Garden

Smell : Scent: Scented Plants

Touch : Different textures and feel. Safe to Touch Plants

Hearing : Sound: Windchimes Water Features and Birds

Sight : Colour and form, Light

Taste : Fruit, veg and herbs Edible Plants. Avoid poisonous plants. 

Safety : Moving around independently and safely

Sense Of Smell-Scent

Scented Sweet Peas

Scented plants are very important in any garden but particularly when thinking of a person with sight loss. I am aware of many scented plants. The next step was to ask which scented plants he preferred, so I made sure I included those. 

I will not be limited to these plants though as I always think it is good to have surprises. Some plants are all year round scent from leaves, others only have scent for a part of the year they are in flower. 

We discussed having these plants mainly in raised beds so that it is easier to smell them and easier to maintain, plus better to be able to give them the conditions they like. In addition, the plants that have Mediterranean origins like free drainage, difficult to provide on our mainly heavy clay soil.

So we will plant:-

Lavender

Lemongrass

Basil

Thyme

Rosemary

Jasmine

Salvia

Scented Sweet peas

Artemisia

Curry plant

Scented roses

Thyme

Honeysuckle

Chamomile

Scented Daffodils

Cushion Bush/Silver sand 

Rosemary

Sense Of Touch

Although I love plants like Holly and pyracantha, they are both very prickly and  it is not a great idea to have them central in a garden suitable designed for a sight impaired, partially sighted or blind person. 

A better idea is to have plants that can be touched safely and that do not mind being touched. 

Some of these plants can be the same as the ones with lovely distinctive scents, many have leaves that are evergreen and release amazing scent when touched. Also they are not harmed by being touched.

So we will plant:-

Choisya Shrub

Curry plant

Artemisia

Lavender

Rosemary 

Chamomile

Lambs ears

White Scented Roses

A reality check are our love of roses. Now roses usually have thorns which is not a great idea. However we both adore roses and do not want to give them up so we worked on what we hope is a solution by planting roses in raised beds and surrounding them with lavender and chamomile. 

That way my husband will know if he smells or feels lavender or chamomile he has a safe space before he gets to roses. However once in flower the roses will have a gorgeous scent he can enjoy safely.

Sense Of Hearing -Sound

Plants

In the garden sound can be achieved by  plants making the sound such a bamboo or grasses. The distinctive rustling in the wind or a gentle breeze is a lovely sound for anyone and makes it a restful place for a bench to sit and listen. 

Wind Chimes

Materials are also useful in making a sound such as wind chimes.  They can be a useful item in the garden to provide a different element and even announce a separate area.

Bamboo

Water In The Garden

Water is an important element but while we both want a pond for wildlife it can be a real danger for someone who is sight impaired.

 So our solution is to have elements near the pond that will alert him to the water such as a physical barrier of a fence around the pond, a windchime near it and for added safety we will add a grid over the pond in case he does walk onto it.

We may have a small running water feature pump, not so much so that it disturbs wildlife but enough for it to be heard.

We will change the ground near the pond to something very different so if there is grass mainly near the pond we will put slabs down. 

Bird Bath

We will also continue to have a bird bath. Even if he eventually cannot see the birds very well, he can hear them having a bath as they splash around. We love our garden birds so we intend to have maybe three bird baths in different areas.

A Bird In The Bath
by RaintreeDesigns

 

So with a little thought and discussion and some plant knowledge it is I believe very possible to make a beautiful sensory garden with Touch, Sound and Scent for a person with sight loss and being an interesting garden for everyone. 

See Part Two in a few weeks, which will cover Sight, Taste and Safety. 

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Reviewing Ten Tips For A Beautiful Garden On A Budget

Gardening is an amazing, absorbing hobby and one that I love. However, especially these days, it can get very expensive. 

There are now so many things you can buy for the garden and plants have become more expensive to buy. We may not all always have lots of cash to spend on the garden and this should not deplete our enjoyment of this wonderful hobby and enjoyment of any outdoor space we have.  

Gardening on a small budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing a lovely garden or a creative approach to gardening, in fact sometimes quite the opposite. Here are some inexpensive or free garden ideas we can implement to save money where we can so that your garden does not need to suffer if you are on a tight budget.

If you do have more to spend you can spend on really lovely items. Many gardeners do these garden tricks without being on a tight budget to save money !  

1. Grow From Seed And Take Cuttings.

Growing your own salads, vegetables, annuals, and perennials from seeds is cost-effective and truly rewarding. We can use egg boxes to grow your seeds in rather than buying seed trays. 

Rather than buying them part grown from the garden centre or buying salad from the shop  start growing from seed. You can use old margarine or yoghurt pots and really any clean washed container really to start the seeds. 

If you grow Bamboo you can harvest the canes and use them to make your own plant supports and tripods which saves money on buying them. 

 Take cuttings of plants you love in your own garden and ask friends, family and neighbours if you can take cuttings of plants you admire in their gardens. You can use these to increase your supply of plants for free. I love taking cuttings and seeing them grow. Do take more cuttings than you need as some may not take. 

 If you are very successful and do not need all the cuttings you can see if any friends, family or neighbours would consider a swap with you.  

 You could also try to sell the cuttings at a car boot sale or use an honesty box outside  your home to sell the excess cuttings. 

 

2. Repurpose.

 Get thinking creatively about materials you already have around the house and garden. Think before you throw anything away if it can be used in the garden in a creative or useful way. 

Reuse old equipment as planters, for example old sinks can be reused in the garden as a planter, an old plastic dog bed can become a small pond. You are only limited by your imagination!

3. Buy Second Hand Tools And Share Equipment

 Look for second-hand gardening tools or discuss tool sharing with your friends, family or neighbours. Some of our best spades and forks have been found at car boot sales and even at an Antique shop.

You may only need some expensive tools a couple of times a year, so makes sense if you can club together to buy together and share or alternatively see if you can rent any tools. 

Get a sharpening stone to keep tools in good order and last longer. Also oil tools that require it to make them last longer. 

 

4.Look for Free And Discounted Plants

Keep an eye out for free or discounted plants.

I am always searching for the section in garden centres where they put the old last season plants that did not sell or ones that look shabby. I call them my  "rescue" plant section and usually with a little care and watering you can being them back to life and have paid a fraction of the cost.  

 Sometimes neighbours or local gardening groups share excess plants.

5. Paint Your Fence

 We have just done this to give the garden a different look. Painting protects it from the weather which is always good and smartens up an old fence. 

You can either go for black or brown or a dark green to blend or make your fence a bold feature by painting it a bright colour.

All it takes is a pot of paint and a little work.

We went for black Cuprinol fence paint this time as we have found it to be durable and gives a good coverage and colour.  

The plants really stand out against it and the black colour helps to make the garden feel bigger as the dark colour recedes. 

6. Mulch Pots And Containers. 

Highlight your containers and pots by adding a decorative mulch. It is surprising what a difference this can make to a container. As it is a small space you can look to buy decorative mulches like pebbles, slate, shells or black river rocks. 

Mulch helps conserve moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds, while also giving your display a beautiful finish. As you will not use much in a container you can use a good quality decorative mulch which will give a dramatic impact.

7. Make Your Own Bird Bath

I advocate for every garden to have a bird bath as it is one of the single most important things for garden birds for water and bathing. If you can afford one of the beautiful iron or decorative ones then that is great. 

However if money is tight you can make your own bird bath. You will need a terracotta or stone pot, a saucer, and glue suitable for outside work. Simply turn the pot upside down, glue the saucer to the bottom of the pot, wait until the glue has dried and then fill it with fresh clean water. The birds will love you for it. 

Alternatively simply use old  plastic or terracotta saucers, or even an upturned bin lid and fill with water. Place them in a safe area for birds and watch them enjoy a place to drink and bathe.

8. Make Your Own Plant Labels. 

Reuse ice cream or lollipop sticks or any similar product to label your plants in containers, seeds or in the garden. They may not last as long as more expensive or beautiful bought plant labels,  but they are useful as a temporary measure for seeds and you can replace them when they wear out. 

Personally I strike a balance using free or cheap plant labels for seeds and more expensive but durable metal plant labels for more permanent plants

9.Lighting In The Garden

Sorting  our gardens with  lighting makes them a useable and lovely space to be in the evenings.

However employing an electrician to fix up outdoor electrical lighting can be very expensive. An alternative is to use Solar-powered lights which are more cost-effective, portable and require no installation costs.

10. Protect Your Pots.

Instead of buying expensive terracotta feet to raise pots off the ground to improve drainage, prevent waterlogging and frost damage,  try using old bricks you may have and placing pots on those. 

 

Even though gardening is one of my main hobbies and interests, I employ most of these money saving tips. It means that I then have money to spend on other things for the garden that I may need or want!

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Reviewing Renovating Old Pine Furniture Project

 

This review covers an easy DIY project to renovate old unremarkable furniture into something to grace our homes and fit with existing decor. 

In our case we wanted a new dining table and chairs but the only ones we could find to fit our space and circular were very expensive. We did however find a lovely circular table and four chairs that were perfect for our needs and very comfortable at a very good price, but the issue was that they were a quite horrible orange pine colour.

I am not usually an advocate of painting wood. If it is beautiful oak, mahogony, rosewood or reclaimed wood I will not paint it. 

However orange pine with a shiny finish is just not to us all that beautiful and did not fit in with the rest of our decor ideas for the dining room. 

I am not deterred by a minor issue like this and we really liked the style and comfort of this dining set. So we bought the dining set and went about cleaning, sanding and painting. 

Here I will tell you what we did with the chairs. 

Step One Sanding Down Pine Chair

First it was important to sand down the wood. It had a shiny surface to it and I did not think even the best paint would go on well over such a shiny surface. 

With some furniture paints they declare that you do not need to sand down first so it is always best to  check the instructions and perhaps do a patch test to make sure if you need to sand or not. 

So we sanded it with a fine sandpaper until all the shiny orange paint was no more! 

It is important to do this step carefully and take your time as skimping on this preparation will affect the whole project.

I don't have a workshop or anywhere to do this kind of work so for me it was a case of clearing a room and laying down dust sheets and working on the floor. Of course a work table or ideally a workshop would be wonderful but this project is perfectly possible with none of this.  

Step Two Cleaning The Chair

Next I cleaned the whole chair including the seat cushion and back.

The wood was cleaned with sugar soap and the chair with an upholstery cleaner. There is no real skill to this, all this took was time and following the cleaning instructions.

Then we left it all to dry.

Step Three Masking Tape 

With a project like this it is important to use masking tape to mask off all the areas that you do not want to paint. I do find this step rather boring but it is necessary. 

It is worth spending a little time over this as it is a lot more difficult to remove paint from where you do not want it than to simply mask it off beforehand and does make the painting process easier. 

Step Four Painting The Wood. 

After laying down sheets I set about painting the whole chair. 

It needed to be done in two steps so that I could reach the whole wooden parts of the chair. So involved the chair standing up and laying down to reach it all. 

As I had two chairs on the go at the same time this was possible to do without wasting time. 

We chose a light grey colour. It did take two coats to cover the wood. I would always recommend two coats. A darker colour may have covered the wood more thoroughly with one coat but I always think two coats gives better coverage and longevity.

Furniture Paint. 

We used Rust Oleum Satin Finish Furniture Paint. It says on the tin it is a superior satin silky finish in slate grey.

I found that this paint went on very well and smoothly. I found it a really good paint to use.  It did not have an overpowering smell and did not give me a headache as many paints do. It went on well although was a little drippy, so it was essential to have sheets down. It is necessary to stir it well before starting to paint. 

The clean up is so easy as it is water based so it is just a case of wiping off most of the excess paint then washing in water. 

If I had a workspace I might have used a Rustoleum furniture spray paint which may have speeded things up. However I was doing this project in winter in our dining room so a spray paint would not have been a good idea in these circumstances. 

Any good furniture paint can be used, just choose the finish, application method and colour you like. I tend to go for water based and low odour for ease of use in the home and clean up afterwards. 

Due to the space and how intricate some of the work was I used a small paintbrush and I think this was a good idea so that there was more precision.

After the first coat the finish did not look all that good but I always expect this. 

I left it to dry thoroughly then applied a second coat and this is where the magic happens as the pine disappeared and the beautiful slate grey colour saturated the wood. I an no expert but I think the finish, even in the more difficult intricate parts is pretty good. 

The four chairs took me two days to do at a fairly relaxed pace with lots of coffee breaks! It is a straightforward project that anyone could do really. All it takes is time and patience and a few basic painting skills. 

The Supplies You Need For This Furniture Project

Furniture Paint or Rustoleum paint 

Sandpaper 

A small paintbrush

Masking Tape

Old sheets, dust sheets or anything you have to protect the floor

We think it was a worthwhile project and we now have a lovely dining set at a fraction of the price. 

If we ever get fed up of the colour  or go for a different scheme, it will be very easy to change with a light sanding and a coat of new paint.

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