Spring onions are hardy plants. Once established, they’re drought tolerant, snail resistant, and they grow back after a decent trim.
It always baffles me whenever I see spring onion seedlings at a nursery. Why do people pay money for seedlings when they can get spring onion plants for free? Whenever I bring home a bunch of spring onions from the grocer, the first thing I do is chop off the ends and use these to propagate new plants. Continue reading
It’s past the midway mark for spring and the weather is finally warming up in Melbourne. Time to try 5 outdoorsy activities:
1) Bike it, hike it
Grab your bike, a mate or a date and pedal along the Capital City Trail, the Merri Creek Trail, or any other of Melbourne’s dedicated bike and pedestrian trails. For details on specific routes in and around the city, check out The Bicycle Network’s Melbourne’s Metro Trail Network page.
If you prefer a slower travelling pace, put on the hiking boots and explore one of the region’s many walks. I haven’t done Werribee Gorge yet, but apparently it’s a stunner.
Bike it, hike it, whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to take drinks and food so that you’re not spending a fortune on lunch along the way. Continue reading
We’re not going to try to explain life, but we know there’s more to life than furniture. And everyone deserves to have a beautiful home and still have money left over for other things. At IKEA, we’re inspired by all the magical moments that happen every day. These moments keep us going, evolving and constantly thinking of how to make life at home better, more beautiful, simpler and more affordable. (2012 Ikea catalogue)
Unfortunately, affordable for IKEA is a $1899 Kivik three-seat leather sofa. A flick through their 2012 catalogue inspired me to throw together some IKEA looks that were truly affordable. Many of the items featured in my mockups are second-hand, found, or repurposed objects that I’ve brought home over the years. Most cost me less than $30; some were even free*.
IKEA:
Hektar pendant lamp ($99), Bravur wall clock ($79), Bracke tealight holder ($9.99/each), Ursula throw ($39.99), Ivar cabinet ($129), Kaustby chair ($39), Raskog kitchen trolley ($79), Ursula cushion cover ($20), Ludde sheepskin ($59/each).
Mustbethrifty:
Metal megaphone from op shop ($35), grandpa blanket from op shop ($25), ladder from garage sale ($30), Airflow fan from op shop ($20), Harvest literary journals (some free, some not), secretaire from hard rubbish week (free!), repurposed incandescent light globe & tap fittings (free!), wire milk crate from hard rubbish week (free!), cushions were probably bought in a store (but they belong to Cheap Geek so they don’t count). Continue reading
The other day, I found a man disembowelling an abandoned stereo on the nature strip. He was snipping cables when I startled him. His head whipped up; he froze briefly like wildlife caught in the beams of an oncoming truck, before shoving the cables into a faded green shopping bag and moving on.
Yep. It’s hard rubbish week in my suburb, and the scavengers are on the prowl. My man fit the stereotype: middling and furtive with his pliers, green bag and non-ironic nineties parachute jacket. Nevertheless it’s surprising to discover how run-of-the-mill hard rubbish scavenging is. According to researchers, ‘while four out of five householders contribute to hard rubbish at least every two years, two in five make a withdrawal. Parents with young children are…the worst offenders’ Continue reading
must be thrifty 
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