Clare's Rebel Badge Blog

 Using this to finish some projects and start others: Cross-stitch needle case Knitted blanket - continue making sampler squares towards it. Patchwork wall hanging or cushion Origami - could just learn it! Crochet - learn the basics Cross stitch needle case to give to fellow Rebel for the #BeKind challenge. I used materials that I had around the house, and made up the design. Finished 28th June 2022. Origami I was given a kit ages ago, so tried some basic models one very hot summer evening. Crochet My fellow Rebel Linda patiently taught me chain stitch and double stitch. I got cramp in my fingers and was apparently concentrating very hard!                      Patchwork I decided to finish a Passaglia panel that I began several years ago. I have sewn it to its backing material and may make it into a wall hanging as I have lots of cushions already. Knitting I have started knitting a sampler...

I GOT THE SUPER SCAVENGER BADGE!!! 1: Nicest view from a bench within walking distance of your home 2: The oldest expiry date in your kitchen 3: You with another rebel 4: A painting or statue of one of the five patrol rebels 5: A rude or funny street name 6: A creepy toy 7: The strangest item you can find in a charity shop (In the window of a charity shop. Pretty random!) 8: A coin minted this year. No luck :-( 9: The word rebel on a sign 10: A scarecrow not scaring any birds 11: The most random medal or trophy you can find (I think this is for football. Not seen many trophies so this is the most random one I could find!) 12: The most expensive item of food in a supermarket include price tag 13: The cheapest item of food in a supermarket include price tag 14: A traffic sign featuring a...

Clause 2: Look after an animal I don't own pets but I do housesit every year for a friend when she goes on holiday, and look after her dogs and cat for a week. This year she has a 'new' dog (big puppy) that I haven't looked after before - rather like looking after a toddler as needs constant attention and entertainment! Clause 3: Endangered Animals https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status  Sunda Tiger ( Panthera tigris sondaica ) These tigers live on the Island of Sumatra, and currently number less than 400. They are a critically endangered but protected species. Several organisations are involved in the conservation of these tigers, and are trying to engage local communities to help with the conservation effort. While this is commendable, and a long-term solution if correctly done, there are still many hurdles to get over such as ensuring people don't think they have less rights than the tigers and are no...

I own lots of houseplants, but will not attempt Cacti as I know they will die in this house as conditions are not suitable. I have several succulents. My houseplants are: Spider plants (2 varieties) Green variegated Tradescantia Purple Tradescantia African Violets Money Trees/ Jade Plants Sedums Sanseveria (Mother in Laws Tongue/ Snake Plant) Orchid (bought April 2022 - keep it alive!) Calathea String of Hearts Avocado Tree Aloe vera There will undoubtedly be more! I have been growing houseplants for most of my life, so am aware of how much light they need and how different positions affect the amount of sunlight. I water the plants as needed - they all have varying needs depending on type and position. Don't allow orchidds to stand in water for more than a few minutes; a good soak in rain water and allow to drain thoroughly every so often should be sufficient. There are loads of different fertilisers on sale for specific types of houseplant. I have always found that a generic fert...

I have kept a diary regularly over the last year, starting June 2021, as I have finally found a format that works for me. I have tried traditional daily diaries over the years and get bored and give up within a couple of months. Last year I bought a plain paper notebook, scrawled a week to a page calendar for the month and jotted down appointments and things I needed to do -  this evolved into a vertical split on each page with a calendar on the left and a to-do list on the right. I then had a memory page for each month, initially one for homelife and later another for work, where I scribbled a sentence or two about any outings, events or memorable things and enclosed each of them in a bubble. Doodle appeared between the bubbles too. More meaningful memories or musings got a page to themselves. I included poems I had liked, books I had read, drawings I had made, and so on. I also keep a weekly log f what is in flower in my garden. The back of the book had a pocket and this was stuf...

This was initially a little scary as I had to address my inbuilt slapdash tendencies and focus on some areas I needed to change for the better. However, much easier than I thought when I got into it. The areas of positive change I wanted to make are as follows: Life Admin   I decided to be my own secretary and keep on top of paperwork, both physical and electronic. Bills are always paid, but I am hopeless at filing paperwork, returning phone calls and making appointments for things that need doing. For this clause, I have filed all necessary paperwork, shredded/ binned anything I don't need to keep and deleted lots of emails that don't need saving, both on personal and work accounts. I have also unsubscribed to lots of promotional emails that I never read. This has been quite liberating, as the majority of my emails are now relevant and interesting. I have also made medical appointments that I had been procrastinating about, which is a relief! Health and Fitness For this I deci...