This is a very good topic because weevil infestation can happen to anyone in any household. 
I recently came across an online discussion about weevils - small bugs found around in your house and pantry. If you see anything like this you better check all your food in the pantry, especially flours and grains.
There is also a possibility you could find them in your wheat bag especially if you haven't used it for a while. 
If this is the case, here are some tips to get rid of weevils and prevent re-infestation:
- Immediately dispose of your infested wheat bag in the rubbish bin outside
- Do the same with your contaminated food
- Clean and wipe all the shelves around
- Keep your flours and grains in airtight containers 
- Do check and tidy up your pantry regularly
- Keep some bay leaves on the shelves - they are a natural insect repellent

If you don't use your wheat bag often (every week) you better store it in the freezer. Using it often means you are quite safe as no bug (egg, larvae or adult) would survive the high heat from the microwave.
I do take extra care when selecting and using my wheat for my wheat bags, and check and double check its condition and quality.
So you can buy your wheat bag in full confidence.

1. Use your curtains
Open your curtains and let the sunlight get in during the day and shut them before the sun is down. This is the way you get free heat from the sun and keep it inside while it's night.
2. Buy smart heaters
Make an effort and buy heaters with thermostat so you can keep a constant temperature. For us 19 degrees is perfect as we can sleep well during the night - it's not too cold not too hot. If they are too expensive for your budget, then just buy some timers and make your heaters work only every 45 minutes or so instead of all night long.
3. Install insulation
It pays off for you to have insulation in your house - walls, floor and roof - it's not cheap but saves you money in heating bills over time. You may be able to add the cost of insulation to your mortgage or, in some areas, to your rates bill.
4. Clear the area around your heaters
It's best to move your big furniture from around your heater so you allow the heat to spread into the room instead of being absorbed by your sofa for instance.
5. Keep the draught out
This simple solution such as placing a draught stopper against your door or windows can help keep the warmth inside.  It's a cheap and quick thing to do and you will see results immediately. Even if you have doors or windows that are narrower or wider than the standard ones I am able to make draught stoppers to your required size for a very affordable price. Shop online or enquire for a quote now.

We moved house and we have got a beautiful terraced garden as part of the package. It is a lot of work to do to maintain it, to plant and re-plant, but the rewards are great. There is such a nice feeling when you see your lettuce growing, your strawberries ripening, small trees with new green leaves and so on. It is also quite expensive to look after a garden like that, but it is worth when you know that you planted once and you keep harvesting...
We feel blessed with what we have.

Well, I've met one woman only. At least she said that she didn't like going shopping. And the rest of us? We love it. I also like window shopping when the shops are closed at night. Recently, I stopped liking the malls and the like and I started enjoying weekend markets, op shops, little shops in our neighbourhood, libraries when they have used books sale and so on.
Last weekend I tried my first craft market as a seller. I did have some market experience as I sold with my son at Kids only market a couple of times. Ok, going back to my subject, it was a nice opportunity to see what people like, get in touch with some interested customers and meet other sellers. Crafternoon tea  market is full of great, creative and unique products; it is worth to pay a visit sometime if you are in Auckland.
My products were: wheat bags, draft stoppers, door stoppers, necklaces, pony tailers, candle holders made out of terracota, bread bags, owl cushions, bunting flags, kids handbags made of felt, eye packs. If you need any of these or you want me to custom make some of these for you, just get in touch.

Humans are creative. Especially when they need something really badly.
I saw people using the frozen peas bag on a fresh sport injury. Now they can use some modern devices with a special gel, but there is a traditional and also friendlier method: the wheat bag. Yes, you can freeze it too. Get a small one and keep it permanently in the freezer, especially if sport injuries are often in your family.
I also saw people using a towel against the door to prevent the draught. Now there are some other methods to fix your draught problem, and one of them which I like so much, is to use a draught stopper. It is easy to use and quite eco-friendly taking in consideration that you save energy by keeping the heat inside and preventing the cold air to get in.
I saw people using a chair, a boot, a piece of wood and even a bucket to keep a door open or closed. Because sometimes doors are tricky. You want them nearly closed, but they keep opening. You want them open, but they keep closing. Some smart people invented small devices to hold the door open, closed or to preventing it from opening too widely or closing too narrowly.
I liked this idea and I sewed some little cute pieces of home decoration: a bunny door stopper, pyramids door stoppers and even bag door stoppers. You can match it with a draught stopper or a cushion or just get it as is. Take a look at some models I made. These are filled with rice (for a nice shape) and pebbles (for weight). Order now to get a special price of $18!

I already knew that when it comes to heating, New Zealand houses are badly built and badly positioned.
But this was also said by The Herald on Sunday enlisted Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority technical adviser Andrew Smith.
He added:  "In the average NZ home, all the drafts add up to a one-metre hole in your wall. In older homes, that would be more like a 5m hole."
OMG! That's a big hole, the 1 metre one, let alone the 5 metre one - that's HUGE!
Also - did you know that 25% of heat loss in your home occurs through the windows?
You can slow the heat loss and eliminate the cold drafts by using draft excluders or draft snakes or draft stoppers. They are natural, affordable and ecologically made.
These thermal insulators are packed with rice that mould themselves into their surroundings: doors or windows.
The draft stopper is an efficient thermal barrier.
You will feel the difference immediately. 
It saves energy and money and keeps you warm and healthy during this cold winter.
If you don't want to wait until spring to have a warmer house, you better order online now: SPECIAL PRICE $19 for 1 or $35 for 2!

*postage is not included.

A while ago an Australian woman died when a wheat bag placed in her bed started a fire. This has generated a wealth of media coverage. Fire Services investigated the fire cause and the wheat bags risks and warned people to be careful when using these devices. Choice, a consumer advocacy group in Australia, did a couple of extreme tests in order to highlight the dangers wheat bags can pose when misused.

The wheat bags have been used for many years as an inexpensive, convenient and reusable heat treatment for sore muscles, aches and pains and also as a winter warmer.
The wheat bags can be heated in the microwave oven between 1 to 3 minutes depending on the microwave wattage and size of wheat bag. You usually find the instructions in the manufacturer's package.

However, wheat retains heat for a long time and the bags can be dangerous if used incorrectly.
If a wheat bag is over-heated the likelihood of ignition is enhanced if the wheat bag is insulated with blankets or a quilt when being used to warm a bed.

In addition, burns to the skin may occur with an over-heated wheat bag especially if it is being used on a baby, young child or an elderly person as they have a high level of skin sensitivity.

WHEAT BAGS - 13 RULES FOR SAFE USE

1. Only buy wheat bags that have clear instructions for safe use.
2. Do not overheat wheat bags. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Ensure the timer on the microwave oven is correctly set when heating your wheat bag. Accidentally setting 30 minutes instead of 3 minutes is easy to do and has caused potentially fatal fires.
4. Always put a cup of water in the microwave oven along with the wheat bag, to help prevent it drying out.
5. Use wheat bags only as a heat pack for direct application to the body. Do not use them as bed warmers and cover them with blankets.
6. Do not use wheat bags in bed to avoid the danger of falling asleep whilst they are in use.
7. Use wheat bags with extreme caution with the elderly.
8. Do not use wheat bags with babies or young children.
9. Do not reheat until the wheat bag has completely cooled. Reheating before the bag has cooled may be just as dangerous as overheating.
10. Watch for these signs of over-use: an over-cooked odour; a smell of burning; or, in extreme cases, smoking and/or charring. Discard the wheat bag after cooling if you observe any of these signs.
11. Do not put wheat bags into storage until they are cold. Leave them to cool on a non-combustible surface such as a kitchen sink.
12. Conventional ovens on a low temperature can also be used for heating the bag but be very careful - unlike a microwave oven, the conventional oven won’t switch itself off.
13. Fragrant oils added to the wheat bag may increase the fire risk. Use them sparingly, or preferably not at all.

 





Ahh, after such a long and amazing summer, the cold rainy season has come... Brrrr, let's see how we can stay warm and cozy without spending a fortune on energy.

1. During the day, let the sun or at least the light in by keeping the blinds and curtains open
2. Close the curtains at sundown to minimise heat loss
3. If your windows and doors are not sealed properly, use some Green satiN draught stoppers placed against them
4. Keep your home dry by using a dehumidifier, it is easier and more efficient to heat it. Plus healthier for you!
5. Take a quick shower, not a bath and keep the door closed so you don't
spread the moisture.
6. When you plan to make coffee or tea, fill your kettle with only the amount of water needed.
7. When cooking, avoid opening the oven door too often.
8. Use a hot pack - such as a Green satiN wheat bag - rather than an electric blanket. It warms you up, relaxes you and relieves your neck or back pain and the like.
9. When doing the laundry, do cold water washes and wash only full loads.
10. Dry your clothes outside when you can.

Do you know what the biggest energy consumer in your home is?
Space and water heating.
Heating your house and water accounts for about 60 percent of your energy bill (30% each).