Hoppo Bumpo (n): A children's game. Played by folding one's arms and hopping on one leg. Aim is to bump opponents, so that they lose their balance. Last person standing wins.


August 21, 2008

The heat is on


There's a million and one things on the to-do list, but last night I needed to pause for a little first aid. Apparently I have a frozen shoulder; its really quite painful. The anti-inflammatory gel and excruciating remedial massage didn't budge it.

So it was time to pull out all stops.

I sacrificed some of the corduroy stash (in Arctic White) and made this uber-soft, malleable heat pack, which can be warmed in the microwave. You have probably seen a gazillion of these around. Mine is filled with a kilo of finest generic-brand rice, though you can use wheat. I also mixed in a little culinary lavender, which was conveniently hanging about in the pantry (originally destined for a lamb roast ... yum yum). The very important red cross (in Tomato) was a last-minute addition, fused on with a bit of Pellon Wonder-Under.

You should really heat a pack like this (for 3 - 4 minutes) with a cup of water in the microwave, to prevent anything catching fire. Good thinking that, actually ... I'm the person who set fire (yes, really ... proper flames and all) to a chocolate muffin in a microwave oven, when I was pregnant. Apparently 50 seconds and 50 minutes are worlds apart when you are heating a load of sugar. Goodness knows what I could do to a bit of highly flammable fabric.

17 comments:

  1. I hope your shoulder gets better. Can't believe you just whipped up your own heat pack - how impressive.

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  2. Hope your shoulder gets better soon. I heard an electrical repairman ring Triple J recently and he had a sideline going in destroying unclaimed microwaves by cooking various inanimate objects and trying to cause explosions. He was quite gleeful about it all.

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  3. Don't you love pregnant brain! I am most impressed with the whip-it-up heat pack. Hope it gets better soon - would it be right to guess it is form child carrying?

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  4. Sounds painful....the heat pack is fab (love the red cross...makes it very authentic)!

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  5. Thanks for your kind comments. Yes Cindy, I'm pretty sure its from carry the boys. Not so much getting them to places, as out of them (you know, like out of the off-limits cupboard under the stairs, etc)!

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  6. I hope your shoulder is getting better... I must say this is the most fashionable heat pack I've ever seen!!

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  7. Hope your shoulder gets better - sounds painful. Those heat packs are so quick and easy (and you can put them in the freezer too).

    I made one for my pet rats a couple of months back, when they were young and very small. They have now chewed through the three layers of fabric I made it out of. I somehow don't think you'll have that problem though.

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  8. Bad news about your shoulder - hope it's feeling tip top in no time. As for the heat pack - genius. In the words of Justin Timberlake - I'm loving it.

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  9. Ouchy - hope the shoulder gets better real quick. Love the chocolate muffin story - glad to see I wasnt the only one with placenta head.

    Hey HB where do you get that magical Pellon from - do you buy it from Spotlight or do you get it online - I need me some of that stuff.

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  10. Placenta head - haven't heard that one before, but I love it!

    I've bought Wonder-Under (which I think sounds like some kind of girdle), at Lincraft (available by the metre & in packets) and also at a quilting shop. I'm assuming that Spotlight would also sell it? With all the time I've spent there, its quite surprising I haven't noticed. :)

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  11. Oh you poor thing. I hope its not the stress of the crochet doing this to you.

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  12. Hope your shoulder gets better quickly...should do with such a great heat pack!!! The red cross is such a good finishing touch!!

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  13. Hope you are on the mend soon!! So nice to find your blog....great name!

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  14. The ability to sew your own first aid pack is seriously a godsend, imo!

    And, um, I didn't know you were supposed to heat it with a cup of water! rofl So far, I haven't managed to ignite MY finest generic-brand rice..apparently from sheer luck. :p

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  15. ooh - I need some of that wonder-under stuff - that's *my* kinda 'sewing' !!

    Love the heatbag.

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  16. Great job....The red cross tops it off!!
    Thanks for sharing the info about heating/filling as I have thought of making one of these but have been unsure about those details. Now it can go on the to do list - for next winter ;)

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