Welcome to My Make Do and Mend Year!
I like to think of this blog as kind of like the modern girl’s (or guys!) guide to living The Good Life. Hopefully it will provide you with some inspiration for your very own Pre-loved life..!
Here is a little bit more about me
My name is Jen
I live in the South-West of England
I am married to a pretty fabulous fella, and mum to our two fantastic, amazing boys
Me!
Image © The Big Lunch, Eden Project
In September 2012, we embarked upon a year of Buying Nothing New, and this blog was born as a way of documenting our journey-our trials and tribulations, and our triumphs too!
My Make Do and Mend Year officially ended at the end of August 2013, but the ethos and the blog live on!
You can also follow on Twitter, join the chat on Facebook, check out my Pinterest boards (and my teensy Pinterest obsession…) or e-mail me 🙂
My Make Do and Mend Year 
I’m organising a village Shwop in September. I’ll let you know where and when once it’s all set up. Good way to get rid of old stuff and find nearly new without the exchange of money. Best of luck with your year.
Thankyou so much. Sounds great-please do let me know when and where-would love to come!
I’ve only just joined your year but i will follow with interest. I’m facing the prospect of needing to do something similar myself for financial reasons so I will be an avid reader of your blog. I wish you much luck on your MDAM year =) xx
Thanks Lisa. You will definitely save money doing it. And it’s not as hard as you might think. You just have to think and plan a bit more-which can never be a bad thing..! Keep me updated with your progress and shout if you get stuck-2 brains are always better than one!
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Brilliant idea. I will come back and plunder your blog soon. I was thinking only the other day that national newspapers should have a “Make do and Mend” section on the weekend instead of a glossy magazine. This is the future!
Agreed! It will have to be the future as the world’s resources become scarcer. If everybody did just a bit of Make Do and Mend, everything would stretch a lot further.
I just read this inspirational post over at Climate Revolution, and thought of you as one of the people they should talk to. Have a look & see what you think: http://climaterevolution.org.uk/its-your-revolution/
Wow, what a great post! Thanks so much for linking it. I have left a comment 🙂
Yes, thanks vivjm – I left a sneaky comment too (from the comfort of my yurt – really!).
Oh no! The yurt comment was really not supposed to cause offence! I just think that sometimes people are put off trying to do anything, as they feel they have to go the whole hog, and then get overwhelmed, so don’t even make small changes. Each and everyone of us can and should be taking action, in whatever way we feel works for us. And for lots of people that means doing things that will fit in with their daily lives and not cause them too much inconvenience. I admire and am slightly envious of your self-sufficiency!
Don’t worry, Jen. No offence taken. Lots of people think we’re mad to be living like this, but we felt it was harder not to. It’s felt very pioneering at times, when it should be more and more mainstream (the IPCC report came out six years ago, for deity’s sake). What you’re doing here (and I haven’t had time to plunder the archives yet) is very accessible for people and, as I said before, is completely the future.
My partner came across something yesterday that’s worth mentioning – she’s been creating toy animals from used T-Shirts and sweaters with a view to selling them. Yesterday she learned that it’s against the law to sell the items unless all the material has been checked by the powers that be. It’s a new law that came out last year. I’ll do a blog post on it soon, but you probably already know about it.
Anyway. Like you say: Keep up the good work!
Wow, I can’t believe that. Who is going to regulate it? Are the powers that be seriously suggesting they are going to check out everyone’s raw materials..?! I look forwards to finding out more in your post!!
I love your terminology “for deity’s sake”. Can I use it? 🙂
Of course! And thanks for asking!
Jen, Well done you. I try and go for really long periods trying not to buy anything but not with such focus or clarity. Loving the rules and totally with you on the pants. Not sure I would be able to make them either…mind you, I have some pants that have lasted well past a year so I could cheat there and just fall into the ‘make do’ category for those. All credit to you and really glad to have found you to follow on Twitter!…
Hi Melanie. Thanks for following, and for your kind words 🙂
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Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I truly enjoy following your blog, find you inspiring, and thought you deserved the Liebster Award. It is an award for up and coming bloggers whose creativity is appreciated. Check out my post about the award here: http://pennypinchingpeach.com/2013/04/17/another-award-times-2/
Congratulations and keep creating a blog that folks enjoy reading! 🙂
Thankyou so much for your very kind words, and the Liebster Award! So glad you are enjoying it 🙂
Can you think of a way to upcycle “cholesterol reducing drink” bottles (e.g. Benecol)? We get through 14 of these a week and I’d love to find a use for them. (OH suggests making a raft ….!)
saraband says:
May 21, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Can you think of a way to upcycle “cholesterol reducing drink” bottles (e.g. Benecol)? We get through 14 of these a week and I’d love to find a use for them. (OH suggests making a raft ….!)
I’ll give it some thought-raft sounds a good idea to me..!
Hi Jen,
I have nominated your blog for the Sunshine Award!
This is given to bloggers that inspire others with their creativity and positivity. You are definitely one of the best candidates for it!
All you need to do to display the award, is answer a small list of fun questions and nominate (pass on) your own 10 blog nomination for the award.
Here’s my example http://manchesterflickchick.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/ive-got-a-sunshine-award/
Thankyou!
No problem :0)
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Hi Jen.
I have nominated you for a ‘Shine On’ Award.
I have only just discovered your blog and am already addicted! LOVE IT!
Liesa 🙂
You can read about it here –
Hi Liesa
That’s so lovely, thankyou so much, and thankyou for your kind words.
Have just popped over to your blog to have a peek.
Good luck with everything-giving up sugar sounds uber hard-hopefully it will hep with your IVF.
Thanks again.
Jen x
I’ve just found you blog and I’m looking forward to all the reading ahead of me. What a great challenge!
Thankyou so much.
Grab yourself a cuppa-hope you enjoy!
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Thanks for linking up! The year ran Sept 2012-Aug 2013, but as you can see, I am still blogging and wittering on about all things Make Do and Mend 🙂
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Thanks so much for the mention and the lovely words! Your magazine rack looks fabulous 🙂