OK, so today is Black Friday-the biggest shopping day of the year. If you’ve had enough already of the consumerism that our world seems to revolve around, before Christmas has even really got going, then how about Buy Nothing Day as an antidote to it all? Buy Nothing Day this year, is tomorrow, the 30th … Continue reading
I was asked recently to write my Top 10 Tips for Make Do and Mend Christmas for a local paper, and thought that I would share the longer version that was too long for the paper with you lovely lot! 1) Make your presents! We made at least 90% of the presents that we gave … Continue reading
Last year, in a vain attempt to be more exciting than a Lego Advent Calendar, I made up a calendar of “Things We Can Do Together”. I resent feeling obliged to spend money on pointless bits of crap to put in an Advent Calendar, and there are lots of cool things to do, and things … Continue reading
Someone on Twitter once mentioned to me (as you do) that there were such things as Charity Shop/Car Boot/General Thrifting Fairies, who can choose to smile down on you and bless you with a multitude of pre-loved goodies. Well, they must have been following the blog, and read my post where I had a mild … Continue reading
Tomorrow is Stir Up Sunday, and the day that, traditionally, Christmas puds are made. We still have a put tucked away from last year, and I am going to take a chance that there was enough booze in there for it to keep for a year 😉 So, tomorrow I am making the Christmas cake. … Continue reading
Or not. As that would imply some kind of preparation for Christmas. It is looming far too quickly for my liking. Just a week left of November-eeeeeekkkkkkk! The major take home message from our Make Do and Mend Christmas last year, was START EARLY. What have we NOT done? Make any kind of start at … Continue reading
Sometimes an idea hits you out of the blue, and you get some kind of inkling of how that chap must have felt an apple fell on his head… My cousin is 21 this weekend, and I wanted to send her a card. And in true Make Do and Mend style, I decided only a … Continue reading
You may remember me mentioning on numerous occasions, the fact that my bed wear had holes in it. Well, the holes got bigger and there started to be more hole than top, so I decided action was needed. And another sneaky bit of upcycling 🙂 I took this old top, that I bought to wear … Continue reading
Well, not really that Cunning. And probably more of a ‘Re-Purpose’ than an Upcycle. But, what the hey 🙂 We are in need of a new bath mat for our shower room. And Hubby works next door to a carpet fitting business that have enormous skips full of carpet cuts off that, I assume, just … Continue reading
I got this e-mail (below) recently from the lovely people at Pretty Nostalgic Magazine, For our January/February issue, we want to run a ‘Change Your Life’ feature – a roundup of inspirational but practical tips for how to live by our Pretty Nostalgic motto: Spend Wisely, Waste Less, Appreciate More. (I feel I am duty bound … Continue reading
Knitting ideas, inspiration and free patterns, plus crochet, weaving, and more
Other than my pants, the rest are charity finds
A money-saving, growing-our-own, making-do-and-mending husband-and-wife blog
Some of the cool and useful food, craft and sustainability skills that your grandparents knew, but probably didn't teach you!
Inspired by Make Something Month
Author, trainer, coach
connecting people, place and planet
by Jack Monroe, bestselling author of 'A Girl Called Jack'
Let's fix our relationship with electronics
Every month (except December) we bring people together* to give the objects we share our world with a second lease of life and to chat and have a cuppa whilst we're at it (*currently online)
Makes, remakes, mends, darns, sews, arts, and crafts.
thrifty, creative & eco-friendly ways to raise children
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Proof that "We're going to live in a tent in a field" is easier read than done
My Make Do and Mend Year 