Make Do and Mend Monthly Magazine Blog Post Thing-February

Wow, that wins the prize for longest every blog post title.
OK, so hands up-who thought this would be a one hit wonder?
Well, it’s not, it is at least a two hit wonder, and if you are very lucky, I may even make it to three (just kidding, my aim is to do this once a month)

So, February. Obviously the month of LURVE.
Which if you are single, is reasonably annoying.
So, I think the focus should be on love in it’s broadest sense. Loving yourself, and acknowledging and respecting your own value; as well as other people, random acts of kindness, spreading happiness, all that jazz.
I did some Valentine’s crafts last month, for those keen beans who feel the need to get ahead, so this time there will be another couple, but we will keep the lovey dovey bits to a minimum, and focus on the bigger love picture 🙂

Here goes…

Inspiration

Random Acts of Kindness
Apparently, February 10th-16th is Random Acts of Kindness Week, so go forth and spread the love!

Here are some ideas for Random Acts of Kindness, that will cost you nothing, except your time, and maybe a smile or two!:

• Smile-at random people, at strangers, at your friends and family. And try to make sure your smile is the biggest 🙂
• Bake a cake, and take it into work or school, or give it the postman (lady/person)-you will make their day
• Offer a couple of hours of your time to a friend, or someone you know you could need it-maybe a couple of hours taking someone else’s kids to the park with yours, so that they can clean the bathrooms in peace, or maybe even put their feet up!
• Next time you are making a meal, make a bit extra and portion it up for someone who might not like cooking, or who lives on their own-I do this quite often for my dad, and have even done it for my mother in law for her birthday present!
• Share a positive blog post (maybe even this one 😉 )
• On your next car journey, let out one extra person at a junction
• Give a compliment and make someone’s day
• Write a good old fashioned letter, and post it to a friend you might have lost touch with
• Run a bath for your nearest and dearest, maybe even light a few candles, and leave them in peace for a whole hour

Glove love

A match making service for lost and lonely gloves!
This is a great project from Do the Green Thing-simply send in any lonely single gloves, and they will match them up with a suitable partner, and lovingly hand-stiched ready for a new owner!
You can give gloves, and also buy new pairs of perfectly matched gloves-love it!

Charity Makes
There are lots of charity projects out there, that enable to indulge in a spot of crafting, whilst simultaneously making the world a better place.
Here are a few:

• Dress a Girl Around the World-this is a brilliant project to make dresses (and shorts for the boys) out of pillowcases, and they then get sent out to girls (and boys) around the world, in poorer countries. You can find more details, including patterns, here on the fabulous Sew Scrumptious blog
• There are whole host of knitting projects here on the UK Hand Knitting site, including Knitting a Message to your MP, for Age UK; knitting woolly hats for St Mungos; and the Wool Against Weapons Yarn Bomb
  
  
• Making for Charity has, as the name suggests, some makes to make, for Charity-including bags for personal effects for people going into hospital

Free Ways to say I Love You

• This is a great post over at Glory Boon Blog, with lots of DIY Valentine’s ideas-this is one of my favourites
  

  Image from Glory Boon blog

  and I also like this:

Image from Glory Boon blog

• Here is a great, easy way to make a heart cake, without a mould:

Image via Pinterest

• I think this is one of the best homemade card ideas I have seen:

From Real Simple

There we go then-go forth, spread the love, and the kindness, and be happy 🙂