I need your help!
As ever, I have left things until the last minute, but I’m hoping there might still be time….
I’ve been lucky enough to be given a ticket for the awesome Handmade Fair this Friday, (it’s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday-take a peek-looks AMAZING!), and it has suddenly occurred to me that it might be a good idea to take some business cards/flyers for the new website (it really is come very soon, honestly!).
So I’m frantically trying to design some, and see if I have them ready for Friday-possibly a long shot…!!
ANYWAY, what I want to do is have a different Top Make Do and Mend Hint/Tip or very quick How-to on the back of the cards/flyers, and this is where I need your help!
I’m looking for your favourite tips-just one or two sentences, for Making Do and Mending-it can be related to crafting, or household stuff, or food growing/preserving/cooking, or upcycling/recycling/re-loving etc etc. If you’re happy for me to acknowledge you as the ‘Tipper’ on the cards/flyers, let me know how you want to be acknowledged-eg Jen in Wiltshire, or @makeandmendyear etc.
Ooooh, this could be really cool! I feel a whole new page on the new website coming on….!
Go Go Go….!
My Make Do and Mend Year 
Any letters/ junk mail that has a “clean” side (ie nothing printed on it) tear neatly into smaller squares to keep in a box near the phone for noting down messages.
Fa, thanks Linda! Are you happy for me to put your name under the Tip?
Yes, that’s fine.
Great!
Keep small scraps of fabric,they can be sewn together later to make random patchwork placemats/mug mats. The more random a selection the more interesting!
Have swishing events for you and your partners clothes, childrens clothes, childs equipment, garden stuff, household stuff
Thanks Hilary! Are you happy for me to put your name under the tip? e.g.. Hilary from xx
Sorry just seen this a bit late! Yes that’s fine, Hilary from Lincs.
Great-thankyou!
menu plan and shop with a list, grocery shopping online is a great way to avoid impulse buying
shop your cupboards
sow cut and come again lettuce and keep on the windowsill if no outdoor space, half a dozen plants will keep a family going all summer
Loving all these Lesley-thankyou! Are you happy for me to put your name or twitter handle underneath them?
yes, of course. A mention of Thrifty Lesley underneath wooul be even better 😁
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:37:29 +0000
To: lesleygcooper@hotmail.com
Will do!
Save your “empty” mustard and ketchup bottles when you can’t get the last little bit out. The next time you make spaghetti sauce, add a little water to the bottle, shake it up, and add it to the sauce.
Empty prescription medicine bottles work great for holding beads and other small craft items like pins, rubber bands, jewelry findings, etc..
Great ideas, thankyou! Are you happy for me to credit you with the tip by putting your name underneath?
Sure can.
Great!
Blitz any stale bread or crusts into breadcrumbs and keep in the freezer to use for future meals / recipes.
Love this, thanks Heather! Are you happy for me to put your name under the tip to credit you with it?
If you have a woodburner, augment the fuel with tightly rolled newspaper/junk mail held in a Toilet roll inner – they burn for a long time
Fabbo-thankyou!
I like to keep Christmas and birthday cards. I cut bits out and re-use as card toppers on recycled card. Then instead of buying cards, we make a donation to a charity. Also, my sister-in-law and I have an agreement where we make gifts for one another’s families at Christmas and give a donation to charity in lieu of money we would otherwise have spent. Nowadays I make as many gifts as possible through the year – hand made gifts are such a wonderful thing to receive 🙂
Food-wise I use my slow-cooker at least twice a week, and always make extra so there’s never any need for TV dinners. I also make my own yoghurt and bread, and both the yoghurt maker and breadmaker have probably already paid for themselves in terms of savings. My son has a hot dinner which he takes to school in a thermos food flask. This means he can eat what he likes to eat, I know what he’s eating and I know he will eat it as he’s a very fussy eater (he has autism).
Also, I now use ecoballs for my washing and I think they’re brilliant. Wish I’d found them sooner. I’ll stop there or this will turn into a blog post of its own!
Brilliant tips-thankyou!
Cut the corner off of a tired dish sponge and you have yourself a counter sponge! Cut a second corner, it becomes a floor sponge. Cut a third corner, it becomes a bathroom sponge.
Oooh, that’s clever!
Use up left over wine in Italian meals for extra flavour .
Save on gifts by using unwanted tins ,packets etc as a food lovers hamper.
Use old make-up bags for dividing up your bag contents so you can find things easily .
Save packaging for craft play sessions .
Turn old cards into tags for presents.
Add a little water to extend the life of hand wash and sauces etc.
Washed out glass jars make great tea light holders .
Tips by Lisa Harrison .
Brilliant-thankyou!
Small bits of leftover wool are good for stuffing felt items
Great idea-thankyou!
The ribbon loops inside the shoulders of many new jumpers and T shirts make great ribbons for tying onto home made gift tags. Cut up old birthday/Christmas cards into gift tag sizes, punch a hole in the corner and thread through the ribbon loop.
Also, pretty greetings card fronts make lovely Thank you cards. Just cut off the front of the card and use like a postcard. Unique and don’t cost you a bean!
So glad it’s not just me who cuts those ribbons off and saves them! Thankyou 🙂
You’ve already got heaps of lovely ideas, but if you want any more:
Use cardboard toilet roll inners to sow seedlings. Plant straight into the ground when ready. Voila – biodegradable pots for free!
Hang stems of herbs up to dry in the summer months – no plastic packaging and food for free!
Use laundry detergent balls for organising drawers – they’re perfect for drawing pins, paper clips, blue tack etc.
Feel free to credit @myzerowaste if you want to use them…
LOVE the laundry balls idea! Some fab tips-thanks so much
Never throw any of your glass jars away – they can be used and reused again and again … Storage, jams, buttons, paint, seashells, flowers, candles, paper clips, hyacinth bulbs, herbs, terrariums, homemade deserts, wedding flowers, gifts, sweeties -absolutely anything!
Keep your newspapers for a base for lighting your fire.
Store away your magazines for wrapping up gifts or using for decoupage.
Hope these might help!?
If you use any? Then Trixie –
@ lovinglymadeltd
Is great
Good luck.
Best wishes
Trixie x
Brillo-thanks Trixie!
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