Last night, I donned my best (£4.99 charity shop, worn lots of times before) frock, and hubby and I hot-footed it up to Woking to the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Centre. For an awards ceremony! I had a wonderful surprise last year when I was informed that I had been nominated for the WWF’s … Continue reading
OK, so I am in danger of reaching the end of January and failing in my quest to make an item of clothing a month throughout 2015, before I’ve even started! In the resources post I did a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the post on Sew Mama Sew by Allie Olsen of Indiesew, … Continue reading
I’m still here! Apologies for the lack of posts. I have been working away like made on the book AND the new website, and am pleased to report that significant progress is being made on both…! Here’s an update: The Book-Make Do and Mend-able Back to Basics I originally, naively, embarked on this project as … Continue reading
You may have noticed my mild excitement at making butter from cream last week… As well as delicious butter (that I am still astounded tastes like actual butter!) that particular experiment yielded about 150ml of buttermilk as well, which has been sat in my fridge patiently waiting for an opportunity to be used. We were … Continue reading
I blogged earlier on in the week about finding secondhand supplies for dressmaking and crafting, as part of my Make Me a Wardrobe 2015 challenge, to make an item of clothing a month for the year. I love mooching around charity shops and vintage fairs to see what fabulous retro fabrics I can find, and … Continue reading
I was doing the weekly food shop the other day, when I spotted some much reduced double cream, that was on it’s sell by date. I remembered reading somewhere about using double cream to make butter, so I snapped up a couple of pots and hot-footed it home to consult the inter-web! I posted in … Continue reading
Making your own clothes will ALWAYS be much more ethical than buying something off from the High Street. BUT I think sometimes it is easy to overlook the environmental impact of cotton and other fabrics, and yarn too. Conventionally farmed cotton uses vast amounts of water (about 200 litres to make a t-shirt) and pesticides. And … Continue reading
OK, so that post title doesn’t make it sound like the best present ever does it..?! My big brother turned 40 towards the end of 2014, causing much merriment and mirth amongst those of us yet to reach this milestone 😉 I racked my brains for something to buy/make him to mark this auspicious occasion … Continue reading
Those of you have been following the blog for a while, may remember my delight at ‘transforming’ a coat I found in a charity shop, by simply changing the buttons. The coat served me very well last Winter, and has been pressed into service again this year. But it is, well, a little on the … Continue reading
I blogged earlier on in the week about how disappointed I was with my attempt at homemade veg stock from frozen peelings. I got lots of fabulous advice from everyone, so here is an update on how to make it/use it properly, if you want to have a go. 1. Start saving all your veg … 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
Pin It, Make It, Blog It, Link It, Share It!
Proof that "We're going to live in a tent in a field" is easier read than done
My Make Do and Mend Year 