Gimme Five! Reusable shopping bags

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Selection of 5 reusable shopping bags

From this week, in England, you will have to pay 5p for each new plastic bag you use when you do your shopping at any of  the larger shops and supermarkets.

I’m really happy that England has finally brought in this legislation, single-use plastic bags cause a lot of litter and are harmful – even deadly – to wildlife both on land and in the world’s oceans & waterways.

I got into the habit, many moons ago, of having a few reusable shopping bags folded up and stuffed into most of my everyday handbags. They’re not too bulky or heavy and are mostly cheap to buy… or even make if you’re of the crafty persuasion. After just a couple of months of using reusable shopping bags, they’ll have paid for themselves!

  1. Canvas shopper bag: £4, Next
  2. Carrot shopping bag: £13, Etsy
  3. Hearts foldaway shopping bag: £8, Cath Kidston
  4. ASOS shopper bag: £20, ASOS
  5. Fairtrade recycled cement shopper bag by recycle-recycle: £15, notonthehighstreet

Bookmarks – Homemade Home

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Homemade Home book cover

Homemade Home by Sania Pell and published by Cico Books is the third in our new series of Bookmarks book reviews.

Homemade Home book with vintage sewing machine and fabric

We’re often in awe of people who seem to find the time and have the creativity to make something out of nothing. In our case, we either don’t get round to doing it or don’t think we’ve got the skills.

page from Homemade Home book showing various hand-painted bottles

Homemade Home will put paid to both – it will motivate you to make a start and it will give you the instructions in how to do it.

title page in the Homemade Home book showing covered buttons

Recycling household materials was once common in most households.

page from Homemade Home book showing handmade linen napkins

There was a certain decline in during the latter half of the twentieth century, but that trend is now very much reversing again…

page from Homemade Home book showing handmade napkins

…whether in the guise of recycling, up-cycling or remodelling.

page from Homemade Home book showing handmade canvas deckchair seats

This could be for many reasons – a new awareness of conserving the world’s resources, saving money or creating an individual/distinctive look.

page from Homemade Home book showing handmade labels

Whatever the project, this book’s a perfect companion.

page from Homemade Home book showing fabric covered notebooks

The pages are divided into quick ideas and larger tasks.

page from Homemade Home book showing covered buttons

There are easy to follow, step-by-step instructions – and some lovely photographs of the finished items in household settings.

page from Homemade Home book showing handmade origami flowers

There’s plenty of opportunity to adapt the ideas in terms of materials, design or finish.

page from Homemade Home book showing upcycled planters made from food tins

The author’s objective is to inspire you to have a go… and it certainly works!

page from Homemade Home book showing teacups now being used as plant pots

Before you know it you’ll be collecting buttons & scraps of material.

page from Homemade Home book showing sewing paraphernalia

And, if you already have such a collection, it will offer some fun & interesting ways to use it all.

Homemade Home can also be bought from our vintage design bookshops: Amazon UK | Amazon US

[Many thanks to Cico Books for supplying this review copy]