16. Decorate a bottle!

No, I have never decorated a bottle before.... so when I spotted an evening workshop to decoupage an empty wine bottle, it sounded something I should give a go!

The workshop was held at Wigglywoo's Craft Emporium in Ipswich - where they also hold sewing, jewellery, Christmas decorations and painting workshops. They also sell a great range of hand crafted items to!

There was a class of 8 of us and we were give a range of ready painted bottles and patterned napkins to choose from. I went for a dark purple and gold pattern for mine. It was very relaxing pasting on parts of torn tissue all over the bottle and finishing off with some embellishments round the neck.

This was my finish article, which can be used as a candle holder and goes well with the decor in the lounge!

15. Help crowdfund a good cause

Its only a small amount but I have made a donation via a crowdfunding site to support a local community group.I choose NF2 -  based in Stowmarket

 NF2 is a rare genetic condition that causes the growth of multiple benign tumours throughout the nervous system, most commonly seen in the brain and spine. NF2 may be passed on from parent to child at the time of conception, or it may start in a family with no previous history of the condition. It occurs in 1 in 35000 of the population, is often life limiting, and currently has no cure.

Can You Hear Us? C.I.C (CYHU) is the first UK organisation to provide informal Social Gatherings that bring people with NF2 together in a carefree, friendly atmosphere. The primary aims of the Gatherings are; to reduce the effects of isolation, increase resilience, improve confidence and self-esteem, and build a supportive community for people affected by NF2 in the UK.

Many people affected by NF2 require psychological support and often carry the burden of multiple disabilities such as hearing loss, visual impairment, facial nerve dysfunction, swallowing complications, chronic pain, balance difficulties, muscle wastage, restricted limb function, and sometimes are reduced to using a wheelchair.

The Social Gatherings give people the chance to try new things in a supportive environment by featuring a variety of fun, and sometimes slightly challenging, activities that help people to build positive attitudes towards their abilities. Contrary to the usual focus on what NF2 patients cannot do, attention is projected onto the things that they can do, which, with occasional support from others, is much more than they think.

There are lots of  crowdfunding sites such as 

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
https://www.buzzbnk.org/
http://www.zequs.com/
http://www.sponsume.com/

So if you have a tenner to spare, why not consider giving  it to help some people do something good??