* I wish it could be Christmas every day * - It's the 2017 Christmas Chatter Thread

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  • nic2075
    nic2075 Posts: 3,025
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    Evening. I closed down my MSE tab I had open and I struggled to get back on.

    Thanks for the advice re work. It is stressful, but it's the perfect job for school hols and school hours, so I can't complain really. My day also flies in. I have been tracking my mood since the beginning of jan and there is a clear difference come Friday lol.

    I have rejoined slimming world. I have been using my fitness tracker to keep track of my steps, I am doing 12,000-15,000 on a work day and 6,000-8,000 at the weekends. So Im burning the calories, I just need to eat better so I loose the weight instead of maintaining all the time.

    I did go in to Boots, but didn't fancy anything. I feel I see the same stuff year after year in there.
    :santa2::xmastree::santa2:
  • murie
    murie Posts: 1,251
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    My goodness its quiet on here! Peppa I think you are right that most of us are wanting to read but not post as we think we haven't got too much to say. I haven't got much to say but I am missing the usual chatter on here so I will start the ball rolling with a load of chatty nothingness.....................


    Christmas wise I have nothing to report, I didn't get anything in the sales either. Im moving forward with birthdays now and the plans for those as we have an 18th soon and two 21sts this year plus DDs graduation so its going to be an expensive year! Better get my thinking cap on to boost my funds! To those of you that sell on facebook- how do you go about it? Any tips? I would love to combine decluttering with boosting the savings fund.
    I have always made a big thing of birthdays and celebrations as it gives us all something to look forward to and plan for (to give us a little sense of escapism from whatever else is going on around us) and usually have a theme for each party (we love a good do in this family!). I have been collecting bits and bobs towards DS's (march) casino night and DDs July and her 21st) Great Gatsby party. I use the money I get from surveys etc and find eb*y is great for unusual bits. If anyone has any ideas for those themes I would love to hear them.
    Im in awe of anyone who can upscale furniture and would love to have a go at a chair for the bedroom but there are a few sticking points a) I don't know how to go about it and b) I don't have a chair yet! Again does anyone have any suggestions? I don't want to replace clutter with anything useless but I would to just try my hand at it and I thought a chair would be a suitable place to start. I'm open to suggestions.


    Right- that's enough of my inane chatter Im off to get some breakfast cus I am STARVING lol!
    Hope everyone is Ok - enjoy the day x
    lovin' this site!
    :j
  • Feeling happy because my first birthday parcel of the year has been sent off for my cousin's son(using the stamps from the Royal Mail surveys). I picked up bits when I saw items that were reduced last year that I knew he would like. It hasn't half saved a lot in time and money doing it this way, especially just after Christmas. The parcel is from one part of the family so will get the contributions back from the rest of our side, but in the parcel he has got a lot for very little.
    The Boots 70% sale was an adventure and I'm still waiting for the Tesco Christmas socks to come down to 50p, but I'm just not feeling it now.
    Like MURIE I want to concentrate on birthdays now.
    Have a good day everyone x
    Decluttering challenge 2023🏅⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
    Decluttering challenge 2024 🏅⭐️
  • vulpix
    vulpix Posts: 2,282
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    Hi,I'm glad you posted Murie,I miss the chatter too.

    Clumsy I am very sorry to hear about your Grandma.xx

    With Fb selling, I have sold loads when we moved house as we downsized.I find you get a bit more money on Fb and the things are gone very quickly.Search for a Fb selling group near you.Our local one is great.When my son was selling up in Oxfordshire his group was rubbish.People were trying to barter him down from £20 for a M&S sofa.He took it to cancer research.

    With a bedroom chair,ask on Fb selling page,ebay,charity shops,carboots.My tip for a good finish on furniture is plenty of sanding and undercoat.Also wait for the perfect chair,one will come along.When you have one I would be happy to talk you through it.

    I love a "do" as well.On Saturday we are having a post panto/Chinese New Year soiree.I have made about 50 little red paper lanterns.

    The week after is an afternoon tea for DD1's birthday.Then it's valentines day,my birthday,Easter.I always have a project on,like you said something to work towards.

    Mr V has the lurgy.of course it is full blown man flu! he is dying and his dreams could come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We have had the worlds worst nights sleep last night.I went in the spare room at 1am ,I feel like I have been awake most of the night.

    Ihave now lost the half stone I put on at Christmas.I have lost this half stone 3 times now! Canada on/off,Spain on/off,Christmas on/off.So am on a mission now.DD1 has loaned me her step counter,am going a walk shortly with my friend.If DS doesn't muck it up and gets married next year I don't want to be the big fat country bumpkin in the photos.That will be Mr V's job hahahahahaha.

    I hate having my photo taken at the best of times.

    Ok better get dressed.Laters x
     :
  • Peppapig
    Peppapig Posts: 1,415
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    edited 25 January 2017 at 7:35PM
    Well done MURIE, it's just so quiet here and there are only so many times you can read the same posts lol. If you're planning on having a go at upcycling then a chair or a small table should be a good start. I use Annie Sloane chalk paint because I like the look of it and also you can paint over anything. You basically paint it on and do however many coats you need (I usually do two or three) sanding lightly as needed and when it's dry you put a coat of wax over the top and give it a buff with a dry lint free cloth. My advice would always be to water the paint down before you use it - I normally use a cup or plastic container. The advice I was given was that the consistency for the first coat should be like single cream and subsequent coats like double cream. You can use it as it comes from the tin but you'll get a heavier thicker look. It isn't cheap to do though with the paint about £18 plus per tin. If you're doing a few things in the same colour it works out good value but if you're only doing one it's not very economic. I think Rustoleum and a couple of other makers do paint for upcycling furniture too which might be better/cheaper but you may need to prep first. I'm sure VULPIX will be able to chip in with advice.

    ETA: Oops VULPIX looks like our posts crossed.

    Nothing Christmassy happening here but I might go out later to buy some new underwear - I know how to ramp up the excitement lol. My treat day from my sister is on Saturday (her, me and my two DDs). We've still got no idea what she's planned but looking forward to it very much!

    DD2 messaged this morning to say she's having to take her chihuahua to the vet as an emergency because something is wrong so I'm waiting to hear what's happening. Apparently they've seen the nurse now and are waiting to see the vet. Keeping everything crossed for them. This is the little one we looked after for a month over Christmas so feel quite attached to her.
    It's the most wonderful timeof the year :
  • murie
    murie Posts: 1,251
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    Thank you Peppa for the advice, I just need to find something to actually work on now ! I hadn't thought of a small table- that might be a better option.
    Enjoy the undies shopping, hope you get what you want/need. ( I hear Ann Summers have a sale on at the mo ). Your treat day from your sis sounds good, mountaineering or white water rafting?? Whatever she has planned I hope you have a lovely time.


    Hugs for DD and fingers crossed that the situation with her little Chihuahua is not too serious and is easily sorted x
    lovin' this site!
    :j
  • murie
    murie Posts: 1,251
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    Thank you Vulpix for the info on both FB and upcycling x
    We had Moms birthday last week, and its valentines, my birthday and DNs 18th (same day) so next month is 'booked' birthday prep wise. I think I have all that sorted, I have a little gift for him to open and will put money in a card that will be his main present. We always share a party but this year as its his big one we will be having them on separate days. I have made banners and table decorations for his which have turned out better than I thought they would so Im quite pleased about that. I have bought DH a hue lighting starter set to use with the echo dot I bought him so valentines is sorted too. Poor Mr V (really poor Vulpix cus I know how miserable they can be when they are ill!) Hope you manage to get a better nights sleep tonight, its awful when you start the day shattered.
    I am hoping to lose the weight I put on too (plus a bit more) so am loosely following SW- I lost 5lb last week so it is working! Ive also upped my exercise which the Hound is benefitting from too. Like Vulpix I aim not to be the porker in photos!
    lovin' this site!
    :j
  • LMG1305
    LMG1305 Posts: 179
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    murie wrote: »
    My goodness its quiet on here! Peppa I think you are right that most of us are wanting to read but not post as we think we haven't got too much to say. I haven't got much to say but I am missing the usual chatter on here so I will start the ball rolling with a load of chatty nothingness.....................


    Right- that's enough of my inane chatter Im off to get some breakfast cus I am STARVING lol!
    Hope everyone is Ok - enjoy the day x

    Murie I think you are right. I've been reading along but as I haven't really been doing much lately, I don't feel like I've had much to say. I've not done any Christmas prep at all so I'll just add to the chatter from now on & I'm sure as the year goes on there will be more of an appearance of Christmas related replies : )

    So what have I been up to? Well, apart from working, I've just had a quiet month. I can't believe how quickly the month is going though. January always seems such a long month, but I get paid on Friday and then next week we will be at the end of the month and entering February!

    I'm trying to eat more healthy at the moment. I don't particularly need to lose weight but after Christmas I always feel like I overindulge so just need a health boost. It has made a difference, I notice I'm not feeling as tired in the mornings & I seem to have more energy generally. We have been treating ourselves to nice food on a Saturday evening though as long as we eat healthy all week and I'm definitely enjoying the food a lot more now because of it. I just hope I can keep it up now :)

    I have a few nice things planned in February. A night out has been arranged with a few of the people I get on with at work, so I'm looking forward to that. I am also going away for 5 days in the half term, so that will be a nice end to the month. Then March is starting to look busy already with a few birthdays and we have tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, so we have that to look forward to as well.

    I hope everybody is well and I'm sending hugs to those who need one xx
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    Hi,
    Another with no christmas prep but i have completed DDs birthday gifts just got to wrap them , i know what i'm getting hubby for his birthday but it will have to be bought nearer the time [ Sept ] . Those are the only birthdays i but for nephews and neices get money in a card.

    We are having a little road trip in Sept one night in Bristol then 3 nights in Exeter, then a wedding in the North East early October [unless i can get out of it !]
  • Agree about us being very quiet, but I think this is probably the recovery time for us and we will be back with a vengence from 1st Feb!

    I have bought a couple of bits of clothing for nephews, they may get them for birthdays or Christmas, but they were on sale so not complaining about cost and they won't go off!

    After a sleepless night, saw the surgeon earlier. Appointments were running 2 hours late as each case was discussed by all involved in the examinations, path lab etc. before clinic started. Was feeling a tad nervous, even though I knew statistics were in my favour. 5 minutes later, I was on my way out, discharged completely. Very happy, even if I do have a huge clot which will take a while to be absorbed back in :D
    A smile costs little but creates much :)
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