♥♥ MSE Organised For Christmas 2009 ♥♥

Valli

Thanks for the welcomes.

The Jam is Rhubarb and Ginger - one jam - the ginger gives it a kick...

One of my best ever bargains was the preserving pan I bought from Help the Aged for £3 and it has been put to very good use in the 10 years I have had it ...

I have already bought wrap, tags and cards (Jan sales naturally) and I have an addresses spreadsheet which I use to print address labels - a huge timesaver.

My sister loves buying gifts for me because I am so appreciative...:D:D

and I can remember (as a child) buying things for my grandmother and then having them returned to me because they weren't quite what she wanted or totally unwanted....funny how your childhood memories come back:o

back soon Vx

smilelols

Hi all
Had a (well what i thought was a good) idea and thought I'd share it all with you. Every year I end spending what seems like a fortune on gift bags to put presents in for people. Not good for the purse or the environment.
Anyway, been into the local charity shops and have started buying the charity bags (example is the McMilliam Cancer charity - bags suitable for use for shopping etc £1.00). Have bought some and have told friends etc that they will be getting their presents in a re-useable charity bag from now on!!

Lucy_Lu_4

Julie_H wrote: »

Hello hows everyone. Hoping you may be able to help me im going too have a stall at the school fair for my stuff but also wanted to have a stall where i can raise money ready for my pink party now what can i do something easy not hand made as i will be busy with my own stuff. So any ideas for stall please can you let me have them

Julie,

I've had a look on the Baker Ross site...

How about selling these butterfly tattoos for 50p each? There are 144 here so that would make you £72 pounds! Take off the ten pounds for buying them, that leaves you with a £62 pound profit! http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Beautiful-Butterfly-Tattoos-P370.htm

Or these... http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Funky-Glitter-Tattoos-P368.htm

If you buy the set of 72 bracelets and sell two for 50p that would make you 18 pounds. Take off the nine pounds for buying them, that leaves you with a nine pound profit. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Neon-Slinky-Bracelets-P315.htm

Or these ones... http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Pretty-Glitter-Bracelets-J300.htm

If you have suitable pens, you could offer girls the chance to decorate their own bracelet for a pound each, that would make you £30 and just over a £15 profit. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Stained-Glass-Effect-Bangles-EK498.htm

You could sell these gorgeous glitter butterfly bouncing balls for a pound each, which if you buy 36, after taking off the cost of buying them would make you a profit of £24. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Butterfly-Glitter-Jet-Balls-P279.htm

If you buy 30 of these mini rainbow springs and sell them for 50p each, that would give you £15. Take of £10 for buying them, that would make you £5. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Mini-Rainbow-Springs-P237.htm

If you buy 24 of these gorgeous scented notepads and sell them for 50p each, that would make you £12. Take off £5 for buying them, that would leave you with £7. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/product-Mini-Scented-Notebooks-P225.htm

You could sell these ice-cream scented bubbles for a pound each, taking off the £8 for buying them, that would make you £4. http://www.bakerross.co.uk/src/EMAIL_20090519_SPBKSPEC_3EX-001_H_02/cat_id/VIEW_TOYS/product-Scented-Ice-Cream-Bubbles-P239.htm

There are lots of other toys on the site, I just picked out the girly bulk buy ones that would make you a healthy profit, and all in the name of charity! I hope my maths is right! :eek:

I've gone through the first 21 pages of toys for you but there's another 9!

aurora_14

Hello everyone. :hello:

Yet again, useless aurora hasn't read much of what's been happening on here (I need a whole weekend !!! :-) ).

Just wanted to say thank you to jammy for those fabric samples, I couldn't order them - error message keeps coming up . So as "clever" as I am, I googled free fabric samples and found 2 good websites - and one of them already confirmed the order and the samples are on the way. :j
If anyone is interested, here they are: (I'll be using my samples for patchwork but I think most of you very creative ladies can use them for your card making, etc...).

http://www.plumbscurtainshop.co.uk/free-samples/index.html

http://www.curtainscurtainscurtains.co.uk/free-samples.html

If I find any more, I'll let you all know.

Sarah - hellooooooooooooooooo!!!!! :-) :hello: Very nice to see you again.

Paddy - I had a look at your blog, I had to see your budgies, well they are looking veeeeeeeeery nice aren't they? I prefer them with feathers though. :-) Oh and, how is your challenge going - the one with the bags, was it 100 bags by x-mas or something similar? And what kind of bags do you make if you don't me asking? :-)

Valli - hmmmmm...I also make rhubarb + blackberry / cherry / plum jams. Lots of rhubarb growing in the garden so lots of jam making, too. :-) They are great to put in x-mas food hampers, I also have my own design really pretty labels that I print off myself - a nice labelling and also packaging makes all the difference. :-)

I am still resisting the charms of Cath Kidston. I think I deserve a medal especially when every morning on the way to work I pass a shop that sells all the lovely cussions, tablecloths, bags!!! :-) , eeeeeeeeeeverything. :-) And also, the no spend days are going well - takes a lot of planning but feels nice at the end of the day as I feel I achieved something.

Oh and, any ms tips - old and new - please!!!! I am money saving in all departments. (I know the os board is packed with tips - but there are sooooooooo many to get through!!! :-) - please make it nice and easy for me :-) )

ETA: Or a simple question for you all: Where have you tried and succeeded in ms?
My success so far has been the no spend days, getting rid of sky tv, virgin email account and monthly mobile phone contract, less of food shopping and more of home-produced/ reared food, less of or cheaper toiletries and cleaning products, using less of electricity and oil - the heating's been off for almost 3 weeks now just using the wood burning stove.

xxx

paddingtondoo

Blimey Aurora - don't think I could manage 100 bags :eek: - plm was very kind and only said 50! only 45.5 to go (although I have sold several)

The bags are on my blog as well but a while back - I've branched out with some new designs - I must really get my backside in gear and take some more photos. Will add it to my list of things to do

These are the current pics rusty christened me bag lady :rotfl:. The new ones don't have bangle handles as some of the wool doesn't suit that style of bag.

flourgirl

Hi Ladies Just wanted to say thank-you to Mary 43 and Jamtart for the info on John Lewis fabrics, I've just been on their site and ordered some

Smilelols what a brilliant idea putting presents into Charity Shopping bags 2 gifts in one.

Think I ought to join in getting organized for christmas, I always start off with good intentions then end up panicking by December.
I'm planning hampers for this year for everyone, so I should be able to pick things up with the normal shopping each week and take advantage of any offers. I need you all to help me keep the momentum going

Edit to say Paddingtondoo's bags are fab I have 2

mhagster

Paddington: do you use a particular pattern for your bags or do you customize for each one?

Aurora: I have really cut back on my food shopping, popped in to Tesco, which is less than 5 minutes away from home, on the way back from taking dd2 to brownies, got tea for tomorrow night.....sausages for 32p, sprouts 25p and mange tout 25p added with last nights jersey royal bargains 20p! I really started to grudge the price hikes last year and am determined not to pay vast prices for things. I discovered through canny shopping at later times of the day I can get bargains at sometimes really silly prices. I bake and I cook most meals from scratch.
I tend not to use cash too much, would rather pay by switch, feel I don't spend as much that way. I do online banking most days and know where every penny goes!
I take my lunch to work and buy cans at the weekend as I refuse to pay £1 for a can of juice! One drink lasts me all day at work.
As a family we still like a takeaway most weekends or a meal out and I feel by watching my pennies through the week we can afford this.

Has anyone been to Marks and spencers penny sale yet? Might try before I go to work tomorrow as I don't have to take dd2 to school....will see!
I ordered my John Lewis samples today and oops ....so did my mum!

MEL: Got my ribbons today and while the Mhaglet was at Brownies I made several cards and started 2 scrapbook pages! Go mhagster!!

mhagster

To add to above.......just had home made rhubarb crumble with bargain rhubarb 35p! Delish!
I would love rhubarb in my garden!

orchid-96

Hi all, Paddinton those bags are gorgeous you are soo talented...only wish I could do stuff like that, all the ladies in my family would be getting them for xmas

Smilelols love your charity bag idea :T, might have to nab that one...

I am really doing rubbish at the moment at being crafty, am finding by the time my little ones are in bed I cannot face getting everything out of my cupboard (which has to remain locked otherwise everyday I would be tidying it up along with the rest of the house) so my challenge is to plan exactly what I want to make, like say a particular card and just get the stuff out for it tomorrow evening.....must do a fathers day card soon for my lovely Dad..

Lucy Lu some fab ideas there for Julie, it makes me want to have a pink party myself:p

Rusty Hope you are ok hun, sending hugs to you, don't ever forget you are one fantastic chick ...

I couldn't get the John Lewis fabric to work forme either Aurora, so will have a go on you links thanks chick

aurora_14

mhagster wrote: »

Paddington: do you use a particular pattern for your bags or do you customize for each one?

Aurora: I have really cut back on my food shopping, popped in to Tesco, which is less than 5 minutes away from home, on the way back from taking dd2 to brownies, got tea for tomorrow night.....sausages for 32p, sprouts 25p and mange tout 25p added with last nights jersey royal bargains 20p! I really started to grudge the price hikes last year and am determined not to pay vast prices for things. I discovered through canny shopping at later times of the day I can get bargains at sometimes really silly prices. I bake and I cook most meals from scratch.
I tend not to use cash too much, would rather pay by switch, feel I don't spend as much that way. I do online banking most days and know where every penny goes!
I take my lunch to work and buy cans at the weekend as I refuse to pay £1 for a can of juice! One drink lasts me all day at work.
As a family we still like a takeaway most weekends or a meal out and I feel by watching my pennies through the week we can afford this.

Has anyone been to Marks and spencers penny sale yet? Might try before I go to work tomorrow as I don't have to take dd2 to school....will see!
I ordered my John Lewis samples today and oops ....so did my mum!

MEL: Got my ribbons today and while the Mhaglet was at Brownies I made several cards and started 2 scrapbook pages! Go mhagster!!

mhaggie- thank you for sharing your ms tips. I am ib obsessed but I think it's good to see what's going where every day and then later there are no :eek: surprises and I can plan better, too. I wanted to go to the penny sale, i saw it advertised last week but working all day tomorrow so can't. But I guess there might be long queues, I hate queues... :-)
re-rhubarb - we're giving it away to anyone near by, we just can't use it all. I practice the policy that if we have plenty of - we will share. I'd rather share than let it go to waste. And the slugs love it. I do slug hunt early in the morning. :cool:
I'll pm you at the weekend. ;-)