♥♥ MSE Organised For Christmas 2009 ♥♥

Lucy_Lu_4

Hello all,

Can I join in?

I have only been on MSE since January so am new to all of this. I post on the crafting for gifts 2009 and crafting for Christmas 2009 threads and searching the forum I have just found the thrifty girls organised and money neutral thread. I started to read it but with so many pages I thought I'd read the last couple to see what the latest is, and that's how I found this thread!

I know a few names on here but have never introduced myself...

I will be 24 in a couple of months, work full time and live with my long term boyfriend. I love buying and giving presents, it makes me feel really happy and I always give presents that I know the receipent will really geniunely like, I like to think that I put a lot of thought into it. I love finding bargains and those of you on the threads I post on will know how obsessed I am with Poundland!

I buy presents when I see them so that it spreads the cost, especially Christmas presents. I even have some gifts for next year as I have bought some people enough for 2009! My boyfriend thinks I am mad thinking about Christmas in January so it is nice to know that I'm not alone.

I have recently started making cards, which I am really enjoying.

I went to a boot sale last weekend and got some great little bits. For Christmas I've stashed away a snowman mug with a lid (the lid is the snowman's hat) for 75p, which I am going to fill with snowman soup and some sweets. I also got a little basket for 10p that I will use for a small hamper and a big white and red striped bowl that says 'popcorn' for a pound that I will use for a movie hamper.

I love making hampers and finding bargains to fill them with. The hampers I have made have been really well recieved.

I don't really understand the money netural idea but I do buy bargains, am saving my Boots points and I have two piggy banks; one for silver, £1 and £2 coins and one for one and two pennies.

I like the idea of following an organised Christmas plan to sort myself out and the house (although I should do both all year round!).

I have had a difficult couple of years for a variety of reasons and would love to have a fantastic Christmas this year.

I think this is a long post but I hope you don't mind me introducing myself.


Lucy x

melissa75_2

There's a couple of decent bargains at zavvi - a couple of series of friends are 4.95, and some half seasons of c.s.i are 5.95:
http://www.zavvi.co.uk/zavvi/zavvi/offers/mega-monday.list?pageNumber=2
might be worth getting in ready for xmas - I'm tempted by the laurel and hardy films for 2.75.
Lucy Lu - are you going to join us on the card making thread???

Lucy_Lu_4

Ooh yes please Melissa, thank you! Do you a have a link?

melissa75_2

Lucy Lu - its a great thread - loads of lovely people on there:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1287267&page=272

Lucy_Lu_4

Fantastic, thank you Melissa.

focus888

Hi welcome to anyone who has just joined, im very new to this but i am so excited about getting ready for xmas

been reading the A-Z of crafting gifts and came across these recipes for sweets thought i share it incase anyone missed it :

3_cheeky_princesses wrote: »

Hi

I made my peppermint creams from a recipe from a thread on here from last yr and they were quick and easy.

Ingredients:
White from one large egg or two small eggs
8 oz icing sugar
Peppermint essence or peppermint oil

Method:
Beat the egg white in a bowl with a fork and sieve (sift) in 6 oz of icing sugar (frosting). Mix well with a wooden spoon and slowly sieve in more icing sugar, half a tablespoon at a time until you have made a stiff paste. Shake a little icing sugar on the work surface and empty the paste onto this. Add 3/4 drops of peppermint essence or oil and gently knead it together with your fingers until you have a smooth paste. Have a taste of a small piece and if the flavour is not strong enough, add a few more drops of the peppermint.

Rub icing sugar on a rolling pin and roll the paste to quarter of an inch (0.5cm) thick. Cut out individual peppermint creams with a cutter - a round one or any other shape you have handy. Cover a plate with non-stick parchment or greaseproof paper (vegetable parchment) and place the peppermint shapes on the paper. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave overnight in a cool place (but not the fridge). Store in small paper cases in an airtight tin

Plus fudge too! :


Vanilla Fudge
Ingredients
oil for greasing
300ml milk
350g caster sugar
100g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
You will need:
18cm square cake tin, measuring jug, scales, measuring spoons, heavy-based saucepan, wooden spoon, sugar thermometer
Method
1. Grease an 18cm square cake tin.
2. Put the milk, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.
3. Bring to the boil and boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring all the time.
4. When the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (115°C on a sugar thermometer), remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Beat the mixture with a spoon for a few minutes until it starts to thicken and the gloss disappears.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and leave to set at room temperature (do not put it in the fridge).
7. Once set, cut the fudge into small squares and store in a sealed container.

HTH

Thanks 3cheekyprincesses

scattymam1

229 days til christmas - but I have an oct deadline as baby 2 is due in november. I have so many films I have too many to list. Nightmare before christmas is our fave along with home alone and polar express.

I can't find my notebook - but my cupboard is coming along well with presents now. Need to start on the things that I'm making and give myself a cut off date off aug 31st for that me thinks.


What's this? What's this?
There's color everywhere
What's this?
There's white things in the air
What's this?
I can't believe my eyes
I must be dreaming
Wake up, jack, this isn't fair
What's this?

excuse me for breaking into song there but I got the butterflies...I may also start the grand cleaning plan a bit early too so everything is done for baby coming.

JordanShannon

Thanks focus. I've been madly looking for how to make peppermint, i was looking in all the wrong places. :rotfl:
I will write that down
..xx

mum2one

cady wrote: »

Oh i love it love it love it!!! i never joined in when they were 2 threads but this is perfect for me!!! i have my note book and my lists galore my saving seperate aco!!!!s and my festive spirit and as you can see by my siggy baby no1 will be here at the end of sept so organised thsi yeah i must be i have all my birthday cards for the year and my xmas wrapping paper tags ect off the sales and now i have a place to share all my secrets like my xmas book and cheap present finds as everyone else thinks im nuts!!!!!

Looking forward to joining in!!!

Cady xx

My daughter was born 29th Sept........(back in 02) Lucky day x:rotfl:

furrypig

Hi all just popping in really quickly will get back and post soon if I get a chance.