Christmas 09 Let's Get Organised!!

yippee_kye_yay

RUMMER how about reading glasses? or some biccies/hot choc to enjoy whilst reading? or maybe a blanket to throw over if it gets cold? erm, cant think of anything else!

i have decided to do my nephew a drawing hamper for his birthday which is in dec so im classing it as an xmas present!
so far i have thought of a how to draw book (tk maxx £7) tin of watercolour pencils (alread have in my craft cupboard unopened!)
im going to pop in a couple of different sized sketch pads, a pencils set, possibly a paints set but cant think of anything else??
also where is the cheapest for drawing materials? i have a budget of £20 but can stretch to an extra £5 if needed. so with the book that leave £13 (or £18) i would like to get as much as poss for the money. of course!

might be worth adding, he will be 12

chaosweddings

hi everyone,
i would like to join this thread please.
i have had to re register on here as my deatils were deleted as i hadnt been on for ages so my post count is low !

i am really looking forward to xmas 09 this year !
last year was good and i was pretty organised (thanks to this website)
but this year i am planning to be sorted with gifts and presents by sept/oct at the latest.

hope to speak soon
Chaos

stokegal

Hi Chaosweddings

I too joined this thread today and have made great strides already...

Since my first post I have bought the following

Niece1
HSM Teeny Meez - 1/2 price from Tesco Direct - saw on another thread and jumped on it
Messaging Thingy - Like a talky walkie but does text messages - Reduced from £9.99 to £3.99 in Argos :T:T
HSM Make Up Set - Argos

Niece2
Hannah Montana Teeny Meez - 1/2 price from Tesco Direct - again saw on another thread
Messaging Thingy - as above
Hannah Montana Airbrush Nail Bar - 1/2 price from Tesco direct

Niece3
DEAL OF THE DAY - Dora the Explorer Pram Set, contains pram, travel cot, bouncer and baby carrier - 1/2 price from Tesco Direct - Reduced from £24.97 to £12.49

DS1
Playskool Tonka Round About Railway - 1/2 from Tesco Direct

And the best thing...

I work at Argos so got employee discount on all things from Argos and Mum works at Tesco so get discount on all Tesco items :j:j:j:j

Have also planned to make either pots of gold OR Snowman Soup, can't decide which as they both look fabulous

Have planned to make hampers as gifts this year just need to find out where is the cheapest place to get baskets from as I found them really expensive when I last looked

I have also found all my old Christmas Cards left over from last year and sorted out which gift sets to give to whom (whom/who?? - sorry for the bad grammer I'm too excited thinking about Christmas as I'm writing this!!)

*wanders off singing christmas carols*

pretzelnut

yippee_kye_yay wrote: »

i have decided to do my nephew a drawing hamper for his birthday which is in dec so im classing it as an xmas present!
so far i have thought of a how to draw book (tk maxx £7) tin of watercolour pencils (alread have in my craft cupboard unopened!)
im going to pop in a couple of different sized sketch pads, a pencils set, possibly a paints set but cant think of anything else??
also where is the cheapest for drawing materials? i have a budget of £20 but can stretch to an extra £5 if needed. so with the book that leave £13 (or £18) i would like to get as much as poss for the money. of course!

might be worth adding, he will be 12

Poundland have pencils and sketch pads - in various sizes.

I cant remember the exact name i think its book world or book zone - anyway there's one in most towns now - they have a very cheap art section, in fact their art section got me through college on my tight budget. There are also loads of cheap books on drawing / sketching etc that you could add to the hamper. They even do those little wooden men that you can position so that you can learn how to draw a human in proportion. In fact you could probably get everything you need in hthis 1 shop alone.

My 1 suggestion to anyone doing a drawing set / hamper - please put in a ''putty rubber'' i know these are a little expensive compared to a normal eraser but they are a valuable tool when sketching / drawing as they are much more precise and dont leave smudge marks when erasing something. And it looks a lot more proffesional especially for older kids / teenagers.

Charcoal is a great medium to work with, as is chalk, its very easy to use and produces great results even from the most untalented person. Which helps when encouraging kids as they feel less disheartened. If your including charcoal or chalk - you could add a can of hairspray as this fixes the image and stops it smudging.

pretzelnut

I have posted the letter to the man about Grey Goose vodka.

I'm gonna go and have a scout round ebay now to see if there is anything unique i can pick up.

I have also seen some sets in the 24studio brochure that arrived today that i MUST get another one of my brothers as it will suit him so well as he is obsessed with his manhood.

Its a gentlemens willy care kit:

http://homeshopping.24studio.co.uk/iteminfo.htm?s0=gifts-crafts&b=JuneCatalogue09&p=276&o=1&s=5&r=http://homeshopping.24studio.co.uk/searchresult/1

So i am off to google willy care keits (god help me i might stumble across stuff i dont want to see, lol) to see what else is available.

i have found one slightly cheaper by a few pounds here;
www.geniegadgets.com

and i love these
http://www.geniegadgets.com/gadgets_uk/cabbie-napkins.html

sammy_kaye18

Well this is what I have found in my gift closet so far now.

1 x pink flip file (10p in woollies closing down sale)
1 x pink address book (10p in woollies closing down sale)
[STRIKE]1 x love heart bag with the word 'love' spelt out on it (10p in woollies closing down sale)
1 x pink sponge (35p in wilko)
1 x white sponge (35p in wilko)[/STRIKE]
1 x paul smith perfume (unwanted birthday present)
1 x Nina ricci perfume (wrong perfume again unwanted present)
1 x purple mug with the word 'TEA' written on it (intended for hamper last year but never used)
4 x small wooden photo frames (reduced in a sale from £2.99 down to 20p each)
2 x large wooden photo frames (reduced from £5.99 down to 50p each)
4 x small whisks (reduced to 20p for the 4 in sale)
10 x luxury Xmas cards
1 x 1meter pink material with ballet shoes on (cheap at £1.99 a meter)
40 x Xmas tags (10p a packet in Christmas sale)
1 x Santa key
[STRIKE]2 x pink candles (20p each in end of season sale)
1 x box of blue bath fizzer's (49p)[/STRIKE]
1 x big envelope of Christmas card making bits and pieces (given by online friend)
1 x pair of size 16-18 pyjamas - pink top and polka dot bottoms (£4 in sale)
2 x door plaques - one saying Sophia, one saying tori - intended for nieces. (craft fayre)
1 x pink princess plastic cup - (99p) intended for oldest niece
3 x small princess pictures (99p each in discount store) intended for oldest niece.
[STRIKE]1 x blue spa bath set (unwanted gift)
1 x pink bath flowers (unwanted gift)
1 x bottle of Rose wine (free as a work thank you)
1 x pink next perfume (unwanted gift)[/STRIKE]
1 x hot chocolate gift set - (unwanted gift never used)

oh and 2 origami jewellery holders - (very cute and brought at a car boot sale for 20p each)

So so far I have decided that I can make a few gifts like such
(anything blue is from above and already gotten)
Step mum
1 x blue spa bath set (unwanted gift)
1 x box of blue bath fizzer's (49p)
1 x white sponge (35p in wilko)
1 x bottle of wine (she drinks white) and will get discount in coop
1 x box of choccies
1 x pyjamas
and that is my step mum done for about £10 and will put it in a pretty gift bag. might possibly add a white radox too if they are on offer with a pink for my sister.

My sister
1 x pink bath flowers (unwanted gift)
1 x pink next perfume (unwanted gift)
1 x bottle of Rose wine (free as a work thank you)
2 x pink candles (20p each in end of season sale)
1 x pink sponge (35p in wilko)
1 x pyjamas
1 x radox
1 x love heart bag with the word 'love' spelt out on it (10p in woollies closing down sale)
and that can go in the pink love heart bag if I can fit it all in there if not a nice gift bag and that's cost me about £6 with one of the 2 for £8 pyjamas sets in ethol Austin.

So that's my step mum and sister done.
My mum I know what im getting her
Dad is the only one im stumped on so far
My nan is getting a cuddle hamper
my grandad is getting a cuddle hamper
My nieces Tori and sophia are getting a small joint hamper of princess pieces for their room and princess pyjamas but they are also getting a night before Christmas hamper too to share.
two small cousins have asked for money
auntie and uncle will get a cross stitched card and framed photo of ben
step grandparents will get a cross stitched card and framed photo of ben too.

SORTED!
Then there is the matter of boyfriends family and Ben and boyfriend to do. So hopefully I should have a stress free Xmas but am working and will be 7 months preg! :eek:


Also if anyone is after pyjamas or dressing gowns for the little people this site is pretty good price wise http://www.kids-pyjamas.co.uk/index.php?cName=boys-5-6-years

sarahf191979

Oh Sammy your so organised, I wish I had a cupboard, instead I have 2 draws and 4 boxes in our bedroom and a stash of Christmas pressies in the loft. I started listing mine, but have since bought more and not added them to the list so only know a few things in there, really must get it sorted would then know if I need to buy anything.

sammy_kaye18

would you believe Sarah but mine is two under bed storage boxes and the top shelf of my bathroom cupboard for all the smellies, plus hoping to clear out under the bed soon so I can add another box! :T

helyg

Right, my head is spinning with ideas so am going to get them down in one place...

This is my plan so far as to what so far people are getting this year:
(stuff in red I have got already, stuff in blue I am making myself)

Son aged 7:
DS Lite
DS Lite accessory pack
DS Lite Game
Knitted Football mascot
Wales football pencil tin set

Son aged 5:
VTech Kiddizoom camera
Fireman knitted toy
Wales football pencil tin set


Daughter aged 3:
Baby Annabel
Disney Princess Dressing Up Outfit
Disney Princess art set
Knitted Ballerina toy

Husband:
Rugby hamper (containing Welsh rugby book, Welsh rugby DVD and whatever else I find to go in it!)

Mum:
Homemade Hamper (containing Tomato Chutney, Apple Chutney, Whisky Marmalade, Christmas Biscotti and Chocolate Fudge)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tickets.

Friends x 3:
Gift baskets containing Tomato Chutney and Apple Chutney

Colleagues x 5:
Laura Ashley Christmas scented candles

Kids' teachers:
Christmas Mugs containing Chocolate Fudge

Nieces/Nephews/Friends' kids:
£5 gift voucher each plus Snowman Soup

Still got to think of inlaws (they will probably have vouchers plus MIL and FIL will have some nicely wrapped HM chutney) and also stocking fillers for the kids.

It's so exciting!

sammy_kaye18

Rummer wrote: »

Just while I am on I mean to ask you all for advice, I have decided to create a reading hamper for my dad this year and apart from a selection of books I was going to add a nice bookmark, book light then I draw a blank. Can you think of anything else I could add?

I agree with yippe - maybe a nice mug with hot chocolate bits in it if he drinks it and a miniature or two to make a hot toddy. Maybe some nice home-made shortbread, a blanket fro his lap, maybe a pillow for behind his head.

I was going to do a reading hamper last year for my nephew and was going to put a blanket, mug and a packet of sweets in (like a haribo tub) because he likes those more than biscuits.


YIPPEE - Wilkinson's have a pretty good art department with some nice bits and I think their pose able men are about a £5.

HELYG - oooh a fellow welshie!!! Shw mae! Which part of this beautiful place are you from??