Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2009- Santas Challenges

mum2one

98jdougl wrote: »

Got the wilkos right ptice scrapbook someone mentioned earlier (sorry forgot who ) but didn't really know what to do with it at the time (I know tsk, tsk)
Have now come up with 2 ideas so need to buy another lol

Firsty, turn it into a christmassy themed journal jar type thing for my OH to record everything about christmas (Maybe give it to him on the first day of advent with questions to last up until the twelfth night all about his feelings aout christmas, what he likes about it, what traditions he wants to keep etc etc) Am really getting him into Christmas- last year was our first christmas together and we went to my mums and he said it was the first time in like 15 years he had looked forward to Christmas (his family dont even get a tree) and, much as I love being at my mums at Christmas is just too much expense and effort so this will be our first Christmas at home together. Any ideas on questions??

That sounds a lovely idea, thinking about the advent, how about making 24 little challenges / promises /ious all related to xmas, mini presents, like a little box of ferro rochea (or however u spell it), mini box of 4, there 99p, and you could wrap them into 4 days, the others things like, foot massage, shoudler massage, or little christmas related comments, buy a lottery ticket - u sound at crafting sew a little xmas stocking and put a lucky dip in there.
Secondly- when doing a clear out of the house have found 3 boxes full drawings from when Ben (OH) and his siblings were at primary school (bearing in mind the youngest sibling is now 21!!!) Am planning on making a scrapbook with these pictures for Ben's mum to go into her hamper (family theme)
That sounds a lovely idea the scrap book, what else have you planned for the hamper?
What do you think? Also, what would be the best way to cover these? Dont know if just wrapping paper would be enough

Thanks for reading btw, sorry its a bit rambley

Sorry being nosey again, over the next couple of weeks drop little hints about xmas, what he likes, dislikes, fav bits, and note them down that way, the things you do don't have to be expensive, maybe have a theme for colour, and if he loves the tree, get him to be the one to put the angel/ star at the top of the tree.

What about doing him a xmas stocking, look on freebie boards for samples of aftershaves etc, small selection box,

Thinking about your knitting if ur manangeing the scarf ok,the next step would be a babys cardigan? Theres a thread about free knitting patterns, and link into it there some baby cardis that say easy knit.
I'll find the post after and put the link on here, x

http://www.allaboutyou.com/craft/free-knitting-patterns-collection/special

mary-op

Lovely ideas there - don't know how old your OH is but you could do questions relating to memories of christmas as a child, what toys he got, games that were played -stuff like that.
There's a website that tells the history of Christmas traditions -can't remember what the site was now but if you google it I'm sure it'll come up.
There's also a website with all the variations of the verse 'Twas the night before Christmas' -some of them are really funny and I'm putting them in a folder for one of my sons for Christmas.

For the family themed scrapbook a sort of collage of photos of your OH and his siblings when they were little and frame it with some kind of border.

98jdougl

That's great Mum,
Have got him a couple of bits and pieces so far for the advent box like the idea of the vouchers and have been sending off for no spend and low-spend freebies (getting a set of 5 movie themed usb sticks for £2.99 delivery which I will be splitting up etc.

Am also getting Ben to draw a family portrait for his mum (he has an art degree) do the scrapbook of things my mother taught me that was mentioned in one of the other threads. Not quite sure what else right now lol.

Am getting so excited by it all! I love getting ready for Christmas :D:D

chocolate.orange_2

Hows everyone doing with the challenges ? How about an update ?

Ive eaten chocolate

Opened the freezer and closed the door again :rotfl: I really need to borrow mums poulti cleaner, its a steamer type thingymabob So i can take all food out. Blast it then pop it all straight back in.

Ive also completed our wet day and dry day ''muuuum i'm bored book ''

I just have to get my folder/ project book at the ready. I have decided to start a nice new 2009 one, in honour of thrifty gifty

sylphraven

I'm having lovely fun finding crafts to do with the kids, heres some websites I've found to help others out:

• Any Ideas on Cheap Things To Do With Older Children and Teenagers in the Holidays?
• DLTK's Crafts for Kids
• Craftideas.info
• netmums
• cbeebies make and do

I think it might help if we share our our lists with each other to give ideas.
For my children I have...

Inside Play
Read a book
Write & illustrate a story
Salt dough models
Paint salt dough models (after baked)
Cook biscuits
Bake a cake & decorate it
Make sweets/truffles
Make a sock puppet
Put on a play with the puppets
Make a collage picture
Alter some clothing (fabric pens/paints/gems etc)
Do some stamping with paint
Make a sun catcher (black card frame and tissue paper)
Make a scratch picture (colour paper in with wax crayon, cover in black paint, leave to dry then scratch picture in, revealing wax crayon below)
Make some beads & jewelery (paper beads, fimo beads)
Finger print pictures
Make some bread & then make into shapes/animals etc

Outside
Body painting (paint with feet, hands etc)
Bubble paint
Picnic out with football, kite etc
Plant some seeds
Paddling pool out
Go blackberry picking
Library trip
Breakfast in the park (it gets busy later on so early morning is perfect to have a play)
Water play (bowls, water guns etc)
Papermache bowl
Papermache piggy bank (made from balloon, loo roll & papermache)
Glass painting
Take a walk to visit family
Explore the town park/countryside

I havent thought of too many out door activities yet but thought a lot of the inside activities could be done outside if I run out.

Mum2one, could you please put a link to your dividers list on the front page so its easier to find when doing them

soblivion

chocolate.orange wrote: »

Hows everyone doing with the challenges ? How about an update ?

Well in a minute I'm having my treat and watching my DVD. Freezer's all done.
I'm doing the non mum's challenge(my two are nearly 22 and 18 now).
I liked that you could join in if you wanted and for the challenge I didn't really want to do a new craft or hobby, I sew, knit, crochet, cardmake, a little bit of painting, make a few things from wood(household/garden needed things) and I just tried a bit of plastic canvas too. I really don't want to start with another hobby so I figured choccy is using these things as ideas so I'm going to just keep working on a gift I'm making for christmas.
I won't be able to show it or tell what it is at the mo as it's for my internet grandchildren LOL but I know you'll all keep me motivated to do a little at a time. I just would love to be organised instead of rushing round like a chicken with no head.
I'm working on some other ideas too.
I have some recipes on the computer, I've not written them for my folder yet as I want to test them first.(Well DH and DS can do this and I'll just have a tiny taste).
I need to do 2 birthday cards for end of Aug and beginning of Sep so I'm going to look at doing them next week.
My folder is a high school musical one(I'm being MSE) and I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone jazzed them up all christmas looking and how they covered them so I can get ideas/copy them:o:D

Hope all of you poorlies are feeling better today.

sarahf191979

98jdougl wrote: »

I want to go to pets at home and get me a hamster lol... s/he can keep me company while I am crafting!!!
Am hoping to get there on friday or saturday (fingers crossed I can find a lift lol)

Take an extra cardboard box, especially if its a way a way, when we got the kids harry last year they only give you a thin box and harry was out of it in about 8 mins LOL:rotfl:Runaway Hammy in the car while driving down the motorway :eek:

Anglea

Hi girls,

UPDATE.

Since my son's been home I feel like the house has been turned upside down :rolleyes: and I can't seem to get into the mood for any organising as I always have something to tidy up!.

I did post last week about the banana/freezer. Just now I've located that folders challenge and written down the categories into a notebook. So will hopefully get some dividers in the week.

I think that on Magic freebies there was a booklet for doing things with the children in the summer posted in the last few days.

Have a good night everyone.

98jdougl

lol, thanks sarah! am hoping to buy cage etc with it all in one go and then that is sorted.
Also thank mary for your ideas- wasnt igmoring them, think I was replying as you posted it so didnt see it- sorreee
OH is 28 (I'm 22, will be 23 by christmas)

mum2one

Links for tge challenges are now on post one,

After a favpur, one of you lovely ladies had a recipie for rocky road ? with marshmallows, just that I didnt fancy going through the 70 pages of other thread, was wondering if I could get the copy off you again xx