New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

mary-op

Hello all :j

mum2one -glad it all worked out ok...........would love to be a fly on the wall in your house.....:rotfl: You really must keep a diary of all the goings on..............lol

Just a brief visit - OH been in and out the loo all night, stomach pains and all sorts.......so result being I had not much sleep either. Nearly rang ambulance this morning and the thought of that he got up and made emergency appt. at gp's (naming a door after us now they are.........lol) Gp prodded him about round the stomach, couldn't work it out so gave him some painkillers that dissolve......can't think what they're called and packets in the kitchen. GP told him if he's as bad in 24 hours to go to A & E. He's gone back to bed now..........just feels tired and drained.
So, I've got to wear the chefs hat tonight :eek: Normally a c**p cook so got cookie books out........hows this........chicken portions and mushrooms wrapped in tin foil, baked in the oven about an hour........thought I'd do jacket potatos with them and some sweetcorn.........surely can't fail with that can I ???? Not so much for OH as he says he doesn't want anything (probably because I'm cooking........lol) but me and the lad here have to eat...........so, oven on preheating for the feast of a lifetime.................:rotfl:

susan42

Hi everyone, i`m back...I went off to portugal for 10 days, but didnt say because i abit paronoid about being burgaled...i think thieves read the internet and then try to find you, dont know why:o

Rufus - I absolutely love and adore that quilt , its beautiful.:T:T

Mum2one, just seen miss hoodies challenges:eek: wow that girl has an imagination....:rotfl:but I`ll try to join in....;)

As regards the handbag charms, I emailed a few companies and asked them could they send me some sample boxes so I could see what my jewellery looked like in them, had some gorgeous boxes back for free;)

Fed up and skint, welcome back, more the merrier i say :j

tinmlaura - hi, welcome to our slice of mse

And Elysia, how did wales go? did you have a nice holiday?

elysia2003

Yes thankyou Susan. How was Portugal? I love it there. Hoping to move there when I retire. :cool:

I've really enjoyed all these recipes and tips on here the past few days. It feels like we are all a big family - Thanks everyone. :beer:

cdsmiler

Anglea wrote: »

Clare, making small Christmas cakes seems like a good idea (I'll keep that in mind for me). Possibly easier for you than large ones because you've got a lot to do that time of year.

Jam making. My favourite jam to eat is damson and not easy to buy so last year after being given a load of fruit, thought I'd try some jam. However found the whole process of spooning up the pips while it was cooking really difficult and only made a small amount.

Smaller ones mean more icing and decorating though (which is my favourite bit, but more time consuming! lol). Was thinking of making a big square one and cutting into 4. Hmmmm. Maybe next year.

Never tried damson jam, but bit confused about the pips - why didn't you sieve it?

mum2one - you and your Dad have the patience of saints!!! lol

mary - hope the meal went ok!! lol And hope hubby feels better.

Just waiting for a vegan bakewell tart to finish cooking. Never done one before, but hubby loves my bakewell and for some bizarre reason promised someone he works for - who is vegan - that I'd make one for her on his last day there (on placement!). God knows what it'll taste like... lol

Clare x

Clare x

elysia2003

Clare - well done. I wouldn't even know where to start. :eek:

Anglea with the damson jam, the one and only time I made it, I cut the stones out before I started cooking. They're just a bit smaller than plum stones, so a bit fiddly but the result was great.

I'm all in the mood for jam making now - such a shame I didn't get many strawberries this year. I'll have to wait for august and get freebie blackberries from the hedgerows over the road.

Anglea

Hi all

Clare, re damson jam. I found it really hard to sieve, very heavy pan. The recipe said do it in the pan. Christmas cakes - I would find smaller ones easier to handle (and less likely to drop!). I liked mum2one's idea of using small food tins.

Hope your tart turns out good.

Elysia -I tried cutting them out in advance but couldn't properly, perhaps not ripe enough?

mmmm Blackberries. There are lots all over the place I live. Last year I made blackberry turnovers.

Mary - hope OH is ok and you've avoided AE again. Hope your meal turned out nice.

mum2one

Mary - do hope hubby going on ok 2ngt.

All quiet here, can't sleep so having half an hr catch up, off to physio 2mor what fun!! xx

Hows the freezer challenge, looking forwards to the recipies, and the £2 present..... (only joking - really wanted to see how could shop cheap!!)

Done well on the OU front, have got 1 of the courses have done 2 weeks work in 2 days, so by next week aim to be infront. xx

sarahf191979

Morning Everyone

Now I cant remeber everything I've read so sorry

Happy Birthday Mum2one's MUM, and well done on all your suprises and how nice of the delivery driver to say happy birthday even if it did cause a hissy fit think that was a nice thing to do as a lot are just grumpy

Hi fedupandskint welcome back hun, and welcome to the thread tinmlaura

Mary hope your oh is feeling better

Glad you had a nice holiday Susan and got lots of sun.

Love all the jam recipies I'm rubbish at things like that.

Hope I've not missed anyone if I have sorry

Been so busy and finally have a day to catch up, still got another week to go on my course then I could be on a work placement so glad I'm on this thread and nearly organised lol or I would be flapping. Noticed that a few sales are starting so time for picking up some bargins, I ordered a couple of Wii games from play.com the other day which were £4.99 each and have pre ordered DS1 Dr Who 11 doctors set.

Went to blackpool zoo yesterday with DS2's class, it was manic and raining but good fun, so today is definately catch up and rest as we are off to the airshow tomorrow :T

Right I have waffled enough lol, time to get a Coffee

erm

Morning all,

Been absent again for a few weeks, for which I apologise. Have just about caught up on everything now and am pleased to report I switched my freezer off this morning before I came to work, so it should be nicely defrosted by the time I get home :-). Have put a towel underneath to mop up the water, so shouldn't be in too bad a state, this evening.

Mum2One - sounds like your mum's birthday was a great one (once she got used to the idea of having surprises). I'm in the midst of planning my OH's 30th at the moment, and I'm a bit worried he might not like surprises either, but hey ho, that's what special birthdays are all about.

fedupandskint - those Chutney recipes sound fab. Might have a go at making those myself for pressies, this year. Am going to make the microwave Xmas Puds again as well. Everyone enjoyed those, so I'll roll up my sleeves and make some more.

Can't believe we're already at the start of July. Was chatting to friends yesterday and they started going on about "you do realise the Christmas cards will be int he shopd in another month or so, don't you. They're always out by the end of August" in a very Bah, humbug sort of way. And there's me, trying to keep a straight face, thinking I can't wait!!! Just the thought of Christmas and seeing all the lovely decorations is enough to put a smile on my face.

Love to all xxx

Janebo12

Hi all, sorry not been around as I have been organising school summer fayre which was last friday, so have been trying to catch up on everything and get life back to normal instead of practically living in school for past few weeks. Hopefully will be able to make a start on the challenge now!

Hope everyone is well!