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

queenb1981

Cant wait for challenge,keep sneaking back on here to have a look.

Elysia - sorry to hear your daughter was having problems but so good to hear its sorted and shes happy going to school again. It just upsets your whole day when they go to school sad, you feel so helpless

djstar80

Hello - some of you may remember me from last year.

I'm so sorry for disappearing and not following through on the secret santa challenge. In July 2009 we were made homeless as our land loard decided to sell up so we ended up in a homeless family centre. Then in late Nov 2009 we were given a council house so what with the move and no internet for a while I dissapeared from this thread and I'm very sorry for that.

I would really like to join in this year - can't believe how fast the last year has gone! I haven't really done very much in prep for xmas, halloween etc so I really need to get organised now!

For anyone that doesn't remember me - I'm Denise, 29 (30 on Oct 10th aaarrrrggggghhhh lol!) and mummy to 3 girls aged 12, 11 and 2. I absolutely adore xmas and put a lot of energy into it every year but like most people have a tight budget to stick to so it can be hard.

Anyway, hope everyone has had a good week xx

mum2one

Massive apologies ladies, put it on saved file and went to bed without copying it across.

I have had to reign in Miss Hoodie - otherwise you'd be cleaning, decorateing, and putting the Christmas tree up!!

Santas Challenge - September - Setember Sorting

Firstly message from Miss Hoodie, rubber gloves are needed, but as you ladies are all lovely, hopefullly they can pass the job across to hubbys etc ( she's suggested he does this challenge (freezer) - so the ladies should find a man to do it!!)

The Freezer
Yes, its the lovely time of the year that the freezer gets a tidy and a clean out before we start stock piling for xmas - (hence rubber gloves!!)
If you get a man to do the freezer - they have to treat you to chocolate (Miss Hoodie)

Food List
Now the supermarkets are starting to get in the Christmas goodies, nows the time to do the list of the exta goodies and we can spread the buying out, certain things tend to sell out quicker (espically Brandy sauce).

Turkey - digressing slightly - but after reading a news article this morning, it said expect Turkeys to go up in price by at least 10 to 20% due to the increase in price of grain the farmers are having to pay - cost be passed to consumer. Any bargains shout them out

Halloween
I know may seem mad, (we have Oct's santa challenge b4 then), but hallowen falls at the end of half term, and guessing that week, strores will be empty by then, if you need to buy anything or make anything - start now

Half term - October
(again method in madness), more for anyone with children, The Sun today has all vouchers for sealife centres (all kids free - usually just 1 child free), a lot of the "free" entry or bogof offers usually expire end of Oct, so maybe worth a route around to see if theres any offers locally for days out - get the vouchers, put them up safe - cheap day out. Also if anyone does go away - holiday parks etc - always worth asking at the reception if they have discount vouchers for local attractions)

Stockings
No not those that we wear:p, but Christmas stocking fillers, workout how many you need, an ideas list (bar actual elephants;), and keep a note bok handy

Ebay
I presume its a open to everyone, I've had an email saying free listings weekend - Sat+ Sunday.
I willbe honest and say I'm 50/50 for these, as a seller, yes its great its free, but as under 99p free listings anyhow, but a lot of people do list so you are competing with everything, but for buyers, I think free listing is 100% brilliant, as you get more choice.

Christmas Lists
Hopefully we're all getting there withe Christmas - thou sugarspun is on 2012 already:j:j - puts us to shame (only joking), would say use this month as an organised one, Christmas catalogues will be out soon:j, so even more ideas.
Don't forget to allow the spare presents - (secret santa at work, spare ladies, mens, childrens) - you never know.

Secret santas presents
I appriciate that last year was a bit of an experiment, but thinking of re-doing the surprise christmas present - same as last yr - your be given some questions, passed onto another lady, they choose 3 prezzies, then you pass the list to friend, hubby etc they get teh final choice.
The part of secret santa - this month is to make £10, any way - as long as its legal:D, then next months Santas challenge can collectr names and go from there.

Christmas Tree
Not quite as Miss Hoodie wanted it, - to put your trees up (thou if you want to we dn't mind), but more getting sorted - if you can get to the tree and dec's etc, nows the chance to see if you need new tinsel, decorations etc, or anything that is broken canbe replaced.

Christmas Presents - Batteries
sounds daft, but check for batteries - as 9 times out of 10 there the expensive part

Christmas paper
Now's the time to get the wide rolls of paper, incase you have any big boxes, saves the octopus hands.......

Childrens drawings - When Miss Hoodie was younger she had this thing about the glitter glue pens, and use to love drawing patterns and putting another piece on top, it was novely that the same design came though, we had stacks of them, (kept a few), but with the others I used them as wrapping paper for small presents, espcially uncle and aunts etc, it was the personal touch

Time for the chat
I was chatting to a friend the other day, about christmas. and she was saying how expensive her family is getting, she 2 brothers, 2 sisters, 4 in-laws, 6 nieces and nephews, then her family, they've decided between them just to buy for the children, just thinking that some people who aren't as wonderfully orgainsed as us, and as crafty (in the art terms) as mary, maywant to cut back, but don't know how to say so.

Pampering
Ladies - we must have a pampering, (thou MSE as always), grab a friend, a family member, or just treat yoiurself, whether its an afternoon witha weepie film, a facemask and hair conditioner treatment (thou preferably after the postie has been:cool::p:rotfl:) or even a large slice of chocolate cake....... we deserve it.

Christmas Cakes
Nows the time the shops are getting all the ingredients in ready for cakes, - even if your not baking yet, grab the main bits - before just the very posh labels left - if you have any mixture left over, and it can make a small cake, I use an baked bean tin, makes a great cake for 1 - great in hampers -

Hampers
That brings me nicely on, I know this year, making a few more hampers as prezzies, doesn't have to be tradational wicker baskets, - Mary is the expert here - but if it can be covered use it.

The School Presents - Mums challenge
This is the bit I did dread, as with Mis Hoodie it's everyone but the cook, - she has 4 people reading, then the class room assistant, the Headmnaster, the volunteer that comes in, you know the list its endless. The main people will have something from Boots 75% sale box, the others I'm doing the santas soup. But if we can find out how many people there is - get in now - save the pennies

Yes, theres some lovely ladies that don't have the school run, so this month you can have a little rest......

The I wants.......
Bit of an experiment, so plz bear with me, but last year when I got Miss Hoodie a Wii for xmas, everyone was so helpful - with advice what to get, not to get, prices etc, special offers, that brought me to a brainwave:eek::eek: - we've got children of different ages, different I wants...... Wii, DS, PS3 etc..... i'm sure the list is endless,
On the 1st page - where the challenges are listed, Thinking of adding on details re Wii etc, So that if anyone is buying bigger purchases, they can flick to that page, and see what accessories would be best, and any special offers available, I know prices do change, but if we have a starting point have a rough guide

Last one - promise - "Don't forget"
This may sound daft, but grab a note back, and put notes in as to where you have put the items, - as my loft is a black hole - we have managed to mislay a box of 800 christmas cards!!

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As always the challenge list looks long, but think of it like a pick and mix, grab what you fancy..... (only excuses allowed for the freezer challenge - have no freezer, its frost free;))

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Hallowen Costume ideas

Adults - if you have an old black skirt or trousers and coloured cotton, sew patterns to make cobwebs, broomsticks, do the same on black top

Childrens costumes - can do the same as adults - cotton cobwebs

or (did for Miss Hoodie she was 3)

Need drying time, space, couple of old magazines - roll them up for legs in trousers - (they need to be dryed flat - ideally where your making it)

Glitter glue pens - poundland etc (doesn't just have to be silver any colour work)

Trs - you have to do the front, let it dry - can take day or two, then the the back - again drying time - use rolled up magazines in the legs ot stop the glue seeping through to the other side

T-shirt - would just do the front and one cobweb etc on the sleeves (roll up magazine for sleeves - flat one to go inbetween the tshirt while drying.

Method-
Once you got all magazines etc in place - let the inner child come out and play....

Use the pens to draw cobwebs, brooms, simple cat shape, witch on broomstick if your feeling creative, or just broom-sticks.

Once dried - do the other part

Look brilliant, Miss Hoodie won the Halloween contest with her costume.
We do have a photo, where no idea.

mum2one

djstar80 wrote: »

Hello - some of you may remember me from last year.

I'm so sorry for disappearing and not following through on the secret santa challenge. In July 2009 we were made homeless as our land loard decided to sell up so we ended up in a homeless family centre. Then in late Nov 2009 we were given a council house so what with the move and no internet for a while I dissapeared from this thread and I'm very sorry for that.

I would really like to join in this year - can't believe how fast the last year has gone! I haven't really done very much in prep for xmas, halloween etc so I really need to get organised now!

For anyone that doesn't remember me - I'm Denise, 29 (30 on Oct 10th aaarrrrggggghhhh lol!) and mummy to 3 girls aged 12, 11 and 2. I absolutely adore xmas and put a lot of energy into it every year but like most people have a tight budget to stick to so it can be hard.

Anyway, hope everyone has had a good week xx

Hi Denise, welcome back, so sorry about all the hassles you had last year, being 30 was the best year I had, (bar his lordship) and you'd sound a day over 21......
Tight budget no problem, were the thread to get you organised.....anything we can all help with - just shout.
Don't worry about reading 180 pages (unless you really ant to!!), but your just in time for Santas challenge xx

mum2one

elysia2003 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for commenting on Elysia's troubles. It may have been a misunderstanding, but you can never tell when you're only getting one side of the story! She's been told to stand up for herself. By me AND the teacher. Hopefully it's sorted, as she was happy again today.

Sugarspun. LOL. I know it's disgusting! :mad: How very dare they indeed! I was sat on here until ten to three this morning waiting for it. :rotfl:I couldn't sleep really!

I'm so sorry........
Glad DD sorted out with school, I tell Miss Hoodie to stand up for herself, as at school and when she went swimming, she'd start off at the front of the queue and then end up at the back,

Thou shouldn't laugh..... she's picked up bit of road rage.......what anoys me and dad, if you stop to let a car through then its common desceny just to put your hand up or even little thank you gesture when there holding the wheel, coming back from Rhyl Sunday, dad had stopped to let a few cars through and out of 5 only 1 thanked him, 3 others purped their horns, thinking that way there way of saying thank you, he went oh thats nice at least they appriciated I'd stopped, Miss Hoodie pipes up, oh no - thats me I victory V...eed them as they didn't say thank you....... won't say who she's picked that up from.......

susan42

mum2one/miss hoodie - great challenges again, i`m going to print them off and digest them

hi djstar80 - wb, that must be awful becoming homeless, happened to me about 15 years ago

lol @ sugarspun , your comments did make me laugh but i agree how dare people have a life...

I just made some pots of snow.....i`ve blogged them... here, i`m on the craft trail, i`ve seens some somewhere before on a craft site.

Real_Toothfairy

Mum2one - Freezer.....love it......Done mine 2 weeks ago!!! lol as I stocked up on some of the freezer bargains from Asda (50p bits)......So before I went I sorted the chest freezer out and the Fridge freezer (thers only 3 of us....why do we need 2 freezers.....I dunno!!!)

School teachers etc...DD is at college so she is making pots of gold for tutors and has asked me to make some tissue holders aswell.

Halloween - Am helping to organise a Halloween baby shower/party .......Starting the afternoon as a baby shower with a halloween theme but then the last 2 hours are going to be a kids party!! Have got my outfit sorted....Cat!! (original I know....Not) But they had cat ears etc on Half cost for £1. We are having blood soup (tomato soup), jacket potatoes, big pot of chilli...beans etc etc so trying to keep costs down there.

Also managed to swipe some more bargains over the past few days.....got quite a few bits from Tesco's for 1p.....After eights mints, bags of coffee, also got some tracksuits for my nieces that have bithdays in January....3 of them. TTFN x

mary-op

Hello all :j

Welcome back Denise:T

elysia -glad DD is ok now with school....fingers crossed it stays that way:T

susan - love the pots of snow.............better than mine last year............think I just might have to 'copy' yours..............lol Know what you mean about charity shops getting dearer........I think they are (apart from my coat and two mugs at 49p each yesterday)

mum2one -love the challenge.............lol:rotfl:
OH does everything food wise and freezers so thats up to him and we don't have a houseful so no major panic about food stuff.
Already got loads of batteries and stuff like that......wrapping paper -still got a roll unwrapped from last year...........:j
Cards are all done and in a shoe box labelled 'christmas' so I know where to find them (bound to be some I've not done but at least the main ones are taken care of)
Stocking fillers...........don't normally do them.........odds and sods go in the 'shoebox' with a cheque or something nice tucked among the c**p.............lol -but still have some bits and pieces to finish off and put in the right boxes.
Halloween we don't do.....just have to remember to get a load of sweets in for the little kids that make the effort to dress up and come round the streets
Half term - well depending on our lads education situation it might not make any difference
Don't make christmas cake so no worries there.............lol

So, my bit of the challenge is about done (I think).:T

Want to make some more little stuffed heart decorations from the fabrics I've got and a christmas wall hanger I saw that I'll have a go at copying -sort of. Think next door neighbours daughter might give me a hand or advice on that -she did a lovely wall hanger for textile project at school.
Done not a lot today.........soc.worker this morning, our lad in and out like a yo yo all day since then, and his mate came round (very noisy !!) -desk needs total clear up.........literally can't see it for 'stuff':eek:

fedup -glad you're feeling better

rufusdog52

susan42 your pots of snow are lovely.

Does anyone know where to get the red jelly lips quite cheaply? Think I might fill the small kilner jar with them for eldest daughter.

fedupandskint

Afternoon everyone, I feel almost back to normal now which is a relief - yipee!

Thanks for this months challenge mum2one - the freezer is the main part for me as no half term or halloween to worry about apart from getting some cheap sweets in for the trick or treaters

Already up to date with the food elements - have a list with everything on still to get. Going to source a turkey, maybe try the farm shop this year or go for the big pack from QVC again on 5th Oct which although quite expensive is convient for a small family and its delivered too meaning no rugby scrum at the shop like last year. All baking ingredients in unless I make some to sell at work. Will see when I get back there next week

Cards and wrapping paper, ribbon and bows all in a tidy place

Got some Secret Santa gifts ready and I liked the Secret Santa on here last year which was nice to have a little treat for ourselves after all that bargain hunting

Have some hamper baskets and a bucket and a flexi trug for the hampers. Could do with another flexi trug and maybe a trug. Also some hatboxes left over from last year. Don't need anymore decorations as I always buy some in the sale straight after Christmas and have loads

All chocolates bought from Thorntons for their marvellous half price offer of £5 for a huge box and then a code for another free box of classics plus the half price Black Magic from Mr S. All tucked away out of temptation's path!

Boo hiss - my least favourite job - defrosting the freezer - will do this later on in Oct when I've eaten some more out of there first!

What else, welcome back Denise, nice to see you back and I hope life treats you better this year