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

rufusdog52

Well done everyone, looks like we are all getting a bit more orgainised. I have made a start on my Xmas tablecloth, it might end up as a Xmas quilt yet but at the moment its a table cloth, just need to make it a bit longer each end.

Barbie clothes are just abotu done, just need to put elastic round tops of two skirts and all finished. I have a box that had cutlery in it that the two second hand dolls will fit in, need to do a Mary and cover it with some nice paper, you're a star Mary with all these ideas xxx

The bits of wall paper I put up have dried nicely so will be able to paint them tomorrow, will try to get up the town too in the afternoon and see whats on offer up there, will look out for the lips in Co-op and see what date they have on them. Think I might put toffee bon bons in the other jars I bought and have them as snow man poop as I think the kids will find this funny.

Want to try to get that Barbie doll too while I am up there from Wilkinsons, it was only a fiver the other day and was on the Toyrus site at £10.

Not sure whether we are going to make it to the craft show or not, I really want to go but dont drive so am depending on my SIL taking me but she isnt sure whether she can go yet. Will be letting me know Monday eve. Fingers crossed we can but if we cant then it will mean I have a bit more money left over for other bits.

Susan42 - glad you seem to be getting somewhere at last with your internet xx

NickyBo_2

susan42 wrote: »

Today I made snowman soups, pint of socks and mini pamper kits

Susan - I love all the new things you've made! I made a couple of Pints of Socks last year and they went down well. I think I might make some Snowman Soups this year as I've not done those yet.



At school we are doing something new this Christmas. Each class is being given a bit of money and we then need to buy and/or make things to sell at the Christmas fair. It's a bit like the Young Enterprise scheme that runs in secondary schools. I'm going to get the kids to make Reindeer food as I do that every year with them anyway. Usually they just make one bag to take home but this year we'll make loads to sell as well . I'm going to make a few samples and present them in different ways then let the kids vote for which design they like best, then we'll go with that. I've also got an idea about making pet rocks - get some big smooth rocks and have the kids paint them, then stick some wiggly eyes and pompom nose on. What do you think? Would these sell?

Any other ideas about what we could make to sell at the Christmas fair? It will need to be easy enough to be made by 7-9 year olds and also easy enough that I can do it with over 30 children at once How easy is Snowman Soup to make, would that be suitable?

turn3r

NickyBo wrote: »

I've also got an idea about making pet rocks - get some big smooth rocks and have the kids paint them, then stick some wiggly eyes and pompom nose on. What do you think? Would these sell?

Hi there
I think parents would buy the rock their child made, my sister did projects with the kids at her school last Christmas and the grandparents and parents bought the things their child made! I personally would buy something my daughter had made!
What about making bird food to hang in the gardens? Lots of people buy bird food at that time of year anyway, but its maybe not very Christmassy??

susan42

mary, what about the scruncie around the outside of the pint pot, or just put scarf in and tape some paper around outside of pot...

mummyslittle boy - i got the 9p bath bombs in charity shop, but i also bought a pack of 8 for a £1 in boots. They`re on 3 for 2 as well so you could get them free or make your own here

As regard the ferroro rocha tubs how about a see through pamper pot, or see through retro tub, I seen some on here or the crafting for xmas thread that were ace, anyone bookmarked it?

cookiecrumbs thanks for heads up with asda, I just realised I need to buy cake mix....on the subject of cooking has anyone got a halogen oven was looking at them on the shopping channel this am are they any good?:o

Nickybo, I think snowman soups easy to make but i made a mess putting the chocolate mix in . You could use sachets, they`re in BM 8 for a £1
You could do cake mixture this way....make your own cake....similar to these with a 8p sponge mix in sainsburys and a little pot of jam. Or icing ...:)

elysia2003

Susan don't buy the Halogen cooker! In May when we had our new kitchen fitted, we were without a cooker for two weeks. I bought one of these to use. They are supposed to cook quickly. Everything took twice as long, and to tell you the truth. I only used it twice, it was useless. We ate microwave meals for the rest of the time. As I bought it off QVC, I sent it straight back for full refund otherwise you could have had it.

Nicky - someone meantioned bird seed to sell. How about those fat cakes. Just mix the seed in melted lard and put in a plastic cup, push in some wool to hang it up, before the lard hardens. You could make it into a decoration by tying some holly leaves to the wool from which it hangs. I think lots of people would buy these.

Well done everyone - you're all doing brilliantly!!!

fedupandskint

Thanks for the news about halogen ovens - everytime I see them on QVC I think about getting one as they're supposed to be cheaper, quicker to use than a conventional oven - talked myself out of it as I read for bad reviews about them too and your experience reinforces this

abdonz

hiya everyone,your all doing sooo well brilliant ideas.:)
sorry not been posting for a couple of days,ive had the worst week ever with bad news after bad news
anyway i love the pots of snow really want to make a couple of them, but where do i get the jars??
have ordered the cone shaped cellophane for snowman soup should be here tomorrow also got all ingrediants. morrisons have the sachets of hot choc 5 for£1 i got malteser yumm.
the challenge
THE FREEZER
did this 2 weeks ago
FOOD LIST AND TURKEY
have started to stock up on some things,pickeled eggs, tea bags etc. not even thought of turkey as we normally get a leg of lamb which my mum sorts for me. but i think this year we will go traditonal and get a turkey may get another small joint of meat to there are 5 of us.
HALLOWEEN
got the kids outfits last week in tk max(i never go in normally as i hate it) got all 3 for under£9.
i think im going to do a little halloween tea party have seen some good decorations in £shop.
will sort out the food that week.
HALF TERM
thinking about a caravan for a few days somewhere
STOCKINGS
not doing them as im doing xmas eve hampers this year
EBAY
had the big sort out last monthe after doing every room and cupboard i had 26 bin bags of stuff soi sorted all the ebay things out and done it
CHRISTMAS PRESENT LIST
Ihave been through all my presents and put them all together
SECRET SANTA
Brilliant idea am in
CHRISTMAS TREE
when me and hubby are back on talking terms i wil get him to get tree decs out so i can have a sort throu them (im not going in loft)
BATTERIES
have got loads of aa and aaa but do need a couple of the bigger ones
PAPER
Got all paper after xmas last yr have loads of the stuff
KIDS DRAWINGS
need to use the paper up lol
TIME FOR CHAT
Normally this is sorted but have a few extra family members (that have crawled oyut of woodwork)this yr but i have just got them a tin of chocs to share
PAMPERING
will try to sort something had no kids last night but it was just a disaster
CAKES
going to go to the scoop shop one morn this week and get it baked. a;so going to get abit extra as want to do mini ones for my hampers.
oh i also need to get some small tins of beans (to bake the cake in)
so beans on toast one night this week then lol
HAMPERS
Just need the mini xmas cakes and they done, put them altogether last week
SCHOOL PRESENTS
snowman soup and pots of gold still to make
I WANTS
brilliant idea we bought a ps3 last yr could have done with this then lol
DONT FORGET
i have everything together in bedroom and soted into people

so really i dont feel like i have loads to do but its just the little things that do get on top of you.
sorry its a long one,
welcome to any newbies who have joined these past few days i have been browsing over things but not posting.
oh i also got all my jars for jam and chutney just need a good red onion chutney recipe anyone know of one??:o
also when are you all starting to wrap up your pressies??i feel i should maybe start.
xxxxxx

Pips_Mum

Abandonz sorry you have had a bad week, hugs x I always leave my wrapping until later as for me its one of the things that make me feel Christmassy. Some music and some candles and of course a glass of vino!!

I am very happy as my grandad is out of ICU and into High dependancy so a definate step forward:j It also means he will be ble to have cards and presents for his Birthday on Tuesday. I have just made him a photo book of " a day in the life of Pip" its all photos of him in the park and playing. I used a A5 folder and wallets I *ahem* liberated from work and a pack of Tesco value photo paper that was under £2! So all in all a nice meaningful present for very few squids!

cookiecrumbs

Hello

pipsmum - great news about your grandad, hope he enjoys his birthday

abdonz - sorry to hear you've been having a bad time of it, hope things start getting better very soon

susan - sounds like the broadband problem is on it's way to being sorted out. Companies tend to start taking notice when they're not getting their money!!

mummyslittleboy - no problem about the ghd site. There are so many dodgy sites about, especially in the run up to Christmas, but any of the official retailers on the ghd site will be fine.

Today I have been to the craft fair at Alexandra Palace. It was all scrapbooking, card making and stamps and it was brill!! I was like a kid in a sweetshop and probably bought far more stuff than I'll ever need! Luckily OH was at the football so I didn't have to take him with me! It was about 99% ladies and 1% men being dragged round carrying all the bags... :rotfl:

The weather here is terrible today, really grey and wet. I am going to bung the heating on and make a roast dinner tonight. Hope everyone has had a nice weekend.

SugarSpun

Abdonz, all my wrapping except for the baby's gifts are done, and I'm not wrapping most of hers (the ones that aren't wrapped haven't arrived yet) Hope things get better for you soon.

Great news PipsMum :j

Have ended up with only one sealed jar of jam after yesterday's plumjamstravaganza :mad: but have organised giving three of the unsealed jars to people for feedback so we'll see. I also ordered pectin from Approved Foods, so once the jam sugar vanishes from the shelves I'll be able to stock up on regular sugar and it'll be almost the same thing.

Can someone please give me a recipe/idiot's guide to making Christmas cake in tins? Do they need to be the short tins or can I use regular size ones?