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

mum2one

Hope everyone ok, had planned gut the dining room, - really means tidy up all my jewellery bits and bobs and everything else!! But spent Fri and Sat helping our nice neighbours with car insurance.

Been semi organised 2day - took dd to have her feet measured - new shoes, but gd but mum and dad get her shoes, she's over the moon shes back in Clarks shoes. Then popped via B+M. Got a few bits and bobs, was drooling over the tinsel and the christmas decs but was good and didn't get any. Got Miss Hoodie 2 Little Miss T-shirts reduced to £1.99.

Few odd bits for hampers, got some string for the gardening hampers, candy cones found fruit ones - there ready for the snowman mugs - and got my cousins boys bday prezzie - got Union Jack Piggy Bank, crest spinner toothbrushes, toy story sponge and cars metal box, - those were all £6.50 v plzed as there off the lot of us, and we budget £20.. thou don't like to spend that much.

Got 3 days to do my Open Uni assisgment - no mad trips to Post office.... plan a day off studying to sort out the xmas cards list, and then new course.

Fingers crossed - got one reserved at Argos - going to have a look 2mor, they have a Canon Video camera reduced to £99.99, weird thing is it was advertised in Sat's sun, but when u put the number online - its not recognised, but over the mobile its taken it.... If its ok, it be the bike off Father Christmas - think shes knows he doesn't really exist, but doesn't want to admit it - incase she loses out on a prezzie..... thought with going to Dom Rep next yr, and its a once in a lifetime trip... the money plan - £30 boots vouchers - use them for top ups, replace the cash, got £15 Argos vouchers, - in theory its just £55 to find - where did I see that money tree!!!
See what its like 2mor xx

esmf73

Hi all, think I joined this a while ago, but have lost track of the challenges due to moving and getting the boys into a new school. Have most of the Christmas presents sorted and wrapped. Just have to get something for MIL (difficult as she has terminal cancer and no one knows how long), brothers girlfriend and cousins x3. Have made some pictures of Yorkshire for my cousin and his wife, and a hamper of babystuff for my brother in law and his girlfriend (expecting sometime in December!). Doing a hamper of picnic / walking things for my parents and did an Italian cooking hamper for my FIL and his wife. Have decided to give my best friend and her husband chilli themed things - so have a picture, will get oil and have a hob guard too. I think it's lovely and I know she has chilli things in her kitchen already.

Have wrapped stockings for the boys and their presents - have decided that they have enough from us - and have got OH a bottle of whisky from Adsa (!) and will get him some little things. Almost all sorted - will have to make sure that I'm done by the end of October - then have to start the cooking!!!

rufusdog52

Morning everyone

Spent the afternoon yesteday drooling over fabrics on Ebay, was so tempted to start ordering but curbed my temptation by thinking may be I WILL get to the craft show on Thursday. Did spot what they call a panel which is a printed picture that you can use either in a quilt or on a cushion, its of Native Americans. Bid on it as my Dad loves what used to be cowboys and indians, and wont the piece so going to make him a cushion with it to go with his Bonanza dvd. It was only £2.79 inc pp and I think I will have enough bits to make it up without having to buy anything else.

Cut out some dresses for the teddies I made, will have a go at sewing them up today and if they come out ok will do some more then all the girls can have one of those for xmas. Might make crayon rolls for the two youngest ones (boy and girl). Have some card making kits left over too from when I used to sell them so will sort some of them out for a couple of the girls too.

djstar80

Morning everyone

Sorry I haven't really been on for a while, have been popping on and off so that I could keep up with the thread! Had a busy weekend doing my Avon and also making the Halloween pinatas. I refuse to pay £10 for an empty one so I make small ones for each of my daughters so that get lots of fun bashing them open and the contents is all theirs.

Anyway, hope everyone is well and have had a good weekend xx

cdsmiler

Morning all! Wow loads to catch up on as usual! lol Sorry, this is going to be LONG!

welshkaz wrote: »

Hiyas all busy busy busy here now, where are you cdsmiler im in tonyrefail near llantrisant in the gods own country lol i love trecco spent many a fun summer there ..

I'm near New Tredegar - originally from Pontypridd though!

Pips Mum - wow major Strictly bargains!! And love your mugs of gold! You've reminded me that I need to think about what to get DD's child minders....

mum2one - maybe not going to Devon has worked out for the best! He sounds like he might have made your trip less than enjoyable. Hope you're feeling better! Was I confused about Edinburgh? Were you going there too? Or was that Mary?? I don't know if I'M coming or going at the moment, let alone you lot! hehe
No sign on missing Avon money. It's all very odd. My fault completely though. lol Off to look at Halfcost - missed the one offer, but hey!

Welcome Emzy! Love the fact you left out carrots, cookies and milk last year!! lol If only my hubby was as silly as me we would have done the same!! :rotfl:

Hello toochoozy - wave from fellow South Walian! Welcome too to maz and any other newbies I've missed!

Legendmum - :rotfl:at your DS putting foreign objects in your oven!! Glad the house didn't catch fire!! And no, your pots of gold arn't stingy - remember, if it LOOKs full and generous, thats the important bit! And they do! Cadbury wishes look lovely - will have to hunt them out!!

Sugarspun - I read your 'Christmas tradition' on another thread and it made me giggle then! hehe Stop mentioning your naughtiness!! lol

Welcome back Angela - don't be a stranger! I bought my Nan a digital photo frame last year - not sure she's ever used it since though. the one I bought was a mains plug in one and think it wasa little too technical for her. I can't picture the decoration you described - do post a picture once you've had a go at it!

Janeliz - have you looked on places like Firefox and IWOOT for old school game type things - like Mario key rings?? You could put together some quirky game and retro game things together? Hmmmm.... Emzy's idea of Xbox live points are a fab idea though!

mummyslittleboy - hope you all get well soon!

mary-op - don't feel guilty about 'not doing anything' - you are ALWAYS making something!! lol

I'm with elysia - Hotprints photo albums are great value!! Can vouch for them. On a side though, I would also highly recommend Bob Books - we used them to make albums for our wedding and honeymoon and the quality is OUTSTANDING. Yes, it's much more expensive, but if you want to make a keepsake of a wedding, or once in a life time holiday, it's worth the money.

Susan - cupcakes - the topping can be whatever you want really. I prefer buttercream, but I know there's a cream cheese type frosting you can make too. Do a search online - there's MASSES of cup cake decorating blogs! This woman is fab! http://www.bakerella.com/ And it's official, your hubby is fab!

djstar - oooo if you can, we'd love to see pictures of your Halloween pinatas!

Rocking horse from M&Ps has been ordered - might be delivered at my parents today! So that's DD Christmas pretty much sorted - not getting her any other main pressies as she'll have masses from other people and being only just 1 she won't have a clue what's happening anyway! Just need to sort the stocking. Hubby's buying her birthday pressie (charm bracelet) so I shall leave that up to him. He has surprisingly good taste! He's also bought DD her Xmas eve hamper PJs from Empire (they were reduced!). Personally think it's him procrastinating as he's supposed to be revising for an OU exam in two weeks!!

SORRY - this has turned out very long - you're just all so chatty at the moment! lol

Clare x

elysia2003

Hiya Esm - welcome back. Did you buy the chili hob cover from Studio? I have them, and my Mum liked them so much she copied me. I love the way all your presents are themed. I have some done to a theme, have boxes of bits and bobs which are blue and silver for Christmas eve hamper, and have made foodie hampers too.

My trouble is as I buy bits when I see them nothing co-ordinates. It's the same when I go clothes shopping, I might buy a top one time, and trousers the next, and nothing ever matches! I must try thinking ahead more.

Anglea - I used to make those little bead/bobble things when I knitted jumpers and blankets and stuff when the kids were little, they used to be only about 6 stitches though, so your ones are quite large.

Rufus - I was looking at fabric squares last night on ebay. I want to make stockings for my DD's just like on Kirstie's Homemade Christmas last year. We must have a dozen stockings here but I fancied making my own, so the kids can keep them when they grow up and pass it down and say 'Nanny made that' - Elysia's only 7 so I may have to wait a while. :rotfl:

Brilliant bargain on the Camcorder Mum2one - fingers crossed you get it. I have Elysia's DSi coming today. £99 from Asda, and it includes Toy Story 3 game which is £25 on it's own.

I'm desperate for a Monster High Doll - Laguna Blue. If I don't find one in a couple of weeks, could I be cheeky and ask you lovely ladies to look out for one for me? The prices on ebay are astromical already, and it's not that close to Christmas yet. I'll gladly pay all postage and packaging charges and a bit extra.

cdsmiler

elysia - http://www.amazon.com/Monster-High-Lagoona-Neptuna-Piranha/dp/B003LPUCYK I know it's the .com rather than .co.uk, but it's in stock!

Edited to say - it's in stock at .co.uk too! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monster-High-Lagoona-Blue-Fashion/dp/B003XR8AHW and here http://www.amazon.co.uk/MONSTER-HIGH-P2673-LAGOONA-BLUE/dp/B003LPUCYK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_h_b_cs_4

Better prices on ebay actually - buy it now too! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MONSTER-HIGH-DOLL-LAGOONA-BLUE-UK-SELLER_W0QQitemZ160486652462QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=149157592446&rvr_id=149157592446&cguid=7643297e12b0a47a2441e4a1ff97ef03
And here - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Monster-High-Doll-Lagoona-Blue-Fast-Delivery-New-_W0QQitemZ280568475902QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=149164170018&rvr_id=149164170018&cguid=7643297e12b0a47a2441e4a1ff97ef03


Anyone seen this?? http://www.firebox.com/product/2634/Sock-Monkey-Kit?via=ser Made me laugh after seeing people making sock monkeys on here for years!! lol

Ok people, any suggestions on where i might be able to find newspapers or books about the Year You Were Born going as far back as 1920??? I know I can get some bits and bobs on ebay, but anywhere else? Don't worry about it being MSE - these are things I might suggest other family members get to for my Nan's 90 things box for her birthday! lol

Thanks all

Clare x

rufusdog52

cdsmiler wrote: »

elysia - http://www.amazon.com/Monster-High-Lagoona-Neptuna-Piranha/dp/B003LPUCYK I know it's the .com rather than .co.uk, but it's in stock!

Edited to say - it's in stock at .co.uk too! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monster-High-Lagoona-Blue-Fashion/dp/B003XR8AHW and here http://www.amazon.co.uk/MONSTER-HIGH-P2673-LAGOONA-BLUE/dp/B003LPUCYK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_h_b_cs_4

Better prices on ebay actually - buy it now too! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MONSTER-HIGH-DOLL-LAGOONA-BLUE-UK-SELLER_W0QQitemZ160486652462QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=149157592446&rvr_id=149157592446&cguid=7643297e12b0a47a2441e4a1ff97ef03
And here - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Monster-High-Doll-Lagoona-Blue-Fast-Delivery-New-_W0QQitemZ280568475902QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=149164170018&rvr_id=149164170018&cguid=7643297e12b0a47a2441e4a1ff97ef03


Anyone seen this?? http://www.firebox.com/product/2634/Sock-Monkey-Kit?via=ser Made me laugh after seeing people making sock monkeys on here for years!! lol

Ok people, any suggestions on where i might be able to find newspapers or books about the Year You Were Born going as far back as 1920??? I know I can get some bits and bobs on ebay, but anywhere else? Don't worry about it being MSE - these are things I might suggest other family members get to for my Nan's 90 things box for her birthday! lol

Thanks all

Clare x

Clare, Newspapers can be expensive for those copies from past years. Can you not go online and print out bits and pieces and put it in a book instead? Wikipedia is a good place to hunt for news and songs from different years. As for books, may be see if you have a second hand book store near by and ask in there, they might know of something xx

rufusdog52

Elysia - I saw some of those stockings on Ebay, they look lovely, and all the cushion bits for xmas too, I would have a house full of cushions if I gave in to temptation lol xx

Have finished two teddies complete with dresses and hair bows. Two more will do the nieces, then I have three great nieces, might do them one each too now I have a pattern for the dresses. I have plenty of plain white fabric and can tart it up with patterned patches and trimmings.

cdsmiler

rufusd!!!2 wrote: »

Clare, Newspapers can be expensive for those copies from past years. Can you not go online and print out bits and pieces and put it in a book instead? Wikipedia is a good place to hunt for news and songs from different years. As for books, may be see if you have a second hand book store near by and ask in there, they might know of something xx

Thanks rufus - these are the types of things I'm going to look at anyway, but if anyone can point me in the direction of the gift sets, that would be great. My aunt has a bit of money so she might be p for buying an expensive bit!

I had a fab book about the year I was born (fun stuff that happened in that year, news, music, loads of bits and bobs) but couldn't have been expensive. I can't seem to find anything similar for 1920 though - must be too long ago!! lol

Clare x