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

cookiecrumbs

Hi everyone

Hope you're all having a nice weekend. The snow has completely melted here and it is sunny today - still freezing though.

Can anyone help? I saw somewhere (and I'm sure it was on this thread) that someone had made a Christmas tree made of shortbread (or it might have been gingerbread) stars, all iced and stacked up on top of each other.

I can't find it anywhere and I really wanted to have a go at making one.

cookiecrumbs

Scratch that. I found it on a different thread!! My head's a mess!

xrestrictedx

I did a lot of my packaging last night, but the post being delayed has stopped that, my cellophane bags are in the delivery Took my friend xmas shopping today, as her car was in the garage getting fixed and she had been snowed in. So we got a lot of her shopping done, and I was so pleased that I have all mine done apart from a small thing for mum......

We have only to spend 10.00 on each other.

Mums hamper
Pot of gold
home made truffles
home made Shortbread
2 bottles of Mini Wine 1.00
Cafetiere 1.00
Coffee 1.00

She has recently taken up knitting, I had got her scarf and gloves from debenhams, but she informed me that she no longer likes to wear a scarf............... she is also not so keen on smelly stuff. So I Im stuck on what to get now.....

hiya,just wondering...as i 'recently started knitting again' , and i know how misplaced things can get or 'not got yet'.... if you know what i mean lol, maybe a little sewing/knitting box of bits and bobs like stitch holders, crocheting hook (handy when knitting sometimes), bodkins, new needles or extra needles, ( i usually have a few projects on the go which need the same size needles), knitting bag, new patterns, patterns that can be used over and over, like gloves/hats/socks/or even xmas decs, place mats etc. could even do a folder with printed off patterns off the internet, i'm getting there with my pattern folder, i find them and my sister prints them off for me lol, i cant link, but there's one called 'knitting pattern central' they are free to download and 'Patons free pattern' same again. .... cant think of anything else at the moment, brain elsewhere lol

P.S i've found a 'hello kitty' knitting pattern for a child jumper ages 2-5yrs, if anyone wants a copy just let me know, i got it off the net somewhere so i dont know if i'm allowed to pass it on....am i??? not selling it, just sharing!!

xxx

foxy219

I would love the Hello Kitty pattern - DD is well into Kitty at the moment, or "KitKat" as she calls her!

xrestrictedx

hi foxy, tried to put it in a pm and tried to put it up here but it wont let me lol do you want to pm me your email addy and i'll send it that way? by the way it is a copy, i think someone copied it out of a magazine, you might need to enlarge, i had to with bad eyesight lol xxx

esmer

diddly74 wrote: »

I made fudge the other day and it did not set completely. It stayed sticky and in the end I threw it in the bin. What did I DO WRONG???

What is the recipe you used?

esmer

xrestrictedx wrote: »

hiya,just wondering...as i 'recently started knitting again' , and i know how misplaced things can get or 'not got yet'.... if you know what i mean lol, maybe a little sewing/knitting box of bits and bobs like stitch holders, crocheting hook (handy when knitting sometimes), bodkins, new needles or extra needles, ( i usually have a few projects on the go which need the same size needles), knitting bag, new patterns, patterns that can be used over and over, like gloves/hats/socks/or even xmas decs, place mats etc. could even do a folder with printed off patterns off the internet, i'm getting there with my pattern folder, i find them and my sister prints them off for me lol, i cant link, but there's one called 'knitting pattern central' they are free to download and 'Patons free pattern' same again. .... cant think of anything else at the moment, brain elsewhere

I know nothing of knitting AT ALL. I did knit years ago.

What is a Bodkin?
If getting new needles, what is the standard size to buy?
Are there any knitting bagsI could get for her to keep all her stuff in, bearing in mind my budget.

Sorry, im more of a sewer and cross stitcher than a knitter.............. :rotfl:

SugarSpun

Oooooooh we're buying a tree next weekend!!

And then on Sunday DH and DD are going out together for the day to a Christmas market (a fair old way away, too :eek:) and I can decorate the house and they can come home to a lovely winter wonderland

Now to learn how to take care of a real tree; my parents always had a fake one and I have never done anything with a real one before

diddly74

diddly74 wrote: »

I made fudge the other day and it did not set completely. It stayed sticky and in the end I threw it in the bin. What did I DO WRONG???

This is the receipe I used. I got if from one of the forums here.

500g golden granulated sugar
500ml whipping cream
50ml Baileys
150g white chocolate

Butter and line a 22cm x 22cm tin, leaving a small overhang. Put sugar, cream and Baileys in a large pan and, stirring slowly, bring it to a simmer. Make sure the sugar is dissolved (it will stop feeling grainy on the base of the pan), then turn the heat up to a rolling boil.

1. Adjust the heat until the mixture bubbles without getting too near the top of the pan. Keep bubbling, stirring occasionally, until a small amount of mixture dropped into a glass of cold water will form a soft ball that you can pick up on the end of a teaspoon.
2. At this stage, the bubbles will have gone from being large and unruly to smaller and more even. Stir in the chocolate and pour the mixture into the tin. Cool and cut.

mary-op

Hello all :j
Thick snow still laying about and everywhere like an ice rink :eek: Keeps me indoors anyway and I made a couple of little fabric christmas trees to go with the hearts I'd done. Foster daughter came round........she'd never have managed without her 4 x 4............quite impressed with my little fabric hearts she was..........wish I'd made some for her now -oh well maybe next year.

Checked royal mail site and our county is among those with a bit of 'disruption/delay' due to the weather..........still OH is posting parcels off next week anyway. Cards have already been posted.

While I'm stuck indoors I might as well be ''creative'' (if thats the right word) so going to have a go at some little red felt mittens and boots (saw on craft thread), cover little hexagonal box neighbour gave me and try and think of a way of re-vamping a little brown paper carrier bag I had from somewhere........some shop or other. Lovely string handles and good strong paper but the shops logo on it..................ideas please ? Doesn't have to be festive just so I can re-use it for something (don't ask what cos I haven't a clue............lol)

When OH gets me some more wrapping paper I'll have to get stuck in with the sellotape again.........have to sort out which of two of my friends is having what and finish wrapping other bits. I can see the carpet in the spare room now but it'd be nice to see the bed.................lol:rotfl:

Hope you're all well and warm..........stay safe:)