Christmas 2010 Let's Get Organised

lunar

I havnt really done much for christmas this year yet and normally im about done by now, last year was pretty lousy and it put me off a bit. I have lots of vouchers and paypal money though which should cover everything. Well on friday we went to bottany bay near bolton and the whole of the top floor is a christmas shop! they are even playing christmas music, it has really got me in the christmas mood and prompted me to start sorting presents. Just made a batch of pear chutney in kilner jars with the excess fruit from my tree.

chasingsunshine_2

4 more reindeer done!
I've also got all my m&ms bought (£1 for a big bag in tesco so bought 4) for reindeer poop and noses, labels for the packets designed and ready to print onto card, 2x personalised christmas stories put onto word document and ready for printing and laminating (if I ever find self seal pouches again), letters from santa done and ready for printing and a trial run batch of truffles setting as I type. Not bad going.

I managed to make an order with halfcost but had to use credit crad instead of debit card after all the hassle last week with payments being declined, charged then returned (goodness knows why) so will transfer that money back over to CC later!

Back to knitting blankie for DS, have a good day all!

:xmassmile

cdsmiler

Afternoon all,

I'm a bit of a lurker on this thread (normally on the thrifty gifty threads) and love all your ideas!! I refrained from posting because I know I'll just confuse myself as to what I've posted where!! lol

Had a productive day yesterday making jams and pies, so feel like my weekend didn't go to waste which is fab!! lol Easy to feel like it sometimes what with an 8 month old and hubby who's very busy doing OU essays!!

On a side note, and this is a bit of a strange request, do any of you make crafty things and sell them on ebay/online? If you do, can you PM me please? There's something I want to ask you but not sure if I'm strictly speaking allowed to on the forums. Sounds ominous, it isn't I promise! lol

Clare x

BOBS

craftfairies wrote: »

use your ankle socks for... sock cupcakes!


tutorial here

Craftiefairie .... These are really fab and thinking would be great for teachers pressies - have 3 children so that means 3 teachers and their assistants plus then their Sunday School teachers!!
Where do you get the muffin cases - all the ones I have seen are concertina'ed. Also how do you give them - do you put clear film round them 1st ??
thanks

suze1984

Well ive finished shopping for my mum and O/H's cousins little boy all within budget need to get on with the rest of them now although some of them are vouchers which ill need to get nearer the time! really pleased ive started so early x

mummyslittleboy

BOBS wrote: »

Craftiefairie .... These are really fab and thinking would be great for teachers pressies - have 3 children so that means 3 teachers and their assistants plus then their Sunday School teachers!!
Where do you get the muffin cases - all the ones I have seen are concertina'ed. Also how do you give them - do you put clear film round them 1st ??
thanks

Have you tried looking on ebay I think thats were I have seen them.

elysia2003

cdsmiler wrote: »

On a side note, and this is a bit of a strange request, do any of you make crafty things and sell them on ebay/online? If you do, can you PM me please? There's something I want to ask you but not sure if I'm strictly speaking allowed to on the forums. Sounds ominous, it isn't I promise! lol

Clare x

Clare, did you get your problem sorted?

I've made cards and cross stitch baby birth samplers and sold them on ebay. If I can help you, let me know.

pennypinchingpenguin

hi guys, love this thread! im normally quite good at christmas and bargain hunting for it. i usually start in july however ive gone back into full time work and havent anything except a small present for 1 sister. i cant really be bothered with the idea of traipsing around the shops on my days off and im also saving for a big holiday and a flat so i have decided to see how many gifts i can make instead of buying. id hope to do it all for about £150 - £200. Ive just bought £20 worth of cellophane and cones etc from ebay so thats a start!

Vaila

hi, some great ideas here, has anyone tried emailing companies for samples etc to put in hampers

sammy_kaye18

Well this was my original list

Right so far my list looks like this

Dad

---

Grandad Hamper

---

* a grandad book
* a grandad mug
* a jigsaw of both kids from tesco
* 'I love my grandad' socks
* little bottle of red wine (maybe)
* dark choccies
* keyring

also saw something similiar to this in B&M so thinking I might make some of these for gifts too if i can get some nice pictures of the kids and one has a few spaces and they get bigger but are relatively cheap i think.
Although dad is a whizz with cameras etc so has photos online but for the more technology challenged it might be a good idea


Step mum

---

comfort hamper. ---- comfy socks, PJs, sweeties, mini bottle of wine, ethol austin smellies pouch, £10

Mum

---

comfort hamper. ---- comfy socks, PJs, sweeties, mini bottle of vodka, ethol austin smellies pouch, £10

Sister

---

healthy smoothie hamper. --- 3 x smoothie books, hand held blender, couple of ingredients,

Niece 1

---

no idea yet £10

Niece 2

---

no idea yet £10

Nan R

---

decorated diary, nightie,

framed picture of Benjamin and Holly as a joint gift. £10

Grandad R

---

pyjamas, home-made biscuits by benjamin, £10

Money gifts
Sister

---

token gift and £10
Brother

---

token gift and £10
Mitchell

---

selection box
Daniel

---

selection box

which was approximately £120 but due to a minor set back it will now look like this.

Right so far my list looks like this

Dad

---

Grandad Hamper

---

£15
* a grandad book
* a grandad mug
* 'I love my grandad' socks
* little bottle of red wine (maybe)
* dark choccies
* keyring
* framed picture of kids

Step mum

---

PJs, sweeties, ethol austin smellies pouch (already got) , £10
Mum

---

PJs, sweeties, few cans of red bull/vodka mix from Home bargains, ethol austin smellies (already got) £10
Sister

---

pyjamas, sweeties and DVD £10
Sister

---

tracksuit, healthy smoothie books x 3 (got already) £8
Niece 1

---

no idea yet £10
Niece 2

---

no idea yet £10
Nan R

---

decorated diary, nightie, £7
Grandad R

---

pyjamas, home-made biscuits by benjamin, £7

Money gifts
Brother

---

token gift and £10
Mitchell

---

selection box
Daniel

---

selection box

so now its more like £100 instead for the lot. Pyjamas will be from Primark and the few other bits I plan to do soem savvy shopping around to get bits and pieces. Although I'm lucky I have access to a wilkinsons, home bargains, B+M, Iceland and a Tesco.

Also made a start on some Xmas shopping yesterday for the kids - wilkinsons had a learn to crawl butterfly in two weeks ago when I was idea gathering with Ben fro baby holly which was £14.99 and he said he'd like to get her it as a special present especially from him. I went in yesterday and they were on the sale shelf with £7.57 written on them and a HALF PRICE sticker so thought I'd enquire if that was the half price price or was it being halved again, the lady ran it through the till and it scanned up as £3.73 --- BARGAIN! so now that is under the bed for holly bump from her big brother.

Also for holly I looked in Argos and found two things I'd like to buy her - one a talk and learn purse which was £16.99 and a tea set which teaches colours/shapes etc for £15.99 ---- looked in B+M yesterday and they are both in there for £12.99 - ok so not a huge saving but still a saving. Plus the other gifts I had down for her were a 'my first dolly' and a baby walker. Well turns out my sister in law and mother in law had the first dolly on their lists for her and when they mentioned it to each other my sister in law said she wanted to get it so mother in law went to find something else for her and so she has brought a baby walker for her!

She also in the process has brought Ben a portable DVD player! which will come in handy as I have put wrestling DVDs in my HMV basket ready to buy when funds allow!

Also found yesterday a WWE poncho which was £3.95 reduced down to £1.95 and a Batista (wrestler) towel from £3.95 down to £1.95 so now have both of those for Ben under the bed too.

Also was sent by a fellow MSE member a WWE Elimination chamber that her grandson no longer plays with so have put that aside for ben too and she also sent me a little carry case wrestling ring so that is aside for him too.

Figure for boyfriend in my primarki trip for all the PJs I will pick him up a few bits and pieces like combats/hoodies etc towards his Xmas present.

Fingers crossed this wont be such a crappy Christmas this year.