really old style living?

Winged_one

DD is a Boxing Day babe - she was due Christmas Day but was a bit lazy and didn't appear for an exrta 7 hours. We have to have a completely seperate day - cake, presents, party for family - for her. This year she wants a "friends" party too (she will be 5) and we have agreed that this will be the Saturday after starting back to school.

We are not totally green with Christmas, but I do make paper garlands and gather fresh ivy and holly every year. And I lovel having the HUGE pine cones sitting in a bowl for the holidays, before I burn them on the fire. (There is a park near us with a good few trees with huge cones, and I get a LOT of smaller cones from various other sources for the fire too).

I am hoping that, when we finally get to ILs house in 2 weeks, there will still be sloes on the bushes. Although, once I get to have a long long walk inthe countryside, with no phones, or grumpy Ministers, I will feel an awful llot better,....and I am taking an extra couple of days to unwind and hopefully do some of my frugal and OS things (cos I hate when life gets so hectic that I can't...no paycheque is worth that at times)....

annie123

1 thing the original old stylers didn't have to worry about was their dd spilling a big bowl of porridge over the computer keyboard:mad:

Took ages to clean out, complete with big blob of homemade jam. She tripped over her dressing gown cord!, so all I could do yesterday was read and navigate with the mouse.

What's the Old style equivalent of forums? books, chatter over the garden fence?

Mardatha (AKA FRED:rotfl:) I have now tried the K stuff, several ways, and I agree with you, YUCK!!! never again, would rather eat cooked sprouts.

Back on topic;


We have tried for years to get brothers/parents etc to make pressies for Xmas, only to be greeted with 'dont be silly'. Not to save money, but because we think it means so much more if someone takes 10 mins to write a nice card with a poem maybe rather than 10 mins on the web doing buy and deliver. Both of our families are in middle class profession, used to earning big bucks (but not any more).
Hubby and I are both black sheep


This year they are all (except for 1, and I'm working on my dad ) up for it because thrift is trendy.
Dont care what the reason for them doing it is as we're skint as I'm not working.
We enjoy taking the time to work out who would like what and which one of us will make it. Mainly me I notice.

If anyone wants to buy anything we have all agreed it must come from a charity shop, new or 2nd hand.

Reading about the Victorian pressies they were all mainly homemade, homemade pin cushions, hankies for men and wooden toys for the children.
I remember being pleased 'cause I got Ker plunk:rotfl: not sure todays kids would be though.

Sorry for long waffle will go waffle somewhere else now

mardatha

Mardatha (AKA FRED:rotfl:) I have now tried the K stuff, several ways, and I agree with you, YUCK!!! never again, would rather eat cooked sprouts.
**************
THANK GOD FOR A SENSIBLE NORMAL HUMAN BEING !
You know how they say that giving is better than receiving - I think thats the pure joy of the Victorian xmas. Choosing what colour and what kind of thing for which person, then sitting making it all perfect, is amazing fun! I am doing hampers again for the 3 kids. One daughter and two daughter in laws. Picking colours first; then knitting a pr of socks each; then maybe a wee book or ornament; then making the goodies later on (inc jam for the first time ever) ; making labels for each jar and box and packet; then the finishing touches of ribbon and bunches of lavender from the garden. Whoohoo

Red_Doe

Love your sig Mard...um..Fred! It`s beautiful.

ginnyknit

I make everyone I know a crochet throw and they all love them, babies carry them around and even my ex boss said she used hers every day in the winter as a shawl but.... my Sister- in-law always gives me hers back, once a year she throws away all her ornaments, lampshades and xmas pressies, my mum then scoops them up for me and her or the charity shop. Its a good system:rotfl:

When my Dd moved in her new house I got a text of her fella one night with a piccy of their throw on their new suite and the words 'can we have another one to match please x' Thats when he really became part of the family.

I noticed in the Mr S xmas book there is a section with wicker baskets for sale to make your own hampers and idea's of what to put in them, do you think some one their is a member of MSE???

katholicos

ginnyknit wrote: »

I make everyone I know a crochet throw and they all love them, babies carry them around and even my ex boss said she used hers every day in the winter as a shawl but.... my Sister- in-law always gives me hers back, once a year she throws away all her ornaments, lampshades and xmas pressies, my mum then scoops them up for me and her or the charity shop. Its a good system:rotfl:

When my Dd moved in her new house I got a text of her fella one night with a piccy of their throw on their new suite and the words 'can we have another one to match please x' Thats when he really became part of the family.

I noticed in the Mr S xmas book there is a section with wicker baskets for sale to make your own hampers and idea's of what to put in them, do you think some one their is a member of MSE???

Isn't it great when people, especially family members and friends, appreciate our handmade/homemade gifts?

Yesterday was a special day for my brother as he was commemorating, along with about 30 other officers, having served 22 years in the police force. I don't have much money and i couldn't think what to buy for him so i gifted him 6 jars of homemade produce; plum jam,courgette chutney, strawb jam etc. He was absolutely delighted. He loved the homemade card I made for him too and i made the one my mum gave to him and he was really touched that i'd taken the time and put so much effort into my gift/the cards.

Your crocheted blankets are such a good idea. I've only just taught myself how to crochet a granny square but i will definately be giving them as gifts next year. I'd love to see some pics of yours if you have any :j

zarazara

katholicos wrote: »

Isn't it great when people, especially family members and friends, appreciate our handmade/homemade gifts?

Yesterday was a special day for my brother as he was commemorating, along with about 30 other officers, having served 22 years in the police force. I don't have much money and i couldn't think what to buy for him so i gifted him 6 jars of homemade produce; plum jam,courgette chutney, strawb jam etc. He was absolutely delighted. He loved the homemade card I made for him too and i made the one my mum gave to him and he was really touched that i'd taken the time and put so much effort into my gift/the cards.

Your crocheted blankets are such a good idea. I've only just taught myself how to crochet a granny square but i will definately be giving them as gifts next year. I'd love to see some pics of yours if you have any :j

lovely post,and so true, it is FANTASTIC when people appreciate the goodness and love which goes into home made things. :T

also I have a confession to make
my name is Zara and i like kale :eek: especially curley kale :eek:
is there any hope for me in the real world ?

ChocClare

I'd also be very interested in seeing your crocheted throws, ginnyknit!

I was just reading the other day one of the Little House on the Prairie books where they were talking about Christmas presents - all home-made of course, and quite frugal by modern standards. One of the girls had knitted her sister several yards of lace to trim her petticoat as a Christmas gift. It made me pause, as I have yards and yards of both crochet and knitted trim made by my great-great-great aunts when they were "gels" and the stitches are TINY. I'd love to get something like that for Christmas!

When I was a good mother (before the kids were born, LOL), I made the lace to trim my DS's christening gown. I was looking at it the other day. It was knitted, and made on 0.6mm needles. I also made him a wedding ring shetland lace shawl. For my DD's christening, I made an intricately tucked and embroidered bonnet, dress and coat.

Perhaps when I am a grandmother I will do these things again, but I can't be bothered these days - and just don't have the time (which is amazing, because I worked in an extremely high-powered yuppy job with no time at all when I made these things for DS and DD).

I think it's the time involved in hand-making anything (not intricate things like this, but ANYTHING) which makes them such an appreciable gift. And if you're going to invest that sort of time in a gift, then you do want it to be appreciated, don't you? I'd happily hand-make things for all my family, but I'd need to be sure they'd like it first...

Anyway, not sure where this post is going, just a bit of a ramble really. I'll sign off now :rotfl:

Incidentally zarazara, you're not the only one to like the K word. We just don't mention it to [STRIKE]mardartha[/STRIKE] Fred, as otherwise she goes all unnecessary.

mardatha

Oooooh CC, I knew you were a yuppy I just knew it ! I keep feeling sorry fr my daughter who has very cold feet in a very cold house - and giving her my knitted socks.
Now I am sitting here with freezing cold feet.
I have one yuppy posh DIL and one nice one. The posh one will def not appreciate hand knitted socks :rotfl::rotfl: so I am knitting her a lacey scarf in a hand-dyed silk/wool blend. In her fav colour. I hate doing lace so she better LIKE IT

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

Oooooh CC, I knew you were a yuppy I just knew it ! I keep feeling sorry fr my daughter who has very cold feet in a very cold house - and giving her my knitted socks.
Now I am sitting here with freezing cold feet.
I have one yuppy posh DIL and one nice one. The posh one will def not appreciate hand knitted socks :rotfl::rotfl: so I am knitting her a lacey scarf in a hand-dyed silk/wool blend. In her fav colour. I hate doing lace so she better LIKE IT

Naughty Mardatha......:)

Well - many years ago now the mother of a male friend (who could have turned into boyfriend if things had been different) knitted me a lacy delicate type shawl as a present. I appreciated the thought that had gone into it personally and was upset when I accidentally tore a hole in it.....:o:(

So - I think that scarf sounds nice:)