New, New Thirfty Gifty for Christmas and All Ocassions 2011..Santas Challenge...

mum2one

We've managed a drame free day....
Finally made the christmas cakes, christmas cake flavoured vodka, and cherry vodka.
Had some good news from the doctors, my blood test last week has come back perfect, apparently my sugar lowest has been 6.4, my cholestrol 4.9, she didn't mention weight!! but she was really impresssed as 12mths ago my sugar was 11. Really pleased, it nice to get a good result.

Off to chuch 2mor, Miss Hoodies school are doing a Harvest Festival at our local church. xx

djstar80

Hi everyone

I have been on here before, but life gets in the way and I end up disappearing!!! I am determined to stay with it from here on in - if you'll have me

I can't find the santa challenges, but once I find them I'll have a look through and see what I've missed. I feel so behind this year as money has been so tight I haven't even managed to sort out a budget for xmas yet - I keep putting it off as I know that I won't have enough money and it will be depressing lol!

I have been asked to make a gardening hamper for my mum to give to her mum and partner for xmas so if anyone has any good ideas or sees any good deals please let me know.

Anyway, hope your all ok and that you all had a good weekend.

susan42

Hi everyone, i`m back, went off on hols for two weeks, upto Bridlington in all that gorgeous sun, then down to New Tredegar in Wales...lol

Mum2one - good bootsaleing it all helps. Allegic reactions can be a bit of a pain...sorry to hear about carcass....

cdsmiler - sorry to hear all your bad news. See the cats happy enough lol

rufus - i absolutely love those slippers. I have to have a go at those if you dont mind. What type of wool do we need. ? Hope YD happy, boyfriends can be a bit hit and miss when your younger...

angela - you ok?

djstar - tesco and morrisons are selling all their gardening things off, i know wilkensons were too, but our local one has sold all theres.

mary - i know what hospital appointments are like . I had a appointment last november and seen specialist. He said its important that your monitored every 3 months. They sent an appointment for march when i was on holidays, phoned up and next appointment is november again. He wont be happy when i see him ...

fedup - i`m like that with biscuits and sweets, have to leave them until the last minute because I eat them all. Its funny, when i make them and they`re hot i eat them and dont touch them after

rufusdog52

Hi Susan - you need to buy Aran wool for the slippers. Glad you had a nice holiday xx

Hi DJ, good to see you back with us again xx

Not much going on here really except T shopping coming later. I managed to add a few bits on for son's Thai hamper, they were on special offer so that's a start. Some of the other bits I want to get I would rather check in store so I can see what the shelf life is.

I might get some sewing done this morning. I did a little bit last night, started making a bag for ExMil.

Claros78

Hi Rufusdog
I love those slippers, I went to have a look at your blog and you have some great stuff on there - you are so clever making those tops as well. I wish I could do something like that but I wouldnt know where to start. I can just about knit a scarf but just straight knit as I dont know how to purl and although my Mum gave me my grandmas sewing machine I am still a total beginner trying to use it - I will aspire to be as good as you one day, think I might need to go on a course or something but would love to be able to make my own clothes - dont suppose you give lessons?

I hope everyone else is ok

DJStar - Poundland did have quite a big range of gardening stuff last time I went it

cdsmiler

Afternoon all,

Good to see people back, whether it's from long absenses or holidays (susan, you should have waved accross the valley to me!! lol).

Mary - hope OH gets seen. It's getting silly, surely someone SOMEWHERE must know what's going on with him!!
mum2one - glad you've recovered from your allergic reaction!
rufus - fab slippers!

Ollie's stitches are out, but he's still spending most of the time in the cage as we're off to London for the funeral tomorrow night until late Friday night. Then he'll have his freedom - couldn't let him start roaming free outside and then not be around for a few days!

Busy busy busy here. Made Reindeer Food (thanks susan!) and Bah Humbugs for my friend's charity craft fair thing this Saturday, plus hand bag charms, and sorted through bracelets and earrings already made. All for Saturday. Then tonight we need to pack for the funeral, and in my wisdom I offered to make cupcakes for the wake. So tonight I'm making 12 muffin size sticky toffee pudding cupcakes (recipe from someone on here - it's a GENIUS recipe btw! Thank you whoever it was!!) and 12 muffin size gluten free chocolate muffins. Not decorating them tonight though, as they prob won't survive the journey, so will decorate both lots Thursday morning before the funeral! Won't go on about the other things tomorrow which makes time tight (especially as REALLY I like being busy...just don't tell anyone!! lol).

Hope you're all good - have a great weekend everyone - I'm hoping to sort the Christmas shopping after this Sunday!!! Ha....that's what I said a few weeks ago... lol

Clare x

mary-op

Hello all :j
Thankfully OH's a lot better today so didn't bother to hassle doctors receptionist about an earlier appt.I've given up with appts..........keep feeling we're being fobbed off and don't warrant seeing the actual consultant. Still think he's feeling better knowing that tomorrow the kitchens being started :T - well sort of............little window thats no good to man nor beast is being bricked up and plumber is doing a makeshift tap for us so we can fill the kettle and wash up (we'll fell like squatters ........:rotfl:) Friday old kitchen is being taken out and new one put in.............fingers crossed it all goes smoothly...........:)
I've got a free standing cupboard that needs emptying of tins/packets/mugs/cutlery/dishes etc. and a utensil rack thats on the wall needs coming off. Chap I know is coming tomorrow morning and hopefully will buy them off us...........cleaner coming tomorrow afternoon to help sort cupboard out and gardener chap will be here as well...........(should I get biscuits to go with the coffee ???) Be a real houseful..........! Thank goodness we've still got the pantry to put stuff in and an empty cupboard in the back room/indoor shed ! It'll be a nightmare with a;ll this going on and can't see me getting much sewing done-still, I finished gardener chaps wrist warmers today and made another gingerbread man and cut one out for sone girlfriend........found some broderie anglaise that'll make a dress for it.
I can live with the chaos for a bit I think..........had a week and a half of it with the bathroom...............keep telling myself.....this time next week;)

Hope you're all ok and keeping warm:)

rufusdog52

Hi Claros, thanks for the lovely comments about my blog, do you live in the South East? I am in the Medway Towns in Kent.

Mary, good luck for tomorrow xx

YD sorted out two black bags full of old clothes she don't want. They are not in good enough condition to sell on Ebay but I have pulled out a few items that I might be able to use the fabric from plus some for buttons etc. There were also a couple of bags so I took all the silver bits off them to re-use.

I made another top today, will take a photo in a bit, just having a sit down after the T shopping came. The top cost me £2 to make. I made a bag for ExMil as well for Christmas. I already got her some printed addressed paper and matching envelopes from Vista. I will just get her a book of stamps to go with it and that will be her finished.

I have 6 items for son's Thai hamper that came with the shopping, I checked the dates and they are all next year so pleased about that. We might go shopping again on Thursday so I can see if I can pick up a few more bits if I see anything on offer. Not sure what to put them in, I was thinking of may be a wok but I have got a feeling they already have one so I might just get a cardboard box and decorate it.

Anyway, off to take a couple of photos, I will edit when they are on my blog xx

Photos now on my blog xx

Anglea

Hi everyone

Rufus, love the slippers.

Clare, good luck for the funeral, that's wonderful of you to also make cakes.

For pots of gold or hampers I bought something interesting in Lidl ($=pound) -

1.$1 - net bag of chocolate coins and which include rectangular ones covered in bank notes, look really good.

2. $1 - small panettone cake in a box with ribbon loop (not a Christmas ornament size, much bigger)

3. $1.99 individual small pieces of butter stollen in clear box

The only other thing I've done is start some letters to go into cards but forgot about them - until I had a dream this morning that my aunt overseas was asking me why I never keep it touch. Oh dear, feel guilty now.

Glad you have your epipen mum2one, strange how you get those unexpected attacks.

rufusdog52

Those bits sound really nice Anglea, we don't have a Lidl near us.

OH's bits have come from Superdrug. i can't open the box yet to have a look as he is up and keeping an eye on it wondering what is in there. he is off down the doctors in an hour so I will be able to have a quick look then and get it put up on top of the wardrobe.