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

mary-op

Hello all :j

Well............***** -can't get anything done today as builders here knocking down the pantry.......muck, dust, bits of plaster, wood etc. Can't find anything to do any crafty stuff..........:mad: Still, by Wednesday it should be 'paint on walls' stage so by then I just might be able to make some space and sort out the endless boxes of 'stuff' (I'm sure they breed during the night !!)
Wanted to get my bits of felt out but they'd just get all dusty with this going on. I'd just thought -grandsons christmas in a box should have a little fabric angel, a star, and a robin -got the felt all the right colours, just can't get to do it.
Not to worry..............it'll all come good in the end.

Hope you're all ok:)

mum2one

Hope everyone ok, Mary hows Bill going on, hope hes tum is sorted.

Susan, glad everything ok, and you make sure you rest.

we survived the wet week in Devon, managed to get out and about between showers, we only got wet once, so that wasn't too bad, Miss Hoodie had the time of her life, when dad took Bailey for evening walk, went towards the beach, so Miss Hoodie went so she could have £1 of 2ps, really quiet break, but a gd break, if that doesn't sound daft, taught Miss Hoodie, gun rummy, and strip jack naked, thou she did try to cheat!!

Had some lovely cream teas, and icecream... but only a couple had to think of the weight in the car, very mse as we all went in 1 car!!
Bailey loved the holiday as he was doing pitter patter between the beds, bless him,
No news on the photographer.... had a email from the reporter to see how we were going, so guess its a non-starter.

Bad news, someone stole my aeriel!! and my lovely finding nemo that was on it!

back to reality, got to get my rear into OU mode, done some organising today, and my old tutor bless his heart, the one course doing is split into 2, one we have a choice out of 2/3 subjects the other they don't have the choice, but he's said we can go to his tutorials which is better as be closer and full day rather than trying to drive into Wolverhampton for 6pm!

Made £30 on ebay, don't really like free listings as theres so much competation, but can't complain sold 5 out of 22, so just chucked the others on relist again at weekend. xx

mary-op

mum2one - thanks but OH's tum far from sorted. He's having an endoscopy tomorrow to see what that shows. Some days worse than others. Just got to push for an appt with consultant now. Last time he saw registrar -very vague and suggested endoscopy......appt came through for consultant end of Nov and when I rang to ask if it could be brought forward secretary said no and to ignore the appt letter as he'd seen registrar on 5th Oct ! After much carrying on she agreed that I should ring her after the endoscopy and she'd ask consultant if he could fit him in on Nov 9th.............whats the betting he won't ! Saga goes on and on............:(
He's so fed up with it all..........been in pain since March ! Still, having kitchen all re-done takes his mind off it for a bit:)

cdsmiler

mary-op wrote: »

Clare - if you're doing any sewing watch where you put the glue. I got in a right pickle doing my fabric/felt decorations -glued a piece of ribbon across one of the hearts and when it came to stitching the heart together I had a job getting the needle through the glue ! I just put glue dots to hold things in place as it was I'd got handy at the time. PVA would be better if you want it to stick firm though.

Thanks Mary! Will keep that in mind!
Meant to ask you - your padded felt hearts and christmas shapes etc, did you get patterns for them online?
I honestly can't get over the trouble you've been having with doctors and hospitals. It's ridiculous. You'll have a band of thrifty gifty MSE ladies down there having a protect on your and Bill's behalf the way this is going!!

susan - no sign of the DVD.... Wonder where it's got to!!

Sugarspun - that's VERY naughty with the curtains. Letter to head office needed me thinks! regardless of whether you've fixed them or not!

rufus - glad OH is back safely!

Feeling very fed up. Had no voice for most of the weekend and now my head is full of a cold!! Need to be better for Friday night (Murder Mystery!)! And have to tidy the house by then too as the inlaws are visiting! lol

So bleughh..........I'm going away again. Just ordered some Christmas pressies though - £90 ish worth for £57 (used vouchers), RRP MUCH higher, so feel like I'm getting somewhere. Better late than never eh?! That made my mood slightly better!

Hope you're all doing well!

Clare x

mary-op

Hello all:j

Clare = I printed off templates from internet for felt shapes.........need to get one for an angel -forgot about that one. Some I printed off were either too big or too small but its easy rectified really, just cut them out the size you want.

Saga of OH's stomach............well he had his endoscopy today and it showed Hiatus Hernie and some inflammation of the duodenum (whatever that is) all very vague really and suggestion is follow up with referring doctor............well he was even more vague when OH last saw him ! Makes me wonder how long OH has had this Hiatus hernia thing and why it was never picked up on before. Thing some questions need answering.
Same hospital my friend who had the accident is having problems with..........she was fed through tube for two days, then given neck brace and laid flat on her back.........no-one helped to feed her or anything. Her daughter couldn't get any sense out of anyone as to why nor offers to help. No idea who the doctor is, different one every day. Honest it beggars belief :mad:

Still, rant over (for today anyway.........lol)
Gaping hole where my beloved pantry once was but I'm sure once its all painted and floor down it'll be lovely............then the builders starting on the ''indoor shed'' being coverted to downstairs loo :eek: Yet more hammering, drilling and muck and dust :eek: Help !!!!!!

Hope you're all ok:)

rufusdog52

Mary - hope the building is going all right and the mess clears up sooner rather than later. Good they have found out about OH's hernia, lets hope he doesnt have to wait to long now to get it sorted.

I went up town today to meet my friend and we went in the charity shop and I found a lovely shirt for OH. It is a Jasper Conran shirt and I have had a look on the Debenhams site and they are selling for about £45 to £50 each. Very pleased with it, it looks brand new still.

I also got a couple of woolly hats for the two eldest GS's in 99p store and box of shortbread biscuits to go in my Bro's hamper.

OH and I went up and gave all the presents a good sort out this morning. He hadnt seen what I had been buying so was surprised to see how far we have got. He made out a list so we can see what else we need to get, and then he said that he would pay for YD's new phone for Christmas cash so I said he could use the Amazon vouchers I had saved up towards it for some other presents so he got his SIL a nice Ester Lauder (spelling?) perfume and got his Mum a Davidoff perfume. He also ordered an activity present for his Bro from another site so thats him sorted. We really don't have a lot to get now.

mary-op

Hello all :j
OH has just gone off to see gp.........apparently doctor who did the endoscopy said he should so he could get medication for his hiatus hernia and duodenum thing (I googled (I know I shouldn't) and it came up as a sort of peptic ulcer :eek: and when I looked at the possible medication for treating it well seems OH is already taking half of it !! Makes me wonder if its all been there since he was in hospital and can't think why it wasn't picked up on. The pains he's had haven't been any different so it doesn't seem like its a new thing. There's also erosions (don't understant that either). Hopefully our gp might shed some light on it.

Plus side.........kitchen ceiling now painted, few holes polyfilled when endless ''stuff'' was on the walls. Hopefully tomorrow it'll be wall painting and then next week the floor !!!!:T
Then me and OH will have to ''debate/discuss/argue'' on what we keep and what we don't...............difficult one that is......well for me anyway.

Hope you're all ok:)

SugarSpun

My mum's gone back to the UK and has taken all my written Christmas cards plus all the family and UK-based friends' gifts to give out or post for me :j

Still here are my nephew's birthday gift plus my two nephews' and one niece's Christmas gifts, my local friends' gifts plus one distant-but-still-in-Germany-friend's gift and gifts for people in the house. I also need to write nice letters to DH's aunt and his cousin and include some photos in each one and then wrap and send the posted gifts. And then it's just wrapping DH's gifts and putting together and wrapping the Beastling's stuff. I am worried that I have FAR TOO MUCH for her in spite of all my frugal living

So, in list form to keep me on the straight and narrow:

November:
[STRIKE]wrap kids' gifts[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE](find and) wrap friend's gift[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]write nice letters and include photos[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]wrap DH's gifts[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]organise plan for Boxing Day party[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]invite people
post J's birthday gift[/STRIKE]
new kitchen in and unpacked
[STRIKE]buy/make Secret Santa gift
and wrap it[/STRIKE]

First half of December:
get tree
decorate house
feel smugly organised
post remaining gifts and cards
[STRIKE] finalise Christmas menu, nomnomnom[/STRIKE]

Second half of December:
final grocery shopping
social whirl
wrap emergency gifts just in case (probably just in Ikea gift bags)

Christmas Eve Eve:
put together Beastling's stuff and wrap or hide it (all done except her Happyland cottage cause I ran out of naptime)
[STRIKE]be horrified at the sheer amount of it and cull it for her birthday[/STRIKE] she's now not getting her kitchen till August
last minute groceries

Christmas Eve:
traditional charity thing with Beastling
start cooking
gifts out once she's gone to bed
measure out Nigella muffin mix ready for the morning
early night!

Christmas Day:
enjoy the organised fruits of my labours

Boxing Day:
Festival of Leftovers

cdsmiler

Mary - thanks will have a search!
Your poor OH. If you haven't already, I'd name and shame that hospital!!! How did the visit to the GP go?

Rufus - great finds. You seem completely on top of things!

Sugar spun - loved this item: "feel smugly organised" LOL!!!!!!

Right, got to learn a Murder Mystery script today, and hopefully start cutting out the felt shapes for the adent calendar. Lets hope no one wants me to do anything in work!

And bleugh....still got this cold.

Clare x

mary-op

Hello all :j

rufus -think I'm getting used to the mess..........lol but its not as bad it was. Painter chap is excellent at clearing up after himself:)

clare - GP has given OH some tablets that should get rid of the nasty pains and possible the ulcer as well. Been trying to get appt with consultant -was told to ring back after OH's endoscopy and they'd try and fit him in next week. Well, seems 2 of the 4 boffins OH's seen since March are booked till January ! So two to go and they won't say or do anything without test results. I'd have thought in these hi-tech days the results would have been there the same day or at least day after. Seems not.
If you can't find any templates you're after I'll send you the ones I've got if you like. I can print them off so I've got a copy. Still need to do star, angel and robin..............oh eck I'm so behind this year its unbelievable :eek:

Hope you're all ok:)