handmade gifts for christmas and celebrations 2011

betterlife

you poor thing esmer, hugs swine flu i have`nt heard so much of that this year hopes he`s well soon. my kids seem to have been poorly most of xmas hols, now there better its back to school tomorrow, will probably have some new bug by weekend.

betterlife

sorry me again:p re wadding last year when i bought the kids new quilts i used there old ones for stuffing things, might be worth looking into aswell as you can pick up single quilts for a few quid these days and they will prob start selling off winter ones in supermarkets to make room for summer ones, just an idea

mallada

I will get involved here, will be making some homemade liqueurs. Sweet jars and hampers etc. May even have a go with that art clay stuff, been looking for a new hobby. Need to work out whats best to get to try that as a beginner though.

As for flavoured rum, Coconut of course! Homemade malibu.

LolaLemon

esmer wrote: »

i was the same, I loved making the hampers

and there is a harvey nicks where I am, just a small food one and they had make your own cookies and it was EXPENSIVE!! :mad:

I am so ill, and brother has been diagnosed with swine flu! :eek:

Hope you have missed it! and hope your brother gets better soon. we had a LOT of cases during the summer it all started, everyone was off work and on tammiflu! (the meds), which made them all look and feel ill.



those cheeky bums look brill.



Im in need of some help.... my son turns 4 in april, and we're having a 'half out doors' party, im booking the 'old laundry' at finaystone country estate -£35 for 4 hours! (it used to be a clan house and the laundry was down by the running burn {stream} its now a 'museum' piece that they rent out). its all on millions (exaggeration lol) of acres of woodland, landscapes, a small tea room, craft stalls (in the old horses stalls) and they have created loads of play areas out of wood, got a pirate ship, forte etc dotted loads of tables and chairs around so u can have picnics/bbqs etc all for the entrance fee of £3/child/consession and £4 adult
so the old laundry is where i will have the food,
going to add in a crafty table - print of some pictures for the kids to colour in, might add some glitter/sparkles etc
table centre piece is going to be the long planters filled with fresh fruit in one, fresh veg in the other and popcorn in the 3rd (i have a pic on my blog and a link to where i seen it)
im booking Owl's to come and let the children have a shot at holding them and get their pictures taken too
Im thinking of doing a egg hunt - im thinking im of crocheting some egg cosies for over cream eggs, but in the shape of owls.

what i need help with is mainly a theme (last years was a pirate and i made shoe/treasure boxes filled with sweets, a pirate cake, and we all dressed up as pirates, pirate party bags that cost me a fortune, although was cheaper than buying unfilled!)

and i need other ideas to go with the theme, that i can hopefully make and keep the costs down to a minimum.

oh, the other thing is: at a rough count, i have 45 kids being invited, and thats just my familys kids (under 8 years old), 8 kids from his nursery, and any of my friends kids that he plays with, i have not included the ones he doesnt really know or like, and 3 that i will invite from his dads side (his baby brother, his baby cousin {both will be under 6 months) and the baby cousins big sister, his 'best cousin') anyone else his dad wants to invite he can, but last year he invited nearly 20 kids, and the venue only held 45 so i cut out 20 of hiis friends and his dads side didnt turn up! sorry 1 took his 2 daughters --- i was not amused in the slightest!!


to save me money (if i have to pay for everyone to attend as well as the hire of the laundry) then i am only paying for the kids from his nursery and my families children. most of my friends have family passes for yearly entry so they will be covered and can 'share' the passes too (i.e 1 mum and child going with another parent and child or 2 as the pass is for 2 adults and 3 kids)

i am NOT doing party bags, as such, im thinking of taking paper bags (like the sandwich ones you get that hold sandwiches, can of juice and some fruit) and filling them up with the left overs, im looking for an owl or woodlandsy type stamp and i might stamp them all but thats only if i can be bothered and i get a nice stamp.
they can put in thier cream egg, egg cosy, and if i get the felt, the felt owl puppets (on my blog) and their pictures they have drawn in and they have something to keep it all together.

Ideas needed is : Theme, food and games/presents

thanks in advance (and for reading my ramblings!)

LolaLemon

betterlife wrote: »

sorry me again:p re wadding last year when i bought the kids new quilts i used there old ones for stuffing things, might be worth looking into aswell as you can pick up single quilts for a few quid these days and they will prob start selling off winter ones in supermarkets to make room for summer ones, just an idea

Tesco had a major sale on gtheir duvets and pillows, electric sheets etc so i thought 'im gonna by the son some new as he's had hand me downs from when my brother got a double bed, and that was probably either mine or my sisters' ... so have a look, and their is king size down to £22, double down to £20 thier was 2 singles left so i picked one up and couldnt see a price.... paid for it along with my shopping and as i was walking out, i thought to myself, my counting must be getting worse that was more than i guestimated... check recipt and they charged me £32 for the single.... went to customer service thinking, yeeha, im going to get double my differance back - kerching! But no! she told me the singles arnt on sale, the double and king size are on sale due to new stock waiting to be put out.
how gutted was I?
got a refund though, as i was not paying £32 for a single, debated getting a double or king size and halving it myself (they where slumberland ones)

lizalloareds

Esmer hope you brother makes a quick recovery, sending you all hugs

julie03

lola lemon: if the party is going to be held mainly in the woodland could you have a medieval theme with knights and princesses, or a robin hood type party
you could have a castle cake and i imagine alot of pirate games could be adapted to knights

LolaLemon

julie03 wrote: »

lola lemon: if the party is going to be held mainly in the woodland could you have a medieval theme with knights and princesses, or a robin hood type party
you could have a castle cake and i imagine alot of pirate games could be adapted to knights

ooh didnt think of medieval - i did have wizards n witches when i watched HP last night, but got up today thinking that was rubbish as its all dark black n stuff...
will look more into this medieval idea thanks

wammy77

Esmer - sending hugs :grouphug: hope you're better soon

LolaLemon - been browsing blogs and your baby slippers are just soooo cute!!! I love them!!!!

LolaLemon

wammy77 wrote: »

Esmer - sending hugs :grouphug: hope you're better soon

LolaLemon - been browsing blogs and your baby slippers are just soooo cute!!! I love them!!!!

Thakn you, i 'heart' them too

the pattern is for knitted ones, i just messed around until i got them for crochet