The Ultimate Incentive Threadies go all out!

Birdie85

My ideas so far are:
Flavoured vodka (thinking Skittles, Toffee, Pear Drops and Chilli) for boys
Chilli Jam, Spice Rub mixy thing and rosemary salt all in nice jars for Dads
Box of hand made all occasion cards for girls
Weekly dry-wipe planners for the girls
'Pots of Gold' all round- been collecting Douwe Egberts jars all year! Filling with gold coins and other gold-wrapped sweets, scratchcard and... I don't know what else?!
Bags of 'Rupolph noses' - red M&Ms in bag with funny tag!
And if I'm feeling really smart, might try making cuff-links with Lego cubes/Lego men!

starnac

they are fab ideas Birdie. may have to steal some of those myself.

Dinah93

I did the pots of gold last year (or was it the one before?) and that went down well although we didn't even win £1 between us. Last year I did homemade hampers of jams, chutneys, biscotti and cherry and cinnamon vodka which also seemed to go down well, but the ingredients cost so much it would actually have been cheaper to buy hampers from John Lewis! It also took a lot of time in the run up to christmas so need something I can do more in advance this year.

starnac

so you want something cheap and something that can be started now so you'll have minimal prep to do nearer Christmas??

*thinking cap on*

I don't know you *that* well. Any skills I can take into consideration??

Birdie85

The cost of some things does concern me too, I wonder if people would guess if I buy jams/chutneys etc from the supermarket and put my own label on the jar?!

I'm definitely doing the boxes of cards though, I need to get my massive stash down to a reasonable level so I love the idea of using stuff up, although the hoarder in me dies a little whenever I use the last of something! :rotfl: I've just made a batch of 'luxury' cards from bits of old/broken jewellery that I've had sitting around for years... but of course I'm now left with a pile of cards that are too pretty to give away!

I think that my weekly planners will go down a treat too, dead easy and cheap as well! Cheap A4 frame from discount shop, a bit of messing on the computer to make a list of days and some lines to write on (and of course some prettifying) and a cheap dry-wipe pen. We use ours all the time and everyone who sees it thinks that it is a genius idea!

starnac

I love the weekly planner idea Birdie. Do they write on the glass then I assume??

Birdie85

Yes, then just wipe it off and start again on Sunday night! I love mine and think I'm so smart for making it! And modest!

I think I'll make a general weekly planner for Mum and a meal planner for SIL, or I might print both and give them the option of which one to use!

I've just thought of something else I fancied making, a record bowl. Mum and Dad have loads of old records in the garage (I think) so might 'borrow' a couple and turn them into knick-knack bowls.

Cogs are turning now!

starnac

DH made me a record bowl a couple of months ago and I love it. It is so quirky. He actually made 2 and it's impossible to get 2 the same. They just melt in different ways so each one is unique. We put ours on the coffee table and put some sweets *ahem* healthy fruit and stuff *ahem* in them. They look really cool and are brill talking points when people come round. Not that I'm biased or anything

Birdie85

Dinah, have you had a look at Martha Stewart's website for ideas? Since you can sew you might be able to do something from here! I'll be very jealous if you do, oh how I wish I could sew properly!

ETA: How cool that your OH made you a bowl! Nice to know that it goes down well as a gift too!

Poolie

Update from the Man Cave!

Wetting baby eviv's head is going well *watch out for the flying beer barrel*

Shouting to NIM "have you got the barrel opener to get this second one started? Also, did you bring any food? or do you think the ladies will send food to keep us in here?"

End of Update back to drinking