Thrify Gifty Santas Challenge 2012

TylersMummy

Hello everyone

Been a bit AWOL but have been busily thrifting in the background and thought I'd dig through my bag in the wardrobe of little bits and bobs I've picked up for Christmas and was quite pleased to see that everyone on my list to buy for has at least one thing in the bag, which is a relief! It was like Christmas itself actually, because I'd actually forgotten everything I'd bought - amazing how rubbish your memory gets when you're a mummy of an under 1! This year is one big sleepless night filled whirry blur :rotfl: But I wouldn't change a thing of course

Was pretty pleased with how a thrifty gift turned out yesterday. My mum was packing stuff up to do a car boot and I spied a pack of four plain wood photo frames in its pack and nabbed them. I had planned to give the parents (DS's grandparents) photos of the baby to go with their main gifts, so ordered some free paint samples (free p&p too!) from Dulux using a free code and when the paint arrived, we painted them and they look so beautiful. Might get some little jewels and decorate them - I paid £9.99 for a handmade wooden frame with diamontes around it on Ebay and a personalised slogan and it looks exactly the same so I'm pretty pleased! So that's one free (well bar the actual photo print but I'll be trying to get a free print offer) present done!
Was also sent a £5 off Groupon voucher the other day and took advantage of a £5 personalised photo calendar with it. So that was free. I just had to pay £2.99 for the delivery but I'm really happy because I buy one for my mum every year and always pay double that if not more :T

Picked up a Jams and Chutney recipe book in The Works for 99p in the sale (again, it was one I was going to order on Amazon for a fiver, so true bargain!) so I'll be bookmarking things to make in the next couple of weeks as I have so many jars. OH is growing bored of them and I heard a load of clinking earlier as he opened the airing cupboard, followed by "oh these f&!*$%%ng jars! They're everywhere!" :rotfl:

Good luck everyone - am off for a proper read xx

mum2one

Tylersmummy that sounds a lovely idea the photoframes, and thats gd that u found ur secret stash of presents.
Your have to share all the homemade goodies, sounds like bargain the book. xx

cdsmiler

Tylersmummy - sounds like you're well on track! I don't remember much of my first year with DD - it sounds very familiar! lol

Everyone's very quiet on here! How's everyone doing? I think I've sorted out what everyone's getting DD for Christmas and her birthday, so that's a major step. Got plans for making strawberry & vanilla jam, and whiskey marmalade, all as gifts. Made my first ever Christmas cake on the weekend, in a square, so I can cut it into 4 to make 4 mini cakes. need to get brandy to feed it now. So feeling quite positive and on top of things surprisingly! lol

Is susan still on here?

Clare x

rufusdog52

Hi Cdsmiler, and everyone else. I have been lurking, been so busy sewing though, havent had time to do much else. Had a few orders to do plus sold some things online so had to sort them out, then got a craft fair on Sunday so been making a few extra bits to take with me.

I sorted another present out for YD, ordered her a batman hoodie from Amazon, was just under £20 so I thought that was quite good seeing as I had vouchers to pay for it. It arrived today so has been stashed away.

Susan is still around, she might be away at the moment though, not too sure.

ca1980

Hi all,
I am a newbie to posting in this thread (although I read it often) so hello! I was in b&m yesterday and I saw that they had some red and white xmas stockings - they were only 10p each with slogans embroidered into them with things like I've been so good, dear Santa this year i want it all... etc ( they were possibly last years stock as there were others there that were about £1 - £1.50)... I didn't buy them as I couldn't think of what to use them for... Any ideas? i'm already doing snowman soup and pots of gold as pressies for teachers...

TylersMummy

Hello ladies,

Air drying some lemon slices to attach to my lemon marmalade jars come Christmas in a very domesticy goddessy fashion lol, and wondered how the other thrifty gifties were getting along!?

x

mum2one

we've been to Asda and got all the goodies to make the christmas cake on sat, Miss hoodie v exicted, she wants to pop the fruit to soak 2mor ngt!!

Also picked up a jar of the marmade orange - was £1.99 don't know if thats a good price or not!

Started rough list for cards.... seems to be more and more xx

Just seems to be a week of running around this week, - had foot check up today the file goes through me, - but thats done for 3 mths,

Miss hoodie got her flu jab 2mor, then we go Friday, - should get my head down with OU books, - so that have to be 2mor and thurs.

Had my 1st batch of xmas cards back from Vistaprint, - they look brilliant theres a pic of Miss Hoodie and Bailey, in like a bauble on a plain white background and another part of an xmas prezzie sorted - got a notebook - one with a mountain view had wrote on it "for the travels ahead"

mum2one

I Know Mary mentioned about the stamps before, being available at 2011 prices,

We had a leaflet from Royal Mail

-if your on low income such as Pension credit, ESA (income related), Income Support, etc - take a letter from the relevant department - dated within last 12 months to the Post office, sign a form there and you can purchase upto 36 1st class stamps at Dec 2011 prices.

Valid now to Christmas Eve xx

rufusdog52

Mum2one, the Xmas cards you ordered, were they proper cards that fold in half? I ask because I ordered some free ones with my last order just to see what they were like and they are just like post cards, no fold in them so dont think I will use them after all

TylersMummy

Thanks so much for that info mum2. Always handy to be able to get stamps cheaper!

I have never made Christmas cake - sounds lovely and fun to do. Quite looking forward to the days where DS will be old enough to help and get excited about Christmas!

I'm with you on OU - got my first tma prep phone call tomorrow and 9 activities behind so gotta knuckle down today!