❄❄ Let It Snow ❄❄ :: Christmas 2012 Chatter Thread

emalou88

Ruby_Roo - I've done my DH a New York hamper as he's always wanted to go. In mine I've put a NY printed Duvet cover set, some american flag socks and hat, some american candy/sweets - reese's, tootsie rolls, m&m's etc, a mini casino set, a tshirt which says I love NYC and a guidebook.

I've done it as a joint one so for me I've put a scarf with an american design on and a printed NY purse.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zip-Purse-New-York-Extragifts/dp/B0083GVEGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351938620&sr=8-1

There's loads of other stuff - NY cushion covers, coasters, a fold up poncho for when she's there, NY notepad, a canvas picture.

riskyb

pinknfluffy28 wrote: »

Got handed my notice at work yesterday. New manager has decided to make 3 of us redundant and were all working mums who can't be as flexible as the teenage gimps! It's going to make things really tight for us. I'm hoping I won't be out of work long, but we have to prepare for the worst. My dh has been amazing over it trying to reassure me we can manage etc but I feel so guilty that my family are going to have to make such drastic cut backs. It has well and truly demolished my christmas spirit. But on a positive note I guess today will be my last sat having to work a 9 hr shift for a while :-(

I am very sorry pinknfluffy28 that you have such bad new. And also very pleased that you have such a supportive patner. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

lexilex

Thanks for the ideas! I'm trying to keep it as cheap as possible. I've only spent £7 so far, but I am hoping it will look much more expensive. I'm going to go to B&M's today and see what products they have in to try and bulk it out a little. I like that hat idea too.

If all else fails I will just put chocolate in it, a Christmas present without chocolate wouldn't be right anyway.

I think I may need those sleep in rollers for myself!! They may be the first thing to be added to my Christmas list.

System

Ive just melted some chocolate and put it into heart shaped silicone cases and added hundreds and thousands they look OK but dd has come down stairs looking for the bars of choc and cant understand why Ive done this as it looked fine as a bar !!! the joys of ASD.

SugarSpun

Ruby_Roo wrote: »

Any ideas what I can add, other than a guidebook, for about £30?

Print out a large size subway map and highlight or mark the important stations with what's nearby. The NYC subway is confusing for me even after living there and frequent-ish visits to family and friends.

Restaurant.com sells gift vouchers for restaurants at a discount. Look for a restaurant she'll like and see what vouchers would work (make sure it isn't a BOGOF or a free-drinks one but an actual exchangeable for food with no conditions one).

Mini bottles of whisky and sweet vermouth for the makings of a Manhattan? I'm not sure you can get vermouth in a regular small bottle but if you asked for that and a splash of bitters in a bar you could decant into a tiny bottle and smuggle it out...

I think you can buy Empire State/Top of the Rock tickets online.

Make her a personalised shopping guide or an MSE Tips and Hints collection? Like if you want to see the Statue of Liberty from the water, you can take an expensive tour boat ... or hop on the Staten Island ferry for free.

In February it will be very cold and the wind sweeps up the avenues painfully. Earmuffs or a hat plus scarf and gloves.

You could print an I NY Tshirt on transfer paper at home? They can be fairly expensive.

lexilex wrote: »

I just want to pick your brains. I'm trying to make a small hamper based on "fat hair". It's for someone who is always say she wants "fat hair" because hers is so flat.

You can buy those plastic or fabric bumpies to backcomb hair over?

Sorry to hear about the job loss Pinknfluffy28 and I hope you'll find something new soon.

maria_and_the_imps

Morning all, I'm a lurker more than a poster but I need some ideas, for my bil. Budget is about £20

He doesn't really have any hobbies, likes a drink (but we did the personalized glass last year) spends most of his time working (he fixes roads) or sleeping, and he has 2 boys who stay with him every weekend

Any ideas welcome

Thank you

ostaragirl

spacecadet1 wrote: »

Oh, also forgot to ask, has anyone made bath salts before?

If so, what kind of salt did you use? Most "recipes" (can you call it that for a non food thing?) say any salt is fine but don't wan to spend a fortune on something if another cheaper salt will be fine (am assuming basics table salt won't be ok cos most salt scrubs seem to use coarser salt).

Have seen dead sea salt & Epsom salt on eBay which is specifically for beauty stuff. Is this the best thing to use or any other recommendations?

I've got the plastic jars to fill so hoping to get the salt & essences this weekend so I can make them in the next few weeks.

Onmyown, have you looked at Martha Stewarts website? She's got loads of ideas Which you could use/adapt to sell.

For bath salts I use epsom ones that you mention from ebay with a few drops of colouring and essential oil of your choice. I'm doing that with the same plastic jars - great minds!

I also make brown sugar scrub, you can use any oil such as olive, coconut oil etc and fragrance oil of your choice,just keep adding oil until you have the consistency you want, it is the best thing ever for smooth skin.

weeclick

Look forward to getting out of work to do more shopping! Taking a look at B&M and home bargains today then need to get home to do some trial baking cant wait

ostaragirl

Thats 25 pages caught up now and lots of lovely new ideas. I haven't had any time for shopping as I'm busy making things for my first craft fair, I do fabric crafts mainly with vintage material or new if it's for kids so that;s been my focus, also I'm a co-ordinator for a local shoebox appeal so we have started up again and the stuff is mounting up rapidly, the car boot is permanently full.
I'm quite chuffed as our local Mr T has chipped in £100 of food which I'm collecting today, so they have gone up in my estimation.
We just got a new shop in our town called Puondstretcher so I'll have a gander in there today.
I've been making elves and theyare going down a storm on my fb page have orders for 8 of them so must go and get stitching.

SugarSpun

maria_and_the_imps wrote: »

Morning all, I'm a lurker more than a poster but I need some ideas, for my bil. Budget is about £20

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Dad-Awesomely-Projects-Activities/dp/0670921378/ref=pd_sim_b_1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Geek-Dads-Guide-Weekend/dp/1592406440/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351943422&sr=8-2

These books are brilliant - perfect for dads and boys.