*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

tin_can

icemice wrote: »

Nanamia - Hang in there! Such a hectic time you are having. Best wishes to your friend. Thanks for the tips on the wax, but the cold and cough are here to stay. I tried sleeping sitting up last night to limit the coughing but kept bumping my head on the wall as I occasionally drifted off!

Ooooo Sugarspun.....many congratulations! I bet you are thrilled! Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

Poppygirl - great tip on the cello bags. We don't have a local Poundland but I'll keep my eyes open. Planning on the biscotti in bags but also home made pot pourri etc, so the bags would be great.

Trendyjenny - I think that my OH should have a jar of nothing! He never buys cards or pressies but happily accepts all that come his way. Haha!

Feisty - hoping that your dizziness is getting better. No fun. I absolutely love your papercut- so beautiful. Steady hand required!

I don't know about an egg free version, but for anyone wanting just a quick go at biscotti, for a small batch: 3 oz flour, 3 oz caster sugar, 1 egg and a good pinch of baking powder. Mix well (it will be sticky) then throw in anything you fancy - chocolate, dried fruit, nuts etc, but if you add melted chocolate, add a touch more flour to soak it up. Roll into a sausage, bake at 160 for 25 mins (no fan on), cool for a few minutes then slice up and pop individual biccies back in oven for about 10 mins. Really easy and good to do with kids! Have fun!

Wot flour did you use for the biscotti

jakesbakescakes

Julie67 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm a long time lurker on here but I can't resist, can I join you?
I'm seriously into crocheting at the moment but I'm not very good. We are also expecting another grandchild in October so have lots of ideas for makes for him or her.
I started my Christmas box yesterday. A Christmas candle for 1.50 from the charity shop:o but at least it's a start.
Looking forward to getting to know you all. Sorry I've forgotten names already but love the lounge pics, very much like my sons house in Australia.:D

Hi julie - how lovely to see u over here..... have been following ur makes over on the crafting 13 in 2013 this is a lovely thread too so pull up a chair and join in xxx

Feisty - another beautiful papercut, beautiful words xxx

Omo- I am even more jealous now!!!! What a gorgeous lounge, wish we lived closer - you could come and declutter and style mine :rotfl:

BBTHREE sending u hugs for a speedy recovery xxx

freespirit66

Hi everyone,
NANAMIA hope you are feeling better today, and not doing too much!!! Its good news your friend is going home, i bet she will be relieved. I can tell you are tired, moneysavingmumofones birthday was march :rotfl:you have made me giggle. Yes DS finishes officially in June, but as he works as a halls student warden there might be a job there through the summer (full time) with free accomodation, so he is thinking of not renewing the lease on his flat, storing his furniture here, working and saving money then he plans to look for somewhere in Tunbridge Wells to rent so he will be nearer to London to find work. But i understand now he has been independant for 3 years, he doesnt really want to move back home (i wouldnt) , well that is his plan but he knows there is always a bed here if things dont work out that way. Ha you think i am cultured, this will make you laugh, i only found out the other day from my DD1 what actually happened to Pompeii she was horrifield (she is such a history geek) and now says she is taking me to Rome and Pompeii (i think i must have missed History at school lol) most of what i know is through her she is determined to see the new seven wonders of the world by the time she is 30, she has done Macchu Piccu, Peru and Taj Mahal, India we will do Rome colosseum this year then she only has 4 to go. I do have a wish list but i hate airports and the flying bit, but when i am away i am a completely different person, i have confidence and feel normal, my favourite best feeling ever was coming back into the Bay of San Francisco from Alcatraz, i looked at the view and felt the happiest ever and the Grand Canyon, i actually cried, i was so overwhelmed after seeing it in class books as a kid.
04624181 some fab bargains you are finding, that strawberry stables and horse is soooo cute, i think selling is just very slow at the moment on everything
JULIE67 hello glad you are joining us
FEISTY loving the papercut, so pretty, how is your dizziness?

Nanamia

Ha ha ha what am I like, dopey! Well I might be early for her next birthday, I must've entered it into the calander in the wrong month- then I felt bad cos I didn't get on to wish her well until very late:) Please excuse my silliness "I'm overtired" as the advert says!
I will try and do better
They did used to say that when a young person went off to uni they didn't return home to live, I wouldn't either all the freedom etc then back under parents roofs but I think today I know quite a few who've had to return home after finishing their degrees due to the present situation
I'm no good at all at world history a little better at English history but geography I'm shocking:( Don't really know how I've managed for so long, good at bluffing and now googling
I know exactly what you mean about being a different person when you are away, I was trying to say to Trendy but I couldn't find the words when she went away for the weekend you can "forget" you've got problems for that short time the post can't get you, the phone can't get you you are free for as long as it lasts:) Im lucky tho that airports and planes aren't one of my problems (except panic attacks on planes like in Doha in February) think it helps that I'm travelling with DH cos I just think well if anything happens we are together- what more could I ask for
That's so touching that you cried, bless you, it's funny that places can do that to you. DH and I had the best day of our lives (obviously excluding birth of children and grandchildren etc) whilst away in 2010 a day I will never ever forget xxx

I have had a lovely day today thank you for asking. Baked this morning, two simple birthday cakes. They are for my friends two girls one birthday Sunday and one Monday - luckily she's home from hospital to see them celebrate Then we went to our last home football game of the season which was shocking looks like we will be relegated again next week. But I still love it and we'll have season tickets again next year to go through the torture all over again! Popped into see poorly pal, she's barring up so well, such a superstar and glad to be home:) then off for coffee with my DSiL still gives me a little thrill each time I see her looking so good, better now than she's been for at least 12 years ( who said each cloud doesn't have a silver lining?)
Rounded off the evening relaxing with DH and a slimming world friendly tea, I'd never have believed I could get into this diet malarkey and eat all this fruit and veg. Not sure how long it'll last tho, you know what I'm like I go off things xxx

FeistyFidget

Nana, I am so glad your friend is home and that your SIL is doing so fab! I know not quite the same, but my Mum had a stroke at 37 and she bounced back remarkably quick

Freespirit, I know that once I moved into my own place at 22, there was no way I could ever go home again. I felt so proud that going home would have been like admitting defeat - slight difference was I got married, and my parents would never let both of us move back home

Dizziness is easing, but still strikes at odd times which I'm finding quite annoying

Haven't really managed much of a weekend, had too much work to do I was planning to have a nice lazy day today but the weeks baking needs to be done (store bought vegan cakes just don't hit the spot) my hair needs dying and I need to sort my phone out. I went out in the pouring rain to do ski bobbing for a friend's birthday yesterday - not the highlight of my week (I hate being in wet clothes), but I'm very glad I went. She loved her papercut

I have another birthday this week and although I already spent the budget on a posh hello kitty purse, I feel like it's not enough so will be working on some kind of word art print. We share an obsession for the film The Labyrinth, so I have so far made words related to the film into an image of David Bowie - If It ever gets made (still not 100% happy with it) I will of course share

Hanley25

Feisty your papercuts are amazing. I wish I could do something like that but I've never been very arty. That's why I like cross stitch cos I'm following a pattern that somebody else has thought up. :rotfl:

Although I am getting quite good with my cards. I couldn't find any nice embelishments for the 80th card I did so I made my own bunting which I was quite proud of.

Nanamia it's so lovely to hear how well your DSiL is getting on. I know you've already heard this advice elsewhere but please make sure you make time for yourself.

I think I need to watch what I say about moneysaving in my household. Dd (3) came in to me crying yesterday saying ds (5) had smacked her. When I asked him why he'd done it he said "Mum she threw half her cupcake in the bin and that's wasting money I could have eaten it if she didn't want it!" Of course I shouted at him for smacking his sister but I couldn't help thinking I must try to curb what I say about wasting/saving money around him. :rotfl:

mrsinvisible

Oh, Hanley, aren't they so wonderful? I wrote another long post yesterday and it didn't show up, so sorry. OMO the pics of your lounge are lovely, so elegant and clear. (would you like a commission? mine? I'd put you and dd up, we're on the edge of the lake district, it is nice for a break? do I sound desperate? you should see this tip!)
Nanamia, yes, DS1 and his wife are in China with 2 bubs, girly age7, and boyoh age 5. DS2 is single and likely to remain so, and DD has DGS1 age 10.
I think it was Feisty who asked, sorry if I'm wrong, yes, I did the 'sights' th first time out there. DH was well enough to travel then, and as standing on the great wall was one of his ambitions, the photo of him doing just that, is one of my' happiest memory' photos.
The rain and wind today are horrible, so I won't be in the garden as planned, perhaps I'll declutter a room,---or a cupboard,---or a shelf.
or I may just wash the pots and read the paper! xxx

Trendyjenny

04624181- welcome x your doing well on the Christmas front x
For my 12 year old nephew stocking fillers include a box of maltesers shower gel (whatever is on offer) pencil case with new pens and a sneaky teddy (he still loves them but it uncool to admit it )

Omo - your lounge looks gorgeous x

Free spirit - what does Gfk mean ? I do swagbucks

Nanamia - take care of yourself x

Julie67 - hi and welcome x we are a friendly bunch x

Woke up this morning and felt like wind has blown away a few cobwebs x made a short list (2 household things) sounds simple but at mo energy low x

Big hugs to everyone else x

Hanley25

Just having a break with a cup of tea. I decided to de clutter the kids bedroom but it's going slower than expected. MIL has bought them bunk beds to give them some more space and I was hoping to get them built today. You wouldn't believe the amount of toys they've accumulated over the years and ds will not part with any of them! Every time he turns his back I'm throwing as much as I can in the charity bag before he turns round again! :rotfl:

Trendyjenny

Lol Hanley x one of my tasks was to declutter bedroom not sure it working at mo x heaps everywhere x