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

curly33

Busy making stuff for Christmas here! We're cutting down costs this year so I'm trying to make stuff. Have nearly finished a scrapbook for my cousins daughter (9) and 3 large scrapbook pages to go into my best friends album which I originally made for her 9 years ago. We've been on a couple of days out this year so I had some nice piccies. She'll really like them as she always appreciates handmade stuff - unlike most of the rest of my family!
Also nearly finished an amigurumi pirate for my nephew (4) to go with his 'pop up pirate' game which I got on Amaz for £6.
My Niece (nearly 3) is getting an amigurumi snail (she has a thing for snails) but not sure what else to get her to go with it yet.
I LOVE Christmas!!!!!

lazysheep

Christmas is coming!! Just saw a trailer for Strictly Come Dancing starting on Sept 7th so the countdown is on for definite :T

FeistyFidget

amy, peppa and mrsmoneypenny please don't feel like you are intruding - we love to hear from everyone

Thank you all for your kind words, it really does mean a lot

We have bought our first christmas food item - a can of ready salted stackers (aldi version of pringles) it's a start lol. We always struggle with food lists and now that money is really tight (just switched to food shopping at aldi) we really need to be savvy shoppers - how do you all make your food lists?

pinknfluffy28

amy - Its hit & miss when I get a chance to catch up/post these days, but when i do, it feels like "coming home" it is such a wonderful, cyber-family on this thread!
Thankyou all for the advice, I have updated my website t&c's to include a £5 late cancellation fee to be paid before any further appointments can be booked (this is applicable to all appointments cancelled at less than 12 hours notice). I have also text all clients on my books asking them to read updated t&c's and that they are effective immediately, so hopefully that will make them think twice!
My xmas stash is now very neatly organised into separate bags/boxes and I feel much much calmer!

Oh, and its spicy cinnamon yankee tealights for tonights "trial"!

Ameyturtle

FeistyFidget wrote: »

amy, peppa and mrsmoneypenny please don't feel like you are intruding - we love to hear from everyone

Thank you all for your kind words, it really does mean a lot

We have bought our first christmas food item - a can of ready salted stackers (aldi version of pringles) it's a start lol. We always struggle with food lists and now that money is really tight (just switched to food shopping at aldi) we really need to be savvy shoppers - how do you all make your food lists?

I am mega sad about our Xmas food shop list I one year typed up a list of just about everything we could want and split it into the shops it comes from and that is my main list for us our christmas shop always used to be our big stock up shop and still is to a degree, I wrote that master list about 6 years ago and every year I copy it over and delete off the things that didn't get eaten the year before and it is gradually getting smaller and smaller, but I do still keep previous years lists just in case. This year we have decided for quality over quantity.

Ameyturtle

OMO I need you to text me again lovely

So it has been an eventful couple of weeks in my house, the freezer broke, the car overheated and died friday night and went to scrapyard heaven saturday, and my phone died on me yesterday.

Phone has been replaced today, a couple of possibles on the freezer for tomorrow, and have our eye on a car too.

They say is comes in threes after all. I just think odd numbered years suck. LOL

Anyway hope everyone is well, starting to get excited about christmas despite being massively present stuck, but nevermind.

Love and hugs to all

And Hello to our new ones

caitlyn22

Hello my lovelies!

As usual I’m reading when I can but not posting as so busy at work. Big festival coming up next week so me and my team are swamped in last minute preparations. I did get time to make my team little 'survival' mugs including big bars of chocolate and little bottles of wine - obviously needed as those bits disappeared instantly! They were so lovely and got me an Alice in Wonderland tote bag in return, with a book that pretty much sums me up:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Clean-Up-Life-Made/dp/1452114161

Each page has photos - something like people on a beach, or pasta in a bowl, then on the opposite page it’s all been ‘reorganised’ OCD style! There’s only one where I think it looks better the first way – and that’s the one of a decorated, twinkly Christmas tree….obviously!!

Finally feel I’m getting somewhere with Christmas presents, been putting bits and pieces away, but still not as much as I’d like. Have almost sorted OH’s birthday which is November and he’s finally agreed to stop buying himself books and LPs etc so I can get him something like that for Christmas! He’s done most of his shopping too apparently, though he only has me to buy for so no massive achievement! I was pleased to pick up some sketching pencils and pens for his nephew and a really great book called Doodles for Boys. He's 10 and I think this is ideal for him, full of little sketches with bits to complete, would really recommend it.

We were going to plan a bit of a holiday after OH and I finished an especially manic year at work but he had the bright idea that we should do something festive instead, so we’re now being completely indulgent and spending what we would have spent on a week’s holiday somewhere sunny, on a long weekend in New York in December! So excited, last time we were there it was just before October and I had the torture of all the shops advertising their Christmas stock coming but seeing nothing! We’re staying in a cheap little hotel (just about enough room for us to lie down to sleep!) and only have three nights there, but packing in as much Ho-Ho-Ho as possible! Wish I could take you all with me! If anyone wants me to look for anything or pick anything up while I’m over there, PM me and I’ll see what I can do.

pinknfluffy, I think you do right to make the late cancellation charge, it's really inconsiderate to let someone down when they're relying on the business. When I was freelance I used to tell people if they wanted to delay or rearrange, whether it was because of something cropping up, or if they were just short of funds that month, I'd rather they told me, as opposed to just cancelling. Following your Yankee trials with interest, I just rely on their 'Christmas Eve' as I got huge ones in a sale several years ago, but when they run out (maybe 2017? :rotfl:) I would be keen to try others!

Feisty how is your OH? Any further forward with the hospital?

Hanley sorry to hear about the picture! You do beat yourself about that type of thing I find, with much regret. I always replay my decisions when something goes wrong - like this morning for example, I thought it was a good idea to pop my mobile phone in a colleague's bag as I was worried I'd lose it and had left my own bag in the office. A great idea, until 8 o'clock tonight when I realise it's still in her bag....and will be with her, in London...until Friday!

Nanamia, good to have you home, you've been missed! Hope it's not been too tough. We need to get to the bottom of teleportation for you - let's put that on the Christmas list!

Freespirit I work for a fairly big organisation and you should tell your son that while it's disheartening, getting to interviews is no mean feat, often you're talking about being one of maybe 4 people, and for most jobs we advertise at the moment, we're having over 400 applicants! He's obviously impressing employers.

Love the card idea 0462418, really nice thing to do.

Going to leave it there for the night, I do end up writing essays, sorry everyone!

Hugs to all, especially the lurkers!

Own_My_Own

FeistyFidget wrote: »

amy, peppa and mrsmoneypenny please don't feel like you are intruding - we love to hear from everyone

Thank you all for your kind words, it really does mean a lot

We have bought our first christmas food item - a can of ready salted stackers (aldi version of pringles) it's a start lol. We always struggle with food lists and now that money is really tight (just switched to food shopping at aldi) we really need to be savvy shoppers - how do you all make your food lists?

I do pretty much the same as Ameyturtle only I start with the boring stuff first.
Every week I buy a household item. Toilet rolls, bleach, toothpaste etc .I try to find something on offer. This week Tesco has 24 toilet rolls for £7, so I will be getting them. It is quite a bit to add on to my weekly shop but I will be grateful for them in January when money is tight. This way by November only nice things are left to get. There is nothing worse than spending half your Christmas shopping money on toiletries.
Also like Amey our list has got smaller over the years. Nobody eats pickled onions so why do we feel we must buy them at Christmas.

My list in my Christmas app.

I would write a list now and look at it again next week. Then think do you really need it all ? Are you just buying because your Mum/Nan always had it at Christmas ?

freespirit66

Oh will i never learn??? Just lost a long post :mad:
Evening everyone, DS still hasnt heard about job yet!
QUIDSY that grotto sounds wicked, and the prices are brilliant no wonder they sell out quickly, value for money
AMYSB86 hope you are feeling better and watched your xmas film, you are very welcome on here, no one is an intruder
OMO your secrets safe with me :rotfl:i hate things like that where you dont know anybody and just feel a p**t sitting there
MRS-MONEYPENNY hello and welcome we are a friendly bunch on here, i have seen pictures of your needlework on the threads i lurk on and it is beautiful
PEPPAPIG stay out of lurkdom with us you dont have to keep up with us you are very welcome
CURLY33 ooh those amigurumi pirate and snail are so cute, im sure they will be very much loved by littluns
LAZYSHEEP snap
FEISTY yayy! i bought my goosefat and cranberry sauce yesterday i usually write down the regulars that we have every xmas on one list, then start planning menus, and write a list of ingredients needed for them, then last minute fresh bits on another list, i also list different items under different supermarkets that i know we always have, anal i know :rotfl:then DS designs nice xmassy menus and prints them out for me so i know what i am doing each day and they get bluetacked onto kitchen cupboards
PINKNFLUFFY good for you, you need to protect yourself, glad you sorted out your xmas bits, cinnamon candles are my favourite
AMY you are no sadder than me re: lists mine get smaller every year as well, which on reflection is a good thing. Hope that is your last thing to break down now

freespirit66

CAITLYN thanks re DS yes you are right out of near on 300 jobs he has applied for he has only had 2 interviews!! and only about 30ish replies, oh you will love NY at xmas, i went stupidly thanksgiving weekend and it was mad mad mad busy but it was lovely seeing families all out having a great time from granny down to littluns, Macys do the most gorgeous tree skirts, we got all our kids presents out there and they got loads for the money, designer gear etc (those were the days before MSE christmases) do go on a horse drawn sleigh in Central Park its so christmassy wrapped in a blanket, two things i regret a) we missed the big xmas tree, lights were being turned on day after we left :mad: and not going to Radio City Music Hall to see the christmas spectacular (ex DH being a misery) :mad: oh i am so jealous you will have a fab time
OMO you are so right about buying just because it is xmas, i had a word with myself about 5 years ago for that, i used to buy dates because my mum/nan used to why???? noone liked or ate them, pickled onions and beetroot would still be in the fridge in summer unopened??? so now i ask the kids what would they really miss and we just buy things we know will be eaten. I followed your advice last xmas about buying toiletries and cleaning products and it was great i didnt have to buy anything pretty much til the end of feb, thankyou.

ETA: :rotfl:Just thought another thing ADVOCAAT ???:rotfl: