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

mrs-moneypenny

Fiesty just back read, sorry to hear about your rent. quidsys idea of allowing local artists to display their work in your shop and selling on commision sounds really good, it wouldnt use to much space but could bring you a nice extra income.
hope you can work something out? have you asked why the rent is so much more. they might come to some kind of agreement with you a lower rent would surely be better for them than an empty shop.

Chrissy, sending hugs and good wishes for you and your DD, i hope that something can be worked out for her to get some hours at the shop with you and then a few on her own. best wishes

blue_eyed_girl

FeistyFidget wrote: »

Feel free to copy this, they are fairly easy to make, just time intensive





Well I've found out that our shop rent is about £300 more a month than a busy high street shop in our local area We are still running at a huge loss, so I now need to think about whether we sell up and switch to just online (may not be a success due to higher than competition prices) or re-locate - such a quandary!

Love the money wallets. I took the easy way out and got 7 for a £1 at Card Factory Hope things pick up for you soon with the business.

junior_j wrote: »

Also just been reminded I am having coffee in the morning with my friend before I go off for a ESA tribunal!

Enjoy the time with your friend. Fingers crossed all goes well for the tribunal.

Nanamia wrote: »

If anybody had a spare prayer and all round healing vibe we'd be very grateful. Night night xxx

Consider it done nana x



Elderly friend (88) has been admitted to hospital with heart problems so most of this week will be spent ferrying backwards and forwards so any plans we had will have to be put on hold.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but when I was in Mr. T's last night I spotted some of the Yankee Votive Candles for £1.20 - hummed and ahhhed - didn't bother then I noticed them in the card shop in town this morning for £1.80. Think I will ask DH to do a bit of a detour on the way back from hospital today so that I can pick a few up and put them away for over the xmas hols. Noticed the card shop had little gift pack of the YC small candle jars (4) reduced to £6.99 - would make a nice little gift for someone but doesn't match up with any of the outstanding pressies I have to get on my list.

Got a bit of a headache so I think I will grab a cuppa and a couple of paracetamols and have a quite hour before I am back out on the roads. If head clears, I might even try some cross stitch

Take care everyone

b_e_g

Morgy9

Nanamia wrote: »

Well lovelies I've been missing a few days, just busy, busy so you are in foran epic catch up. Apologies xxx


Morgy hi, how are you doing? I just adore the idea of we are going on a bar hunt. DD is supposed to be finished but I'm hoping to pick this up to add to her stocking. Thank you. She is now 26 but was at uni in Liverpool and this weekend was at a reunion with the girls she shared with. And she's feeling very old ha! She is- I had her daughter whilst she was away xxx

xx

Hi Nanamia - just flying through. Glad to see that the book link was of use to you - I think its mega for most parents.

Well not any more prepared re xmas but chilling as advised (note to self must spend less time on mse :rotfl:). I have been volunteering on Wednesdays (and last Weds) at a school to get back up to speed - so my energy has gone on that. This year is very strange - I normally have most gifts sorted or know what peeps want but seem to have got pressies for those peeps I didn't really have money for (18+ nieces and nephews who never get you anything any way hey ho). Little or nothing for DS, DD and DH but will get there. I remember a conversation last year about peeking too early and I've done that for a couple of years so at least I know that's not going to happen.

Have put on the 8ib I lost via 5:2 as since its got colder my body doesn't want to not eat and with the meds back to where I was. Anyhow The Haven (breast cancer charity) have started a 4 week healthy eating course every Monday for 11/2 hours - I've never done one before. Hmm so this week lost only 0.4 of a pound but am eating more healthily :rotfl:. This week we talked about portion control .....

Someone has organised a table top sale for baby and children's toys in the village (I used to organise one for playgroup a few years ago) so I've booked a table as didn't get rid of everything at car boot in the summer. :T good that this one is not just babies stuff. So I've signed up - but hope they rachet up the publicity a bit. Had DS making up his bionicles for sale (he always cannibalizes them) so he's been busy with that most of the weekend. Hope to sell his playmobile castle too. So need to get in the loft and garage in my down time and a last trawl of bedrooms in preparation.

So aim declutter - sell toys, deep clean, finalise pressie lists and then the prezzie wrapping will begin in earnest in December - will try and squeeze in cards in last week of November. (Cards and stockings are my favourites bits and the elves). Mrs Giggleswick is the elves thing going to be done on here this year rather than own thread? Funny DD no longer believes but still wants the elves to come .

For those with young children or lots of lego presents - interesting discussion on lego thread about having Xmas dinner on Xmas Eve evening (like Swedish, Polish and Germans I guess) but not for cultural or religious reasons but because they want to enjoy xmas presents with their children. Rather then kids in living room and parents in kitchen slaving over a meal the kids won't remember, but they will remember if they got to play with their presents with their parents or not. Especially if they have a toy they have desparately wanted but need adult supervision.

I know this was one of my main frustration when they were younger - so those with littlies on their own for Xmas - OH always helping build lego while you're on your own in the kitchen (not that he had any alternative option bless him). Would have been good if we both could help build the lego. So I would do it differently in future so you might want to consider.... Xmas day lunch more a smorgasbord of goodies like Xmas Day evening or boxing day. HTHS

Gettingtherequickly wrote: »

Set trap for visitor and little !!!!!! has nicked the cheese, twice, and not tripped the trap :mad: My brother told me to use nutella, seems a waste, but if it gets him, worth it!

Hum - my Dad used to swear by lard on bread. We have had a couple of field mice in the loft in the past (especially once weather turns cold). DH uses peanut butter - they really like that - seem sto work but I can't remember if he just smears it on the trap (therefore mouse has to go in and hold/lick the trap therefore more chance of setting it off) or whether he puts on bread first. Will ask him tonight when he gets home. Chocolate or cheese easily crumbles and can be removed. Nutella sounds good tho but peanut butter will do if you don't have nutella.

Anyhow happy xmas preps peeps!

blue_eyed_girl

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Nanamia wrote: »

Chrissy I'm not clued up on the options available, apologies, does DD have other options ? These last few months have been such a strain on you all, she has been through so much xxx

This was the only viable option we were given, we have had a chat and im trying to persuade her to work once a week at a local charity shop with me ,im hoping to start working at one thats 5 mins away.

She is unlikely ever to be able to work independently but i could support her and maybe in time if the staff are ok i could let her try doing a few hours without me there, just so she can have some independence.

On a christmas note i asked her to add things she would like to my amazon wish list BIG MISTAKE !!! when you add things it tells you that you have already purchased that item so she now knows she's getting the Dr who DVDs she wanted .

Great idea if DD could get into the charity shop with you then eventually build up her confidence to spend time on her own. Good luck to you both.

On a similar note to the Amazon wishlist - my DS informed us that if we buy anything (ie his xmas pressies from Sainsburys) using his nectar card - he usually gets an email to do a review on it. He collects the nectar points as we get his staff discount so we will have to be careful.

b_e_g

blue_eyed_girl

nic2075 wrote: »

Morning, off to catch up in a minute.

I'm finding things hard just now. There is a person in my life making me miserable. I'd love to never speak to them again, but my daughter dances with her daughter at our dance school, and we often travel to competitions together.
She is just incredibly Huffy towards me and anther friend, for no real reason. She has been like this since I met her 11 months ago. One day we are friends and she is chatting away, the next she has her back to us. Our daughters dance in the same group, so are against each other every week. Some days my Dd does better, the next week, her dd does better. But the thing that had upset me is that now her dd is ignoring my dd. she had her back to her all last night at dance class, and when my dd spoke to her she just hmph'd and turned away. She is 7 and I think she is mimicking her mums behaviour. I just don't know how to deal with all this, as I've never experienced anyone as huffy since school.
It's upsetting me, and I wish I couldn't let it.

It's coming up to a year (friday) since my mum passed. So I think I'm just over emotional.

Sorry, I feel better getting that off my chest.

Sounds as though other Mum could do with growning up a bit. Her child will just be mimicking what she sees. Hope things sort themselves out soon.

I don't think anyone will mind you coming her and getting things off your chest especially at this difficult time. Better to do that than bottling everything up and making yourself poorly.

b_e_g

mrs-moneypenny

not sure if youve all heard of this campaign to get a proper christmas song at number one

https://www.facebook.com/christmassongfornumber1

its at 161 likes at the mo (just to see what difference mse christmas lovers make to those figures)

nic, hugs to you and your DD, im sure there are much nicer people than that other mum at the dance class and far nicer children for you DD to have as friends, dont be unkind but if she being funny and backs to you, just try not to let it appear to bother you and strike up a conversation with someone else, encourage your lo to do the same, she shouldnt have to jump throguh hoops for friendship and neither should you.

blue_eyed_girl

Morgy9 wrote: »

Hum - my Dad used to swear by lard on bread. We have had a couple of field mice in the loft in the past (especially once weather turns cold). DH uses peanut butter - they really like that - seem sto work but I can't remember if he just smears it on the trap (therefore mouse has to go in and hold/lick the trap therefore more chance of setting it off) or whether he puts on bread first. Will ask him tonight when he gets home. Chocolate or cheese easily crumbles and can be removed. Nutella sounds good tho but peanut butter will do if you don't have nutella.

Another vote for the peanut butter - has got a proven track record here. I think DH just puts it on the trap so that they have to lick it off and can't just knock it off. Chocolate worked too but the peanut butter was better.

his_missus

Feisty, thanks for the gift card idea but it's a bit too similar to the Santa Christmas cards I've made for the kids already. I may google money wallets and see if any other ideas come up. Whatever happened to kids wanting pressies to open ? Pressies are so much more fun to wrap!

girlinayellowdress

Snow Globe tins are half price in M&S http://www.marksandspencer.com/Offers-In-Store-Food-In-Store-Food-Wine/b/215822031?ie=UTF8&intid=gnav_food-amp-wine_offers-in-store

pinknfluffy28

Nanamia - Your not bossy, your words rung true, and often a good kick up the a'se is just what I need! I have a follow up appointment in the new year, and I promise to at least hear the doctor out! I do seem to be bottling a lot up now, which cant be good.
On a more positive note, my youngest dd has developed a huge Doctor who obsession, brings back lots of memories of eldest dd at a similar age, she was so obsessed that she chose her new born baby sisters middle name "Rose" because of the Doctors side-kick at the time. Anyway, its a great excuse to bring all the old Doctor Who dvd's out - WITH DAVID TENNANT:j:j:j!!! Just wish we hadnt have given all her toys away - I am now off out to search for a Dalek! :j