Thrify Gifty Santas Challenge 2013,

mrs-moneypenny

nipped in tesco earlier and thought of you all
robertsons mince meat is 20p a jar!!!!!!!! thats what the label on the shelf says its not a glitch or anything. i got the last 2 jars from our store but well worth looking out for.

sorry not been about much with holiday last week and DH still off this week so doing other stuff. thanks mum2one it was lovely but sheringham always is

be back after the bank holiday

juliejim

I've just ordered some books from the Book People - there's an extra 25% off all sale books this weekend if anyone's interested - code BIRTHDAY. There's loads of different books available.

mum2one

Its that time again for Santas Challenge, were getting spolit this weekend with an extra bank holiday, - but its the last one before Christmas where is the time flying!!

Christmas Cards
Unless you have avoided town centres the card shops are getting there cards and accessories in, this may sound daft but this is the time to take advantage, do you need personal carda aunty/unxle, in-laws, teacher, teaching assistant etc - do the list and grab them over the next month or so, while we get the choice of the price ranges (were not left in November with the £1.99 cards!!!)

Sounds daft - but its the same with the xmas gift bags - last yr our local card factory told us they wouldn't be getting any more in - they do different sizes, although to get the x for £1 it has to be same size. If you can away with putting more than 1 persons in a bag!! could save a few pennies!!

=paper=
Again christmas paper coming in everywhere - if you have any old atlas's hanging around, they make great wrapping paper!! and a good talking point!!

Central Heating
This may sound daft, but method in the madness - weve just done it `yesterday, hence pass it along the line - with our heating its controlled in hall - altered the temp to cut in - turned the radiators on - let the heating run for 15 mins...
- clear out the cobwebs-
-if it goes wrong - youve got time to get it sorted rather than in minus 10C-
-radiators - having these on - check for leaks and whether you have a cold spot - do they need bleeding...

DONT FORGET TO TURN IT OFF!!!

Presents
Hopefully we're all doing ok with the xmas prezzies, if your anything like me theres a bag here, a box there, don't open the shed may fall on you!! - I know we have lists - but I'm planning to do a dry run, (do it when Miss Hoodies back at school - 2 days to do it

My plan is - to put all the peoples families together, check that I haven't put one present for 4 people, and also if I need to swop around easier to do it now then when wrapping, let the fun begin and repack there be ready to pull straight out and wrap.

Meal Planning
At the mo it may still be up in the air as to where you are, have you got a house full, or a quiet day, - but have a look now and see what extras you need buying in - see if you add dry items to shopping list over next couple of months, so its not all in one go. Ask the question do we really need it......

I always think of my doctors surgery, last yr we Miss were talking to one of our nice reception ladies and she said at Easter they were still eating chocs they had been given at xmas time....

=Spare presents=
I always say have a couple of spare presents in stock, I would say a base 2 x ladies, 2 x mens (childrens if you need them) but something your not going to get stuck with and you can re-use.
What you spares are - there going to depend on your set up and who you buy for, for me with Miss Hoodie changing schools, - I'm planning getting 6 presents for girls ...

Miss Hoodies Corner
That lovely corner where the cleaning challenge comes in - so as we're on the home straight for Christmas, its time for that lovely job the freezer - at least wont need doing to after Xmas.

=Winter Proofing=

i know I've made a start with the heating check, but what winter proofing are you doing, is there any tips you want to share, no idea what the weather is, but the cost of heating never goes down it always goes up, so if you can share any tips fire away as they say.

On that note happy bank holiday weekend, and hope everyone ok. xxxx

mum2one

You get peace and quiet for just over the week, were escaping again, nice family holiday - in the middle of nowhere - on a rare breeds farm - staying in a caravan - no neighbours as its the only one they have!!

No internet access - so no computer - packed the playing cards, and intend to chill as come Sept, its going to be hetic...
Miss Hoodie goes in to yr 6 - ready for her sats
Waiting date for granddad hoodie for his shoulder op
Waiting date for nanny hoodie for op on her hand
Few things in pipeline, good, bad and inbetween, so all I can do is tackle them as and when, hence looking forward to the break...

You all take care xxx

SugarSpun

Santa's Challenge

Ooooh I love Santa's Challenge!

Cards and paper all done.

Good point about the central heating. I will add "check the radiators" to my before-baby list.

Presents including a couple of spares are all ready and wrapped - all but one Secret Santa gift and DH's craft gift, which both need to be finished. DH's is almost done, the Secret Santa one is going to be a bit longer.

Meal planning is also done except for I am not sure if we're having beef or duck. I'd sort of prefer duck, I think, but we'll see. It'll be the three of us plus baby by Christmas and no one else - the normal Postmas party will take place at our local Chinese, I think, with people coming back here only for hot chocolate around the outdoor fireplace (assuming the chimney will draw).

We're pretty lucky as far as winter proofing goes, German houses are pretty well pre-proofed for weather extremes. We do put bubble wrap on one of our bathroom windows, it lets in ridiculous amounts of cold air and would freeze your shower water. And we have thermal curtains to act as draught excluders. The only other thing is the garden - I bring the non-winter-hardy plants into the basement so they don't die over the winter. Not yet though - probably mid-Novemberish.

mrs-moneypenny

thank you for the challenges will pop in next week and get started on them
hope everyone is well and enjoying the bank holiday.

gave step mum the garden bench yesterday and she loved it.

rufusdog52

Morning all, had this sent to me today http://www.favecrafts.com/Christmas-Crafts/ml/1

Thought there might be something interesting there, havent looked properly yet as busy Bank Hol today, out with grandchildren and ED.

In 99p shop they have a pack of small note pads, 12 for 99p. I bought a pack the other day, opened them last night to see what I could do with them. They are joined together by the glue going down the back but they are easy to split up if you are careful, each has its own cardboard back to it but no top cover but I decided to use up some of my felt stash and have made little pouches to put them in (photos to come when they are finished). Just imagine for now, two rectangle of felt to fit the pad, cut them slightly bigger than the pad to fit in the seams. Cut a curve out of the top of one (like a smiley mouth shape) then put them together and blanket stitch around the three straight edges. I also blanket stitched the top edges but not together, just separately as a decorative effect. Then decorate the fronts with small cut-offs of felt, bead, sequins etc and place the pad inside. Nice little stocking fillers.

susan42

Thanks for the linky - rufus, like reading xmas things

I made some of these for a trip I`ll be taking..that`ll teach OH



Went to bootsale yesterday but not much happening, then we went out for lunch, it was probably the worst meal I`ve ever had.

The cabbage was raw, I`m not talking about lightly cooked, I`m talking raw and dripping in butter. The carrots were solid. The meat wasnt cooked. Chewy wasnt the word. And it wasnt rare. Gosh it was awful

Rufus those pad holders sound great and I love your stall

Sugarspun - your organising puts me to shame, I spend alot of time doing nothing although I dont stop

Mum2one - tha hol sounds fab, suit me down to the ground



good bargain on the mincemeat money penny, have to see if i can pick some up

juliejim - i love books but I have 200 to read, oh keeps getting them from bootsale for me, ty for the tip though, I`m going for a browse

Its hot here so hope everyone enjoying their bank holiday

EchoDelta

Great minds Miss Hoodie! We've just started running down the freezer contents ready to defrost it.

Going to make cards with Small from end of next month. Got the card, just need to get some cheap cotton wool pads (doing snowmen). Got cards from last year for non-home made.

Wrap.... Said to Mr Delta that I thought it would be nice to have Small do stamping / potato printing on brown paper (will go with the luggage label tags we have planned) and to keep a look out for cheap brown paper. So he bought 290 metres of it on eBay!! It's a bargain but maaaan I don't think we'll need any brown paper for a long time! :rotfl:

EchoDelta

Oh I meant to say, we were at in laws yesterday and mother in law said that she had got 2 Christmas presents. Mr Delta was all "just two? Echo's got about half of ours done already".