Old Style Christmas Preparations for Christmas 2013

Donutchops

Morning

I was thinking about the smell, I think it will depend on which packaging I use, I am going to make flannel mitts with old towels so may just make the books full of smellies and do fudge separate.

For sticking the pages together I'm gonna use pva, I've not done it before so I'm off to the charity shop to buy one and experiment. I think I'm gonna have to do one page at a time. Also need to buy a hobby scalpel or stanley knive to cut the pages out.

I shall report back when I've done it

Donutchops

carlamarie wrote: »

Sounds good, although if you don't mind me saying, I would probaly package the fudge separately (not in the book/gift box). Purely for the fact that the smells from the bath bombs and sugar scrubs would be scented (I'm guessing?) and this scent could go onto the fudge, which I wouldn't imagine would taste nice!
I would probaly add a flannel or body puff to it though (although that's not homemade!). Oooh I don't know if you look on the christmas board but there is a thread on there called low cost homemade christmas gifts, I think, and someone has just made some felted soaps. Might be worth checking out, they'd go great with your theme.

Love the idea of hardback books as storage!

I'm not sure where to find the homemade gifts section?

carlamarie_2

Donutchops wrote: »

I'm not sure where to find the homemade gifts section?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4254281

That's the link to the homemad gifts thread, the felted soaps should be on that page, the page before has a link to the instructions. There's lot more ideas on there too

carlamarie_2

Byatt wrote: »

I've popped in here because I'm feeling unusually seasonal and festive, I'm enjoying the moment, not felt it in years!

What a lovely feeling to have, eh?! I'm feeling it today, I think it was down to the frost on the floor when I went on the school run and seeing all the kids in hats gloves and scarfs (that reminds me, must dig a hat set out for oldest ds, not that he'll wear them. But you've got to look like you try, don't you?)


I started wrapping some of ds2s gifts yesterday. Didn't get them all done as I ran out of paper. I have a roll of ds1s and dds paper too, so may do some of theirs today.
I need to send the hubby into the loft (I can't get down without him holding the ladders because I freak out!) to see if I have anymore for them up there before I go out and buy more. I'm guessing there is as the three rolls I had in the cupboard weren't sealed, I think I left them downstairs last christmas incase any extra presents were bought for the kids.

I also intend to drag everything out of my gift cupboard today to see if I've got enough oddments to come up with a couple of hampers for friends,or find out what I need to get to make up an hamper!

Donutchops

My mum hates doing labels on presents so she always uses different paper for everyone. Everything runs smoothly until she forgets who's is who's then she has to start feeling everything to remind herself lol. Can be quite comical. My fav moment was when she gave me a new shaver, meant for my son lol

carlamarie_2

Lol that's funny! I have different paper for my three kids and the hubby, that way I can get away with not writing out a million tags!
This is a throwback from my childhood as my mum used to do t with us too.
We had the same stockings since we were young, but one year she put my brothers things in mine and mine in my brothers. I got a lovely pair of boxer shorts and brother got a beautiful necklace amongst other things that year!
I wouldn't mind but my brothers stocking, which is the snowman, has a very special sentiment to it. Upto the age of six, it was believed my brother, who is partially deaf, was mute. The only word he had ever said was 'gog gogs' which meant kelloggs cornflakes. Then one christmas at school he watched the snowman. When he came home he told my mam every single thing that happened in it, in perfect english, even though there's no speaking in the film. And he hasn't shut up since lol! Hence, his stocking being the snowman.
Bless, my mum makes a point of watching it every year and cries her eyes out everytime.
And the whole family call cornflakes gog gogs!lol

She's a great one for giving out gifts in April and March that she bought for the previous christmas too. She'll pop everything in the back of her wardrobe and you can guarantee anything small gets found the following spring when she cleans it out.

Chris25

aah, carlamarie - that's lovely :T

I'm another that finds things 'hidden' in the wardrobe. i'm always dishing out things after the event saying "oh this was supposed to be for your birthday but i couldn't find it then "

One year I found 4 boxes of Quality Street (about 4 years out of date :eek:) hidden in a pair of boots - quick as a flash hubby told me that if I didn't hoard so much, I might have found them before the date expired and we might have been able to enjoy them :D

i did actually try them as they looked fine, but no, they weren't

Islandmaid

Mum2one here,s the link to mortgage free in 3 where I fot the reciepe from
Hope it goes well
I,ve made a load for Xmas prezzies - need to rebiol it as it,s not set, but tastes lush
http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/?s=Grapefruit

Artytarty

Donutchops, a quick google tells me you only need to paste glue over the outside edges of the pages and then around the inside of the hole where you have cut them out in the he middle.
I might give this a go myself.
Yesterday I made two folded book sculpture things from paperbacks, they look quite effective!like this
http://www.ashbeedesign.com/2012/04/folded-books-more-ideas.html

mrs-moneypenny

carlamarie that is so lovely no wonder your mum cries when she watches that film