Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

DundeeDoll

Hi angela i'm a lecturer at the university but recent promotion sees me taking on the role of internationalisation hence travel. This comes after marital breakdown after 25 years and probs i wouldnt have gone for it if marriage still limping along so just like manure is put on roses something wonderful has come out of the !!!!!! (pardon my french). That said 15 months on still hurts, but maybe not as much. Hoping time will cure all!

rufus all the best with the consultant. I had very painful rotor cuffs and had a jab for one which helped and i had physio which also helped a bit. But then a friend of mine who is a personal trainer took me in hand and amazing results. I had to stand upper arms out sideways with lower arms pointing up and fists shut then rotate upper arms down till they were level with rest of arm then up again. To start with i couldnt do much moving of my arms and felt a right wimbo. But she was wonderfully patient. Now i do it with 1kg weights. I went from not being to move hand up behind back at all to be ing able to clasp hands behind back both ways yay. (And most importantly can do up my bra unaided hooray) This may be no help to you at all but thought i'd share in case.

rufusdog52

Dundeedoll, sounds like you have a good trainer. I had the injections on my shoulders years ago, then had an operation on the left one to try to manipulate it while I was knocked out. After it supposedly healed it still wouldn't work and I was in such a lot of pain, ended up going to pain clinic and it is still bad now. Both of them still hurt and I have trouble using them both too. The left one is frozen yet again, this has been going on for about 7 years now.

Millysunflower

Dear all
This seems like a wonderful and tight little community bit wondered if there was room for one more?
F/T working married mum of two DS13 &DS4.
Christmas obsessed, mainly homeade but buy all year round for stockings etc. this year I'm planning advent gift calendars for the lady folk, already have a stash made up form magazine subscriptions free gifts along with some reg-gifted bits and sales stuff.
Homemade gifts plan to be

Homemade herbal tea

Sleeptime tea: camomile, lemon balm, passiflora, rosebuds
De-stress tea: camomile, lemon balm, passiflora, mint.

Simply mix together 10g each of your desired ingredients.

Give with tea cup, tea strainer, flowering tea and homemade biscuits.

Spicy nuts.

Ice cream sundae kit- ice cream bowls, spoons, sauce, sprinkles, marshmallow, labels, cellophane. Labels.

Bath salts
http://www.marthastewart.com/270270/homemade-bath-salts

Button bracelets

Home made slipper socks
http://www.iammommahearmeroar.net/2010/10/homemade-gripper-socks.html

I'd file you under A for Awesome (nail file and polish tied with ribbon)
http://izeko.hubpages.com/hub/Homemade-Christmas-Birthday-Gifts--Mom-Friends

Bread bags or dry cake mix bags
http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/homemade-gift-idea-little-bread-bags/

Home made extract eg vanilla/lemon etc
http://www.spoonforkbacon.com/2012/12/homemade-extracts/

Decopage bracelets
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hAFqN4DI_Gk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhAFqN4DI_Gk


My healths not great so just craft in the evenings and any spare 5 minutes I get when I'm feeling well.

Would like to join this merry band if possible to share Xmas tips and more. I live away form all my family and with Oh working weekends it can get lonely.

Right, I'll pop back later, off to play snap with DS and eat some of our home made cheese scones.. Num num!

Milly x

DundeeDoll

Welcome milly wow sounds like you've got your hands full. Love the gripper socks. Tell me more about the advent calendars. I've decided to do advent crackers for my dm(74), dd1 (22), dd2 (21) and ds (19) budget £12 per set so looking out for ideas. Have already got ds days of the week socks (l!dl) £5 for 7 pairs

mum2one

Welcome Milly - those links are amazing, I have to confess my fav is the vanilla extract, - just got 1/4 bottle left of mine, I got a 250ml bottle for 50p (3 yrs ago...) when in Dom Rep - its lush.

I do a couple of foodie hampers at Xmas and they would be an amazing addition, thank you. xx

Hope everyone ok, a very odd day here, - i went to bed 2am, woke at 5am, I was wide away, managed to get back off, woke at 6.30am - dad was banging in the bathroom, (pain as the shower is on the dividing wall of my bedroom and bathromm) so the dog woke me up to tickle his belly, he left at 7am, read kindle for a bit - back to sleep got up 11am, ok, fry up for dinner - not gd.... it gave my IBS jib...

Sorted out DDs summer clothes - what a surprise growth spurt - so funny, she tried on this one pair of shorts (she lived in last yr) - when she put them on they were that tight that she looked like the character Kenneth from Benidorm....

She tried on what was meant to be a strapless dress - eleastic top, flowing bottom, - it just covered her bum... but as she said be fab for hol and we can leave it there as it will do someone some gd.

So shopping to be done.... tshirts, vests, strappy tops, shorts, - hit Primark - not being tight but they don't wash out properly in sinks on holiday and we're away April and June so she'll get the growth worth...

2 birthdays next week which are all brought in sales and cards from stock, - got to find then tomorrow and wrap,

Suppose to be table top Sunday, rang to reserve my table and theyve double booked the hall at least get a lie in.....

Still got -
Wardrobe, and bedside cabnet, Miss Hoodies clothes and some bags to go on f/b sellers - worth a try - try that if not ebay the smaller stuff and try free adds in paper for wardrobe... we're get there eventually!!

Seems weird a week ago I was spirit hunting... and what a surprise Nanny hoodie has decided she wants to go now.... xx

rufusdog52

Hi Milly That video for the decoupaged bracelet was good. I have been eyeing up decoupaged shoes. I have ordered some mod podge to try it out, just need to find some shoes. Thinking of doing a pair each for my two daughters. One would like Marvel comics, that kind of thing, and other one not sure but would like something whacky, may be newspapers, or might just look for some pretty tissue paper and use that. Going to see if either of them have any shoes they don't wear anymore that they are going to throw out, need a good excuse to get them to give them to me, at least I know they would fit them then. I would do them for their birthday.

DundeeDoll

oo yes. I too watched the decoupage one. Now I'm thinking Dr Who and Beano would be fun to do. Where's the best place to get wooden bracelets?

rufusdog52

Yes Dundeedoll, they would be fab to use. I am trying to think up ideas. The shoes I saw done were crosswords from one of those mags. Saw another pair done with a lovely flowery tissue paper too.

mrs-moneypenny

welcome milly and any other new people to the thread.

hope all are well sorry i havent been about much recently ive been cross stitching (titanic is finally finished ) also made a couple of cards using a kit from my stash (picked up from a carboot sale. im planning to use one for Dh as his valentines card on friday and ill save the other till our wedding anni in the summer.

mum2one

Mrs MoneyPenny - the cards are beautiful.

I have finally got round to gutting the airing cupboard.... it was a job and a half!!! Al got left if the top shelf to do, but need dad for that as he has to go up on step ladder

We now have
-Pile of towels ready for the local dogs home.

-6 pairs of curtains that wont use - (one 1 pair is 8 years old still packaged from when I did a mystery shop.... and that was my purchase reinburshed.) Others were in with quilt cover sets - too big/long for window.

There ready for ebay sellers if not go Sunday to car boot. (fingers crossed they sell)

-found 3 x 400g balls Aran wool - be cardigan for me

-found 2 x 400g balls Aran wool (different brand) - 2 kids cardigans and a shawl (ready for Xmas)

-Beach towels - from 4 yrs ago (£1 half cost) - left over from Miss Hoodies birthday party gift bags - so method in madness - going to take 2 on holiday - leave them at hotel (saves weight and do someone else some good).

---
We had snow this morning... it hasn't stuck........

Got half term next week, so money saving week (as much as possible, but do need to take Miss Hoodie shopping, at least she hates shopping so be quick trip!! xxx