Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

springdreams

I've been in touch with LinktoHope about what to do about items that you are including in your shoebox but that are not on the tick list of items on their form, and the lady said:

If you would like to add an extra item that is not included on the list, please just hand write it onto the contents list and that should be fine.

Anglea

Hi all, sorry didn't realise this post was so long.

Mum2one, hope everything works out well for you at home and at your accommodation and thanks for the latest challenge it is always very thorough and interesting. Also thanks to Miss Hoodies input, this £2 contest is a good idea.

Rufus - have you finished your floors yet? I saw an interesting idea using pennies glued together and varnished but I'd imagine giving up after a few feet.

I had telephone appt with the doctor today re my test results, found out why my 6.5 cholesterol wasn't thought a problem - something related to the overall Q risk score for all my tests which meant mine was lower than most people's.

The kidney test which needed doing again in few months wasn't anyhing horrendous (his words) the only alarming thing is that I had the lowest Vit D result he'd ever seen so I need to pick up a prescription for pills. And need a calcium test in a month and another Vit D in 6 months. He said the low levels I have may be the reason for my various strange symptoms.

I told him my eye problems had got worse and none of the over the counter pills helped, so having prescription hay fever pills.

Because of a 'small decluttering job' which turned into a nightmare I ended up not being able to go to the post office to send a beautiful large card to my friend - it was handmade but not by me. I then decided to nip to the co-op which was the nearest to me and buy a few bits plus a nice card and write it in the shop and post it on the way home.

However. 'a few bits' turned into 4 heavy carrier bags so couldn't go out my way to the post box and it was nearly the time of the last post so ended up sending an E card. It was a very nice one, but I'm annoyed I overlooked the birthday was last Saturday, I thought it was this week.

I 'finally' made the art/craft club after months awol and volunteered to do a craft exhibition (sit at a table and do something and be observed) at a nearby village church. As I haven't done anything but those collage gift envelopes for years I'm going to spend the next few days (during DS2's visit) trying to find something I can take as it's 4 hours.

Although dad's not been well recently again (doctor called this am) and was told he needs pacemaker on Monday in hospital, so not sure if I will go to the craft exhibit or not.

The wedding the texter was taking me to, went off really well few weeks ago. I've got myself into yet another complicated romance with someone else in the past month - I never learn lol but at least it makes life interesting.

I've enjoyed the shoe box posts, Long ago I remember doing the Richard and Judy charity appeal for teens via Superdrug and The People's Friend Love Darg.

DundeeDoll - was it you wanting the old money?

I found some - put an old 3p aside (in a jar by the computer) but think you also wanted something else?

I will write another post later as I would like your input on my home business ideas.

lulu_92

I am planning on being very thrifty this year as I am saving for a house.

Two years ago I tried my hand at making a Christmas cake and it worked very well. Last year I made two and a customer at work found out I could make them so paid me £15 to make him one (not bad considering he bought ALL my dried fruit and the Martell brandy he wanted to go in it)

So this year I am going to make:
- one for OHs Dad (he loved his last two)
- one for my step-dad
- one for my dad
- as many as needed for people wanting to buy them.

I had many requests last year for mince pies and cakes but they asked me on the 18th December when I made everything at the end of October!


Speaking of which, when is the best time to start soaking fruit or making mincemeat?

Katiehound

springdreams wrote: »

Katiehound, when you click in the box under "or pick a name" the system will allow you to register or you can tick the box to post as a guest.

I can't see lip salve on any of the lists. However, I will also put some in my boxes too.

If an item that you want to include in your box, such as the lip salve, is not on the list, how do you mark it on the list to include it??

Thanks for that- will try to organise myself on that website tomorrow!
I do remember reading lip salve at some point in time, but you are right! not on the list now (maybe they have edited the lists- I looked before you were able to sign up) Anyway @ 3 for £1 they will slip in easily (only one in a box I mean)

rufusdog52

Angela, glad the drs went ok and hope your dads procedure goes well. Good luck with the romance lol xx We (more like "I" lol) have finished as much of the flooring as we can. Done all the downstairs rooms except for the dining room. Sounds horrible but we dont want to do that room while we have our old dog as he keeps using it as a toilet where he cant get outside quickly enough. We have the stuff to do it when the time is right. My eldest grandson is now an expert at helping me put it down so I will grab him and let him earn some pocket money at the time.

I now want to change my kitchen around. It is so dated and boring out there, we have mainly white tiles but there are a few green ones dotted about so makes it hard to change the colours of the room. I found a video on youtube showing how to paint over tiles, it was done buy a builder and the reviews for the paints used were good so I found them on Amazon and put them in my wish list. Managed to earn a couple of vouchers this week so I have ordered them ( one is an undercoat and the next is a plain white to paint over the top). I talked OH into buying me a tin of black japlac paint last night from Ebay, I am going to use that for the edges of the worktops. The worktops are already silver coloured tiling. I want to do the cupboard doors bright red and give the whole room a more modern look with the white/red/silver/black theme. All our accessories are black or silver anyway.

Still need to get
2 rolls wallpaper
red gloss paint for cupboard doors
black gloss paint for skirting
white gloss paint for door frames

I am hoping to make a bit more money online to cover the rest.

Still not really doing much for presents, I have been helping YD get some baby bits together, and made a cushion for someone (selling it) but nothing else exciting, just decorating.

Katiehound

Wilkinson's alert! Some of these may be suitable as stocking fillers, party bag items or charity box appeal. 8 wooden mounted rubber stamps +4 small ink pads with space theme (there are stickers to match) Called "Galaxy Gang stamps"- were £2 now 50 pence a set. Lots of pencil cases @ 50 pence, small notebooks, coloured pencils etc reduced .
Also Hello Kitty items reduced (but still fairly expensive IMO)
These have all been reduced since Monday.

Gettingtherequickly

Don't usually post here, but discovered the shoebox appeal here, so this may be of use. Picked up 125ml tube of toothpaste in Lidl last night for it for 46p. Know you can get cheaper, but not often I see 125ml tube.

For those of you taking part, any suggestions on how I get shoe box that size, live alone and am only a 4

springdreams

Gettingtherequickly wrote: »

Don't usually post here, but discovered the shoebox appeal here, so this may be of use. Picked up 125ml tube of toothpaste in Lidl last night for it for 46p. Know you can get cheaper, but not often I see 125ml tube.

For those of you taking part, any suggestions on how I get shoe box that size, live alone and am only a 4

Ask any retailer that sells shoes for one (or two)

Katiehound

I have found Clarks to be really helpful. Many shoe shops flatten their boxes and then pay commercial waste rate for them to be taken away! so I don't think you should have a problem. Don't wait until the autumn when everyone will be wanting boxes!!
I have cheated and got size 9 boxes... the 9s are only a teeny bit bigger but I have tried out some of the things inside today and it will be a fine art to squash things in! I can see woolly scarves and hats will be tightly wrapped with a selotaped paper band to make them as small as possible.

Gettingtherequickly

Must admit, I assumed that they are flattened & recycled, so didn't think about going in to ask. Think I have sorted it now anyway, my boss is moving house and has so much to give to charity shop, that he needs to take the shoes out of the boxes, so they will now have a new home!

Agree that it will be difficult to pack, but then that makes us think about what to put in. Need someone I know to pack, she is a genius, but lives in Egypt:o