Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

mrs-moneypenny

welcome luckofthe_irish, glad youve joined us.


feels like christmas is almost upon us now, i started with good intentions and sort of petered out mid year due to mils health probs and other stuff, glad id got the earlier planning and prepping done as its really helping now.

next year ill try not to take my eye off the ball and keep up with you all

hugs where needed

Katiehound

luckofthe_irish wrote: »

Hello there everyone!

One of the things I would like to make involves large freestanding wooden letters which I will paint and stick photos on for different people spelling out their initials. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on where I might find some plain freestanding wooden letters for a good price? I can only find small ones at the moment which don't have enough room to stick photos on.

!

I'm thinking ...do the letters have to be wooden?
For straight sided letters you would be able to cut thick card (think strong free cardboard boxes) and then cover the cut edges with pasted paper- like layered papier mache. Wallpaper paste and paper on cardboard makes it pretty strong. I'm not so sure how easy it would be to cut the curved letters with a stanley knife. It might be worth a bit of experimentation... and there is still time...just!!
Emulsion paint works well on wood or card with an acrylic varnish and Wilco have reasonably priced tester pots in bright colours

mum2one

Stockings
Dk wool, 4mm (no 8 needles)
Cast on 24 sts
Purl 1 row
K1, inc next stitch - repeat to end (36 stitches)
Starting with a purl row st st 7 rows
Shape top of foot
1st row - k14 (k2 tog x 4), k14 (32 sts)
2nd and alt rows purl
3rd -k12, (k2tog x 4) k12 (28 sts)
5th - k10, (k2tog x 4) k10 (24sts)
6th row - Purl
12 rows of st st
5 rows garter stitch
Cast off.

xx

mum2one

luckofthe_irish wrote: »

Hello there everyone!

I am an avid reader of this thread and I hope no-one minds if I join in. I am currently experiencing some financial difficulties and with Christmas around the corner and lots of Christmas birthdays, things are just getting tighter. I have a tendency to spend an absolute fortune on the people I love, especially my OH who earns a lot more money than I do. However, this year I have realised for my own sake that this has to change so I have decided to be as thrifty as I can and make some gifts.

One of the things I would like to make involves large freestanding wooden letters which I will paint and stick photos on for different people spelling out their initials. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on where I might find some plain freestanding wooden letters for a good price? I can only find small ones at the moment which don't have enough room to stick photos on.

Thank you in advance and hope you don't mind me stopping by!

a big welcome hug, pull up a seat, have a coffee and a biscuit....

Sounds like you have a busy Dec, with bdays and Xmas, always seem never ending....

The idea sounds great with the letters and photos, - cant help with sourcing (sorry...),

Agree re gifts if you can make - I knit, so if there is a toddler or younger they get something knitted.

Another home made gift we do is - brandy marmalade, (or whisky) cheat and use the prepared tin, just add sugar and water (for me alcohol), do a breakfast hamper, - grab some small cereal and a mug in some coffee sachets. xx

vulpix

:rudolf::rudolf:Luck of the Irish,I have seen large free standing capital letters in hobby craft.They were a reasonable price but can't remember exactly how much.They were cardboard though.As katiehound has said it might be not to hard to make some.I have seen tutorials on pinterest with cereal boxes and plastic cups.

mum2one

Hope everyone ok, slowly getting there with Xmas plans,

started 2015 diary with dates in
Started wrapping - done about half hope to finish tomorrow then leaves mine, mum, dads, Miss Hoodie, (still need to get stuff)
Food shopping started - added bits in with the shopping
got cards ready to write

Still got mince pies to make - but touch wood its all going in the right direction xx

luckofthe_irish

Thank you for your welcome and all your great suggestions Katiehound, mum2one and vulpix - I appreciate them!

I do feel slightly like I am running out of time but am hopefully beginning my making on Sunday when I can get rid of my OH ! I think I have found some cardboard-ish letters for £1.50 on a crafting website online so I might go for those. Then I just need to paint (I am thinking spraypaint might be the easiest) and print the black and white photos to go on the front... it sounds easy but as this is my first go and I am not very creative, I am guessing it wont be quite so simple

I am thinking of doing a candy cane scrub for some of my Christmas birthday girls - does anyone have any tips/tricks/experience of making homemade body scrub?

Thanks again.

mrs-moneypenny

luckofthe_irish, think ive seen those cardboard letters in the works craft dept (its downstairs in our shop)

re scrub theres a face scrub recipe in todays mail

mix brown sugar (i assume they mean demerara) with water and olive oil and watch your skin glow.
not the most helpful recipe as there are no measurements.

hope all are well and in control of their festive plans

im currently trying to knit enough christmas stocking for all the kiddies in 'my' class

Katiehound

All kinds of face and body scrub recipes here:
http://tipnut.com/sitesearch/?cx=002771070471843161515%3A49gejiygqt0&cof=FORID%3A11%3BNB%3A1&ie=UTF-8&q=body+scrubs&sa=Search

haven't tried any so cannot comment!

DundeeDoll

Thabks for stocking pattern mum2one. Shall be clickety clicking tonight :-)