Christmas 2014...Savings & Handmade gifts

ALou19

The experience idea sounds good, I have been saving my pg tip cuppa club codes and there's some good deals on there from what I've seen so maybe cash in on that.

The scrabble idea, my sister actually did this not long back. I got her a frame from ikea which I'm sure was only £1 and spent a couple of £ on scrabble pieces on eBay however I saw some the other day for £3 on lasercutouts.co.uk under the letters section. You should be able to do a few for under £10 I'd think

I've been addicted to Pinterest for a long while now haha my partner has resorted to grunting now as soon as I say 'I was looking on Pinterest right...' Just because he knows the next thing out of my mouth is gonna be another crazy/genius idea I've seen :rotfl:

Islandmaid

Loving the scrabble print idea... Might have to 'borrow' it


How bout this for Dad,s, Grandpas etc

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/234398355581118723/

BJV

I would love to make some of the presents but the problem is that even though in my own mind I am very arty in reality any time I try anything like this they always end up looking like the blue peter cast offs and never like they do in the pictures.


I love hand made gifts, fund funky and much better quality than the rubbish most shops sell around xmas.


Has anyone got any real idiot proof ideas for complete novices?

VintageBelle

IrishRose12 wrote: »

Thanks Have just signed up for the 2nd two survey sites. Never heard of those before. And what's better they didn't want my address details! I'm very fussy about who I give my address details to.


I'm new to Pintrest and still trying to work it:o But I'm loving some of the ideas on here. Love the jar idea above with money in the middle.

I agree about the address thing. I like to enter comps but I hate adding personal details as you get spammed so much!

I hope they pay out for you

VintageBelle

BJV wrote: »

Has anyone got any real idiot proof ideas for complete novices?

I think hampers are a good idea as you don't have to be artistic just imaginative. Especially now as there are all kinds of hamper and bouquet ideas. I get all my ideas for them off Pinterest. This year I'm going to make a beer and scratchcard bouquet/bucket thing for my boyfriend.

crystal_fire

I'm going to have a go at a couple of candy trees this year! I need to invest in a glue gun.

I also would like to sew but I don't think I could afford a machine!

ALou19

crystal_fire wrote: »

I'm going to have a go at a couple of candy trees this year! I need to invest in a glue gun.

Oh gosh I tried candy tree's last year! :rotfl: If I had a little more patience they may have worked! I decided to try do a ferreo roche (I can never spell it sorry!) and a flump one. In reflection I should have used a glue gun to stick the Roche tree down, but silly me I tried it with cocktail sticks..NIGHTMARE! Thinking on, my local Hobbycraft had their mini glue guns on offer the other day for approx £5 I believe - may be worth checking out!

The flump one however DID work, again I used cocktail sticks. Just make sure you buy enough sweets..or don't eat them as you go along?!

I got some plain terracotta pots for them really cheap in the B&Q clearance then just got a paint sample to paint them and jazzed them up with some ribbon and of course a big christmassy bow

Another idea I saw on Pinterest the other day was a gorgeous DIY Lace necklace. Unfortunately I cant post links as I'm still too new to this, but if you search it there is many examples. Thinking of making one of these dainty things for my mum just got to tackle the charity shops first for some lace & I already have a box full of clasps, chain and other findings

Islandmaid

Crystal - I fussed over a sewing machine for years - this year I decided I WILL buy one - so I saved £10 a month in a buy to save account, I bought a singer machine from L!ld for £89 and have invested in a wine making kit too as we love our wine just hate paying circa £5 per bottle. I will continue with my £10 a month for my hobby fund, with the hope its an investment - I am currently haunting Utube and Pinterest for beginners sewing machine lessons

crystal_fire

Ahhh ALou19 thanks for the heads up I was going to use the cocktail stick method but I'll give it a miss, when you glue them on do you keep the little brown ruffle tray on them!? I can't imagine them sticking well I envision a tree with ruffle trays and the chocolates falling off...gravity!
I'm hoping for a trip to hobby craft soon I'll sign up and get the 5%off voucher. I'll remember it's all for the tree not one for me to scoff, one for the tree :rotfl:

I have a quilling kit I need to carry on with that will keep me busy until a suitable time for candy trees :T

Islandmaid that sounds like a good plan to put money away for hobbies
And I never even thought about Lidl I bet Aldi would do them too now I think about it! :T

Have you started wine making yet? Is it easy enough?

Islandmaid

Havn,t started the wine making yet, getting married next week, so running round like a nutter trying to get that sorted

Have bought 2 'kits' one red, one white £8 ea from Tesco - each makes 30 bottles - that should keep us going through the festive season LOL