Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

Happy_Kitties

Anglea I feel for u with the builders and not being able to get out of ur house, I hate it when they are having to do work with the phone lines, which just blocks the end of my drive and reversing out the last thing I want to do is knock a workman down a sewer. 

I’m sure ur DS will come to understand when you are not very well that springing things on u last minute was not the best idea but it sounds like u have lovely things planned with other DS and fingers crossed it doesn’t rain for u.

Although I wasn’t in the mood, esp after the news of the queen and I hate wrapping I got all the birthday presents wrapped (bar the hot choc bombes as I didn’t have a £5 note handy to wrap around them) ready to drop off to Duncles which I managed to do on Friday while the car was in for a service. None are in gift bags this time so I know I will have to prompt Duncle as the birthdays arrive.
I’m late sending out some birthday cards so went to buy some yesterday and wrote them ready to send out tomorrow. I’m not sure whether these Christmas gift bags are bigger, if not they have gone from 4 for a £1 to 2 for £1.50 so gift bags will be limited this year. Fortunately I had picked up some gift boxes in the sale in Jan and have some spare that I will be using up. I haven’t really been out shopping much, was surprised at the increase in cost of things.

another box of charity items sent out to the organiser. These were pre packed and sealed early in the year, best thing I’ve done, so much easier.
I will complete my second shoebox tonight!

chanie

@Angela sorry to see your son was being difficult, I hope things are okay now.

@Happy_Kitties your comment about knocking workmen down the sewers made me laugh, as I’ve had a few recently who deserve a trip to the sewers.

DDs birthday is out of the way, so plans are now focussed on my birthday 😉, OHs birthday and Christmas.  OH has a big birthday coming up, so I’m planning on putting up lots of decorations.  He wants clothes for his birthday, so that will mean a shopping trip for him (which he hates).  I’ve bought him a few bits to open already and I’m going to make him a chocolate hamper, so I’m starting to hoard chocolate!

I went to home bargains last week, but they hadn’t put out their Christmas stock, so it was a bit of a wasted trip, as it took 2 hours to get there with the traffic.  

Happy_Kitties

Chanie when I re read my sewer/workman comment back I thought oh crumbs it does have a comical image about it which I found funny!!

I’m the same as ur husband, I hate shopping  but  putting up of decorations, other presents and the best bit a chocolate hamper will make up for it I’m sure.

Do you have any plans for ur birthday? 

Funny enough chasing dishwasher tablets which were out of stock in Asd@ this morning, next door is a H. Barg which I noticed two women coming out from with bags of Christmas wrapping paper so I went for a nosy and the dishwasher tablets.
Mine did have Halloween and Christmas items out, not the full whack of Christmas but if u wanted to go in now and do most of ur Christmas shopping u would be able to. It’s such a shame u haven’t got a branch closer. Before my local one opened, my closest one was 30 minutes away and with limited routes into the next town, it was impossible to get to at Christmas.

Im wondering if Katiehound has finished her latest mass production of doggie quilts

chanie

@Happy_Kitties im going for a wander around the shops and have a nice lunch for my birthday.  It’s just nice to have a few hours to myself. I always get money for my birthday, so that I can spend it when I go shopping.  I’ve got my eye on a few things anyway.  I’m also going to see if I can buy Xmas presents or just get some inspiration.

The HB store I went to is a big one,  I do have a couple of stores a little bit closer, but the stock isn’t as good, so I try to visit the big store.  I still managed to spend £90 though (although don’t ask me what I got, as I couldn’t tell you).

I need to plan a trip to B&M, as I really like their Xmas gifts.   Again, my nearest store is a bit out of the way, so I have to plan a special trip.  

Katiehound

The Duvet Diva reporting in!

Actually I have ended up making 21 duvets in less than 3 weeks! 14 went off a week ago & then a friend saw a posting on FB on Friday re- the village PO closure and saying that they had  bought duvets there. So I have made another 4 urgently over the w/e due to be collected in a hour or so.
Another contact who wants a duvet or two but may also be able to get duvets, bedding etc from a static caravan site at the end of the season. seems they throw much of it away. Not much to put in the loft now!! Oh, and a dog groomer in town wants to sell some. 
Good thing I am going away for a 'break.' Could be taking fluffy stuff for dog coats. The last ones went to Serbia and? Romania? forgotten......

I have also managed all 8 shoeboxes- packed, wrapped & ready to be delivered tomorrow in Lincoln.

I looked at the extras- managed to get some items for free- cute handbag mirrors (swapped my winning points on cruise for x 6) Notelets & cards- recycled handmade cards.
Also bought lip-salve (3 for £1) nailbrushes (also 3 for £1) hand creams (Aldi 70 pence) , tissues (in the cupboard,) bags ( home made from remnants) sewing kits-( half free)
Tesco was good for toothbrushes (25 pence for 2) toothpaste (2 4 £1) cards 2 4 £1.

I also have 2 knee blankets crocheted. A 3rd only half made but as I am using up 'inherited' yarn   which I want gone i may well finish this & another and then post. they don't weigh too much.


Yesterday I had quite a find. Dumped by the bottle bank- a large slow cooker (6.5 l) Struggled up the hill with the weight and towing 2 hounds behind who were non too happy that their walkies were curtailed!! Anyhow it works. Just seen you can make bread & fancy rolls in it!

remember a friend & I have a £5 present challenge?
If you want a snigger last w/e she told me she had seen the perfect gift for Christmas 23.
the audacity!!! Just a pair of socks... not quite..... Prada.

Ah ---the details!

Prada logo. Crafted from a soft blend of cashmere and virgin wool, these black Prada socks assure a signature look with the embroidered logo to the side. 

Sorry- teeny details- more than the price:
a mere £557 for ONE pair!!!
As one of my friends pointed out - anyone who buys them won't be needing help with their heating bill!!!!!!
sadly I had declined to buy them......

Still slightly bemused by the news.
It was so sudden: one minute The Queen is greeting the new prime minister, next she has died.
sad.

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound aka Duvet Diva!!

How have u managed to complete everything? Is there a secret u are not telling us about, like u have 36 hours in a day compared to 24? I cannot believe how much u have done with the doggie duvets and the shoeboxes. I still haven’t finished box number two yet.
Amazing find with the slow cooker, I love mine, it gets used all the time.

I am proud to say that i am posting out birthday presents from March, May and a birthday just gone. All the same household, so not bad for the postage and I’m posting a gift out to a friend. I finally catching up……it’s only taken me until September!!! 

I love September and October, my favourite months, I love the autumn colours, and I’ve just ordered some Halloween bedding for DDs bed. It’s not too Halloween so can be used all year round, but suitably apt for her. 

I def need to get box number 2 done now as it seems to be my sticking point…..I will get it done!!

Katiehound

Happy_Kitties said:

 

How have u managed to complete everything? Is there a secret u are not telling us about, like u have 36 hours in a day compared to 24? 

I have forgotten how to do housework! My house looks worse than Steptoe's Yard.....can't find anything in the kitchen.....

never mind

Shoeboxes delivered today together with a v. small bag of extra items for the area collector to use in her boxes- I mean how many erasers does anyone need???? I had a quick sort thro' this morning, looks less than 2 L shopping bagfuls going back into the wardrobe and they are mainly stuffed with hot water bottles & wind up torches. I still have enough cutlery for countless boxes and a load of china mugs which are not packed away. I worry that I will break them.
I still need to sew up 3 mittens- for the stash!! Just one black one to do- end of the black yarn Hurrah!

feeling shattered today so some down time needed. But first I need to plant out a load of pansies- £1.25 for 20 plugs in Mr T. They will brighten up gaps where things shrivelled away.

Will get stuff up into loft- especially the wrapping paper.

Christmas gifts: last week bought my runner's daughter a cute llama soap pump. It needs to be refilled. She loves llamas & we have some out of town, I have a cute photo of 'my boy' kissing a llama recently! Plus a snowflake mug - total £1
Please note: no Prada socks will darken my door!

Katiehound

Forgot to say that last week I also had the speed awareness course- by the time I got home via a walk in vaccination clinic I had been out almost 6 hours!

To remember:

'Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule' which pretty much equates  with 2 chevrons painted on the road. If you want to know how to work it- I can tell you! keeps you in the 'safety bubble.'

chanie

I did have a nice wander around the shops (plus a nice lunch).  I managed to buy an Xmas present for DN, plus a couple of books for DS. I probably could have sorted out a few more presents, but I had to get back home to pick DD up from School.

Happy_Kitties

I actually completed shoebox 2, not the actual box I had been working on but suddenly decided to put together a family box and had all of the bits that I needed. Have been working on the original shoebox 2 but I need a trip into the next town to get a B&M visit in if I can. Want to go anyway as I saw an autumn decoration that I want to get my hands on in TKmas. Sometimes when I just need a break away from the paperwork I will take the afternoon off. Did plan something yesterday but all that went wrong with an emergency GP appt and a trip to the hospital. Everything good but I need to go back just to be monitored next week. So myself and a friend took ourselves off for some food later on at a favourite place where some items Christmas items were being put out. We had a nosy in some boxes and I bought two Christmas items, one for a birthday present next week. 

When I went to pick up the Halloween bedding for DDs bed Asd@ had some school pen, pencil, marker,eraser sets reduced to £1, picked up a couple of them. They also had the Oxford metal tin sets reduced to 80p, also picked up two of them and a skipping rope reduced to 50p. I think the skipping rope was the item that inspired me to suddenly put the family box together. Also found online, wind up torches reduced to 85p in the R@nge. U have to pay postage but with that included I picked up 5 torches for £8 so once they arrive aswell box number 3 will be completed. My disorganisation this year is at a new high!! Even though I have been wrapping Christmas presents, I’ve still many gaps for people missing.

Any ideas for a 14 year old boy please? Budget under £5, only send a token present for him along with his siblings so really try to stick to a budget.