Titus 2 Homemakers
The Craft Room => Christmas Club => : Cathie January 04, 2014, 06:51:16 AM
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the kids will go back to school next week and I am going to buy an amazon gift card to start my Christmas envelope - I have decided this is the best way for me to start saving Christmas - this way the money "can't" be used for other things so it will be Christmas money and it will stay that way ;)
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Good idea. :)
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Christmas 2014! :o
You hate me, don't you ;)
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Christmas 2014! :o
You hate me, don't you ;)
I know! :D I am hoping to finally get the tree down today from Christmas 2013. ;0
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Christmas 2014! :o
You hate me, don't you ;)
;D ;D ;D ;D
not at all :-* :-* :-*
and FYI my tree is still up too ;)
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I bought $30 in amazon gift cards ~ I will stock pile those for Christmas - I would like to buy another one this month but we will see - might not be possible
I also have Christmas Cards for this year - I will print out a picture of the kids and put it in a card instead of paying more for the "photo" cards
I bought my white lights (mine broke 3 years ago) 4 boxes 80 cents a box ;D ~ this was done at the beginning of the month
I might need tissue paper but I won't need bags, boxes or tags
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I have sewn up 2 of these table runners for my ddMegan, for a gift for this coming Christmas! I was tickled to find Christmas fabric on sale that has gray in it, their new home the woodwork and doors are gray. I think she will love them! I'm still taking one day a week and working on projects for gifts for 2014!
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Pixie I love so sweet ❤
I am sure she will love it!
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Just Beautiful Pixie!!
Way to go keeping one day a week set aside for Christmas crafting!
You will be so prepared this year!!
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So beautiful, Pixie!
I am starting to collect patterns, instructions, etc. for making gifts throughout the year.
Jennie
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Beautiful, Pixie!!
I've been watching local online yard sales and I picked up a Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer plus 6 games for the kids for $30.
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bought 2 Christmas presents
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bought 2 Christmas presents
Cathie, you gotta stop! :D My tree is STILL up! :D
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I always leave my in-laws till the last minute. I'm hoping to find some things for them early this year. What do you get for people who can afford anything they want? I'm kind of thinking of gift cards for a night out (they are newly empty nesters) but it feels...I dunno... impersonal?
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bought 2 Christmas presents
Cathie, you gotta stop! :D My tree is STILL up! :D
hahahahahahahaha
I was away with my daughter in Canada for the weekend and we are in the most quaint little Victorian town and a found gifts 90% off --- couldn't resist ;D so mother in law and sister in law - done! Yay! - paid cash!
My plan if possible to have everyone done but the people who live in this house before November 1 --- November is filled with my younger kids birthday then Christmas - so if I only have the people in this house left to buy for my holiday should be pretty stress free and relative nicer on my bank account ;)
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I always leave my in-laws till the last minute. I'm hoping to find some things for them early this year. What do you get for people who can afford anything they want? I'm kind of thinking of gift cards for a night out (they are newly empty nesters) but it feels...I dunno... impersonal?
perhaps take pictures - one or two per month of your kids and make a nice album for them, my inlaws have everything they need and my father in law loves this!
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Shelly I give gift certificates to people who have everything. Like getting oil changed on my dads vehicle, massages with local people, a place they like to eat, movie tickets or tickets to an event like a hockey game tey might never go to alone. I try to keep money as local as possible and not give one more thing to clutter a house. A new place they might want to try and havent .
Janice
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I always leave my in-laws till the last minute. I'm hoping to find some things for them early this year. What do you get for people who can afford anything they want? I'm kind of thinking of gift cards for a night out (they are newly empty nesters) but it feels...I dunno... impersonal?
perhaps take pictures - one or two per month of your kids and make a nice album for them, my inlaws have everything they need and my father in law loves this!
That's a great idea! Thanks
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Shelly I give gift certificates to people who have everything. Like getting oil changed on my dads vehicle, massages with local people, a place they like to eat, movie tickets or tickets to an event like a hockey game tey might never go to alone. I try to keep money as local as possible and not give one more thing to clutter a house. A new place they might want to try and havent .
Janice
hmmm That's a really good idea too. Ideas...ideas...
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So, I don't have an attic, no garage, no basement, and 1 closet in the entire house (in the dining room of all places) If you were me, where would you hide gifts for the coming year? i want to be frugal and buy things as I come across deals, but I am at a loss as to where to put them. :(
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Do you have any in-laws near you, like maybe his parents? Can't remember if you said they lived close or not. I used to keep mine at my parents but they just live right up the road. This is becoming an issue for us too again, but this time not because of space, but nosy little snoopers looking for clues as to what they may be getting. ;)
You are so far ahead of me. I did finally get the tree down Sunday. We always take it down the day after, but other things seemed to get in the way. Now for it to make it to the box and the storage area.........sometime soon I hope. :)
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I am so behind with Christmas this year. I have 2 gifts each for the kids so far. I will get them 1 more each tomorrow ( pay day). I think I have enough tissue paper, boxes and bags still from last year. I use them over and over until I can't use them anymore :) . I put the gifts since there mostly small ( games, shavers, watches, wallets or those type of things) in a plastic bag and hang them between my clothing in the closet. I find it easier to find them at Christmas time. And the kids don't go through mom's clothings since there boys ;D.
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Sneaky idea of hiding the items between your hanging clothes. Love it! Might have to steal it. Watch me forget though!!
Janice
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I started my christmas shopping this week, actually. I've got two of my nieces done (only 9 more to go :( ) and I've got Chad a few gifts. I buy one of those large tubs with the lid and I store the gifts in there. All of my nieces love lip gloss. And all but one of them are under the age of ten. Walmart had these lip gloss sets that come with a little mirror and a little cosmetic bag for 2.50! They were on clearance and were 9.88. I bought the last two my walmart had. I'm going to get on line and see if they have any more to send to me. They are cute little gift ideas for the girls. I got Chad a Cincinnati Bengals shirt that was brand new with the tags on ebay for 10 dollars. Its a more expensive brand and would have cost a little over 40 new. So I think I got a good deal on that! I buy pickles by the gallon jar at sams club. And I save them. I turned 3 of them into a canister set for my mom for christmas. I painted the lid black, put homespun around the middle of the jar, tied it and added a prim hang tag on each canister that has a rooster on it. Her kitchen is decorated with roosters. I think they look really nice. I made myself a set. But my hang tags have gingerbread men on them. I store popcorn, rice and nesquik in my 3. I am going to buy a cheap set of scoops to add to each canister for her. Yankee candle has been having online sales of 50 % off of their jar candles, tarts,etc. I bought tarts for .50 each! (but those were for myself ;) I plan to grab a few jar candles for my mother in law and another for my mom and sister before the deal expires.
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Sneaky idea of hiding the items between your hanging clothes. Love it! Might have to steal it. Watch me forget though!!
Janice
No at Christmas you will be going between clothing going this is a pain in the butt. But hid good LOL.
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So, I don't have an attic, no garage, no basement, and 1 closet in the entire house (in the dining room of all places) If you were me, where would you hide gifts for the coming year? i want to be frugal and buy things as I come across deals, but I am at a loss as to where to put them. :(
I know how you feel, Shelly. In this old house, we have zero storage! Our attic is inaccessible, we don't have a garage or basement, and we have 2 closets. One (in the room we use for homeschooling) is stuffed full to the point you have to be careful opening the door :o and the other is shared by the 3 of us and is in Emily's bedroom, so that would never work for hiding anything! I have hidden things short-term in my clothes dryer. I never use it and I don't think my family would have any reason to look inside. ;D
I have not bought one thing for Christmas. I don't know what to get anyone this year. Emily is 10 and the gifts she's mentioned are the more expensive types. I'll keep my eyes open for ideas. Last year I thought for sure I was going to be more prepared but that didn't happen. :)
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We have a sideboard/buffet in our office that holds all of my scrapbooks and scrapbooking supplies, and that's typically where I hide gifts. Anything bigger goes in my closet (also in the office).
I bought my first gifts yesterday! Four pairs of socks for Jean (he's into quirky/fun socks lately), and a bag of treats for Grimm ;D.
Mandy
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Mandy, I love socks as gifts! And you can't go wrong buying gifts for pets. Mine never complain about anything! ;D
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We have a sideboard/buffet in our office that holds all of my scrapbooks and scrapbooking supplies, and that's typically where I hide gifts. Anything bigger goes in my closet (also in the office).
I bought my first gifts yesterday! Four pairs of socks for Jean (he's into quirky/fun socks lately), and a bag of treats for Grimm ;D.
Mandy
Mandy, I thought of you the other day when I was online shopping at Kohls. They had "Big Bang Theory" socks. Wasn't it you that liked that show so much? (maybe not, just going by memory) They were in the women's section though, but maybe an early gift for you? ;) Can't buy too many of those. :)
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I checked my my homemade vanilla today. Its almost ready! I ordered the amber bottles and droppers from Azure Standard to bottle it up for Christmas gifts.
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Where did you buy the vanilla beans?
I love the idea of homemade vanilla as a gift! :)
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Mandy, I thought of you the other day when I was online shopping at Kohls. They had "Big Bang Theory" socks. Wasn't it you that liked that show so much? (maybe not, just going by memory) They were in the women's section though, but maybe an early gift for you? ;) Can't buy too many of those. :)
Ah! Yes, Jean and I both love that show. I might have to check them out. Thank you!
I'm actually in pretty decent shape with Christmas planning/buying, considering that it's August! I have ideas for almost all 12 days of Jean's '12 Days of Christmas' and his regular Christmas morning gifts, and I even have some of the items already bought. I have several ideas for my nieces this year as well. I've also been collecting/saving gift cards and credit card rewards, and we cashed in all of our change for an Amazon gift card, so buying the rest shouldn't be too much out of pocket. Woohoo!
M
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Where did you buy the vanilla beans?
I love the idea of homemade vanilla as a gift! :)
I got them from Olive Nation... http://www.olivenation.com/Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-P84C54.aspx (http://www.olivenation.com/Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-P84C54.aspx)
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Where did you buy the vanilla beans?
I love the idea of homemade vanilla as a gift! :)
I got them from Olive Nation... http://www.olivenation.com/Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-P84C54.aspx (http://www.olivenation.com/Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-P84C54.aspx)
Thank you!
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You guys are moving right along!
This week I bought 3 frames at the university where Sydney will be attending - 2 will be given to the Grandparents as Christmas presents and we will print a photo of her and put it in there. The other will be saved to hold her diploma from there I think ;) --- 90% off the frames
Bought my niece a very nice sweater from Banana Republic --- 90% off
I need to sit down and see what I have - what I need and who I am buying for --- I have not gotten that far in my brain yet ;D
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Very proud of all of you for getting the head start on Christmas shopping. I have nothing done and probably won't this year. I think this will be the year of gift cards or cash. Just don't have the time nor energy to work on stuff. You all are a great encouragement to each other. ;D
Blessings,
Winona
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I ordered two gifts the other day - one for Doug's aunt and one for Ed. I plan on trying to get something every payday plus then I will also have the money Doug's work gives us if we have our annual physicals. I think we should be in pretty good shape if I follow my plan.
Denise
Mandy - Doug and I LOVE the Big Bang Theory, too!
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Add Jon and I to the list that LOVES Big Bang Theory!!! We watch an episode almost each night on tbs. Just love it!!
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We watch an episode almost each night on tbs. Just love it!!
Me too :) I just take the iPad into bed with me and watch while Jean catches up on his DVR'ed shows out in the living room ;D
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I love it, too! Love Sheldon!
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Erica how do you know when your vanilla is ready? I have some made just not sure how to tell when it's done ::)
Laurie
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I have gotten two things for Doug and one for Molly. I might as well Christmas shop if I am stuck in bed! 😊
Denise
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I buy my vanilla beans from the same site Erica linked to.
Laurie, I leave my beans in the vodka for 6 months before I use it. It gets darker over time and I shake and swirl it a couple times a week. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong time to start using it but the longer you leave the beans steeping in the vodka, the stronger vanilla flavor you will have.
Beth
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Erica how do you know when your vanilla is ready? I have some made just not sure how to tell when it's done ::)
Laurie
I missed this, Laurie.. Like Beth said below.. about 6 months seems standard "steeping" time ;)
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Thank you Beth and Erica :) I be thinking mine is done now then since it's been sitting there for a year :o :o :o lol Mine should be good and strong then ;)