Anitcipating

Christmas morning 2011

First things first, I cannot believe it’s been over two months since my last post. Life just took over recently and I’ve been too busy to really think about blogging and struggled to summon up any motivation. The main reason is that we’re in the middle of selling our house and buying another and if you’ve ever done either, you’ll know how energy sapping and soul destroying the process can be. Anyway, enough already, I’m back and what better time to re-enter the blogosphere than the lovely month of December?

I used to be a bit sneery about folk who put their trees up on the first of December, thinking it a bit vulgar almost, but I have to say that I’ve recently come to the conclusion that you might as well enjoy this time while it lasts. Let’s face it, it’s all about the build up isn’t it? Once the big day’s been and gone, then that’s it for another year, so why not start enjoying it early and make the most of it?

With this new found enthusiasm, we’re heading out to buy our tree later, directly after we’ve dropped in at our first Christmas fair of the season. M is helping to staff her Brownie stall (Brownie’s as in guides, not chocolate cakes) so we’ve promised to go and buy some of the mini Christmas cakes they’ve made. Bless them.

Everything seems to kick off in earnest this weekend and it’s all to look forward to. The work night out, the school nativity, the last minute shopping trips and the amazing panto at York Theatre Royal which is now a firm favourite with us – just some of the highlights of the next few weeks.

When does Christmas begin in your home?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We decked the halls yesterday (well, the living room anyway). We normally hold off for another week or so, but this year we’ve embraced Christmas early. M’s performing in her Year One nativity thing tomorrow which will no doubt leave us with a lump in our throats and a tear in our eyes. What is it about little ‘uns singing Christmas songs? I’m welling up just thinking about it…

Thrifty Thursday: Homemade Apple & Pear Chutney

I set about making this last weekend with the aim of allowing it to mature for the next few weeks and be ready in time for Christmas. It’s pretty straightforward, here’s the recipe:

500g apples

500g pears

4cm piece root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped

100g dried apricots, quartered

150g sultanas

400g demerera sugar

500ml cider vinegar

1tbsp wholegrain mustard

1tsp ground cinnamon

Peel and core the apples and pears, then chop into bite-size chunks. Place in a large pan along with the ginger, apricots, sultanas, sugar, vinegar and cinnamon. Add the mustard and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook on a gentle simmer for around 2 hours, until you have a thick syrupy texture. A good test is to drag the back of a wooden spoon across the top of the mixture. If it leaves a line which doesn’t instantly fill with vinegar, then it’s ready. You can then spoon into warm, sterilised jars (wash in hot soapy water and then place in a low oven for about half an hour to sterilise), right to the top. I found this quantity is enough to fill about three medium sized jars. Finally, seal, label and add a pretty top if you like!

Support Shelter this Christmas

Are you feeling festive yet? Maybe just a little? I went into town this morning. The shops were in full seasonal flow with sumptuous displays and christmas music, the council workmen were out hanging lights and putting up trees and there was a general bustle in the air.  In amongst this bustle, I saw several homeless people and I wondered, as I often do, how those people must feel, living on the streets, watching the craziness that is the run up to Christmas.

I can’t imagine not having a home. The concept of homelessness is almost too big for me to contemplate. The idea of not having somewhere safe and warm to go to when you’ve had enough of the outside world is just wrong. But, of course, it’s a reality for some. Did you know that every two minutes someone in Britain faces losing their home. That means 630 people will be threatened with homelessness every day between now and Christmas.

Homeless charity Shelter is a place where people can turn if they find themselves in such a situation. They offer advice on a range of matters, including homelessness, repossession and eviction. They also campaign for better housing and against homelessness (visit their website and sign one of their petitions) and, of course, they raise money.

This year, there are lots of ways you can support Shelter. Buying your cards and gift wrap from their online shop is a great way to give money and raise awareness or how about visiting www.housebling.org.uk and using Google street view to ‘bling’ up your house with Christmas lights and sparkle? Alternatively, you can use Santacam to create a personalised message from Santa for your children.

These are all great ways to support a fantastic charity at a needy time of year.

Stocking filler ideas

Have you started Christmas shopping yet? How many people do you buy for? My answers to those questions are ‘yes’ and ‘around ten’. To be fair, I haven’t got very far with the shopping. I’ve only bought a couple of things that were on offer recently, but it’s spurred me on to think about getting on with the rest of it. So, today’s post is a sort of brainstorming of stocking filler ideas straight off the top of my head. Here goes:

… bubble bath, shower gel, hand cream, lip balm, moisturiser, make up, hair brush, novelty nail files, make up brushes, nail varnish, tights, earrings, necklace, bangles, cufflinks, tie, gift card, lottery ticket, socks, gloves, earmuffs, mobile phone/MP3 case, headphones, magazine, notepad, pen, diary, fold away shopping bag, novelty tissues, novelty plasters, play dough, colouring book, felt tips, sweets/chocolates, homemade biscuits, hair bobbles, hair clips, woolly hat, scented candle, lavender bag, novel, pencil case, stickers, book mark, pack of seeds, gardening gloves, sewing kit, reel of ribbon, novelty stamper and ink pad, purse, wallet, key ring, small umbrella, compact mirror, USB stick, memory card, rag doll, soft toy, Matchbox car, bubbles, yo-yo, crayons, paintbrushes, puzzle book, mini photo album, £5 note, batteries, mobile top up voucher, homemade chutney or jam, scented room spray, small bottle of perfume/eau de toilette, nice packet of ground coffee, mug, and of course a satsuma…

I had to stop there but I could have gone on and on. Please add to the list  – any ideas gratefully received!

Thrifty Thursday: Purse-friendly presents

It’s that time of year when I begin to feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gifts that I need to buy. We have three family birthdays this month including M’s which is obviously a big deal. On top of that M has four party invitations on the pinboard and then there’s a friend’s daughter to buy for early next month. And that’s just birthdays. Let’s not forget that the C-word is very much on the horizon and getting nearer. So, to launch Thrifty Thursdays, today’s post is all about how to give gifts without bankrupting yourself.

Tip One

The present cupboard. This works particularly well when buying for kids. Basically, this is a stock pile of pressies which can be plundered as and when. The key is to build it up as you go and keep it fairly well stocked. In other words, if you’re shopping in the sales and you see a toy or whatever marked down in price, buy two or three of them for the present cupboard. The real bargains are to be had when buying out of season, so you have to plan in advance and it might seem like ages before you actually give some of the gifts, but the beauty of the present cupboard is that it spreads the cost and means that you don’t wind up in a last minute panic buying something over-priced and unsuitable.

Tip Two

Make it.  If you’re a crafter then you’re probably already doing this, if not then now might be the time to hone a few basic skills and start making some stocking fillers. These could be anything from home-made jams and chutneys (there are loads of recipes online) to a hand knitted scarf (again, check online for beginners knitting tutorials). You can be as creative as you like and it’s always so lovely to receive something that someone else has pored over.

Tip Three

Offer a service. Do an evening’s babysitting so new parents can have a break or take a load of ironing and deal with it for someone. These are the ultimate thrifty gifts as they basically require expenditure of time instead of money. If you’re going to do this, try and tailor the service to the recipient so they get something really useful or enjoyable for them. No point in offering to mow someone’s lawn if they live in a block of flats. You can make little vouchers for these gifts too.

Tip Four

Put a spend limit on your present shopping. For kid’s parties, I’d say around £7 is plenty, but again, if you shop wisely then you could probably spend a lot less. This tip is best applied when buying for your own children or family members. It’s so easy to get carried away, just buying one more stocking filler or an extra pressie here and there. Set a limit for each person and stick to it.

Tip Five

Cards and wrapping. Bulk buying is the way forward here  (see tip one) and again means that you’re never stuck without a card for someone. If you’re ultra organised, you can even start a card file and buy a load of cards then store under the appropriate month for someone’s birthday. Christmas wise, everyone knows that the best time to buy cheap cards and paper was in last year’s post-xmas sales. Too late for buying this year’s stash, but bear in mind for next time. As far as wrapping paper goes, from an eco-thrift point of view, the best thing is to recycle where possible. Failing that, buy large rolls or make your own.

Right, well that was my first thrifty post – I hope you like it. Come back next Thursday for another one! In the meantime, I’ll tweet any newly discovered bargains on the high street or online, so look out for me on Twitter (@living_itlittle).

The Tuesday Review: Sew! by Cath Kidston

I got some Cath K gift vouchers recently. A nice amount, but not enough for any of the more substantial items. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I have vouchers, I’ve  just GOT to spend them. I kept popping in to my local CK and toyed with a few options before plumping for Sew! The pocket version.

Basically, it’s the A5 or mini version of the full size book of the same name. The mini one costs £9 (as opposed to £16 for the larger size). It’s published by Quadrille who I like as they do these kind of books well.

So, what do you get for your nine quid? Well, in case you’re wondering, this smaller book contains exactly the same projects as the larger size. The only difference (as far as I can tell) is that you get the materials to make one of the bags with the full size one. You don’t get that with Mini Sew!. What you do get, however, is a pretty needlecase and set of needles along with paper patterns and templates for the projects.

The book itself is paperback and 160 pages long. It contains, and I quote, “over 40 simple sewing projects”. It also features a useful introduction section which outlines some of the various tools and techniques needed for the projects. At the back it has an Addresses page to help you track down your materials.

Moving on to the projects, they really are lovely. Some are more tricky than others of course, but there are real basics such as lavender bags (below) which I’m planning to make and feature on here next week. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to things crafty, but the projects in Sew! are so pretty and inspiring that I’m determined to get on with some of them. I reckon you could make a fair few Christmas pressies if you were that way inclined. How about a girl’s apron or a peg bag, a bird mobile or a flower cushion? I suppose most of the projects are quite ‘ordinary’ and more advanced or skilled crafters might be put off by that, but the projects are beautifully shot and the book is great to just flick though when you need uplifting.

Sew! is part of a range of Cath Kidston craft project books. The others are Stitch!, Make! and Patch!. I already own Make! but find that some of the projects in it need so many materials (some of them quite random). It’s nice as a coffee table book though.

Anyway, I hope that’s given you a bit of an insight into Sew!. It’s a great little book and would make a perfect and affordable gift. Ten out of ten from me. Look out for my attempt at lavender bags next week!