Christmas Is Coming With Random Ramblings!

My apologies, this post goes on and on and on …….

I have decided to start my Christmas posts from 9th September – if you’re like me, you’re looking for your ideas NOW.  I have put a few things together already ……but I am a bit worried  that I used up a lot of my ideas last year …. fingers crossed for divine inspiration!

 WHAT’S IN MY SHOPPING BAG THIS WEEK?

……. Not a lot! I have just had a really good sort out of my craftroom and I really do have too much stuff. 

So I am going to try to “do” Christmas by only buying what I really, really need (famous last words!) It’s going to be tough and there will be temptation …. but I will be strong!  I will allow myself a once a week splurge in Poundland/Poundshop when they start putting their Christmas stuff on the shelves, but I will tell myself that I only need 5 packets of “must have” 3D Christmas stickers instead of 10, and I am praying that Accessorize Christmas stickers will be pants this year, as they could be my undoing!

But ….. I have done a little shopping in the last week or so.  This stencil was a bit of a disappointment, (£3.99), it said on the bumpf that it could be used with most die cutting machines, well I tried it in my BigShot and Sizzix Boutique embosser (with extra layers)  but the effect is very flat and hardly visible, BUM! I thought it would look brilliant with assorted coloured gems in the centre of each snowflake …… I have since learnt that I need an "Impression Mat" to use this stencil properly ...... DOH! If you pop over to Lisa's blog, http://craftfairy.blogspot.com/2010/08/christmas-cards-made-using-metal.html     she has used it properly and brilliantly, unlike my own good self!

 

These small fabric type stickers were 99p, so cute – I feel a “Snappy" birthday card coming on!

These jewelled stickers were also 99p a pack. I thought I might try to doodle bodies that will fit onto the smiley faces …… not sure how that will go!

TALKING OF MY CRAFT ROOM …..

I have finally got all my ……. (pardon the expression) fairy balls up!  How beautiful are they? I got them from a gift shop in Chester earlier on in the year and had just left them in the box, stroking them occasionally, but with my tidy up, they are now in place, I just love them.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH THESE?

I got these for 49p a packet from HobbyCrafts Christmas sale a couple of years ago, but they are only a real bargain if you know what to do with them.  I think they are great, but don’t have a clue how to use them, other than sewing them on a “festive waistcoat” for Monkey and Darrell.  Any ideas?

Talking of Monkey and Darrell ………

If you are thinking about getting someone a Monkey for Christmas there are always a couple on e-bay.  I have just “won” two for 99p and 89p plus P&P – BARGAINTASTIC!  You need to look for one that measures 16/17ins.  Newborn or 3-6 months baby clothes fit them perfectly or charity shops have brilliant finds.  Primark baby shoes are great too.

But remember a monkey is for life not just Christmas!!!

What’s In My Shopping Bag Wednesday

A quick trip to Poundworld last Friday resulted in me  finding these plastic moulded stickers,

I’ve been asked to do a few more children’s cards for my box and these will be ideal as they cover such a range, from mermaids and princesses to farms, trucks and dinosaurs.

They also had this set of puffy material alphabet stickers, I find some of the cheaper sets of alphabets only have one of each letter in a pack, there is an extra set of vowels in this one plus an extra H and N.

My friend Lisa (Craftfairy)  popped over on Monday night  with some Stampin’ Up stuff I had ordered, plus an wooden angel she found at the bottom of a rummage bin in Hobbycraft for 25p.  She said if I’d have been with her I’d have nabbed it, and she was right!

She also bought me some ribbon with French sentiments on which I am thrilled with and some candy bead necklaces for a girlie idea I am trying to put together.

I’d ordered a Stampin’ Up 1 3/4 in circle punch plus some ink refills for a couple of Stampin’ Up rollers I had for my birthday (but no ink)

Guess what I am gearing up for ……..?????

What’s In My Shopping Bag Wednesday.

I can’t resist a bargain … and this Wednesday most of my goodies have come from Primark.

Both the bangle and beanie hat were 10p each!  I’m going to sew a few pretty mother of pearl buttons on the brim of the hat. and  cover the bangle with either Decopatch papers or strips of Kath Kithson gift wrap (if it goes on smoothly) that I have and then perhaps a few flat backed gems

 

It was the wooden hearts attracted me to this £2.50 necklace, I think they are too chunky for cards, but will make lovely gift tags, key rings or Christmas decorations when split up, but first I may wear it for a while.

This set of Dr Who stickers and four Darlek badges were 30p from the rummage box in paper shop across the road. I am thrilled, as my daughter is Dr Who mad and these will be ideal for her birthday card in a couple of weeks time.

And finally, this Piece of Cake decoupage pad by Dovecraft was £6.99, not a bargain, but as anything with cupcakes disappears faster than I can make it, I just had to have it! The cupcakes are quite big, and I should be able  to make at least twenty four cards from the pad. I’ve already put all the cakes together, I just need to cut some card blanks and work out a design to use them on.

What's on My Desk Wednesday - Bargains from HobbyCraft

My mate Lisa’s  enthusiasm is contagious, while I was at work the other day she was texting me with all her HobbyCraft bargains, how cruel was that?  I had to wait till Friday when I finished early to see if she had left me anything ……. !  http://craftfairy.blogspot.com/

I thought these wooden plugs would be good on the drawers of my Tesco Advent House.

My only criticism of HobbyCraft is that they put a lot of bargains in very large “bargain bin boxes” – I could rummage, but they were so deep and full that I was frustrated that I might miss out on something fantastic, and I am not really sure that the assistants would have been pleased if I had hoisted a lot of stuff out and put it all over the floor enabling me to delve deeper

Lisa got these bargains too.  I wanted the stickers (£1.99 reduced to 99p) when I first saw them, but I ermed and ahhed at the price, but reduced to 99p I snapped them up.  The ribbon I just loved when I saw Lisa’s and I managed to get a reel of pink and two of red (89p 2m reel).

The Making Memories alphabet glitter die cuts (£3.49p reduced to 99p) will come in very useful for personalised cards and  I plan to use the Making Memories School Packing Tapes (£3.99 down to 99p, they were reduced again after labelling) for “End of Term Thank You” and “First Day at School” cards.

I have also picked up the metal words up many times when  shopping in HobbyCraft, but six words for £3.49 seemed expensive, £1.99 is a much better price!  The ribbon, all 25m of it, seemed a bargain too, but perhaps it was a shopping faux pas as it is “pulling ribbon” it should make cute rosette type bows, but I don’t have a clue how you do it!!!!

Ten tassel favour bags (£4.99 reduced to £2.99) is another good bargain, it works out at 29p a bag ….. BRILLIANT – especially when filled with these chocolate hearts.

This paper was not in the sale, (£2.99 for pack of 6 x 6) but I just had to have it, the colours and patterns are so lovely and a change from some of the  “pretty pretty” ranges.  It comes from DoCrafts and I am hoping to make some really lovely cards with it in the coming week.  I also bought some of the alphabet sets that go with it.

Bank Holiday Car Boot Sale Bargains

The lady on the stall at the car boot sale couldn’t believe I wanted to buy this …..

But it’s brilliant!  I’m trying to lose weight and 2lb a week is my goal … so I’m going to carry it with me EVERYWHERE ….. so I know what 2lbs actually feels like!  Oh ….. it cost me 20p!

These little wooden drawers set me back another 20p, I think I am going to cover them in a Kath Kidston type paper but I’m not sure ……

Last Bargain of the Week ….. from a funny Poundshop in Telford, that used to be a car showroom …..

This cardboard carry case was just £1.00 – I couldn’t resist it … I wish I was Linda http://acraftingjourney.blogspot.com/

…….. because she would turn it into something wonderful and Tim Holtzy.

It came flat but it didn’t take five minutes to put together to make this dinky case.

Bargains of the Week …. from The Range

These 3D stickers were 99p a pack and are brilliant for making cards for teenage girls, especially as embellishments on my newspaper cards

I love this self adhesive cut out word, it’s about 18ins long and I have stuck it on one of the  cupboard doors in my craft room.  I thought it was good value for £1.29.

Bargains of the Week ….. from Accessorize

I am not sure that these are really bargains at £1.75 per pack but they are lovely, and any cards I make using Accessorize stickers just fly out of the box, these are three new designs I haven’t seen before …..

 

Bargains of the Week ….. from Primark

Look at the jewels on this little beauty and costing just £3.  The bracelet is made up of 15 sets of bars, each containing three jewels set in a gold metal mount.  My plan is to disassemble it, the bars work out at 20p each and there is no way you could buy embellishments at that price.  I have a few ideas for cards, which I will blog when I have made them up …… but I am also thinking there might be a Christmas idea somewhere here ….. if only I could think of it.......

Bargains of the Week …. from Home Bargains.

These are brooches/pins by Russ but only cost 49p each, they would be great attached to a card or tag.

These chocolate footballs were 59p – I was a bit dubious about the quality but they are yummy!  I bought them with the World Cup in mind.

This box of 50 tags and ribbons cost 99p. The tags are for putting on home made knitted or sewn items, on the backs there are little spaces to write the makers name, care instructions, dates etc. Quite lovely.

Bargains of the Week …. from Poundland

I like doing posts about what’s new in Poundland because I don’t have to keep remembering what everything cost …… but, just in case ….. everything here cost me £1.00 each.

Look at these brilliant jellies …. 8 in a pack, I will blog what I am going to make with them in the next little while, but aren’t they cute?

With the World Cup looming this pack of stickers is going to come in very useful.

There are four sets of lovely patterend shoelaces here  ….. but I thought they could also be used on cards, scrapbook pages or tied to ring binding on Bind It All books instead of ribbons.

The School Prom Season is about to begin and these boxes would make a great gift box to give to a young gentleman with an assortment of funny little things inside; a sample of aftershave, some mints or gum, money for a taxi home, a little black notebook and pen   ……….. that sort of thing.

And lastly, you know that I am potty about little lanterns, well – how lovely is this? ….I got five …. to hang in the trees in my garden, BRILLIANT!