Tis the season to be thrifty...

Tra la la la laaaa
La la la laaa.

Sing along now!

What thrifiness can I impart on you today in the run up to what will be a thrifty Christmas and a nifty thrifty New Year?

First of all I want to share two awesome finds in my new favourite shop Wilkinsons. I went to a different store than I normally go to and found some amazing stuff to help get Christmas swinging and thought you may want to see my finds so that you can hop along there before I buy all their stock!

This heart door hanging (can't call it a wreath really, on the basis that it isn't a wreath) was only three Great British Pounds! How incredibly good value is that?

I am now torn between hanging it on my front door for the next 30 days or install it as a permanent feature in my living room.

And this cute pack of magnets which should be adorning every single fridge in the land was only £1.2(something). I've lost the receipt and there isn't a price on it but the website says £1.50 so I think mine was discounted! (Double Yeah!)

Not only was I wowed by the Christmas and gift ranges but I have a further dilemma and need to decide between these two wallpapers for a feature wall on our stairs.

I am a great believer in good value and I have to applaud Wilkinsons for 1) managing to delight it's customer this week (me) and 2) for coming up with fresh and desirable products in what was a fresh and clean store.

I am only writing this post because I was so impressed and have not been paid or received any products to review.

365project Week 48

I am not the person I was four or five years ago. I do not have the disposable income I had four or five years ago. I have discovered a love of crafting and upcycling. My Christmas shopping list this year hasn't been compiled from the great gift guides of our favourite retailers.I am on a thrifty mission. A mission to craft my way through Christmas. Yes, I will save some money but I will give what can't be measured. My time and love and thought.

And a lot of time and love and thought has gone into my week.

My Bagpuss mouse, unearthed at the school Christmas Fair, sings "We will find it. We will bind it. We will stick it with glue, glue, glue." This is my new mantra.
My paperback Christmas trees sold out at the fair.
Sometimes the greatest pleasure is free: watching the wee one squeal as he runs.
A cup of tea. Cheap as chips and oh so perfect.
Handcrafted (squished and squashed) salt dough Christmas decorations in production.
A fast paced walk to school burns as many calories as a custard cream biscuit (probably). Who needs a gym membership?
Crocheted snowflakes experiment turns out better than hoped.

I'm not a Bah Humbug kind of person, but the exuberance of Christmas is definitely looking a bit tacky this year.

Hope your Christmas preparations are coming on nicely x

I'm joining in with my fellow 365'ers who never let life get in the way of a good photo over at The Boy and Me.


My photos are in my album on the 365project site. I'd be so happy if you went to take a look.

Sloe Gin by Me and Seamus Heaney

 

Sloe Gin. Too slow for me!

I was waiting for the first frost which didn't come.

So I gave up, picked the sloes anyway and took the advice to freeze them overnight and then thaw them to mimic the frost.

Were they fooled? Only time will tell. Ten weeks time apparently.

I only bottled the ingredients today. The kitchen smelled fantastic although not entirely appropriate for 10 in the morning.

Counting on my fingers, I can crack open the first bottle on Boxing day.

Apparently I can keep the second bottle for another year.

We'll see about that.

SLOE GIN

The clear weather of juniper
darkened into winter.
She fed gin to sloes
and sealed the glass container.

When I unscrewed it
I smelled the disturbed
tart stillness of a bush
rising through the pantry.

When I poured it
it had a cutting edge
and flamed
like Betelgeuse.

I drink to you
in smoke-mirled, blue-
black sloes, bitter
and dependable.

-- Seamus Heaney

 

Filofax P0rn!

Oh darn it!

I just went a spent a fortune... no wait! I didn't spend a fortune. Yay to thrifty living :-)

That lovely lady over at Typecast only went and found 9euro Filofaxes here. (er, except they seem to have finished the promotion - sorry!).

Yes, 9 euros.

So it was rude not to really.

And the clever postman brought them to me today, just when I needed cheering up :-)

This filofax reminded me of the Famour Five, so it was perfect for me to use as my writing notebook. The 2011 and 2012 diary (in German) can be discarded so I can fill it with lovely colourful notepaper.

 

And I needed a new purse very badly. I had expected it to be bigger (I really should read the small print) but it is perfect for credit cards and money of the folding variety. And the little touch of Swarovski is squeally lovely. Unbelievably the purse was originally 159 euros!

Happy me :-)