12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 {Gift Wrap}

From Here

Now that you have bought your gifts – you need to wrap them and make them pretty for under the tree.
Once again this year, I am opting for the budget-friendly brown paper with pretty tags and ribbon.

These days the internet has many websites with free printables.

As you can see in the image above, the gifts are simply wrapped with a patterned strip of paper and cute round tags.

I found a really cute tag sheet, similar to the photo above:

From Here

For a more vintage Christmas – keep the brown paper, add a beautiful champagne or gold bow and add these vintage tags in clusters:

From Here

For some added festive cheer, add a little bell tied to your organza ribbon & you are done. Mr Price Home sells organza ribbon & these cute bells -which are actually tree ornaments – the perfect finish for your gift! 

R9.99 for 2m

24 Mini Bells – R99.99

To see how my gifts from last year ended up – have a look at the post over here

What are your gift wrap ideas this season?

12 Days of Christmas – Day 1 {Gifts}

Gifts

Christmas – My favourite holiday of the year.

Why? Because the family all get together & spend some quality time with each other. Everyone is relaxed because most of them are on holiday.
The gifts are an added bonus & with the economy being what it is – each gift bought is very much appreciated.

If you are a regular reader, you will know our family system of buying 1 big gift for a family member & R50 gifts for everybody else. If not, read all about it over here

There is no need for the Christmas season to bankrupt us all now is there?

If you have been anywhere near a shop since September, you would have seen the gifts & decorations temptingly laid out in pretty displays.
Once again this year, I have promised myself I will go shopping early to to avoid the last minute rush. I say it every year & somehow time flies by quicker than you could say Jingle Bells.

I am being proactive & have already placed a few online orders for gifts – Yay Me!

Online shopping has been my friend this season & I am impressed at the speed with which my parcels have been delivered.
@Home & Takealot.com have been super-efficient.

Still at a loss for gift ideas? Here are some suggestions:

  1. Mixed Diamante Bobby Pins R39.95 (Woolworths)
  2. Design your own tent calendar filled with happy memories & special occasions – personalised gifts like this always mean so much more. R99.00 (Photo2Print) 
  3. Coasters in White or Back with Sparkle (Pack of 4) R40.00 (@Home)
  4. Moroccan Basics Spice Set R99.95 (Woolworths)
  5. Geometric African Map Christmas Decoration R9.99 (Mr Price Home)
  6. Mini Heart Pegs R29.99 (Mr Price Home)

  1. Cozy Remote Tidy R190.00 (Big Blue)
  2. Vanilla Brulee Shimmer Lotion R110.00 (The Body Shop)  Check out their Buy 2, get 1 Free deal
  3. Beautiful hand-crafted bracelets From R170.00 & up (Trinket TroveYou can purchase them from Sherbet Angel in 4th Avenue Parkhurst or any Crafters Market stores
  4. Ceramic Reindeer Cookie Jar R199.95 (Woolworths)
  5. The Owl Dippy Bamboo Board R190.00 (The Block Shop) excludes custom engraving
  6. Faceblocks R180 for 3 blocks (Printwild

What is on your wishlist this year?

Christmas Greetings

Christmas is almost upon us!
Despite not getting a bonus, I am quite pleased with myself this year. Christmas on a budget has made me think a bit differently. Just because money is not in abundance, does not mean that you cannot make it fun with a little bit of thought and effort.

You will remember my post HERE where I mentioned the gifts wrapped in brown paper and my post HERE where I mentioned the DIY crackers.
Well… I am all done!

Here are the gifts before being prettied up:

Before

Here are some of them after:

Ho Ho Ho

Joy

Noel
This is how the crackers turned out:

Love Father Christmas

Crackers complete

The hardest part of making these crackers was trying not to get glue all over my fingers from sticking ribbons and tags on. I failed miserably, but I am happy with the result. I am pleased that I have finally completed a project the family has been wanting to do ever since I was a little girl. Now we get quality presents instead of the usual junk found in crackers.

To all my readers, I want to say a massive thank you for your blog love over the past year. I love reading every single comment you write!
I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas filled with love and laughter.

I will be taking a break from blogging – I sure it will only be for the holiday season, but I am not too sure. I am sure I will be back soon.

I will however, still post a weekly round up of my Project 365 (especially for you Kate – so that you don’t give up!)

See you all on the other side!

Love Love Love

Photobucket

Tick Tick Tick…. Ho Ho Ho!

Source

How cute is the gift tag in the above photo?

My Christmas Clock is ticking.

There is so much to get done before the jolly fat man rewards us for being good little boys & girls.

As I posted about my Christmas on a Budget, I read Ms Van Vee’s post on gift wrapping ideas she found on Pinterest. This has made me even more excited to get creative on budget.

I found some really cute gift wrap ideas and posted them to a Pinterest board here

I will be wrapping my gifts in brown paper and brightly coloured ribbon (R10 a roll at the chinese mall) with pretty printed gift tags off the computer.
I will take photos once I have wrapped gifts and hope it turns out well.

I have helped the whole family choose Christmas gifts for each other & even bought on their behalf. Now I have to give serious attention to the gifts I have to buy and make some time to go shopping!

I have to buy a gift for my dad, aka the most difficult man to buy for because he is not phased about getting gifts. We used to be able to make him happy with chocolates, but since being diagnosed as a diabetic, it’s thrown a spanner in the works.

Dad spends most of his spare time working. He travels for work alot. He doesn’t really read. Except the newspaper. He doesn’t need to wear a suit & tie. He likes being in the garden. Walking the dogs. He has a wallet. He has a hat for outside. He has new shoes. He doesn’t feel the cold, so doesn’t need a jersey, scarf or socks.

Previous gifts that we have tried:

  • MP3 player and speaker – he doesn’t have a car radio. He forgets to charge the speaker
  • A man-bag to keep all his crap together. He forgets to use it
  • Vouchers for clothes. He hates shopping so forgets to use the voucher.

See my dilemma? It’s like Mission Impossible!

I thought I would try my hand at online shopping, but after a while I gave up – I can’t see the products properly on a computer screen, I need to touch the product and make sure it’s right.

What is on your Christmas shopping list this year?

Photobucket

Christmas on a Budget

December already? Where has the time gone!?

The age old question now gets asked; What do you want for Christmas?

I’ve said it countless times before – Christmas is my favourite time of the year.

However, Christmas is going to be on a tight budget this year.
No bonuses and an overseas trip pending, I am pre-planning this year’s bash in advance and not leaving it until the last minute, which I did last year!

Once again we are continuing the tradition where all the the adults buy a nice gift for 1 person – max R300 and the rest get a stocking filler gift – limit R50.
With just the immediate family, we are potentially only looking at R500ea spend on gifts (excluding my 2.5 year old nephew who gets a nice present from all of us)

In the spirit of keeping within the R300 limit, these are on my Christmas wishlist.

For my home

For Me

>> The Docking Station was a “wishful thinking” which seems impossible to find anywhere!

When you have the less fortunate asking for Deodorant and school supplies, it kind of puts things into perspective a little bit, doesn’t it?

Thanks to Tee, I have my DIY Cracker Kits on their way.

It has been tradition that I always buy the Crackers.
To get anything that doesn’t contain cheap plastic bits of uselessness, I usually spend around R300 for 6 crackers. The contents are better – but still not worth the money.
This year I am determined to make my own.

6 x DIY Crackers with snap: R25
Contents:

  • Candy Cane Sweet: R30
  • Corny Jokes: Free

Gifts: 

  • Dad: Magnifying Card (when he can’t find glasses in a restaurant) R20
  • Mom: Lip Balm R40
  • Nephew: Spiderman facecloth R27.50
  • Brother: Also a Spiderman facecloth (he is the worst to decide on something for) R27.50
  • Sister-in-law: 30 x Hair bands R25
  • Myself: 30 x Hairbands  R25

Total for 6 quality crackers: R220 SCORE!

What are you doing to save money over Christmas?

Photobucket

Shopping up a storm

After being told by my boss that I have to come in to work (essentially cancelling my leave) I was really peeved.

So how does one deal with anger over the festive season?
Shopping!

I have seen the nicest things in the shops & I have shut my cautious side up with a menacing inward snarl & bought things I have wanted for a while now, but not exactly needed, ie: a new kettle.
I bought a cheapie a good 10 years ago because I had to move out of my fiance’s house and needed something in a hurry – the darn thing has lasted all this time!
So I bought a cute little kettle that reminds me of the old kettle my mom had when I was a little girl:

Then while buying wrapping paper I came across a really cute cutting board that was pink with words and cupcakes printed on it. I had to have it!
My kitchen colours are actually red, so I bought all the matching accessories and suddenly my kitchen is pink.
It ties in very nicely as my lounge is pink & purple and because everything is open plan, it works well.
This is the new decor I bought for my walls a little while ago – they stick on with wallpaper glue and when you wet them they slide off again.
The photo doesn’t do it justice, in real life it looks as if they are painted on:
Don’t you think I NEED a flatscreen tv?

I have completed most of my Christmas shopping, and I am off to find a present for my mom (a bead charm for her Pandora bracelet) & a wedding photo frame for my brother & new sister (for their first wedding photo)

What presents will you be putting under your tree?

Photobucket

All I Want for Christmas

Love. Laughter. Happiness. Togetherness
Last year for me Christmas was about spoiling the ones I love.
After 2011 being a tough year for all of us, I will be buying my friends & family gifts that they need.
It seems senseless to waste money on frivolous, unneeded items when there are necessities that will still need to be bought.
When asked what I would like for Christmas I was at a loss at first, then I looked around and realised I need alot of things: PJs, new bath towels, another chair in my lounge. I have made it my goal to buy myself a chair for the lounge as well as a chandelier (my one extravagance) I have asked for vouchers towards the other necessities and I think my friends feel the same as I do – Needs not Wastage
I am hoping that once I start wrapping the gifts that I will get more into the Christmas spirit.
For some reason this year I am not feeling it like I usually do.
I am like a little kid at Christmas time and I love wrapping presents, and putting up decorations etc. I am ashamed to say that we are already on the 10th and I have not even put up a Christmas Tree (I am always that person that gives speeches to the people who don’t have the Christmas spirit)
I am off to brave the busy shopping centres now and let’s hope that I get everything I want so that I don’t have to do it next weekend again!
Tonight I have my friends over to act as a guinea pig to my cooking, it’s been so long I am getting rusty.
Menu for tonight: Vodka Cream Pasta with Garlic bread for dipping & a good red wine.

YUM!
Photobucket

Happy, Merry…. what?

A belated Merry Christmas to you all!

I hope you were all good so that Father Christmas was able to pay you a visit and leave a little something special?

Once again this year I was spoilt and even though it was a smaller spoil, it means more to me because even tho times are tough all around – the fact that I still got presents, makes me feel blessed.

Amongst my gifts I received vouchers, a silver heart necklace on a pink cord, a little cat make up bag, a glass nail file with a swarovski heart design, cute little tweezers, a cute T shirt, a lovely pair of slip slops and gorgeous pink nail polish and a lovely wine and champagne carry set called Yellow Tail all the way from Australia.
Oh and lets not forget my pink Guess handbag!! yay!!

I am happy I didn’t spend alot of money this Christmas – I plan to get out of debt this year and go to Thailand in October.

We lazed around over Christmas day – it was too hot for much else and we watched dvds and lots of reality tv.
Kendra – gotta love her! She has a foul mouth, but she is inspirational in the way she is trying to shed her baby fat (plus the pounds she loaded on by eating all the junk food she could find!)

What did Father Christmas get you?

Even Social Butterflies need a Cocoon….

source
I have been on leave since Friday and I have been busy with a whirlwind of activities.
As busy as I am… 1 side of me is loving it with a passion, and the other side of me is… lonely.
My social life has always been busy, but when QT & I started dating in Feb, I started enjoying the quieter side of having someone to snuggle with instead of always being out on the town.

I did get a little bored and wanted a bit of excitement – now I have it and I am lonely – whatever happened to a Happy Medium?

What has Flirty been doing (& plans to do) with her time?

  • Friday 10 Dec: Got my 1st Christmas present (handmade by a lady I work with) & put up a Christmas tree at T & G’s place. As a reward for my help, I was treated to champagne, dinner and dessert and delicious coffee.

  •  Sat 11 Dec: Went to visit QT, went to a Baby Shower hosted by my friend and very talented (part time) business event planner partner AC, and …

  
        
Favours
    

    Flowers

    

    Table decor

…attended our annual Christmas Party, alas nobody stole anyone’s presents – always good for some laughs

All the presents opened
Mine – All mine!
  •  Sun 12 Dec: Went to watch Rock On Beethoven at The Barnyard Theatre at Cresta. I love these shows as they usually have really good performers who sing all the hits and by the end of the show you are up and clapping with the rest of them. Clint outdid himself with the variety of food on offer – Camembert & blueberries, Kiri Cream cheese & Italian salami, Blue Cheese (yuck) and Nougat. Teamed with a Nederberg Rose, my taste buds were in heaven! And I got to drive his Volvo C30, aka The Twilight Car. I LOVE that car!

  • Mon 13 Dec: Begin the Xmas shopping & have breakfast with QT and….

Update: Yes I have seen him. He told me the other day that the real reason he ended it was because I told him I needed to talk. He thought I was going to break up with him so he ended it first to avoid being hurt. 
I was stunned and even more disappointed. Again he shows that he would rather give up what we had than risk being hurt.
I suppose I shouldn’t judge him for his immaturity – I knew his youth and naivete would factor into our relationship sooner or later. 
We had agreed to be friends (we were for a while before we began dating) and it has been ok for me. I didn’t know if I wanted to remain friends and gave us space for a few weeks. I made the contact and I enjoy that we still have such an easy rapport.
The mistake was that we shared such a “normal” day, he called me “babe” by mistake and I caught him giving me the adoring looks. Later when I left, I felt like I was going through the break up all over again and cried all the way home.
He left to go to Ballito today, which will give me time out. He only returns in January.
Would we ever get back together? I am not sure – he “broke” us, I am not sure it can be fixed.
Never say never and all that… time will give us the answer.

had dinner with Bebe at Melrose Arch – the decorations are in full force and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

We went for a milkshake after dinner at the Protea Fire & Ice. If you haven’t yet experienced it, you have to go! Milkshake choices range from Lindt chocolate, Oreo cookies, Tutti Fruiti etc etc etc (the list is huge!) If you are not ravenous, make sure you order the half pint, or else you end up with a fishbowl full of milkshake!

The restaurant is Hollywood Vintage – I am aching to have a dress up cocktail party at this venue.
Black and white photos of the stars, mirrors and chandeliers everywhere – the perfect venue for my dream photo shoot.

  • Tues, 13 Dec: Met AC for a divine lunch at YuMe – a new Japanese restaurant at Monte Casino (Thanks SwissMiss for this referral)

I was blown away by the huge choice of food on the menu – most of all their sushi.
Ordinary to the extra-ordinary. I ate Springbok Carpaccio California rolls filled with Cream Cheese and Parmesan, Prawn, Shrimp, Chives and Cream Cheese Dim Sum and some tempura prawns ended off with some Salmon Strawberry and Cream Cheese california rolls YUM – MEEEE!
The sushi is fresh and the staff and management are friendly, but non-intrusive. I guarantee you will struggle to find better sushi/dim sum etc here.
Don’t eat sushi/Dim Sum? Create your own noodle dish – choose your noodles, ingredient and sauce – what is not to like?
CTFM – eat your heart out (while we eat at the competition)

I spent the rest of the day Christmas shopping. This year I am cutting costs (I love Christmas so much but tend to go overboard spoiling my loved ones) only shopping for my parents and my brother and my nephew (arriving in March)
In my Santa’s bag are:

  1. Bright pink Shox speaker for mom to connect to her Blackberry and use it as a car radio
  2. Donna Mia (replica of Bachio and 3 times cheaper) bead – purple and pink butterfly – mom
  3. Dad got an MP3 player (R199 at Clicks) with a silver Shox speaker. He travels to Cape Town and Durban on a regular basis and needs some music to keep him company – also no car radio
  4. Meal voucher for my brother and his girlfriend – they could do with a night out and all their money is being spent on the baby room etc. A pram costs R3000 (I could get 2 or 3 Guess handbags for that amount!) and I bought a pewter baby frame for Babba’s 1st picture.
  5. Little jeans, a Tigger top and cute bibs (each 1 has a cute phrase) for Noah

…. I was supposed to meet Hot Rod for dinner but then he decided to change it to an early drink because he had other plans. I cancelled.
If you make dinner plans with me, don’t cut them short because you have now made other business plans. Not on.
Instead I have spent a very enjoyable evening catching up on my regular blog fix, with a Woolies mushroom and cheese burger, a cup of hot coffee and a warm, fluffy purring cat on my lap. Pure.Bliss.

  • Wed 15 Dec: Housework and car cleaning – could it get any worse?

Actually lets be more specific about the car cleaning, I actually cleaned and waxed the car – What. Was. I. Thinking? Think Wax on. Wax Off – wax off… again. This was a mission and a half! At lest now I have a streaky clean car
I also took my shoes in to have heel rubbers replaced and dropped a stack of books at the 2nd hand bookstore.
I finally removed all 5 license disks and replaced them with the current one. The only thing I didn’t do, was to get my tyre fixed. A random puncture has me driving on my spare tyre again.
Tee finally left asshole and moved out completely. I am so proud of her. After threatening the end of our friendship I think she got the picture.
We went out to celebrate last night & had cocktails and curry at Kai Thai. There is a new book store in Monte Casino called Skoobs. Awesome shop!
They have fishtanks and a lift with gorgeous High (high!)back chairs to sit and read.
My favourite? They serve Starbucks coffee which you can enjoy as you watch the people walking by, and they have a wall where you can write anything you like and peg it to the line.
My contribution: Don’t mess with a Princess

G5 phoned Tee the entire night and eventually I was so angry I took the phone and told him that she has left him, he is no longer a part of her life and he must get his own. He started shouting at me, I told him Get a Life and put the phone down.
I am really getting tired of this harrassment and frankly, plain pathetic behaviour from him.Tee needs him to sign papers releasing her from her bond payments, and I think we need to start getting tough and get a lawyer to help him along – unless any of you know a good Bouncer?

  • Thurs 16 Dec: It’s raining today – I plan to stay in bed and read – I chose this over housework. Yes, I am a terrible housewife!
  • Upcoming:
  • Fri 17 Dec: Meet my friend T (not to be confused with Tee) for breakfast and show her how Blackberry and Facebook work.

Visit RaceCar at Dialysis – this was a regular Sat occurrence until he changed his hospital. Seeing as I am off I have time to drive there.
Take my parents out for dinner to thank them in advance for housing myself and Shez when she comes to stay next week.

  • Sat 18 Dec: Spend the entire day watching Harry Potter from the beginning & playing games. Spending the night to give us more time!
  • Sun 19 Dec: Spending the day with M, he is housesitting and car watching for his friend – not any car, a Porsche! So we are going joyriding – where can we go? I suggested driving to Durban (only a 6 hour drive) ha ha ha – I wish! Still have to come up with a destination. Dullstroom maybe? Can stop for pancakes and get some cure Christmas ornaments at the Christmas shop… mmmh – that could be a plan. will keep you posted
  • Mon 20 Dec: A whole lot of nothing (I hope) Although we all know I can’t resist spending time with my friends if the opportunity presents itself.
  • Tues 21 Dec: Catching up with Links and drinking wine in her heated pool.
  • Wed 22 Dec: Shez arrives and the madness begins!

So much for resting this holiday, I guess it stops me from thinking about QT and being single.

Christmas Wishes

With times being tough all around I actually have a simple wish list this year:
Foundation – mine is finished.
Flat black “ballet” pumps – mine have seen better days
Pretty girly slip slops – Ipanema has nice ones – mine are broken
Lime Green, Lumo Pink Nail polish for fingers and toes
Little Black and white Cardigan – to wear over some of my casual clothes to “workify” them. That way I don’t have to buy new work clothes, just revamp some existing clothes.
A new handbag – preferably Guess but I might be settling for something ALOT cheaper*
Duvet set – mine are all over 4 years old and looking very sad.
* My parents need a break away. I am worried that my dad is working too hard trying to make ends meet and instead me being selfish and wanting an extremely overpriced bag, I would like to take that R1000 and let them use it for a little holiday break.
My dad is 66 and still works full time. He drives around the country alot and I figured that on 1 of his trips to Durban or Cape Town they can use the money for accommodation at a little B&B and have some money for dinner.
That is my plan – I always buy them a present from Father Christmas – and I reckon this year, Father Christmas does not need a Guess handbag!