Christmas Charity Shopping

I haven't blogged in awhile and that is mainly because of the amount of work I have had this term! As a break last week I decided to treat myself to some charity shopping and ended up buying nothing for myself but presents for everyone else instead! 

Some of the things I got are: 

- After dinner trivia : £2.50

- Radox bath soak : £1

- Family Frame : 2

- Card Games Book: 50p

Body shop set : £2 

- Friends Mug : £1

- Topman top : £3.50

- Star lip balms : £1 each

- Tartan scarf : 99p

- Wellie Soaps : 49p 

- Tags : 20p 

- Nail Varnish : Free

My Christmas shopping is almost done now and its only 6 weeks away! 

Boots 75% off, Wilkinsons sale

Today whilst shopping I noticed that the boots sale had increased to 75%! Judging by twitter it was the first day of this big discount so I got there just in time. There wasn't much left but I managed to find a few bargains. This gorgeous vintage mirror was just £5 reduced from £20, I had my eye on it for awhile but didn't want to spend £10 on a mirror so when it was reduced again I couldn't help myself! The tea caddy was less than £2 and comes with twinning tea bags so will make a lovely present. The make up bag was around £3.50 which is already a good price for such a nice bag. It comes with a hand cream, mirror, nail file and lip balm which would also make a lovely present (if I don't keep it for myself!)

Wilkinsons also did well for sale items, they had a whole isle for them! I decided to stock up on a few bits for Christmas next year while it was reduced. All the items in the picture were either 25p or 50p and they include a gift bag, plain cards, Santa sign, ribbon and cupcake set. I also got the lovely big soap for 50p which I may add to the make up bag to make a nice present.

Sale Shopping!

The Christmas sales have started and this Boxing Day I decided to go shopping to see if I could pick up some bits. I even wrote a list to keep myself on track (despite it saying NO DRESSES I did end up with one...) These are some of the bits I picked up!

• iPad case £3. I have a hard case on my iPad but wanted something to protect it when I chuck it in my bag to take to Uni!
• Red River Island Clutch £8. You can never have to many clutch bags and this one will look nice with a red lipstick.
• Lightweight Jumpers £10 each. These are great to throw on for lectures and go with pretty much everything.
• Burgundy dress River Island £15. I liked this dress at the full price (£28 I think it was) so when I saw it was in my size in the sale I decided to just buy it!
• Black New Look Wedges £15. My brother got me a New Look gift card for Christmas so I decided to use that to get these black wedges. They are so comfy so I will probably wear these for New Years!
• I also bought some new underwear and some jewellery from asos! 

Merry Crohnsmas!

This has been my first Christmas since being diagnosed with Crohns and honestly I thought it would be much harder than it was! Although there were some things I had to change and get used to (taking 12 tablets with my smoked salmon breakfast was a bit different!) most of the day stayed the same. I've decided to write a few tips which I followed that I think made the Christmas period easier! 

• Try to avoid fizzy drinks. One thing I didn't have this year is bucks fizz in the morning which we normally do but that is definitely something I can live without. When it comes to other alcohol I stick to clear spirits normally and try to have a clear mixer like lemonade with it. I think waiting for the mixer to go a little bit flatter helps to stop you getting too bloated as there is less bubbles of gas.
• Don't eat too many greens. In my normal diet I've been told to avoid leafy greens and stringy vegetables but this is a bit harder with a roast dinner when the veg is one of the main parts! My favourite veg is broccoli but they are so fibrous we didn't have them this year. It helps that Mum knew she was cooking a big meal for that day so we could plan to have other vegetables instead such as root veg like carrots, swede and parsnips. If you're going to someones house to eat them let them know in advance so they can plan something else for you. Avoiding leafy greens meant we didn't have a traditional prawn cocktail this year - one of my guilty pleasures!
• Don't over-indulge. Its easy to keep eating and eating with all the food around but try not to! I've also read a lot of things about having lots small meals instead of a few big ones which helps me to not feel too sluggish after a huge plate of food!
• If you need to rest then rest. This time of year is about spending time with your family and if you are really tired you wont be able to enjoy it as much. Everyone is knackered but especially if you are ill so take the time to rest. I managed to fit in a nap while Top of the Pops was on which helped me get through the rest of the day! 
• Don't be embarrassed if you need to go. My family and friends obviously know whats been happening recently so when I get up to leave a few more times than usual they know where i'm going. It doesn't matter whether its during dinner or when your opening presents you should be able to slip out for a bit! 

Mum, Elliot and my big steroid face! 

Christmas Curry!

This year to get all the girls together I decided to cook a meal for them all, I did plan on doing a Christmas dinner but then thought everyone would be sick of that so we had a Christmas curry! At the moment I cant eat tomatoes as they hurt my ulcers so I had to be careful what sauce I used which is why we chose a korma. The group is split 50/50 meat eaters and vegetarians so I made a turkey curry and a veggie one and a big bowl of rice! We had an Indian selection to start and cheesecake and a cheese board for desert. We all had some drinks and I was careful to let the lemonade go a bit flat as I've been told to avoid fizzy drinks.I did a 2012 quiz from an app on my iPad and a picture board which you have to have at every party! It was really nice to see everyone and I shocked myself that I could manage a meal for 8 people that wasn't affected by Crohns! 

Christmas Crafts and Cards

After getting another set of blood tests me and Dad had a quick look around the charity shops near the hospital in Stevenage and ended up buying almost the whole shop in one! Its good to be able to walk around and get things done after blood tests as when I got them done when I was very aneamic it used to really take it out of me and I would need a rest. I got these stamps for £1.50 (middle picture) which I cant wait to find a project to use them for. Another shop had individual wooden stamps starting at £4 each so these were a bargain! Its a shame I've wrapped all my presents otherwise I would have stamped everyone's names onto the brown paper in some red paint, I will need to remember that for next year! I also got this Christmas Crafts book for £2.50 which gave me some great ideas for my dinner party. It also showed me how to make these Christmas cards. The top cards are so easy to do, you simply follow the template to pierce the holes in the card and then push the ribbon through. I used red and gold ribbon and then stuck gold card to make the base and a button for the decoration on the top. The second cards are plain cards I bought in the sale last year and then stuck buttons on using my glue gun and drew a line in black pen to make them look like baubles hanging from the top. I'm really happy with them! We also ended up buying 20 James Bond DVD's for £2 each, a photo frame, the Keith Lemon book, a Christmas hits CD (wouldn't be Christmas without one!) and lots of other bits. Charity shops are amazing for gifts! 

Christmas Jumble Sale

Today we went to a car boot sale in Hitchin, we got there a little bit late so some people were packing up but it means most are ready to haggle! In the picture above I got all the candles for £1, some have been used but with a new candle in they will be great! The tin was 50p and full of tiny decorations including this Christmas pudding pin badge which looks great on my tartan scarf! The other decorations I will use to add onto presents and to decorate the chocolate slabs I will be making tomorrow! I also got a cream coloured blazer for £1, it has no label but its got a nice fit and will be smart especially for next year when I will be having interviews for placements. My last buy was a mug from Whittards with little scottie dogs for £1 on that I have filled with homemade dog treats as a gift for the dog (pets have Christmas too!)

The last two weeks!

Its been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything on here and lots has happened since then! The first week I mainly spent at home, I was feeling quite ill with stomach pains and got very tired. We went out for a big meal where I had my first glass of Gin in over 2 months and lamb for dinner. The next day I felt awful but looking back I think maybe I ate too much of the wrong thing, I don't want to blame the Gin! My Christmas spirit was completely going but luckily I planned a trip to Coventry to stay at my University house and that has put me in a better mood! The Tuesday I went to my course Christmas party where I wore my new Jones and Jones dress, It was really good and I drunk a bit there and felt fine the next day. Here's a picture from the night, not very good but you get the idea (i'm on the right)!

Pamper Hamper

I have spent today doing some more making and wrapping for Christmas and decided to do something about the Pamper Hamper I mentioned in another post. The whole thing including the box cost me about £3.75 which I'm pretty happy with as it looks a lot more! 
The box contains the soaps I got from the jumble sale and nail varnishes with cuticle sticks and files from M&S that came in a huge gift box. I won these on a tombola along with a turquoise scarf that will make a good present for my Nan. I've added 2 shell candles which you can see how to make in a previous post!

The other picture is the smaller items added, the bracelet was from the jumble sale and only cost 25p! I saw one exactly like it in boots for £4 so that was a good find. The photo frame came as a pair that I found in a charity shop with the label still on saying £8 just for that one and £12 for the other! I paid a pound for this one and the other will go as part of another present. The little heart I made loads of last year with some left over fabric, they cost virtually nothing but if you spray some perfume on they hold the smell well and make nice smell hearts to be hung on a draw or a door knob. 
I would quite like to receive this as a gift so I hope the person receiving it like it! 

Gin and Lemonade

If any of you know me personally then you might know that my drink of choice is a gin and lemonade (or just shots of whisky if I'm not quite drunk enough!) however since getting ill I haven't drunk at all and I'm starting to miss it a little bit! At the moment while I'm living at home its fine as I rarely leave the house let alone get an opportunity for a night out, but next Monday I will be going back to Coventry for two events where I would like to drink! Usually it takes me quite awhile to get a bit tiddly but I'm expecting that after not drinking for over 3 months and losing a stone will probably make me a lightweight! 
I have had a look online and there's a lot of information about drinking with Crohns, generally saying its a bad idea as it makes symptoms worse. Sometimes I've found that the symptoms of Crohns are like a bad hangover anyway (I never get a headache!) so this doesn't affect me too much. However some people have found they are fine with certain types like clear alcohols such as vodka. I've never been a big beer or wine drinker, I only enjoy the occasional cider when its hot so that works for me! I'm hoping that also counts for gin but I'm not sure about the lemonade as I've been told to avoid fizzy drinks as they can also irritate me. So, I have decided tonight to test out a nice glass of gin and lemonade after putting the Christmas decorations up and then seeing what happens... wish me luck! 

Jumble Sale!

Today I went to the jumble sale down the road with Izz to raise money for help for heroes. We weren't expecting much as I live in a small village but actually it was quite busy! There were a few stalls, mainly books and cuddly toys but I did manage to find some bargains which I've taken pictures of. 
The first picture is a small cardboard suitcase with a floral pattern that I bought for 20p!
Im really pleased with that as these boxes usually sell for at least £7. I'm going to use it as a hamper for some bits for someone including the soaps in the next picture which were also 20p! With a couple of the shell candles and some smellies it will make a great girly present!
The jumper I saw behind the table in a bag of bits that hadn't been put out yet but the pattern caught my eye. Its always worth asking about things like that as you could find something that they have missed! It cost me 50p but its so warm and cosy and looks good with leggings for the winter.
The two books were 50p and 20p and are 'The Zombie Survival Guide' and 'Fatherland'. The zombie book I bought for my cousin as a little Christmas gift as we always joke about what we would do if we were in an apocalypse! I think I will make a survival hamper as a present for her and her fiance for Christmas. The other book reminded me of my Dad (which sounds terrible as its about Hitler) but he is interested in history and it looks like a good read!
The bag I probably didn't need as I seem to collect these satchel type bags but for £1 I couldn't resist. Its a great vintage bag with lots of space inside. Along with that I also bought a navy leather belt with a little gold boat on it for 50p and a bracelet with a dragonfly on for 25p! 
We finished it all off with a lovely cupcake and entered the raffle to win a bottle of champers, hope we win! 

1st December!

This is my advent calender, it's nearly Christmas!

Wrapping Presents

Today I spent the day making and wrapping some presents so I thought I would share how I wrapped some of them. The square shaped objects are simple so I used a brown paper from Wilkinsons covered by a clear wrap, one has little white balls of snow and the other is gold stars, these were ordered of the internet! The tags I got from Poundland as they go really nicely with the brown paper and add some colour. The baubles were found in a charity shop for 10p so I stocked up! I think they look great and are a good alternative to just a bow.

The best part is they are for my dad and brother so they will give them back after! 

For small or odd shaped gifts I find it better to put them in something first which is what I have done with these crackers made from toilet rolls. I have filled them with little presents like lip glosses, nail varnish and bracelets. To make them I wrapped the roll in brown paper and taped the inside, I then stuffed one end with red tissue paper and cut the clear wrap to size. The letters I traced on my laptop and then cut them out of the newspaper and outlined them with a red pen. I tied one end with red ribbon and then added the gifts and some Christmas confetti and secured the other end with ribbon. They are very fiddly but good if you have lots of bits lying around that you could use because they are so simple and look great! 

Shell Candles

These shell candles are one of my Christmas crafts, I am planning on giving them away as gifts for the ladies in my family as most of them are quite girly! I already had the wax pellets left over from a previous craft where I made teacup candles. One thing I learnt from those is that the wick sustainers are really important in keeping the wick in place! I think the wax cost me around £6 and out of that I made 3 small teacups and 8 shell candles so it was good value for money. The shells are actually scallop shells that I washed and sterilised. We ate the scallops but you could ask at the supermarket if they had any shells they were throwing away, there are lots of crafts that could be done with them! To make the candles I fixed the wicks to the sustainers and put them in the right place on the shell. I then used a double boiler (one pan of boiling water with a smaller pan over the top) and added the wax pellets, stirring until they were fulling melted. After taking it off the heat I added a few drops of vanilla room fragrance and poured the wax into the shells. They set very quickly especially in a cold house but its helpful to stir them occasionally to get rid of any bubbles. This time I completely forgot but they have turned out okay, a very cheap but good looking Christmas gift!

Chocolate Slab take one!

This is my first attempt at the Chocolate Slab for Christmas! I've planned on making a couple for members of my family and maybe just to have as a spare gift in case I've forgotten anyone! This slab was made using Tesco chocolate which was 37p per 100g bar. For this slab I used 2 bars of each but I will use a quality chocolate for the presents! When it came to melting the chocolate I used a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water but definitely had it far too hot with too much water as the chocolate melted too quickly and almost burnt. I had to use milk in both chocolates to get them back to the smooth consistency to pour into the tin which I lined with cling fling. Once in the tin I used a broken crunchie bar on the white side and white chocolate buttons on the darker side. Overall i'm pretty happy with how it looks but it doesn't have that snap that chocolate bars are meant to have and that's because I didn't temper the chocolate. I've bought a thermometer now so when it's delivered I will have to have another go. For now i'm happy making my way through this one!