sally_in_wales
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Thingmas ProjectsIn deferance to those who prefer not to hear the C word until December is well underway, but recognising that high summer is a good time to put a few choice gifts by for the midwinter festivities in all their diversity, heres a thread for ideas or underway projects
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sally_in_wales
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A couple of random ideas to start things off:
Socks etc knitted now will be one less hassle come present wrapping time!
Soap washballs made with grated plain soap and a selection of interesting fillers (lavender, oatmeal, essential oils etc etc) are great presents for children to make for aunties, grannies etc. Make them no later than teh start of December to have them really dried out and wrappable in time. Try soap-on-a-rope with the soap paste too. Christmas pudding soaps can be made with a little grated citrus zest and a very very small pinch of spice powders, you don't need much, just enough to make things speckly. Try soap eggs for the chicken keeper in your life, or press herbal soap paste into a small flowerpot, tip out to dry, then pack in a same sized clay flowerpot for a gardeners soap and dish
Lavender bags are also easily made at this time of year, plus you can store them in bulk (in a bag to keep them tidy)in your laundry until its time to wrap them up! Bonus!
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sally_in_wales
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Another idea that goes down well with smaller girls and boys is a peg doll kit. Drill a hole in the dolly pegs to take the pipecleaner arms, and paint on the head, shoes and maybe underwear as prettily as you can (the kids seem to find it hilarious if their peg doll has vest and pants on  ), then put several prepared pegs in a nice bag with the pipecleaners and felt or fabric cut to a sensible size, ribbons and other small accessories. They can leap straight in with adding the arms and winding fabric round the dolls when they open the present, but its a nice project to sit down with them and cut, sew/glue and generally make clothing when the post party blues hit a few days later and you want something calm to do.
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Stacey
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Talking about Thingmas before August? Unthinkable!
Great ideas Sally - particularly love the christmas pudding soap idea. You're right about socks being pain. I made socks for my stepdad last christmas, well actualy he got one sock for christmas and another for his birthday at the end of january as I didn't leave myself enough time
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moongoddess
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inspiring!
Do you have any photos of some peg dolls kits you have made - just to get my creative juices flowing?
I like making lavender wands this time of year; my octogenarian friends love them as Christmas presents.
I also keep a stash of dd's artwork for making into tags / cards and as an extra 'present' when using as wrapping paper.
It does seem far too hot to be thinking about Christmas, but it's amazing how quickly it creeps up on us 
mg x
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Penny
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We're already planning for thingytide in the shop  Chutney goes down well with my rellies.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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we're starting to think about hampers. I've got material and lavender for bags and we've started to look through our photos to see if what sort of wintery pictures would make good Thingymas cards.
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sean
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| Penny wrote: | | Chutney goes down well with my rellies. |
Is it wise to post about your cannibalism in open forum?
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Penny
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| sean wrote: | | Penny wrote: | | Chutney goes down well with my rellies. |
Is it wise to post about your cannibalism in open forum? |
 I know it's harsh in the season of goodwill and all that, but what else do you do with them...they keep breeding, and marrying and stuff, and then expect to be bought presents 
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Thriftycook
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Just got back from the farmshop with wet walnuts.
Now is THE time to pickle walnuts for thingmas to eat with Stilton and cold meat.
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Stacey
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| Penny wrote: | | sean wrote: | | Penny wrote: | | Chutney goes down well with my rellies. |
Is it wise to post about your cannibalism in open forum? |
I know it's harsh in the season of goodwill and all that, but what else do you do with them...they keep breeding, and marrying and stuff, and then expect to be bought presents |
And it's cheaper than turkey. I can't see the problem as long as they've been reared ethically 
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sean
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It's important to avoid distressing them by despatching them yourself if possible. Failing that, try to find a small local abattoir.
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ziggy searchfield
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| sean wrote: | | Penny wrote: | | Chutney goes down well with my rellies. |
Is it wise to post about your cannibalism in open forum? |
ROFLMAO
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ziggy searchfield
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stopped giggling now,
my sister in law made me a very oily preserve involving, sun dried tomatoes, ceps & some other unidentifyable ingeredients for thingmas a few years back, she flavored it with truffles & kept it 6 months before giving it, it was fantastic.
its no good thinking of flavored oils 2 weeks before thing mass.
smoked fish preserved in oil is a good thing too.
how bout daisy capers, pick loads of daisy flowers early in the morn before the sun comes up & pack them in sea salt.
when was the last time you got a jar of those for christmas ?
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sally_in_wales
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| ziggy searchfield wrote: |
how bout daisy capers, pick loads of daisy flowers early in the morn before the sun comes up & pack them in sea salt.
when was the last time you got a jar of those for christmas ? |
Never tried those, sounds like a fab idea
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biker311_southwales
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log makers check my website for instructions on building a dry paper log maker and the useful as ever paper mashe log maker (I know it's probably spelt wrong but that's me..)
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pink bouncy
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I'd love to but you forgot your WWW when you registered. 
Welcome to downsizer BTW.
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