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Weekly Challenge Thread (New one, can't find old one ????)

692 replies

Tillyboo · 11/10/2007 17:51

I don't know what's going on but this is the third post I've tried. If this fails I'm going to give up.

Anyway, I can't seem to find the old thread for some reason, my laptop is doing funny things so maybe it's at my end?

Anyway, I cannot see what you all have achieved so far this week but here is my blog with what I have done or you can have a peep in my profile but the pictures are quite diddy

OP posts:
Merrydian · 06/12/2007 12:55

Ihave done sod all all week.. well I made cookies so it wasn't all bad ... I have tried knitting two scarfs one for my mom one for my MIL and have ripped them both out about 3 times each becuse it just wasn't going well at all. going to try to do the orange slice drying in oven ornement thing later and promised ds we would make some clothes peg people or put the x-mas lights up.

what do you think of the idea of a layered brownie mix gift jar? as a gift obviously and nicely decorated.. I told DH that I was going to do one for a friend as I thought it was a nice idea and he thought I was mad.. truthfully i probably am a bit mad but thats another story.

GreebosWhiskers · 06/12/2007 13:09

Merrydian the brownie mix sounds like a fab gift. It's the kind of thing I (as a terrible cook/baker) would love to get. Exactly how do you do the orange-drying thing?

Merrydian · 06/12/2007 13:22

greebos- i got the following from some site somewhere but was just gonna have a go later tonight i think.

Drying Orange Slices

Drying your own orange slices is quite easy and is a wonderful addition to potpourri, wreaths and garland for the coming holiday season.
You usually are able to cut 12 slices from an orange

Choose fruit that is in good condition and not too ripe

Cut each roange crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

Place slices between paper towels and remove as much moisture as possible

Spray a cookie sheet with non stick vegetable spray ( oranges contain alot of sugar and have a tendency to get sticky making them stick to the pan) and place the orange slices in a single layer, do not let any of them touch

Dry in a 150 degree oven for approxiamately 6 hours. Check every 1/2 hour. If the fruit appears to be turning brown the oven is too hot. Shut off for 15 minutes and start again. Turn fruit over if the edges appear to be curling

When dry the fruit slices should be pliable

there is this

I was going to try them with soem ribbon and hang them on the tree, when I can find the tree stand that is. I think i will just try on some racks or the oven shelves... we will see.

Whizzz · 06/12/2007 14:40

Well here are some pics but they are rubbish as they were not taken in natural light!
gemstone latest

dizzyday07 · 06/12/2007 15:22

I've been a bit busy so decided to see how well I've done against my last list!!

  • 6 x Bunting - still to do
  • 3 x duvet sets - DONE
  • 4 x Buggy blankets - 2 DONE 2 still to do
  • 3 x Present sacks - DONE
  • Fabric Advent Calender - DONE
  • 2 x Taggie Cushions - DONE
  • A nurses outfit - still to do
  • A paramedic outfit - still to do
  • Some bedding for a doll - DONE
  • One of those drawstring playmats from the blog - still to do
  • Shorten some curtains - DONE

Added to the original list were:

  • 4 x Cushion Covers for GW - DONE (posting tomorrow)
  • 5 x Duvet Sets - still to do
  • 3 x Cushion Covers - still to do
  • Personalised Tea Towel - still to do

I digressed a little and made some velour scarfs for Xmas presents plus some little girls reversible bags which I've put on my blog

lucykate · 06/12/2007 20:40

looks like we have another a&c baby, nbg has popped

WeWhizzzYouAMerryXmas · 06/12/2007 20:45

YEAH ! Congrats

jeangenie · 06/12/2007 21:56

fantastic - congrats NBG!!!
(thank sfor the link to those photos whizz - gorgeous stuff)

Merrydian · 07/12/2007 09:07

congrats NBG!

off to Lincoln Christmas Market this afternoon, should be fun as long as the weather holds...

attempting to organize yarn stash... and tidy out all my paints and things in prepreration for sorting out x-mas tree and going into x-mas mode.

lucykate · 07/12/2007 09:32

we went to the christmas market there last year, despite growing up near liverpool i was actually born in lincoln. love the food stalls, mulled wine and mushy peas

if you get time, go in the cathedral and see if you can find the imp!

dressedupnowheretogotilxmas · 07/12/2007 09:41

whizz i just bought some blue goldstone its fab

finished nbg's ds1 jacket now its so nice i dont want to give it her got make haste on her nappy bag now and her baby blanket

what was the challenge this time by the way ?????

Merrydian · 07/12/2007 09:57

lucy- been a few times.. have to watch out for dh getting into the mulled cider from one of the stalls, its freekin lethal and hits like a ton of bricks i love the cheese stalls, and some of the craft stalls, i'm hoping to find some nice christmasy ribbon.. on and there is a little shop that has georgeous marmite bread.. not looked for the imp before though..

Gingermonkey · 07/12/2007 11:05

Congrats NBG!!!!

Dizzy - thank you - you are an angel (with a hugely long list, and now I will leave you alone!)

Whizzz - love them!

Merrydian - Can I be your friend if that's what you are giving as presents????

Now I have to go and get ready for school christmas fair (yes, another one, yes I am a fool). Got about 3 hours sleep last night as my very whiney nephew stayed....but did not sleep (he whined in his cot all night - and I am not tolerent of whining!). I ended up driving about this morning at 3am trying to get him back to sleep. He woke up DD and DS and DH and I am the most grumpy auntie ever today!!! In the end I took him to his house, got into bed there and ignored him, he did settle eventually, then went home at 6.30am to get my own (very grumpy) children ready for school/nursery. Now I have dropped him off at MIL's, after ranting for an hour about my inconsiderate brother in law booking to go away (TO CANADA!) for 5 days without checking who was around to babysit (Or thinking it might be nice to go with his wife and son and not just other couples???). GRRRRRRRR!!!!! Ooops, I'm ranting again - sorry!!! AND AND AND - I forgot, my FIL had a go the other day when I said I couldn't have him for 2 nights because he isnt an easy baby and it was unfair on my own DCs that DH and me were being deliberately awkward and upsetting MIL. What about inconsiderate BIL???? Was he not deliberately awkward? Oh dear, I will go and I will shut up now

lucykate · 07/12/2007 11:10

good grief, what a night that sounds like gm, how old is your nephew? only little if he's still in a cot, sounds like the poor lad may be a bit miffed at being left behind!

Gingermonkey · 07/12/2007 13:05

He's one (and in his mother's words - quite difficult and demanding). My poor DCs have to fend for themselves most of the time - I'm far too busy with important MNing and blogging and sewing to be feeding them, lol!! My DD was quite a demanding child when she was a toddler, but this morning I said to her 'I take it back G, you were an angel compared to your cousin!' She went off to school this mornng looking like she was still asleep, and she has a disco until 9pm tonight (I think she might be asleep in the corner by the end of it!!! ).

Right - must go and get sorted. This damn computer sucks me in whenever I walk past it!!!

lucykate · 07/12/2007 13:24

my dd is nearly 6 and is soooooo tired atm it's untrue, think it's all the rehearsals for the play next week, it's the dress rehearsal today for the older kids to watch, she's going to be hanging by pick up time.

i have finally got round to ordering some name labels for my handmade stuff, been meaning to do that for ages. the last lot i had done was about 15 years ago so very out of date. next things on my list are moo cards and some books, can you tell i've been paid for some work??

placed a naughty boden order the other night too

GreebosWhiskers · 07/12/2007 14:22

Congrats to nbg She won a prize in my draw too but I won't expect her to be emailing me her address any time soon lol.

GingerMonkey it sounds as though your nephew is a nightmare (and your bil is a git very thoughtless person). If it's okay with you I'm gonna mail out your prize on Monday - I went bowling last with the mums from toddlers & much wine was consumed. I don't feel too clever today & bits & pieces are starting to come back. I missed the damn pins with both balls 3 times in a row then got a strike

I have done practically nothing this week.

I now have a few nice names for my etsy shop but can't decide which to choose Looks like Mhara's hat's going to be coming into play again.

I have done nothing with my marie claire bag except use it so consequently it's filthy (it's been hanging on the buggy & rubbing against the wheels).

I have started dh's old gregg but haven't got very far & I tore my thumbnail right down past the quick last night so that's crocheting ruled out for a couple of days.

On the plus side the house isn't quite so much of a howk as it was last week, I got all my mn secret santa parcels mailed & I finally started my xmas shopping I bought a big storage box covered with cross-eyed kittens for dd2 & 20 balls of dk wool in 5 different colours & a big lucky dip bag of buttons to put in it along with some stitch markers & a knitting book. She totally takes after me so I suspect she'll love it.

GreebosWhiskers · 07/12/2007 14:25

Aaaarrrrgh! Just remembered the ball slipping out of my hand on the back-swing last night & me scuttling into the crowd after it

The shame!

I'm not going to toddlers on Monday.

2sugars · 07/12/2007 15:12

Can I join in? You lot all sound fab.

I just wish I'd started stuff for our school craft fair back in August!!!

Just wanted to add re drying out orange slices - don't use paper towels - use an old towel or two and rotate. Step on them and put in the oven as described.

Now, if anyone's got an idea about how to dry WHOLE oranges, I'd be very, very grateful!!!

2sugars · 07/12/2007 15:14

Also,does anyone know how/what you have to do to get access to a wholesaler? Do lots of stuff for church and school, but retail prices really are crippling.

dressedupnowheretogotilxmas · 07/12/2007 15:42

grebo i have nbg's address if you want it

WeWhizzzYouAMerryXmas · 07/12/2007 15:49

2sugars - what sort of stuff do you need in bulk ?? If you are cheeky, you may be able to negotiate bulk prices with stores ?? The wholesalers I have seen, usually only just want a gurantee of a minimum order for you to 'qualify' to buy from them

LUCYKateallthemincepies · 07/12/2007 16:09

what sort of materials do you use?, there is a place near me called restore that stocks left overs from industry at discount prices, eg, paint, foam, paper,fabric etc, they tend to supply art clubs and schools but you can pay a one off fee, i think it's about £12, and basically you can fill one trolley for that.

LUCYKateallthemincepies · 07/12/2007 16:13

here this one's in peterborough, but i'm sure there must be other places like this up and down the country

jeangenie · 07/12/2007 19:35

Hi guys (and welcome 2sugars)
could one of you nice laydees please try to leave a comment on my blog and let me know what happens - I got an email from someone who had tried to leave one earlier but couldn't (it was the person that I had mentioned in today's entry so would have been nice to have her leave a comment too)

thank you