FN's Ponstastic Christmas Thread part Trois....

[FellatioNelson]

....will be officially open for business on September 24th. I am just firing up the engines and dusting down the control room ready for action in case I forget to do it on the 24th

Do not post yet. Do not. Sit on your hands, ladies.

On your marks........................

There is a huge Tesco opposite work but I never go in...I will pop in on my break sometime next week and have a look!

Has anyone used iflowers, they've got some stunning Christmas arrangements for those of us less blessed in flower arranging skills I really like the tulips and thistles

Bay grows like a weed in our garden. Have a 40 year old tree that needs a massive prune each year.

If you're prepared to wait a few years you can buy smaller ones and train them into the shape you want, works out much cheaper and you then get the exact shape you want. and it allows you to spend the saved cash on some massively poncey pruning shears

I've just ordered the entire inspector morse book collection from the book people for granny and ordered the hairy bikers christmas book for 5.69

Oh now I want holly trees as well are they likely to survive all year round? I'm not up on gardening really.

We have two holly bushes in our garden, one green and one variegated (green leaves with gold edges.) They do take a few years to grow. Of course they will survive! You should see the ones that grow wild, metres tall. They are evergreen so provide interest all year round.

For standard bays and hollies, garden centres are really expensive, so look at markets and plant nurseries which are cheaper.

Next are doing a pair for £60 - do you think I'll find much better than that?

I was trying to buy Christmas cushions from dunelm mill just now, but the bastards don't have them for home delivery and its a fifty mile round trip to my nearest one

For those of you interested in ribbon, google "simply ribbon" - I've used them before and they always have deals on. They do lovely big bags of off cuts and slightly damaged ribbons for pennies and the one I had was full of really useful bits!

Hurrah Sarah Raven book has arrived! I'm working at the weekend so no time for poncing but I'm really looking forward to sunday night, just me and Downton and Sarah Raven!!

Hope it's cold so I can put the fire on!

Have been to mothers today and one of her neighbours has a beautiful autumn wreath on the door, all golden leaves fruit and berries! I want one!

Also went to check out her hydrangers - mine are shot now, have been battered to bits with the wind this week. SF has been tampering with hers, he has put something down to make them blue, rather than the lovely deep pink they usually grow, and the result is a very wishy washy pale colour. I can't decide if that will still work on a wreath or if I should go for something else?

For people looking for bay/holly have a search online to see if there are any training colleges near by. We have a big college which has a dirt cheap nursery here, and also a very small facility for people with special needs who grow plants and sell them for coppers, they also provide a gardening service for very little too!

I bought a box hedge tree thingy for £7!

mummynoseynora, I'm pleased yoyu like it! I love making lists , just make sure you don't leave the biro next to it and go to put the washing out if you have any little imps around like me!

lindsell I love your christmas bunting idea!!! john lewis should have good fabrics for that.
But can someone pleasetell me what the CK organiser is ?!

John lewis chritmas fabric was really expensive when I looked last week. EBay on the other hand has loads of choice.

I was planning on making apple and cranberry chutney today but I can't seem to find cranberries anywhere, so it might have to be spiced apple chutney instead.

I have to say after receiving Sarah Raven yesterday, I think its a tad too poncy for me. I think if I made a selection of her food for a party and put out a plate of Iceland sausage rolls, the sausage rolls would be first to go.

Yes voldemort...it is tres poncy.
Some of the recipes look nice.

Have a feeling the Sarah raven book will be too poncey for me too. I don't cook and there's only me and DP here, but I bought it to fit in so I would feel poncey!

Oh...I was going to look in John Lewis next week....
Need some cute pastel polka dot/flowery fabric fro my DNa toy box

I was fully prepared for some poncery this afternoon. Wrapped up DC to collect pine cones and other such items for Christmas decorations. Got to the local park to find the council have chopped down most of the trees.

Typical

In other news I have decided not to bother with Sarah but am liking Nigelka. Waiting for Delia to come from library before I buy

Delia's mincemeat is in the fridge mingling, I managed to get a brandy minature, but that doesn't go in until the last stir before it goes into the jars.

It smells yummy aready.

I had planned to take dd to a local National Trust place to a wreath making workshop in November, but I've just read an email from them to say it's £20 per person rather than per wreath or per family, I've just paid about £95 to renew the membership so I'm feeling that's a bit much.

I think we'll buy a basic one and decorate it ourselves instead, I'm sure I can find an on-line tutorial.

Michael Miller does the best fabric ever , loads of Christmas designs and you can often get fat qtrs on EBay.

The foraging here this year (Suffolk) is pitiful. The fruit trees have produced next to nothing and the blackberries are beyond rank. I haven't checked the sloe's out yet though.

Will check that out iltmimi thanks x

Oh yes some of the fabric I've got for making my Christmas stockings is Michael Miller. I posted a link up thread.

I've just came back from the garden centre with some White Christmas burning oil for my poncy Fragrance Lamp db bought me last Christmas.

They also had potted normandon fir trees for under 50 pound. I'm very tempted to buy one now and keep it on the garden until Christmas. I'm sure the price will jump up come November. The only problem is, I mentioned it to scrooge dh who quickly told me we had a tree in the loft and he doesn't like real ones. I should have just bought it without saying anything and let it magically appear with the rest of the decorations. Now ill have to be more
crafty :o

I've also picked up some dried cranberries for my chutney. I'm sure they will be fine. After all I was considering substituting them for raisins anyway.

Have planted hyacinths(may be too late)

Have booked onto national trust Christmas wreath making workshop!

Wow, I can't keep up with how fast this thread moves!

Now that I have moved, I have a front garden so can get a couple of holly bushes. We have ivy growing in the back garden but it's going to have to go (am a childminder, and it's poisonous!)

I have a beautiful rag wreath that DS made last year. I can highly recommend making one. We used dark greens and red and a little gold, and it looks very poncey!

One thing I do need to make is a stocking for DD (who is due to arrive in 12 days!). I have a stash of christmas fabric but DS has a gorgeous (huge) stocking that is far better than I could make. Am worried that next to each other they will look too mis-matched. I need two little ones for DH and I as well.

Thanks iliketo some of those Michael miller fabrics are gorgeous - will check out eBay. Shame they don't have a store in the Uk

You are inspiring me to make Xmas bunting. Have never made bunting before but going to visit my mum next month for a week and she has a sewing machine.
Can anyone recommend a pattern for a beginner?

www.housetohome.co.uk/articles/How_to_make_bunting_395603.html or alternately cut two triangles and sew them together for double sided bunting. Easy peasy

Thanks MrsTwinks
Am perusing eBay now although am looking forward to pouncing about fabric shops looking for just the right fabrics ;)
I love the Michael Miller fabric but bet you can only get in posh shops round here

Loads to read, keep forgetting all the good ideas. I want a Christmas organiser...

I want to use multi coloured lights on the tree. Does this get me banned from the thread? I dont own any Sarah Raven books either.

Theres bugger all sloes in our woods this year! Neither were there elderberries. And chestnuts looking v poor, I feel a bit guilty about foraging when the birds will need it but I love sloe gin