Thread 4 - a 6 foot giraffe?! Her name is Melvin

[Reastie]

Just a reminder you can watch the thread by clicking on ‘watch this thread’ at the top of the first message. It’s much easier for everyone than so many place marking every time which can use up a fair chunk of each thread to scroll through

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@GreatBritishbakeofffan Sure I'm
just figuring out how to PM

Lidl’s mini stollen is faulty again this year
I definitely bought 3 full boxes and by the time I got home there were only 2 full boxes and a box full of crumbs...

@LittleMousewithcloggson I hate the way stollen does that. Vanishes into thin air before December is even here.

Mini-stollen. Liebkuken.

I'm already out of the door. Bye 😁

I caved and bought the Spode

These bags are fantastic & a great alternative to the expensive kancan ones. My daughter loves her and the quality is fantastic. I have a hat too 😍

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/699491753/adventurer-twin-handle-rolltop-backpack?ref=shop_home_active_4&frs=1

I have also caved with the spode set. Paid an extra pound for next day delivery too. Can't wait for it to come!

L'Occitane

Free 5 piece gift when you spend £55

Code: PROVENCE

Whittard of Chelsea have released their Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar with free next day UK delivery

@GreatBritishbakeofffan I can't figure out how to pm on the app but I can put the link here if I'm allowed. They are not in the original bottles but are not fakes just bought from the same company. When I write that on here I get all the usual comments but you can look for yourself.

Does anyone know if the birch boxes are any good? I keep getting adverts for them and it seems a good way to get some stocking fillers and bits for myself but am wondering if the quality of brands etc is as good as in the pictures. Thanks [santa]

@coffeetofunction those bags are gorgeous! I’d love one but I’m always worried someone will dip their hand into a backpack :(

Up to 70% off sale at paperchase - quite a few stocking filler bits and bargains to be had.

I don’t know if anyone has linked this site yet www.clearanceshed.co.uk/ but it’s worth a look. They’ve got lots of Moleskine notebooks at the moment (under arts and crafts) and all kinds of toys and stocking fillers at bargain prices. There’s no rhyme or reason as to how the categories are sorted, so it’s worth looking through every page to see what’s there. Free p and p with over £30 spend.

Wireless speaker down to £7.99 on amazon lightening deals. https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B077SHH27K/ref=gbmg_mob_s-5_766b_6dab64a0?smid=A3108QBFCDGHS1&dealid=6dab64a0&pf_rd_p=51115b45-fd90-48ba-947b-281d30c9766b&pf_rd_s=slot-5&pf_rd_t=35801&pf_rd_i=18&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=SJMZM5D08TJ72QDJYKRQ I hope that works!

I don't understand the Spode craze... will someone fill me in?

Sorry that link didn't work. Search for Betron A3 Bluetooth wireless speaker on amazon.

Louise5754 I don't think you can private message on the app 😞
I'm not sure if your allowed to post the link on here or not, if it's not illegal it must be ok right? 🤷‍♀️

Joules wellibob

Hoping this may help someone. Joules wellibob, only an adult size 5 left reduced down to £16.95 from £40. I’m wearing mine today and they’re so comfy! I paid £25 for mine and was happy at that price, these ones are even cheaper! Tempted to get these ones too but I don’t need two pairs of wellies

Thank you Cup. Just got one for my ds. Hadn’t thought of getting him one before but will be a great gift

If you are buying backpacks or day bags, please consider www.madlug.com/collections/daypacks. Madlug is a social enterprise and for every bag they sell they give a bag to a child in care. Often children in care are removed from their homes quickly and their belongings are transported in bin bags. Madlug gifted bags are unbranded and allow children to move their belongings with dignity. Thank you.

@Courtney555 If you’re looking for ribbons you can get 500m of the 5mm wide balloon ribbon from Hobbycraft for £2 in lots of different colours and no postage if you’re there anyway.

If you want more colours check out eBay and Amazon - they have similar price and more variety but there are some people that charge £6/roll so you need to wade through the listings as they are the people that tend to list it from 99p when that’s just for a 10m piece.

Normal rolls of 20m tend to cost about £2 in the shops anyway so it’s as cheap to order the big rolls and use at them.

I’ve made great door decorations over the years - mix of red and silver baubles and ribbons, big bunches with the ribbons loosely twizzled and baubles at them ends of some, ending at different heights. I made 12 (so had one on either side of each door), they come out each year and every year I get compliments on them and the whole lot cost less than a pound plus I still had loads of baubles and ribbon left.

Got parcels you can do something similar but make the curls tighter and use tiny baubles or jingle bells or even silver Christmas charms (cheap on eBay) and have a big mopse of shimmering curls and jingles and little decorations.

You can also get the wide florists tape on eBay and at Hobbycraft for a couple of pounds for a 50mm wide roll. Great for making pig curls and bows, and mixing colours or combining with the thin ribbon to make presents look great really easily (eg having a wide ribbon around a parcel in red with three thin bands on top in silver. Or blue and gold. Or red and green. Or gold and silver and white and so on... Maybe some of the pre-cut dabs of double sided sticky tapes for ease (I use old fashioned double sided photo mounts which are effectively the same thing but without the crafting mark up and fancy box).

Another thing you can do is to get a stamp and sealing wax - either just as decoration or to seal the ribbons underneath it.

@Gustavo1 They can be pretty good if you find an offer code, you have to fill out things like your skin type & hair colour but it's still a very random selection of items, like maybe an eyeshadow in a weird colour or shampoo that doesn't match your hair.

Has anyone found one of the Harry Potter advent trains in Primark yet? I'm desperate to find one but three stores later & I'm still empty handed🤷🏼‍♀️

Do people have a preference over nice shaving kits? Think I'll get DH a trial for his birthday, thinking either cornerstone or harry's. I've seen a referral for cornerstone over on the thread but I seem to remember a lot of people got them last year - are they still going strong?

@GreatBritishbakeofffan no not illegal