I love garage sales (this weekend I got 12 items of clothing including a bath robe for $21) but I do not love getting to garage sales at the published start-time to find all the good stuff has been snapped up by the early birds. As online auction prices rise think about returning to the […]
I bought two inexpensive pillowcases and have just finished embroidering a design on them. With the addition of a bit of lace, I have some pretty, personalised pillow cases for a Christmas present. I did the same with a plain tablecloth, which I found at an op’ shop, but this time I used fabric paint […]
Buy a cheap ($7) bunch of flowers from the supermarket; take it home, carefully undo it, and add flowers, ivy, small berry branches from your garden to the outside of the bunch. Wrap it again in the paper it came in with maybe a ribbon. You will end up with a spectacular bouquet that looks […]
For years I have been making gifts for my family and getting ideas from others. these include; oven gloves, pot-plants, photo frames (either make your own or do up an old one from a garage sale or second hand shop, with a nice family photo in it), homemade body or cleaning products (good ideas in […]
I think the only way to prepare for each Xmas is to put some money away each week, fortnight or whatever and try NOT to use it during the year. It makes things so much easier and not so stressful. Buy presents during the year but it this doesn’t happen put a limit on each […]
I have a lot of soap pieces that I keep during the year. I render them down in an old pot, when it’s a bit cooler add petals from your garden, even pieces of orange peel, apple peel, lavender flowers, even use your old perfume. Use cookie cutters [$2 shop] stand on waxed paper, and […]
Save as much money as you can using your supermarket Christmas Club. When Christmas time comes around you can use your club money to do the usual shopping, saving your usual shopping money to spend at other retailers. Also buy non perishable goods (soap, detergent, foil, loo paper, rubbish bags, stuff that you won’t be […]
I have recently been trawling galas, garage sales and op shops for Christmas pressies for the kids. You can buy fantastic gifts at very reasonable prices. I have bought all my nieces and nephews puzzles and games of their favourite cartoon characters for 20c each and they are still in almost new condition. My nieces […]
We have decided this is the best way to go this Christmas. I have made beach bags for my Grand daughter. Cost nothing as I have material scraps at home. As they are teenagers have included an inexpensive hair bush, lippy hair grip and mascara. One granddaughter has made an apron for mom and painted […]
My three year old has been very busy all year making Christmas gifts. We bake and freeze throughout the year and save our large tin cans for him to paint and pop plants into them for the gardeners in the family. We also make him decorate all our labels (for homebrew and chutneys) and because […]