Would you believe of all things today I have been Christmas Planning!

I belong to a particularly lovely and festive little group called 'Organised Christmas Elves' 

Their aim is to help you organise yourself through the year so that come the time you can sit back and relax rather than worry about what you have and haven’t done!

They cover everything from organising your home to sorting out your christmas card list. As well as sharing with you some of our family traditions, likes, makes and bakes.

Anyway they are a lovely little UK based site but do have several overseas members too and all new members are very welcome to drop by and share ideas.

All new members are welcome if you fancy a bit of festive nostalgia all year through. 

x

Pay It Forward

So recently I have been hearing from all my friends who are struggling, stressed, in financial difficulty and I've been sat wondering how on earth I can help them out in any little way.....

I'm not a financially rich person at all but I do know my ability to save money, craft and make the most of what I have to the point I am happy with my lot, what I own and know the only way I could ever improve on anything is through my own sheer stubbornness, drive and determination. 

I have been a keen believer of paying it forward for several years and have helped people, individuals, family etc in my own little ways as and when I can. Even if comes down to putting 40p in my till at work myself because an OAP doesn't quite have enough for that reduced loaf of bread and his milk. I'm happy to do it to help them. 

Recently though there are several people in my life who really need help and I have been trying my best to think of ways to help and support them with the notion that they Pay It Forward afterwards but it really is down to their character that I have chosen my two who I think really need it as the others are 'takers' and not 'givers'. 

My Best Friend 'R' has been struggling to support her mother, since we left school she has worked a full time job, paid all the bills, ran the household etc and is currently in so much debt that her wages barely cover their living cost and her credit card is almost maxed out despite her working all the over time she can get and she's not the type to slack off. Her mum however has been out of work for 10 years and has had no luck getting another job. I know her and her mum struggle to feed themselves and they do a small £20 shop a week and stretch food out so I'm wondering if I did them a small shop and got it delivered to them and then printed off a load of coupons for things like cereal, cleaning products etc that that would help them a little bit financially. 

The second person I want to help is my auntie 'M'. Her husband has just left her with two young children, shes runs a house by herself, has set up her own small cleaning business through her own hard work and dedication but she struggles to make ends meet with the two youngest kids and her eldest daughter has just moved into her first house and is seeking financial help from her. I'm wondering if printing coupons for them both would be a way of helping them both out a bit financially as well as helping my auntie with supplies.

These are my ideas for the two people I intend to pay it forward to. Fingers crossed I can help them both slightly with little things that will make a difference to them. 

x 

Well I have really taken to the good life and have had a productive few days

I have mown the lawn which was a feet in itself as I've never done it before having lived in flats most of my life! But needless to say I am rather impressed with myself - although hitting the red ants nest certainly wasn't pleasant!

I have also planted up four bags of potatoes although later realised I mixed up Charlotte and King Edward potatoes when I chitted them so god knows what's in what bag but we will see and hopefully they will produce nicely

This is my first plot. It has onions, brocolli and lettuce in it. The two pots are Rhubarb at the front and then a tub of blueberries at the back which I will be replanting today.

These are in the greenhouse. So far I have leeks, pumpkins, cucumbers and two types of tomatoes and swede to go in later.

The rest of today will now consist of

• getting plot two up next to plot one and planting in beetroot, spring onions and peas.
• Constructing a few obelisks from bamboo canes and wire for the peas to grow up eventually.
• Planting a big bag to fill with carrots,
• planting blackberries and raspberries
• planting sunflowers for the kids
• repotting blueberries

So I had better get myself sorted and off into the garden

I think I may also change my name to Barbara!

(although the boyfriend wont let me have chickens yet!)

Myself and my little family of Moto GP fanatics are still heartbroken by the sad news that Marco 'Super Sic' Simoncelli has sadly been taken from this world in a motorbike accident.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Marco. Ive no doubt in my heart that you were set to be our champion again and you will be sorely missed by all your fans. You were a true character in the paddock and stole all our hearts with a single smile.

A beautiful man, now a beautiful angel.

RIP Marco 'Super Sic' Simoncelli

x x x x x

God saw that you were hurting
And it was not meant to be,
So he put his arms around you
And whispered,''come to me''.
With tearful eyes we watched you
And saw you pass away,
Although we loved you dearly
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating
Hard working hands at rest
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best

almost extreme couponing....

I have really gotten into this programme. I find it fascinating that these (often) women dedicate so much time to finding, clipping, organising coupons and then looking at sales etc to best plan their use.

I have found a fantastic little group on facebook which has taken this idea on but in the UK and have had some good results so far. Its definitely turned me round to the idea of couponing better.

Myself and a friend, Denise, have both taken up this new challenge. We are both in similiar circumstances and our baby girls Holly and her daughter Lexi are two weeks apart in age.

We have both enjoyed the 'buzz' that getting to a till with a bundle of coupons to help for your shopping and seeing how little you pay can get you.

My first attempt I was very nervous. I had just discovered the group and they had pointed me in the direction of a Honey Shreddies £1 off voucher and then informed me it was on offer in Tesco for......you guessed it.........£1.

So I printed off 9 (we eat a lot of cereal and some for my newly single sister in law) and off I went with Ben in tow as my helper.

We grabbed our 9 boxes and made our way to the till.

The assistant couldnt believe it.

I was amazed.

I came away with several bargains that day and now dont shop with some unless I've checked my coupons, checked the site etc.

These were my bargains for the day

It includes

9 boxes of honey shreddies

4 x Dettol Surface Cleanser

2 boxes of Oats So Simple sachets

4 x 9 toilet rolls

4 x I cant believe its not butter

4 x pampers wipes

Costs should of been

9 Honey Shreddies ~ £9. I had them ALL FREE

4 Dettol ~ £4 (£1 each). I had a 50p off an item coupon so cost me £2

2 Oats so Simple ~ £3. (£1.50 each). I had 50p off an item so £2

Toilet Roll were £1.99 and scanned due to mispricing on BOGOF. So I had them for £3.98 but with a £3.50 Tesco coupon they cost me 48p.

Pampers should of been 99p each. I had 2 x £2 pampers vouchers so they made me 4p.

Total before coupons - £23.94

Total after coupons - £4.48

TOTAL SAVING - £19.46

Most definitely worth it.

x

Getting there slowly.......

Well it has been 2 and a half months since I was last on my blog. How very naughty of me........

well let me firstly apologise and secondly bring you up to speed a bit.

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The house is now finally becoming a home.

Holly's (who is now almost 15 months old) room is decorated. Its currently a Winnie The Pooh theme. The stickarounds, lampshade, curtains and carpet are from Benjamin's old bedroom, her cot bed is second hand from my sister and so are the chest of draws, also her basket with her toys in was a gift hamper I had when she was born.

Benjamins bedroom is almost finished bar a blind for him. His high rise sleeper was gifted to us by Owens parents (this is Josh's bed), Benjamins bed was gifted to us by Owens friend, the shelves were brought in Focus's closing down sale and we brought the border for his room. Everything else Benjamin already had.

The living room is also looking homely but I think it is missing a rug but so far I'm happy with it. Small but snug and bound to be nice and warm come winter. Only other issue I have is I need to get our curtains and curtain rail back up as the old raul plugs decided to give way so currently no curtains only a net there.

And lastly but not least is a before and after of my dining room.

It did look like this (shamefully!)

It now looks like this

Although fingers crossed most of underneath the white table clothed table is full of bike parts etc and behind the bagged clothes is a tool box. Once Owens shed is finished they will all be outside in the shed along with the pushbike to the right of the picture and Hollys trike. Also the blue box that is hidden behind the door (you can just see it) has moved and made way for............

a 171ltr chest freezer. It has taken 2 x £60 shops to fill it to the brim but Im hoping now its full we can live off that until at least the end of November and then do a big shop to see us through December and January in case the bad weather hits us. Also we do still have our fridge with the small box freezer which I have now filled with bread and inside the chest freezer is 6 x 4pts of milk so we are ok for these as well as an abundance of vegetables and meats etc.

So the house is coming together nicely.

Hello all!!

Well it feels like an eternity since I was last on my blog!!

Well so much has happened since May when I last posted.

Firstly, we've moved house!!!! We were finally awarded a council house and we now reside in a lovely 3 bedroomed house in our beautiful little welsh valley. We are also lucky that we have a lovely big garden so I have decided to set my growing skills to the test as well. Well sort of........

my last growing attempt whilst I lived in my flat was unsuccessful somewhat - all my spring onions were stolen and my neighbours dog ate my tomatos!

I have all this and this to play with!

This is the view down my garden, where you can see Owens workshop foundations are being laid,

the second is the small suntrap near my kitchen window and by my back door

which gets sun all morning and shade from about 12.30-1pm.

I have brought a nice six tiered greenhouse to go against the wall on the left.

I have brought a few seeds packets ready but have decided to research things to grow first and spend the rest of this year working on preparation for my growing instead of jumping straight in.

Should add on the picture down my garden behind the big bush! are a pot of rhubarb that I presumed dead but is now thriving which was 20p in the focus sale and have since discovered there is two crowns in one pot so will get him repotted asap into a giant tub i think.

Also next to him (again behind bush) are two strawberry plants that were 25p each from wilkinsons that were sunlight starved and dying - now have one strawberry that's going red on one of them.

In the suntrap picture the pot is a reviving blueberry bush - again from focus for 20p - it was originally a stick in a bucket so glad to see it with a bit of life again!

I am awaiting the arrival of a compost bin too that the council offered relatively cheap as a recycling scheme so that should arrive anyday too.

Fingers crossed I will be able to go ahead with my planting this coming year but can anyone else advise me on things I could be doing in preparation? I haven't really picked out a veg plot yet as im not too sure where to put it as I have two children (7 and 1) and I have a small terrier dog.

I cannot wait to start getting myself more self sufficient. Im hoping to also get a water butt asap too!

Oh and did I mention my new house has a lovely big kitchen diner for my to play in.

Inside the house pictures to follow soon!

x