The Girls Christmas Eve Baskets

 *Please excuse the awful lighting*

I know you've probably seen many christmas eve basket posts from all of us excited mummy's BUT 

This year is the first year I've done the girls a christmas eve basket! 

Last year I left it way to late to make one up so this year I just had to them one each.

The baskets I got from eBay for a bargain price of £6.99 + £1.99 postage, I plan to re use these baskets every year so really worth the price paid.

 

In Daisies basket 

- Frozen mug/cup

- Smarties chocolate Santa

- Frozen busy pack

- Gingerbread man bath bomb

- Reindeer socks

- Reindeer food

- Magic reindeer dust

- Snowman soup

-  Antler headband

- Tube of jellybeans with a reindeer finger puppet

- Christmas book

 

In Issy's basket

- Christmas book

- Reindeer socks

- Smarties chocolate Santa

- Marshmallow lolly

- Antler headband

- The snowqueen book

- Reindeer food

- Magic reindeer dust

- Frozen mug/cup

Gingerbread man bath bomb

- Snowman soup

The Christmas Decoration SALES have started!

 

 Stags/reindeer's £2 each, Star £2, Silver bows £1,Leaf tree decs 5Op,Wooden tree decs 5Op,Pink stag tree dec 75p and Red tree dec 5Op

Yesterday while having my usual wander around wilkos to pass a bit of time before the last school run of the day it was only right that I paid the christmas isle a little visit.

After only being there that morning I didn't expect to find anything different considering I go in there everyday but to my surprise all of their decorations were now 5O% off!!! 

They were amazing prices before that so it would have been rude of me not to grab some wouldn't it?

THEN I popped into ASDA as I had some more time to pass there were those beautiful christmas cards down to £1 it goes without saying that a set of those beauties went straight into my basket! 

I've found myself stalking all shops that sell christmas stuff for any reduced items, I've noticed loads half price on the ASDA website but not many in store yet so be sure to check online first! 

 

 £2.5O
I fell in love with this the first time I saw it but we already had stockings so I never got it but as soon as I saw it was half price it was a sign that it had to come home with me! I'm dying to get my hands on another one to go the other side of my console table.

Bedding set £6 and cards £1 from ASDA

Make it personal with Snapfish

With christmas on the way you can't beat that personal touch for nannys and grandmas, My mums a sucker for a personalized calendar with 4 older brothers she is without a doubt going to end up with a fair few but she still loves them none the less.

On snapfish not only can you get your standard prints done but you can choose from a HUGE range of different things acrylic blocks,mugs,calendars (4 different styles not to mention a choice of sizes too) Christmas tree decorations,photo books,cards,posters,canvas and much more including animated gifts too!
With so much on offer it was so hard to choose what to get but in the end I settled for a calendar each for my mum and Andy's mum, a porcelain mug for my mum and a cheeky present for myself a gorgeous tree decoration.
It's really simple to do, I had a bit of trouble getting it to load the option to get photos from my laptop but got their in the end, to make it easier you also have the option to upload from Facebook too.
My items arrived in 3 separate deliveries but each one arrived one after the other and within 4 days maximum for the last delivery. I'm super pleased with the quality of each of my items.
While showing a friend the pictures I'd got ready for this review, she couldn't wait to get her hands on some for christmas presents this year.

Enjoy the company of that special someone, every time you take a sip 

 With my mum having arthritis in her wrists she struggles to hold a normal mug so as soon as I saw a porcelain one I just had to get her one with one of my favourite photos of her and my dad from when they were younger.

Start a tradition by creating your own collection of photo ornaments and adding to it each year. With a Porcelain star with your choice of photo in the centre.
As soon as I saw the option of having a photo of the girls in a christmas ornament I just had to have one, I'd love to add to my collection with a new picture every christmas of my girls as they grow. Will be on the list to get grandma and nanny one too!

 Share a year of smiles! 
Enjoy your photos every day of the year with a unique photo calendar.
When your a nanny of 12 and a great nanny 6 it's handy to have each of their birthdays jotted down to remember when they all are instead of having to write it down in pen and risk running out of space, Having it already printed in the calendar is perfect!
(Unless I'm doing up your calendar and not only get one of the dates wrong BUT also missing a few daughter in-laws birthdays out)
Snapfish offer 4 different styles of calendar each with a range of sizes and an even wider range of backgrounds to use.

Don't fancy having each birthday printed off? Or have a few birthdays in one day one being your own?
You can pop in a picture of the birthday girl/boy!
My mum not only shares her birthday with two of her sons but they are all born on April fools day I'm promise I'm not early and its not an April fools. So with each of the boys birthdays jotted down as well as a happy birthday message to my mum a picture of her as a little girl in the box just added that special touch!

*I was very kindly sent a voucher code in exchange for an honest review on items I purchased. All opinions are 100% my own

Christmas Decorations £1 & 99p

ALL items were either from poundland, 99p store, wilkos and card factory.
(Christmas throw £5 ASDA)

Yep it's November and all the christmas posts have started so have another :)
It's no secret I LOVE poundland and a good bargain, no christmas would be complete without popping in and buying loads of christmas decorations despite doing the same every year so they really aren't needed!

The minute the christmas bits start showing up in the shops there I am everyday stalking the isle like some kind of grim reaper waiting to spot something new as you've got to be quick, poundland is just like primark you've got to grab it while you see it or it might not be coming back!
This is just the start of what I've managed to grab this year so far minus the 4 tea light holders I really didn't need (I forgot to include them in the photo bundle)
There was another bauble to accompany that lonely little bauble at the back but my darling dog decided she'd eat it -_- 

Have you picked up any bargain christmas decorations this year?

Making Christmas Magical

Magic Reindeer dust 99p from card factory & Santa letter Asda £1

Each year I make sure we do all the little things that make christmas all that more special/magical while the girls still believe!

I'm a sucker for everything being magical but now Issy's older and going up in school she's showing signs of knowing Santa isn't real :( *heartbroken*
Now that she can read when I used the Santa fake call app to get them into bed the night before she done her own detective work the day after and read that it said fake and when she called he didn't talk back, I said it's because he doesn't speak to children before christmas only adults but there is no denying the fake part of the app name, Time for a phone password maybe? Then there the Santa's on the tele aren't real because how did they get in there? Oh to be a child again.

The writing to Santa, Christmas lists, Reindeer food, leaving out a mince pie,milk and a carrot, sprinkling the magic reindeer dust so they know where to land and Santa's special key hung on the door so he can get in,Letters from Santa,Christmas eve boxes this year I'm hoping to get my hands on some christmassy bedding for the girls too.
We do it all! I'm always on the hunt for other little things to make it magical while I can, I'm going to be that mum that's still doing this sort of stuff when my girls are 18 and while they are rolling their eyes and cringing.
 

Is there anything magical you do at christmas time to make it all the more magical?

Tartan VS Pastel Christmas '14

This year I was pretty sure my mind was made up on having our white tree up with tartan decorations, me and the girls wearing tartan dresses for christmas dinner BUT then I imagined a white tree with pastel decorations which also looks gorgeous in my mind! 

I've gone crazy on tartan so it's likely tartan will win the battle but I am thinking of a 3FT white tree somewhere with pastel decorations so I can be naughty and have the two. 

Isn't one of the rules as a woman if you can't decide go with both? As nothing haunts us more then the things we didn't buy etc?

Each of these items can be found on the Wilkos & Asda website apart frim the tartan heart and star tree decorations they are from poundland which I've already grabbed myself.

 

What colour scheme would you go for out of the two?

What colours are you going for this year?

 

A letter from Santa @ Lapland Mailroom

Today we received our amazing letters from laplandmailroom.com

I couldn't wait to dive in (I opened them when little people were around) so it was a quick peek and hide, Once the girls were in bed I jumped straight in and upon opening I very loudly said 'WOW' 

Each letter is honestly beautiful and very nicely presented and will you check out those envelopes how cool are they? 

There's no denying these letters are from the REAL Santa, each letter comes with a 'Nice child certificate' which is FREE for a limited time only with a RRP of £2.95

For an additional £1 you can add a activity pack containing:

- Colouring Santa STOP here sign

- Elf yourself activity sheet

- Colour in christmas card

- Door hanger for little ones bedroom

- Colour and keep christmas tree decoration

There's 4 fabulous letters to choose from, 3 of them suitable for any age and are slightly different for brothers and sisters, they also have a baby's first Christmas letter which makes an amazing keepsake.

Each letter is completely unique to each child, personalised at the time of purchase on laplandmailroom.com with the child's name and address with information that only Santa knows, you can include a best friends name, most wanted present this year AND a personlised message from mum and dad themselves and whats even better they ship worldwide!

I can't wait to see the girls faces on the 1st of December and find these waiting for them in the living room. I'm going to be a regular visitor of laplandmailroom every Christmas for sure, I'm so impressed with the letters there's just no other place to purchase next years letters

Let the magic of Christmas begin....

To get your hands on one of these beautiful letters and make your little ones Christmas pay a visit to laplandmailroom.com
You can also find them on twitter and facebook

*We were very kindly sent these letters in return for an honest review.

The Bodyshop Advent Calendar 2O14

Who doesn't love an advent calendar? Who thought now that your a grown up your not entitled to a advent calendar anymore?

You can countdown to christmas in skin loving style this christmas with the best of the bodyshop advent calendar.

£5O with an RRP worth £83

 

Inside

Almond hand & nail cream 3Oml

Almond nail file

Colour crush nail colour in - relish the moment 6.8ml

Eyeshadow brush

Eye definer black 1g

Frosted cranberry shower gel 6Oml

Frosted cranberry heart soap 25g

Frosted cranberry shimmer lotion 6Oml

Glazed apple heart soap 25g

Glazed apple body lotion 6Oml

Morninga shower gel 6Oml

Honeymania lip balm 1Oml

Moringa body milk 6Oml

Mini crinkle lily

Shea shower cream 6Oml

Shea body butter 5Oml

Strawberry heart soap 25g

Strawberry lip buter 1Oml

Strawberry hand cream 3Oml

Vitamin E moisture cream 3Oml

Vitamin E moisture mask 6ml

Vitamin E nourishing night cream 15ml

Wild argan oil body lotion 6Oml

White musk EDT 1Oml

You can purchase your advent calendar directly from the body shop website but be quick they are selling out fast! 

 

When you purchase a advent calendar from the body shop not only are you in for a treat this christmas BUT it also sends a child to a class!
This holiday season, The Body Shop is teaming up with War Child, the global charity for children affected by war, to grant children the wish of education. Every specially selected gift you buy, no matter how big or small, will enable a child in a country affected by war to attend a class.

Christmas 2O13

This christmas we had our early christmas at Andy's mums on the 21st.
Christmas day we spent the morning at our house opening presents, Me & Andy put together all the ones that needed to be put together while the girls played and then we tucked into our presents.

We had Christmas dinner at my mum & dad's house in the afternoon

and the evening was with the girls playing with their toys while me and Andy sat back and relaxed

Early Christmas 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Santa was good to them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

To all my wonderful blog readers, hope each and every one of you have a wonderful day tomorrow.

Lots of love Me & My little family

My fave places to shop this christmas

I've got myself loads of bargains this Christmas, so I thought I'd share some of them 

with my lovely blog readers.

1 -  SMYTHS

I managed to get a barbie mariposa doll  £14.99 

baby born interactive doll  £26.99

baby born I can swim £19.99

i'll be ordering a few more bits from here this week

2 - The Entertainer 

Lalaloopsy silly hair £19.99

Lala-oopsie little mermaid doll £1O

Mini lala-oopsie mermaid dolls £3 each 

3 - Superdrug

I popped into superdrug the other day just to have a peek and was amazed by the bargains, I left with a bag full. Many items I got mainly bath and body wash sets were £2 & £3

Needless to say I'm heading back there this week for some more.

4 - Wilkinsons

I grabbed a few perfect bargains in wilkinsons this year 

I got a rocking crib - £13

metal shopping trolley £15

wooden sandwich set £7

5 - Asda 

Wooden farm set £2O

wooden cake stand and cakes £9

deluxe set of dolls clothes £6

 6- Ebay 

We can't go leaving ebay out now can we, Ebay has many bargains hiding.

7 - Studio catalogue

Fluffy go walkies £19.99

Washing line set £5.99

Wooden tea set £8.99

Places I'm yet to have a splurge in 

Disney store, ELC and another shop with Smyths & the entertainer 

I will update this post with pictures of my bargain items once I get enough time to dig them all out without the girls catching me :)

Christmas eve bags

This was abit of a last minute idea after seeing so many of them around on blogs & instagram 

I thought it was such a great idea and amazed I never thought of it before

and I forgot I had bought some disney princess christmas bags last year so they 

were going spare this year, The girls go to my friends on christmas eve to open their presents 

(very lucky girls they get 3 Christmas' in total)

So once they get home they will get to dive into their Christmas eve bags :)

 In their bag they will have

- Jarmies

- Large chocolate coin

- Book 

- Hot chocolate sachet with marshmellows & a candy cane

- A mug 

- Fluffy socks/slippers 

- A christmas teddy 

- Their christmas plates ready to take to nanny & grandads to have their dinner on

- a bathbomb 

A dvd for us to watch together if they aren't home to late once they've had their Christmas with their Aunties.

D.I.Y christmas count down blackboard

As you may have guessed by now I like to give things ago if I can, If it's crafty and doable

 myself I'm right there with my mits tucked into it. 

This craft is a D.I.Y Christmas count down blackboard for the girls 

You'll need

MDF chritmas shape (I went for a reindeer)

Black board paint (I used the spray paint kind you can get a tin)

 Glitter optional

String/ribbon

 Ribbon for his collar again totally optional 

PVA  glue

I purchased my MDF shape & black board spray paint from eBay

My string & glitter are from  Wilko's

My string has gone walkies so I can't hang this little guy up yet but as soon as I've found it and his set up in his place I''ll grab a picture of him in action :)

The Christmas TAG

1.  Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?

I've never had a real tree but once I'm on the road I'd love to go and pick one out with my little family

2.  You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?

I don't like coffee, So if i was in costa it would have to be a hot chocolate instead

3.  Whats your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?

I like to change my colour scheme every year but the traditional Christmas colours are always a fave, this year I'm going for red & creams

4.  Giving or receiving?

Of course I love opening some presents myself but seeing my love ones smile while opening theirs is always a winner

5.  To mince pie or not to?

Ooh no not for me

6.  What's your traditional Sunday lunch?

It's got to be chicken/turkey, plenty of brussel sprouts,peas,cabbage,yorkshie puds,tatoes,piggies in blankets,stuffing, plenty of gravy, mince sauce

7.  Christmas day fashion

If we are having Christmas dinner at ours it's new Christmas pyjamas if we are having dinner at either of our parents it will be a new outfit i've brought in just for Christmas day or clothes we received for Christmas

8.  What's your favourite Christmas song?

My all time favourtie is Fairytale of new york - The Pogues, I'd listen to it all year round if I could

9.  What's your favourite Christmas film?

Elf, The Grinch and it goes without saying NBC

10.  Open presents before or after lunch?

Before but there always has to be one or two put away for after lunch just like I used to have when I was younger

I found this wonderful tag over on Fee's blog - http://www.makeupsavvy.co.uk

If your reading this your TAGGED

Cheap and cheerful christmas decorations

I'm a huge poundland & 99p store lover!

You'll find me in there everyday once I've dropped Issy to school hunting for some new bargains

I've found some real amazing Christmas decorations this year many if I'd have come across them on instagram the last place I would have thought they came from would be poundland/99p store.

I've come across them on eBay going for a lot more than £1/99p

I'm going for a shabby chic theme this Christmas
I also have a felt bunting that I didn't managed to get a picture of as I took it off my wall to move it and it's got tangled but I'll untangle it soon and get a picture

The reindeer is covered in iridescent glitter with red bells - 99p store

The stars came in a pack of two - poundland

pack of 1O bells - pounland

felt bunting - poundland

card bunting - poundland

and the pack of three decorations both came from poundland

I aim to get back over to the 99p store asap as they had gorgeous stuff in but I went over for Halloween decorations so couldn't go as crazy with the Christmas stuff as I wanted  

Christmas craft/bucket list

Decorate goody bags

Make christmas cookies

Make a christmas tree from loo roll tubes

Make feet print reindeers

Make felt Christmas trees

Visit Santa in his grotto

Go see the reindeer's

Make Christmas cakes 

Decorate baubles

Make hand/feet art

Make a wreath 

Write a letter to Santa

Decorate our tree
Make decorations out of the ends of bottles

Christmas Crafts

With Christmas nearing I'm stocking up and hunting for all sorts of crafty fun to do with the girls, This morning I hunted pinterest for some ideas and created a Christmas crafts board you can find my board here

On my board you will find all sorts from hand/foot/finger print creations, paper plate creations, Qtips creations, puzzle pieces, beads and more.

We've been to see santa

Last night me, the girls & one of my good friends Tasha went to see Santa in his grotto, all courtesy of my wonderful friend she paid for us to go as a treat for the girls (what lucky girls we are). 

Before entering Sanats grotto each child was given a Grotto passport with 3 different things to complete to collect a stamp and the very last thing was to get a sticker from santa (pictured below)

The first task at Santas grotto the girls had to do some singing before entering (the reindeer pokey, I'll post the lyrics further down) And Santa's elf said they had to help save Christmas because some pesky rats had chewed open all the presents Santa had just finished wrapping, So once they go through the doors to the beginning of Santas grotto they had to snowball the pesky rats. 

Once the rats had been snowballed they got to go through another step of the grotto and got to decorate their own Christmas decorations.

 After the Christmas decorations had been finished it was time to head through to Santa's kitchen to make some magic reindeer food to help the reindeer's know where to stop.
Once The magic Reindeer food was finished it was time to head through to Santa but he had fallen asleep, so they had to shout to wake him up, Once he was awake they got to chat with Santa then it was time to clap 2 times and the presents for each child came down the chimney. After they had all received their presents it was time to tell Santa what they would like for Christmas and had a chance to have a photo with him, Daisie wasn't interested in getting in a photo or talking to Santa because silly me forgot her cuppy, she was super tired and just wanted to strip Santas Christmas tree so we only managed to get a picture of Issy with him.

Us adults also got a little present we each got a Christmas tree to grow, Each child had to go and get one and take it over to whoever had taken them to see Santa, Issy grabbed one but I told her to give it to Tasha as she had paid for the whole thing, Shortly after Daisie followed all the others grabbed her one and brought it over to me saying thank you :') I could have burst into tears of pride she seemed so grown up and apart from Daisie running off every now and then the girls were so well behaved.

Reindeer Pokey Lyrics 

I loved this so I can imagine your little ones would love it too :)

 (to the tune of the hokey cockey!)

You put your antlers in,

You put your antlers out,

You put your antlers in,

And you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokey,

And you turn yourself around,

That's what its all about!

Whoooaa the reindeer pokey,

whoooaa the reindeer pokey,

whoooaa the reindeer pokey,

hooves in, tails out

RA RA RA!

Fun christmas ideas

Something great to do with your kids or grand kids for Christmas season. Buy 25 books, wrap them and place them near the tree with a fluffy blanket and stuffed toy to cuddle with. Every evening they get to take one of the books and open them and you spend some time reading to them and cuddling.

I can't wait to give each of these a go :) 

DISCLAIMER: I take no credit for these ideas, each I came across on facebook through friends sharing them. 
 

The pre christmas clear out

Let the fun begin....

Even tho I've been clearing out all through the year the whole house still seems ridiculously cluttered :( I throw black sacks out/send them to charity every other week and it just doesn't seem to make a difference. I've given so much away I'm now giving eBay a go so I can at least get a few ££'s to put towards the Christmas shopping as it really isn't that far away, Half of the girls stuff isn't worn/used so it's worth a shot.

The girls room still looks like it's been turned upside down I still need to grab them a wardrobe/s and a bookcase as well as some new beds each  but with Christmas round the corner they will have to wait for a bit.