My lists (on a limited budget)

[Marie000]

I do not plan on buying tons of gifts, but I still would like to keep track of my ideas, purchases and budget.

UPDATE: items in grey are being put aside for now until our financial situation is more certain.

For my daughter (2yo) - budget: around can$100
- wooden train set (bought and wrapped! 10$ in a garage sale)
- playmobil 123 zoo set (bought and wrapped! 20$ used)
- playmobil 123 forest animal set (bought and wrapped! 19$ on sale on Amazon)
- ikea castle tent (20$) (bought!)
- hand crocheted doll and doll clothes (not done yet. working on it.)
- hand crocheted stegosaurus (done! photo on page 2 of this thread)

other ideas:
- board game (I am thinking maybe Djeco's Little Collaboration or something similar)
- duplo blocks (no particular set, just regular blocks)

for her stocking:
- small books (already have)
- bath bubbles (bought)
- cookies (home made)
- sticker book
- plastic dinosaurs (bought)
- wind up car (bought)

For my OH
When we were out shopping this weekend, we saw a big plastic X-Wing in a liquidation store. I will go back to get it. It will be his birthday present. (Bought and wrapped!)

For Christmas:
A "tropical drink" kit (a bottle of rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, little drink umbrellas, maraschino cherries...)

For his stockings:
back scratcher
candy
coupons (for free video game time, breakfast, etc.)
... I need more ideas!


Other small children
we are having a Christmas party with friends. Some of them have kids and I would like to have a little something for each one.

kid1 (6yo boy)
- Lego Technic racing car (bought!)

kid2 (2yo girl - also LO's best friend)
- Folding tunnel and tent (bought!)

kid3 (6mo boy) - wont be a the party after all. But we might still get him something.
- Bath toy (bought!)

My niece:
- Toys R Us gift certificate

My nephew:
- Lego Technic car (bought)

OH's niece:
- Gift Card

OH's nephew:
- videogame

In-laws, Parents and OH's grandmother:
Picture frame decorated by Ariane (with her Christmas picture)

Step-son:
- 3DS Videogame (bought)

Ariane's daycare worker:
- box of chocolate

 

[dizzy65]

Great lists

 

[monkee12]

Lovely

 

[mummyfin]

Would love to make DD a wee doll for a bit of sentimental value, but no idea how to crochet lol! Looks lovely!
​

 

[Baby Bell]

Fantastic list am I remembering right that you made your daughter play food last year? That looked amazing, your so talented!!

 

[meldmac]

Great lists!

 

[Bevziibubble]

Fab lists!

 

[Marie000]

thanks everyone!

between me and my mom (who also loves to crochet), my girl will have so many homemade toys by the time she grows up. Instead of a keepsake box in a shoebox, I think she'll have one of those giant rubbermaid storage container full of keepsakes.

Today I bought some plastic dinosaurs for Ariane's stocking and her playmobil forest animal set should come in the mail.
I also know that my brother and SIL will be getting her two more playmobil sets: a truck with a garage and a bus. So I think we will gradually phase out the Little People sets she has in favor of the playmobil. They are much nicer.

I have also started giving OH ideas for presents for me. So far I want a new bathrobe and a new purse.

One dark cloud though... there is a small chance that OH could lose his job right before Christmas. To make a long story short, his boss might end up losing them a huge contract through his own stupidity (the man is a compulsive liar and would rather risk losing a contract by continuing to lie than tell the truth to the client ). If they lose that contract, the company would either close or be seriously downsized.
Aside from the obvious financial difficulties that would come with that, I cannot stand the idea of another Christmas surrounded by money stress. It would probably mean no presents for me, OH, and friend's kids and fewer presents for Ariane.

 

[Marie000]

updated with more ideas for OH. His birthday is on the 14th, so I'll have to find two gifts for him. I think a bottle of Scotch might be too expensive, so I will probably get him some Star Wars things.

Ideally, I would love to replace his lost Millennium Falcon. He bought it when he was very young (with his own money... which he saved up for months) and he still had it when I met him. Unfortunately it must have gotten lost during a move because we haven't seen it in years.
It would be too expensive to buy him the same one again (those vintage Star War toys are worth a lot!) but I wish I could find him one similar.

 

[marmaduke]

Your list looks great, if you get chance post some photos of your crafts. x

 

[toptrump]

Love your lists, homemade presents are worth 100000% more than bought pieces of plastic

Hope everything is okay with your hubbys job

 

[Marie000]

My doll patterns should arrive in the mail today!

I have also started making a dinosaur (stegosaurus) in crochet. I thought it would be a quick thing, comparable to other stuffed animals (once you've done a few, they are all pretty similar) but it is SOOOOO complicated. I'm sure it will look great in the end, but it will take a few days.

I am also almost done my first christmas stocking. I just need to decorate it, then only two more to go.

All other Christmas shopping is suspended until further notice. Things are not going well with OH's employer (the company will probably implode soon since many of its key employees are looking at quitting). Fingers crossed that he finds something else before losing that job.
I am willing to go without gifts for me, and we can go easy with the gifts to nieces and nephews, skip those to other kids. But I really, really want to get that ikea castle for Ariane. Every time she sees it on the computer, she is just fascinated!
At least I already have three gifts ready and wrapped for her (two playmobil sets and the train set).

 

[Marie000]

Dinosaur is done:
https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_8084_zps2ad84f52.jpg
it wasn't easy and some parts could have been better, but I'm still happy with it.

Now I will start to work on the doll

 

[SerenityNow]

That is soooooo cute! It makes me want to learn to crochet just so I can have one.

I'm sorry there is so much uncertainty with your OHs job. Last year we had business deal go bad right in the middle of December. It was so discouraging and distracting.

But you can take comfort in the fact that you have the ability to create the worlds most adorable stegosaurus!

 

[Marie000]

awww... thanks.

usually I would say that making crochet toys is not too hard to learn, but that stegosaurus was surprisingly difficult. If you ever want to learn, I'd start with something more simple.

things are looking a little better with OH's job for now. It's far from perfect, and he will need to find something else, but it's very unlikely that he will loose his job before Christmas now, so that buys us some time.
We should be able to get back on track with the Christmas shopping next week.

 

[RubyRainbows]

Great dino - so cute! Would love to see a pic of your doll too, once she's finished!

 

[monkee12]

Hope everything gets better for you soon xx

 

[Marie000]

I just came back from a toy sale at our local family center. It was hard to do Christmas shopping since Ariane was there with me, but I don't think she noticed me buying the wind up car and foam cat puzzle.

I also bought her a big yellow truck to play outside and a cabbage patch doll (the doll was 50 cents )

 

[alex_22]

Have you thought about selling stuff like that on ebay? I'd certainly buy things like that they're so cute!! I bought my son some handmade sock monkeys 1 year for Christmas they're so cool and I spend my life searching eBay for crochet booties, knitted hat and cardigans x

 

[Marie000]

Have you thought about selling stuff like that on ebay? I'd certainly buy things like that they're so cute!! I bought my son some handmade sock monkeys 1 year for Christmas they're so cool and I spend my life searching eBay for crochet booties, knitted hat and cardigans x

I have been planning on doing that one day, but I find it hard to get motivated to do the same patterns I've already done to sell them. They take a long time to make, and I keep finding new and exciting things I want to make for my daughter.

Maybe once my girl outgrows that kind of toys, I'll start making them for others too.