The Christmas Challenge. Show and Tell for September, 2017.

There are Christmas decorations in the stores now!  And in October I make my Christmas cakes! So I guess I need to accept we are getting to the serious end to our Christmas Challenge.

The good news is there is still plenty of time to get heaps made, add some bargains to the stash, review what we have and what we need.  Overall we want to get to December with as much ready as we can.  The last few years I have saved so much money by not buying gifts at the most expensive time of year and by making as much as possible.  Also by watching out for major bargains during the year.   I have ended up enjoying Christmas much more and have been able to give gifts to lots of ladies at the nursing home and to someone in need.  I have even found myself ahead for the new year with spare gifts to go towards birthdays and other occasions.  A healthy gift cupboard is a great way to get ahead.

Now is also a good time to watch for the items you use in Christmas cooking and grabbing them when on great specials. My friend Kaye keeps a large tub especially for these items so they are set aside for her Christmas cooking.  This is another big money saver!  There are hamper clubs that people pay into all year. By doing this yourself with fantastic deals and buying the specific things you want you can end up with about four times the goods and value!

Now to see what you all have been making so far in September...

First of all we have Jeanette.  She crocheted an afghan for her husband.  I listened live to the Presidents speech late last night and even though I am Australian I think this is magnificent!

This is just wonderful Jeanette!

Jane has had a very busy month!  She made a mens toiletries bag...

Lotion bars and beeswax wraps...

I really want to do the beeswax wraps. You use them to wrap or cover food instead of plastic wrap and you keep re using them.  So like napkins they replace a lot of disposable items.  I think I need to ask Jane about this... 

And she has been sewing up a storm!  Her little Grand daughter is going to have the cutest wardrobe!

And a little Christmas Dress!

Jane you have achieved so much! Your Christmas cupboard is looking good!  (plus I have seen other things she is working on!)

Maria has been card making...

These are just lovely! Card making is so enjoyable and cards are expensive so this is a big savings and I think cards in packs make great gifts as well so there are multiple ways to use them.

Well done Maria especially in a month you have had a serious injury to deal with.

Rosanne made an Afghan for her DIL.  She makes each one according to the colours requested.  I don't know how many she has done so far this year but it is a lot!  

Big projects like this are possible with thinking ahead and getting started early.  People dream of making gifts and starting in December but this is already such a busy time.  The earlier we state the bigger the possibilities!

If you would like to contribute to next weeks Show and Tell please email me at brinkzi21@hotmail.com or post your photos to the Bluebirds Facebook page.  We can give each other a lot of ideas! 

I am off to Aldi today. They have some amazing items that I hope to add to my cupboard that I thought are just right for my sister in law and a few others.  I hope they are not sold out!  I have all the mens presents taken care of.  Next I need to work out the girls gifts.   And I need the dried fruit for my Christmas cakes... Aldi is very good for that too. 

I hope your week is going well!  My place is almost back to normal with just a bit of unpacking to do.  I am hoping by Friday to have everything set up as I want and my kitchen to be totally re organised.  I am loving it so far! 

Thank you everyone for your contributions.  They are inspiring and beautiful to see! xxx