Christmas deadlines - part two

And time creeps steadily on.......except as usual at this time of year its forgotten about creeping and is going by express!
I have got the bag I had to make for a friend done and given to her so that is one more item to cross off the list.  And several things that were near to completion I have finished now so they can also have a big tick next to them.

Including the Christmas fragrance sachets I was making for my mother to give to friends.  I made the pot pourri by mixing a cinnamon stick, some cloves and the dried peel of an orange together.  It is lovely - smells like Christmas. I have the Joanna Sheen THOMAS KINKADE cd set.  It has such lovely pictures and backing papers, but that is true of all her cd's there is usually at least one on my Christmas list. http://www.joannasheen.com/craft-supplies/joanna-sheen-cdrom-dvds/cdrom-thomas-kinkade-3-disk-set/

The coasters for my niece's boyfriend are also finished although after this last week he may not want to be reminded of the football team he supports.

I have also made a start writting Christmas cards so I know how many more I need.
The Christmas decorations went up today so there is a festive feel all round the house.


                                                                                              http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-gorgeous-Dragons-Egg/     Just found the link to this on Pinterest.  When I am not snowed under with Christmas make I will have to have a go.  Whats not to like about dragons.

Meeting Christmas deadlines

Now that December is upon us its all about deadlines - fun deadlines but deadlines just the same.  Some things cannot be done to early, like the nut brittle and others (less perishable) need to be out of the way.  There are times when I forget which way round things should go.  Like the year when I had all my presents wrapped but no cards made let alone written.  My big problem is that I like the sewing, baking, cardmaking so much that I overstretch myself.  It doesn't help when I accidentally get lost online when I should be in the real world.

Still first deadline has been met - letter to New Zealand written, photos printed, card written, present wrapped and all parcelled up and posted.

I have several projects on the go.  A couple of my laminated bags to make, the first one to be finished by thursday. Some Christmas fragrance sachets to make and fill with all things Christmassy (cloves cinnamon and orange should do the trick) I have the thinly sliced peel of an orange drying out by the fire, it should be ready to mix with the cloves and broken up cinnamon sticks tomorrow then the bags can be filled.  This is the first time I have tried to do a mixture.  I have tied little bundles of cinnamon sticks together before and used them as decoration and one year I made felt and lace Christmas trees and filled them with cloves ( they kept their fragrance for years it was lovely opening the box of decorations because of the smell).

The Christmas tree and decorations are going up at the weekend, there is the marzipan to go on the cakes, cards to write and other ideas to pin down and get done.

See sometimes hard work but such fun.

Christmas cards, gingerbread, and christmas crafting

Still in major Christmas preparation mode, nearly all the cards are made now. Just in time to meet the postal deadlines for New Zealand.  It is so important for me to get non-perisables out of the way early to leave time for sweets and other goodies. http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_gingerbread_house/
To start with I wanted to make a carousel but I feel for a first try a sleigh might be wiser, I have also seen a gingerbread AT AT.  There are some very talented people in this world.

Made some delicious mincemeat squares durring the
week and even managed to get some photos before we ate it all.  Something I haven't managed with the scone, apple snickerdoodles or banana bread.  Still there is always next time.

The recipe for mincemeat squares is so easy as its an "all in one".









125grams butter softened

125grams soft brown sugar                              250grams self raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
400grams mincemeat

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well
Put into a prepared 28" x 18" shallow cake tin
Bake at reg 3/ 160degrees for one hour or until firm.
Cool slightly, turn out and cut into fifteen squares.

I now have a two thirds done Union Jack cigar box for Etsy.  A set of  Manchester United coasters for my nephew and the mirror I was making for my niece has the modge podge drying.  The worries I had about the mirror have sorted themselves and I am pleased with how it has turned out.

Have justed listed the bronze ribbon bracelet on etsy                                                         http://www.etsy.com/listing/87785083/chunky-bronze-bracelet-upcycled

The latest item to be placed on Etsy.

A 1967 Mercury Cougar original photo tote bag.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86536523/original-classic-caroriginal-photo-tote

I have just noticed how well the car fits in with its background.  I really enjoy making these bags and have a couple more in the pipeline - the design is sorted just need to print them off and make them up.  I have a stunning one of HOTRODS outside a diner.

 As I love being driven in this beautiful car I kinda sorta don't want to sell it - I will just have to make a similar one for myself.



I have been looking at recipes again and think that I will have to have another "lunch" again soon.  So many delious looking cakes, biscuits, and savouries to try.  Too few mouths in my house to put all the food into.  I made SMUNCHKINS last night.  There would have been a photo but they need to be eaten while they are hot.  The camera was in the basement and we ate all the cakes. Next time I make them I will take pictures and write the recipe out.






 I have another bangle nearly finished and one just started.  I am quite liking the fact that these bottles will not go to waste.  I think they look so pretty and when finished so hard to remember what they started from.

I have just got a bag of logs in ready to spend an evening crafting in front of the fire.  Young Bruce will make me pull out a chair for him and the two of us will have a cozy relaxing evening together.

Bruce thinks we had the stove installed for him

I have a lot I want to get done this evening :- I have a few more Christmas cards to make to give to Wingham Wildlife park ( an idea that came to me in the summer and I am doing now) as we are going there tomorrow and I wanted to give them to them.
http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk
The bracelets that are nearly done finished so they can be listed on Etsy.
Get the mirror I am making through the next stage.
Paint the inside of cigar box purse.  Make some Christmas cards for us to send.
Finish the recipe books for my neice and nephew.
And anything else I have time for.

IF WISHES WERE HORSES

 If wishes were horses beggars would ride..............some wishes and thoughts some reasonable and some completely senseless.
  http://www.lakeland.co.uk/15636/Colourworks-4-Measuring-Cups
This is a link to Lakeland Ltd and the set of measuring cups I got for making SNICKERDOODLES. I didn't really need them but they looked pretty and came with a set of measuring spoons (that I didn't need either).

 

 I have been told that the link to the biscuits hasn't worked so I will try again.  http://buddingbaketress.blogspot.com/2011/06/blueberry-snickerdoodles.html
There are lots of other recipes that look worth trying as well - need more hours in the day. Having said that whlie I was mooching around the internet I thought of SALTED CARAMELS I have reied the ones from Hotel Chocolate and liked them and some of the recipes use them, it would be hard to get them in England so a recipe was needed. http://bakedbree.com/salted-caramels-week-5-of-12-weeks-of-christmas
I haven't tried this yet as I need corn syrup. That is now on my shopping list so I can have a go.

This is HEMISPHERE the largest sailing catamaran (currently) in the world.  It looks sort of like a juggernaut in a carpark of smart cars.  I am not quite sure what I think/feel about it.  The inside is beautiful, its kitchen is bigger than the one I have in my house, I am just not sure.  Still as this is probably as close as I will get to it I dont really need to worry.  I would love to spend some time on a luxury yatch one day - some of them are really things of beauty.  

My current dreamhouse - not the most impressive from the outside but it has 9 acres of land that includes woodland, part of the cliff and foreshore, a stream and a log cabin.  Less than a mile from Lyme Regis it has nearly everything I want.  Unfortuantly it has been sold, but who knows by the time I can afford it it could be back on the market.  http://www.vebra.com/stagsnew/property/22401161

A leaflet for BROTHER SEWING MACHINES fell  out of a magazine this week and although I am happy with the machine I have and even if money was no object the machine I would choose would be part of the BERNINA range.  But looking through it I kept thinking like it, like it and where could I put it, especially when I got to the embroidery machines.

http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewing/ProductList.aspx?cat=multi-needle#.Tr7SoPKhJv9

I am getting more interest in the items I have for sale in my ETSY shop I still need to make that first breakthrough sale, fingers crossed. http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes . I am having fun on ETSY now I have worked out how to get Treasury lists to work and how to start my own and join other peoples circles.

I am thinking that I would like to try doing BATIK.  Now I have started to make bags I think that batik would make for interesting designs.  I have never tried it before and I do like trying new crafts.  I may ask for some starter equipment for Christmas.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condem.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.