End of year review

one of my two new ornaments for this year

This year (not quite sure how) I got all I wanted done in time for Christmas eve with less stress than previous years.  I still need to be much much better organised, so I may start making next years cards as soon as I can - that was last years plan as well. I even got some peanut brittle made on evenig of the 23rd. Did not manage to find my christmas music.

next year better decoration

All the baked and  handcrafted presents were received well.  I made my gingerbread sleigh on christmas day and kind of decorated it a couple of days later. I changed the recipe that I found slightly - partly because I didn't have any ground cloves and partly because I thought the gingerbread would taste better without it.

I got given a copy of SERIF CRAFT ARTIST  for christmas, I had the compact version which was quite good but this is so much better.  It came with a manual that I am working my way through, a nice thick detailed easy to use manual.  I will be able to do so much more than I ever dreamed of.  It may sound a bit odd raving about an instruction manual above all other things but eighteen months ago my partener brought me a CRAFT ROBO (which has since changed its name) which came with information on how to turn it on and change the blades.  I had to join a forum and wait for a month before I could access their site properly before begining to get to grips with it.  Second plan - use craft robo more often and learn more about it.

 Bruce opening his present.

I really hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New year as much as I did and that we all have a good 2012.

it is just tooooo much

Needs Gingerbread recipe

Just a very quick cry for help.  Having seen the wonderful gingerbread houses etc on Pinterest I thought I would have a go.  Not the carousel that really inspired me ( not for a first go anyway) I thought I would make a sledge.  I would really like a tried and tested recipe, so if anyone has a link. I am making it Boxing Day.



Happy Christmas everyone.

Getting closer to being ready

As we are spending Christmas just us two (and Bruce) you would think the preparations would be easier - not the case.  We only decided what we would like for dinner on Christmas day today, we have two puddings because we both fancied different ones (next year I am going to make my grandmothers recipe it will be easier) and there is still all the homemade presents to make (as usual).

bacon puffs

sausage rolls

mix for spicy pork rolls

All my pastry savouries are now made and in the freezer, the christmas cakes have the marizpan on them and are to be iced tonight, I got some emergency sausage meat today just in case we run out, the chilli jelly is straining as I write as is the cranberry sauce, only a few more cards to make and write ( all the ones that needed posting are done) I still have to finish my neices bag and the lavendar sachets for my mother, and when thats all done I can get the sweets made but they are really a last minute thing to do.

spicy pork rolls ready to bake

I want to get the mince pies made and in the freezer.  I find it so much easier if everything is prepared and frozen ready to bake.  I  still really want to do the gingerbread thing, not sure how long it keeps though.

All the presents that I have brought need to be wrapped but there is still a week to go. All I need to do to be ready is to keep off PINTEREST.

Our spend the day alone Christmas has turned into a three day event - visiting my sister on Christmas eve and his sister on Boxing day.  I am looking foward to it.  And I am really looking forward to the present I know that I am getting SERIF CRAFT ARTIST  I have the compact version but cannot wait to get my mitts on the complete package.  Who knows it may make me a bit more organised with my cardmaking. 

I love making Christmas goodies, cards, presents etc and I think the people receiving them are happy to have them.  Pretty much I just love everything about Christmas - getting/making presents, wrapping presents, catching up with friends, entertaining, the spirit of Christmas, decorating the tree, EVERYTHING!  The only thing thats a little sad is that Dad no longer wants to go on the morris tour on Boxing day, I shall miss that.

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.

Perfect weather again

Another day with perfect weather - perfect for crafting in front of the fire with a contented cat asleep on a chair next to me that is.

Had to do a little bit of baking before starting. Some drop scones for a quick yummy lunch, the last christmas cake (accidently used self raising flour but it seems ok and is now soaking up some sherry) and a bread pudding for my mother.  Defrosted the freezer yesterday so there is room to start filling with christmas goodies.  I like to make the sausage rolls, some bacon puffs, spicy pork rolls and mince pies (both puff and shortcrust pastry) and freeeze them uncooked so they can be baked as I need them.  I want to try some cinnamon buns and have just discovered this idea on Pinterest.                                                              http://goodcheapeats.com/2010/03/cinnamon-roll-convenience-without-can
I may make a Dundee cake this year, it is ages since I made one.  Christmas is just a fantastic excuse for a massive baking frensy.  Many days of feasting ahead.

The coaster that I tried to make yesterday for my nephew were not a success so today I tried again with much better results.  I have also been putting the base coat on the box I am using to gift pack my home made jam.

I spent the morning with my sister and she showed me the jewellery she has been making fromm seaglass - not the stuff we collected together but some she got on a previous occassion.  She also showed me the shadow box she had made to display some fossils.  I can't wait for her to really start producing things - she will inspire me to different approaches and together we will have so much 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

I have been busy busy busy making christmas cards this week - it has felt gloriously christmassy sitting in front of a log fire cat sitting on a chair next to me (if he doesnt have his own chair pulled out so he can enjoy the fire he steals my one as soon as I move, and sometimes before I move) and lots of paper, glitter and ribbon.  I am about halfway through now,  I have already made my favourite card for this year, I keep putting it up on the shelf so I can admire it, now to work out who to send it to.

I will have to get in touch with Wingham wildlife park to see how they got on with the christmas cards I gave them and if they would like more.  We have some fantastic pictures of the tigers now that should make nice cards.  I hope the cards sold as they are fundraising for the lions at the moment.  .http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk

I have been having a lovely time on ETSY making a treasury lists.  What a beautiful way to get noticed - admiring the talent and work of others.  I have had a lot more views for my items since I stared doing the treasury lists, got some more admirers for my work ( no sales as yet but it is coming up to christmas) and found some things to give as presents.  http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes
  This is one of my treasury lists  http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTUzMTc1OTV8MTIzMDU5NzI0NQ/purple-deep-and-rich?ref=pr_treasury     Nearly half the items on one of my earlier lists have vanished I suppose they have been sold.

Today I must carry on getting the cards made and carry on making my neices bag.  And there all the ideas that are bouncing around in my head that might work on Etsy.  (note to self do not go to PINTEREST till you have completed targets)  I had a very busy start to the day - making snickerdoodles, scones and lemonade before breakfast. 

Took advantage of yet another bright sunny day and unpacked the last of the wood we were given from a piece of local woodland, unfortuantly the wood had worm in it so we are burning it first so it doesn't spread to the rest of the stored wood.  I also cleared, sorted and then refilled the log rack by the fire so we don't have to go rushing out to get wood as soon as we get home from work.

 A new bangle..... its hard to see in the picture but there is a bronze like look to this bangle that means its lightness is a shock.


I have just got some red ribbon and black lace for the next one. 

Today I brought some felt flowers which with a few beads of buttons will work really well.  There were several different sizes in the pack.

DAYS OUT AND MORE CRAFTING

we arrived before the otters had been fed so lots of action in both enclosures

I got 15 cards made for Wingham Wildlife Park and we took them with us today when we went to see their latest cat.  I put my blog address on them so hopefully a few more people will find me. http://winghamwildlifepark.co.uk.  There are some lovely pictures of Binx the puma on their facebook page includding one of him stuggling to keep his balance on the ropes. https://www.facebook.com/WinghamWildlifePark  We spent ages watching him - he was being so playful and like all the animals at Wingham loves the attention.  This is where the animals mostly rush over to see who has come to see them, a big difference from standing by an enclosure thinking "it says theres something in here but I can't find it".  The animals still have there privacy if they want it but lets be honest you go to a zoo to see animals. 

Tigers at play

Got most of the things done yesterday that I wanted to, I am really enjoying this crafting/baking not vegetating in front of the TV or online.The mirror is ok I think that I am using the wrong sort of paper which is why I am getting a papery finish to my designs coating with mod podge does help but I am going to try using ordinary photocopy paper instead of photo paper. It was not very clear in the tutorial I watched, or Ididn't understand properly.
 Slowly rubbing off the backing paper to reveal the design. I used masking tape to centre the picture on the mirror.  At the moment I am not sure whether to leave the edges as the are or to decorate them.  I am still having a little bit of trouble with some of the picture lifting but I can sort that in the final stages.

Cards for Wingham

Today I really need to crack on with our Christmas cards, Gifts and Items for Etsy.

Cards for Wingham

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/dreamtimemakes

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.

THE GREATNESS OF OTHERS

This is the start of my list of other blogs that I have enjoyed, found useful or that set me off on this current addiction.  Before I started my blog I had not really looked at blogs. Even after I had begun I did not really start.  But after finally realising that there were links to the recipes on peoples blogs attached to the pictures on Pinterest I started checking.  Now I have quite a lot of blogs that I read, enjoy, and learn from.         These are in the order I found them.....

The first one that I looked at was Bakergirl for her BLUEBERRY SNICKERDOODLE recipe. A recipe I have baked 5 times now. I have tried the original, with apple and plain - all were delicous.http://buddingbaketress.blogspot.com/

Also very good for recipes is http://cookinupnorth.blogspot.com/
Tomorrow I am (or rather by partner) is trying mircowave coffee cake in a mug - sounds perfect for one.

I love the pictures and images that can be found on http://polarbearstale.blogspot.com/
I make sure I look at them everytime there is a new blog posted.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/
Very good for cardmaking ideas, tips and tutorials, and challenges.

Other blogs that I like and follow ( and am quickly adding because I need to go to bed are:-
http://prettyshabbyuk.blogspot.com/
http://secret-sheep.blogspot.com
/http://rosiepink.typepad.co.uk/rosiepink/
They cover cardmaking, spinning and knitting, and feltmaking. Lastly a site I found for my mother who has been struggling with mircowave wattage and cooking times - it does conversion charts and is so easy to use.
ww.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/

Homemade lemonade - not just for summer

Back in the spring on a trip to a garden centre I purchased another cookery book ( I am not sure why I brought it because the books I use most I have had for over 25 years and they are like trusted friends) but every so often I have to buy cookery books, it is a need I have.  This one is called
THE PERFECT AFTERNOON TEA BOOK 
its ISBN is 9780754819714

One of the recipes is for homemade lemonade,   we both   love lemonade and it can be quite expensive so I tried it.  We have spent the summer drinking fresh delicious lemonade that costs under £1.00 a litre.                                                

  3 UNWAXED LEMONS
100 - 115Grams caster Sugar
(1/2 cup superfine sugar)

pare the skin from the lemons with a vegtable peeler.  Put the lemon rind and sugar into a bowl, add 900ml (11/2 pints, 33/4 cups) of boiling water and stir well until the sugar disolves.
 Cover and allow to cool.  Squeeze the juice from the lemons.  Add it to the flavoured water, mix well and strain into a jug.
Chill and serve with ice.

BOTTLED AND READY TO DRINK

NOW that it is winter it is time to start drinking hot lemon and honey.  I remember having it as a child if I had a cold.

ONE of the tutorials I found on PINTEREST was for transfering photos to wood.
http://youtu.be/_NjYbAAQ4vw  
I thought it looked fairly simple and would give it a go.  
I used a small photo I had printed for a Christmas card and a small piece of firewood ( if it went to wrong I could burn all trace.  I got a bottle of Acrylic medium from Hobbycraft.  This morning I painted the wood  and pressed the photo unto it.
 

bit fuzzy but its a bit of paper on wood

When I got home from work I started to soak the paper off the wood with warm water and soap.

I don't think I have it quite right yet because some of the picture has rubbed off as you can see. After the picture had dried there seems to be a thin film of paper left. Maybe that is why the mod podge is important. 

I am quite pleased with my first go and will try again.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

PRINTING ON COTTON TAPE

Today I started to make the bag my niece said she would like for Christmas.  Her requests are:- a different colour to white because it would dirty ( she is right I have been using mine since the begining of August and even if you discount the teastains it is looking a bit grubby), A4 portrait not the landscape format that I have been using, and a picture of Bruce (my cat) - to start with she wanted him awake then changed her mind to asleep.

I am not convinced that she will find the portrait format as roomy as she thinks as a bag so I decided to make panels on the sides of the bag before putting the gusset in.  For the design both choices were possible - a sleeping cat dreaming of his waking moments.  Over the weekend I caught a snippet of the craft channel where they werer talking about inkjet tape.  A special cotton tape that you could put through an injet printer.  I tried doing this with the cotton tape that I had and even with my rather sulky printer it worked.  Now having used my JAYNE NETLEY MAYHEW COLLECTION CD-ROM I have several pieces of leopard print tape to edge the panels with. This opens up a whole world of possibilities to explore see link for Joanna Sheen stockist of the cd-rom. 


http://www.joannasheen.com/craft-supplies/joanna-sheen-cdrom-dvds/cdrom-jayne-netley-mayhew-collection-2-disk-set/
The bag design again I worked out using SERIF DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK.
http://www.daisytrail.com/scrapbook.html?uid=21043  one of my pages.

The other tip (from PINTREST) that I want to follow up is tranfering a photo or picture to wood or canvas or plastic.  I just need to get some acrilic gel medium.  Hopefully I can get this in hobbycraft tomorrow evening.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjYbAAQ4vw  It looks easy and effective.  Watch this space for the results.  I got some of those 8x8 wooden mirrors from Ikea while we were there which would be perfect for this technique.

My sister showed me some the things she has been working on to add to my Etsy shop - really different to things I have been doing.http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes

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.

                                                                                                          

Making a start - Christmas cards begun

This evening I spent a couple of happy hours in front of a log fire making the first of my Christmas cards.  I did a few last week but they weren't for me .  Back in the summer I decided that it would be a good idea to make some Christmas cards and give them to http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk in kent to sell in their shop using pictures of their animals.  Having opened my Etsy shop it occured to me that I could use my good deed as advertising by putting my logo on the backs of the cards.  I set myself a target of two dozen A6 cards for them.

Today I was making ones for friends and famuly.  In the past I have managed to get organising Christmas a bit muddled.  I will have all my presents wrapped but no cards made let alone written.  As some have to go overseas this is not sensible.  So this year I WILL BE ORGANISED - maybe. 

It is also the time of year when the card and papercraft magazines have their big competitions, every year I mean to enter and somehow miss the deadline. I like the challenge of producing things of a high enough standard to be considered.  There are some very talented people crafting.

http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes

Christmas cake recipe

This is my first upcycled bangle.  Chunky bangles  are so popular at the moment I thought I would have a go at doing some.  It was great fun to make.  This is a soft drink bottle with wadding wrapped around it.  Then I chose a selection of ribbons and wound them round the padded ring.  Three flowers grouped together finish it.

It took a while to get the photos for my latest bag for my Etsy shop because of the drizzle that kept coming and going throughout the day.  In the end I was getting quite worried because the light was going.  Managed to get some in the end and here is a sample.                                   
                                                                http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes







CLASSIC BEAUTY - a 1967 Mercury Cougar.  Car of the year 1969, it is a thing of beauty.  I have kept this bag fairly simple because the car speaks for itself.

This was another busy busy day.  I put my labeled the  mincemeat that I bottled yesterday and put it away.

I made a batch of mixed fruit jam - some for us and some for Christmas presents.  Picked some more of my 'Blenheim Orange' apples, these are quite late maturing so now they are about perfect.  I ment to pick them all but after picking roughly ten pounds I decided to leave the rest till next weekend while I work out what to do with them all.

They are already in the mincemeat and the mixed fruit jam.  Maybe some mint jelly and some more apple cheese.

Naked Christmas Cakes

The Christmas cakes just before the sherry is added and they are wrapped up for a few weeks.  I love using my Grandmothers recipe for the Christmas cake, it feels right to use one that has been past down through the family.

GRAN WESTONS RICH FRUIT CAKE
1 kilo of mixed dried fruit
250g  dark brown sugar
250g butter
4 eggs
250g plain (all purpose) flour
pinch of salt
teaspoon mixed spice

Beat butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy
Add 2 eggs and beat in well, then add the other 2 eggs and beat well
Seive flour, spice and salt together
Add flour and fruit to mix alternatly
Turn into a prepared 9" round tin
Bake for 3 hours at gas reg 1 - 140degrees celcius   - 280 degrees farenheit

CHRISTMAS CAKES AND FIREWORKS

Today has been quite productive. I have got three Christmas cakes made, Got seven and a half 400gram jars of mincemeat maturing nicely and finished the bag with the picture of the '67 Mercury Cougar ready to  photograph and list on Etsy in the morning. Isorta dont want this one to sell because I want it - but I have felt this way about all of them its how I know if I have got it right.

Its lovely sitting here smelling the Christmas cake, I love Christmas. The baking, cardmaking, sweetmaking, making and buying presents, wraping presents (might get a bit fancier with that this year), making mulled wine, bringing out the tree ornaments that I have been collecting for over thirty years and trying to find a few new ones to add to the collection.

Tommorrow I am making mixed fruit jam.  I am going to use the Serif craft artist to design the labels.  We have friends coming rpund in the afternoon so another excuse to make Snickerdoodles.

Poor Bruce has not been enjoying the fireworks he spent some of the evening in the basement under a table.  He didnt used to be bothered by them until a couple of years ago.  There does not seem to have been that many this year - he hasnt sat sniffing the early evening air deciding if its safe to go out



         .http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes

CHRISTMAS WRAPPING

I have been giving homemade cakes, sweets and preserves to friends and family for several years now.  Up till now I have been using packaging from Lakeland Ltd for sweets and saying I need the tin as I hand over Christmas cakes.  But while I was in Wilkinsons earlier this week I saw the potential of the plain red round tins they have on sale.  At only £3.00 for two tins they would make the perfect giftwrap (and if I get them back all the better though not important)

my tins but the red ones would work so well for Christmas

Perfect fit

I then remembered some little covered cardboard chest of drawers that I had got with a view to altering and hadn't touched.  A quick check showed they are the perfect size to hold jars of jam and chutney. So all I need to do is Christmasify them a bit.



 

As this idea of using tins as packaging really took hold it was quite a good thing that I went to Ikea yesterday.  For just over £5.00 they had sets of seven tins in various sizes.                            

so very pretty

These will be great for my truffles or biscuits.  This year I want to try making gingerbread shapes and possibly lebkuchen (my sister really likes these so it would be great if I find a recipe that she likes)

                                                                                                                                                                  I also got some of the 8x8"square mirrors in Ikea because they are so good to personalise and a very reasonable price.  I saw a link on Pintrest about transferring images onto wood and I want to give it a go.
The instructions for doing this are on YouTube  DIY wooden picture.

I have also just been given a couple of dozen jam jars which is great - my mincemeat can now be put into jars ready to mature and I have loads for mixed fruit jar and chilli jelly.

http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes
http://twitter.com/#!/DREAMTIMEMAKES

HINTS AND TIPS FROM PINTREST

I know I have been goning on a lot about PINTEREST and I know mostly I am spending time there that could be better spent. BUT firstly there were all the recipes that I want to try , then there all the links to wonderful blogs, there was the amazing interest in my mincemeat recipe and now I have found alsorts of crafting tips and ideas.


So now I don't feel quite as bad about my addiction. 

New design.

Bruce doing one of the things he does best.  I think you have to be a cat to be totally relaxed.

A new idea for a bag design kinda threw itself at me on Sunday while I was stuck underneath the cat ( he refused to get off because he didnt like the strangers who were fitting a new front door). So with laptop by my side I layered seven different photos using SERIF DAISY TRAIL scrapbooking program.  I altered the transparency to give a misty other worldy look to it and so all the layers could be seen.  It took most of the morning but I am quite pleased with the end result.  I have tweeked the pictures with a bit of flower soft, stamping, paint, metallic rub and a few cogs and watch parts.  Just waiting for the glue to dry now so I can laminate it. I am going edge this one with some black lace round the top and braid ribbons into the handles.  I think it has a twilighty feel to it so thats its title.

I got the mincemeat made today.  It needs a bit of time to mature so has really to be done at the begining of november.  

Not all of it gets used in mince pies I have a lovely recipe for a traybake called MINCEMEAT SQUARES. 

The recipe I use is from THE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING COMPLETE BOOK OF HOME PRESERVING. It was published in 1981 but I noticed the other day my most used cookery books are the oldest.



RECIPE FOR RICH MINCEMEAT

500g Currants
500g  Sultanas
500g Raisins
250g Mixed peel
250g cooking apples - peeled, cored, and grated
100g Blanched almonds - chopped
500g Soft dark brown sugar
175g Shredded suet
1 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
grated rind of 1 lemon
grated rind of 1 orange
300ml Brandy

PLACE the dried fruit, peel, apples and almonds in a large bowl. Add the sugar, suet, spices, lemon and orange rind and juice and the brandy - mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.  Cover the mincemeat and leave to stand for two days.  Stir well and put into sterile jars, cover as for jam. 


ALLOW at least two weeks to mature before using.


makes about 2.75kg


This time I changed things slightly - I always use vegtable suet because so many of my friends are Vegetarian and its easier that way, I used flaked almonds and only about 80g of peel, I used 170g of glace cherries to make the weight up.

I think it tastes nice now but it gets better and better the longer it is left.

cookery book covers before being laminated

  The other thing I did today was to print the covers for the cookery books I am making for Christmas.