Rattling On...

Wishing you a ...

Stuff 'em...

When the girls saw the stocking I made for Heike they both wanted one. And they demanded a red and white theme, which they duly now have. Well, red and off-white... less stark and a bit more retro maybe.

To make sure they don't get mixed up they have different hangers, tags and a little ceramic square with an initial on. The tags are the ones with the woodcut prints I bought at a recent fair, and which prompted me to buy the spongy paper for papercutting...

I made these with chunky yarn so they're a little larger than the one I made last year. But that just means more room for presents! I have bought old-fashioned candy-canes to put in last for that all-important nostalgic look. Maybe I should also add a tangerine wrapped in foil and a few nuts.

These are lined with red and white gingham for a bit of extra stability, I love gingham. They will be out for Father Christmas tonight and hopefully the contents will not disappoint...

Kitchen frottage...

It suddenly occurred to me today that the mince pie is probably unknown to most of the world. Unless there are well-travelled and cosmopolitan people out there who've heard about this wondrous confection.

I made a load (that's the collective noun from now on) yesterday, braving the rubbing-in method to make my shortcrust. 

I tried very hard to make sure the edges were well sealed to prevent leakage. Only one required jemmying from the patty tin, which is a minor miracle. I'd be glad if someone could invent non-erupting mincemeat please.

I was also very good and oiled the tins after washing and drying them. The pies are now stashed in a large amaretti biscuit tin. I like this as it's tall rather than wide, a good space-saving technique at Christmas and it holds three dozen as well!

I had a mince pie and a hot chocolate at the airport the other night, from Greggs the bakers. I see from the website that the pies have won awards, and for £1.65 for a large drink and a tasty pie it was excellent value. But what I liked more was the fact that the pie came in a brown paper bag. Very retro, very eco. 

While sitting in arrivals, slurping away I also noticed a poster for Wrapid wraps that got me in a bit of a funk. It said 'Worlds best hot wraps made fresh for you'.

What about the punctuation you ignoramuses! And how does one freshen up a wrap? A quick flick with a duster, a touch of air freshener? Frankly I'd be happier thinking they were freshly made. I try to relax about these things, but really once they catch my eye I become incensed. I need to get out more.

I am, however, pleased to report that my shopping is complete except for a few essentials like bread and milk. Time now to sit back and eat it all...

PS... Just for now, and for a specific reason, comments will go via moderation. So don't think yours has disappeared if it doesn't show straight away!

Pimp your trees...

Or... Christmas tree festival at Christ Church, Burbage.

While out walking the dog the other day I noticed a small poster advertising a tree display/competition at my local church. Which makes it sound like a pub, My Local, and all that. But it's the church of the parish I live in.

Tuesday afternoon was gloomy and cold so I thought a bit of tree spotting would be a good idea so I trundled off.

It's a nice traditional building (built 1860/61) with a lych gate at each of the two entrances, I like them a lot.

So I go inside, camera in hand, and ask the man just inside the door if it was ok for me to take pictures. He said he wasn't an official but he'd ask the Lady in Charge for me. She turned out to be a friend from work and she was doing the afternoon 2-4 opening stint.

Can you just see the tea table peeping from behind the tree? Friend and I got settled down with a cup of tea and spent almost the whole two hour opening time jawing away. Her parents, daughter-in-law and tiny grandson were also there. Other people came and went, bought raffle tickets and shared baby stories.

The trees had been decorated by different community groups, including the pub over the road who host a carol service and auction each year. The WI, bellringers, guides, Mothers' Union, Brass Band and so on all have a tree with a pertinent theme in many cases.

After Tuesday's relative calmness, yesterday was all-go. I went to visit a cousin in the morning 'For an hour' which turned into three. So then I had to do present shopping, wash all the sofa covers and cushion covers and assorted throws (I like to be clean at Christmas), make the Christmas cake (I know...) and do an airport run at 9.30 in the evening. That took three hours.

The little pile of DVDs I bought myself to watch in my spare time remain untouched so far. I bought most of them for half-term in October. Maybe when I've wrapped the presents, iced the cake, done the food shopping...

Or maybe I'll just hit the bottle of port I treated myself to.

Lighting up my life...

I decided a while ago that teacup candles would make good gifts for some of the female family members and set about finding some suitable vintage cups. There were none to be had in the town's vast array of thrift shops, unless you were wanting one with 'Golden Wedding' or something similar on it. So I got four of these from Ebay, and a little Victorian off-white number that I decided to save and use for myself later!

It was also impossible to find anywhere local (as in within 20 miles) to buy candle-making essentials. So again I went on-line to this site. I didn't get a kit, just wax, wicks and the little wick securer thingies for the bottom. I see that there are thermometers and all manner of odds and ends one can buy, but I figured you need a wick and wax, when it's melted it's ready...

And so it was. Last night, while my baked potato was cooking, I set to. I used my old enamel double boiler (I didn't buy an electric one specially!!) and guestimated the amount of wax required, cutting it from the block supplied. 

I also made myself a couple for the dining table, these are old celery vases and are about 8" high. I think they will make a nice centrepiece. And they can be used again afterwards, which is always a good thing.

These were all so easy to make, I wondered why I hadn't had a go before. Probably all the faff over getting the stuff to do it with. Next time I'll order a lot bigger block of wax so I have more in stock. I'll also look out for interesting vessels when I'm out and about. I can see candles becoming my go-to last minute present standby from now on.

I may even venture into colours and perfumes, who knows...

Things to do with pastry cutters...

...other than actually cutting pastry or biscuits with them.

These decorations were uber quick to make, I used DAS clay from Rymans which is very cheap and goes a long way for your money. It is grey in the packet but dries white. (Or you can get traditional terracotta) I decided to leave them as they are and not paint them as I rather like the plainness. The clay has a unique smell, which I have to say I quite like! I poked the holes with a chopstick and the baker's twine is some I got on line a while ago and use for all kinds of things. 

I own a lot of cutters, a drawerful, in every shape and size and they do all get used. I took them to school when we made all the shortcakes and gingerbread and I use them at home as well. You could of course just tie string to them and use the cutters as decorations...

If in doubt, add more fairy lights...

I took a taxi there and walked back... just so you know. It was a good Do, later on anyway, when a few people had imbibed a bit too much hard liquor. If you know what I mean. It's always interesting to see colleagues out of work, especially when you're sober yourself (not for lack of trying mind you).

The tree is up and the mantel almost done, except for some holly and flowers which will come later this week. I cleaned like a demon yesterday so that  next week I can concentrate on last minute present buying and making, cooking and possibly relaxing a little. But there's work tomorrow to get out of the way first.

I have also got to do rather a lot for the WI meeting on Tuesday. Weather permitting (it was cancelled last year) it will be the Christmas party, I have volunteered to make a pudding. I'll also be making a card for the competition and a little something for the secret Santa.

I have so many half finished projects at the moment it's scary. Most of them are gifts. I just can't seem to commit to finishing them in any sort of sequence, I feel a new list is required, listing the lists...

Smoke gets in your eyes...

Yesterday was school Christmas Lunch Day. What usually happens is that forms are allocated a table at one of the sittings, they decorate it and eat together. Usually. 

I work in the Inclusion Centre where all the displaced students are taught and take refuge. We put on our own lunch for the ones that decide they can manage to stay in school long enough to eat it. We cook it, serve it, put out crackers, play festive music and do entertainments afterwards. Our motley 'form' is made up of students from across the school, all ages and abilities.

I arrived first thing to be assailed by a terrible smell, like when a plug catches fire. Plastic... I went into the centre to find it full of thick smoke and M with his head in the cooker. Not trying to end it all but trying to clean it.

Mrs D had bought the turkey in to cook it and put it, in a foil tray, onto a baking sheet, oven on and off to the morning meeting. Back to find the smell, the smoke etc. and melted plastic all over the oven. The baking sheet had in fact been a refectory tray.

Perhaps insensitively I asked her 'Are you on drugs or something, if you thought that was metal?' 'Not yet...' was her reply. M had cleared most of the mess but had a residue of unpleasantness all over the oven bottom still to master. We watched him swiping at it with a tea towel and he suggested, not without sarcasm, that we may want to pull up some chairs.

He then wondered aloud how we were going to get rid of the last film of plastic, and I could help him with that one. A liberal dose of olive oil and a bit more elbow grease later and all was well. The shelf was easier to deal with but two wooden spatulas, a slotted spoon, two tea towels and a plate were all lost in the tragedy.

After that excitement all went as well as expected. The crackers (not cheap ones) were a bit of a disappointment but the kids loved the profiteroles, we didn't do a Christmas pudding as not one of them admitted to having a taste for it. Same with sprouts, shame, as I love them. They are a conservative lot.

Games afterwards included Battleships, some sort of table hockey thing, a DVD was on and M and I played Giant Sudoku on the board. We got a puzzle from on-line and drew it extra large on the board. We had a coloured marker each and went head to head over the numbers. We chose level 6 (out of 6) which we usually both find ok. Not yesterday, the fumes must have addled us. We spent a long time just staring at it. The Head Teacher looked it over, offered advice and scarpered. Mr B played table hockey and Mrs D wrote some notes up. M's missus kindly did the washing up and remains unaware that he knows how to clean an oven. We were sworn to secrecy...

Baubles...

These are very satisfying to make, and quick, which is always good at this time of year. I bought a couple of old music exam books from Oxfam which were nicely aged in appearance and had thick paper.

I just cut round things to hand in the kitchen, a sugar basin and a casserole lid and with a bog standard glue stick made these in no time. There are a few more small ones as well. I thought they'd make a really good mobile as well as decorations.

I got the students making them the other day. They used coloured  paper and a set of craft scissors that have lots of different edging effects (a bit like this set) and the results were really impressive and are now decorating the classroom tree. I liked these hanging outside, they whirled around and looked great, no good in the rain though.

I also bought a few other old books with good pages and have lots of ideas for using them, some will be decorations. I do feel a bit bad cutting up books, but they will be re-used and none of them are really important. I did get one old one that has a lot of typescript, fonts and such in, I like it so much I think that one will stay intact.

On a different note... I had my hair cut last night, and had booked to have an eyelash tint straight afterwards. I've been feeling like I look very washed out and thought this might help. Well, my stylist mentioned having my eyebrows done at the same time, so I did.

What a difference. I love the look, much stronger definition and maybe that was what was lacking, you could hardly see my brows before, and now... wow. This will become a regular appointment.

Deck the door...

If nothing else, the door is sorted. This year's wreath is a variation on last year's... and probably years to come as I rather like the chillies.

I put it up on Sunday after adding the decorations and ribbon, it was throwing it down and the ribbons flapped forlornly against the window. 

Later on I went to the door to check it was locked for the night. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the shape at the door and the ribbons flapping away in the wind. I'd quite forgotten about the wreath by this time and it gave me a real fright.

Which reminds me of the time we got a new lampshade and the dog didn't recognise the shape and must have thought someone was in the room. She went berserk! 

I have the tree but it still isn't trimmed, or even in a stand. I found our usual stand but all the fixings were missing. So I bought a new one, a different shape, and this won't fit on the table I always use. It's now a case of trying to re-arrange the room to accommodate the tree, or find a different table, or a different tree... 

And we won't go until we've got some...

Don't mention that I missed Stir-up Sunday, what's a week or so between friends? At least the Christmas pudding will have some chance to mature, there have been times I've made it on the absolute last minute. And for the record I don't think it tastes any different either way.

I've made two this year. A tiny one, in the Falcon enamel bowl, for the three of us. And a larger one, in the traditional pot basin, for my parents. My Dad would eat any size put in front of him. I'll keep them like this after they've cooked and then just put them back in the steamer on Christmas morning for another session.

I made them yesterday morning while still in my pyjamas, so that they could go in the steamer for the required eight hours.

I love the whole process of making puddings, the little pleated hats and the string handles. It feels timeless, and couldn't be easier really. It's one of those recipes that requires no skill, just patience. I don't put money in them, dentists' bills are bad enough these days and I don't want to be sued.

I managed a bit of festive shopping as well yesterday. One present... but I did get myself some nice things! It always happens, when you're not looking you find all kinds of things. I felt like treating myself, so I did. 

Weather news: Last night, after an impressive thunderstorm, we got more snow. It's not too bad this morning but it is very windy, which means travel on open roads will be a nightmare and will probably stop a lot of people getting into town. It is snowing at the moment and it is cold. 

Let the swapping commence...

What festive swap is complete without a scarf? Not this one in any case. This is the first thing for my swap-partner Heike in Tracey and Emma's Snail Mail Holiday Swap. The essence of it is to do a handmade holiday parcel and mine went into the post last night after work.

Everything is packed inside this stocking (details of the projects will be on Ravelry in a few days) for that authentic Christmas feel. The girls saw me knitting this and have both requested one, these are now underway.

And this is why I wanted to perfect Kirstie's papercut bauble technique! These two are cut from duck egg blue card (Heike said she liked that colour) and dare I say I'm very pleased with them. I think if I'd started with manageable card in the first place I wouldn't have mashed my fingers.

A bit of fairisle is also festive. The pictures do no justice to what I made, but it's dark all day and I am not good at photos in artificial light. You'll have to take it from me that this hanger is actually quite bright!

I sneaked in a couple of other things as well, not handmade but for Heike to use in her crafting. She is the most amazing knitter. 

It feels so good to post off things, it has an authentic feel to it. Does that make sense? You know, the making, the wrapping and queuing to send it off in style in brown paper and with string tied round. Not for practicality (they invented sticky tape for that) but for a bit of retro appeal! I read somewhere that the greeting card market has shrunk as 'Everyone' is texting or e-mailing their felicitations these days. Not in this house. You can't beat a hand written card, even if the post is a bit hit and miss with its timings. I absolutely love getting Real Letters through the letterbox, not that it happens a lot these days, but it's a thrill when it does. And getting a parcel, well, that's just fantastic...

Calling all cat owners...

At last! Something useful to put on the Christmas list (and not priced over £400- always good). And you can get it from amazon, another plus point as you won't even have to leave the comfort of your chair.

Let's face it, if you were the energetic type then that cat hair would be history anyway. My Mother would have caught it before it hit the ground. When I take the dog/s round (and I only ever do if it's unavoidable) she has special thick sheet things she puts over all her carpets. Really.

Now you need not feel guilty for failing to wield the vacuum endlessly, no- just explain to friends and neighbours that it's your hobby. You need to have hairballs in the corners and felt behind the radiators.

Please note this is not a review, it's just for info. I found it whilst trawling for something completely different. But I know how you all love my fantasy Christmas present lists, and this fits on it nicely.

A bit more retail therapy...

On Saturday it didn't rain and the sun almost came out. Which was good because I had a day out in Manchester where I met up with Emily and Emma for a bit of retail therapy. Yarn therapy really as we were off to a newish yarn shop in the Northern Quarter, Purl City Yarns.

I got the direction to the cafe, where we were meeting, from the internet and it had given me quite a roundabout route, but it did mean I got to see this great mural on the side of a building. The next one along had been demolished so someone has cheered up the space with a bluetit!

I bought some special yarns to make things for myself, but also got loads of chunky for Christmas projects for the girls. They saw me making something for the upcoming Holiday Swap I'm in and said they'd like what I was making as well. I'll know the pattern in my sleep as I made one last year as well. All will be revealed when they're all finished.

On Sunday I went to The Dome to a Christmas shopping event (I went to one last year as well). There didn't seem to be quite as many stalls as last year but the ones there were all excellent and seemed to be doing good trade. I couldn't resist a few things but what I came away with most of was inspiration. A good part of the stuff on sale was handmade and really great quality, but the displays were the things that set them apart. Some people just have a way with presenting things, don't they?

As it was Remembrance Sunday there was a minute's silence when the chimes of Big Ben were played over the Tannoy. There were also some young opera singers there performing occasionally between the christmas music and after the silence one of the sang 'White Cliffs of Dover'. It was very moving. Especially considering what the building used to be in a former life.

All in all a fun weekend. Which is the very best kind...

Christmas prep...

Thought I'd get in some practise for making Christmas decorations at the weekend. I'd always fancied a go at the Stained Glass Biscuits and decided to just make some basic mixture and go for it.

I used a shortcake mix and ordinary boiled sweets for the centres. I stood them on baking parchment in the oven... just in case. But they didn't stick any more than usual and the sweetie didn't boil over as I'd imagined it might.

The star with heart cut out took one sweet in the middle, though I started with half of one as the heart shape is very small (I think the cutter is really for sugar paste decorations).

I took the biscuits out halfway through cooking, decided the 'glass' was too shallow and added another half a sweet.

Same with the squares, I started with one sweet and topped them up to two as the biscuits were really quite deep. Another tip would be that it's better to put the full biscuit onto the baking sheet then do the cut-out. Otherwise it's in danger of falling to bits en route. As I found out...

I was going to take pictures of these in the window with sunlight streaming through them, but there isn't any sunlight and the kitchen window was the only place that there was even visibility yesterday.

When I make the Real Things as opposed to these prototypes I'll make hanging holes as well (chopsticks are excellent for this) and use more Christmassy shapes, maybe a bit of piped icing and silver balls wouldn't go amiss as well... no doubt I'll share them with you!