We awoke to a temperature of -4 - ooh nippy chippy as we say in our house. The boys went off to school after having warmed their gloves, hat and scarf on the top of the Rayburn. However I myself was kept warm by listening to the beginning of the BBC Radio 2 auctions with Chris Evans for Children In Need and the kindness of those giving money. There was a Christmas feel to the items being bid for along with some early festive music but I more than forgave them. This morning already £809K has been raised for Pudsey's piggy bank! Wow! Last year the total was £5.7 million
In other news I've been baking and creating. It was Jon's birthday at the weekend so I baked for him, and for the first time for me, a coffee and walnut cake.
I've been getting down to some crafting recently by making use of the fab value Christmas papers I bought recently. I love making tags which are big enough to give as a little gift or to use as a decorations around the house; the ones I currently have I think I made about five years ago so I now have a couple of those in stock and also started on a couple of cards. Jon and I don't send each other cards and I don't give them in general; I do like to give them to neighbours who have been helpful and kind over the year.
I also fed the Christmas cakes yesterday for the first time; here they were very well packed up after the mishap last year.
Right, I think that is it for me just now. Regular chores to do today but loving catching up with blogs to see how people are preparing for Christmas. Had a thought the other day to use the sugar syrup left over from preserving the apples to use for making apple vodka. Has anybody ever made apple vodka? I lots of people make flavoured drinks, especially
Dawn and Tracey.
Bye for now.
Lou.xx
I do admire people like you who knows how to prepare everything in advance. Make Christmas cake? er...I've never done that in my lifetime...in fact our coming holiday will probably just happen on the day as it arrives, what with all the various 'fun n games' we're catching up at the moment LOL. Hope your husband will have a fab b-day - starting with that lovely birthday cake:)
ReplyDeleteHi Annie. The Christmas cake I have been making for about the last eight years is the EASIEST as you boil most of the ingredients in a pan then add the eggs and flour and bake for about an hour. Hubs really enjoyed his cake thank you.
DeleteOoooh you know how happy reading Christmas related posts makes me! First up - that cake is a bake off contender!! What a whopper and I bet it tasted just as yummy!
ReplyDeleteRe Christmas cakes, I have only made one once which was lovely but my lovely Mam (as we say here) makes them for the WHOLE family every year and they are loved by everyone that I am more than happy for her to do that whilst I make the Christmas dinner for said family too!
I am going to have a go at mincemeat this year (if it's not too late?) and I want to investigate Christmas puddings as a traditional pud to go with the goose. Not sure I will make one this year, have to be realistic as I keep saying.
I love the Christmas tags etc, I can't wait to dig our things out this weekend and look through what we have that I've forgotten about since December last year.
Ahh I do love reading your posts - they keep me sane xx
I love your comments on my blog posts! Do you know, the boys say I should go on the bake off but I am sooooo far off the things they make it's untrue, but I'm flattered that they, and you, say that.x You should enjoy your mam's cake and then some! I've been looking at the shopping list for the mincemeat ingredients this morning and will be price checking so I can get a good deal on things as I'm making quite a lot this year. I'm not making a pudding this year. Didn't think I'd have time to do any xmas crafting so enjoying that. Glad I help you keep sane, my total pleasure! xx
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ReplyDeleteI make Raspberry Ratafia, which is any white spirit (I normally use Vodka or Bacardi) - with about 300 g raspberries and about 100 g sugar, along with 4 or 5 almonds. Put in a jar/bottle, by the kettle, and shake every time you make a cuppa. After about 3 weeks you can drain off the fruit (and use in something toothsome like covering them in chocolate or putting in ice cream or jelly) and voila, Raspberry Ratafia. It is LOVELY.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds fab! My problem with wanting to make the apple vodka is that I don't know if the bottled apple syrup would be too sweet as it is just a leftover from the bottling process.
DeleteCoffee and walnut showstopper for sure. Looks amazing. I'm not a big fan of Christmas cake I much prefer sponge. But I will always have a small slice at Christmas, hubby devours the rest!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tania.
DeleteLoving the cards and tags! I'm hoping to make my own cards this year, but I'm running out of time :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Nikki-ann. I haven't made lots of cards for quite a few years but found the ridiculously cheap 12 x 12 pad and thought I try and find some time. Haven't made lots but I love making tags as decorations or as little gifts. Tim Holtz inspired me into making those; do you like his stuff?
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