Fondant Fancies [And Tiny Feet]

 I try to make my Christmas Cake interesting and different each year - even though I always stand my little Nativity figures on the top.

Here's a selection from Christmases Past. Looking for inspiration a few weeks back, I looked at Pinterest. I try not to indulge in that too often- it can be a dreadful time waster. But there were quite a few with a Nativity scene on top - and a sort of 'frieze' of Bethlehem round the sides. Like these ones

I particularly liked this one with blue icing and a starry sky

Having made and marzipanned my cake, I settled down to decorate it. I had the figures, and I bought fondant icing, blue and yellow colouring, and a pot of golden stars.

I'd been told by a friend who makes celebration cakes that you should knead the colouring into the fondant, little by little, till the lot is an even colour. 

An hour later, I'd managed to work about half a bottle of colouring into the fondant and it was still a sky blue, not the rich saxe blue I'd hoped for. After a further forty minutes, with the remaining 25% of the fondant, I had some pale yellow icing. I'd set myself up with a large bowl and was working in front of the TV. I saw two whole episodes of West Wing from nearly 20 years ago.

I moved into the kitchen, and rolled out the blue to cover the cake. That was OK. Then I took my little paper design which I'd precut from paper, and tried to cut out my houses. They fell apart. I rolled it thicker and tried again. In retrospect, I think I should have made them thin, and let them dry out a bit, then applied them to the cake.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

But Mary and Joseph, plus baby Jesus, finally got onto the cake, with the Magi looking on[I decided against making a stable, after family comments a couple of years back about Bus Shelters in Macclesfield]. I poked golden stars into the sky and found a few silver balls to decorate the properties. I added a few blue front doors and marked other details with a knife and a piping tube. Next year, there will just be a ribbon round the cake. And the icing will probably be white!

We had a lovely Christmas greeting from Manchester this morning. When Steph said on the phone that George was helping her make her cards, I had no idea that they were making these clever mistletoe footprints. I hope he grows up to be as good at art as his Mum. 

Have you iced your cake yet? Is it plain or fancy?

Scents And Sensibility

Like hundreds of other people, when I got covid-19 , I lost my sense of smell. And unlike most others, it did not return within a few weeks. There was a persistent weird in my nostrils.

 What seems like months ago, May I think, my friend Jenny said she had seen a "Sense of Smell" Retraining Kit advertised online at some exorbitant cost. I said I would hold on to my cash, and see if nature sorted it out for free.

Then an informative article in The Guardian on Saturday caused me to rethink things. I'd already become aware of grapefruit [handwash] and coconut [shampoo] - even if fresh bread and strong coffee still elude me. But this article spoke of two conditions - anosmia [complete loss of smell] and parosmia [a distorted sense of smell- often a sign of recovery] and pointed me to AbScent, a charity devoted to helping people with smell-loss. 

The idea is that you purchase a selection of 'essential scents' and every morning you sniff them. For twenty seconds you do a series of short sharp sniffs [known as 'bunny sniffs'] with the first perfume, then move on to the next. The kit contains four scents -  rose, eucalyptus, clove and lemon fragrances, in impregnated discs inside glass jars. Cost £30.

I checked out our health food shop who were waiting for deliveries, but had lemon and cloves as "essential oils". "But rose is the most expensive, £24 for a little bottle" they told me. The first evening, Bob and I did a 'wafting test' - I closed my eyes and he put a bottle under my nose. Yes - I could identify these two. Next day I went into the large Boots - and found eucalyptus - and that was on offer with tea tree and lavender.  So I got 5 bottles in total for round £20. 

This morning I did my bunny sniffing - using a kitchen timer, and taking each in turn. I followed the instructions - concentrating and being 'mindful' of each smell. I tried to focus on memories involving those perfumes - 

lavender, pruning the shrubs in the front garden at Cornerstones, and also making 35 lavender bags for a friend. 

lemon - meals eaten on holiday in Sicily, and also the legendary lemon meringue pies made in my childhood by my mother's friend Gwen.

cloves - Christmas baking, and Mum's apple pies

eucalyptus - I'm struggling a bit with this one, there has to be something beyond Hall's Cough Sweets - any ideas out there?

tea tree oil - this is the hardest one for me to smell, it seems vaguely antiseptic, and I keep thinking about hospital visits. 

But I shall persevere. The perfumed candle purchased for a Christmas present definitely smells of cinnamon for me now. When it arrived 3 weeks ago, I couldn't smell it at all  - but Bob was acutely aware if its perfume [and this is before it has been lit] I've also printed off the helpful self-assessment sheet, to keep a record of my progress.

I do think these conditions sound like bizarre party guests - "Please would you welcome Ann Osmia, and her esteemed father, Pa Osmia". There is light at the end of the tunnel [or at least, a smell at the end of my nostril] Will this fifth sense return to me completely? 

Nobody Nose!!

Summer, Winter... or Fall

On the east coast of Norfolk, a few miles north of Great Yarmouth, you will find two pretty little adjacent villages - Somerton and Winterton. When I am over on that side of the county, I always find myself singing that lovely song from Camelot which mentions the seasons in that perverse order

In the October Half Term break, when we were up at Cornerstones, we went for a family walk - Jon had found a circular walk - starting and finishing at the Winterton Beach Café. It was cold, and windy, but we had a great time - and Rosie plodded on in a determined fashion 

We stopped off at the ruined St Mary's Church in East Somerton, and Liz produced a flask of hot drink, and snacks. Rosie was sure that it was a ruined Princess Castle - it was an amazing place. We sat under tree which was growing up through the middle of the church.

As we continued on our way, the wind seemed to get stronger, and some of us felt tired. Rosie's fur hood helped, also the promise that her Daddy had a prize for her if she managed the route without being carried. So we walked on, back down into Winterton, and up the road towards the Beach Cafe. As we walked through the village, I saw loads of pink blossoms in the gardens and along the verges. I wasn't sure what this flower was, so I asked one chap who was by his front door. He told me they were nerines - and ridiculously easy to grow in poor soil, and hardy perennials. 

Once we got to the café, Rosie received her prize- another of those horses. She decided to feed him some of her cheese roll. This is the only picture I took of the café that day. It was quite busy - and the diners were all sitting outside, at socially distanced tables. 

Sadly this thriving little eatery is no longer there - last Saturday it had to be demolished - coastal erosion meant that the café was precariously close to the cliff top. Look at these two pictures [taken by Simon Taylor, published in the Eastern Daily Press]

Somerton, Winterton, Summer, Winter... then fall

I am so glad we visited when we did - and so sorry that the Dunes Café is no longer there. I hope someone is able to build a replacement before next summer - further inland! Climate change is a real thing, whatever some certain people say - and we can see its effects very close to home.

Wise Men FROM The East ...

 ...Crazy Woman TO The East

Last week I did a round trip to Cornerstones - leaving Thursday, returning Friday. As we will probably arrive late Christmas Night, I wanted to ensure the place was ready. I'd stripped the beds and washed the sheets at the end of our last visit, and nobody wants to have to make up a bed late at night. I had some items to deliver, and also wanted to take a chest of drawers and an armchair. I put my new Rend Christmas CD in the player, and set off. The journey was not too bad- it rained incessantly but I arrived early afternoon whilst it was still light. The CD is brilliant imho. Songs old and new, and great to sing along to.

Cornerstones was fine- but my poor neighbour's garden fence has been completely demolished by a reversing vehicle. In the evening I strung up a few twinkling lights [on timer switches] and decorated the Christmas Tree. I so missed having the family around to help! After I good night's sleep, I was up bright and early for the journey back. Norfolk was cold. In fact I wasn't far out of the village before I encountered snow. Lots of it. I was grateful to be in Bob's big car and not my little Toyota. 

I stopped along the A11, and purchased a coffee from a friendly guy with a roadside catering caravan [and made a mental note that on a future trip, we'd sample his bacon rolls]

This photograph is in colour - but the trees and snow and fence were monochrome. Perhaps I should have got out of the vehicle and included my blue car and the red  lorry parked next to me in the shot!I was home in good time to help Bob record the Communion Service for Sunday [alongside the still tacky Advent candles]

Then we sat and watched Kirstie's show together - and were thrilled to see Alison winning the papercrafter's trophy. She is the most gifted papercrafter I know - and her prize is well deserved. 

On Monday, Alison and I took masks and flasks down to the church and decorated a couple of Christmas trees in the front windows, for the benefit of passers by. And then in our socially-distanced coffee break, she told me more about the filming of the programme.  

I took this photo from my TV screen, so it is a a bit out of focus. You cannot see clearly the incredible detailing and delicate colouring of the Christmas baubles in her parchment picture.

I think that this year Kirstie [or maybe her production team] has worked hard to find a lot of different crafts. But judging must be so difficult -like comparing apples and oranges.

The winner of the Three-Million-Views-Draw is "Trundling Through Life" - a lovely blogger from Lincolnshire. Once I have finished stitching it, a special Christmas Tree Ornament will be on its way north to her. My crafting over the weekend involved finishing a baby jumper and embroidering a bib celebrating the birth of another great-niece. That's two babies in one month!!

New babies at Christmas time always seem extra special

Advent At Home #2 - More Hope!

I'm cheating a bit here - this is actually one of the Advent "Thought For The Day" pieces which Bob and I are posting for our church [daily, during Advent] It's only three minutes long, and it is another one on the theme of hope.

If you want to follow the daily reflections, just go to the UCF You Tube Channel, [that's here] where they are being added each morning. 

An Advent Communion

This morning's service will be available from 7.30am and will include communion. Do join us if you can [link here]

Jesus, you are truly Immanuel, God With Us

In this season of hope, may the meal we share together

nourish us to be your body in the word,

your kingdom come

your will done on earth as in heaven

With the angels in heaven we join in singing your praises

Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

All I Want For Christmas...

Do you have a Christmas Wish List? Or do your family surprise you each year? Because we don't want to overload other family members with unwanted items, we do ask for a few suggestions, and in return mention things we might like. I did say months ago that I would like H Mantel's "The Mirror and The Light" - specifically in paperback, to match the first two I have from her trilogy. But it's not out yet. But Bob has got something else in hand.

Our stockingfillers tend to be consumable items - foodstuffs or toiletries. My daughters are thoughtful and generous gift givers, always finding just the right item to bring happiness to the recipient. Rend Collective, my favourite Irish Christian Band sent me an email the other week about their new album.I shared one of the tracks [here] on the blog. But they also sent this cute children's track too [surprisingly inconsistent spellings of hippopotamus in the subtitles!]

I don't want a hippo - but Bob heard me playing the other track, and generously ordered me the album and has given it to me as an early present so I can enjoy it through Advent. What a treat. I still think the old rhyme about celebration gifts sums things up neatly

Something to wear, something to read

Something you want, something you need

Continuing the Elf Theme from yesterday, I've just found the little video which Adam, a work colleague produced seven years ago. This should make you laugh...

Elf Service

One local shop which I visit frequently is Fabricland. They have an online service too [so I can still access their goods when I'm in Norfolk] Whilst they've been closed in Lockdown, they have been doing lovely little livechats about their Christmas products and new fabrics. All very well organised, and there is opportunity to type in your questions ,which they answer very promptly.

They have a huge variety of Christmas themed fabrics, and lots of ideas for making these into ornaments and gifts. Not that I know anyone who wants a Brussels Sprouts coat for their pooch. But there are kits of aprons, oven gloves, stockings etc. Following a recent Livechat I entered the competition to win an Elf Kit. And I won!

The kit includes pattern and instructions, plain 'body' fabric, striped fabric for leggings, and 3 other Christmas prints*. Plus threads, buttons, elastic and bells - and a big bag of stuffing. The kit says you can make three elves - but I have enough leftover to make a 4th elf body, and will be able to make his clothes from Christmas fabrics in my stash [spare buttons and bell in the kit too] 

If making for a small child, skip the buttons and bell, use circles of felt, and a pompom instead [Elf and Safety] *The fabric prints vary from kit to kit,but always with red, green and cream backgrrounds - and you can choose pink or beige fabric for the body.

I cut out three elves on Sunday evening, and spent about 6 hours over the next two days sewing them together. I used a chopstick to help turn out the slim arms and legs, and push the stuffing into them. It is important to pull the stuffing into little 'snowballs' about the size of a grape, and push them down separately. If you try and thrust a huge lump of fibre down the leg, it will feel uneven, and not look so good. 

I left the features till last. I put on the hat and then used pins to decide on the best position for the eyes. Then I embroidered them and the mouth [the kit includes floss]

I am very happy with my three little elves. Thank you Fabricland for sending me such a lovely prize. Your Very Good Elf!

Three Million Thanks!

I cannot believe this. I began this blog in March 2008. In January 2018, my stats showed Tracing Rainbows had been viewed 2 million times.

But the views have increased significantly since then - so now, less than three years later, the blog is well past the three million mark. 

When you are watching the odometer on the car, for a significant mileage, you peer diligently most days - then forget, only to see it has tripped over all the zeroes to.....004. The Big Moment probably went unnoticed when you were driving into the supermarket car park.

I haven't been checking regularly. Over the summer, in Norfolk, I noticed I was picking up around 1K hits a day, and decided there were a lot of bored people at home during the pandemic. Maybe I will get to 3M before I get to my pension, I thought [April 2021] And then on Monday I notice the stats had crept over 3,004,000. What can I say to you all but ...

I shall have to do a grateful giveaway. If you would like to be in the draw, then comment below, and put DRAW as the first word [if you just want to comment, miss that word out] The winner will get one of my specially personalised embroidered Lockdown Christmas Tree Ornaments.

It's lovely to know that there are so many friends, old and new, out there. Even in these strange, separated times, we can still share good thoughts, kindness and encouragement.

Top Tips For Christmas

I've been quite remiss - in previous Decembers I've rounded up helpful tips from all over the place and shared the ideas. I haven't actually seen that many tips out there in Blogland this year. I suppose nobody needs to know how to make their little turkey crown stretch to 4 extra guests, or have ideas for party games when there are fifteen of you...

But here are three Christmas activities which have been happening here at The Manse which might amuse inspire some people.

[1] Home made Christmas Cards - I've only used materials I already had to make my cards. So they are simple pictures cut from last years cards. I used my die cut machine to get rectangles with interesting corners - and stuck on a few 'gems'. And I made them all A5 sized. But I needed envelopes. So these were all made from calendars. Who needed their calendars in 2020 anyway? I had some with 12 bright, arty pictures- and plain white backs. I used my WRMK envelope punch, to make white envelopes with colourful linings.

[2] Homemade preserves to be given as gifts always look better with a 'mob-cap'. Useful tip - and 18cm circle of fabric is the right size for the majority of jamjars. Anything smaller and it is fiddly to fit the elastic band neatly- and it looks sort of desperate. Like a teenager in the 1960s frantically tugging at her miniskirt.

[3] Finally, make sure that you have got the fork 'andles [sorry, four candles] ready for the church advent ring well in advance. Do not leave it till the afternoon before you need to record the YouTube "lighting of the candles" clips

Bob was only able to get three red and three white ones on Friday afternoon. I experimented with my water based acrylic paints on a spare white candle, but couldn't get the colour right. He then took all four to the garage and sprayed them with car spray paint.

They look splendid. We did all our recordings - but very carefully- the paint was still tacky. Even now, days later the paint remains tacky!!

If you want to see some more useful Christmas tips from previous years, just type "Top Tips Christmas" in the Search Bar at the bottom.

Horses For Courses

Rosie is loves horses. She is slowly building up a collection of Schleich models,giving them her own quite idiosyncratic names; Whitey, Sparklehooves, Clumsy etc [she resisted Liz's suggestion to called Clumsy's mother 'Mumsy'] She recently lined them all up in her bedroom, and asked Liz to take a photo and send it to Grandma. 

Over the Summer at Grandma's nursery, she loved going for walks [gallops] wearing her strap-on hobby horse. And of course, discovering that Grandma had a Sylvanian stable, which once belonged to Mummy Liz proved unbelievably wonderful. We turned them all into Unicorns on one special day. She is as horse-mad as her Mum was at that age...

As I was thinking about the Christmas Decorations, I remembered we'd had a Christmas Rocking Horse back in the 80's.
It had come from the NT shop at Ightham Mote, a favourite place to visit when we lived in Kent. It was a printed sheet which had to be cut out and sewn up.

But the stuffing had gone strange and his legs were limp. He kept falling over - so about 10 years I just left him in the decorations box, and said "I'll fix him for next year" but never did. I got as far as removing the rockers

Finally last Thursday I got the job done,. I unpicked his hooves, pulled out the stuffing, and then restuffed, adding fresh fibres.

When Rosie saw him, in our WhatsApp chat, she was so excited. I am glad I got round to fixing him at last.I suspect he will be travelling to Norfolk soon so that Rosie can play with him there.

Advent At Home #1 - Hope

 It feels very strange this year - normally I make sure all my 'home' preparations are done before Dec 1st - cake made and iced, cards written, ready to post, decorations up by the beginning of Advent, and presents sorted and wrapped. Because Bob is Pastor of a lively, busy church, our Advent is always full of Carol Services, Christmas Productions, the local Tree Festival and other Community events, and various festive meals and church social events to organise and/or attend. And the great preChristmas Open House - every year since 1986.

But this year...no events, excepted online [and much of it prerecorded] no post-Christmas family get together at Cornerstones - the girls, their blokes, my bro and family [and this year, two grandchildren]... Everything feels pared back, slower, quieter. For many people there is sadness because of all they cannot do, for the loved ones they cannot meet and hug. There is anxiety about the days ahead - are things going to get worse not better? How long must we go on like this? Will it be a 'proper' Christmas? 

Tinsel, turkey, mistletoe kisses, family trips to the panto, even Christingles and school nativity plays... lovely though these things are, Christmas will still be Christmas even if they don't happen this year. I believe the message of the angels wasn't an ephemeral Ho Ho Ho! but an everlasting Hope Hope Hope! 

The Advent[ure] Begins

Sunday worship from United Church Ferndown available from 7.30am here.

Look out for the Advent thoughts too [see sidebar links]

Oojamaflip Or Kitchamajig?

George's Triangle is all done, and Hermes is delivering it to Manchester. Thank you to the nice chap in Halfords who gave me a strong cardboard bicycle box for packing. I was able to tuck some of the other family Christmas gifts in the spaces. 

But now Bob is short of a project. Like me, he appreciates having something to work on, as a relaxation. He mended and repainted the handle on one of his hammers. "Oooh! can you do something about this, it is looking rather tired". I said, handing him one of my kitchen utensils. 

It was a wedding present - so that makes well over 40 years old. It was a gift from Helen. She was a young teenager in my Sunday Bible Study Group. Her elder sister was one of my bridesmaids, and our links with the family went right back to the mid 1960s. The family gave us a lovely Le Creuset Casserole [still in use] but Helen insisted on buying us her own gift from her pocket money. They had one of these in their kitchen, and she felt it would be a Very Useful Gadget, and so it has been. Bob has indeed refurbished the item.

"Thank you, the oojamaflip looks much better now." I said when he presented me with it. "What did you call it?" he said "Ooojamaflip - I'm sure that's what Helen always called theirs" I said.

But then I began to doubt myself, so I went and checked it up. I was wrong - it is a Kitchamajig. This was the actual name under which it was marketed in the USA and you can read all about the company here. The earlier models even had the name and suggested uses engraved on the front - 

1. mashing potatoes
2. straining food
3. beating eggs
4. serving food

In this country, the Kitchamajig was produced as part of the Prestige Skyline range - and from the 1950s-1970s, almost every couple received some sort of Prestige Utensil among their wedding gifts. If you look on Etsy and eBay, you will find that people are trying to sell them at ridiculous prices. 

I may be decluttering, but this is is a cleverly designed item - and it meets William Morris' rule. This one is staying!

Do you have one of these?  Is there another 'retro' bit of kitchen kit you use regularly?

Time And Motion

Two of my friends made the decision at the start of the first lockdown in March that they would try to come out of it "fitter not fatter". They've been very disciplined about taking daily walks, and told me on Wednesday that they'd just both clocked up 1000 miles. I've been humming that Proclaimers song ever since! I'm really impressed. 

I know that 10,000 steps a day equates to around 5 miles. Very occasionally I do 20,000, but mostly, if I don't actually go out for a walk, my usual daily step count is nearer 7000. But for the last fortnight I cannot give you any data. My Fitbit has gone wrong. 

It won't charge, it won't synch with my phone. I contacted the helpline on 15th November. The chap said it was probably the charger able, and he would send a new one. I left the Fitbit on the shelf, and strapped on my old Swatch. I like to have time on my hands. 

On 25th November a package arrived. No cable, just a new strap - for a different model. 

I picked up the Fitbit and went to contact them again. At which point I noticed that it said I'd walked 114 steps on Saturday, 164 on Sunday, and 67 on Monday! Ridiculous, the gadget had not been on my wrist, but stationary.  The guy apologised about the strap, told me to keep it [?] and said he would "expedite a new charging cable to me". Only when I had they, would they be able to discuss the charging/synching problems, he said

On 26th November a package arrived. No cable, just a new strap - for a different model. 

If I do this every day for a fortnight, can I then ring them and say "Please exchange these 14 new and unopened straps for a Fitbit" do you think?

Please let me know if you want a Large Gemini Strap [or 2] in Charcoal Grey

Meanwhile, I'm quite enjoying having an old style analogue wristwatch again. It has a second hand, and it ticks!

Getting Christmas All Stitched Up

Whilst the sewing stuff was taking over the dining room last week for a bear and a dress, I did a few Christmassy items as well. 

The embroidery machine produced a  bib for my new niece, and a couple of facecloths for Christmas gifts [this is an old picture- I wrapped up this month's work before I took a picture!]

Then I decided we needed some festive facemasks. I used the black mask [Bob bought it from Wilko in the summer] as a template, and made four masks from Christmassy fabric in the stash. The inside is heavy t-shirt cotton - I find that more comfortable next to my skin than the patchwork cottons.

My memory bears always have a backpack with a label inside naming the deceased, and the recipient. At Bob's suggestion, I used the cute llama print which never got used in the bear itself to line the bag. 

This meant my box of embroidery threads, and the box of Aida scraps was out. I decided to make a 2020 decoration for the tree. I did front, with the year - then on the back, a note of George's date of birth, and the fact that I'd spent the summer teaching Rosie. Then I decided Liz and Steph ought to have one each for their trees. I've already made a First Christmas decoration for George.

These are really quite small, about 5cm in diameter. I did the two x-stitch designs and sewed then onto their circles. The red circle is felt, with a green bias binding edge. The green Christmas fabric is pulled tight over a card disc. Finally I oversewed the two sides together, tucking  little bit of wadding behind the felt to give some depth.

Finally a quick reminder that Kirstie is back on Channel 4. She's already done a quick&easy crafts programme.

Her new series start on Monday 30th and is every weekday for two weeks. This year it was filmed in October under covid19 restrictions, in a large, cold marquee, in Devon. I know this because my good friend Alison is one of the demonstrators! Alison said the production team found heaters and hot water bottles to keep people warm in the tent!

Alison's a professional in parchment and papercraft [check out her website]and I'm confident she'll produce something brilliant. It will be good to see what other experts Kirstie has - I'm glad she produces a variety of crafters [even if 95% of the time, she seems to leave them to finish her item for her!]
Two boxes of spare decorations and another full of used-once gift bags went to CAP this week, as my friend is preparing gift hampers. I shall try and put some decorations up over the coming weekend. 

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