Advent blog-a-long Day 6

I can't believe that I am still going strong.  Not that I have anything new to write about today.  Sundays are our one family day of the week so I spent the day in the park with Jot & R and it was lovely.  Back now and R is about to feed Jot and then once Jot is in bed some adult time.  R has lost his voice so I get to talk at him all evening  - what a treat :).

The candied peel of yesterday went really well.  Photos below.  I am probably going to dip them in chocolate too but I need to do that much closer to Christmas as then they will need to stay in the fridge and we never have room in our fridge.  They are delicious and I took about 2 hours from go to woe and I would recommend them to anyone.

Well that is all I have to say tonight so I am off and will try to figure out a more informative post for tomorrow.

Take care

JotsMum

Advent Blog-a-log Day 5 - Christmas Candy

Each year I have these grandiose ideas to make my own christmas candy, then I leave it too late and run out to the shops and buy some very overpriced artificial stuff at the last minute.  Not this year!!

Thanks to the wonders of the internet (and I have been following this lady for so long I no longer remember how I found her in the first place) I have stumbled across The wonderful Hungry Mouse (Jessie).  On a regular basis a delicious recipe finds its way to my Google reader and therefore my to do list.  Well I am doing.  As I type I am in the middle of making her Candied Fruit Peel at the request of R.  I am blanching the peel at the moment and I will report back tomorrow (hopefully with a arty picture if R doesn't eat them all when he gets home).

I have only one recipe that I make regularly for candy at that is my easy Peppermint Creams.  I found this recipe when a friend was pregnant and couldn't have the regular Peppermint Creams as they contain egg white and I have never looked back.  They don't dry out as well as the egg white version but I love them a little squishy.  I won't be making them this year as there is no room in my kitchen (long story) but I look forward to embarking on them next year in my new kitchen in my new house.

Peppermint Creams

450g Pure Icing Sugar
4 Tablespoons Condensed Milk
Peppermint oil to taste
Green Food Colouring (optional, I like to do half and half)

• Sift icing sugar into a bowl
• Add condensed milk
• Mix until smooth and creamy (you may need to add a bit more icing sugar if you have been generous with your tablespoons)
• Add Peppermint oil (& Green food colouring)
• Work mixture with hands till flavour and colour are evenly distributed
• Dust a board (or counter top) with Icing sugar
• Roll mixture out to approx 0.5cm depth
• Cut into rounds using a cutter (if you don't have a cutter use a knife and cut into diamonds - this is easier)
• Leave in a cool dry place to set
• Once set (this can take upto 24 hours) you can dip them in melted Chocolate for a more decadent experience.

I might also try this recipe from the Brassy Apple if I can find somewhere that sells Orange extract.  A mission for tomorrow I think.  Also this one for Peppermint Bark from Alice at a Savory Sweet Life.

Off to check on my candied peel.
See you tomorrow
Jots Mum

Advent Blog-a-long Day 4

I am an avid reader of the Sew Mama Sew Blog from which I get a lot of inspiration including that for Jots quilt (although I ended up amending a deisgn to make it easier for me to complete in time for Christmas - not that I am making much progress).  That is beside the point though I really just want to introduce you to them and to point out they are having their annual giveaway day (or rather four days).  There is a list of all the blogs out there in blog land taking part  and you get to go and discover hundreds of new blogs and enter to win some truely gorgeous items from bags to toys to mobiles.  There are such talented people out there.

So go on over and have a look and enter a few (or all if you have a lot of time).

Good night all
JotsMum

Advent Blog-a-long Day 3

Christmas Carols

Jot and I went off to our last Mother Goose session (a songs and rhymns session run by the City of Melbourne) this morning and as it was the last session before Christmas we got to sing Christmas songs and Carols.  As we were singing a light bulb went off in my brain and I realised I had todays blog-a-long topic.

I think the music is what I love most about Christmas.  I prefer the traditional Christmas (or Advent) Carols such as Silent Night, Once in Royal Davids City and of course O Little Town of Bethlehem but having said that the popular music of the mid 20th century also really ring my bells.  Who can go past Bing Crosbys' White Christmas or I saw Mummy kissing Santa Clause by Teresa Brewer without a smile.

Christmas carols always bring a smile to my heart as I remember past Christmases.  Back in England my family live in a very small village with a big church however the congregation is petite.  My sisters and I are blessed with decent voices and were all sopranos in school choirs so come the carol service it was our 'job' to sing the descounts.  Imagine if you will three nervous girls, some very bum notes (espeically as age changed our voices) and a lot of giggles.  It was all worth it though when we were complimented at the end of the service.  The one for O Come all ye Faithful was particularly challenging but the one we loved doing the most (so long as the carol came at the end of the service).  I hear the choir at church sing the descount and wonder who is singing it back in England.  I hope someone is keeping up the tradition.

Take care
JotsMum

Skirt

Well as I am going out tonight I decided to do a quick and dirty hem on my skirt while Jot was eating her dinner.  Doesn't look good close up but I reckon the only person going to get that close to my hemline is going to be under 5 so I don't think I need to worry.

It should really also be taken in by about 1/2 inch but it will do fine for tonight and I will play around with it over the next few days (and figure out what I need to amend on the pattern to get it fitting first time next time).

Have a good evening
JotsMum

Advent Blog-a-long - day 2

I sat last night and tried to figure out what I was going to post each day in the run up to Christmas and came up with .....  Not Much!  As this is meant to be a crafty/sewing blog I wondered if I had to stick to that or if I could (and should) head off into the unknown that is my life and loves.    I have decided that I can (and will) be introducing you to more of my life and loves as a good way to actually provide something interesting (otherwise it could be a very boring month for anyone bothering to read this)


So day two of advent blog-a-long is the day to contemplate Christmas traditions.  Since moving down under in 2006 our christmas traditions have seemed too much like hard work (too much cooking in the heat) so this year, Jots first Aussie Christmas, I have decided to start some new traditions.  She will be 15 months so we are starting them early.


The problem is I can't seem to think of any (this is begining to becomae a recurring theme, I do have a brain I promise) and so I need some inspiration.


Do you have any Christmas traditions? What are they? and can I steal them?


Hopefully by Christmas day itself I will have decided a starting point.


Take care
JotsMum

Advent Blog-a-long - Day 1

I saw the Advent Blog-a-long mentioned by Anna at Sew Busy Mama and decided it might be a good idea to join up.  I figured if I had joined I stand a chance of actually remembering to post.  Something I am notoriously bad at.  So the challenge is a post every day for 24 days now to Christmas.  Some days you might even get two !!

Jot is (as of today) in childcare two days a week and I will not be adding another day at work for a few months (too many holdays booked to make it worthwhile) so I get a free day.  What will I do with myself?  Never fear I have a long list of "to achieve"  (I hate To Do lists).

Today was dedicated to Christmas and although I haven't got time now to get them in the mail presents for family are all complete (I had to whip three up today), wrapped and addressed so tomorrow on my way from A to B (a busy day tomorrow) I will drop them off at the PostOffice and send them on their Merry way hopefully to arrive in time for Christmas.

I still have to figure out waht to get R and more importantly to whip up a dress for Jot and to finish a skirt ad top that are sitting in pieces on the dining room table (annoying R).

Got to go and collect Jot so see you tomorrow