Poncetastic Christmas 2014

[HopeAndStories]

(Posting FellatioNelson's OP from previous years )
_

OK, first of all, I know it's still September by we need to start this thread now because as you all know, having a truly Poncetastic Christmas involves precision planning, strategy, bravery, heroics, and frequently martyrdom. A bit like the war in Afghanistan, only with nicer food and sparkly shoes.

So, if you, like me, actually want to make the next twelve weeks of your life a misery by hand-crafting your cards, finding a huge bucket for Nigella's turkey in brine, pickling pears, shrivelling oranges in a low oven for those rustic au naturel decorations, dragging half a holly bush back from the woods, and just generally being a smug annoying jobsworth ponce, join me on this thread.

Feel free to post photos of previous tree-trimming, cake icing or table centrepiece triumphs, discuss this year's bauble colour themes, debate the merits of Delia versus Gordon, road-test a selection of canapes and cocktails, (all in the line of duty) and link to lovely inspirational photos/craft ideas for a truly Poncetastic Christmas.

Warning: If your idea of a good Christmas involves Pizza, ITV, gravy granules or anything with 'Aunt Bessies' on the packet, this is not the thread for you.

ive started in earnest last week, my dining room table has my bits and bobs on to make decorations, (dh reckons itll be cheaper to buy them from john lewis)

plain wreaths
fabric
cinnamon sticks and oil
cloves
jingle bells
ribbons
napkins
wooden shapes
buttons
threads
ric-rac

my mum started the cakes yesterday- soaking over night -ready
for final mix today.

Felix I'm sure it will be fine. I've just had a quick look at the Gospel according to St. Delia and she recommends cooking times of 3 hours 30 minutes for a 6" cake and 4 hours 45 minutes for a 9" cake. Given that the standard size for cake tins is about 7" then 4 hours would be about right. It will feel solid because it's probably got about 2.5 pounds of ingredients in it too

My 3" cake weighs 12 ounces. good job it's going on my mother's hips not mine. (I make my cakes to give as gifts)

Oh good, I hope it's ok! It has 1 kilo of fruit, 100g nuts, 250g butter, 150g flour & 150g sugar. You could knock someone out with it

Felix, make sure you give it a good bit of acupuncture before you feed it. With enough feeding, it'll soften up a fair bit. They do tend to be big ole lumps anyway, and 4 hours seems about right.

Desperate to do some crochet snowflakes, but I can't find my crochet hooks anywhere. :( the only place left to look is a cupboard that I can't get to until DH gets his arse in gear and moves lots of boxes.

Just checking it, real life got in the way of being a ponce this week!Sherlocked, the cushions are amazing! Did you make the grey felt basic cover too?

I have my cranberry and clementine vodka infusing away. I have promised myself it will remain unopened until December.

Already loving the dark nights, the house is full of candles and all cosy.

I was cursing Umlauf last night as I unravelled multiple crochet messes. Then I remembered how to crochet and they are actually fairly easy and fun :)

I already posted this in another thread, here are my first attempts at pontastic Christmas gifts, made with the tons of locally grown, organic apricots we had this summer.

Thanks to everyone who liked the cushions. The reindeer I found a pattern for on pinterest, the others I just freestyled. I made the grey backgrounds too, they're 12" squares (iirc!) sewn rst, turned through, stuffed with toy filler and then the gap slip stitched together.

Pound land have nice paper snowflakes, like the ones I linked to from Next. A pack of three for a pound.

Hello everyone. Tis I.

Would you like to see my Christmas lunch table from last year?

But first I have to learn how to upload it onto the thread.

Hello! Nice to see you! We are still carrying on in the manner and tradition set out by you!

How are you? Where are you? Still overseas?

And yes I would love to see your table!

Yes still here in the sunshine and the madness.

I mostly lurk and occasionally dive about under cover these days but I saw that people were waving the Poncetastic flag in my absence so I thought I drop by and say hello.

I will work out how to do the photo in a bit.

Hello fell ! How does it feel to have a legacy?!
Looking forward to seeing the table too.

Good to see you back Fel! Would love to see the table. I need some ideas for this years table, MIL said "oh we'll just dig out what ever cloths we have, doesn't matter if they don't match, bung some crackers on the table and we're done" I don't think so!!

Owl !

Hello Fell. :)

LaChatte, I am of your apricot jam. I did similar a few years ago when I discovered an apricot tree with fruit literally plopping out of it beside a car park I was parked in. The following winter was a rough one and the tree didn't survive, sadly (I went back to check it in the spring). I am looking out for another one.

Here it is.

fell tis lovely, very simple winter wonderland. And elegant.

I wanted come on to show off the result of a sleepless night with sick baby. Not long to go now, maybe I'll even finish at the weekend!

Nice to see you Fell.

Umlauf, you should be supplying Liberty's!

Fell your table looks lovely (and so does your house!)

Umlauf that is so so so nice!! I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

Can any of you lovely talented people help me please? Thread here

Clocking in, just to show I haven't completely disappeared. Been trying to declutter through eBay and NCT sales recently (plus got the dc bunk beds off eBay so much furniture rearranging etc) which has all got in the way of poncing.

However, did Christmas brandy last week (based on the Hairy Bikers' Christmas Vodka), got the quince vodka steeping away and the redcurrant chutney and mincemeat were all done and dusted in September. Still have to make pretty labels and jam jar covers for those destined as present.

this weekend we're tackling the Christmas cards (we always make our own) and prehaps rather recklessly we've decided to include the dc in the process this year.

Still not started on the cake - probably ought to get the fruit soaking this weekend to bake the next.

Wasn't going to do a pudding as we have a large one left over from last year, but I caved and bought Good Housekeeping yesterday and their 2014 recipe looks so yummy (lots of prunes), I'm tempted to make another. Ditto, their mincemeat recipe. You can never have too much mincemeat can you?

Fell beautiful table and umlauf, I am in awe!