Poncetastic thread

[WaitingForEgg]

Is there a poncetastic thread this year? I am itching to ponce!

Although it's not whisky, there's a Christmas Pudding Vodka recipe here Biddy

Sorry, me again! Just posting up my proud poncetastic crochet creations! The wreath was actually last year and I'm very excited about getting it back out! The stocking was the aforementioned Christmas present for DH.

holmes I do think poncetastic is not as challenging on a budget as one might think. Last year was a painful year financially but the forced creativity made it one of the best for poncetasticness. Foraging for ivy and ferns to make homemade wreaths, for example. I have lots of fond memories of collecting greenery and scrumping for raspberries for raspberry vodka - happy family Saturdays, and would probably not have happened had we just gone and bought them!

This thread has reminded me that I need to go sloe picking. I'm going to pick them after school pick-up this afternoon. Last year I gave small bottles out on Christmas Day and everyone (except MIL who hated it!) has asked for more.

Also bought some very cheap snowflake stamps for the DC to make Christmas cards. Might get them out this weekend too.

zorion wow, your crochet is fantastic! I'm only a beginner, but think it's such a lovely, cosy hobby. Want to make little tree decorations this year, but not sure how it will go. I can do lots of different stitches, but it's the correct placing etc that makes my finished projects a little shit unprofessional looking.

Beautiful crochet Zorion. I am not at all crafty so it is all about the poncetastic food and drink chez Madrigal.

Zorion - your wreath and stocking are fantastic. How long did the wreath take, there is so much detail.

Picked my sloes - people had already been foraging and I had to bend the branches over to get the ones left at the top. They are very ripe and plump!

Great thread! I'm new here - well, newish to posting. I still have sloe gin soaking from last year, and a bit of blackberry vodka - still time to make that, too. I have SO many idea of stuff I want to make and do.
Will go get on with pinning the back, front and wadding together for a quilt I want to give as a gift this Christmas only had the fabric since 27Dec last year

Thanks for the Christmas pudding vodka recipe, will be doing that this year! Has anyone made it, how long does not last? I'd quite like to make it mid November, and drink it occasionally up to Christmas Day.

Anyone got any tips for making cloved stuffed oranges, or cinnamon and orange popurri?

my house is an utter shithole- I am hoping to have the dining room ceiling plastered and to have finished decorating by Christmas

this will never ever happen (hasn't for the last 3 Christmases in our not-done-doer-upper)

that said I have grown a load of willow to make wreaths with AND WREATHS I WILL MAKE dammit

this probably makes me more of a slattern/witch than a ponce but what the hell

I am staying on this thread to live vicariously through you ponces

oh my GOD just zoomed in properly on what I thought was a generic wreath Zorion

that is utterly beautiful

there's no place for me here- I'm just going to sit here pressing my nose against the window like the Little Matchgirl

Zorion your wreath is stunning, goodness me you are a clever one. YoU must be so proud of yourself.

I'm a failed ponce. [fcsad]

And I can't get Christmas emoticons on the mobile site.

Bathsheba you don't need the 'C', just [ fsad ] should do the trick (obv take out the spaces!).

Back in July I made a little felt poinsettia and holly wreath if Ifind them, I'll take and post a photo. They were very easy and very cute. I might make some napkin rings with the same design, having just bought fabric napkins go me!

Anyone have any ideas for freeze ahead of time puddings?
I'm not a huge christmas cake and pudding fan, though I will still make them
Need an alternative for after the meal, preferably something I can make in advance, freeze and then either defrost and eat or bake?

Zorion you are so clever - very envious!

I'm another preggo poncer and will be making sloe gin this year to enjoy next year . I've started getting all the ingredients for my cake so I'm feeling quitely festive.

My parents are coming for Christmas and they love a bit of ponce!

Absolutely stunning Zorion!

Thank you for that article Chilly.

So, is there a noob ponce timeline?!
When to do what?

I've never picked any fruit let alone made a flavoured vodka/gin but ones mentioned sound delicious and I'm very tempted.
I presume mincemeat needs doing soon as well as that's been mentioned a lot.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/galleries/Christmas-desserts/truffle-torte.html

This is amazing, very rich, but lovely and I'll be making it again this year.

I cannot wait!! I need to replace the outdoor lights with warm white from ice white (currently) as the rest of the house is in warm white, and it clashes. Last year I lit my entire kitchen diner (open plan) and living room with only fairy lights. I was exceedingly proud. This year I'm extending into the hall and snug. Unsure whether to go up the stairs, or use a garland?

I also need to buy two outdoor reindeer in warm white LED. Any suggestions? I need two in order that one doesn't get lonely

I was planning on a trip to the south bank Christmas market to purchase a shrivelled orange and cranberry wreath, but some naughty little thing suggested up thread you can do it yourself!! Where do I start? Is anyone else planning on this?

None of my horrid lot enjoy minced pies or stollen, so I'm contemplating something Nigella-esque instead, like the cornflake wreaths here sadly, there isn't a photo but the picture in her book looks so lovely. Also would be nice for the DC Christmas Fair, if there is one...

Hello Poncers

Waiting This is a good freeze ahead dessert recipe. In fact my DH (the only Christmas pud eater in the family) abandoned his pudding in favour of it. This will be the third year I've made it. Last year I sprinkled it with tiny edible gold stars. The only downside is the mousse topping contains uncooked egg so may not be any good for anyone up-duffed.

I bought some Christmas stuff this morning - from Home Bargains, not usually recognised as purveyors of ponce, but I picked up some red/white snowflake design cupcake boxes that are a perfect size for my mini Christmas cakes and a really cute mini bundt tin.

I'd love to make fruit vodka but I'd be the only one drinking it and I'd worry about my liver

I got my lights and decor just about right last year although a string of bunting stockings would be perfect in the kitchen. I bought fill-yourself crackers last year that were brilliant but I changed the ribbon on them to fit in with my table decor. This year I'm planning to buy from a website called house of crackers and get them to match from the start.

I'm getting wreath envy. I'd love to get a new one but there is nothing wrong with the one we have apart from it being older than my 8 year old son. Perhaps it won't have survived the year in the garage...

Woolly, tell me about your mini Christmas cakes, what do you cook them in and do you alter anything from a trad recipe? I've got quite a few older relatives that might appreciate one.

I'm up for poncing! I'm another one due our second mid November so will be quite laid back Poncing. Our theme is the same as last year: Christmas in Narnia, which I love.

I don't alter the recipe - I make a normal amount and bake them two at a time in small spring form tins that I bought from Tesco a couple of years ago. The recipe book suggests cooking them in washed-out, greased and lined soup tins. The book prints the recipe as a table to show how much of each ingredient is needed for different sized tins and a guide to using shaped tins. I have also made an 8" square cake, fed it as usual and just cut it into quarters before decorating - I reckoned cutting it too early would dry the sides out. I can send you the recipe if you PM me your address.

"House of Crackers"? wooly that sounds like a fabulous place

Now looking up wreaths, the orange ones cost about £25-£40 to buy so I think the made ones would give you much more pleasure and scent for about half the price.