Poncetastic 2017

[Annwithnoe]

Since there doesn't seem to be a poncetastic thread, and to avoid confusion with thread titles, would I be out of order to start this one?

First order of business, a toast to our dearly missed Fellatio Nelson, wherever she may be and a quote from her original thread:

^
"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".

^

Right, it's half term here (teacher in France) so I can do some serious poncing.

My lemon tree has a fair few lemons on it, I think I'm going to try to do some lemon & lime marmalade.

Lots of chillis too, those are being turned into chilli jam.

I also have a fuckton of pumpkin, so looking for poncey things I can do with that. Any ideas?

Am also going to make a new set of Xmas napkins (have been watching YouTube tutorials on how to sew a mitered corner).

But before I can do any of that, I need to tidy up my office (where all crafting takes place). Urgh.

Grrr, I thought I had reams of lovely Christmassy fabric for napkins, turns out that I've got about enough to make 3 ! How frustrating! Pay day on Friday so may have to pay the fabric shop a visit then, oh woe is me...

Hello fellow ponces, I thought you might like to see these cross stitched ornaments I've made for friends and for a charity raffle. I've already got ones made for my tree.
I've still got my Delia mincemeat from last year, my christmas cake ingredients are arriving in my sainsbury's shop tomorrow & I think I may make a new festive table cloth with cross stitched runner if I have time.

They are lovely!

Meant to add: have any of you ever done these bows? I am struggling with one of the steps, I can't see what I'm supposed to be doing. Any ideas?

I just knocked up a new slipcover for my sofa for over christmas, nothing garish, a very dark purple and grey tartan, just to give it a festive edge and make it look like we have a new sofa. As I hate our current one with a passion... it is v ugly.

Bear you can buy bow-makers pretty cheaply if you're making lots of bows. My friend's DH made me one from a block of wood and couple of long nails.
If I wasn't using a bow-maker I would use the "bunny ears" method, it's on You Tube, is very easy.

Thanks I'll look at that. This method seems easy but somewhere between step 3 and 4 it all just goes wrong- I can't see how they get what they do at step 4. Oh, the trials of poncery.....

Ooh, where did you get the fabric HairsprayBabe if you don't mind me being nosy? That sounds lovely...

Great to hear all your lovely ideas, unfortunately I am about artistic as a baby elephant so all my ponding is of the edible or quaffable variety. So far I've made chocolate mint vodka and started the Christmas cake, will do my mincemeat soon, although this year it looks like only DH will be eating mince pies as I can't eat fat atm

Kids out all day so I'm just settling down for some lovely craft time. Went to open the door and ......

I tank I may have inadvertently forced a bulb, does anyone know what I should do with this (I'd have thought it too early for Xmas).

Oops, better with photo!

Got a nice bargain poncetastic book yesterday on the Kindle store, Gizzi's Season's Eatings by Gizzi Erskine for 99p (£5 for hardcover) and it covers Halloween, Bonfire night, thanksgiving and Christmas & NY. Loads of really nice recipes in there for festive baking, buffets, christmas eve, Christmas day and new year as well as festive foraging.

I've only just started dipping in but it looks like some really nice stuff in there.

Busy afternoon poncing for my upcoming craft Fayre.... 3 mini ribbon garlands, a garland tree (prototype!) some fir cones, and a wreath/door hanging thing (also prototype!)

LaChatte
That looks fine to me . Leave it another week then plant / start if on on pebbles. They sometime do that but it's a slow process until you add water .

Meh, I whacked it in a pot of soil and stuck it back outside, it'll be nice in spring!

Not for xmas, but still fabulous poncery, DS (15) has made DD (8) a candle for her birthday next week.

Jumping in before I've reached the end of the thread to say it is wonderful, and it is splendid to see such Poncetasticness alive and thriving.

I've read and contributed to the Poncetastic threads since inception, and I lost interest during the years where Christmassy loo rolls and the like were discussed. Also, 2016 was generally dire, so I had no interest in poncing.

Thank you all for rekindling all that is Poncetastic for me -- OMG especially those gorgeous 12 Days felt ornaments! And the homemade mincemeat!

I'm making a late start to it all, but I have hope this year. Many thanks!!

4 Christmas cakes made here today.

I need to get back to my Christmas blanket but we're currently enemies fucking crochet

I was going to soak my fruit for the cakes today, then went to get the brandy and realised I finished it the last time I made fruit loaves and forgot to replace it. I was slightly tempted to go off recipe and use alternatives but resisted the urge.

I really like the look of the cranberry mincemeat recipe upthread so I'm going to make a batch of that too.

Hello, I hope it's not too late to join in? I love a bit of festive poncing. I made my own wreath last year at a school fundraising event, the woman running it showed us what to do - like MrsHathaway it was a wire wreath stuffed with sphagnum moss and then all the greenery was poked into that. It was so lovely to do that I was looking into floristry courses etc, but ended up not doing anything about it, sadly. But I love a poncey Christmas and am pinning away optimistically, in the hope I'll complete some of the many things I want to do! I have some paperwork bulbs in the shed to plant up in nice pots for both my grandma's, and I'll definitely be doing baking/sweet making etc. My fave recipe is slow cooker chocolate fudge which is so easy and tastes beaut!
We're having our first ever Christmas as just our little family of three this year, so I'm looking forward to doing lots of poncing.
to Badger and anyone facing a difficult Christmas this year.

Also there are some beautiful things on here, I'm in awe of anyone who can sew or do anything with fabric!

Today I have made some jars of sweet chilli jam with chillis from my tiny garden, and some lime marmalade with unripe lemons, also from my garden. Now need to ponce up the jars with fabric lids and little labels.

Marking place to come back and rtft later tonight if I may.

OK I have just spent a very happy hour reading the whole thread and following links. May I join please? What I lack in talent I make up for in enthusiasm.

When dc2 was born I made a whole stash of that nigella fudge in advance (he is a christmas baby) and had it in freezer to get out when visitors came to see the new baby. It is soooo yum. I had forgotten about it but will do again this year and also maybe as gifts. I think I may do a rocky road version for ids with digestive biscuit and marshmallow in it but will they freeze as well?

Also how did you cut out the holly @annwithnoe? They look great and I have some green left over in the cupboard too. Do you have a tiny cutter or do you cut by hand?

And I love all the handprint stuff too.

Thank you. I have found me people.