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".

^

Just sorted my narcissus in hurricane pots, thanks to trumpton for that!

I finished this bunting last night. Just needs blocking.

No idea what to do with it though!

Wow MrsHathaway that is fab!

I was just starting DC1 train advent calendar but DC3 woke up again so I'm now feeding him and catching up on Ponce! So many beautiful things people are making.

Thank you! The problem is that it's about ten feet long so I'm working out whether I can palm it off on the community cafe (which hosts knitting club but also showcases craft stuff) or junior church (because it looks like a 10yo made it).

Noooo! I love it! I would definitely buy it
My poor DC have to put up with my far more amateur attempts.
Managed to cut out all the pieces needed for the train advent calendar, just need to see up tomorrow and then start on DC2s calendar.

Finished all the preserves for my Hampers last night, made a big batch of Lemon and Lime Marmalade. I used this recipe

www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-lemon-lime-marmalade/

And it was surprisingly easy!

Love that we're now starting to execute poncing and not just pinning it

I've had a snowflake pattern pinned for ages but was putting off as it looked tricky. Lazy sofa morning with DC3 and I've achieved it!

Doesn't match the red&white on brown paper theme though so needs to exit pronto.

I am waiting on my embossing heat gun, I am desperate to start my gift tags. I have a bag full of rudolph noses ready to go too! Come on RM.

I will freely admit I have no place to be here but I am trying to make Christmas extra special this year as my sister is very ill. She loves Christmas cake and I would love to make one for her. I was wondering if anyone had a recipe that is easy to follow and I am not too late to make. Thank you very much.

Did my toboggan/sledge today- purely poncetastic and not functional- i've sprayed it white then washed it over with dark blue chalk paint, and used copper slug tape on the metal work. I will hopefully be standing my little tree on it in the hallway. Anyone else just itching for December to start so the decs can go up??

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1160/simmerandstir-christmas-cake

Livingin this recipe comes highly recommended on MN. I'm going to try it myself but haven't yet.

Three lots of Paperwhites on pebbles ready to force on for Christmas .
I will replace some of the water with diluted gin later to stunt the greenery without damaging the flowers .
I also found a recipe for marmalade gin in GoodHousekeeping and have a batch of that going ...good with Prosecco !

Thank you Chillywhippet

@trumpton yours look better than mine, did you plant them just in pebbles? I got scared and put some soil in too! And how often do you water them with your gin/water solution? It didn’t really say in the article?

@trumpton and how many bulbs did you put in each one?

Thank you!!

@Minster2012
I only started them today as I have been away. Yes just on pebbles as the bulb feeds itself . Just like growing hyacinths in those lovely glass holders .
Water up to the base of the bulb until the shoots are 3 or 4 inches high then carefully pour the water out and replace with 1 part gin to 7 parts water. Try to keep the water away from the base of the bulbs and let the roots do the drinking.
The biggest glass has 5 bulbs ,then 4 ,then 3 .
The bulbs I got were quite big and were from Unwins .
I do hope yours work well. I have been doing them for years now so have had to think hard how to do them !

On right, I bought my bulbs about a month ago and put them in a cupboard & looked a couple of weeks ago & they were sprouting a couple of inches so I just left them til this weekend (I had noted your comments on bonfire night!) so they have had no water 😱😱 until planted then I immediately gave them the 7/1 gin mix (begrudgingly!)

So then I put them in soil then pebbles on top! Maybe I need to start again just in pebbles, then I put the gin/water in up to the bottom of the bulbs then?

Umm you can grow them in soil ,of course. It's just I never have .
The article said to grow with water until shoots were 3 -4 inches then drain and use diluted gin .
I am sure yours will be fine , I think I read that if grown in soil and alcohol then the stunting would not be so great .
If they look as if they are going to be ready too soon then move them into a frost free cold area to delay them .
Do let me know how they go for you .

I just sent the invites to my christmas party out, need to crack on with a spot of planning the menu now, theme is Apres Skii and I have changed my mind on the menu about ten times now!

Was browsing my local second hand shop yesterday and found three Scandinavian style cookie stamps www.pastrychef.com/assets/images/large/geo_pattern_cookie_stamps_nordicware_01245_large3.jpg like this only with different patterns. They were $1.99 each!

Now to find a shortbread type cookie recipe...

This thread discusses cuttable recipes.

Thank you MrsHathaway! Lots of great suggestions there.

I went back to the second hand place today because I suspected there might be more stamps being processed in the back room and lo and behold I found two more

mathanxiety
They would look fab with a hole ( make the hole with a straw so it doesn't close while baking) and then strung on red ribbon !

And also made from posh salt dough ( cornflour and pva glue ) as present tags .

And now for some advice..
Every year FC has left the DC a selection pack but the quality of the chocolate is now so dire and the DC so old ( in their 30s ) that I need to rethink .
How about some mini bars from Montezumas packaged in a retro stocking if I stuck the bars ,maybe 4 , to a cardboard backing ?
Poncy enough ?