Poncetastic 2020

[VivaJen]

I came on looking for the annual thread but can't find it so here is the start (courtesy of Fellatio - wherever you are)

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".

@Ninkanink I did that first one with a 4.5mm hook I pinched and double knit (dk) wool from Poundland (3 balls for £2 was cheap enough that if they went wrong I didn't mind too much). They had some white with a bit of sparkle so I bought one of that, one rainbow and a pink with a sparkle.

I've since moved to a 3mm hook & they're coming out more the sort of size I want. Dd2 is happy too...she's collecting them as I'm practising & hopefully by December they'll look much more appealing!

Second Christmas cake is in the oven smelling lovely. This one's not having icing as my friend doesn't like it. Last year I made a snowflake pattern from almonds to decorate so need something else this year.

I've decided to go the whole hog with my pantry & have put a coat of paint on it; needs a second but looks much more appealing & organised now.

Unfortunately, I discovered my dryer needs a new hose while emptying the pantry

@lucysmam Thank you! Off to browse...

I've given up on Advent houses; they don't look as neat, put together, as on the blog they came from :(

I need something else now. I did look at a Hattifant one but not sure I'd actually get around to colouring it before Advent so haven't paid & downloaded it.

Wallpaper for ‘log cabin’ wall arrived yesterday, also bear cushion cover that I fell in love with mainly for the fact that MIL is tiny and has to sit on a cushion and we can tell her she has a ‘bare’ behind !
Sorted all the presents and designed the homemade cards - I only do about 10 for my special friends who will appreciate them .

First Christmas outing is booked and paid for . It’s an Advent concert in a small rural church schoolroom . The room has an open fire and is lit by candles. It’s a quiet still atmosphere to take a breath before Christmas.

Booked willow lantern making workshop for me , DDs and DGC. It’s always a fun sticky afternoon and it’s lovely to see other people’s makes. These are carried through the streets in a lantern parade or just taken home .
This is mine from last year.
Cake fed.
Started bunting for the log cabin just triangles folded over tape so they can be slid along it to desired position for total poncieness .

@Trumpton the Advent concert sounds amazing!

@lucysmam
Oh it is ! DH sings in the choir that entertains they do a special evening of songs and readings in Manx and English . It’s one of my highlights .

Last cake has just come out of the oven to cool. I wonder if there's a candle or melty thing that smells similar; I'll have to have a look.

No other poncing today I don't think - I have cleared out and cleaned two cupboards though. Turns out I don't keep as much "stuff" as it looks like I do...my kitchen's just really poorly laid out :(

I am currently knitting covers for Chocolate Oranges. I am giving homemade chutney, pickled shallots and mini Christmas cakes and probably some homemade Biscotti &/or fudge as gifts in little hampers or bags, so these are an add on.

This arrived in the post today, planning to make it for a friend's Christmas present...

I've found two goldfish bowls while I've been rummaging (you know, the £1 shop plastic ones for alcoholic drinks rather than actual goldfish bowls!).

Any poncetastic suggestions beyond fill them with baubles & battery operated lights?

@TrickyD I suspect the answer may be Command Hooks but am going to ask anyway - how do you keep the beads on your fireplace where you want them to be? I don't think blu-tack will cut it!

Lucysmam, I guess you mean the beads on the snug fireplace here.
There is a garland thing with roses and whatnot suspended on the command hooks, then the beads are just wrapped around the garland along with the lights. They are not themselves attached to command hooks. Not a very clear photo.

Aaah, yes, I meant on the snug fireplace! I'll try wrapping my beads round the garland (when I buy one) & see how that works out before I buy any extra command hooks, thanks TrickyD.

@lucysmam baubles and lights sound lovely. Or you could pour salt in the bottom (snow) and add some figurines, small houses or pine cones.

@Trumpton love the bear cushion

Also love the bear cushion!

@lucysmam it’s not very imaginative I guess, but I put Christmas pot pourri into one of my globe vases, it looks pretty and makes a bit more of a feature. If you can find a very tall candle you could use it as a candle holder as well, as long as you make sure not to let it burn too low.

The beginnings of poncing in this house...I picked up some ‘twigs n shit’ as DH calls it. For now it’s a feature in and of itself but in December I will add a couple of small candles and my Georg Jensen ornaments, plus some handmade angels.

@thelegohooverer your suggestion has given me an idea! I wonder, I've seen some little figures in the Works and bought some in Poundland; dd2 might like to make a little scene in one of them maybe one afternoon in December. Dd1 will eye roll me but I'll suggest it to her too.

I'm on with some more spring cleaning then going to have a look at the Christmas cards I want to make from my Your Home Christmas magazine (in between gutting pumpkins).

I'm back. Did anyone here buy the silicone baking mould, in the pics, from Lidl either last year or the year before? I forgot I had it until I just unearthed it in my baking cupboard. Did you use cake mix or something like shortbread dough in it & how did it work out?

Ohhhh I can’t answer the question for you (sorry) but that looks like you could use it to make very pretty little chocolate truffles!

I hadn't considered chocolate; that might be easier to do, especially if my helper wants to join in! I don't suppose you have a recipe Ninkanink?

I missed it when it was in our Lidl, though I kept looking for it, despite already having the set of Lakeland Christmas tree cutters.
If I had one I would try a shortbread mix as likely to be more stable when built than sponge. Chocolate would be worth a try but I bet you would need a lot.
What are the sticks for?

I think the sticks are to go through the holes to make the tree shape. The square looking thing in the first photo's a stand by the looks of it.

I'll give it a whirl & see what happens. I have all sorts of cutters & things already but it looked fun to do...then I forgot about it 🙄

Oh how clever! I didn’t even notice the sticks (only looked at the thumbnail).

I’m afraid I haven’t made truffles in years so I don’t have a recipe to recommend. I saw one that looked good on YouTube the other day that involved chocolate filled with nougat but it was in Danish so it wouldn’t be much use to you...

Oh would it work with gingerbread??

The sticks though the holes is a good idea. The lakeland set relies on balance and sticky icing; it is quite hard to keep the layers correctly aligned.
I think gingerbread would be fine.

If you use melted sugar as glue there would be no worry about it not holding together.