Preparing for Poncetastic 2022

[VivaJen]

I know we start the Poncetastic thread in September but we all know that you have start your Poncetastic preparations early so I thought we could have a prequel type thread for the next month.

So what's everyone planning? 🎄🎄🎄

Sarah Raven where I always buy my Paperwhites for forcing are doing 15% off and free P&P until midnight tonight.
I buy the pack of 15 as I do 3 vases.
Below is a picture of one. So about £5 a set. I always get my containers back for the next year. Delivery is mid October and I plant up on pebbles 18th November ready for Christmas.

Dammit. Oh for an edit button! AUBH22 is the code.

@Peridot1 what marmalade gin recipe did you use please? I have marmalade to use up as I want the jar for mincemeat!

@Trumpton thanks so much for posting this! I've fancied doing this for years and had a go last year but somehow failed and created a mess instead. Not sure if I had the wrong bulbs as got them from a garden centre. Will order some from Sarah Raven today. Any tips welcome!!

I did paperwhites last year but they smell awful! Might give that a miss. I enjoyed it though and wreath making. I'll be getting the cross stitch back out soon.

I'm in ! On my way back from hols and thoughts turning to autumn and ponceing

Hello all! Looking forward to another poncetastic season, albeit on a slightly tighter budget this year.

Haven't fully decided my poncing plans, but will definitely be making a cake with awful 70s decorations, lots of crochet tree ornaments, and about a dozen different varieties of mince pie. Can't wait!

@BeastOfBODMAS it’s this one courtesy of @Trumpton on last year’s thread.

Wonderful, thank you both. My bay tree didn’t survive the heatwaves so plenty of leaves going spare!

I usually only do food ones.
Tomato jam is done with some homegrown tomatoes.
I have vanilla extract that I hope will be ready for some presents.
Blackberry whisky is resting in the cupboard.
Hopefully I will be able to prepare gingerbread gin in a couple of weeks (does not take as long to get ready)
I do not need to make mincemeat, I still have from 3 years ago! Perfectly fine if someone asks. Have loads of sugar, whisky and cointreau. Is crazy aromatic. (And the only person that eats it in the house)

Hello you lovely poncetastic people. Hope you are all good! Marking my place.

Not doing the family poncetastic advent calendar this year. We have too much tat for it and some were taking it more seriously than others l. Looking out for another advent calendar instead

👋 Hi! First year joining the poncetastic thread, I started off bramble gin yesterday and I’ve got last year’s Christmas cake that never got decorated so feeling very ahead. Annoyingly missed out on the paperwhite deal at Sarah Raven yesterday but going to nip to a garden centre this week and see if they have any as they’d be perfect gifts for grandparent-in-laws.

Bought gin for raspberry gin and brandy for blackberry brandy. I will do marmalade gin next month!
Thinking of cake next month as well. I think M&S did a lot last year of all the dry ingredients so I might look at that.

kit

Yay! I remembered to come and find this thread before half way through September this time 🤣

I'm in the midst of finishing off current projects &, checking how far I am down stocking filler, and advent calendar, filler lists is to be done next week.

Then it's time to properly start thinking about poncing.

I usually try a new craft for the couple of cards we need, and both girls have a list of foody things to make again for starters - cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets, gingerbread house, and Christmas cakes so far, so I'll look at when to slot them into the calendar. Not sure what the cards will be yet though.

I usually find lots of inspiration on these threads too so am very much looking forward to them!

I think our decorations may be very low-key this year; my friend gave me some ladders years ago, then randomly wanted them back at the end of term 🤷‍♀️ so, unless I buy some at some point, nothing's coming down from the loft

I've remembered something else too, that dd2 in particular enjoys. We've made stained glass window biscuits the past couple of years & even did them in the gingerbread house last year.

I can't for the life of me remember which of you posted the recipe and instructions a few years ago though 🤔 @TheWoollybacksWife was it maybe you? Or @Trumpton? I seem to recall it being an oldish looking recipe but could be way off the mark.

Anyway, Fox's glacier fruits, bashed to bits, work well for the windows.

Heeellloooo all, is it that time already? I am underway here too, 4 kinds of chutney mellowing away in a dark cupboard alongside some blackberry whiskey which is a new one for me. Been gathering the crab apples in this week, takes a few days and am eyeing up the rosehips maturing away on the hedgerow planted a few years ago courtesy of the woodland trust. Safely tucked away is a second hand copy of Nigel Slater's christmas chronicles I purchased at beginning of summer. Determined this is gonna be the year I make chiili jam and grow paperwhites lol

@lucysmam. “Not I” said Trumpton.
but I do remember your amazing crotchet village!
I made tiny gingerbread houses to sit on the edge of mugs.

I was just thinking it was high time to gear up for some poncing, and lo and behold...

This year I've managed to lay my hands on some lovely wool, wool-silk, and silk yarns at a thrift shop, and I intend to make simple, rustic-looking wrist warmers with thumb holes for the DDs. If I get very daring I may even make some neck gaiters.

Another idea is felted wool 'baubles' for the tree. I'm on the lookout at the thrift shop for a milticoloured - preferably striped - wool jumper I can destroy.

Omg....the tiny gingerbread houses...I have to try this....absolutely fantastic ❤

We are way ahead with the thread this year - it’s usually around 24 September. Very efficient!

Other than the cake and marmalade gin and blackberry something if there are any left I don’t think I’ll be doing much in the way of poncing really. I do have the Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles and may actually read it this year.

MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSES

CUTTERS HERE

You can make thick royal icing to stick them together( frustrating slow and slidey) or melt sugar and dip edges in ( hot and dangerous) so this year I thought I would try
EDIBLE GLUE

I wish my doors had been a bit narrower so the house didn’t tip so drunkenly on the mug but maybe that’s part of the charm.

Those look fab @Trumpton! For those of us less skilled lazier, IKEA had some ready-made (but flat-packed) ones last year, I'll try to find them again.

Hmmm, I wonder who it was then 🤔 I'm sure someone will remember...maybe.

My crochet village made it to 3/4 finished & is upstairs waiting for autumn evenings to finish off.

I remember your mini gingerbread houses; maybe we should have a go at those too this year.

@noodledoodler and @Peridot1 there was a nice read-along thread last year, to accompany NS Christmas Chronicles, I wonder if there will be one this year. I "fell off the thread" about 1/4 of the way through because life gets so busy so my copy is waiting to be picked up again.

Hello. I'm
New. I don't know what poncing means but presume it's a word for crafting. ?

I love all things crafty, but mostly crochet. All
My family are getting (really nice) scarves & or tea cosies this year.

I also make Christmas gin & home made soaps xx