Poncetastic Christmas 2024

[StiffyByngsDogBartholomew]

@vivajen hasn't posted on MN for a year so I've taken the bull by the horns. I can't wait any longer !
Wherever you are, Fellatio, here's to you. I hope you're brining a turkey and had crafting authentic organic woven tinsel somewhere.
"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.
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 jobs worth 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 canapés 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 Bessie’s' on the packet, this is not the thread for you".

🎄🎄🎄🎄

Oh you did!

Well I've bought the pattern for the lodestar from mmmcrafts on Etsy, I've read through the whole thing twice and watched several YouTube videos on embroidery. I will be heading to my local haberdashery this afternoon to see what she's got (although I did order the printable sticky paper on Amazon as I don't think I'll find anything as good locally). I'm tempted to try and make my own metallic felt using a can of spray paint and some normal felt, if it's wool it should be OK...

What I'm aiming for 😅

Ohhh they're lovely, I'm going to check out that Etsy shop! Please post a photo when you're finished. Are you having problems finding metallic gold felt? I get loads of my fabric from fabricland, they're selling it there

fabricland.co.uk/product/glitter-felt-squares-christmas-colours/

@Carriemac I live to serve.

I live in France and since Brexshit I get clobbered with 20% customs when I order anything from the UK 🤬

Also love the red version 🤩

@LaChatte how does it work if someone from the UK sends a parcel to you ie not from a business but from a private individual?

Quite! I told him DD and I are going and he can join if he wants but we're perfectly happy to go without him. (And can fit a bigger tree in the car without his huge body in the way 😂)

Anyone got a recommendation for a glue gun? Feel like this will up my craft game and need to make some dolls house repairs.

Thank you everyone for the good wishes for the adoption and thank you for the toddler craft suggestions.
I can't bake to save my life but I think I can stretch to decorating digestives!

I'm really looking forward to creating the Christmas magic this year!

As for poncing, I've now finished my second (of 3) cross stitch cards so I'm getting there very slowly!

Best glue gun I ever had!
Not cheap but I have had it a few years and it totally out ranks the “toy” cheapie ones. It was a Christmas present from DH. ( Pah! Who needs jewels?)

Oh my goodness @Trumpton DH will chuckle quite benevolently when I tell him I need a Bosch hot glue gun! 😄😄 (Not that he's in charge of money! I make my own decisions...but we do often discuss purchases) Actually I saw one in LIDL yesterday, might go back for that one - I have such a track record of not actually using craft supplies, I'll start small to be on the safe side.

@BelievingIsSeeing best wishes and may it all go smoothly. 🎄🎄🎄

@AdventNotAmazon they sell them for a few quid in Home Bargains :)

I'm not sure, I'll definitely be asking my BFF (in the UK) to send me stuff if I can't find what I want here.
I'm still reeling from the 60€ customs charge I had to pay for my 200€ mini pottery wheel last month 🤯

If you don't want to go all out for your first purchase you can just pickup any cheap one, the choice of glue sticks however makes a big difference IMO.

Delightfully creative afternoon today. I've just frozen a load of veggies for soup and made the butter for my Christmas cake. One 600ml tub of cream has made 320g of butter and 200ml of buttermilk. I've possibly lost a bit of volume somewhere but I'm happy with the results. I'll freeze the 200g and 100g rolls and the 20g is for DH's toast in the morning. I'm going to freeze the buttermilk too and make pancakes at some point over the Christmas holidays.

@Carriemac do you like cheese at Christmas ? Membrillo jelly would be a very worthy use of your quinces, just be supercareful as it burns really easily.
https://www.daringgourmet.com/membrillo-quince-paste/

@TheWoollybacksWife im an avid yellow sticker hunter and if I ever find double cream reduced I make it into butter

My absolute favourite thread! Christmas poncing is the very best sort of poncing. We’ll be spending the day with a little one who turns three in January and who is really starting to get what it’s all about this year, so can’t wait to see that magic through his eyes.

This year, I’m going to be having a go at a grinch mesh wreath, a bauble wreath and glitter baubles where the glitter is inside, so you still get the effect without the drop. And if anyone has a recipe for a lovely vegan gingerbread, that would be wonderful.

Oh, those stars are beautiful🥰

I do not need another thing to do - I have allll sorts of things untouched! but they're tempting must stay off Etsy

I've just spent a happy half hour flicking through Advent & writing myself an ingredient list to pick up on my shop tomorrow. Sunday is going to be a kitchen day with test runs of various bakes 😋 and less festive - dd1 wants to make sushi 🤔 last time we did that the kitchen was a tip & it did not work well 🤣

I don't really do Christmas as on my own and don't eat meat but I will be lurking and enjoying your posts! I might have a tinned mixed spirit (I rarely drink) and will probably get something from Iceland like Greggs veg pastry thing also maybe some smoked salmon and blinis. One year I had fried eggs!

Anyway, I will be reading about all your hard work!

Ohhh membrillo! Grandma used to make it every year, they used to have a quince tree. Anyone knows where to buy it?

@Whothefuckdoesthat

This vegan gingerbread was good although I upped the ginger a bit and added cinnamon to match the bbc one which I'll link to in case anyone wants a standard one that behaves well.

Vegan one in photos below from last Christmas Vegan magazine.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gingerbread-bunting