12 crafts of christmas completed

finally the 12 crafts of christmas are complete, merry christmas everyone, i'm very excited for the new year and and the new craft projects it will bring ...

twelfth craft of christmas: christmas pudding semifreddo

i have the pleasure of making the dessert for christmas day this year, i don't know about you but after a huge turkey christmas dinner, I can never quite face christmas pudding as its too heavy, so I decided to give this recipe for christmas pudding semifreddo a whirl, having recently tried this at the union chapel in islington, i thought it would be a winner, i will let you know how it went down in the new year.....

ingredients

600ml double cream

300g creme fraiche

250ml cognac spiced cream

2 tsp cinnamon

2tsp vanilla extract

250g christmas pudding crumbled

9 egg yolks

250g caster sugar

topping

200g christmas pudding crumbled

50g demerara sugar

20ml brandy

method

1. whip double cream, creme fraiche, spiced cream, vanilla extract and cinnamon until soft peaks

2. whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar over a suacepan of boiling water till pale and thickened (4-5 minutes), then mix with electric mixer till cool

3. combine the cream mixture with the egg mixture and add the christmas pudding.

4.sprinkle christmas pudding crumbs with sugar and brandy and bake for around 10 minutes

5. line tin with christmas pudding crumbs and then fill with ice cream mixture, freeze for 6 hours minimum

eleventh craft of christmas: robin red breast

so I am nearly there, hope you've all enjoyed my 12 crafts of christmas, the eleventh craft is my felt robins enjoy!!! 

shopping list

felt robin pieces - £1.50 for 6 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390638391144?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

toadstool candle £15.00

http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/toadstool-candle/invt/5558446320002

scrabble tiles £1.99 for 10 pieces
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODEN-SCRABBLE-TILES-CUSTOM-LETTERS-SET-FOR-JEWELRY-SCRAPBOOKING-HANDCRAFTS-/231033317297

tenth craft of christmas: drinky poo's

my lovely friend Sarah generously bought me a huge bottle of Tanqueray gin for my birthday so I had to find a christmas cocktail in which it could be used, so here goes....I wonder just how many I might have over the christmas period

christmas southside cocktail

Recipe

35ml Tanqueray gin

15ml sugar syruip

25ml fresh lemon juice

8 fresh mint leaves

10 frozen cranberries

25ml cranberry juice

crushed ice

birthday cupcakes

ninth craft of christmas: make a festive wreath

time is quickly running out and i have 3 more crafts to crack on with, so I am afraid to say I have stolen this one from the brilliant Emily Henson, author of Modern Rustic £19.99 @  Anthropologie, i love the traditional look of their wreath and promise to give it a go if i get time this year! if all else fails there is always christmas 2014.....

eight craft of christmas: snowflake pompom

my very clever Mum had a spare 20 minutes this morning and created this gorgeous snowflake pompom, the plan is to make a few and bunch them together in front of her mirror in the hallway.... i love it and am definitely going to try it out at the weekend, I have included a link to a video on how to make it, enjoy!!

crafty foxes

in my mollie makes  magazine  this week the project was “felt fox brooches” and I knew my 2 friends Tara & Shainey would love them, they were so easy, take a look....

Just cut 2 of the coloured felt ear pieces and 1 x white face section

Sew the brooch onto the back of one coloured piece

Then sew around the top edge (ears) of the 2 coloured pieces

Insert the face section and then sew around the remaining edge

Then simply sew on the eyes and nose

the ritz

having already kicked off the 30th birthday celebrations last month with my trip to Paris, yesterday was the next instalment, my lovely friend Michelle took me to Christmas Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, what a magical and opulent place it is... I loved every single second, the champagne was amazing and sandwiches and cake to die for, thank you so much for such a special treat.....

seventh craft of christmas: milk & white chocolate christmas pudding cake

inspired by mum's very old Jane Asher party cake book, we decided to whip up this amazing chocolate christmas pudding cake, it looks brilliant and great for any members of the family who prefer chocolate to currants and raisins, really want to try it out in miniature versions too....

ingredients:

basic 6 egg chocolate sponge mix

milk chocolate (large bar)

white chocolate (large bar)

chocolate chips

glace cherries

sprig of holly

method:

1 - make basic chocolate sponge mix and bake in a glass basin, roughly 20cm dia

2 -  leave to cool completely

3 - melt the milk chocolate and pour over the entire cake

4 - leave for a couple of minutes to go tacky, then add the chocoalte chips randomly over the bottom half of the cake

5 - leave in the fridge to dry completely

6 - melt just over half the white chocolate and pour gently over the top of the cake and allow to drip down

7 - add sprig of holly and glace cherries to the top...

8 - keep in fridge till you serve

suze's gorgeous robin bunting & applique stag cushion

my fellow very talented crafty friend Suzanne Tyler made this gorgeous festive robin bunting, how lovely is it.... I particularly love the tartan ribbon detail, I am in the middle of making felt robins too at the moment and not sure what to do with them, Suze has inspired me and I may indeed make mine into bunting, however I am a bit concerned it won’t quite match up to Suze’s standard.... wish me luck and enjoy! Also take a look at her appliqued stag cushion Suze made for her friend, beautiful!!

sixth craft of christmas: rudy the reindeer cupcakes

ingredients:

  Chocolate cake mix (Betty Crocker choc fudge mix is delicious) or just make   a basic chocolate sponge mix)

  Chocolate fudge icing (Betty Crocker)

  Giant chocolate buttons

  Glace cherries

  Mini marshmallows

  Chocolate chips (dark)

  Curly wurly’s

-           

method:

  1.Mix up basic sponge mix and bake the cupcakes

  2.Leave to cool for at least an hour

  3.Ice the top of each cake

  4.For the nose – place a giant button at the bottom of the cake, use icing to stick on half a cherry

  5.For the eyes – cut a mini marshmallow in half and stick above the nose, use icing to stick the chocolate chip on top of the marshmallow

  6. Cut the curly wurly into random pieces and stick 2 on each cake for the antlers