Challenge: Handmade 2010 xmas

esmer

My little Sock Monkey........... Took me all afternoon.......

she_grinch

Emzy81, I bought the plaques from the 99p shop and they have inspirational quotes on them! I simply painted them white and used tester pots of emulsion then I painted patterns to match my kitchen colours. Painted the pegs and gave everything 2 coats of quick dry clear matt varnish and glued the pegs on voila, I was fed up with having nowhere to hang my teatowel!

midnightraven3

i made the clusters:o

i didnt really know what i was doing
so i just kept going
they are too big:o

mary-op

shegrinch - love the tea towel holders............never thought of doing that with pegs before............maybe that'll be a 'next year' thing now. I'm starting to run out of time and having minor panic :eek: especially as it looks probable that son and little grandson might be here for christmas:eek: Crikey..........been ages since we had little kids !!

midnight =can't comment on the clusters except to say ''yummy'' :T

Not done anything today except paperwork that was piling up.............:(

esmer

midnightraven3 wrote: »

i made the clusters:o

i didnt really know what i was doing
so i just kept going
they are too big:o

They look great! whats in them? Whats the shelf life? if you dont eat them lol

midnightraven3

oooooooh i dont know:o
someone else posted about them
they werent my brainwave:o

i did crushed (a little) rice crispies and those ones have nuts in them
i did dark chcolate ones with crushed extra strong mints
and some the same as those with raisins in them

i made them like crispie cakes
chilled
rolled them again in chocolate
and then the white

they are very nice i have to say
i think because i rolled them in chocolate again, it sealed them
so the crispies wont go soft
so i imagine they will keep for a while

i did temper the chocolate so it still has a shine
and doesnt melt at room temp

babyb06

I really want to make some bits for hampers - sweet and savoury.

My problem is that I am away on holiday from 11-23rd December, so if I am making things I really need to do it before I go, but I am not sure how long things will keep. I am thinking of chutney (and maybe a jam if i can make it!) and then fudge and something chocolatey - either chocolate slabs or truffles.

Now i know chutney can and should be made in advance, have I left it too late? And do you just store it in a fridge or in cupboard?

All ideas welcome, I enjoy cooking, but am a novice!

midnightraven3

ideal time to make chutney
the recipe i posted (waaaaaaay back) for the corn relish is easy and goes down a storm with meat eaters as well as vegetarians

i have a store, dark & cool
thats all it needs
and it will sit there quite happily and mature away

jam is easy enough but fruits can be expensive at this time
easy to make is lemon curd
but that doesnt keep, but you could make a huge batch upon your return
it doesnt boil and simmer like jams & chutneys do
half an hour and you will have it potted

mary-op

Oh I wish I was ''at home'' in the kitchen but I do seem to make a total mess of whatever I try...........its all best left to OH.......in the meantime
I've invaded the sweet shop and got the rest of the stuff I needed to do ''make your own'' snowman............so now there are three gravy tubs all covered and filled with marshmallows, chocolate matchsticks, flying saucers(hats), strawberry string for scarf and chocolate raisins for buttons. Joke pill bottles now full of ''millions'' and got some bon bons as well................empty drinking choc. jar was white, perfect to fill with bon bons, add googly eyes, shaped lips and topped off with a lilac sock for a hat...........girl who cleans for me will love it........lilacs her favourite colour.
Did get some diaries to cover and choccy bars but didn't get around to that today ............our lad wanted to make something for his sisters birthday, plus a card so I had to down tools.
Oh also got some cheap notepads that'll go well on a kitchen organiser board. I've got some old placemats so can stick them on plus calendar and post it notes and peg...............:)
Must not think of anything else to do............:)

esmer

You need to post up some photos so we can see your crafts:)