Children, Christmas, Crafts, Making stuff

Making stuff 22: needle felt gonk

By large boy (the gonk, not the blog post), entirely his own design made up as he went along. Yesterday's advent activity was "crafts", which drew a disappointed sigh. I'd bought a couple of kits to make a wreath and pompom gonks because I am not crafty myself. But the boys were thoroughly unimpressed. So… Continue reading Making stuff 22: needle felt gonk

Family, Food, Home & Garden, Making stuff

Sweet chestnuts

When I was a little girl, and indeed a teenager, my parents would buy sweet chestnuts on a stall at their town market. They'd roast them and then we'd burn our finger tips deshelling them. I've had, very occasionally, roast chestnuts from a street seller. But they've always been coated in sugar and way too… Continue reading Sweet chestnuts

Home & Garden, Making stuff

Making stuff 21: gin and jam 2022

I think we've established by now that my only claim to any goddess-like levels of domesticity is my habit of making gin, jam, and chutney. Last year (2021) focus was on the gins, with a bit of hedgerow jelly for completeness. In 2020, I made a ridiculous 6 gins but just one jelly. The year… Continue reading Making stuff 21: gin and jam 2022

Caorunn gin bottle with blue lights
Christmas, Making stuff

Christmas Prep: Light bottles

Ahem, there are some empty gin bottles in the house. Well, that's not quite true. There are lots of half-full and some almost-full gin bottles in the house, much of it homemade. But there are also quite a few empty bottles, mostly from my Craft Gin Club subscription that delivers a treat package every three… Continue reading Christmas Prep: Light bottles

Green tomato chutney in jars
Food, Making stuff

Making stuff 20: Chutneys

As well as all the other culinary efforts producing stuff in jars this year (gin and jam, and mincemeat), I've also been in the chutney production business. This isn't unusual. In 2019 it was courgette chutney after a glut. I've done normal chutneys before as well in previous (pre-blogging years). I hadn't really planned on… Continue reading Making stuff 20: Chutneys

Five bottles of different coloured jelly baby gin
Home & Garden, Making stuff

Making stuff 19: gin and jam 2021

I think we've established by now that my only claim to any goddess-like levels of domesticity is my habit of making gin, jam, and chutney. Last year (2020) featured a ridiculous 6 gins but just one jelly. The year before (2019) I just did a couple of gins and three jams. This year, the focus… Continue reading Making stuff 19: gin and jam 2021

Wild garlic quiche Lorraine
Food, Making stuff

Making Stuff 18: How to Use Wild Garlic Pesto

Last year I shared a recipe on how to make wild garlic pesto - at the time we made pasta pesto for large boy to count towards a Cubs badge. I've made more this year, two batches in fact and I might make another. Honestly, I absolutely love the stuff! Its gorgeously peppery without being… Continue reading Making Stuff 18: How to Use Wild Garlic Pesto

My Highland Sparkle
Making stuff

Making Stuff 17: Cocktails 2021

Last year's cocktails post seems long enough ago to start a new separate one with this year's recipes. I love a cocktail, but I rarely follow recipes though and enjoy making things up a bit as I go with little or no planning. So here are a few of my recent inventions... Rosalie I tried… Continue reading Making Stuff 17: Cocktails 2021

Chocolate banana cake
Children, Food, Making stuff

Making Stuff 16: Chocolate Banana Cake

I haven't done a making stuff post for a while, but two are probably going to come along at once. The first week of February was Children's Mental Health week in the UK and so school gave us two Zoom free days. Mostly, that meant the boys watched a lot of TV and played on… Continue reading Making Stuff 16: Chocolate Banana Cake