Domesticali

Radio link

2009-12-17T08:17:20+00:00

Well, some of you did ask... here's a link to Jo Thoenes show on BBC Radio Oxford. Mark from Mostly Books is their new book recommend person and this was his first slot (which begins at 1:07 in the programme, with the cupcakes' moment of fame at 1:23).

And then Mark gets pretty much a whole half-hour to talk about the shop and how it began. It's funny, I've been working there for coming up for 2 years now and sometimes it's easy to take for granted just what a special place it. And how much energy is invested into making it so.

So hooray for independent shops. Are you giving them some of your Christmas spending?

Cooking for the radio

2009-12-14T23:02:29+00:00

Cupcake performance anxiety - not sure if it's a real condition, but I am suffering. In which direction does perfection lie?

Regular or bite sized? Orange butter-cream or cream cheese frosting?

The decoration dilemma - whole cranberries, dried cranberries or cranberries frosted in egg white and sugar? Maybe sprinkles?

See, my cupcakes need to be good - they are making it on to BBC Radio Oxford. Or into the studio at least. If there is on-air sampling or smacking of lips on Wednesday, I'll link to the listen again feature.

It's for a review of Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery. Because you really can't review a cookbook without sampling a recipe can you? And their cranberry cupcakes are well worth a sample. I should know - I've eaten at least 6 today. It's all in the name of research, naturally. How we suffer for our art.

All set

2009-12-13T18:06:16+00:00

Productive weekend? Ours has been. We did have plans, but they fell through, and goodness knows, there's been more than enough to fill the unexpected gap in the schedule.
Trees are up. Yes, that is trees plural. One real, one plastic-fantastic and one for the boys to do with as they please. Mostly, because I am too particular to let them loose on the other two.
Perhaps it's time to loosen up a little with the tree obsessiveness. Especially since I overheard this phone conversation between hubby and his friend (husband of my friend):
Hubby: Are you on for a beer tonight?
DT: (says something on the other end of the phone)
Hubby: Oh you deserve it then. We've had ours already.
When he came off the phone, I asked what we'd had already. The fight about the Christmas Tree. Who knew? It's an annual ritual apparently. In more than one household.
If you signed up for the 7 Days of Specialness Project, you should have had an email from me with details of your partner. If you haven't, get in touch with me quick.

Seven Days of Specialness Project

2009-12-07T15:03:38+00:00

So it looks like quite a few of us fancy feeling a little bit special this February. So here are the full details of the Seven Days of Specialness Project - a swap to brighten up the dark days.
To sign up, you need to email me (alisonhudson03@hotmail.com) and include the following:

your name

your blog url

your location

mark your email 7 Days signup

I will leave sign ups open until 6pm on Sunday 13th December.
The following week, I will email you with details of your swap partner. This will be a simple back and forth swap (so you will be sending to and receiving from the same person). Do email them, introduce yourself and exchange addresses. For me, one of the best elements of swapping has always been the connection made with another blogger. Making a new friend just might be the most special gift of all.
Now, the swap package itself. The Seven Days of Specialness Project is inspired by all the wonderful Advent calendars that have been appearing in blogland of late. So your swap needs to be split into elements that can be opened over 7 consecutive days in February. How you do this is only limited by your own creativity.
It is up to you to get to know your swap partner and to imagine what might make them feel special. Like all the best Advent Calendars, this is not supposed to break the bank, it is meant to be a tiny treat to raise the spirits.
Your package needs to be in the post by February 1st.

Sound simple enough? Let's hope so! I'm looking forward to feeling extra-special this February.

December

2009-12-01T15:13:04+00:00

When I opened the curtains this morning, it looked like this outside.

Glorious, proper frost, no sign of rain (nothing short of a miracle given the last few weeks here) and December! My favourite month of the year by a mile.
Not least because it begins with treats for me. Though I'm not really supposed to have this until Christmas, but hey, hubby's in India this week, so he'll never know I sneaked a photo of it.

Those are my boys' fingerprints cast in silver clay by the very talented Emma of Silverpebble.
There's something about that piece of jewellery that just gives me the tingles. I just have to be patient before I can wear it. Torture. Now I know how the children feel about their advent calendars. Really - Johnny was so excited about getting into his this morning that he opened it whilst in the buff. I have a photo, but it's not for sharing here!
I have serious advent calendar envy this year. Not on the childern's behalf - they are more than happy with the hideously commercial (but chocolate-free) Lego variety. But really, all the stylish advent calendars I've been seeing are just wasted on the children.
I'm thinking of having advent in February for grown-ups. 'Seven days of specialness' or something along those lines. Perhaps a swap is in order - anyone interested?
Happy December!

Poncho ponderings

2009-11-20T23:02:52+00:00

I've been knitting away the evenings on a very cosy project - the Union Square Shawl from Weekend Knitting. And this time, I am striving to enjoy the process, not just anticipate the completion. But while I knit, thoughts niggle at me.

I am a child of the 70's. Should I even contemplate wearing a poncho?

The wool, though soft, sheds like anything. Is this a serious no-no in a garment designed to be flung on over other things?

Beige isn't really me. If Kristina knit it, I would think it was understated, classic and beautiful (just like her). But for me? It brings to mind porridge. I'm just not a beige girl.

Surely the fact that the yarn was super-duper cheap in the John Lewis sale should make up for its shortcomings in the colour department?

Poncho poncho poncho - it's one of those words which if repeated over and over again starts to look as if it is a word you just invented.

I am in love with the baby cable pattern. Not least because it gives the illusion that I know how to do cables, when in fact, I have no idea whatsoever!

I only have 3 balls left to knit. So near and yet so far.

Wrapping

2009-11-17T12:06:03+00:00

Gift wrapping is one of my little pleasures. I almost get more of a kick at wrapping Christmas parcels than I do unwrapping them. I love the sense of anticipation and seeing them all in a beautiful heap.
So even though I have been wrapping empty boxes this week, I've been having a lot of fun doing it.

These are for the book shop window display, where our theme is recycling. Hence the book pages and re-used packaging paper. With some chenille from the scrap store thrown in to add colour.
One of our customers wanted to know if I had any bright ideas for eco-wrapping. So I offered to lend her my dummy packages for the local Carbon Cutters eco-Christmas event. And give her the link to the tutorial for making gift bows from magazine pages.

I was tempted to go the whole hog and offer to wrap parcels to order too, but the length of my own 'to do' list made me keep my lips shut. The shop Christmas window is due to go up on Sunday. I've been sewing snowflakes like there's no tomorrow.

And I have the rest of a cardboard fireplace to construct. I think I may have missed my vocation, but vacancies for Santa's elves are few and far between.