Life in Lockdown

Interestingly life in lockdown has been much like life before lockdown but with fewer visitors and perhaps a bit less cooking and baking. I seem to have managed to fill in my days with the usual domestic activities, hobbies and signed up for a couple of online classes but more about those another time.

There has been the usual Autumn tidy up of the garden

 Sourdough bread galore

A new patchwork quilt, 

Making some new coats for Morris, these are easier to put on than his knitted jumpers and therefor kinder on his arthritic shoulders. 

And some new hot water bottle covers

Knitting a new cardigan

Trying out some new recipe ideas

Playing with a new app, as part of an online class with Tara Axford. 

Gelli plate prints on paper for collage


Postcard made with the papers 

These Strange Times

Corona virus / Covid 19 and social distancing. Like everyone else we are bunkered down and filling our days as productively as possible. These really are strange times. Fortunately, I have always been a bit of a homebody and have heaps of things to do.  So this is what I have been doing. A couple of online classes, more about these another time and...

Getting ahead with my postcard swaps, most recently this one. Peeping Tom, a Lino cut print on ecodyed fabric with machine stitch.

Making a new quilt, this is the top and still needs to be quilted and finished.

Baking

Easter baking

Hanging out with these two. Ray and I mind our grandson Oscar, our usual afternoon arrangement has been extended.

Daily exercise with Morris

Gardening

More baking

Processing tomatoes for the freezer and

Making  Balchow

Making quince and pear paste

And playing with arrangements of found objects

To Infinity and Beyond

Buzz Lightyear is my grandson Oscar’s obsession and it seemed that a Buzz cake would be the perfect choice for his birthday cake.

Surprisingly easy to make. I used a cartoon image from the internet as a base pattern.

I started with a large slab of chocolate mud cake which I cut out into a Buzz shape. Then I added a thinner layer of cake for his face and then covered the entire cake with a white chocolate and buttercream blend frosting. A little extra added to sculpt in a nose, eyebrows and chin.

A layer of purple ready to roll icing and then the final touches for the face and outfit made by building up further layers of the icing.

Wings were made onto card.

Buzz and little Buzz (Oscar) at the party with his parents.

And the second cake for a family dinner, toy Buzz for the topper.

Nanna having a quiet moment at the party with Oscar, admiring his cake and waiting for the rest of the guests.

Looking Forward, Looking Back and Living in the Present

I do not make New Year’s resolutions but I do adore a bit of humour.

No resolutions but an opportunity to reflect on what has gone and what is ahead. Of course, one cannot undo that which has gone or predict the future but one can make plans and think about the past whilst enjoying and making the most of the present. I think of it as a bit of a mental stocktake and audit.  Christmas seemed a good place to start.

For many years, I think eighteen, I have made a run of handmade Christmas decorations. I mostly make Santas, however, this year I also made a small run of angels inspired by the poinsettia print fabric I found in my stash. It was pleasing or embarrassing to discover that my stash was so extensive that I did not have to purchase anything for either the angels or Santas. 

In case you were wondering I do a prototype first and then make them factory style. 

My friend Jenny sent me this picture of her collection. It is nice to see them installed.

And Marion her collection minus four.  One was stolen, one is attached to her wreath and two others that do not get stored with these.

This is something that I may not continue to do, I am increasingly concerned about adding to the clutter in people’s houses and they are too much work to have them thrown away.

Then there was Christmas Day, lunch with family and friends. I have cooked pretty much the same meal for past thirty years and I think it is time for a change. I am thinking of cold versions of the menu instead of the full hot roast. Apparently Christmas pud with brandy cream has to stay.

These photo collages are courtesy of  Lariane who knew I was too busy to take photos

Christmas is for kids

Our grandson Oscar has added so much joy to our lives.

I make lot of baked goods as gifts - Christmas cakes, panforte, shortbread, Nordic spice cookies, biscotti, mince pies. This year I added something new. Honey biscuits made with a recipe from  friend, Annabel, who got it from her gran.

A good opportunity to personalise to the recipients, cats for the cat lover, bees for the bee keeper, bells for the traditional shape.

And in between Christmas and New Year there has been coffee

Minding the neighbours pets

Keeping the mind active with the Age

Some Printmaking 

And celebrating

Dessert for New Year's Eve, Kvaefjord / Verdens Best Cake a delicious layered offering of cake baked with a meringue and almond topping and custard cream filling.

The ladies responsible for the honey biscuits, Gran (Dorcas) in the centre, her daughter Lyn on the left and Annabel. Sharing and swapping recipes, that will not change.

GRAN’S  HONEY  BISCUITS 

(Based  on Mrs Vic Kappler’s recipe in Barossa Cookery Book)

Place in large bowl 450g honey, 450g sugar and half cup water.  

Microwave 3 or 4 minutes until warm, then stir till sugar is dissolved.

While still warm, add 1T margarine or butter.  Dissolve.

Use large container (i.e. 2 litre ice cream container) and dissolve 

3 teaspns carb soda in half a cup vinegar. It will fizz up.

Pour this into the warm(or cool) honey mixture. Stir

Beat 3 eggs lightly and add when mixture is cool . Stir

Weigh 1 kg plain flour. (You might need a little more or a little less)

Sift it together  with 1 tspn each of ground cloves, ginger, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg. 

Add about three quarters of the sifted flour and spices to the honey mixture. Add more flour until the mixture holds its shape. It is better to add a little more next morning rather than have it too dry.

Cover and leave overnight and don’t eat!! 

Roll out mixture, cut into shapes and place on trays. Brush lightly with milk or egg. If desired, sprinkle with hundreds and thousands, or place an almond in centre.

Place in fan forced electric oven (moderate) at 170/160 for 10 or 12 minutes. (This will vary with different ovens.)  Dough rolled out thicker will return softer biscuit.  Experiment.

Baking longer (or thinly rolled) will make them crunchier/harder. Depends how you like them. Too much flour makes them tough/hard.

Makes about 100 and they keep well in airtight container.  

Royal Icing:

Separate 2 eggs.  Lightly mix whites with fork and gradually add about 2 cups sifted icing sugar mixture, keeping stirring.  Mix till smooth and can hold a shape. Divide and colour to taste.  Pipe onto biscuits.

No water allowed!  Use lemon juice to thin if necessary.

Good luck!