A Very Making Things Club Christmas

Lori and Chris must love Christmas at least as much as I do, because in the weeks leading up to the big day we were treated to a two-part Making Things Club Christmas bonanza! Back in November, we met to make cute little snowmen and wrap up the handmade goodies we had crafted at home for our contemporaries in the Manchester Craft Mafia. I had spent the morning making a plush Christmas pudding from felt, beads and, of course, a little bit of glitter. Chris showed me how to make an adorable snowman and I sent him up to Manchester as a present too.

Felt Christmas pudding in progress

The gifts I sent to Manchester - isn't the snowman's little hat adorable?

Because the gifts were to be sent up to Manchester and opened by the Mafia a few weeks after we'd wrapped them up, I've had to keep these photos under wraps (see what I did there?) until now.

From Bristol with love - the presents we sent to the MCM.

A few weeks later and we reconvened for more festive crafting fun. Cafe Kino was awash with Christmas jumpers and jangling songs. I taught a new friend how to finger knit and felt quite some pride at having done so - I've never taught anything at MTC before, only learnt. We scattered around tables and made Christmas decorations that looked good enough to eat.

Of course, we still had the gift swap to look forward to! An exciting box had winged its way to us all the way from Manchester and was full of handmade goodies, all beautifully wrapped.

Chris with the presents from Manchester Craft Mafia

The Craft Mafia had been so generous that those of us who had contributed more than one present to the swap got an extra present in return! There were so many beautiful gifts, some of them quite inspired. A favourite of mine was the pin cushion ring. What a perfect idea!

Presents and a feast!

I received a gorgeous floral brooch and some re-usable chocolate decorations: four cute and festive drawstring pouches to hang on my tree, each containing a Lindt d'Or. They fit perfectly with the mainly red theme of my trimming and I've even managed not to eat them yet!

Re-usable chocolate decorations.

Of course, they say it's about giving - but receiving feels pretty special too!

Merry Christmas, Manchester!

Christmas Wrapping

That time of year is almost upon us - it's practically clambered into our laps already! For once, I had all my gifts bought and wrapped well in advance. If you don't, it's not too late to make them look a treat under the tree. First, you need Christmas music to keep your spirits in the right place...

Another way to make your wrapping go easily is to have the right materials at hand. If you've got bottles, don't work yourself into a state trying to neatly cover them in tissue paper. I've tried it every year for as long as I can remember and this year I finally admitted defeat. Buy a couple of nice bottle bags - not too garish (unless that's what you like) - and have them at the ready. As for the rest of your presents, buy a roll of paper or get inventive: use brown paper or newspaper and use ribbons, garlands and even pompoms to jazz things up.

I bought some Fair Isle printed tissue paper (Next) and used cute washi tape (Paperchase), stickers and Pritt stick in place of Sellotape. If you're using tissue paper, you'll usually need more than one layer. When using patterned tissues, begin with a layer of a block coloured paper first - I used black and white sheets that I had saved from things people had sent me.

I've always struggled to find gift tags that I actually like and usually prefer to keep them very simple, so I played around with cutting out the initial (or entire name, when it was a short one) of the intended recipient from brown paper and glueing it onto the parcel. I also picked up a pack of gorgeous tags (Next) and enjoyed mix-and-matching patterns on my presents for once.

Small gifts such as jewellery deserve their own beautiful packaging as much as larger items. Gift boxes lined with tissue paper serve well for this. I bought a plain one (super cheap at all craft shops) and drew my sister on the lid (the present was for her). I then made a nest of tissue paper, popped in a few sequins and laid the earrings I'd bought her inside.

A tiny bit of time and effort will make sure your gifts entice loved ones down onto their knees beneath the tree, wondering what it is they'll be unwrapping come Tuesday!

Mulled cider: a recipe

The Monomyth: diving into a vat of hot, spiced cider

For bonfire night this year, I decided that our cockles needed thoroughly warming on what promised to be a crisp November night, and what better way to warm them than with hot, spiced cider? However, lacking an internet connection I had to improvise- and in doing so made the best mulled cider I have ever tasted. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2L cider (and this can be topped up!)
3 apples
1 orange
1 lemon
cloves
fresh ginger root
2-3 cinnamon sticks
dried juniper berries
100g demerara sugar

• Quarter the apples and stud the flesh with cloves. Add to a large pan (preferably one with a lid as it'll really help when bringing such a large volume of liquid to the boil).
• Grate the rinds of the lemon and orange into the pan. Add the juice. Slice the remaining fruit into the pan too.
• Grate in fresh root ginger.
• Add everything else and bring to the boil.
• Top up with more cider if when needed!

Serve out with a ladle into paper cups or assorted mugs. When our pan of cider began to cool, I replaced the lid and tucked it into the embers of the bonfire, but if you try this, make sure it's a pan that will withstand being right inside the fire!

Enjoy!