Well, my friends, I admit I haven't been around lately. I mean, around this blog. Or the other one :).
I've been active mainly on FB, cause it's soooooo easy to just shoot up some photo's with some bits of comment, and get immediate response...
It's so rewarding to get approval as quick as you post something, you might forget that the whole thing is not about bragging, but about keeping a record of what u're doing, thinking, dreaming....
It's been a while, but yet I'm back, and I'll give you a series of stories about what I've been cooking in my workshop and embroidering in my kitchen :)).
So soon, there comes Christmas again! Right after finishing the long summer "run for fairs", it started the x-mas frenzy. Can you believe I have orders more than I can handle? And that I have tons of ideas, but notime to put them into real life?
All my little felt ornaments.... all my little triangle toys.... my leather necklaces (tempting story involving black lace and pearls and chains...), even my quilts! my beloved quilts! are postponed till further notice.
In the mean time, I keep myself busy with pins, trims, ribbons and patches, all fitted onto acryl or foam.
Here, take a look!
I owe a great deal of thank you to my mother: she's done the crochet part. Well... she has more time than I do :)))))
Now, I have to leave you with these wonders, and go make some more (day job first) Christmas items. If I will find the time, I'll make more photos.
But, before leaving, I have one question to you: how do you like them? I appreciate every response :)
Tough it is not crafted by me, this is a carol that has grown very dear to my heart, part because of the singer, part because of the lyrics... Halloween is not (yet) a tradition in my country, also all saints day, but the simplicity of the words, the pureness of the request... has touched a part of my heart.
and there is more: a recipe of the beautiful soul-cake:
Soul Cakes are an echo of the sacrificial foods of the Celtic festival of Samhain held in early autumn. These little cakes were traditionally set out with glasses of wine on All Hallows Eve (31st October) for the souls of the dead. On All Saints Day (1st November) children would go "souling" calling out "Soul, Soul, for a Soul Cake: pray you good mistress, a soul cake".
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup caster/superfine sugar
4 cups plain flour, sifted
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons currants
a little milk
Method
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
- Beat in the egg yolks.
- Fold in the sifted flour and spices.
- Stir in the currants.
- Add enough milk to make a soft dough.
- Form into flat cakes and mark each top with a cross.
- Bake on a well-greased baking tray in a hot oven until golden.
and the lyrics...
A soul cake, a soul cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
any good thing to make us all merry,
A soul cake, a soul cake, please good missus a soul cake.
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.
A soul cake, a soul cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
any good thing to make us all merry,
God bless the master of this house, and the mistress also.
And all the little children that round your table grow.
The cattle in your stable and the dog by your front door.
And all that dwell within your gates
we wish you ten times more.
A soul cake, a soul cake............
Go down into the cellar and see what you can find.
If the barrels are not empty we hope you will be kind.
We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber’
For we’ll come no more a ’soalin’ till Xmas time next year.
A soul cake, a soul cake, ......................
The streets are very dirty, me shoes are very thin
I have a little pocket to put a penny in.
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’ penny will do.
If you haven’t got a ha’ penny then God bless you.
A soul cake, a soul cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
any good thing to make us all merry,
A soul cake, a soul cake, please good missus a soul cake.
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.
