Let’s Make Christmas,
Creative and Thrifty Ideas
for the
Festive Season
I am feeling a bit under the weather ~ I am usually resistant to colds and ‘flu etc, but I have finally been cornered and have a bad chest and throat ~ a seasonal occupational hazard and common to many of us at present I am sure.
To cheer me up, I have been playing with photo editing again and have posted a patchwork quilt of thrifty and creative seasonal recipes that you can make at home……most of them are entries for Vanessa’s exciting Let’s Make Christmas event as well as Liz’s Thrifty Christmas blog too. There is nothing more therapeutic than creating special preserves and baking which is destined to be given as a gift ~ the pleasure is three-fold, the making, the giving and the receiving. I have been squirrelling away jams, chutneys, jellies, marmalades, pickles, cakes, mincemeat, spices, bottled fruits and boozy beverages since the end of August now……all home-made and all destined to be given as gifts for family and friends.
Then there is the extra excitement of meeting so many of my blogging friends at the big Fortnum and Mason Let’s Make Christmas Food Blogger Gift Swap event that Vanessa has organised on the 18th November ~ I can hardly wait! We will all be bringing along some of our home-made goods for the big swap, what a great idea and for me it is the start of my festive season, with Stir Up Sunday falling a couple of days later on the 20th November this year.
So, here is a Patchwork Quilt of some of the home-made goods I have already prepared with links to all the recipes……an on-line store cupboard of cheery goods to share ~ I hope you enjoy making them as much as I did.
I am off to bed with a hot toddy now ~ see you later.
Karen
Lavender and Lovage
Patchwork Quilt
of
Let’s Make Christmas
Karen, have a good rest today, and sip one of your delicious homemade liqueurs this evening, I'm sure that will make you feel better.
What a lot of scrumptious food you have prepared.
Looking forward to seeing you next week, get well quickly! Jude x
Sounds like a great event to be participating in Karen! I don't think we will be able to get together on your visit over this time. With my present health problems I just can't say that any day I will absolutely be free. 🙁 I am still waiting for my letter for the catscan and it could be any day. I hate to say that we can get together on any one day and then have to cancel at the last minute. Hope you understand! Hoping we can do it your next trip over??? xxoo
I hope you feel better soon honey but well done for putting this patchwork together for us, you are an inspiration… I think i'm going to go with the red wine pears… I'm off to Gunby in a moment and will take a look at what they have a glut of and then bring those home. I have 12 little Kilner jars waiting for me… x
Hope you feel better soon Karen 🙂 love your photos of makes they are so pretty and well photographed.
Bee happy x
Have a delicious day!
Sorry to hear that you are unwell – might I suggest echinacea tablets to boost your immune system and spoonfuls of honey for your throat! Works for me every time.
Love all your Christmas food gifts.
Looking forward to meeting you next Friday at Fortnum & Mason.
What a wonderful mosaic 😀 Feel better Karen x
HOpe you feel ALL better VERY soon – what a lovely event – wonderful links 🙂
Mary x
Such a lovely patchwork of yummy Christmasness. Love it! Hoping to make it on the 18th but have to escape some training early. Hope you feel better soon. xx
Thanks Jude! Just emailed you……..see you Tuesday! XX
Thanks Marie ~ never mind, I am not well anyway so it is not meant to be, I am back in March! XX
Thanks Dom ~ yes, those pears are great and so easy….let me know if you for that recipe as smaller jars will take less time……
BIG thanks Bee Happy!
Thanks Jennifer, SEE you there, can't wait!
Thanks Annie ~ you were ill a few weeks ago, I must have caught it from you! LOL! XX
Thanks Mary! Your book was sent by Amazon this week, I think it was Tuesday ~ from the UK, so look out for it next week! X
OH I DO hope I get to see you on the 18th Kate!
That spread looks so enticing! Hope you are feeling better soon. XXX
Hope you will be better soon.It sounds like you will be having a fabulous time at Fortnam and Masons. Ideal place to get Christmassy.Love wandering around that food hall at this time of year.
Oh my….I’m hyperventilating just looking at these photos. They all look so wonderful and you’re so organised for Christmas.
I’m just entering panic mode and unfortunately like you I’ve come down with the dreaded lurgy.
Hopefully I’ll recover soon and be able to get going….that should keep the hysteria at bay
I hope your feeling better soon x
Oh my….I’m hyperventilating just looking at these photos. They all look so wonderful and you’re so organised for Christmas.
I’m just entering panic mode and unfortunately like you I’ve come down with the dreaded lurgy.
Hopefully I’ll recover soon and be able to get going….that should keep the hysteria at bay
I hope your feeling better soon x
You are putting me to Shame Karen. I haven't even made my chutney yet, although I plan to get cracking this weekend. A bit late though.
Ohh, I feel your pain. I haven't been sick in over a year and a half and I succumbed last week to a chest infection! Hope you are feeling better by now. I adore all your exciting Lets Make Christmas submissions! Really want to try making those liqueurs. You're really so creative!