Showing posts with label Christmas cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas cards. Show all posts

5.1.07

Catching up with P's and Q's

Before I revert back to rambling on about the small things of country life and my faltering illustration career, (anyone want to buy a used paintbrush? One careful lady owner?) I'd like to publicly thank some lovely people who have sent me equally lovely things - apologies if this sounds like a great big gloat-fest, but mother taught me that it's kindly good manners to say thank you - and even more so if they are over due.
There were a couple of bad experiences with the mail in 2006. My end of a vintage book exchange vanished into the ether between the USA and here. But amazingly, Vintage Chica persevered and sent me out another, which arrived almost smothering our poor Posty, a small pair of legs disappearing under a large box. This contained my wonderful classic book - 'Little House on the Prairie', by Laura Ingalls Wilder which all good American girls know (and quite a lot over here). I can remember my mum finding 'Little House in the Big Woods' in the public library, and suggesting I read it. At the age of 8 or so, and having a very sheltered TV-less life, I didn't want to read about other children in that far off place, America, (where?) which was simply a distant name to me - insular child that I was. But within the first chapter, I was hooked, and swiftly devoured it and the rest of the series - all borrowed from the libray, so I have no copies of my own. Until now...



Of course, it is illustrated by the amazing Garth Williams. I immediately curled up with it and yet again was transported far away and long ago. The magic of the author's writing still encaptivated me and I have been loving re-reading it again.




To accompany it, some domestic delights - a jar of red currant sauce, a darling little apron, and best of all a vintage rolling pin, (I have a weakness for old rolling pins) which has joined my collection. It will be put into pastry action, as I like to use all my pins; it seems so sad to let them get dusty and unused simply because they are 'collectable'. Thank you Vintage Chica, not only for putting together such a thoughtful box, but for having the generosity to send a second one to replace the 'vanished' one.

The second mishap, post-wise, was my SOSF gift from Ms Robyn. It went missing and we had both given it up for lost. In the meantime, she sent me an enchanting bundle of delicate gifts...



...but at last, the missing parcel turned up, safe and sound. Two months later. It was a handcrafted Goddess doll, one of Ms Robyns finest. Where she had been and what adventures she had been through, she would not say. But here she is, on the wall, as enigmatic as a Goddess should be. Thank you Robyn!


And thank you to Maya and Tara for your everlasting kindness, but most of all for your friendship and support over the last year and beyond.



Edibles and herbal goodness from Tara's garden (no prizes for guessing which idiot made a jug of herbal tea from the 'tub-tea-bags' and drank it...not realising they were for bath soaking purposes...country bumpkin strikes again).

To all my artist, crafting and illustrator friends, whose personal cards and 'bits' always have pride of place, and their own exhibition space -



and to Gail, for this little fellow...


and huge hugs to my dear non-blogging-but-still-precious friend 'nursie', who sent me this treasure trove of trinkets from a Christmas market...incuding tiny toadstools which will keep all year round.



You are all prime examples of what the
SOSF is all about - that it is better to give than to receive. To give because the other person will get pleasure from the gift, and not simply to get something back. That is why we think of ourselves as a friendship network, not a 'swop' group. Somehow it's nicer that way.

( I have been rubbish at gifting recently and mean to improve on this in 2007!)

6.12.06

Sticky pheasant

She came, she went, it was jolly good fun and we are going to do it again when Christmas is over. Lovely Joanna from 'On the Blossom Trail' popped over for a lightning visit, and there was cake and woods, though not in that order. We were on a tight schedule, with both of us being busy in various ways. We slurped a quick cuppa, and opened a packet from Daisy Lupin, which I had saved, as it was going to be a 'Blogworld-meets-real-life' kind of day. I was delighted to find two of Daisy's gorgeous felt decorations which I had been admiring on her blog.





They got hung at once, even though we don't usually decorate until a week before the great day. They look just right hanging on the beams - thank you Daisy!

Then it was off to the woods, for a very quick leg stretch, with me wearing the lovely silk scarf sent me by Connie, from Mumbo-Jumbo. I have to wear it wrapped, as my lifestyle doesn't allow for 'floaty things'. But it keeps my neck lovely and warm and I almost feel like a proper lady. Thank you Connie!


I really enjoyed showing off our lovely scenery, from the semi abandoned farmhouse with its flock of poultry, to the shy little herd of Dexters which graze nearby. There was a shoot going on nearby, as is usual at this time of year and when we returned to the car it was hemmed in by several mud splattered SUV's and an open back van with about 50 brace of pheasants hanging from the rails. It was a macabre but spectacular display; if it had been in a London gallery it could quite have passed itself off as an artwork. A gaggle of country chaps were striding across the windswept field with guns. We were approached by a couple (a brace?) of tweedy jacketed, knickerbocker clad gentlemen, in stout shoes and knee-high woollen socks, who generously gave Jo a pair of hen birds. When we got home, I just had time to force a bowl of tomato and chick pea soup on her, a fantastic recipe I swiped from Becca and Bella's blog. I added a tablespoon of Miso paste because I cannot cook any recipe without dickering about with it. And then there was cake. Moist carrot cake, made by Joanna, which was quite delicious and enough left for Andy later that night. What a lovely way to spend an extended lunchtime, and how I smiled to think of someone else tussling with dead birds...

I have been thinking of 'ways with pheasant' apart from the ubiquitous casseroles. With the last lot we got, I coated them in a sauce, and grilled them, the result being a dryish spicy finger food dish, which would go well with other 'finger pickin' foods, and maybe with cold lager to wash it down. The measurements are all approximate as I tend to hurl everything into a bowl and judge quantities by instinct, which is not very helpful to anyone else...

STICKY PHEASANT

To coat two lots of bird bits - legs, wings, breast, miscellaneous gubbins.

4-5 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce, the dipping kind.
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon of runny honey
2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
a few dried lime leaves, crushed (optional, this just gives zesty, limey notes to the final taste)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice if you have it. (Bottled or fresh, it doesn't matter)
A couple of ounces or more of sesame seeds, enough to cover all par
ts

Mix all the ingredients apart from the sesame seeds and coat all the bits in the sauce. Oven bake or grill until done and the sauce has gone sticky and less liquid. Baste the remaining liquid over the pieces, then dredge them in sesame seeds, and return to the oven until they are toasted. That's it. It tastes better cold, and would make excellent winter picnic fare.



We had ours with game chips, which are simply winter potatos, (unpeeled) quarted lengthways, drenched in extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with dried herbs. Bake in a tray, on the upper shelf of a hot oven until done, rather like roast potatoes, but don't over do them - they should have a nice brown skin and soft, floury inner.



Praise be, I hit my illustration deadline last night. Feedback from the roughs won't arrive until January, so I can relax for a bit. Now I have time to start a new private commission and even think about having some time out to make paper mache bits and pieces. Everyone seems to be making lovely festive fripperies and I am tempted to join in, though I haven't actually crafted anything for years. Willow House is selling some lovely treasures at the moment, pop over and have a look.

NOTE - thanks to a remarkably successful sales period, stocks of Red Flannel Elephant Christmas cards are dwindling rapidly. If there is anyone left on the planet who wanted some and hasn't yet ordered any, the Management recommend doing so PDQ before they run out...

6.10.06

Almost unseasonal

Finding myself unemployed and almost penniless, I have actually managed to design a set of three Christmas images in time for the season. Nearly. Just one more to go. I'm going to be getting these printed up into bijou cards, and will be selling in sets of 6 and 12, so watch this space. Let me know if you'\re interested. They'll be no more than 6 UK pounds ($11.00 US) for a pack of 12 with envelopes and all, and three UK pounds ($5.50 US) for a pack of six. This is the start of my little card company I dreamt of a few years ago, Red Flannel Elephant - next year I'll be going full-wing.

'Three Kings'


'Angel Cat'

Due to a wave of nasty recurring headaches, (trepanning anyone?) I've been off the old PC for a bit. So apologies to my favourite blogs, if I haven't been round or commented. They are starting to clear up now, so normal service will resume shortly.