Wednesday 8 December 2010

Card Swap reminder (post by Friday), ++ stuff I baked

I have received my first card swap card! Not even the one from my swap partner, which is still to come, a lovely bonus card! Here it is,
Isn't that pretty? I love it. I'm worried mine are too phallic
and it’s from Emma of Emma’s Crazy Days who you may remember was the winner of the lavender bag giveaway. Thank you very much, Emma, it’s a lovely card and it’s actually our first Christmas card. Hooray! So, Christmas starts here. Just a quick reminder about the card swap, the deadline for posting is this Friday, and I shall be posting my own effort tomorrow (barring snow, floods or other natural disasters. Actually our post office is 100 yards away so I will probably be ok). Thank you to those of you who’ve let me know they’ve posted theirs already ;-), and for the rest of us, we have two days! It’s all fine. And then we can see the finished cards appearing in the blogosphere and it will be exciting. Also, my mother will stop worrying about the card she is sending and we will be able to worry about something else.

One card has got there already – Erin at Gradschoolknitter made these cards which I thought were lovely and unusual (and Erin, I applaud your going down the minimalist route there, it is very effective and I wish I had thought of it), and one has been received by Marushka at It Might Be A Metaphor. Cards! Swapped! Go us! I am also enjoying the various references to making of cards which I keep seeing on everyone’s blogs – if I’ve missed anyone who’s got a card from their swappee, please let me know, because I do miss things as my computer is very slow and repeatedly gets crashed by Blogger. Then I have to swear, restart it, and go and look out of the window, furiously. And I do not like to miss things, you can imagine. So do let me know so I can link and we can all have a look!
When Baking meets Origami everyone's a winner
Despite Denise’s wildly iconoclastic views on Christmas cake in the comments on my previous post (Denise, you’ll be telling me no-one eats Christmas pudding and mince pies in America next, and then I’ll have to have a lie down in a darkened room because of the shock), I have made my Christmas cake today. It took me longer to line the baking tin with baking parchment and wrap it up in brown paper than it did to make the cake. Never let it be said I am not hardcore. The cake will be taken out shortly after I have finished this blog post, having been baked for 4 and 3/4, yes, that’s 4  3/4, hours, and then I will put it in my special big Tupperware and feed it brandy until Christmas (insert joke about, I wish someone would put me in a Tupperware and feed me brandy, etc etc).
Or I could just have injected sugar straight into a vein
When I had put the cake in I felt the need for something a bit more short term in the baking department. So I made some of the Sparkled Ginger Cookies from Vegan with a Vengeance. And then I ate quite a few, because wrapping the baking tin in brown paper had quite taken it out of me. I know they look a bit unpromising, but they were quite delicious ;-).

9 comments:

Amy said...

Oh...how exciting. Cards are being swapped. I sent mine from the US to the UK a week ago. So, it should be received soon, if not already. Yikes...I got excited and forgot about a pic, first. I hope my swapee can take a pic. I can't wait to get mine!

Unknown said...

You made me laugh out loud for real. I woke the cats who glared at me for a bit.

Actually, no Christmas pudding. I've never had any or gotten to even smell any. I'm so deprived here in the US.

Mince pies, I love. However, I haven't had any in very long time because a jar of mincemeat is so terribly expensive. I might have to take out a mortgage on the bunnies cages and get some.

I love brandy. I believe I would love your Christmas cake and not just pick out the fruits. Oh and you cookies do look fab and yummy.

Anonymous said...

Og I received my card on Monday as well... I meant to let you know but life is just a little crazy here these days...
And I sent my card to the US yesterday, too =)
My mum gave me quite a scare on Monday, saying they had said on the radio that it was already too late to send cards to the US and that they wouldn't arrive in time... but the guy at the post office said it would be ok, 5-7 days as usual.
Will blog about my card and about Christmas in Germany as soon as possible ^^

Susie said...

Amy, no worries, it can easily take a week. I've had a look who your card's going to, we'll keep an eye out on her blog ;-). Leileigh, hooray, another card received and sent! I think we're still ok within the posting deadlines for the US this week, looking forward to seeing your blog about Christmas in Germany!

Denise, oh no, the poor cats ;-). And no Christmas pudding, how can this be. I'm so tempted to say I'll send you a pudding and mincemeat because they aren't expensive here at all* (and believe me they'd travel, they're very solid), but I suspect that would cause chaos in customs and we don't want to cause an International Incident. If anybody knows different though let me know and I'll trot off to the post office!
*Except for a Heston Blumenthal pudding which is causing a scandal by being sold for £250 on ebay.

Anonymous said...

Well, I've had mine sitting next to the door ready to post for two weeks. My husband however keeps forgetting to bring it on post and put it in the mailbox! I could always walk down to the postoffice in town, but then I would have to pay international prices.

Unknown said...

Maybe you should sell pudding on ebay. LOL

I checked back here before I went to bed. Was afraid I sent you into a shock and I caused an international incident. I was prepared to type off letters of apology to your Prime Minister and Parliament.

Actually, you made me quite curious so I did a search. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/your_say/article598750.ece
I know cheeses that are soft or made with raw milk are prohibited as there was a discussion on a message board I lurk sometimes. Baked goods are listed as ok on the US customs site.

Now you know why my English Spot bunny, Dammit sits in the middle of the room and glares at me every Christmas. I've told him he was born in the US so is American. He just pins back his ears and starts humming something from Led Zeppelin.

If you would like to do a private Christmas swap, I can send some US goodies if there is something you like. I also have 3 50-gallon totes of US cotton quilting fabric that will take me 3 lifetimes (maybe longer) to use. Would love to share it.

Send me an e-mail if you are interested or I'm on Rav as knittingbunnies

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you enjoyed the card :)

Oh Miss West said...

I sent mine out today. Was I supposed to email you and let you know? If so, well, crap! and I'm sorry. Thankfully I checked all the blogs today, and saw this (in my defense, I am studying for finals and I have a cold).

Oh, and those cookies look really good, and I'm starting a quest for the recipe.

Susie said...

Look at this, I leave the computer to deconstruct ties, I get exciting comments.

Suddenexpression, a fortnight, you were very organised to get it ready a fortnight ago! Your husband sounds a bit like me with the forgetting to post ;-), I shall send remembering vibes ;-). (I posted mine internationally yesterday and it was £1.40 but would have been cheaper if it was smaller - so hopefully not too bad if you're forced to go that route. I know you're not in the UK but it might be similar?).

Denise, would love to do a private Christmas swap, I will message you on Ravelry.

Emma, I loved it, thank you!

CJ, no problem and I hope you feel better soon. DO NOT MAKE THE COOKIES. They are very moreish, I have eaten them all and am now sitting waiting for the inevitable migraine. :-(.