Wednesday 26 November 2008

A gentle weekend.



The children recovered from their colds as quickly as children invariably do. I on the other hand grew feverish, sneezed with a highly tiresome regularity and turned my nose into a festive rendition of Rudolph's own with my endless wiping of the poor thing. I usually get a cold about once every one or two years which lasts for precisely one day and is thus indulged with snuggling close to the fire and a delicious hot toddy or three. To my utter disgust this one ran into day two and continued its merry way into day three for good measure at which point Mr Davey insisted I take to my bed, something I have to be forced to do as I love the idea, but can only endure it if I am well enough to actually enjoy the experience! Hence, it never happens. Sunday saw me ensconced beneath our quilt with a pile of knitting and the Country Living Christmas edition, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite the exhaustion of endless sneezing fits. I did however get up for a brief while in the afternoon with the appropriate permission from Dave to make the Christmas pudding; well, it was Stir Up Sunday after all.



Dave and I both love cooking and have devised a plan to enable us both to get a bite of the Christmas cherry so to speak. This year it is his turn to cook the Christmas dinner and mine to make the pudding, such an enjoyable task that I was not about to give it up because of a cold. Goodness it was good to get back to bed after all that mixing though. Wishes were made whilst stirring by the children who were present - most of them on this occasion - and those who were absent received phone calls telling them to imagine they were stirring (while we actually did it for them) and make their wish that way. And here is the delicious end result: Mr Dave's Figgy Pudding,a gorgeously unctious mix of figs, nuts, zest and alcohol all made to his very own recipe.



And again...



And here is one of the bowls we use as we always make two



I also have moved forward with the little rag doll I am making for isabella and she now has a dress and hat trimmed with lace that once belonged to my Grandmother and now belongs to me.



Her face is yet to be finished, but she now has a little mop cap with a tiny bow nestled close to the brim. I so love making this.



A pair of lace-trimmed bloomers



So she is almost complete now - I hope Isabella loves her as much as I have loved making her.



I also managed to get some more paperwork done and some business planning for next year. How lovely to be trapped in one place and able to let the ideas just flow. I got increasingly excited at the thought of moving things forward, seeing where I could take my little business which has steadily grown over the last year and taught me so much about everything concerned from packaging, designing, making...oh the list is endless, but perhaps most important of all is what I have learnt about myself. I realise I am far more of a perfectionist than I thpought I was, far too hard on myself when things invariably go awry once in a while and far too ready to work myself to an early grave. On the positive side though I have noticed a gentle increase in self-confidence, always a huge problem for me, so Hooray for that!

Have a lovely day xx

24 comments:

  1. The pud looks wonderful. Do you have cream or custard? We have both.

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  2. do hope you are feeling much better now, the pudding looks yummy I was going to get a M&S one this year but seeing your pud in that lovely basin I think I might have to make my our own. The rag doll is gorgeous love the hat I am sure it will be treasured, they take quite a while to make don't they..!!
    Jan

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  3. I am sure that Isabella will treasure her dolly. So nice to be able to make things for them and have them appreciate what you have done. I have made various bits for Isabel and everything is displayed in her bedroom and all have names. Dev X

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  4. Serious Christmas pudding envy...do you do mail order???

    Gorgeous rag doll - lucky Isabella. I'm sure she will love it.

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  5. Sweet doll, my mother used to make them for little girls!
    Do hope you are over the worst of the cold now.

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  6. I hope you are feeling better today. Love the pudding bowl....very Portmerrian (sorry can't spell it but I'm sure you know what I mean;0) )

    I'm sure Isabella will love her doll, it's gorgeous.

    Kx

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  7. The pudding looks fabulous and the bowl is really pretty. It's making me feel all Christmassy. (It takes a lot to do that!)

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  8. i can smell the pudding from here! i love stir up sunday though we have missed it two years running. And teh dolly is fabulous - do you take orders? She will treasure it as it is so obviously made with love.
    gget well xx

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  9. Mmmm ... pud looks scrummy ! My friend is making a pud just for me as Mr Boo doesn't like them. The dolly is beautiful and how poignant that you are using the lace, a bit of heirloom carries on eh ? x

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  10. I think you have done so well and seem to be so organised.
    We have all just got over that horrible cold too.
    How wonderful to have Dave cook the Christams dinner!
    Rag doll looks lovley, I have so many things on the to make list. Do you struggle with finding spare time.
    I find by 4pm I am done in...I can just about muster up evening dinner! then I flop on the sofa.
    It is great to hear that you are moving forward with your business.
    Carol xx

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  11. The puddings look fabulous and I love the bowls! Isabella's doll is gorgeous. Such beautiful attention to detail.

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  12. I agree with Toady!

    Also think that it's lovely that little Isabella will soon have a doll with a hat just like her own. Very clever, Pipany.

    Hoping that you continue to drive that miserable cold away.

    xo

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  13. what's with all of us and colds and flu? maybe we all need a good holiday? All this mum multi tasking and crafting takes the stuffing a bit! Here's to some relaxation over xmas, walks on the beach, shell hunting, cooking and peaceful sewing Love Claire

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  14. Lovely blog and very lovely dolly! We have old lace from grandma too - my C had some tucked into her wedding bouquet.

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  15. I was going to make my pudding too but got overtaken by potting up more bare rooted perennials. I must do it this sunday.
    Adore the doll.
    Your business seems to be going great guns. Don't forget about the accountancy advice offer!

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  16. Hi Pip, sorry to hear you've been unwell...I'm the same with colds - infrequent and over before they've really started. Still, a duvet day now and then can be a lovely thing (that's got me thinking...!). Yummy looking pud and craftiness going on here too. Want to hear all your plans for next year and moving the business forward. Are we going to get that mince pie in before christmas?
    Diana xx

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  17. How fabulously productive you have been, despite your sneezes. That pudding does look fantastic!

    xx

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  18. I hope that nasty cold leaves you soon! I have to say, though, that I've never heard of anyone accomplishing so much from a sickbed. You are amazing!
    The pudding bowl that you pictured is one that I've been looking at over here recently. It is so Christmassy - perfect!

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  19. love the bowl you make the pudding in, very festive! I also love your "babbits", they are gorgeous. Hope you are feeling better soon!

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  20. That Christmas pudding looks delicious, and what a lovely family tradition. Though I make a Christmas cake every year, I've never tried making a pudding. Maybe I'll have a go this year.
    The doll is so sweet - the hat suits her perfectly.
    Hope you're feeling better.

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  21. Ah, so you it was you who gave us the sneezing fit cold? All that sneezing is just exhausting, isn't it?
    Love the doll. love the puds. Love the bowls for the puds. Trying hard to imagine a situation in which I would fight Adrian for the right to cook and can't find one!
    Hope you're a 100% hunkydory again soon. jxxx

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  22. What a beautiful blog. So glad you found me so that I could find you :-)
    Donna x

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  23. Hi Pipany, wow what a great post. What a gorgous yummy looking pudding. It really inspires me to get that ruhbarb out of my fridge and into the baking dish. Your doll is adorable and gorgous. You are so clever, and how exciting that you feel so excited about extending a little business. I am very happy for you. YOu are a great story writer. xx

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