Santas Winter Warmer

Easy to make, Just warm cans in boiling water. Pour into sterilised brewing container. Add 6 pints boiling water and stir well. Add 25 pints of cold water, stir again. Add the enclosed yeast sachet. SIMPLE!

Now leave for 4 days!!!

I will continue when at that stage...... remember that on 22nd October I will have a tasting session at Make Do and Mend of this beer, and others.

Hectic Times!

Lots been happening - firstly I have become involved in The Little Green Dragon in Alton. Very exciting! Secondly I'm able to use the space and window around the corner from Make Do And Mend so I can store more stock and buy in items at better value - hopefully.....

Latest in is a HUGE delivery of swing stopper bottles, jam jars, tall preserving jars, and honey jars - just in time for the harvest and jam making time!

I now also stock some Fat Quarters and Jelly Rolls for quilting, and because I get asked to do mending....... I now will mend your clothes, jewelery etc (within reason! if I can't do it I'll say so!!)

Please come in and see me soon.

Fat Quarters and Jelly Rolls

Will be available to buy in the shop. Sooooon.......

Straining and bottling the elderflower champagne

The stewed flowers after nearly 2 weeks.

Boil sterilising the straining bag.

Bottling in containers that hopefully wont explode!

You can add a camden tablet before bottling but I chose not to as I don't think it will last long enough to matter!

The bottles now need to be stored somewhere cool and where nothing else can be spoiled if they do explode.

Weds 7th July

Tidied up kitchen sort of. Adie and Smokey had farrier yesterday. Today been a sorting out day lots of ends to tie up. News soon about all of that!!

Making Soap

Tonight I've been making soap. Two batches, one rose bud soap and the other green tea, lemongrass and tea tree. Its SO easy and quick to make.

The first picture shows the last two batches I made that were just pure soap, no additives of any kind, just pure oils. This time I'm making fragranced naturally coloured and textured soaps. My kitchen is very trashed!! will tackle that in the morning....

Weds 30th June

Really hectic day today: Chicken delivery first thing, and spent AGES cutting down nettles and thistles in the sheep field. And there's still loads left to do.

But then a drive along a lane with the flax coming into flower makes it all seem ok!!

Elderflower bucket smells lovely in the kitchen too. Shame I don't! Bath and bed.....