Retro/Kitsch Christmas

Happy Retro/Kitsch Christmas!

Hi Everyone,  It's that exciting time of year - Christmas!  I love Christmas from the vintage decorations,carols, smell of Christmas pudding/cake, to having quality time with family & friends.  I know it can also be a stressful time of rushing to get everything done on time, but let's try to avoid those feelings and start preparing early if we can and have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas.

Start now if your are going to make your own Christmas Pudding, mince pies or Christmas cake by soaking your fruit in a large bowl.  I like to make my own pudding & mince tarts so I soak enough fruit for both and leave it covered on the bench for a few days & then it's ready to use when I choose.  Sometimes I even have it soaking for weeks, stirring occasionally & adding more dried fruit, nuts & alcohol- usually brandy & Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

If you are time poor you can purchase a great plum pudding from Coles which is Heston's Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding- Great quality and very reasonably priced.

Christmas Knitted Tea Cosy



Knitted Christmas Decoration

What you need

4mm needles
White & brown 8ply wool
Red wool for Cherry

Instructions

Cast on 40 sts
StSt 10 rows
Row 11
With white k2,k6 brown,k2 white ,k6 brown, k2 white continue in this sequence ending with k6 brown.
Row 12
P3 white, P4 brown, P4 White, P4 Brown, P4 white,P4 Brown
Continue in this sequence ending with P3 white.
Row 13
k4 white, k2 brown,k6 white,k2brown,k6 white,k2 brown,continue in this sequence ending with k4 white
Row 14
P all stitches in white
StSt 6 rows in white
Row 21 (still in white)
k2 tog, k6,k2 tog,k6 cont this sequence till end
Row 22 Purl row
Row 23
k2 tog,k5,k2 tog, k5 cont this sequence till end
Row 24 Purl row
Row 25
k2 tog,k4,k2 tog,k4 cont this sequence till end.
Row 26 Purl row
Row 27
k2 tog, k3,k2 tog, k3 cont this sequence till end.
Row 28 Purl row
Row 29
k2 tog, k2,k2 tog,k2,k2 tog cont this sequence till end.
Make up
Fasten off by threading the yarn through the remaining stitches. Sew the side and stuff draw up the bottom and secure.
Cherry -
Cast on 3 sts in red
Row 1
inc k wise into every stitch (6 sts)
Row 2
Purl row
Row 3
Knit row
Row 4
Purl 2 tog to end (3 sts)
Make up
Thread yarn through stitches draw up and fasten off.
Sew up row edges.
Sew to bun
Holly - Use Green Felt for a more detailed leaf.

Delightful
Vintage Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Recipes

Orange Cointreau Butter

2 oranges zested
1 1/2 cups Icing Sugar
125g butter, softened
50ml Cointreau

Method

Combine & whisk/ beat on high until creamy & smooth.  For a thicker consistency add more pure icing sugar

Serve with plum pudding or spread on panettone

 If made in advance store in fridge

 

Panforte

Australian Good Taste

Source Australian Good Taste - August 2011 , Page 115
Recipe by Alison Adams

Photography by Jeremy Simons

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour 

1 tablespoon mixed spice  

Pinch of white pepper  

125g hazelnuts, roasted, blanched  

115g almonds, roasted, blanched 

1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped 

1/2 cup mixed peel

50g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped 

1/2 cup caster sugar 

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 20cm non-stick springform pan with non-stick baking paper or rice paper (which is edible). Sift flour, mixed spice and white pepper into a bowl.
   
   
2. Stir in hazelnuts, almonds, dried figs, mixed peel and dark chocolate. Stir caster sugar, honey and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until a sugar thermometer reaches 116°C. Add sugar syrup to flour mixture and stir to combine.
   
   
3. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Dust with icing sugar. Cut into wedges.

Recycled Christmas Projects

 

Kitsch Wrapping Paper

Vintage Christmas Greeting Cards

 

Wishing you all peace & joy at Christmas 

& 

a safe Holiday Season !

Halloween

Happy Halloween!

 

Scarey Bat!

Glamping

Let's Go 
Glamping!

 Glamping:

 a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping. 

"glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature—without foregoing any of life's luxuries"

 

Essentials for Glamping

Portable table

Lovely table cloth

Flowers

Candles/matches

Good camping torch/lamp

Good book/magazines /newspaper

Teapot with cosy

Favourite cups

Camping chairs with cup & magazine holders

Large cheese board & knife

Wine/sparkling glasses

Quilt

Bunting/pom pom garland

Wipes

Tissues

Tea towel

Foil trays

Air freshener

Portable loo 

Mirror

Lipstick

Beautiful Retro Esky

Our family's idea of glamping starts with making a list and taking along those extra little things that make a difference. 

Marshmallows, chocolate, berries, cheese, quince paste, nuts, dried fruit, wine, sparkling, drinking chocolate and good tomato sauce.

Being food lovers, we take along a mix of fresh herbs, a few lemons, garlic cloves, ginger, flavored oils such as chilli and coconut milk.

Yummy pancakes!

There are lots of pre-made, just add water & shake  mixtures which are fabulous!  Gluten free as well as buttermilk.  Serve with cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice & caster sugar or good old fashioned strawberry jam.

Relax!

Easy Thai fish curry!

Ingredients
Good green curry paste (Home made or store bought)
2 cans of coconut milk
2-3 kifer lime leaves diced
Fresh ginger
Lime juice
Fresh coriander
Extra chillies if you like it hot
Fish- Catch of the day (which for us we cheated & went up to Buxton & the kids caught fresh salmon & trout)
Cover with foil & place on open fire for approximately 30min

 

Great Campfire Recipes

Eggs & Bacon

Yummy Campfire Cakes

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/campfire-cakes

Happy Glamping Dogs!

Our catch of the day - trout!

Buxton Trout Farm
Victoria

Camping over Easter

And if you can't be bothered packing & preparing, do it the easy way!

Link to an amazing glamping site to check out in Daylesford,Victoria!
http://www.cosytents.com.au/
 

Happy Glamping! x

Hi everyone, sorry it has taken so long to get this post out but we have been busy working on a new & exciting project that was launched late Monday night which is our online store.

The store evolved from this blog by a Thornbury maker and devotee of all things vintage, recycled, repurposed and generally stylish.

Melbourne-based Vintage Homespun sources an eclectic mix of interesting and beautiful pieces for the contemporary home. Vintage, retro, modern, industrial, hand-made … we love the inventive ways these styles work together. The scent of hand-poured candles, the curve of a copper jelly mould, a jar of fresh herbs. Crisp linen, vintage books, the clean lines of a geometric light-fitting. These are things that excite the senses and nourish the soul.

We’ve loved making and sourcing these pieces and hope they’ll bring new character, pleasure and meaning to your life … as well as to your home.  

Happy Browsing!  x
www.vintagehomespun.com.au