Treats, Taps, & Trips

Merry Christmas one and all! I hope you're feeling full of festive cheer and haven't got too many presents left to make/wrap/buy more of because you ate all of the chocolate you originally bought as a present... *ahem*. 


I'm currently stuffing my face with a very delicious, and festive, treat; a present from Pam, my Nan;

Fairtrade chocolate = no calories! Hurrah!

I love that she still gives me sweets- it reminds me of perpetually sunny childhood summers spent swinging on a roundabout, sucking sherbet from those little plastic straws. Pam is definitely the loveliest grandma ever, and she makes the world's most amazing jam. We only give our best house guests Pam Jam for breakfast.


Talking of grandparents, I've just finished my latest craft project; a cross-stitch sampler for Des, my granddad. Pam and Des came over for Sunday lunch a few weekends ago, and Des noticed we hadn't put any lagging on our garden taps. Whilst reminding Tom about it, he came out with the following gem- now immortalised in thread;

Wise words, that I for one certainly intend to live by.

I've had a wonderfully social week so far, filled to the brim with adventures. On Tuesday I went to Ikea with two wonderful women I used to work with. It's become something of a tradition for us to go on Ikea road-trips together; the perfect combination of gossip and imitation Kilner jars. One of my favourite things about Ikea (aside from the general bargainousness) is their food packaging. I find their labels inspiring- such simple images that are universally recognisable as a representation of the package's contents. Some of my particular favourites: 

 And 

Who doesn't love mulled wine with all their heart?!

I also treated myself to some of this utterly brilliant pasta. It's meant to be elk-shaped, but I think if you squint it looks like reindeer. If eating a bowlful of Rudolph isn't Christmassy, I don't know what is....

Definitely going to eat these for Christmas Eve's dinner.