Thursday, December 20, 2012

gifting : biscuits and mugs





The kids finished up school yesterday, so we are spending the day a little lazily, still in pyjamas as it drizzles outside. But such is the beauty of the school holidays, not really having to be anywhere or do anything. Though of course there are plenty of things I should be doing.

Quite unlike the past two days, which have been a kind of frenzy of buying ingredients and bulk biscuit making, mug decorating and with the finale being the annual school presentation night. Whew! Though I thoroughly enjoy the process of gift baking and making, it is a good feeling to know it is done.

I made three types of biscuits this year :

Melting Moments : I have made these before, but it was the first time I'd tried this recipe. It was good, but personally I preferred my old recipe which had a vanilla, rather than lemon icing.

Rum Balls : The beauty of these is the simplicity of making them. No baking. I added more rum, rolled alternate batches in coconut and cocoa. But next time, I would probably add even more rum for a more adult taste.

Minty Cocoa Fudge Sandwich Cookies : This is the third christmas I have gifted these, and they never seem to disappoint. Though I did notice the difference using an inferior cocoa this year, as opposed to the Dutch one I used last year. These contain a positively sinful amount of butter, sugar, chocolate and condensed milk, particularly when you double up the recipe as I did. But I think that's okay once a year.

The mugs were plain cheap white ones I'd bought and I googled botanical line drawings and based my porcelain pen sketchings on some of these. It was quite good fun. Something I'd been wanting to try for ages. I finished them off with a little related drawing on the back and the recipients name up the top left hand side.

I popped clear celophane inside, filled them with biscuits and tied with some twine.

Most went to teachers and a few were saved to be part of food hampers for family members. Some excess biscuits went in the freezer, for later christmas gifting, and I also managed to fill up our large cookie jar. I'm trying to keep my hands out of that. There was a little too much taste testing or "quality control" along the way.

But I'm happy to say that is one more thing ticked off the list.



Sending happy christmas crafting, gifting wishes your way.


26 comments:

  1. What a fabulous idea Tania. Your drawings are excellent, well done, I'm sure they will be very happily received.

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  2. i love a bulk bake up !! i donned my apron and made about a zillion pistachio shortbreads along with three double batches of peppermint bark, your cups look amazing, such a fab idea and I like the sound of the choc mint bickies .... happy xmas to you and your clan x

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  3. You are so clever - your drawings are amazing! Lovely baking too! Happy December Tania to you and your family, enjoy your Christmas and all that it brings xo

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  4. Your drawings are absolutely gorgeous! Never in a million years would I be able to draw like that. What a wonderful gift idea!

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  5. Tucking this away in my memory banks for sure! The cups look so beautiful. Like something you would find in an expensive home wares store. And those goodies look so yum. No wonder you are tempted!

    Hope your list is looking a lot smaller now. :)

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  6. They are lovely gifts, Tania. I would be delighted to receive a gift like that.

    Merry Christmas!

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  7. Excellent gift idea - your sketches look so professional!

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  8. Such beautiful gifts! And fun to make too! Have a merry Christmas!
    xx

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  9. Those mugs have turned out beautiful. As I went through your post I was making a mental note to ask you where you got them from but am now just sitting here saying "wow she is so talented!"....you could sell those, or similar, they are fantastic!

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  10. I was wondering where you bought the mugs as I hadn't seen any like them..they are so well drawn and the black and white is really striking.The biscuits inside the mug are a fantastic gift idea!

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  11. Tania you are very talented these mugs are just beautifully done. I was thinking of something similar for the girls to do for their Grandparents for Christmas but ran out of time, will have to try next year they really are a lovely gift idea. Thank you for the recipe links too:) xx

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  12. This is such a great homemade gift idea. Your illustrations add a lovely touch.
    x

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  13. Wow! You are SO clever. The receivers of these gifts are very lucky. Absolutely lovely.

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  14. Beautiful Tania, and delicious too I'll bet!

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  15. gobsmacked! Lovely. Happy Christmas clever chickie. xx

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  16. Woah, those drawings really are amazing! I'd never have guessed that they are homemade as they look so professional. They are beautifully detailed. Well done!
    Ellen

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  17. Those mugs! Wow! Such a wonderful idea and such lovely illustrations. Everyone will love them, I'm sure! (I hope you don't mind but I've linked to this post on my blog - those mugs are just too brilliant! The post will be up tomorrow morning.) xxx

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  18. Beautiful gift Tania and a beautiful job with he mugs. Clever you!

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  19. I cannot believe you painted those mugs! Seriously, they are so good, you are very talented, you should be selling them -amazing! XxBrenda

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  20. Oh my goodness! You are a fantastic drawer, Tania! Why have you not mentioned this before??? This, my lovely bloggy friend, could be your new etsy business:) Gorgeous!

    I love baking melting moments. I do the vanilla icing in the middle too. Gorgeous yellow and white bakers string. Very cute.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family. It's been a great blogging year, don't you think? xx

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  21. That's very impressive!! Love the botanical drawings you did on the cups, so gorgeous and all that baked goods look just yummy. Wishing you a great Christmas!!

    PS: I'm hosting my last giveaway for the year! It's an ecostore store gift pack valued at $100, hope you enter here: http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2012/12/ecostore-giveaway.html

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  22. Your handmade gifts look divine!
    I'm sure the gift receivers will enjoy them.

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  23. Oh gorgeous girl these are magnificent! I would be so very grateful to receive a gift like that. Gorgeous mugs filled with home baked bikkies. Perfect!! WIshing you a beautiful day :) x

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  24. You just never stop do you, I love it! I can't believe you painted your own mugs and made biscuits, my teachers only got rum balls in cellophane!
    Marry Christmas to you and your family Tania. xo

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