Apple & Damson Gin, hooya!

 OMG! i mean it... O  M  G!!

This really is nectar of the Gods. I kid you not when i declare it to be

"Worlds Finest Apple & Damson Gin"

 I read something, somewhere about England having been home to the Apple Gin, many moons hence, but that it isn't really made here anymore. And last year i made the Damson Gin from my Brother's Fruits.... which was great (if i remember correctly... if i actually can remember at all!!)

And i was sat with a glut of Apples also..... and so came the Apple & Damson Gin.

 I wasn't that keen on the idea. I am not a great fan of Apple as a 'flavour' ya know? It can be a bit Apple-y.

Anyway, the fruit, sugar and gin have been steeping in a jar for a few months now so i decided to strain it and bottle it, ready for the bracing Autumn weeks ahead.

Seriously... it is amazing! so Bloooooomin YUM x

Of course it was tempting to eat the fruit..... but think about what alcoholic content it has now adopted!?

And it was a Sunday, and i had a Birthday Party 'pick up' run to fulfill....

Besides, the Damsons have stones in so it would have been a bit faffy to eat around them without breaking an expensive dental crown.

You will, of course, be pleased to know that i made TWICE as much Sloe Gin also.

It isn't ready yet, but i do think it so very important to have a second homemade alcoholic beverage, with which to perform a comparison consensus on Christmas Day....

ahem.

Seriously good my friends,

seriously good...

mmmmm x that crafty kitchen...

Uhhhh-huhhh - that is (was) my breakfast...
Simply amazing x
A slice of fresh bread - toasted to perfection, with a thin layer of unsalted butter (i don't believe in diets and i do think being thin is highly over-rated) Lumps of creamy Mozarella - i love cheese in all its forms and glories...

TOPPED with home made Berry Jam x delicious x

I didn't have my camera with me unfortunately, but the SmallFish, the SisterFish and myself managed a spot of soft fruit picking. The joys of our labour alchemically turning into Jam.

Jam isn't hard to make, but it's very rewarding. Raspberries, Blackcurrants, Passion Fruit, Apple Juice, water and Sugar (with added Pectin) boiled up to about 220 degrees and poured into attractive Kilner jars... bliss.

After this weeks Jam, came Cordial.....
The COMEDY value of my Elderflower Cordial has beed sorely missed though.

I realised i might be a bit late in the season to get any Elderflowers - i should have been out a few weeks ago... but i was DETERMINED to make some of nickys Elderflower Cordial.

There was A moment when time stood still - SmallFish screaming, our crazed dog barking, on the narrow path running alongside the local canal.... me balancing on the SHOULDERS of ManFish, reaching, stretching, pawing at the last of the Elderflowers way up high in a tree top.... if ever there was a comedy moment when i should have fallen in that cold canal water, surely that was it???

Luckily for me :) the elderflower Gods were smiling down on this day in history and declared:

"CraftyFish - you shall have elderflowers AND we shall spare you the humiliation of falling into the water or the stingy nettles, for you deserve refreshing cordial from natures fine harvest"

It tastes OUT of this world................. Cheers my lovlies x

(Cooeee ***Big wave to Grace*** thanks for my email Grace!)

Why d'ya have to go and put stars in my eyes?

New Buttons....
I know!!
...in some ways I am perhaps overwhelming a customer with choice?

But as a 'seller' of buttons, if i make a decision that i want a certain type of button for my own projects, then it makes sense to sell a few too? How could i resist their colour?

Their vibrancy?

Their spots (and stripes!)

These are the sort of buttons that get a project noticed... I actually feel 'stressed' as my head is exploding with ideas for them.

They are the most expensive sets of buttons i sell.

I worry, maybe they are too much for people to want to indulge in? But they aren't the sort of button you will smother a project with? They are the last embellishment. The 'icing on the cake'. The button that makes people look twice?

I can't wait for my next Craft Fair as these buttons will look so yummy on the PaperFish stall - my first plan is make some Bobby Pins / Hair Slides and matching rings as I'm sold out of these thanks to my lovely girls at Weston Fair last week (***WAVES*** at the young ladies - you know who you are!)

But it has taken me FOREVER to price these, bag them, list them in the shops... I now have button fatigue - YES, it is possible!

I NEED to sew some bunting or a brooch or some Schrooooms to help me feel human again.

IF you want to see where i sell (it isn't compulsory y'know, i don't charge for drooling over the pictures! haha)

BUY ME in GBP £HERE

BUY ME in USD $HERE