DIY invitations: pocketfolds

I've been working on these for a few months and it's finally time to write up instructions!

You can perfectly well buy pocketfolds, but not only will you save money if you make them yourselves but you will also get exactly what you want. In my case, you cannot buy pocketfolds that suit what I need. My invitation will be in English on one side and in Hebrew on the other, so I need three sides to the invitation, one for each language and one for the flap.

These are time consuming but they're not as bad as I thought they would be. I tended to do mine slowly whilst watching television or something, so that I didn't notice completing them.

A note of caution: do not use a paper cutter to cut all your pocketfolds. Not only will it take a lifetime but the cuts aren't clean. You really must get this done in a print shop. They have huge machines that will cut through all your invites in one swoop. This is a very inexpensive service to boot!

What you need:

1. Bone folder
2. Good quality scissors
3. Pencil
4. Good eraser
5. Paper cutter/guilotine with scoring blade
6. Ruler
7. Double sided tape



My measurements, in case they help you:

length: 34.8cm
height: 17.7cm

first cut: 13cm
second cut: 12.9 cm
final cut: 8.9 cm from second cut.

1. Measure and mark the point halfway down the right hand side of your piece of paper.


2. Measure 1 1/2 cms in from that point and make a point. Then join this point to the outer edges to make a triangle. Cut this triangle out. This will be your inside pocket, in which to place maps, RSVP cards or anything else you wish. My pocket is shallow but you can change the dimensions to suit you.

3. Measure your folds and mark with a pencil where to score the line. Use your paper cutter's scoring blades to score your folds (not forgetting to erase the pencil markings when you're done):


4. Fold your pocketfolds along your scored lines using the bone folder.




5. Stick double sided tape down underneath the flap to secure it to the invitation and create the pocket. The tape should be the length of the flap.

This is what the pocketfold will look like with the double sided tape.


6.Remove the backing on the double sided tape and fold down the flap to secure it to the invitation using your bone folder.


7. Go over the edges of the flap with the bone folder to ensure the double sided tape has adhered well.

That's it! It wasn't so bad, was it? Honestly, I think this is so worth doing... I've even enjoyed the process. If you have any questions please let me know and I'd be pleased to answer!

Rage Against the Machine

Am I proud or what? If you were to ask Marc what I moan about the most, he'd definitely say crap tv. Or any tv, for that matter. I'm just not a fan. I hate the noise and passivity. I hate the dross that we get given. I despise the lack of aspirational tv. The X Factor? I hate it with a passion. The mediocre teenagers on The X Factor (our version of American Idol). I'm so so SO bored of wet men singing wet songs with no imagination. I'm sick of the processed music that dominates the charts, the tacky tistasteful clothes, the misguided kids who are being used, the chav factor. The X Factor winning song has dominated the UK charts for four years now. Every year is more boring than the last.

So when I heard that there was a grassroots protest, that people with no budget whatsoever were trying to dislodge Simon's latest star Joe Mc Elderry from the charts it was, quite literally, music to my ears.

They asked people to download 'Killing in the Name' and Rage Against the Machine agreed that all proceeds should go to charity.

Best of all? That 70s song was Christmas no. 1!!! A people's revolt! I am proud of my countrymen! Seriously though, I hope this paves the way for some passion and interesting music rather than the manufactured pop we have had to endure for so very long. I think it's so unbelievably cool that these individuals made such a statement. They should run for Prime Minister.

Ring bowl

Just one of those little details that I care about and that I am sure no-one else will notice. This one's for us though and for our future home.

I fell for these subtle and rustic little bowls... I know I didn't need one, but I wanted one so badly that eventually I just caved in! I ordered a custom design and explained just what I wanted. I'm so pleased with the outcome! It's perfect!

On a different note, I have so much to tell all of you but I can't do it just yet. No massive news but a few thoughts and experiences... it's frustrating that this blog can be found online... the lack of anonymity can be prohibitive of what I can share. Do you ever experience the same thing?

Anyhoo, here's the bowl from Paloma's Nest on Etsy! I can't wait to use it, to have great photos of it and to place it somewhere meaningful one day...

The best gingerbread cookies

Meredith and I did some baking last week and we made the best gingerbread cookies that I have ever tasted! I wanted to share the recipe with you because it's so easy and too good to pass up. It's by TastedbyTwo, adapted from Real Living. Enjoy!

NB: We replaced molasses with golden syrup because molasses isn't available in England.

Gingerbread cookies

Ingredients:

Gingerbread
125g butter
½ cup (100g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2½ cups (375g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons all spice (or mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
½ cup (125 ml) golden syrup

Icing
1 egg white
1½ cups pure icing sugar, sifted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the egg and beat until combined.

2. Sift dry ingredients and stir into butter mixture with the golden syrup. Mix to a light dough and knead gently on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

3. Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper until approximately 3 mm thick. Cut gingerbread men from the dough with your chosen cookie cutter and place on baking paper on biscuit trays and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Re-roll dough as many times as necessary. Cool on trays.

4. For the icing, whisk together the icing sugar and gradually the egg white until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag or freezer bag with the corner snipped. Decorate biscuits as desired.

A night in Henley

I had forgotten how enchanting England can be. I know it sounds melodramatic as I do live in England, after all. But I had - really. London, you see, doesn't feel like England but rather like a country of its own. Not just because it is diverse, but because it lacks that quintessential English quality: sweet little shops, period property, footpaths... I can't put my hand on it. That lovely Englishness that Henley embodies. I know that not all of England is like this, but it was nevertheless lovely to be immersed in it for a short while.

When I lived in Oxford I revelled in the fact that I could cycle everywhere. I loved the little pubs and shops, the river, the accessibility to the countryside. I loved it all so much that on my last cycle ride in Oxford after my finals, coming down the passage behind New College towards Magdalen Bridge, I had tears in my eyes. Yet life has moved on and, typically, I've hardly been back since.

So when Marc said he'd booked us a night in Henley (which is in Buckinghamshire, not Oxfordshire, but is close) I was really excited. I knew that it would bring me back to the Oxford days which I loved so much, to scenic cycle rides, to being able to walk all over the city, knowing every nook and cranny.

We were only in Henley for the evening: we arrived at 6.30 and it was pitch black. We walked around the pretty town - it's so small! Then we went for dinner at a wonderful French restaurant. We ate three delectable courses there... and remembered how it is possible for eating out to be an experience rather than just a means to an end. There is more time outside London. At home when we go out for dinner it is 'to eat' not 'to dine'. And there lies the difference.

The following morning we took another little walk and saw the beautiful river. We had a yummy breakfast at Maison Blanc and off we went, back to London.

It was a short break but a lovely one. I would like to make more trips in England. I hardly ever do, we always go on holiday abroad, but so many special places are literally on our doorstep that it's a shame not to. So there's one New Year's resolution to add to the list!

Our hotel

Look at the river!
I loved this antique chair, and Marc refused to be photographed...
Henley at night - look how dark it was in the early evening
The hotel had used this tiny space as somewhere to sit. Can you think of a better word than 'enchanting'?

Invitation mock up

I've been working on these on and off for months now and suddenly I find I've made 80 pocketfolds.... I hadn't noticed the progress I've been making. It's true: making your own invitations takes a long time and comes with its frustrations (when you get stuck, mess things up, waste supplies) but the outcome is so incredibly rewarding. Depending on where you live making invitations yourself can save you a lot of money. In London I was quoted £800 for invitations, RSVPs and thank you notes and mine will come out at about £200. Mostly, though, it's pretty special to know that you have something unique and made by you. That's priceless.

I've just completed the mock up for the front of our invitation, now that the personalised stamp I ordered from Etsy has arrived. I love it!

I'm definitely going to put up instructions at some point, but in the meantime I wanted to share this picture.

Invitations invitations invitations

I've been working on these on and off for months now and suddenly I find I've made 80 pocketfolds.... I hadn't noticed the progress I've been making. It's true: making your own invitations takes a long time and comes with its frustrations (when you get stuck, mess things up, waste supplies) but the outcome is so incredibly rewarding. Depending on where you live making invitations yourself can save you a lot of money. In London I was quoted £800 for invitations, RSVPs and thank you notes and mine will come out at about £200. Mostly, though, it's pretty special to know that you have something unique and made by you. That's priceless.

I've just completed the mock up for the front of our invitation, now that the personalised stamp I ordered from Etsy has arrived. I love it!

I'm definitely going to put up instructions at some point, but in the meantime I wanted to share this picture.

The small things

I can't believe that the wedding is now less that 6 months away... it feels so soon all of a sudden... it's really crept up on me! The big things will be fixed when we go to Israel, but I am dealing with the small things. The small things for our wedding and for our life together.

Marc is sometimes surprised by how much I care about the small things in life, but I really really do. I know that every bride says she won't preoccupy herself (and drive others mad) with small things and that almost every bride does end up succumbing to weddings perfectionism syndrome, but my preoccupation with detail extends to my normal life as well.

One such detail is my mug, which is what brought on this conversation in the first place. I have a mug that I love to drink from. I've had it since I was 11, and it was given to me by a school friend that I've sadly fallen out of touch with. I love her though, and the mug reminds me of her. It's rather large, which makes for large cups of tea. It's probably not the most attractive mug, to be fair. It's hand painted, with a pig on the front. But I love it: I've been drinking from it for 15 years.

It can't come to our new home with us, sadly. It's not kosher - we will need all new crockery. Also it depicts a pig. Hardly appropriate for a kosher home! I've pondering this slightly, because it's hard to let go of those familiar things that have made up our surroundings for so long. There will be many such things I'm sure.

My post wedding life will be full of new things that will surround me, new attachments, new habits.

For now though, I've found a replacement for the mug at least, and here it is. From English crockery designer Emma Bridgewater. I think it's perfect!

The small things

Marc is sometimes surprised by how much I care about the small things in life, but I really really do. I know that every bride says she won't preoccupy herself (and drive others mad) with small things and that almost every bride does end up succumbing to weddings perfectionism syndrome, but my preoccupation with detail extends to my normal life as well.

One such detail is my mug, which is what brought on this conversation in the first place. I have a mug that I love to drink from. I've had it since I was 11, and it was given to me by a school friend that I've sadly fallen out of touch with. I love her though, and the mug reminds me of her. It's rather large, which makes for large cups of tea. It's probably not the most attractive mug, to be fair. It's hand painted, with a pig on the front. But I love it: I've been drinking from it for 15 years.

It can't come to our new home with us, sadly. It's not kosher - we will need all new crockery. Also it depicts a pig. Hardly appropriate for a kosher home! I've pondering this slightly, because it's hard to let go of those familiar things that have made up our surroundings for so long. There will be many such things I'm sure.

My post wedding life will be full of new things that will surround me, new attachments, new habits.

For now though, I've found a replacement for the mug at least, and here it is. From English crockery designer Emma Bridgewater. I think it's perfect!

A room of one's own

I haven't been doing much on the wedding front lately, I suppose because there have been other more pressing things to get on with. Like interviews (which thus far haven't yielded anything - and that's getting me down) and appointments for Dad. But I'm looking forward to getting back into it - I have missed my crafts! The thing that's irritating me a bit right now is that they are taking up the house. I try to keep them compact, but it's very difficult.

Virginia Woolf wrote 'A Room of One's Own' to say that 'a woman must have... a room of her own if she is to write fiction'. She argued that a woman also needs personal freedom to create. Her arguments are deeper than mine, and more analytical, but suffice to say that I could not agree more. A space of one's own is a precious thing. Removed from the demands and distractions of everyday life, one is able to reflect and simply 'get on with' the task at hand. In a room of one's own one can think freely. And, not unimportantly, one can consolidate all the craft stuff spilling all over the house.

I long for the day when I have my very own craft room: a place in which I can organise all my goodies, that I can decorate to my taste and to which I can retreat when I need time to just think and be and create. How heavenly it will be!

Have any of you seen the book 'Where women create'?




It's a gorgeous book about the ways in which different women have organised their craft spaces. Very inspiring. Here are some that I like. Where do you create/read/retreat?

Diabetes

Dad was diagnosed with diabetes a few days ago. He wants it to be kept very quiet, but it's hard for me not to talk about it and hardly anyone who knows him reads this blog. Diabetes? Not a big deal, everyone says. After all, so many people live with diabetes and live with it well. And I know that, believe me, I do. Except it's still a big deal. A really big deal.

It's a big deal because food is Dad's passion. It's his life. He loves to drive around town and find the best restaurant for this and for that, bringing home treats to the people he loves. Freshly baked baklava one day, fresh mint another... He is adventurous and has a love of life. And this? This is going to stifle him, keep him indoors a lot more, prevent him from being impulsive. Life with Dad as I know it involves him cheekily pulling up to a McDonald's for ice cream only (he loves that whipped stuff) and hungrily eating it in the parking lot. Going out for fun, informal meals. He is a great partner to share any fun treat with. And that independence and fun, that's over. Because from here on out it's not smoked salmon sandwiches for breakfast but porridge, no spaghetti for lunch (because of the high gluten content) but grilled fish. I think it's going to be hard for Dad to adjust and sadly my mother lives in Israel and can't help. I'm definitely mourning the lost fun and spontenaiety. The realisation that life from now will be different, that one of my Dad's loves has been taken away, makes me very sad.

Wedding flights cancelled

I might have guessed this would happen. The airline we're all flying with to Israel has cancelled the route from January. Urghhh!

They will not tell us what will happen to our bookings until 3 December. They say they'll arrange alternative travel, but will they? On what flights at what times? Should we book our own flights straight away? The fares have increased...

The people on the phone were, as usual, apathetic and inept to the extreme. 'How can you make a public announcement and not have established your policy for affected customers? How can you refuse to pass me on to a manager?' You won't be surprised to know that my comments fell on deaf ears.

Argggghhhhhhhhhhhhh! I hate the airline industry. I swear it's the only industry that can treat you like cr*p, delay you miserably, cancel your flights without giving any sort of explanation and get away with it. Hate it.

Why do things like this have to happen?

****UPDATE****

We rebooked our flights with British Airways and are awaiting refunds from BMI. Sure, fares have gone up and we lost money in the process, but when you're booking flights for your wedding you just wanna get there, you know? Today we were sort of past caring. We just wanted to know we were sorted.

I worked in aircraft finance when I was with the law firm... and I hated it! This brings me back to those nasty times!

Making my wedding cake

Marc says I shouldn't contemplate it. Rachel planted the seed in my mind. Emily suggested I rename the blog 'Pen, Paper and Wedding Cake'. On some days I think it'd be cool. On others I think: 'that's one thing I don't need to add to my plate'. Except it is, clearly. Mmmmm.

I want to!

But, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that there are added complications:

(1) Our wedding is strictly Kosher. Since we'll be serving meat, the cake can't have butter in it.

(2) I'm leaving for Israel a week before the wedding and in Israel we don't have a working oven. Any cake I make will have to be transported from London and decorated sur place. This means I need a cake that will keep well for at least a week.

What does this leave me with? A non-dairy boozy fruit cake! Do any of you have a recipe for this random concoction? The research starts here.

I'd just feel such a phenomenal sense of pride if I could make my own cake! It's my thing, and in Israel cake ceremonies are rare, so it'd be special (as would be serving an English fruit cake!).

So tell it to me straight: am I crazy to want to make my own cake? I really want to know what you think!

Kofte

I love Kofte, and all Middle Eastern food! Kofte are a staple food in Turkey: meat patties, shaped in a variety of ways and seasoned with spices that evoke markets and the warmth of that region. They are succulent and fragrant, served with salad, some pitta bread and dips (hummous, baba ganoush etc). They're a great party snack as well. I thought I'd give these a try and I have to say, I think they're terrific! I followed a recipe, but found that the taste wasn't strong enough for me, so I adjusted things. By all means tinker with the below to your taste. You can always fry a small amount of the mix and taste before you fry the whole lot!

Ingredients

400g of lamb mince
1 handful of chopped fresh mint
2 handfuls of chopped fresh parsley
1 onion, diced very finely
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 egg (beaten)

Instructions

1. Put the lamb in a mixer and beat for about 30 seconds, to make it finer.
2. Stir in all the ingredients.
3. Mix with your hands.
4. Shape the batter into thick almond shapes (see photos below) or any other shape you wish.
4. These are probably best cooked on a bbq, but they can also be fried in a bit of oil (which is what I did).

Ta da!

Thinking about wedding bands

We're on the cusp of ordering our wedding bands. I have to say, it didn't take us long to figure out what we wanted. When Marc and I first looked at engagement rings, I thought of how a wedding band would go with one. In the Jewish tradition, a wedding band should be smooth and not have diamonds in it, to represent a smooth marriage. It turns out that the first ring I was shown was the right one. I loved it immediately, and it resolves the problem of nothing sitting flush against my engagement ring. It is curved, but in a very subtle way. With my engagement ring you can hardly tell that it is curved at all. I also think it looks dainty on its own.

The thing is (there is always a thing, isn't there, with wedding stuff?) it comes from Tiffany's (it's the Elsa Peretti band). I have looked for an equivalent in every other mainstream jeweller, but couldn't find one. It's so popular to have diamonds in wedding bands now, so there were no plain gently curved bands. Not wanting to pay the Tiffany mark-up we're going to have it made I think, just as Marc did the engagement ring. I hope it comes out ok!

'My' ring in plain platinum



The same ring with diamonds on someone's finger. LOVE the daintiness.

Marc tried on plain platinum bands but didn't like them. He did really fall for this milgrain band though. It looked so good on his finger!



It was so sweet the other day when Marc articulated just what I was thinking: how hard it will be to have the rings in the house without wearing them! We don't live together, so we may have to give each other the other's ring to prevent us from getting tempted to try them on all the time. I can't wait to wear my wedding band!

How to make macaroons

Here's the macaroon tutorial I promised.... good luck! They are totally worth it! This is a vanilla recipe and is just delicious. Once you've mastered it the variations are limitless... add raspberry coulis to the centre and colouring to the shell... the world - or should I say the macaroon - is your oyster!

Macaroon shells

250g ground almonds
450g icing sugar
200g egg whites (which have been left refrigerated for 5 days)
50g sugar
5g vanilla powder (you need a real vanilla pod for optimum flavour)

1. Mix 250g almonds with 450g icing sugar and the vanilla powder, and sieve the mixture so that you end up with a fine powder.

2. Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixture and beat until white and fluffy. (If you are going to experiment with other flavours and want to add food colouring to the shells, do so at this stage).




3. With a spatula, slowly add the almond-sugar mix to the egg whites and mix in the stand bowl until you have a smooth and somewhat shiny mixture.

4. Scoop this mixture into a piping bag, you will need a tip between size 7 and 10.

5. Rest the tip on the baking tray (covered with parchment paper) and form circles. The mixture should ooze out from the side of the tip (the tip should not be held vertically so that it's in the middle and the circle oozes from around it).




6. Form an even number of circular discs. This may take some practice! At first, your macaroons might be misshapen, but they'll still taste amazing!

7. Put your baking tray on top of two others. It is important to bake your macaroons on a tray that has two others below it for insulation purposes. Then put three trays into an oven at 160 degrees celsius for 12-14 minutes. Rotate about half way through.

8. As soon as you take the upper tray out, pour water in between the parchment paper and the tray using a measuring pot. This helps the macaroons to unstick from the paper.





9. Wait a few minutes, then remove the discs not by immediately lifting but by rotating them so that they come off neatly.

10. Arrange them in rows, flat side up.



Cream filling

Ingredients

75g full fat milk
30g sugar
60g egg whites
30g sugar
200g butter (room temperature)
1 vanilla pod

Boil the milk, the sugar and the contents of the vanilla pod (slice in two, scrape out the filling and add). Mix the egg whites and the sugar. Add the milk and stir at 82 degrees celcius. Cool down by whisking to 30 degrees celsius and add the butter. Beat, then leave in the fridge for about an hour.






Finishing off

Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe the cream onto the middle of half the discs. Then put another disc over the top to create beautiful macaroons.



Variations

Try adding fresh raspberries to the cream, or even chocolate. Feel free to experiment - that's how the most magnificent versions came to be!

Please tell me how you got on!

Thoughts on engagement, a nightmare and details

It's now 190 days till the wedding! That doesn't seem very much time, right around the 6 month mark. I guess we won't have had a very long engagement, but that is how we wanted it. We were together for nearly 4 years before getting engaged. We grew up a lot, talked a lot, decided on a lot of things, so that when we were ready we were ready. And now we just want it to happen already. I never wanted a long engagement because I don't see engagement as the 'next stage' of a relationship. For me, engagement is a state of leading up to marriage. This isn't as common as it used to be I think.

Last night I had another wedding nightmare, except I wasn't that stressed about it. It was the day before the wedding and I had forgotten to order any flowers. I didn't have a bouquet and there would be no centerpieces. We went to a florist, whose version of a bouquet was a bunch of flowers that looked like the kind you get at gas stations. Suitably unimpressed, I said to my mother 'oh well, we'll have to go to the market tomorrow [day of wedding] and I will arrange the flowers myself [note I have no experience in this area]'. I hope I can be that calm on the actual day if things go wrong!

Lately I've been trying to fix the formatting for our programs, which I managed to do, and spent a long time trying to find the right baskets for them. I would like 2 bridesmaids to hand out programs from these right before the ceremony begins. We're touched that a lot of non-Jewish friends are coming, and we'd like them to understand what's going on. I think I finally found the perfect ones for our rustic feel:




I also bought our champagne flutes and cake server. To be honest, I couldn't find many of these that I actually liked. I ended up with the Vera Wang Love Knot set, and I really love them! It's incredibly hard to get a good shot of them for some reason, so here are the official ones.



I'm probably going to get these engraved with our names and wedding date.

So those are a few more details that are taken care of. There's still a huge DIY list to tackle but right now I'm feeling good about everything that needs to be done.