Handicrafts by Kate Perry and other ramblings

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

WOYWW188

This is my first post since last Wednesday's tour around your work spaces, so I don't know where that week went!
Anyway, do visit Julia's Stamping Ground and find out why Wednesday is such a special day for us all. You can even join in and make it special for you too.


My desk does show some signs of activity, as I received a parcel which I thought had gone astray in the post, and I wanted a quick play with its contents. I had ordered a simple pair of Christmas stamps with a matching custom die, so I did a quick stamp and cut, and then added colour to the images and put them away in in my WIP folder. Last night I dug them out again and as you can see, I am experimenting with stencils, ink, die cuts etc to find a good way to turn them into cards. Note the really useful boxes with masks and stencils in the front one, and green and brown snippets in the one behind it. I am sooo organised right now. I wonder how long it will last! The black folder is a purpose bought die storage, but I have filled it so the larger ones are now in ...yes; another really useful box!
The large white machine at the back of my desk is my eBosser. It is an electric die cutter, but I find I am still using my, now rather tatty, cuttlebug for smaller dies. It gives a better cut. But the the one real advantage of the eBosser is that it takes embossing folders up to A4 size, and the couple of these that I have, make covering a card background much easier.


Before I go on my visiting spree to see what you are busy making, I thought I'd share a couple of photos of a very Spanish tradition. Out here, Three Kings day (Epiphany) is much more important than Christmas day. On the night of the 5th January the kings arrive and travel around the streets on elaborate floats, and then go to the town hall, or another suitable venue and hand out presents to the children (previously provided by their parents). When they go to bed they leave out food and drink for the kings and wake up to three more presents, one from each king. In our little village we have a fiesta on the 6th, when the men all dress up as soldiers etc - they love it - and the kings reappear, and they re-enact the events at King Herod's palace. Then there is a medieval market, and as with all our fiestas, lots and lots of food. At each fiesta there is a 'comeda popular' which is a free meal for everyone who wants it , and this time they made a huge tortilla. In our region this is a sort of pancake but it is about and inch or two thick, and made of beaten egg poured over sliced potato and onion. It is served in big wedges stuffed into a big bread roll or length of french bread. Chris and I struggle to eat one portion between us. Despite this free meal, there is also a giant barbeque, a stall making patatas pobre - slices of potato boiled or fried with chunks of sweet peppers, garlic and onions, and in this case it had slices of choritzo and eggs added. It was a beautiful sunny day, and there is always a lovely, happy atmosphere on fiesta days. So here are the photos.


As you can see, there is no political correctness here. One king always has a 'blacked' face. They always used to arrive riding on real camels, but for the last couple of years they have used horses. A sign of the economic times I guess.









Men playing soldiers! They do it in style don't they? It is all great fun.









A slice of tortilla anyone? I'm glad it isn't me trying to get that cooked evenly all through.







A huge barbecue.  This was cooking on the night of the kings' arrival, but they did it all again the next day.













Breaking eggs into the patatas pobre.








I hope I haven't made you all feel too hungry!
On Monday I took the decorations down and packed them all away, so that's Christmas over for another year. Time to get down to some serious crafting again now then!












23 comments:

JoZart Designs said...

Super interesting pics of the Spanish festivities. Certainly done in style! Did you eat 12 grapes as the clock struck midnight as my friend always did in Andalucia? Easier said than done.
You look as though you are starting your crafting year well organised. Hope it's a good one!
Jo x

Glenda Atkins said...

Sounds like a really festive time for all and loads of fun, lots of presents for the little ones too. Thanks for sharing!
hugs
Glenda

Annie said...

Love the organised desk Kate and thank you so much for sharing the Spanish pics with us. I love seeing how other countries celebrate.
Hugs,
A x #41
ps don't forget to check out the bargains in the Jan sale over in our blog shop...
http://sisterscraftycreations.blogspot.co.uk/

kiwimeskreations said...

Love those pics of the local customs - I am amazed at the quantities they are cooking!!
Can you come and organise my desk etc - pretty please..... yours looks fabulous.
Blessings
Maxine

Twiglet said...

What a fab Spanish festive event. Thanks for sharing. x Jo

Shoshi said...

Oooh what fun, Kate, all the lovely Spanish traditions! Shame about the camels though. It'll probably be motor bikes next year... Lovely looking food too. Your desk looks great, and nice to see what an E-bosser looks like - someone on the cutting machines forum mentioned it the other day and I thought they were talking about a bossy person on the Internet lol lol!!

Thanks for your lovely comment. Yes, Rev. Ernest Bear has a distincly smug look on his face since his makeover, and my hubby is thrilled with him! The spoke guards are a different sort of project, and coming on quite well - I'm going to do some more this p.m. but working on the floor is playing havoc with my muscles and I'm really achey today! Wonderwoman, my home help, is here today and said I should get a massage! As for the show, it's the first one I've been to for ages as I hadn't the heart to ask my dear hubby to take me to the last one as he had so much extra running around to do, with Mum and Dad, but things are more settled now. It will be such fun! OK, it'll take me a week to get over it, but sooo worth it.

Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #77

Redanne said...

It was so interesting to see how other countries celebrate, thank you so much for sharing that.

Your storage systems look like they are working well to me, love the black binder for your dies.

Happy WOYWW, Anne #47

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Thank you for sharing those pics, how interesting to read all about the different festival foods... I'm really hungry now!!! I love all the dressing up that goes on at such events, men can be such peacocks!! I once went to an Easter festival in Florence, where fireworks were sent on a line right the main aisle of the Duomo up to the High Altar...can't see that happening in Westminster, eh?? lol
Hugs, LLJ 38 xxxx

Unknown said...

as they say in Greek." Ke tou xronou!" wich means next year again..love the celebrations, and the food....we celebrate Jesus's baptism on the 6th...and the coming down of the Holy Spirit...back to scrapbooking...looks like a busy desk you have there,,,,have a good week xx zeffy #72

Lori said...

Loved your desk and the Spanish festivities. Looks like a lot of fun and a lot of yummy food.

I am new to WOYWW and friends with Sandee. Hope you have a chance to check out my blog and desk.
Lori #81

Lori said...

Loved your desk and the Spanish festivities. Looks like a lot of fun and a lot of yummy food.

I am new to WOYWW and friends with Sandee. Hope you have a chance to check out my blog and desk.
Lori #81

Unknown said...

Really enjoyed finding out about all the festivities, I better not tell my grandson about them- he has the important job of moving the kings nearer to the crib every day, goodness knows what he will want to do if he sees your photos.
Carol

pearshapedcrafting said...

Loved reading about your Epiphany celebrations, the food sounds yummy too! Your work space really does look organised! Thanks for your visit, Chris#87 ps film was long but time passed very quickly!

lisa said...

Thanks for sharing those great photos of the Spanish festivities. It's always so interesting to learn about other countries customs and boy is that one BBQ.
I'm glad your parcel turned up. I wouldn't be without my cuttlebug, i use it everyday.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #59

ria gall said...

Hi
This is my first time at WOYWW and I hope you don't mind me looking around your blog while I am here.
Ria

SandeeNC said...

I'm currently stalking the mailman for 4 packages,,,sigh,,,sigh,,,lol I loved the pictures and the history behind your traditions, thanks for sharing. I'm still in the act of taking down the decorations, lol waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

Apryl said...

I really enjoyed the pics of the Spanish Tradition and festivities! Thanks so much for sharing!

Happy WOYWW!

Apryl #9

Di said...

Super photos Kate - I did laugh at the comment that it could be motor bikes for the Three Kings next year.

Belated Happy WOYWW, I got sidetracked yesterday, hugs, Di xx #32

Queenie Jeannie said...

Just had dinner but now I think I'm hungry again! That food looks amazing!!! Children dress up as Kings on the 5th here in Germany and go around collecting donations for the poor.

So glad your package finally arrived!

Happy Crafting!
Jeannie #60

Tertia said...

OK thats one more place to add to my list of places to visit.
Happy belated WOYWW!
Tertia#17

April said...

I wondered if ebosser owners were pleased. I was thinking about getting either the ebosser or the Vagabond. But I will probably just stick with my hand cranked Big Shot. Thank you for sharing your Fiesta pictures. I love hearing about how the holidays are celebrated around the world.
April #136

veronica said...

lovely photos Kate - the food looks and sounds great, especially the potatoes! You have one very organized desk, i daren't share mine, usually about and A5 space left to actually work on...........

Chris said...

Great Fiesta pictures ,please tell your friend April not to get a Vagabond.The answer to your question of what I do with my 3D 12x12,s is.
I have about 30 12x12 shadows boxes around the house and I keep updating the 12x12's in them.The old 12x12's I strip down and reuse the items on new 12x12's.Most of these boxes I have acquired from Car Boot sales.