Wassail Package

Technique:  Papercraft

Stamps:
Chef Tilda
snowflake stamp

Pens & Inks:
Copic Markers
Dusty Pink: R81, R83, R85
Earth Tones: E11, E13, E15, E17, E19, E21, E23, E25, E29
Flesh: E0000, E000, E02
Sakura Gellyroll Pen in white
Versacolor in white

Papers:
brown craft paper
spotty patterned paper is a free download from here

Other:
Threading Water punch by Fiskars
string

Wassailing is the pre-cursor to the Christmas tradition of caroling, wassailing refers to a traditional ceremony that involves singing and drinking the health of trees in the hopes that they might better thrive.

Wassail the beverage is a hot, mulled punch often associated with Yuletide. Historically, the drink was a mulled cider made with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and topped with slices of toast. Modern recipes begin with a base of wine, fruit juice, or mulled ale, sometimes with brandy or sherry added. Apples or oranges are often added to the mix. 

The tradition, as it was taught to me, included villagers going around from house to house with a wassail bowl (a toasting mug).  At each house their bowl would be filled with a warm alcoholic cider and they would give a loud WASSAIL! (the toast).  There are several versions of wassailing songs that were sung as the wassailers went from door to door, I imagine the more often their wassail bowl was emptied the rowdier they became!

Wassail (mulled wine) is something I make when we celebrate "Christmas in July" or the mid-winter solstice.  One of my friends has often asked me for the recipe, but I have always told it to her verbally, you know how it is "oh its just a bit of this and a bit of that", so this is my gift to her.  Cooking is one of her passions, and she spent a great deal of her childhood in Holland, so little Chef Tilda felt perfect for her.

I am entering this into the Winter Wonderland challenge this week, which is Girly Christmas (must have an image of a girl).  I doubt it's fancy enough to win anything other than a big smile at Christmas, but that's worth more than anything :o)

Morgan's Mulled Wine

10 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 roughly grated nutmeg

1 orange, skin intact, sliced

1 bottle of Merlot

Place all the ingredients in a 

crockpot on low for an hour.