December already

Well here we are on the 1st of December already, 24 days till you know what and 18 days till the baby is due! I've been yakking on about my 30 November deadline and NO I didn't make it, one project to finish tonight. But tonight is an important night, it is putting up the Christmas tree time. I think this year the boy child will be right into it, so I am hoping that he won't get too excited by the whole tree business to go to bed on time and allow me to finish the last project.

Yesterday I made the last Amy Butler Bag, using the stiffer interfacing for the contrast at the top and much lighter one for the body as mentioned in a previous post. I think it looks gorgeous, which isn't always a feeling I get after sewing as I fret over any flaw, however small. Here is the present complete...And a close up of the two little extras.














This morning I managed to get the fruit started for the Fruit Mince Tarts that I am making as presents for the teachers and assistants at boy child's school. I've never been a fan of these, but last year managed to try some home-made ones somewhere and they were delicious. I found a recipe here http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/18432/fruit+mince+pies (sorry need to work out the linky thing - krafty kuka help!). I chose this recipe because I can make it nearly to the end, then freeze the pies whilst I'm off having said baby. So to the nitty gritty, I've added all the fruit, sugar, marmalade, brandy etc.
Which when mixed looks so yummy like this, and I'm to stir it every now and then and let it macerate away for 2 days, before the pastry stage.

Not having made this before, it seemed odd to be adding breakfast marmalade, I guess it is instead of peel etc. Does anyone out there in blog land have any good recipes fruit mince that can be bottled and stored? It seems like something that you could make months ahead if the more it sits the better it becomes.