Autumnal Doings - Holiday Shopping

November News from Loobylu including new things in my online shop

Nov 04, 2023

Hello hello!

Is it really November already?
I hope you are doing well. I am busy sewing creations ready to release to the world in time for the holidays. If you are interested in seeing what I have on offer, visit my shiny, updated shop over at loobylu.com. You will find dolls, cats, ornaments, cards and the usual stickers and zines. Shipping is free if you spend over $150 and life is good if you buy anything at all.

Salt Spring Island Locals can see a collection of my goodies at ArtCraft Winter, opening November 24 thru December 24.

The best (and easiest) ginger cake in the world

Lately, I've been baking my all-time favorite ginger cake. You may remember that our brutal, smoky oven finally got the boot. Now our new one is playing by the rules and churning out confections just as they should be. No more burnt mishaps or cakes dramatically sinking in the middle. The satisfaction of creating a mouthwatering ginger cake has never been so sweet. It's all about that perfectly baked, spice-infused goodness that's filling our bellies – and our home with the delightful aroma that's hard to resist. Perfect Holiday baking vibes.

Ingredients
60g chopped butter
1/2 cup of golden syrup
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of mixed spice (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice)
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of caster sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 beaten egg

Method:

Preheat oven to 170°c. Thoroughly grease a loaf tin and line the bottom with baking paper.

Place butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring. Set aside.

Sift flour, bicarb soda, spices, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl.

Add beaten egg and milk and stir until smooth. Slowly add the warm syrup and butter mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for ten minutes before tipping out. Allow to cool for a further 20 minutes before slicing.

Good Things for November

Deadloch (Prime) - fabulously silly detective comedy-drama. It’s grisly and infinteably quotable. If you don’t start using the pet name “sexy” (with a broad Aussie accent) for your loved one after watching this, I’ll be gob smacked.
Bad Sisters (Apple+)- fabulously well written comedy-drama. If you want to loudly despise a villain until the very end, this is a good one. Our family likes to shout at the screen a lot with this one.
Red Red Stew - Ghanaian delight - super easy to make, instant crowd pleaser on a chilly autumn night. Serve it with slices of avocado and chunks plantains (if you can get them), garnish with spoonfuls of plain yoghurt, and serve over a bowl of rice to make a little will go a long way.
Off Menu - Foodies, comedians, celebs, silliness. If you like these things, check out this podcast with Ed Gamble and James Acaster. Two of my favourite episodes are the ones featuring Florence Pugh and Judi Love.
The Handsome Pod - Comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin chat about life, love, facts, and answer some hard-hitting-hilarious questions. It’s good company to have in the background.
Wee Free Men - The first of the Tiffany Aching Series from Terry Pratchett. An oldy but a goody. It’s light, easy reading about magic and witchcraft, which was perfect during the spooky season and keeps on bringing comfort on these increasingly dark evenings. Read Chapter One here.