Welcome to the first issue of Marmalade. A keepsake publication inspired by my own childhood memories. I’m pretty sure I have a dysfunctional biological clock. My peers tell me that it’s not normal or practical to want to surround yourself with babies when you are in your final year at university. The young mums I know, stare bleary-eyed at me and tell me that if I want to know what it’s like to survive on two hours sleep and wake feeling like I’ve have been hit over the head with a hammer, I should just book a break to Las Vegas.
editors letter // 12.01.18
by caitlin doney
I will take their advice for now and instead I will use this publication as a creative outlet for all my baby and child-related thoughts and ideas. As this is just the beginning, I have gone back to the start for my inspiration. Back to my own childhood. Growing up in a small village in rural Northumberland was a child’s dream (except the years when I was 14-16 when I thought it was a hellhole, miles from civilisation and house parties). I had boundaries when I was young, but like any child worth their weight, I learnt to wear my parents down. At age five I could play in the garden, at age 6, the street, at 7, the cricket pitch (no roads to cross) at 8, the village green (one road to cross) and at 9, I could pretty much do what I wanted, where I wanted. This included white water rafting in the village stream, minus the rapids and with two inflatable surfboards. We were encouraged to explore our surroundings and now have the scars to prove it. We had adventures, mini ones and some slightly more impressive. My parents took us hiking and we ticked off quite a few mountains in the Lake District. I admit, my enthusiasm may have waned, again when I was 14 (tricky age) and my parents took to bribing me with money to reach the summits. My mum and dad have always been members of the National Trust, as they understand the importance of allowing children access to the great outdoors. I’ve turned my hand to mouse house building, conker championships, sledging, scavenger hunts and tree climbing. In fact, I’m proud to say that I have completed 49 of the 50
activities the National Trust recommends every child should try before they are 11¾. I’m still working on ‘tracking a wild animal.’ I grew up in a family that cooked meals and baked. We have an allotment where we grow fruit and vegetables and where I discovered that it is perfectly acceptable to put one in the basket and one in your mouth. This is especially relevant when picking garden peas and strawberries. My mum makes her own jams and preserves and this was the inspiration behind the publications name, as marmalade is her favourite preserve to make and eat. She says it’s like a little bit of summer on her toast. The house was always stocked with glue, paper, paint and occasionally we would get the contraband glitter through the door. Every picture I crafted and every letter I wrote has been kept in a memory box in the loft (possibly to be brought out on my wedding day as a source of amusement). One of the most joyous things in life is looking back at happy memories. The experiences you have as a child, shape the adult you become. Our house is filled with photographs of family life and childhood memories. In a world increasingly distracted by technology, I want this publication to reflect how I feel about childhood and it’s innocence. Children make sense of the world by truly living in it. Every now and again, we all need to stop what we’re doing and see the joy in the little things again: the detail in a leaf, the clouds and reflections in the puddles. We all need to climb a tree.
ickle
chef
“It has been central to countless birthday parties, Sunday lunches, anniversaries, dinner parties and any other reason we can come up with for a get-together. Occasionally, we gather around it when we need the bonds of a family to soothe loss or we simply just need words of encouragement or advice.”
Mini Biography Of My Kitchen Table
by caitlin doney
When my parents could be sure that my sister and I were old enough to respect new furniture, they chopped up our old kitchen table and used it for firewood (apparently no one else would appreciate the felt tip doodling’s of a five and seven year old). They replaced it with a monster of a kitchen table. So big in fact, that they had to build a room around it and demolish a wall so that the chef did not miss out on any gossip. It is a feat of modern engineering, with not just one extension but two, allowing us to seat fourteen comfortably, eighteen uncomfortably! It has been central to countless birthday parties, Sunday lunches, anniversaries, dinner parties and any other reason we can come up with for a get-together. Occasionally, we gather around it when we need the bonds of a family to soothe loss or we simply just need words of encouragement or advice. My mum is one talented cook and it can be a noisy affair as everyone jostles for second helpings and extra Yorkshire puddings. She is slick at preparing, serving up and remembering everyone’s little food nuances. My little cousin Emma loves potatoes but not mashed. No gravy for Aunty Nicola, who is a vegetarian every other Sunday, bank
holidays and when there are no bacon sandwiches within sniffing distance. If it is your birthday, mum will make a surprise themed cake, only to be revealed at the out of tune singing stage. They are usually relevant, but occasionally not, and we’ve munched our way through turtles, A Harry Potter Book Of Spells, The Netflix Logo, Princess Elsa, and the country of Australia, complete with mini kangaroos and fondant icing boomerangs. Everyone has his or her own place around our table. Mum and dad like to be near the end for kitchen emergencies. My aunties like to be as far away as possible from my little cousins so someone else has to deal with their tantrums. My grandmas like to be placed in the middle so they don’t miss anything. We have place cards for all our family and friends and make a new card for anyone who joins our ranks. We don’t throw any cards away. In the collection there are a few of my Aunty Claire’s old boyfriends, which we keep for a laugh. There are two cards in there that no one will ever throw out. One is my grandad Robbie’s and the other belonged to my Nanny. We might not see them sitting around our kitchen table, but we know they are always there.
RASPBERRY BROWNIE CAKES makes 6 • • • • • • • • • •
75g plain flour 35g cocoa powder 65g brown sugar 100g caster sugar 80g unsalted butter 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 2 eggs 100g maltesers 100g raspberries Pinch of fine salt
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 160°C and lightly grease a 6-hole muffin tin. Put the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, caster sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs into a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the Maltesers and stir. Then divide the batter evenly in the muffin tin. Top each muffin with the raspberries, pressing them gently into the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Best eaten when they are still slightly warm from the oven.
STRAWBERRY JAM BISCUITS makes 12
• 225g softened butter • 100g caster sugar • 250g plain flour • 60g strawberry jam • Icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour and add, mixing well. Shape dough into 2.5cm diameter balls and place on the baking tray. Press your thumb in the centre of each biscuit to make an indentation. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Fill indentation with your favourite jam.
H
BANANA & CHOCOLATE POPSICLE makes 6
• 3 ripe medium bananas • 6 popsicle sticks • 170g dark or medium chocolate • Handful of desired toppings
INSTRUCTIONS Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bananas in half and insert a popsicle stick into each half. Place bananas on the parchment paper and freeze for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and stir until smooth. Roll each banana in the chocolate, then quickly sprinkle with your topping. Freeze for 30 minutes until the chocolate sets.
ickle
explorer
den builder
mum’s best sheet
den must haves Marching across fields and woodland terrain a plan once derived through bedroom pane. For the perfect plot, we start to explore, to construct a den, worth an encore. When base camp is finally found, a new search begins for any branches around. Structural timbers to hold up our fort,frantically hunting so no fun is cut short.
Our shelters foundations are now complete. So we scavenge to decorate mum’s best sheet. Using flowers to make ornamental chains, our den is now ready to entertain. As time passes, our stomachs start to grumble, thinking of mum’s steaming apple crumble. It starts to get dark and in the fleeting light, we head for home, bidding our lair goodnight.
tree climber
the mighty ever green On Wallington lawn, there stands a mighty evergreen. A Nootka Cypress, the grandest tree you’ve ever seen. A tiny sapling, she crossed ocean and land, from Vancouver Island to Northumberland.
The Wallington Nootka is a wise old tree. For lonely is something she will never be. Under her canopy you will always see,children who’s spirits are wild and free.
For one hundred years that Nootka has grown, standing proud on the Wallington lawn. Her strong branches stretch out, as an invitation to the children about.
This is why she is forever green. She grows from the happiness she has seen. I will take my children to the Nootka tree.
rock pooler
barnacled rocks The clever moon, his job now done, has left us rock pools, buckets of fun. He pulled the water from the shore but the retreating sea let some things go.He will be back later today but until then, we can play. On barnacled rocks we dare to tread, waved on by anemones, their fingers of red. Pulling back green, seaweed fronds, on our hunt for
life, in these watery ponds. A shy little hermit crab hides in his shell and waits for the waters to once again swell. Tiny fish we catch in our nets, we know we can’t take them home as pets. So our bucket we empty at the end of the day and watch the fish babies dart away. Back to their mummies who circle and swim, as the returning sea, breaches the brim.
ickle
crafter
WOODEN SPOON PUPPETS • • • • •
Wooden spoons Paint Permanent marker Paint brushes Surface protector
INSTRUCTIONS Select and mix desired paint colours and paint the faces of each spoon. Leave to dry and then apply a second coat. When dry, use the end of a paint brush and white paint to create the cheeks of the face. Using permanent marker add any facial features.
FOX CORNER BOOKMARK • Orange square card (1mm thick) • Glue • Black marker • Scissors • White paper
step by step guide: corner bookmark
step one
step four
step three
step six
step five
After the structure is complete, add strips of white paper and draw on eyes and nose.
step two
step seven
POM POM MAKING • • • •
Cardboard Pen Scissors Coloured yarn
Cut out two large cardboard circular discs. Draw a smaller circle in the centre and cut a slit from the outer circle to the inner and cut out centre (see right). Put both discs together and wrap the yarn around the discs until thick. The thicker the circle, the thicker the pom pom will be. Then cut the yarn by pushing your scissors between the two discs. Wrap a long piece of yarn between the two discs and tie off as tightly as possible. Pull your pom pom out.
contributors Mum Inspiration/ Life coach Dad Financial backer/ Taxi driver Alicia Co-conspirator/ Nemesis Grandma and grandad Cuddle suppliers/ Sweet dealers
Emma Model Matilda Model Scarlett Model Black Lamb Studio Art Ada and Violet Craft Assistants