Tis The Season To Be Crafty (And Maybe A Little Tipsy)

Welcome to your ultimate guide for a festive season filled with creativity, delicious cocktails, and mind-blowing desserts. Whether you're searching for the perfect bottle painting tutorial to create personalised gifts, a spicy margarita recipe that brings the heat, a festive Aperol spritz recipe with a holiday twist, or an impressive trifle recipe that'll wow your guests, you've come to the right place.

The holiday season is about bringing people together, and what better way to celebrate than by creating something magical with your own hands? Our cheeky elf crew have gathered the very best festive recipes and creative ideas to make your celebrations unforgettable. From DIY bottle painting that looks expensive (but isn't) to cocktails that pack a punch and comfort food that warms the soul, we're sharing everything you need for a season of Merry Mischief.

Behind all this festive magic are two talented creators, both named Laura (Grandma Casky insists this is no coincidence). Laura Tomlinson brings her artistic flair with brushes and acrylic paint, transforming ordinary bottles into stunning personalised gifts. Laura Jones works her magic in the kitchen, pouring, slicing, baking, and cooking up recipes that make the season truly special. Together, they've created this collection of creative projects and delicious recipes that blend artistry with flavour, and a healthy dose of fun along the way.

So grab your paintbrushes, shake up something delicious, and let's make this festive season one for the books!

Looking for a gift that actually feels personal this year? Bottle painting is your answer. This simple craft transforms ordinary bottles into stunning, personalised gifts that look professionally made. No artistic skills required. Just some acrylic paint, a steady hand (ish), and a willingness to embrace imperfection.

Bubbly Bella has already unpacked her miniature paintbrushes, and here's what you need to know:

How to Create Beautiful Bottle Painting Designs

• Start clean. Make sure your bottle is squeaky clean and dry. No one wants sticky fingerprints immortalised in paint.

• Keep it simple. Clusters of green leaves flowing up the neck and down the base always look gorgeous. Work gently around the label. Mistakes wipe off easily with a damp cloth. See? Already forgiving.

• Get loose with it. Use brush strokes for leaves and the handle end for berries. Avoid the label until you feel confident. That's the trick Tomo San swears by (when he's not sampling the contents).

The best part about bottle painting? No artistic skills required. This is about having fun, not perfection. Your wonky leaves and lopsided berries only add character. They tell a story: "I made this with love, two glasses of wine, and zero art qualifications."

You're not Picasso. You're better. You're thoughtful. And you're about to give someone a gift they'll actually keep. Once empty, it will look gorgeous as a candle holder!

Now that your beautifully painted bottles are sorted, let's move to what goes inside them (or rather, what delicious concoctions you can shake up beside them). These festive cocktails have been fully approved by Cosmo and Tini, who taste-tested everything twice. For quality control, obviously.

1. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and roll it in tajín. (Go on, be generous. Live a little.)

2. Combine 50ml Patron tequila, 25ml Magdala, 25ml fresh lime juice, 15ml agave, and 10 to 15ml pickled jalapeño juice in a shaker with ice.

3. Shake well. Shake like you mean it.

4. Serve in your tajín-rimmed glass and garnish with a dried lime wheel (or a pickled jalapeño if you're feeling properly bold).

Pro tip: Make a double batch of this spicy margarita. Trust me on this one.

Ingredients (1 cocktail):

•40ml Patron tequila

•25ml Aperol

•40ml cranberry juice

•15ml lime juice

•Ice, cinnamon sugar rim, cranberries, orange slice

Method:

1.Rim glass with cinnamon sugar.

2.Shake tequila, Aperol, cranberry, and lime with ice.

3.Strain over fresh ice, garnish with cranberries and orange.

- Ice

- 100ml vodka

- 50ml Kahlua

- Full cream milk

- 100ml double cream

- 2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp warm water

Method:

1. Add vodka and Kahlua to a glass of ice and stir.

2. Top with milk.

3. Whip the cream until fluffy, fold in the coffee, and spoon generously on top. And I mean generously. This is not the time for restraint.

Even elves need proper fuel, and this beef casserole has become the whole crew's official December comfort dish. Rich, slow-cooked, and filled with flavour, it's perfect for that relaxed 'Twixmas' window when time feels fake, the days blend together, and dinner should absolutely cook itself while you nap on the sofa.

Boozy Beef Casserole

A season's essential. The kind of dish that makes your house smell like a hug.

Ingredients:

- Beef chunks

- 1 diced onion

- 4 sliced carrots

- Vegetable stock cube

- 1 tsp mixed herbs

- 1 tsp Marmite (trust the process)

- A generous splash of red wine (one for the pot, one for you)

- Optional: celery and mushrooms

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Sear beef in oil until browned and gorgeous.

3. Add vegetables and soften slightly.

4. Stir in herbs and Marmite, then add boiling water, stock, and wine.

5. Ensure the pot has plenty of liquid. It will reduce during cooking.

6. Cook at 180°C for 1 hour, then reduce to 160°C for another hour.

For ultra-tender beef: 180°C for 30 minutes, then 150°C for around 3 hours. Yes, it's worth it.

7. Thicken with Bisto if needed and adjust seasoning.

To serve: Creamy mash, chunky chips, or add a puff pastry lid for a comforting festive pie. Winy Wonka tried all three options and declared them "acceptable," which in elf-speak means "phenomenal."

A festive feast is never complete without dessert. These recipes impress without the stress, so you can enjoy more time sharing festive tipples.

Laura’s Spiked Orange Trifle recipe is the ultimate make-ahead dessert and an absolute beauty. Looking for an impressive trifle recipe for the holidays? This is it. Layers of boozy orange, crumbled brownies, custard, and mascarpone cream create pure, unadulterated indulgence. The kind that makes people go quiet for a moment before asking, "Can I have the recipe?"

This trifle recipe serves 6 (or 4 if you're feeling greedy) and can be made ahead, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining.

Trifle Recipe Ingredients:

- 300g chocolate brownies, crumbled

- 6 to 8 orange slices soaked in orange liqueur

- 500ml fresh custard

Sweet mascarpone cream:

- 250g mascarpone

- 4 to 5 tbsp icing sugar

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 4 to 6 tbsp double cream

- Zest of 1 or 2 oranges

- 100g chocolate chunks

- 6 chocolate coins (because presentation matters)

Trifle Recipe Method:

1. Prepare the mascarpone cream and set aside.

2. Layer brownies into 6 glasses. (Go for proper glasses; this trifle recipe deserves to be seen.)

3. Add the soaked orange slices.

4. Spoon custard on top.

5. Add the mascarpone cream.

6. Sprinkle zest and chocolate.

7. Finish with a chocolate coin on top like the crown it deserves.

8. Chill or serve immediately. Both work. You do you.

Perfect for hampers, gifting, or dunking into the White Christmas Coffee Cocktail while pretending you're in an Italian café. Bubbly Bella has been known to sneak three at a time.

Ingredients:

- 325g self-raising flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 150g sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 125g mincemeat

- 50g pistachios

- 50g pecans

- 75g dried cranberries

- 1 tbsp spiced rum

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a tray.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar.

3. Add eggs and mix until crumbly.

4. Fold in mincemeat, nuts, cranberries, and rum.

5. Shape into two logs. (They don't have to be perfect. Nothing here does.)

6. Bake for 30 minutes, turn the oven off, and leave to cool until barely warm.

7. Slice into 1cm pieces.

8. Bake again at 150°C for 20 minutes.

9. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

They keep for up to 4 weeks or can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Which means you can make them early and feel extremely organised. Look at you go.

So there you have it. Everything you need to craft a festive season that's equal parts delicious, creative, and full of cheeky mischief. Whether you're trying bottle painting for the first time, shaking up a spicy margarita that packs a punch, mixing a festive Aperol spritz recipe for your holiday party, slow-cooking a soul-warming casserole, or assembling a mouthwatering trifle recipe that will absolutely steal the show, remember this simple truth:

It's not about perfection. It's about the laughter, the mess, the wonky brush strokes, the slightly burnt biscotti, and the joy of making something with your own hands and heart. It's about the stories you'll tell later. The "remember when we tried bottle painting and Laura knocked over the red wine?" moments. The magic.

Now go on. Gather your supplies for your bottle painting project, pour yourself a spicy margarita or Aperol spritz, summon your inner elf, crank up the Christmas tunes, and get crafty. This is your season to shine. Your season to make, create, taste, laugh, and celebrate.

And if anyone asks where you got that stunning hand-painted bottle or that incredible trifle recipe? Just wink and say, "Oh, I made it." Because, you absolute legend, you did.

Cheers to making magic. And to slightly tipsy bottle painting.