Pancake and Lulu 2023 Advent HQ
Welcome to the Festive Yarn Tasting
The 2023 Advent Calendar is inspired by all new festive treats and fun drinks in all new colors! Each mini skein is paired with a fun colorful recipe I have found online.
Each day of December, visit this page to see a new photo reveal of the day's colorway along with photos and links to the inspirational recipe and my recreation attempts (ha!) and notes. I encourage everyone to try some of the recipes with me!
You can follow along with me on instagram @pancakeandlulu and my YouTube channel: Pancake and Lulu Yarn and Fiber.
If you use Instagram or Ravelry, please tag me! Use the hashtag #pancakeandlulu and @pancakeandlulu to post your daily yarn and/or a special treat of the day (whatever it may be)!
Thank you for purchasing the Advent Calendar and for supporting Pancake and Lulu Yarn ~ I had a blast creating this for you.
Enjoy your stitching, sipping and nibbling!
🎄Happy Holidays!🎄
xo Aimee xo
Pink Champagne Cupcake
Recipe Link:
https://www.foodfanatic.com/recipes/pink-champagne-cupcakes-recipe
Couldn't be simpler-and so pretty! Calls for a mix for the cake, which is awesome for an easy holiday dessert - but any basic cake recipe can be used.
My Cupcakes
I actually made a simple yellow cupcake recipe from scratch using almond flour (the linked recipe calls for a white cake mix, but I didnt have that on hand). My version didnt have much of a pink champagne flavor, but was still delicious and very pretty!
Empress Pomegranate
Recipe Link:
https://dixiedelightsonline.com/2020/12/celebrating-christmas-2020-empress-holiday-cocktails.html
There are a few holiday Empress Gin recipes on this page - this is my favorite gin - the color is always such a delight! Also the festive ice cubes at bottom of the page are a cute idea!
These were delightful!
The pomegranate seeds (also called arils) look like beautiful rubies in this gorgeous cocktail.
Blackberry Cream Pie
Recipe Link:
https://adventuresincooking.com/no-bake-blackberry-cream-pie-with-brown-butter-crust/
This is one of my very favorite recipe sites - the photography is so beautiful! And the recipes I have made are spectacular!
This is a more involved and special recipe - so I will make this one later when I have more family home to enjoy it!
Lemon Lavender Cake
Coming Soon…
Dark Chocolate Blueberry
These were so gooood!
My family loved these and I would definitely make again! However, I used the high speed blender as suggested in the recipe and I would just use a food processor next time - it was tricky getting the ingredients to blend without too much liquid in the blender. Also - these are messy to eat - but simple and delicious - and very healthy!
Nutella
Recipe Link:
https://www.gnom-gnom.com/keto-nutella-hazelnut-spread/#recipe
This is a gluten-free, paleo and keto version! 🍫
My Nutella & Passiflora Wrap!
The Nutella turned out delicious but not an exact copy of regular Nutella! The recipe took a bit more oil (I used Macadamia Nut oil - as I had it on hand). I also added some water to the processor to make it more creamy - that also helped. Way less sweet and way more healthy than store bought version! Progress on my Passiflora Wrap by Ambah O'Brien.
Raspberry Chocolate Brownie
Yum Yum!
These brownies were so delicious! I made a similar recipe last year as part of my calendar, but I think this recipe is even better. I made these to bring to my son at college - and to get them out of the house - they are hard to resist!
Chai Latte
Amarula Gingerbread Chai!
This was an absolutely delicious and cozy dessert-drink. I highly recommend Amarula - a cream liqueur derived from an African fruit, Marula. The company also had a foundation to protect African Elephants. The gingerbread syrup in this recipe is well worth making and would also be delicious over vanilla ice cream. I used a handheld frother which worked beautifully!
Brown Sugar Cookie
Today's package includes a sweater cookie cutter for the yarn calendar and a woolly sheep cutter for the fiber calendar! I had these fiber related cutters specially made by a company here in the US for my Advent this year - and I will put some extras up for sale in my shop next week
I am excited to create some "Ugly Xmas Sweater" cookies this season! And some cute wooly sheep!
Old Fashioned
My Christmas Old Fashioned
This was really Christmassy! It would be perfect on a very cold winter's day to warm you up from the inside. I used a little bit of homemade orange cranberry sauce and muddled that with the pomegranate seeds, syrup and bitters - and this gave a lot of seasonal flavor.
Mango Mousse
This is another simple and healthy recipe - what a beautiful color - and vegan too!
Vanilla Cupcake
Yum!
These are so simple and delicious! The icing recipe is a linked at the end of the recipe and I must say - in the past, buttercream icing stressed me out becasue of alternating the addition of ingredients can over mix and cause it to break. But this recipe, simplified that and was no stress and not over mixed - must remember for next time.
Champagne Jello Shot
Hmmm…
Kids are coming home from college this weekend - so perfect to make with them! Update: while these are easy and definitely fun, they needed more fruity flavor. Would maybe try again using flavored jello.
Citrus Tart
Grapefruit Shortbread
My Grapefruit Vanilla Shortbread
These were so delicious and fun to make - definitely a keeper. Loved the grapefruit flavor!
Dark & Stormy
Who knew the weather today in my area would be exactly this! How deliciously appropriate. Great holiday twist on the classic. I used some strained homemade cranberry sauce I had on hand - made a perfect simple syrup for this recipe.
Pink Snowball
These are amazing!
One of the very best recipes in this collection. The powdered dried strawberries in the sugar coating add amazing flavor. I used pecans as my nuts but excited to try others.
Christmas Ice Cream
I made a smaller cake in a loaf pan. I couldn't easily find peppermint ice cream so I used raspberry chocolate chip and mint chip! This was a fun and easy dessert and quite festive!
Pink Chocolate Bark
So simple and delicious!
Freeze dried raspberries add so much flavor!
Bonus Full Skein/Roving
Full Skein with Add-Ons
Full Roving with Add-Ons
Full Set Photos
(after 12/25/23!)
2023 Full Yarn Set Reveal
2023 Full Fiber Set Reveal
My Passiflora Wrap WIP
Pattern by Ambah O'Brien - knit in this year's Festive Yarn Tasting set. Finished photo will be here when I am done! Check out all the daily progress pictures on my Ravelry project page here.
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The 2024 Festive Yarn Tasting Mini Skein Advent Calendar EARLY Pre-Order is here!! (IMPORTANT: These will ship out to be received by mid-November 2024)
The festive and colorful treats and drinks theme for the last 3 years were such a hit and so much fun to create - so I have decided to do it again for 2024 - with all new inspiration recipes! Each day's colorway will be inspired by a fun recipe online. We can make, taste and collect the recipes while we knit together all month long (and beyond) into the new year. And we will chat about it all on Instagram and in Ambah O'Brien's Festive Knitalong on Ravelry!
These are limited edition, so order now to be sure to get one - last year they sold out and I got several requests for more. I don't want anyone to be disappointed! This is also the lowest price they will be (prices could go up with the later orders if my wholesale supplier prices increase). I am taking pre-orders now so I have plenty of time to secure the yarn and work on dyeing these in batches. The advents take so much time to complete - they are truly a labor of love! I really want to spread out the process over the year, so I can work on them throughout and make this the best year yet!
Each day of December through Christmas, you will get to open a surprise mini skein of yarn. This set includes 25 minis in total -most include 24!- along with some other fun holiday or fiber related goodies added in here and there! Each day's gift is individually wrapped - what could be more fun for a knitter or fiber crafter?!
This year, again, when you order early, you have your choice of 5 base yarns and we also have some fun optional add-ons. (I have secured inventory on all 5 bases for now. In the past, I had to limit some of the bases for those who waited to order, due to inventory supply issues - this could happen again).
Add-Ons: You have the option to add some (or all!) fun bonuses to your calendar. These are all designed to go with the delicious, festive theme and will be extra fun special surprises!
Basic Add-Ons:
- A coordinating Full Size Skein in selected yarn base
- A hand-dyed 2024 Project Bag
Extra Fancy Add-Ons:
- A 2024 Pancake and Lulu collectable Pin
- A 4 oz scented handmade coconut soy wax Candle
- A delightful coordinating Stitch Marker Set
✨Choose “All-In” in both dropdown lists to get it all! And the Pin will be Free!
The 2024 collection will be a surprise - however, you can check out the mood board as a little hint! I have also included photos from many of my past calendars. The collection will be a beautiful flow and fade of color consisting of speckles and semi-solids which can be combined as they are unwrapped or used in a modular project or in many other ways.
Details to choose your base:
EURO fingering: 4 ply smooth euro style
content: 100% super-wash merino wool
weight: mini skein is 20 grams (.75 oz.)
skein length: 87 yards (80 meters)
care: Hand or machine wash, gentle. air dry.
MERINO NYLON fingering: super soft 2 ply popular blend with extra strength of nylon
content: 75% super-wash merino wool/25% nylon
weight: mini skein is 20 grams (.75 oz.)
skein length: 92 yards (84 meters)
care: Hand or machine wash, gentle. air dry.
SINGLE fingering: soft, strong high twist single
content: 100% super-wash merino wool
weight: mini skein is 20 grams (.75 oz.)
skein length: 80 yards (73 meters)
care: Hand or machine wash, gentle. air dry.
SPARKLE fingering: soft with subtle metallic silver sparkles
content: 75% super-wash merino wool/20%nylon/5% stellina
weight: mini skein is 20 grams (.75 oz.)
skein length: 87 yards (80 meters)
care: Hand or machine wash, gentle. air dry.
MERINO NYLON DK: super soft and strong 4 ply - great for DK color work!
content: 75% super-wash merino wool/25% nylon
weight: mini skein is 20 grams (.75 oz.)
skein length: 49 yards (44.8 meters)
care: Hand or machine wash, gentle. air dry.
NOTE: This base is DK weight and will not be suitable for some of the Advent patterns. however, Advent pattern designers are beginning to create more patterns for DK weight - so look for them on Ravelry.
IMPORTANT: All Advent Calendars will ship out to be received by mid-November, at the latest, so you will have yours in time for December 1st. Please order early for International shipments. You will receive tracking notification when your calendar ships.
My advent calendar is inspired by my participation for the past 7 years in the wildly popular FESTIVE Knit-Along on Ravelry by Ambah O'Brien. Each year, she creates new patterns for a beautiful project that uses 24-25 Mini Skeins with an optional full skein. Each new yarn is opened in the morning and a few rows are knit using the yarn of the day. There is a fun (and huge) social group for sharing on Ravelry - it is so much fun. Also there are lots of prizes to win!
Link to the 2023 Advent HeadQuarters with lots of photos and recipes
