Sampler, santa, stash, shrivels, scarves, surprise, scratches

Hiya people.  This post will be all over the place, from stitching to scarf holders to dried oranges to brat cats to stash!  First up, the Woodlawn sampler I'm working on and the color changes.

The alphabet is charted for 223 which is also used in the motifs, and I changed that to 632.  The vine in the border was to be 3045 with 501 and 822 leaves, but I've changed 3045 to 3021, and decided all the leaves will be 501.  Those two color changes will be throughout the entire piece and all others will be as charted.

I also started the Birds of a Feather's Black Santa, and received my Gold Santa!!!  He is done in metallic gold which I will substitute with cotton floss.   Maybe 3045 since it was kicked off the Woodlawn team. 

These are the other charts from one order.  I've always loved the Tulip Heart so decided to try punch needle, and the other charts are mostly alphabet, which I prefer.  The miniature ABCD is done over one but I plan on stitching it over two.   The simple Hannah Haines from Hands to Work may end up on a basket.

 I've had several requests for information on how to dry oranges/lemons.   Here's how it started....I forgot about them in the fruit keeper.  One day I starting cleaning the fridge and found these rock hard orange balls stuffed in the back.  The left one has been drying (unbagged) in the fridge, the right one just sitting out, and either way works.   The one on the right has shrunk considerably and is already hard.  The center of the fruit takes quite a while to eventually lose all moisture.  If you try this, keep in mind that some will be wonky, shriveled, splotchy, and misshapen.  Unless they mold, just keep turning them.  Here are three from the same batch, and one that dried funky, which I don't mind.

 Now for the scarves.  I have a bunch so to keep them handy, I got a small towel rod to fit inside the closet door.  Hollow core doors only have 1 1/2 inches of support around the edge.  If your rod doesn't end in that area, screw it to a 1x4 board and attach that board 1/2" in from the door edge. I plan on a length of loose cord or elastic attached much lower so I can tuck the scarf ends behind it, keeping them from flying around when the door is slammed shut. 

And while putting away the Christmas trees, covered with huge black plastic bags and looking like pod storage from a horror movie, I was surprised at finding a box containing this...

Remember when I showed the original box, but couldn't find the contents?  Well, I found the little Singer, but now can't find the box.  I also found a little quilt that I did along with a bunch of precut squares and strips that I have no use for. 

And finally, the surgery day for the female brat cats hasn't happened, but I came close!  A little too close.  These brats won't set foot in the trap or a carrier (yet they love their cat boxes!), so I grabbed the little one.  The little devil lets me pet her but when I picked her up, she tore into me so fast I never had a chance to wrap the towel around.  I'll keep trying.

That's about it.  I've been working on the sampler labels for the boxes and will have them ready soon.  And something tells me I should be looking at new laptops.  I'm having more problems viewing blogs, freezing screens, and have tried unloading, reloading, update removals, update renewals, tight security, no security, and nothing is making me happy.  I bought a stick-in-the-side-thingamabob and downloaded my photos to it just to be safe.  I asked the Staples guy if any were menopause-proof and he said not to his knowledge.  So until next time, if there is a next time, stay safe, thank you for visiting, and have a great week!