. . .from the handiwork journal

 Instead of moving an entire basket (again), I decided to just tackle what was in the basket, and store the basket away. One project will be taken apart (beads will be donated to a kiddo), one needed edged together, and the other two needed ends sewn in.  One was from 2017!  

A doily I made, and most likely was a porch project, as it is with #10 crochet thread.  Done!!  The doily was no slow project, as it is 11 x 16 inches.  I had a place for it years ago, but now I have no idea just yet.  I can't believe it let this project go so long unfinished.

The other unfinished projects?  A single hot pad.  The story behind it?  Why there is only one?

The story?  Well, I used to sell what I made.  I had a blog where I used to share and sell items, a social media page (since been deleted), and sold items at the Farmer's Market and Holiday craft shows.

My Mom was my biggest fan, supporter, and purchaser.  She found so many people who would buy what I made, and I supplied.  However, one woman wanted an entire lavender kitchen set for her daughter.  I had some lavender, so I started on the hot pad set, but had to order more of the same color to crochet the second one, and then one XL (9 x 13 size) hot pad.  

If you crochet or knit, you know that if you want the same color lot, you need to order enough, or buy enough for the project all at the same time.  I ordered the same color, and same brand, and the color did not match the one I made above.  I had to start over.

Oh, here is the kicker to the story....

The woman didn't want them after I had finished them all.  She told my Mom, that it was not lavender and looked like "gray."  Sigh.  My Mom giggled, and gave me the "don't worry" wave, and she either sold it or gifted it after that fiasco.

So, I finished the single hot pad, edging it with random leftover yarn, and gave it a home.  

One baby pacifier holder, which only needed ends sewn in and blocked. I think I had plans to make numerous amounts to sell, but never had the time to get more made.  Done and done!  The hot pad went in the camper.

I have much more to get back in order, so I will not run out of rainy day organizing/purging and whatnot.  In the process for searching for extra crochet supplies for a daughter, I found a more craft supplies that can be purged and donated (on the rainy day list).

I have come up with one more way to use my cotton yarn stash.  Well, a small bit of it anyway.  More on that later.

. . .from the handiwork journal  © June 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Chit Chat

Nothing really exciting on the news front.

 I dehydrated more oregano to make sure the new dehydrator worked.  There are things about it I like, and other things I do not like.  It is much quieter than my last one.   

I can say that I am glad I saved my trays from my older one.  The new ones are thinner, and the way the metal is twisted on the trays, the oregano stuck to the trays.  I had to layer the counter top with sheets of waxed paper, so I didn't make a mess, and didn't lose any of the dried oregano in the process of removing it.   I dried some oregano for the kids, and I was thankful to find a drawer full of saved lids to top the canning jars with.

How I found the lids?  Well, funny story.  I have one daughter who just started to learn to crochet, and asked for some yarn and supplies.  I went rooting around in my craft drawers, and low and behold, I had used one drawer for empty baby food jars and lids that fit canning jars (peanut butter, tahini, and other jar lids).  

I used to use the baby food jars for gifting extra dried herbs, and making homemade salves and hand creams.  I no longer use the jars, so those will find a new home soon.  Oh, one year I filled baby food jars with homemade taco seasoning, and gifted that one year.

Essentially, I found an entire drawer of items to get rid of, other than the lids I can use for when I open canned items, such as pickle relish, jam, taco sauce, ketchup, etc.

I not only found the lids, I found a pattern template that, for some reason was in a plastic bag, and tucked in a drawer with other half finished craft projects (yes, more unfinished, ha ha!)

The pattern is for a handmade Chicken Christmas ornament.  More than 4 years ago, I made one for our tree, and never did make the intended amount of them.  As you can see I found the painted clothespins with eye screws already in them.  I have no idea what I'll do with it all yet.  Most likely see if one thrift store will take it.  I have no plans to finish them, as my family has a ton of homemade ornaments from me already.

I have yet to locate my extra set of crochet hooks for the one daughter, but I now have more rainy day purging to do.  I found more craft supplies that need a new home, ha ha!  I thought I purged all of my supplies, but nope.

On another subject, I finally got the potatoes planted in the garden, but we have some more hot peppers to plant. I plan to get that done by the weekend.  My foot hurt yesterday, and actually swelled a bit, so I'm taking it easy for a day.  I will be getting another x-ray later this month.  At least the garden will be completely in by the weekend.  We didn't even know if we'd have one this year.  I did not plant popcorn or sweet corn this year.  We'll be buying it this year.

My husband bought some dragons breath flowers, so I got those planted, and more mulch dropped.  We had to buy a new broom for the porch, so porch cleaning can now resume.

Chit Chat  © June 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart