2ND VICTORIAN SANTA WORKSHOP..TODAY IS THE DAY!

Coffee is on, applesauce cake all freshly baked and soon it will be 11:00 and time to visit with friends..

thought I'd start a new thread to make it easier for those who must download...

I'm here!!

Thanks Betty, but just had a cup of chocolate and croissants in the Sweet Interruptions room.
I am so excited!!!

OK, I found it, I'm here! So excited! I think I've put mine together wrong, but I'm NOT going to start over! My friend will never know the difference!
How do you get the "stuffing" to stay in place under the dress?

Good Morning!!

I am here hello!

LOL,
Yikes, where am I to work????
,,,hehehe that was yesterday..sigh

Oh yummy Thank you Betty Applesauce cake looks delicious!

I followed the smell of applesauce cake and ended up here!

Hi Audrey!

LOL, now I am ready to roll,
Glue gun heating up, coffee on...
Try glue Gun, on stuffing.

OH LIZ, Your finished Santa is GREAT, just love it!

LOL, Seed! Wish MY table was that clear!

Wow Judy you did good with the cleaning off your working table..is anyone doing it with you this morning...

Have some early guests, hope you don't mind the pretty aqua jammies...just off to get the 3rd of 4 trees in to decorate...then I'm ready to settle in...

I'm tagging along as usual. Sitting here eating a Celeste Pizza for One for breakfast. Apple cake would be nice for desert......
Ruby--I copied out that recipe. Will make it sometimes...

I am not going to get to my Santa for a while, with Thanksgiving coming up and all that, but c/p all the important directions along with pictures. Will use them as guidelines.

Our Th-Giving dinner at work (HD) is this Thursday. I signed up to bring 2 dishes, a pan-full of sausage stuffing and my amazing, home made Cranberry sauce that everyone loves. Still have to make the stuffing...can't do that ahead of time....We always have SO much food there! A real Feast!
The Employee Fund Committee (EFC) raises money all year long by various means. They will provide the turkeys and the ham. Everything else is donated--pot-luck. I don't work on Thursdays--so I will be able to hang around a while.

Gita

Receipe for the CB Salad, please!

yep, need new recipes...make them non-fail please..

Downstairs looking for extension cords..lordy must have 15 and still not enough..

I'm here but way behind so I'll be doing other stuff while watching you all. I'm hemming the bottom of the dress right now. I had a fight with the glue yesterday, it was hilarious! I couldn't tie the thick thread used for gathering, so I decided to just glue it down. Well, the glue bottle cap was glued to the bottle and I couldn't remember if it was a pull off cap or a twist off cap, so I'm bending the spout back and forth until I can see it starting to tear at the base, then had a brainstorm of running the cap under hot water :o Of course that worked, but there was a not so apparent bubble in the bottom of the spout that was pushing the glue up and out of the bottle faster than I could do anything about it. I dabbed the thread that I wanted to glue down and got a big glob on it instead, and discovered this glue dries almost the second it hits air, so it was still coming out of the bottle and becoming a gobbing mess real fast. I grabbed a kleenex to get the glue off of the spout, of course the kleenex stuck to the spout lol! I took it to the hot water again and the stuff came right off, but by then I had it all over my hands, material, and computer desk!

Ask--and you shall receive!
This takes a bit of time--especially with all the slicing and dicing--but, OH, it is worth it.....Just in time for Thanksgiving. Try this! You may never eat the canned stuff again!
Please, anyone that will make this, let me know how it was received....

************************************************************

GITA’S CRANBERRY SAUCE—PLUS
(Measures given are all “ballpark”—this makes several medium jars-full)

Approx. 3lbs. apples (any kind)-peeled, cored and very thinly sliced.
**Note--2 big apples is about 1lb. or 3 small.
Three bags fresh Cranberries—washed, picked over and coarsely chopped in a food processor (about 5 seconds). Process until “broken up.
Three cups sugar and 3 cups of water
***Note: since all items are in three’s, if you want to cut the recipe down, or increase it-- just do it in thirds of everything.

One full teaspoon whole Cloves-wrap in a gauze sachet for easy removal.
One full Tbs. orange zest (about one large orange) peeled with a potato peeler and then slivered and chopped into very small strips.
Rind of one Lemon—done the same way—NO white pulp—it is bitter!
About 2tsp.-full finely chopped/diced fresh Ginger root.
1/3 cup Cherry or Blackberry Brandy (optional) but it is yummy.

TO DO:
Using a non-reactive, 6-8 qt. pot, add sliced apples, the water and the cloves sachet. Cook/simmer over low fire until it resembles chunky applesauce—stirring now and then…about 30-40 minutes.

Add the sugar, and stirring often, simmer until sugar is dissolved.
Add crushed cranberries. Bring back to a gentle boil. Lower heat way down and simmer, covered, for about one hour--stirring now and then so it won’t burn.
Add the orange and lemon zest and the chopped ginger.

***At this point, you can taste for sweetness and adjust to your taste. ***
Simmer another half an hour or so stirring occasionally.

When Sauce looks dark red, and all uniform in texture, remove from heat and add the Brandy. Mix in well. Let cool down just a bit.

Using a ladle, carefully, pour the hot sauce into clean jars and seal them immediately. I find the small Salad Dressing jars work best, but any ones will do. Allow to cool down a bit, label with the year (yes! See note below!) and then refrigerate.

***Note: I have found that, kept in a refrigerator, this sauce lasts for years and years without losing any flavor! HONEST!!!!!

YUM!

Gita, have cranberries in I think a 5lb. bag hanging in the cold area..best go get them..

Ok..checking the time, I've 3 minutes to get a fresh coffee, cake in hand and ready to visit with my guests...room looks pretty,

Finished the basement tree..although a photo does not represent it's beauty, not sure why, I'll show you the room we're in..

TY! Sounds great!

Everyone like Elvis, Christmas music on...

I'm here...now where shall we start..


I've the tea room set just for you...

Breathtaking!

Last year how we proceeded was each asking if something was not clear...hopefully I or someone else will be able to lead you through...

Could someone tell me where they are at and if they need assistance?

Most probably still sleeping right, am sure they'll be right along..

Audrey, don't be getting hungry..all pretend food..that's what I collect..lol

I'm putting the sleeves on. Tell me again how to get the hands right!

Going in search of photo..one sec.

Santa's head is on!

I just got done with the dress! Woo Hoo! On to the sleeves!

Will do one along with you..

You take the small ball which you've wrapped with velvet and secured with the small wire..insert each ball into the arm wire..

In doing so it means that the hand could fall off so you must put a substantial amount of glue inside the extra material then secure pieces together..

NOW THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BURN YOUSELF..use something to press the velbet into the glue..

next is where I push the velvet into the hand wire and into each piece of velvet fold..let cool and do to the other hand

Good morning everyone, this project looks so fun, I am up to my ears in orders though.

The cake sounds great!!!!

Jaye, you are ready for the beard right...
I'll go through as each asks a question

The braid Jaye get cut in 3.

1st. cut about 1" off
Now with the remainding piece fold in half so that you have 2 equal parts...

you can start with the 1" piece, gently holding an end with each hand stretch the braid a little..there should be a piece of string for you to throw away..

stretching it..

best way to hold it to start making it wider

I am going over to Santa #2 thread or where ever the instructions for the sleeves are at. See ya in a bit!

Crissy, just have to wait here a few secs. and I'll include them..


Ok...Jaye, with the good end of the sleeve (end that you turned in 1/4" it's slipped onto the wire and gathered tightly (I used really good thread so watch you don't gather too tighly and break your thread) it should be tight so that in the next process you won't have glue seepage

As you hold the beard piece you gently pull the fibres, don't try and get 1 to 1 1/2 inch width in one go at it..this is where patience comes in..slightly start to work from the top, just a few strands at a time until you get to the bottom of the braid, then go back up and do again

Feeling comfy as he joins up for the morning, hope you are NOT allergic to kitties...

Spreading his beard...

Your beard should look a little like this

I have 3 right under my craft table!!
They're helping gathering up the trims!

If you work too quickly on it you'll end up with just fluff..gradually divide strands but just a few at a time..

Sleeve..next

One sec.. somebody here