WIP-it Wednesday...

...starting the new year evaluating what is a real WIP and what needs to fall off the list.

My biggest current WIP is deconstructing Christmas. I spent most of yesterday (10am through 8pm) taking down the Christmas decorations and wrapping them up for storage. On the face of it, it doesn't sound like it should take that long, unless you know that I have 3 trees (2 full-size and 1 mini) and a ton of battery-powered Hallmark ornaments.

I finally learned that unless I want the batteries to explode in my expensive ornaments, I need to remove the batteries before I store them. For Hallmark ornaments, that means unscrewing the plate that keeps the batteries from falling out, removing the button, AAA, or AA batteries, and re-screwing the plate back on before wrapping it up and putting it back in its box. Oh, and taping the button batteries onto the inside of the box so they don't fall out (ask me how I figured that out...).

At any rate, I'm almost done and hope to get the green tree out of the house and the artificial trees put away tomorrow at the latest.

Here's a peek at the ornaments from the main tree before I packed them away:

I did manage to finish a couple of things while I was on vacation. I finished spinning the Indian Wedding Phat Fiber Sampler. Photos are forthcoming.

I also made some spa products for The Daughter. These are Creative Dreams Bath Bombs (based on the blend I created for soaps):

Citrus Shower Melts, using fresh orange peel and several citrus essential oils:

And Spiced Chai Bath Salts, based on a recipe from Parsnips and Pastries:

Specs:
Made 12/23/17

• Bombs: Baking soda, citric acid, almond oil, calendula petals, dried chamomile, dried lavender, and essential oils.
• Melts: Baking soda, citric acid, orange peel, and essential oils.
• Salts: Epsom salts, Himalayan Pink Salt, baking soda, spices, and essential oils.

In looking over my list of UFOs, there are a couple that just aren't going to happen. It's time to send them to the IDJ (It's Dead, Jim) pile. See below for the updated list of WIPs.

WIPs Roll Call

Worked On:

• All That Glitters Christmas quilt (quilting)
  Sandwiched the quilt, did the machine quilting on the main part of the quilt, and attached one side of the binding.
• Denali handspun (spinning [Ravelry]
  Started on 12/29, spinning end to end
• Mermaid of the Pearls (cross stitch)
  Still working on the tail; one fluke done.

Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week:

1. 4-shaft sampler (weaving) [Ravelry]
2. Attic Windows quilt for me (quilting)
3. Charred Teal Shawl (knitting) [Ravelry]
4. Christmas 9-patch Pillow (cross stitch)
5. Mother of Dragons shawl (knitting) [Ravelry]
6. Rosewood Wrap (weaving) [Ravelry]
7. St. Charles (needlepoint)
8. Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch)

IDJ (It's Dead, Jim):

• Celaeno Shawl (knitting) [Ravelry]
• Peacock Pomatomus socks (knitting) [Ravelry] 

UFOs/Hibernation:

1. Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [Ravelry]
2. Bear Paw pottery (needlepoint)
3. Canto de Sirena shawl (knitting) [Ravelry]
4. Finishing work
5. Peacock Majesty by Just Nan (cross stitch)
6. Tucson Twilight (needlepoint)