Monday, January 30, 2023

T Stands For Mandarin Oranges

 

Most of you noticed I was offline for several days due to my internet.  Winds whipped branches around the line that runs from a pole as part of the easement on my property to my house.  The branches snapped the internet line and it took several days for me to get back online.  I'm still playing catch up.

Some of you were here when I showed this bowl of peeled mandarin oranges on Thursday.

I actually purchased the oranges for the peels.  Since their outer skins are much thinner than regular oranges, I was hoping they would be better for the project I had in mind.

Next, I added water to the peels and cooked them in the microwave oven for 30 minutes on 30% power.

I wasn't sure I had the right color, but I decided it was probably not going to get much darker.  Using a strainer dedicated to crafts, I removed the peels.  I wondered if I should have cut or torn them a bit more before I cooked them.  

At least they were easy to remove from the bath.
 
Technically, you could drink this (so it qualifies for my drink this week), but I am using it as a dye for fabric.  I have to wait overnight until the liquid has cooled sufficiently before I continue.  BTW, the spent peels went in my compost pile.
 
After you link up, please take a minute to answer a poll regarding our 10th anniversary.  I want to thank Kate for some great suggestions.  I think some who are not paper artists could still participate.  Below is the poll.  Simply write the letter that best describes your choice.

For our anniversary, I would like to

A. exchange ATCs, but only within my country

B. exchange ATCs anywhere in the world

C. exchange an ATC and/OR a recipe

D. exchange an ATC and/OR a postcard

F. exchange something not previously mentioned

E. I don't want to participate in the Year 10 exchange

Now you have seen the exchange choices, please link, then leave a comment letting everyone know your Year 10 exchange choice.  

Although you probably already know the drill, please share a drink related post.  It can be gifts you received, photos, a place you visited, movies, postcards, mail art, junk mail, catalogs, books, sketches, mixed media, drawings, paintings, handmade cards, tags, scrapbooking, or other art that is digital, hybrid, or traditional, a favorite mug, cup and saucer, teapot, coffee pot, or even a wine glass. Regardless, please join us by linking below.  Bleubeard and I will gladly visit, as will other T participants.  Please link only your T post and not your blog in general.  Bleubeard would like to remind you that old photos are acceptable because they may be taken any time, not just on Tuesday and not just this year, as this post proves.  Please remember to visit your fellow T participants.  BTW, this link is only good through midnight my time February 1.

 


In case you missed last week, please dig up your Second on the 2nd, a post you have published sometime in the past.



25 thoughtful remarks:

kathyinozarks said...

I would like to participate this year and I am loving D as I do enjoy postcards.
I will be looking forward to seeing how your dye turns out
Happy T Elizabeth and thank you for being such an awesome hostess

Valerie-Jael said...

Hope the dye works. Sorry, but I won't participate in the swaps or whatever, I just don't know how this year will be for me health wise. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

Mae Travels said...

My post tomorrow will have a link to this T for Tuesday post, and I'll add it to the list.

I wonder why your peels did not yield more color -- maybe the pigment is more easily dissolved in an oil than in water. I love to eat those clementines, and they seem to stain my fingers when I peel them, but it feels oily.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Amila said...

I usually like eating mandarin oranges or using them in juice. Never thought of making dye. This is a great idea and a zero-waste project where peels finally end up in a composting pile.
The anniversary exchange sounds fun and exciting. But, I've never participated in such blog exchanges before and I don't know how this works. I look forward to seeing how others are participating and their beautiful exchanges.
Have a great day!

Lisca said...

I’m sorry to hear you struggling with internet problems again. Our wifi goes off too in winter because of cables etc. but I have my phone which has internet that doesn’t depend on a wifi signal, so it doesn’t affect me really.
Your peel doesn’t seem to yield much colour. Mmm we’ll see…
Oh 10 years! Wow, that is some occasion! Yes, I’d love to participate in option D, but if people are not interested I would also like recipes and/ or ATCs.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca

My name is Erika. said...

I'm curious to see how the peel "juice" dies fabric. Did you taste it? The white pith under the orange skin can taste very bitter. That's me being curious. But this is an interesting drink this week. I noticed you were offline too, but I didn't know if it was by choice or your internet. I hope you have a happy T day this week too.

And my choice (I'm going to be a pain) is B-F, as they all work for me. I was thinking after you asked me and I thought maybe we could exchange tea bags, each person sending 1 or 2 to someone else. With an ATC maybe. But I am open to any of these.

Hugs-Erika

Christine said...

Happy T!

DVArtist said...

I'm so sorry your internet was out again. It is so disappointing when that happens. As for the citris dye. My mom made her own dyes for 50 years. She never used the micro. She would peel then cut the peelings. She used 2 to 1 water to peelings. Bring to a low boil then simmer for 1 hour. Remove from the heat and allow to cool naturally. The colors were amazing. Just a tip on how she used to do it. I am sorry to say I won't be able to join in the fun. I am not well at all and need to see how this is all going to end up. So I guess I an E. That fact that you have been doing this for 10 years is a huge congratulations. Have a very lovely evening.

Cloudia said...

Good luck with that cool dye project! I just enjoy coming here at least this once a week and seeing what the creative people are doing

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, how frustrating with your internet... again!
Really, what is with people who work from home?! Who pays for being offline?
Or in general, people who need the internet to work?

Hmm, now i want mandarines! Maybe I take off to the store later! (but the weather is so icky).

Looking forward to how it comes out with the "juice"!

10 years, wo-hooo! I enjoyed the last few years very much, thank you, dear Elizabeth!
I still feel I´m a newbie, so I go for "F".

Elephant's Child said...

I do love seeing what people do with this meme, and will be interested to see more of your dying project.

Anne (cornucopia) said...

I'm looking forward to seeing the dye results on fabric.

10 years?! Wow! Congratulations. I'll be an E (unable to participate).

Empire of the Cat said...

Interested to see how your mandarin fabric dye works out. I will think more on the 10 year exchange and come back with an answer. Happy T Day! Elle/EOTC xx

Nancy Chan said...

I have bought Mandarin oranges for a few years even though I do love those sweet ones. I hope you get the desired colour for the dye project.

Barbara said...

I have these delicious oranges in my fridge. I’m not into making dye and I just enjoy eating them. I hope you did too!

CJ Kennedy said...

I thought you were going to make something to eat with your mandarin oranges. I should have known you would use them in some way for art. 10 years, wow! I think D, a postcard exchange would be fun. Happy T Day

Divers and Sundry said...

I've never made dye, and I prefer "real" oranges to mandarins, though I love tangerines so I'm just weird lol

The exchange sounds like fun, and I'd love to participate for the 10th. Would a postcard be a card we make or a card from where we live? I'd also be in for an ATC exchange anywhere... It'd be fun to get the artsy stuff back out for a project :)

Happy T Tuesday

Darla said...

We have a tangerine tree and can pick fruit about 6 months of the year. I often dry the peel for potpourrie but didn't think og making dye. I would like to participate in the echange. I choose D. I hope we get lots of notice. I'm slow getting things done and mailed.

pearshapedcrafting said...

I bet it smelled amazing. I think either C or D would be great and I am happy to send anywhere. Happy T Day, hugs, Chrisx

Kate Yetter said...

HI Elizabeth, what a great idea to use clementine peels to create a dye. I buy these every week and I used to dry the peels to use for tea but I never thought to use them for dye. So glad you shared this idea.
I will not participate in the swap this year. Life is so busy and I don't want to add anything else in. But I look forward to seeing all the lovely art of those who decided to participate.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Carola Bartz said...

Hi Elizabeth, just a quick note that I would choose B, but am open to C and D.

Rostrose said...

Dear Elizabeth, I'm a bit in hurry and will read your post and write a comment later!
Hugs Traude

Jeanie said...

Those mandarins look delicious. It will be interesting to see the dyes. With my navel peels I make candied orange peel but I never thought of dye!

Rostrose said...

Dear Elizabeth, I didn't know you could also use it to dye laundry.
At first I thought you wanted to make an orange cleaner. Because you can make a natural cleaner yourself from orange peels within a short time. Do you know the recipe? If not, here are the ingredients:

6-8 oranges (including the peel)
800ml of water
200 ml vinegar essence
1 Airtight Mason Jar

Put the orange peel, the water and the vinegar essence in the mason jar for two weeks. It is particularly important that the orange peels are completely covered with the liquid - otherwise there is a risk of mold.

After the brew has steeped, sieve off the orange peel. You can pour the liquid into a spray bottle. The natural all-purpose cleaner is inexpensive and environmentally friendly - because there is no additional packaging.


ALL THE BEST, have a good February,
Traude
❤️

Mia said...

10 years! Wow!
B and D are the best for me, Elizabeth.
Hugs, my friend.