summer scrapbook

Can it possibly be the last day of August?

Guess that old saying about fun and time is true.

I'm sharing pictures out of my 2011 summer scrapbook today...

Our summer fun started out with a beach wedding in Florida

what a great time everyone had!

Even their Disney honeymoon was shared by all...

We got back from the sunny coast of Florida

 just in time to celebrate three birthdays...

Our twin granddaughters turned 3 in May.

The new bride's birthday was also in May...

The summer included lots of playtime in the parks...

and at swimming pools.

We had a fun 4th of July in North Dakota.

I don't know how we'll top this summer, sniff,

but I'm up for trying in 2012.

b

Yee-Haw!

Something strange is happening to me?

I have never been a fan of country western music

or rodeos with all the cowboy hats and boots,

but... 

I love this bag in this fabric!

I'm calling it the Wild West I bag

made by the Dakota Maid.

I purchased several more western fabrics the same day...

so stay tuned right here at this station.

b



blogging

When I began this blog in March of 2010 I didn't know it would be such a long term project

and I rather hastily chose a name for it...

knit and pearl.

Knit because I like to knit and pearl because our cat Pearl likes to watch me knit.

I know it seems to be less about knitting than other things I also enjoy doing,

like cooking, sewing, spending time with family,

or just showing you mr. b's house projects.

Maybe I should have called it

'Life With Pearl'?

or 'Pearl and I'?

But no, I just don't have the heart to change my blog title and start over.

Both our cats have been enjoying this new floor project,

but it's an exhausting job being the foremen.

"Pearl! Wake up I'm talking about you!"

You won't catch Birdie sleeping on the job.

She's always on the watch for intruders,

like those granddaughters that like to come over and disrupt her peace and quiet.

And I have been knitting...

Poor little Daisy dolly, just waiting to be put together and a face.

b

show and tell

summer postcard...

These marigolds were so pretty at daughter knit and pearl's,

planted in an old enamel wash basin and sitting on the wall by their rock garden.

b

Life is Grand

I enjoy using these flavored oils...

makes me feel like a gourmet chef in the kitchen.

You have a Grand weekend!

b



handy

What would you turn your oven on for on a hot day?

Fresh peach pie?

For the fantastic guy installing a new floor in my dining room?

That would be my Mr b...

he's pretty handy to have around the house I tell you.

b



guilty pleasures

I confess...

I love chili dawgs!

Any ol' cheap hot dog will work,

Hormel chili with cheese melted into it,

a little catsup on top and I'm in dawg heaven, yum.

Don't even ask me to choose between a chili dog or a steak!

Hands down its a chili dawg for me.

Now where's my Lipitor?

b

back to school

Are you ever to old for new school supplies?

The cute plastic Tinker Bell pencil case is perfect for my on the go

 small knitting and crocheting supplies,

the granddaughters can always use new markers

and 10 cent notebooks! Who can walk away from a bargain?

School starts here tomorrow, where did the summer go.

b



monkey'n around

I mostly monkeyed around this weekend with new projects...

a new bag, it's looking very cute and I can't wait to show it here,

a sweet knitted doll,

and this pillow case...

When the granddaughters were here last time one of them requested a monkey pillow case.

Needless to say I've been on the lookout every since for monkey fabric.

Grandpa spotted it this weekend and grandma whipped it up in 20 minutes.

I don't know how anyone could sleep with all this monkey business going on?

b



jammin'

I have been craving peach preserves on my morning toast...

and so easy with only three ingredients.

Move over Smucker's!

There's a new name in town...Dakota Maid

b

contests

Another bag...

Daughter knit and pearl bought the fabric at a quilt shop as part of a mystery project.

Customers bought a grab bag of fabric to be sewn together as they desired.

Projects were returned to the quilt shop to be displayed

 with a winner determined by customer votes. Fun huh? 

back side

Two panels were included which I used for the front and back

 with four complimentary pieces included.

Some of my favorite colors!

Well, I didn't complete my project in time for the contest...

a little thing like daughters wedding interfered.

And I am about the most non-competitive person I know.

What do you think? Is the bag a winner?

Send your votes right here...

b

cast iron tacos

Get out your cast iron frying pan...

we're making Indian tacos!

No bread making skills needed here if you have a bread machine.

Use a basic white bread recipe and hit the dough button on your machine.

Then comes the time-consuming chore of rolling out each shell to fry in your pan.

I rarely make these so they are another treat at our house.

Indian tacos is one of the first things I crave

 when the tomatoes are ripe from my garden.

Would you believe I like salad dressing instead of sour cream on mine?

Can you say "calories"?

b



August favs

I love you August!

An abundance of sweet corn...

a crate of fresh peaches means having all the peaches we can eat until they're gone!

(then I'll buy another crate.)

Tomatoes are turning red...

neighbor offered cucumbers out of their garden...

and finally the days are cooler.

Yep, I love August

(but really September is my first love) b



sweet dreams

Thinking it's time to put away my beach themed pillowcase.

 I loved the colors in this fabric when I saw it,

soft and romantic.

After making dozens of pillowcases I discovered french seams.

I did french seams on a swim suit I made a hundred years ago for myself in high school,

and I don't remember french seams being this easy?

I'm hoping for some sweet dreams when I use this pillowcase. b



Sunday mornings

ahhhh...

 Sunday mornings are the best. b



the devil vs me

The devil made me do it...

so good still warm out of the oven

 and Mr. b earned a treat...

it's so nice to have a man around the house! b

loose ends

I've been trying to tie up a few loose ends

before I begin new projects...

(Don't call your optometrist! top picture is just blurry)

Little models would have been more fun huh?

These short-sleeved midriff sweaters were easy to knit.

I had knit one when I decided I didn't like the yarn, too scratchy,

 and waited to purchase a softer worsted weight.

So actually I ended up knitting three of these.

I love the 'popsicle' colors I used and that ruffle along the bottom.

b

bag lady

This bag is a trial run before I begin cutting into a more expensive piece

 of fabric I bought to make out of the same pattern.

It was a lot of fun to make and I think it turned out extremely cute.

I am putting a $49 price tag on it with a warning...

the next ones I make will be priced higher.

An unreal amount of time is spent making them.

My label is "Dakota Maid"...

if you see it the next time you're shopping on Rodeo Drive in Hollywood

 you know I made it big time! b



harvest

I love
harvest time in South Dakota...

b

ghosts?

 Mr. b and I decided to take a drive in the country to celebrate the fact that it is raining again.

Photographing rain is not easy you know so skip the quality of the photo and look closely at what I believe may be a couple of intruders in my picture.

go ahead and enlarge it, they're still there!

And I think I see a few more heads there!

Spooky huh?  b



mama's swimming hole

This ain't you're mamas swimming hole!

I'm remembering my families move from Lennox SD, where we had a 'cement pond', to Wessington Springs SD that only had a spring-fed dugout. I was pretty devastated at the age of 12. It looked like a swamp to me.

Well... I got over it and grew to love that ol' swimming pond

with it's illegally high diving board and midnight swims.

After all, it's where me and my Mr. b began our life long journey.

Our little granddaughters love the water and I'm glad swimming pools like these are available to them. b

Life's a Beach

Wow! I better get going if I'm going to finish my summer reading list.

I simply can NOT be reading beach books when summer ends!

b



breadsmith

I've died and gone to heaven!

A loaf of peach bread from Breadsmith...

b



one of those days

Ever have one of those days?

A frozen margarita makes any day better.

b

flower child

One of our little granddaughters is just crazy about flowers!

She just can't resist admiring and picking them.

I thought it was cute when her and her sister

 started calling themselves Daisy (as in duck) and Minnie (mouse).

Our little flower child was appropriately Daisy.

With her nose to the ground she's always on the lookout for a posy.

 No flowers in her path?

 She's picking furry weeds and leaves, ha.

Grandma and her girls went outside

 and picked one of everything in our yard for a bouquet...

and yes, the bouquet had to include a few very pretty weeds.

Us three girls were very proud of our beautiful bouquet

 and stopped to admire and smell it every chance we got.

b

hot hot hot

Wow! It's been hot here again, days on upon days.

I don't care for summer much,

but I do enjoy...

reaping the rewards of my small garden,

the sound of cicadas at dusk,

corn on the cob,

watching the granddaughters at the pool...

(they were here this weekend)

a new rosebud,

iced coffee,

 sheets and bath towels on the clothesline,

chili dawgs,

an ocean vacation,

and lemon ice from Culvers...

 Mr. b always orders it with strawberries and raspberries for me!

b