Wednesday, February 29, 2012

all business

Wow!
How important is this?
My very own business card...


in its very own holder.
I have an excellent business manager/partner
that got our cards worked up and ordered...
cheap too!


This holder, my first, needs some tweaking.
So it's back to the drawing board in
my sewing studio to rework.
b

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

coffee burlap bag

This is the second burlap coffee bag I made...


Mr. b was forced to hand over a pair of his denim jeans for this one.
I love the pairing of burlap and denim.
And that shiny button all the way from Italy!


The bag innards are denim and pillow ticking...
 like grandma used to stuff with feathers.

Sewing through all these heavy layers made for some difficult work.
My old Singer was huffing and puffing.

Dakota Maid Shop Update:
 bibs, dish rag and waffle weave towel went out in the mail today.
Our bibs are a shop bargain, and so soft and sweet.

just saying...b


Monday, February 27, 2012

No David!

Granny...
and Gramps
made it to the granddaughters Saturday.

When the guys went off to the golf expo
Grandma entertained the girls with a couple of their favorite books.


The books are about David who is a very naughty boy...
and what girl doesn't enjoy a book about a naughty boy?


This page always gets a big laugh out of us!

There are lots of good lessons to be learned from the books.
Don't skateboard in the house...
pick up your toys...
 don't play with your food.
and more.

I have a brother named David...


that these books could have been written about.
He was a very naughty boy growing up.
He kept us entertained, still does.
b

Friday, February 24, 2012

move it!

 Hey! guess what day it is?


No it's not Monday,
 had you scared for a minute didn't I?

It's Friday!


Time to "Move It!"


And if this weather straightens up...


We'll be seeing the granddaughters.
Boy do these girls like to "move it"


This grandma never goes empty handed...
I think I'll hide these in my knitting bag
 and see how long it takes them to find them.
Grandma likes to tease...
b



Thursday, February 23, 2012

healthy living?

I think not...


I felt the urge to keep working on my bread making skills yesterday.
Can't let that yeast and flour get old can I.

My recipe does have a cup of  healthy oatmeal in it...
I think it counter-attacks the butter and sugar.


I'm not ready to enter them in the State Fair yet...
but almost.

They went perfect with this pot of
beef stew about ready to go into the oven.


b


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

secrets

It's no secret where I'll be when the snow starts a flyin'


Yup...
in my brand new custom fit to my behind only
leather recliner.


And if your name isn't Barb
and you're NOT knitting,
well then...
you need to keep your behind out of my chair!
b


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

classics

"When a new book is published,
read an old one."
-Samuel Rogers


Wow! Was I happy when I recently saw these classics
in a give-away pile of books.


"Little Women"...

the first book I checked out as a young girl
with a new library card.


So thrilled then...
so thrilled now.

I was actually trying to buy this same book
on ebay not that long ago!
b


Monday, February 20, 2012

"Tara" Tote

I just listed my newest bag...
the "Tara" Tote
on Etsy.


I've been admiring bags made out of recycled coffee burlap bags
 for quite awhile now.
I actually bought two burlap bags in a farm store over a year ago.
Can you tell I am a huge procrastinator?

The back of the bag is a different design...
love that frog!


The inside of bag is also very sweet...


I know what I like in a bag
and this is it.
b



Friday, February 17, 2012

Who

Look what the airhead is modeling for me today...

This stocking hat will be super warm and soft
 in the chunky alpaca yarn I used to knit it in.
Aren't the little owls cute?

It was fast and easy in this child's size.
I can't wait to get to the shop
 to buy another skein of yarn.
Maybe a shade of blue?
b

Thursday, February 16, 2012

gadgets

The newest addition to our kitchen gadgets is this food saver...
Mr. b's birthday present from myself.


We stocked up on these green peppers that were on sale,
 chopped them up and bagged to freeze.

I think we will get our money back on this appliance.
I hate using food out of the freezer with freezer burn
 and usually end up throwing it out.
This food saver should prevent that from happening -
thus $$ in our pockets.

Now back to our regularly scheduled show...
b


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

cluck cluck

I felt like I was reading "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"
while I tried to decided what size to sew these
chicken pin cushions.
One was to big with to little of tail feathers,


one had to big of tail feathers with to little of a comb?
Beaks were to low or to large.
Good Grief!
In the end...


I liked the first one I made with a little tweaking needed,
mainly beak and tail feathers.

Anyone need a goofy chicken pin cushion?
b

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

love

After all these years,
over 40 Valentine days together...


he still loves me!

If I were to write about marriage
I would write about
love, laughter and respect.


Hope you're having a lovely day...
b

Monday, February 13, 2012

mindless monday

My model is definitely mindless...


But I loved how this cabled headband turned out.
To bad I haven't needed it this winter.
 I wonder if I could take our savings from the heat bill
and shift them into my yarn account?
Just a mindless thought...b

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Wunnerful! Wunnerful!

It's Saturday night...
and while I was a young girl
 Saturday nights meant baths, the Lawrence Welk show
 and Gunsmoke.


In fact Lawrence Welk played here in his early days
 at the Casino Ballroom
beneath the large mirror ball
Now this was before my time of course.

Old timers here love to talk about weekend dances.
It was THE place to be.

Yup, Lawrence Welk and his
"Champagne Music"
didn't like it then...
still don't like it.
But it takes me back to a good time in my life.
b


Friday, February 10, 2012

A big one

Mr. b celebrated a big birthday today...
I'm afraid all our birthdays will be big from here on out.


I fret and stewed about what kind of cake to have...
chocolate or white?
How big did it need to be...
one or two layers?
Frosted or filled?


And then where to buy it!

Happy birthday hubs...
I love antiques!
b


Thursday, February 9, 2012

mornings

The best part of waking up everyday...


...is definitely coffee with my favorite creamer.
b


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

finally

A laundry detergent that will remove odors from clothing!

I like a bargain...
so I suppose I'm guilty of always looking
for the cheapest laundry detergent.
Well, the cheapest just never seems to remove odors from clothing...
until now.


This powder detergent cost me $12.63
and that means ONLY 8 1/2 cents a load!

It makes 16 lbs. of detergent = 150 loads

Laundry Detergent
3 bars Fels Naptha bar soap, grated
(can also use Ivory, Castile, Zote or another bar)
4 lbs. Borax
4 lbs. Arm & Hammer washing soda
4 lbs. Arm & Hammer baking soda

Mix and store in airtight container.
Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.
Makes NO suds but cleans super!

I found all the ingredients at the grocery store (one trip yay!)
I love this soap...b


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

together...

Hey!
I've got some fun and exciting news about my etsy shop...

(sorry my chicken bag is sold...
someone else likes chickens too.)

Daughter knit and pearl and I will be selling together
 in my (our) little DakotaMaid's etsy shop
to make it even more fun to shop.
She makes the cutest, sweetest baby stuff ever!


bib and burp cloth combo

Trust me...
you can NOT buy nice bibs and burp cloths in stores.
She will be selling hers at a very reasonable price.

There will be other fun items as well...
knitted dish rags (I love using these),
hand embroidered towels,
mug rugs,
quilted table runners, cloth napkins,
lap quilts
cowls and scarves,
pet treat bags and maybe even some treats!

Check us out,
we make a great team...b

Monday, February 6, 2012

art

It's so nice to see children's artwork displayed in our house again.
It has been quite a few years.


Our granddaughters were a little reluctant to give their hearts up...
after all they are beautiful!


Grandma kept their fingers busy this weekend
with these inexpensive beads from Hobby Lobby.
b


Friday, February 3, 2012

crazy stupid love

I'm in some serious trouble here...
Mr. b hooked me up last night
 to rent movies at home from Amazon.
I love love love to watch a good movie.
"Crazy Stupid Love" was somewhat corny for my taste
but I give it a two thumbs up.

And talking about love...


These little crocheted hearts are so fun and easy to make.

We are going to visit the granddaughters this weekend.
33 days of no grandchildren is a record for us.
At three-years-old they don't quite comprehend that we are 2 hours away.
I'm sure they're wondering if we've abandoned them...
b


Thursday, February 2, 2012

happy things

Five things that make me happy every day...

Morning coffee with my favorite creamer
Warm clothes just out of the dryer
Checking out my favorite blogs
Time spent in my sewing "studio"
A good movie late at night


Mary Engelbreit's art makes me smile...
b


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

February

It's February!
Or as I call it...
the longest month of the year.

But on the bright side...
we'll be celebrating Mr. b's birthday
and
Valentine's Day.

So in honor of the month I just had to start a pink project...


and the fact that I gave away
 my last pink baby flannel blanket this morning
prompted me to start crocheting on this sweet one.

Make it a "lovely" month...b