coloring my world

Have you seen all the cute colors on etsy?

They looked like lots of fun 

so I ordered some molds all the way from China.

I know, "What's different about goods from China right?"

Aren't these little dinosaurs cute?

Or how about all these robots?

The molds can be used for other things also...candies, soaps

So if you're in my neighborhood and would like to make crayons

come on over, bring your own crayons of course.

I got mine at the dollar store.

b

don't thump your melon

I love any kind of melon

but it is these little melons I'm talking about today...

The granddaughters love their little bikes

and go round and round on them in the garage.

They picked out their own helmets...

aren't they just too cute!

When those training wheels come off

 I bet grandpa remembers to move his vehicle.

He will recall our son's first solo flight on his bike...

First he sideswiped the neighbors highway patrol car

 before landing in another neighbor's bushes.

No one was hurt and we had a good laugh over it.

b

Goodbye snow!

Today is the kind of beautiful (finally!) day

 that I just want to walk out the office door and keep walking...

the birds are chirping and

the grass and tulips can see the sun again.

 

 I'll spend the weekend indoors with my sewing machine

but I will be sure to open the windows to hear the birds.

I love this assortment of pinks and I'm thinking a small quilt?

As in dolly.

Daughter knit and pearl loves her Disney.

She shared this half yard piece with me.

I like any fabric with words on it...

but Mickey is cute too.

Happy weekend to y'all

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mitered corners

I have resigned myself to the fact

 that there is no way I will ever get all the flannel pieces

 I have stored away put together with crocheted edges.

What's that old saying?

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

That is what my mountain of flannel reminds me of...

good intentions.

So this is the project I began yesterday.

Mitered corners receiving blankets.

A quick and fun project.

And a super sweet gift.

Guess what? 

I think spring might finally be here....shhh.

b

Dakota Baby?

More of our weekend projects...

Daughter knit and pearl and I sat down together Saturday

to make baby shoes.

We made our first pair and was hooked on them.

Two heads are always better than one

and it's really fun to sew together with this exuberant girl.

She makes me step out of my comfort zone.

She threatened to take my newest sewing machine if I don't

begin using it with the decorative stitches I bought it for.

Aren't these sailboats sweet?

We have our heads together for a new venture on etsy.

But she's a busy girl so be patient.

b

earth day

The Dakota Maids have been busy

 sewing earth-friendly tote bags.

Made out of duck cloth or a drapery weight fabric

they sew up quickly.

They fold up for you to store in your purse 

to take out when shopping...

leaving those awful plastic store bags behind.

Daughter knit and pearl and I enjoyed picking up

a few new fabrics this past weekend.

These are just a couple of them.

We think they are eco-sweet.

b

retreat

We traveled to North Dakota this weekend for a short retreat

and to see our daughter and son-in-law.

The guys did a little bird hunting on the wii

while us ladies set up our sewing sweatshop on the kitchen table.

Like me she loves baby cottons and flannels...

we worked on baby shoes and pacifier pouches.

Saturday we drove over to Valley City to check out

The Quilted Ceiling.

We both gave it a 10.

I don't normally find main street stores as 

inviting as the quaint shops set up in houses.

But this shop incorporated a little homey ambiance 

among-st the hundreds of fabric bolts.

I loved this old metal kitchen sink and stove.

If you're ever in the area check them out...

tell them the Dakota Maids sent you.

b

visitors

Look who had a visitor recently...

Edward's cousin Theodore was here.

Theodore is a little dotty...

if you know what I mean?

It was hard to get a word in with Theodore flapping his beak constantly.

He had all the current news about their pond friends.

But they had a good visit...

 before Theodore had to return home.

I think it brought a smile to Edward's face don't you?

b

Joe

The best part of waking up...

is Dark Canyon coffee.

(with my favorite hazelnut creamer)

Sorry Folgers,

but thanks for the song.

Another BEST thing about Dark Canyon coffee...
it is sold at The Quilt Shop
in Chamberlain SD.
Coffee and fabric! It doesn't get much better than that.

It seems I finished this scarf in time for winter after all.
We are once again in a winter storm warning...
four to eight more inches of snow.

b

Monday fav

My new kitchen favorite...

Hola Mrs. Dash!

This is so good...

I had it on a rather dull lettuce salad and no kidding...

it was as good as a fully loaded taco salad.

b

Prom Time

The fact that it's prom time here

and that I ran across this old photo while digging for another one...

well,

I thought it would bring a smile to your face.

It did mine.

Wow! I loved this dress.

Mom had a seamstress make it for me...

Helen Holten was her name.

It is made of two layers

with the top being a dotted swiss.

Remember dotted swiss?

Yellow must have been my favorite color back then too...

back then being 1970!

And is that an orchid corsage he bought me?

He being the same Mr. b. I am still madly in love with 43 years later.

I carried an orchid when we got married in 1972.

I wonder how high my hairdo really is?

b

Thursday Barb-servations

Mother Nature left us some (actually a lot) winter again...

don't you dare call it a spring storm

cuz it looks like winter to me!

This snow sculpture on our patio table

is pretty and weird at the same time...

we were like how did that happen?

This poor little guy showed up at my office door 

this noon as I was leaving for lunch.

With all this snow on the ground I'm sure he is quite lost.

I would have invited him to lunch...

but do weasel's like ham and bean soup?

And last but not least...

Happy Birthday to my sister,

I hope you're having a grand day.

b

Day Two

Day two of this storm had me hunting down a pattern

I bought a year ago.

Yes, there is a little back up in my sewing room,

which is the reason I don't take special orders.

This Dilby Duckling pattern had me scratching my head at times,

the pattern was not always quite clear.

Honestly...

by the time I got him finished 

he thought his name was

"Damn Duck"

See that frowny face?

I think he finally came out adorable...

and I'll have to give him a nice name soon.

Maybe Edward?

b

friendships

Spending a day at home due to a raging blizzard is a rare luxury.

So before I settle in front of the fireplace with my knitting

I made myself a cup of friendship tea.

Some refer to it as Russian tea

but I prefer friendship because that is how I got the recipe.

Friendship Tea

2 c. Tang

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. instant tea

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

It will keep in a glass container a long time.
 I like 1-2 tsp. in my cup.

Thanks Joyce!

b

museums

Spending four hours in a museum is a record for me.

A am not much a museum person, to slow going I suppose.

 But watching our granddaughters go through the

 Children's Museum Saturday was pure delight..

Remember having a Lite Brite when you were a kid?

This place is a marvelous place for children...

the sky was the limit.

A diner complete with play food, counter and stools, kitchen...

Don't you love the apron and hat here?

I think the grocery store was the sweetest...

shopping carts, bakery, cash registers.

There was a theater with costumes for the kids

 and a news counter with videos for kids to watch themselves on.

A teepee...

vegetable garden, chicken coop and

a sod house fully furnished for that period.

Our girls went right to work in the auto repair shop

 complete with a car they could work over and under.

Would you believe I forgot my camera at home?

This place, with two cute girls in tow, was a bloggers dream!

(Thank goodness for cell phone cameras.)

We ordered lunch in the museum cafe. 

The grilled cheese sandwich came in the shape of a face.

 What was grandpa thinking about when he ate the pickle mouth!

 The girls were not impressed to see that.

The museum used to be a school that has been renovated.

What a brilliant idea for kids.

We never did make it out to see the dinosaurs.

 But that will give us an excuse to go back...

with my camera!

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