stir it up...

Things I would like to stir up this holiday weekend...

- rain

- cooler temps

- a loaf of oatmeal raisin bread

- a little fabric shopping

- sewing

- reading

- a good movie

- embroidery (I'm loving these four sack towels lately)

- a family potluck...

- a little cleaning, but it's definitely on the bottom of my list.

What are you stirring up this weekend?

~b

Thanks...

I thought I would like to give my sister-in-law

a little "thanks for coming to see us" gift

and came up with this.

I hope she likes an embroidered flour sack towel 

like I do...

with a knitted dish rag made from 100% organic cotton.

I've had this coffee themed fabric for quite awhile...

finally decided to make mug rugs with it.

Cute huh?

And I get to practice my machine quilting.

Throw in a pound of Dark Canyon coffee

and I'm out the door.

I hope she likes it.

~b

little brother

I have two brothers...

little brother

and big brother.

(And two sisters.)

Well...little brother is in the state.

We get to see him once a year is all,

not enough.

He has to come over the Colorado Rocky mountains to see us.

I've driven those mountains a couple of time...

just about burned out a set of brakes the one trip.

1973

He is the funny man in our family...

can you tell?

We had a great time growing up together.

If we weren't tormenting each other 

we were tormenting someone else...

probably our parents.

Tonight we will get together for annual chili dawg supper.

I had to break it to him years ago that I prefer

hotdogs over steak.

Now he thinks we aren't really related.

~b

I'm melting...

100 degrees in the shade at noon!

Yes...I'm melting.

~b

backyardigans

It's rough being a kid these days right?

If anyone can find a bargain...

It's our daughter-in-law.

And this bargain made for the perfect fun

on a hot afternoon.

I was tempted to see what the weight limit was on the slide...

by why depress myself.

~b

Impetuous

It came to me this morning...

that I am about the most impetuous person I know.

Impetuous - Moving with great force; acting with or 

characterized by sudden or rash energy; passionate; ardent.

Yesterday while reading this book...

It's the third book in the series.

Not to bad...very light reading.

But they talked about Dark Mother Bread....

so I stop what I'm doing to look this bread up on the internet.

I love having the internet at my fingertips at all times.

This is what it had to say about the bread-

At Mabon, we celebrate the goddess in her aspect as the crone, or the Dark Mother. She is Demeter, she is  Hecate, she is the wise old woman wielding a scythe rather than a basket of blooming flowers. This honey wheat blend is a delicious way to celebrate the end of the harvest and say farewell to the fertile months of summer. Serve warm with herbed oils for dipping, or with a big scoop of apple butter.

So, being the impetuous person I am...

I headed to the grocery store in order to make the bread with the freshest ingredients.

What's the point of making homemade bread with stale ingredients?

I'm blaming all of this on the beautiful full moon we had last night.

Note to self: Learn how to take moon shots or stop trying.

I had my Dark Mother Bread rising by 6 p.m. (after work)

and I headed out to mow grass...

go barb go!

By 9:30 we were enjoying a warm slice of homemade bread

with peanut butter and honey.

~b

I want more...

Summer is like a trip to the ocean...

it only leaves you wanting more.

~b

Schnibbles

from my sewing room.

I finally started cutting 3" squares

from all the scraps I have been saving.

 I love quilts made out of small squares.

Dakota Maid is going to start adding these to their zippers.

Sweet right?

I have no idea what I am going to do with these

 half yard pieces cut from sheets. 

But whatever it is I will be sure to add the words...

eco friendly...

repurposed...

upcycled...

and maybe even organic and vegan.

It's definitely the IN thing to do.

Dolly is getting new school clothes.

She may even be the best dressed dolly in her class.

~b

bust'n

I'm doing some stash bust'n over at Dakota Kids...

Time to make room for some new flannel prints.

Like they say...

"Out with the old

and in with the new."

We are offering a great price on these bibs.

Check them out in our etsy shop...

Dakota Kids.

~b

First Day

Kindergarten...

A super happy day for the little student...

(1983)

and a huge day of reflection for parents.

(1984)

Let me tell you parents this...

The day your children leave home for college will be worse 

for you than their first day of kindergarten...

and that day will come faster than you ever expected it to.

~b

perusing?

Is that a word? Perusing?

Have to look it up quick, can't help it...

it's the proofreader in me.

Is proofreader one word or two?

Where was I?

Oh, I was perusing the internet yesterday...

with 2 sewing projects in the works

when I spotted a free pattern for 

American Girl hospital gowns.

(I brake for anything free)

It's already 7 p.m. and I have been sewing

ALL day long on a couple of skirts that have been 

ruffling my feathers...

I mean skirts with lots of ruffles.

Two little doll hospital gowns would be easy...

but I always have to go one step further.

(Or is it farther?)

I uncovered my German made sewing machine,

(I call it my Mercedes Benz)

the one that will do printing...

(I love printing on projects)

and sewed the name of the hospital that our little grand's

mommy works at on the gowns.

I'm beginning to love these dolls

and all their clothes. ~b

Bonjour amis

This pot is my new friend in the kitchen...

Isn't she a beauty? They call this color cherry.

While most of my kitchen friends were made in China...

this pot comes all the way from France.

I looked up Le Creuset...

it means

"The Crucible" in french.

Mom had a yellow cast iron pot like this forever.

Man us kids hated cleaning that pot.

I can't believe that after all those years 

I would even consider buying one.

I'll have to try to remember to use it only on the nights

 that Mr. b does the dishes.

It went from stove top to oven

for Swiss steak.

Wait a minute...do the Swiss and French get along?

You bet they do...

the steak was merveilleux

Amis d'au revoir ~b

basil

I went out to my little raised garden in hopes of getting 

a few more tomatoes...

...they are ripening so slow with all this cool weather

And when I looked over at the basil

 in the granddaughter's little fairy garden...

(did you know fairies like basil?)

...I was instantly hungry for homemade tomato basil soup.

I made basil paste to freeze until...

I can combine the two for soup. ~b

runway

New on the runway...

No, it's not clothing fashion I'm interested in...

more like arts and crafts...

I ordered the "kiss" clasps for these little coin purses

from Hong Kong awhile back...

and just never had the nerve to try them.

It's takes the right frame of mind for me 

to dig into something this new.

 I have a "thing" for little coin purses.

I'm sure it goes back to my childhood.

If you had a quarter in a little coin purse like these you had enough

money for a comic book and candy bar.

~b

Good things...

fresh sweet corn...finally

a baby quilt ready to quilt...

watch for this one to be listed in our new

Dakota Kids etsy shop.

a fun new pattern on a flour sack towel...

oh dear, how do I get these factory wrinkles out?

and I saved the best for last...

two sweet granddaughter's

 in homemade dresses from grandma.

~b

Three fats and a bat

Yup, that's all this little bag took to make...

three fat quarters and a little batting from my stash.

Just 7" x 8" x 2"

it's the perfect little bag

 to carry your cell phone in that front pocket

a little cash, your keys and sunglasses.

The strap is extra long to wear across you neck.

The flower on the front is a sweet little add on.

~b

Part 2

More golf tee bags...

I really enjoyed picking out masculine fabric.

It was a real change for me.

I will have to wait and see if there's a market for these

until I make any more.

;) b

etiquette

This salad is probably my favorite salad.

I wish I could share the recipe but it isn't mine to share...

Our daughter-in-law gave it to me.

And this got me to thinking about recipe etiquette...
Do you share recipes?

1. I never EVER pass on an old family* recipe.

(*A family recipe is one that has been in your family

 for at least three generations. A vow of secrecy

 must be taken to even give it to another family member.)

2. If someone was kind enough to share a recipe with you...
ask their permission to give it out.

3. Don't claim it if it isn't your own. In other words don't put your name on it.

4. If you won't share recipes...don't ask for recipes.

That said...
I will tell you that you can go on-line
 and find a dozen recipes for this Asian salad.

~b

hawgs*...

and lots of them!

(*Harley Davidsons)

Keep an eye out for them on the road.

The last few days has been a constant roar on

Interstate 90 with Sturgis Rally goers.

We have never been there in the thick of it...

it is party central for several weeks in the Black Hills.

Mr. b says we should go sometime...

NO THANKS.

This girl never learned how to party,

and it's definitely to late now.

We love to stand on the interstate overpass

 and watch them cruise by.

They are friendly on their way to Sturgis...

but are pretty cranky heading back 

after days of living on the wild side.

Love this yellow bike!

But no helmet?

5 bikers have already met their maker

on the highway to Sturgis.

And it has only just started.

Yup...no thanks.

~b

rhu...barb

My weekend...

1. I worked on numerous sewing/knitting projects. 

This appliqued/embroidered flour sack towel turned out super cute.

  I love anything chicken.

2. Daughter knit and pearl brought me fresh rhubarb last weekend.

I couldn't believe I was making a rhubarb dessert,

(rhubarb crunch) in August!

3. Pulled a few weeds in the granddaughter's fairy garden.

It's finally beginning to look pretty...

I planted it really late.

4. My first squash blossom.

Remember me telling you a few posts back that

I threw a decayed squash in the garden last winter?

And it is now blooming. Is it too late?

Will I still get a few squash from it?

~b