Full Steam Ahead

Mr. b treated me to a filet-o-fish this noon.

I know...

you gotta love a guy that knows what you like.

And as I was enjoying my fish I was studying the box.

Have I said I am a huge multitasker?

It reminded me of the cute fish fabric

 I purchased a few weeks ago.

You guessed it...

I barely had time to enjoy my sandwich

 before I headed to my sewing room.

"Gone Fishing" baby bib and burp cloth set for our Dakota Kids shop.

Daughter Knit and Pearl ordered labels for our shop...

aren't they cute?

~b



deEp freeZe

2 degrees?

Really!

 

 

These temps will have you looking

 for your thickest pair of wool slippers.

 

 

I mixed these up a little.

It helps when you have to knit two of the same.

 

 

I knit Mr. b a pair too.

 

 

Stay Warm!

 

~b

 

 



Sweet

Daughter knit and pearl and I joined the

Sweetwater Label Crew.

 

 

Remember here...I do NOT like clubs.

 

But this one I love!

 

Once a month Sweetwater sends me a label

 and pattern like both of these projects I did.

I also receive a label with my name on it every month.

The fee is minimal.

 

 

So I "say I love you" to Sweetwater

and I "share with others"

about this fun label club.

 

Go check them out!

http://www.thesweetwaterco.com/?product_cat=sweetwater-label-crew

 

 

~b



foreigners

The granddaughters asked me to knit (crochet) them these animals...

and I put them off as long as I could.

I now know why!

 

 

The pattern writer is from the Netherlands and most of the time

her instructions made no sense to this English crocheting grandma.

 

 

I think I learned my lesson.

NO more foreign patterns for me!

 

 

I'm sure the girl's will love them...

(for a day or two.)

 

So for the next few days...

 

 

  I will stick with what I know best.

 

~b

 

 

 



Riley Blake

It didn't take me long to cut into

my pile of Riley Blake flannels.

 

 

Can you blame me?

The COLORS!

The SOFTNESS!

The PATTERNS!

 

 

Raggy quilts are fairly simple to make.

And did I mention FUN?

 

 

It will make the perfect blankie for Mr. Bunny...

 

 

until the blankie sells

and Mr. Bunny goes to his new home.

 

~b



The pits

I have been on a quest for the perfect deodorant.

 

I wanted something natural...THAT WORKS!

 

 

You just never know what's in my mixing bowl.

 

I stumbled across this recipe for homemade deodorant.

 

Non-Toxic Lasting Organic Deodorant

 

6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch

 

Combine equal portions of baking soda and arrowroot powder.

 

Slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon or hand blender until it maintains a firm but pliable texture. It should be about the same texture as commercial deodorant, solid but able to be applied easily. If it is too wet, add further arrowroot powder/cornstarch to thicken.

 

You can either scoop this recipe into your old deodorant dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. Makes about 1 cup. This recipe lasts about  3 months for two people with regular daily use.

 

Source: Heal Thyself

 

 

Verdict: I love it! It works! It's all natural...

and organic.

 

The summer months will be the true test of course...

 

~b



winter blues

 

Every February it happens.

 

 

Lack of sun and lack of fresh air...

 

 

Gives me the winter blues.

 

 

I think you all know what I'm talking about...

 

 

Is anyone else feeling blue too?

 

~b

 

 



Mac's

I sometimes find inspiration

 for my next project in the darndest places.

 

 

Mr b is a hardware nut...

he loves to browse a good hardware store.

 

 

He made a special trip back to this one

 to show me the large display of old soda pops.

 

 

And

they had reproduction vintage toys.

Which is where my next project idea came from.

 

 

I almost bought a rabbit similar to this one

when daughter knit and pearl whispered,

"Mom, you can make one like it."

 

 

So, I did!

 

 

Thanks Mac!

 

~b

 

 



Jungle Baby

New listings in our Dakota Kids shop...

 

 

...finally!

 

 

There just isn't enough time in a day

to squeeze in all the fun I want to have.

 

~b

 



Dakota Kids

We (daughter and I) did a lot of fabric shopping

 for our Dakota Kids shop this weekend.

 

 

All flannels...

 

 

...so soft and sweet!

 

 

Lots of new burp rags and bibs...

 

 

and quilts.

 

 

Stay tuned...

 

~b

Happy Birthday to my Mr. b today...

who puts up with my fabric addiction.



FYI

Daughter Knit and Pearl and I had a little time to kill

 before we hit one of our favorite quilt shops in Valley City, North Dakota

when we drove by this library.

I can spot a Andrew Carnegie library a mile away.

 

 

Isn't it beautiful?

And no camera with me!

We snapped this with a cell phone.

 

A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929.

At first, Carnegie libraries were almost exclusively in places where he had personal connection. This would change in 1899. In later years few towns that requested a grant and agreed to his terms were refused. By the time the last grant was made in 1919, there were 3,500 libraries in the United States, nearly half of them built with construction grants paid by Carnegie.

 

The inside of this library was even more beautiful

 with it's thousands of books lined up on oak shelves.

 

 

 I'll be making a trip back to this little burg with camera in hand
to be able to show you the inside of this fabulous library.

I've been lucky enough to live in two locations that had Carnegie libraries...
Wessington Springs, South Dakota and Audubon, Iowa.
Both still function as libraries.

Can you tell I love libraries?

~b

 



gnarly

I stepped out of my comfort zone to knit these cable mittens.
Working with a cable needle on double point needles?
= slow going for me.

 

 

Pattern writer Faye Perriam described them as a super cozy, chunky,

 unisex pair of cabled mittens you can knit up in a weekend.

Constantine Mittens on Ravelry

 

I knit mine with Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool

in birch tweed.

The colors remind me of this old gnarly tree in our front yard

that Mr. b keeps around for his little feathered friends.

 

 

A lot of birds can weather-out a storm in this tree's hollow branches.

 

 

I love these mittens and they fit Mr. b.

 

 

 

 

~b

 

 

 

 



Be Kind

A pair of baby shoes...

 

 

for yesterdays gift basket.

 

 

Sometimes it takes me longer to pick out fabrics

than to make the actual project.

 

 

This saying...

so true isn't it?

 

 

Won't these look cute on some baby?

 

~b



pinkalicious

A gift basket for baby and mom...

 

 

filled with pinkalicious.

 

 

burp rags

 

 

 bibs!

 

 

I've even included a tag toy.

 

 

I may have to include a pair of my pink knitted booties?

I always get carried away with these projects.

 

 

I whipped up a couple extra drooler bibs for the granddaughter.

 

 

A girl can never have enough pink can they?

 

~b