Monday, November 30, 2015

winter storm

With a winter storm on it's way
I'm looking for a new knitting project.
 
 
I finished this cable cowl this weekend.
Whew! It sat in my knitting basket a long time.

 
These Outlander Clan Cuff boot toppers worked up fast
despite having to make two of them.
Do you watch the  TV series Outlander?
I love it.
 
Now...I must get our Christmas tree up.
 
~b
 
 
 


Friday, November 27, 2015

Ball

We have really been enjoying this screen printing business/hobby.
 
 
Mr. b was a photo lab specialist in the Army.
It was good field, a safe field to be in
 while the Vietnam War was winding down.
 
 
There are similarities between photo developing and screen printing.

 
We are hoping these dish towels and tote bags are marketable.
 
~b
 


Thursday, November 26, 2015

thankful

While I was making dressing
 and thinking about it being just the two of us this year for Thanksgiving...
I thought back to my most memorable Thanksgiving.
 
As newlyweds and with Mr. b in the army we had just moved to New Jersey for his AIT training.
That is where we spent our first Thanksgiving together.
Service pay was pretty meager ($300 a month) and we hadn't proportioned our money very well.
With Thanksgiving at the end of the month
we found ourselves broke and with only a can of chicken noodle soup on our shelf.
 
Bradley Beach, New Jersey, 1972
 
I was terribly homesick anyway
 and finding myself so far from home on this holiday really made me blue.
 
After we shared our soup we headed to the shore (one block away)
where we discovered life was pretty darn good anyway.
 
That was many Thanksgivings ago and every one since has been good.
 
I am thankful for my family today.
 
Happy Thanksgiving from snowy South Dakota...
 
~b
 
 


Wednesday, November 25, 2015

farm living

Welcome to the farm!
Three more blocks for my Farm Girl Vintage Quilt.


farm fresh flower block
feed and seed block
 mama hen block
 
Isn't Mama Hen sweet?
She's happy to be a chicken this week
and not a turkey.
 
~b
 


Monday, November 23, 2015

thrilled

I love a new project...
the learning and challenge of it.
 
 
Burlap pillows...aren't they fun?
Mr. b screen printed the reindeer pillow.
He is doing a great job.
 
 
We make a good team.
 
 
The other two were logos cut from the same coffee burlap bags.
 
~b
 


Friday, November 20, 2015

snow what?

We woke up to snow this morning...
and I love snow!
Could it have anything to do with the fact
 that I was born in Alaska?
 
 
Snow also means the Christmas music is turned up 
while I sew Christmas projects.
These burlap socks turned out as cute as can be.
Mr. b screen printed "Let it Snow" on four of them for me.
Screen printing is his newest hobby
which will coincide with some of my projects perfectly.
 
 
These socks and more can be purchased at the
Prairie Preservationist in
Huron, SD.
 
~b


Thursday, November 19, 2015

aprons

A new apron for the holidays...
 
 
the perfect gift for a hostess don't you think?
 
 
This one shipped out of my little sewing sweatshop this morning.
 
 
It's a vintage pattern and fabric for a vintage girl.
I love that rick rack trim!
 
~b
 
 


Wednesday, November 18, 2015

life

 
 
A Life Well Lived
How will we be judged...
When our journey through life is o'er
And we stand before our maker
At the foot of heaven's door?
 
Will the gold and silver we possess
Be added to our score
Or will our shabby coat lead us
To be halted at the Door?
I believe a loving God
Will welcome all that lived... -
Beatrice Boyle
 
 
It was a difficult week as Mr. b and his brother and sister
buried their mother. She was 95 years old which meant it
was definitely a celebration of a life well lived.
 
~b
 

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

My vet...

 
1972 basic training
Fort Leonard Wood Military Training
Thank you Mr b.
 
~b

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

grandchildren

 
GRANDCHILDREN
make the world a little
softer, a little kinder,
a little warmer.
 
 
~b

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Friday

Today is farm girl Friday.
I'm winding down on the number of quilt squares I have left to do on my
Farm Girl Vintage Quilt and starting to wonder
 what large scale project I can attack next.
 
Iowa dairy barn
 
All farms need a large barn
 to keep their critters warm and dry.
 
 
Mine would have a quilt square painted on the front of it too.
 
 
Old red barn block - Out to pasture block
Grandma's quilt block.
 
~b
 


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

november days


november: the last month of autumn,
 but the beginning of a new adventure;
 time to take risks and do the
unexpected
 
~b
 
 

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Amish

When we found ourselves in Amish country this last trip...
we decided to do a little exploring.
 
 
Their lifestyle intrigues me...
we all know "simple" is better.
But how do you begin to de-clutter a life?
 
 
Mr. b said you can tell Amish homes...
they always have clothes on the line.
Maybe I am a little Amish then.
I definitely don't like my picture taken.
 
 
I checked out the local quilt shop
 just to see where those beautiful Amish quilts begin.
Sure enough, there were two Amish women buying fabric...
yards and yards of it.
 
winter star block
 
I picked out a few Amish colors for a Farm Girl Vintage quilt square.
I also bought a cookbook...
we agree that butter, cream and eggs
should be used in unlimited amounts.
 
 
 
~b
 


Monday, November 2, 2015

November

It's November already...time to talk turkey.
 
But first just a few words and photos from Halloween...
 
 
I walked along with the granddaughters
as they went trick or treating Saturday night....
and had lots of fun doing it.
 
 
There were a lot of homes that went all out to decorate their doorsteps for the kids.
Let me just say...the kids and I loved it.
Thank you!
 
And now we can talk turkey.
 
~b