leap day

February can be so fickle...

 

 

Saturday we enjoyed the day at the zoo.

Temperatures were in the 60's and all the animals were out.

 

 

Today I am sitting by the fire with three inches of snow predicted.

 

~b



Two men and a baby...

 

 

 

laying new carpet.

 

~b is for black and white

 

 

 

 

survival of the fittest

Hi! Thursday here on yet another dreary February day.

 

Last night I turned a gallon of milk into yogurt.

I call these experiments, "Just trying to get through winter."

 

 

I did a lot of research and chose a crock pot recipe

off of Pinterest that looked easy.

 

 

It's all about heat and temperature when making yogurt.

Make sure you have a good thermometer.

 

This morning we enjoyed it in my magic smoothies...

 

 

Tonight I will put it on my baked potato

and as a bedtime snack with homemade peach preserves.

 

~ b is for bon appetit

 

 

 

 

 



dolly

I wanted to show you this dolly and bassinet I made

 but had to wait until after Christmas.

 

Just in case our then 16-month-old granddaughter

 reads my blog right?

But then I gave it to her and forgot about it...
old age!

 

 

 

 

 

 

~b is for baby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



home

There's no place like home...

 

 

even if home is a chicken coop.

 

 

I finished these notebook covers before we headed north.

 

 

By the way...we had a great time.

 

 

Captured this cute yard art along the way.

 

~b

 



lights out

Shutting the light off in my little sewing sweatshop

for a couple of days...

 

 

We are headed north (almost to Canada)

to take a little break.

Never fear...

I'll be back.

 

~b is for bye



chic

I slept thirty minutes longer this morning...

a bad habit to be made I say.

 

I think I may have been dreaming about making these...

 

 

A good dream right?

 

 

I had to take an online crash course to make this fabric flower.

I can't wait to try a burlap flower.

 

 

It starts with a dream.

Add faith,

and it becomes a belief.

Add action,

and it becomes a part of life.

Add perseverance,

and it becomes a goal in sight.

Add patience and time,

and it ends

with a dream come true.

 

~b is for believe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



a stack

I shipped this stack of bibs out yesterday...

 

 

Three dozen and every one of them sweeter than the last.

 

 

 

~B is for baby

 



pottery barn

Mr. b made me...

well actually he made my sister

... a couple of blanket ladders.

 

 

He did a great job on them.

 

She will chalk paint them to sell in her shop

The Prairie Preservationist.

 

 

Pottery Barn sells them for over $200!

 

Do you suppose I can get him to make me one?

 

~b



scraps

Another project using scraps...

 

 

fabric twine.

 

When I square up my fabric pieces I always save the strips.

Needless to say these strips are piling up.

 

 

 

It looks a little bit like baker's twine.

 

It's a fun project!

 

 

Making it is addictive...I can't stop!

And I'm sure I will find a million uses for it.

 

~b

 

 

 



notebook covers 101

Wouldn't these be as cute as can be for a girl?

 

 

Or for you...

 

If you're like me...

 you have to write everything down or forget it.

 

 

~b

 

 



Happy Birthday to my CEO*...

*boss, supervisor and chief bottle washer.

 

 

That baby is now collecting social security!

 

 

It's amazing how time flies...

Life is good.

 

~b



butter

 

The taste of store bought butter lately has inspired me to make my own.

 

No...I didn't use Mother b's butter churn.

Although Mr. b can recall doing a lot of hand cranking with it as a boy.

 

You can find recipes for butter with detailed instructions online.

This is the one I used...

 

Homemade Butter

Ingredients

• 1 carrot (optional)
• 1/4 c. milk (optional)
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. (OPTIONAL) Peel and finely grate a carrot. Heat in small saucepan with 1/4 cup milk until milk is bubbly. Use a clean cheesecloth to strain orange-colored milk into the bowl of your stand mixer. Discard shredded carrot.
2. Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt. Cover mixer with a towel–trust me on this one, it will be messy! Turn mixer on high.
3. Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk, and the splashing will get much worse. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle.
4. Place a colander over a bowl, then strain the buttermilk off of the butter.
5. Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve with bread and enjoy!

 

Super easy with my Kitchenaid doing all the work for me.

 

I used the buttermilk from my butter to make Ranch dressing.

I could literally drink this dressing, it's that good.

 

 

I made honey butter with half of my butter

 and will use some for herb butter also.

 

 

And this folks...

is what makes me chubby and happy.

 

~b



 

 

 

 



blue

A blue state of mind...

 

 

 

 

 

 

internet image

 

~b

 

 

 

 



Happy Friday!

I've decided I like making these mini quilts...

 

 

and then turning them into book covers, pin cushions,

 zipper pouches and more.

 

 

Scraps don't get wasted in my shop.

 

 

Have a fantastic weekend.     ~b



Sample Wednesday

I have been thinking about a wrist pincushion for a long time.

I am always chasing my pincushion and scissors.

I didn't really want to make one and

I didn't want to pay for one either.

Nice ones are pretty expensive on Etsy.

 

What's a girl to do?

 

 

I told myself, "Just bite the bullet and make one."

 

I also learned paper piecing with this pattern.

 

 

"I did it."

crazy quilted wrist pincushion

 

And now that I have my sample made

Daughter Knit and Pearl

is sure to claim it.

I will have to make myself one won't I?

 

 

~b

 



warmer

I finished this cowl while I enjoyed my morning coffee...

chunky yarn and big needles.

 

 

Sometimes all you need is a little something extra

 around your neck to keep you warm.

 

 

 

internet image

 

~b