brrr

Oh baby...

 

 

 

 

...it's cold outside!

 

 

~b is for baby blankets

 

 



"Do you want to build a snowman?"

 

 

~b

 



Grandma's got company this weekend...

 

 

 

 

~b

flannel

I have spent the last two days organizing flannel pieces.

 

 

I separated it according to size...

blanket, bibs and burp cloths.

Little pieces are for shoes.

 

 

 I then begin cutting blocks for quilts...

five, three and two inch squares.

Selvage edges are used in crafts.

Bits and pieces are saved for the granddaughters to play with.

 

 

It has been confirmed

that I am a flannel hoarder of the worst kind.

 

 

Not a piece goes to waste in my little sewing sweatshop.

~b



winter's garden

 

Every gardener knows that under

the cloak of winter lies a miracle.

~Luther Burbank

 

 

...a woodpecker at the feeders that Mr. b

 keeps filled for his backyard feathered friends.

 

 

He built this roosting box

 and put it up just in time for todays snow storm.

 

~b



rug vs mat

Mug rug...

 

 

or candle mat?

 

 

You choose.

 

~b

 



slow days

January days are slow days for us...

of course our cat Birdie has slow days all year long.

Bird watching is hard work and calls for lots of naps.

 

 

Our weather has warmed up some

 and we are able to get out again to enjoy a country walk.

 

 

Have I said how much I love these carpenter boxes

 made by my own Dakota Man?

 

 

So vintage...

he stained these in ebony.

 

 

Winter days also make good candle making days.

 

~b is for business

 

 

 

surviving winter

It's the middle of January...

time to go into survival mode.

 

 

Caramel rolls definitely help!

 

New flannel for a baby blanket

and The Cottage Journal will get me by

for a few more cold days while being stuck indoors.

 

~b is for bored



Sea Bags

When we were in Portland, Maine this past fall

I saw Sea Bags being sold from a truck

and then again in a kiosk at the airport.

 

 

They make bags from old sails...

I love that idea!

 

 

They are spendy and I'm a tightwad.

 

 

So of course...

I came home and made my own version of their wristlet.

And until I come across an old sail in the middle of South Dakota

I will have to use nautical themed cotton fabric.

 

~b is for boat

 

 



fresh eggs

I dug out three fabric pieces I purchased

 last year while traveling through Iowa

to make this bag.

 

 

I can't resist novelty prints with chickens on it.

 

 

It has a top zipper...new to me.

At my age it is good to challenge the mind.

 

 

 

It may be hard giving this one up.

 

~b



Wake up

Look what Dakota Man brought up out of the cellar this morning...

 

 

 

New screen prints for the shop.

 

Who needs a new flour sack towel?

 

~b





Chef Antoine

It's no surprise that Dakota Man
 had a great December with his screen print items.

They make FUN gifts.

 

 

I enjoy working alongside with him.

We make a good team.

 

Stay tuned for some new prints soon.

 

~b



creative

Creative days...

 

 

 

I came across some small embroidered squares my mother had done...

beautiful handwork with tiny stitches

and incorporated them into a couple of fabric journal covers.

 

 

Any little scrap of embroidery would work.

Save those old vintage embroidered pillowcases to recycle.

 

 

I put my name on this one.

 

 

And anyone that knows me

knows that this is my mantra...

 

 

 

And that completes this week's quilting project

and my need to be creative.

 

~b is for build

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sharks

Well...

I definitely got these out of my system.

 

Shark pencil pouches

 

 

They were more difficult then I expected.

But you know I love a challenge.

 

 

As cute as can be though

don't you think?

 

 

I'm kind of crazy about pencil cases.

 

~b is for blue



wind chills

It's definitely an earflap hat day today...

and for the next several days.

 

 

A double layer of fleece over the ears

 will keep out those minus 19 wind chill temps.

 

 

Cute models huh?

These hats are pretty easy to whip up too.

 

 

What does this one remind you of?

 

 

 

Ralphie from the movie "A Christmas Story"?

 

 

Headed to market...

 

~b

 

 

2017

Did you remember to write 2017 today?

Repeat after me...

2017201720172017

 

 

I haven't made a tote bag for awhile.

 

Mr. b cut me that cute little aspen button for it.

 

 

I love the numbers on it!

 

2017201720172017

 

~b