2020

 December...

Happy New Year from knit and pearl.

~b

 Handmade gifts are the best.

An embroidered flour sack towel and a labeled jar containing Russian tea.

Simple and thoughtful.

Daughter knit and pearl knows me so well.

I have homemade simmering potpourri in my crockpot today.

Lemons, oranges, cinnamon sticks and cloves...such an after Christmas treat.

~b

do you want to build a snowman?

 I got back in my little sewing sweatshop today

 but first it took a lot of straightening and putting away.

My box of felted sweaters was in the way so that was the first thing I tore into.

cabin socks

Did you ever wear a pair of these as a kid?

I really had to work to get all the pattern pieces cut from this one sweater.

I shortened the leg cuff but it all worked into a great pair of slippers.

They will be perfect to put on after coming in from building a cold snowman.

~b

spritz

 Yesterday the granddaughters and I made Christmas spritz cookies.

Spritz cookies are traditional Christmas cookies in Scandinavian countries. They are simple butter cookies, shaped by putting the dough through a cookie press. The name comes from the German word spritzen, meaning "to squirt" because the soft dough is squirted or pushed through a cookie press to make fancy designs.

There was no time to stage cookies with these girls because they were going fast.

Do you use newspaper when you make cookies?

One of our 12-year-old granddaughters made deviled eggs while she was here 

confirming she is my granddaughter. I love them too.

Now grandma needs a long winter's nap.

~b

plans

 Angels from the ruins of an old barn

and Mr. b's woodshop.

Things are busy here today.

There's menu planning, topping off decorations, cleaning and 

the beginning of baking.

~b

Christmas

 Today I wish I could be a kid again

and excited about the fact the Christmas is almost here.

If it just didn't come so soon every year.

I want another month...but for me when it's over it's over.

Time to move on.

Mr. b's newest paint-by-number might just be my favorite...

well until the next one that is.

~b

Friday Post Card

I must have been thinking about The Polar Express 

when I took this photo several years ago 

in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

I have a long train trip on my bucket list.

~b

a seed is planted

Mr. b was talking to our son a couple of weeks ago

when he asked his dad if he had a wood lathe.

 He didn't but a week later he did. 

This was his first project with it using a piece of wood 

out of his bits and pieces pile.

                                                       With a little bit of paint 

I turned all three pieces into santas.

He's out in his woodshop today again so stay tuned.

~b

in the eye of the beholder

 I go to Michaels when I need crafts for the granddaughters.

Their prices are always reasonable with a discount on top of that.

These pictures were on a stretched canvas 

with paints, paint brushes and paint tray included.

They enjoyed painting and I loved sitting there visiting with them.

(I wish I would have bought one for myself.)

~b

sweater to socks

 These sweater socks are fairly easy and fast 

to make from a ruined sweater.

And who hasn't accidently put a wool sweater in the washer and dryer?

They are very warm with a double layer on the sole.

So go ahead and wash that sweater...

I dare you!

~b

Kermit

The granddaughters and I worked on some pretty wild sleep shorts 

last week while we were watching them.

One of them loves Kermit the frog and they are both crazy 

about their three cats.

 

We drove home late last night under a meteor shower which was a nice surprise.

Now it is time to catch up with Christmas here.

~b

getting out

 

Today we are trying to find our routine 

as we take care of two of our granddaughters in the city.

It provides us with a little break from home

and we have a lot of fun remembering what it was like to be 12.

~b

Friday Post Card

 

When you don't have a local bakery 

you take things into your own hands

like I had to yesterday.

~b

I heard the bells...

 Today I am feeling festive and doing a little Christmas decorating.

I usually end up doing this up to the day of Christmas.

I love my tree this year. 

It is woodsy in a shiney sort of way.

Mr. b cut out the barnwood stars for me.

~b is for bells of Christmas

November

~b

 We had a nice Thanksgiving at our daughter and son-in-law's.

Besides all the good food

(our son-in-law makes a mean smoked turkey)...

There was salt dough ornaments, ice walking, 

grandma's new petticoats and the naked barbie?

 Well, it was just too funny sitting in the corner of the shower everyday.

~b

table manners

 Does anyone know where a trio of gnomes 

can get a hot meal on Thanksgiving day?

They promise to take their hands out of their pockets

and remove their hats at the table.

Happy Thanksgiving all...

~b

pixies

 I definitely have an obsession 

with Scandinavian pixie elves.

They are a little fussy to make...but not bad.

One to keep and one to give away I say.

~b

Friday Post Card

 

Hope your weekend is all smooth sailing!

~b

an unfinished life

 I found this partially completed afghan in a large tote of yarn I was given.

It was tucked in there just crying for someone to finish and love it.

Like I needed to inherit more unfinished projects right?

It was a labor of love to work on 

it as it was my deceased sister-in-law's yarn.

Anyone that ever crocheted made a blanket using this pattern. 

I made more than a couple of them in the day.

It really is quite pretty.

~b

painting

 This is one of Mr. b's latest and favorite paint by numbers.

  Yup...and now I may need to make some chicken noodle soup.

I rolled out homemade noodles the other day

and stuck them in the freezer.

This pandemic has been good for my cooking skills.

~b

sewing for dolly

I used a vintage print for this doll dress 

and I think it is cute enough to wear to a friend's birthday party. 

I call this dress "Butterflies Are Free".

It reminds of a dress I made for myself back in the 70's.

It is timeless and will never go out of style.

The fabric is leftover from curtains I made for our oldest granddaughters.

~b

Friday Post Card

 With all the sewing I have done this week

for girls and dolls...

I got to thinking about the princess dresses I made eight years ago

and how I said I would never do these dresses again.

The question here is - "Will she or won't she?"

~b

Buttons and Bows...

 Ribbons and Lace.

I have been sewing petticoats this week.

These have been on my wish list for years.

I just need to starch and press them and add a few bows 

before I can picture them being worn.

~b

Veteran's Day

 We have all good memories from Mr. b's army days.

We spent time on the New Jersey coast in Bradley Beach.

Then we packed up our things, all in one large box,

and drove to the Pacific Ocean where we enjoyed the

 California sunshine in Salinas.

It's a good thing we were young and dumb and weren't afraid of anything.

He never lost his love for Volkswagon Beetles...we owned a 1968 tan one in California.

I will probably have to bury him in his 1973 convertible someday.

Thanks for the memories...

~b

soup and socks

 How was that for a nail biter weekend? 

Aren't elections horrible!

Some say it's not over but we are definitely ready to move on in this household.

I worked on these "Patriotic" socks all weekend. 

Kettles of potato soup and chicken and rice soup kept us fed.

I am almost finished with the first sock

and hope to get the second sock done before the next election.

~b

Friday Post Card

 When my calendar says it's November...

I know it's time to start polishing up my pumpkin pie skills.

There are several advantages to this.

~b

do I smell smoke?

 Today I made fire starters 

because in my opinion winter 

is the best time to have a bonfire.

I raided Mr. b's workshop for sawdust and wood shavings.

Then I clipped some evergreen branches in the yard.

The wicks are bits and pieces from candle making.

I found the cinnamon sticks in my cubboard.

The leftover wax from the bottom of your candles works great.

Just melt in a tin can immersed in water on your stovetop.

I think they will make great Christmas presents.

~b